My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 20

"Um?"

I unexpectedly encountered a familiar face.

I was so terrified that my mind went completely blank.

Huh?

how come?

How is this going?

"...How did you get here?"

Mizuto looked at my face with a surprised expression.

"You asked me to run errands, but why are you at home? Aren't you too busy with your own things?"

"Wait, no... wait a minute."

My mind was in a mess, and I looked back at the stairs several times.

...He just went out...right?

This man did indeed pass by the locker room door and walk out the main gate just now...

But now, Mizuto is staring at me with a suspicious look. He's right in front of me.

Since that's the case—who just walked out the door?

"Ah!"

I rushed down the stairs and ran back to the entrance hall from the corridor.

...gone.

The loafers are gone!

The girl's loafers, which were just here a moment ago, are gone!

"What's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly run away? You'll fall and die if you rush down the stairs."

"You let her get away!"

I grabbed the chest of the water bucket that was chasing after me.

"Whoa! What are you doing! Why are you doing this all of a sudden!"

"You let her get away, didn't you! Just now! You let the girl you brought home go!"

"W-what...? A girl...?"

Shuidou looked quite confused and frowned.

Fell into a trap.

He pretended to go out himself, but actually let the girl escape!

For some reason, he figured out that I had already returned home...!

"What do you mean, 'bring home'? I've always been alone—"

"I saw it! I saw a pair of women's loafers here! Look, this is the proof!"

I held my smartphone in front of Mizuto. "It's one thing to see, but why did you record it...?" Mizuto looked a little startled (I didn't do anything!) as he watched the video of the loafers, his brows furrowing even deeper.

"This... was recorded today, right?"

"Yes, that's right. Besides, it's different from my size, so I can't fabricate that kind of false evidence."

"That's true."

Shuidou shoved his feet into his shoes and turned the doorknob with a click-clack sound.

"The door wasn't locked..."

"I told you, it's because you let the girl you brought home escape, isn't it? I did lock the door—"

"Go check your room."

Mizuto stared intently into my eyes with a serious expression.

"You should just go get checked."

I checked my room as Mizuto had instructed. Because Mizuto's expression was so serious, I initially thought the footsteps I heard in the locker room might be from a burglar, and I felt a little scared—

"...There's nothing unusual about it?"

I told the water bucket that it was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

Mizuto's expression clearly showed confusion. I'm the one who's completely baffled, okay?

"Don't scare me... I thought there was a thief."

"...Really? The room wasn't cleaned properly, or there are more adult books on the bookshelf?"

"Who's going to clean it up! And who's going to give you more? I don't even have one!"

Why bring up book A? That's completely random.

Mizuto frowned slightly and rubbed his neck vigorously. This was a habitual action he took when he was thinking.

"Are you done yet?! Can you explain yourself now?! After all that, those loafers were worn by the girl you brought home!"

"Ah? Oh...yes, yes, yes. Right, I brought it home, I brought it home."

"Huh? You admitted it way too readily...!"

Mizuto scratched his head in an annoyed manner and turned his back to me. I saw that he was about to go straight into the living room, so I chased after him from behind and blocked his way.

"...What's wrong? I'm tired. You know that, right? Let me get some water."

Very, very tired...? Could it mean—

I vividly pictured the scene in my mind of that unsophisticated girl I had seen before, and her doing something "tiring" with Mizuto in the secret room.

"You, you, what were you doing in the room with that girl—"

"Huh?"

Shuidou squinted one eye and stared intently into my eyes.

"Why should I tell you so much, classmate Jie?"

“…………!”

I couldn't answer, so I pursed my lips.

...He's right. Even if Mizuto really brought a girl back, I have no right to be angry. Nor do I have the right to demand an apology from him.

Because we are merely step-siblings.

—I know perfectly well, so why am I still so upset?

"...Okay, okay, I'll think twice next time. Just forget about this one. I'm outta here."

Shuidou waved gently at me, who remained silent, and then opened the living room door.

He stopped abruptly.

They were frozen in place, staring at one spot, completely stunned.

"…………?"

I followed his gaze.

I know what Mizuto is looking at—but I still don't understand.

— Five chairs were placed next to the dining table.

That's all.

"...What exactly happened...!"

It's completely baffling.

Mizuto, his face filled with astonishment, retreated silently to his room. He didn't give me a single explanation.

"Sigh...really."

I went back to my room first. Same as before, nothing particularly suspicious. I felt the same as when I woke up this morning… Why did that guy ask me to check the room? Was it to cover up bringing a girl home, or was there some other reason—

……never mind.

I quickly took off my uniform and changed into my loungewear, then collapsed onto the bed with a thud.

Her loose hair covered her body. It was her precious hair, which she had painstakingly grown long, but now it felt a little annoying.

"...Have I misunderstood something again?"

The girl's loafers. The girl sitting next to him in the burger joint... Am I making a mountain out of a molehill again?

In the instant I sighed, a wave of languid weakness washed over me, and my consciousness drifted into a light sleep—

—You don't like me making friends with other people, but you're close to other girls?

I still remember the moment those words came out of my mouth.

In that instant, he, who always seemed to embody the words "calm and composed," looked at me with a confused and hesitant expression, as if he were a lost child.

I immediately realized that I had said something I shouldn't have.

He's apologized and tried to make up with me. He openly confessed his ugly possessiveness and, unusually, took the initiative to be kind to me. But I—

The scene I saw in the library kept replaying in my mind... the place where we met, a place full of memories... he was there, laughing and talking with other girls.

I know perfectly well that I misunderstood.

Even at the time, my rational mind probably understood this.

However, the impressions left behind can never be erased. The wounds left behind can never be healed.

—In a place filled with memories, the person I trusted did the thing I least wanted to believe.

That impression has long since torn my memories and my feelings into pieces.

So, in that state, no matter the reason... once he adopts a cold attitude towards me and speaks harshly and sarcastically... how am I supposed to bear it?

I am a quiet and tongue-tied person.

But this does not mean that one is also taciturn inside.

On the contrary, because their real mouths don't speak, their hearts hold several times, even dozens of times, more words than others.

All these words...

I blurted it all out to him, as if my emotions had burst forth.

...Originally, I wanted to make up with him.

Therefore, I've made many plans for the upcoming summer vacation... and I originally planned to tell all of them to my classmate Irito on that day.

As a result, all of this was in vain.

We didn't get to have a second summer vacation.

—Awakening from a light sleep, I slowly got up.

There was a wet stain on the sheet, probably because I slept on my stomach. I don't know if it was saliva, or...

I didn't yawn, but I vigorously rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand.

It was pitch black outside the window. It seems I slept longer than I expected…maybe it was because I was mentally exhausted. It's all that man's fault.

I checked my face in the mirror. No drool. Were my eyes red? No. Good.

Having a guy around the same age in the family makes a girl constantly on edge, it's really tough... Although, to be honest, I don't really need to care about looks in front of that guy.

"Yui--? Are you awake--? Come down and get ready for dinner--!"

"Okay—" I replied. Although my voice sounded weak, it must be because I was hungry. That was definitely it. I should feel better after I eat.

With that thought in mind, I opened the door and stepped into the hallway, but just then...

An arm reached out from the side, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me over forcefully.

"ah……!"

I tripped and hit my back against the wall before I could finally regain my balance. Why did this happen all of a sudden...! I angrily looked up and saw Mizuto Irito's face right in front of me.