My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 236

"I... I just want to find you to do something..."

"What? Then why are you dressed like that?"

"I don't know why, but it just naturally turned out this way! It's all because the student council president told me to wear this outfit when I asked you out!"

The student council president? That upperclassman... That reminds me of when we were giving our project presentation at the school festival; she also showed up in a cosplay outfit. Does she really love cosplay?

Upon hearing that it was the suggestion from that genius senior, for some reason, I felt that this seemingly ambiguous action also had its own significance...

"...So, what do you want from me? Please just say what you want to say."

"It's...it's just..."

Although she was instructed by her boss, she went so far as to wear daring and revealing clothes that she rarely wore, just to do something with me—what exactly was it? To be honest, I couldn't imagine it at all.

The girl secretly glanced up at me and said:

"...Would you like to go on a trip with me?"

"…………travel?"

"The president is planning a long weekend starting on the 21st! We're going to Kobe! You see, November 22nd is called 'Good Couples Day,' right? So I was thinking, if I could ask you to come on the trip that day, it would be a good opportunity for my mom and dad to spend time together as a couple..."

It took me a few seconds to understand her eloquent explanation.

November 22nd is Good Couples Day. Now that she mentioned it, it seems there is such a holiday. Giving my father and his wife some time together on that day might indeed be considered a form of filial piety.

But... in that case, as long as Yui goes on her trip, I can just stay at Kawanami's house for two days.

Since it's a trip planned by Senior Sister Hong, all the participants should be student council members. Aren't you afraid that my going will bother them?

Seeing Jie looking up at my face, waiting for a reply, I felt embarrassed to speak.

Despite the many wonderful explanations she could come up with for specifically asking me to go with her...

"Kobe—what's there to do in Kobe? Eat beef?"

Ignoring the strange tension between us, Isana tilted her head carefree.

"Uh—" Jie Nu seemed to be trying to recall, her gaze drifting upwards as she spoke:

"The chairman mentioned that it might be possible to book a hotel in Arima Onsen."

"Arima Onsen! I've heard of that place!"

"I heard you can also see the autumn leaves, this is the perfect season to go."

"Oh, speaking of which, where is Kobe Prefecture? Is it far away?"

"...Kobe is not a prefecture."

"It's in Hyogo Prefecture, in the eastern part of the city..."

"Huh? Is that so?"

Our school is a prestigious school with a long history. Is it okay to have students like this?

Although Isana's naiveté isn't a recent development, I still think she needs to learn some basic common sense, otherwise she'll embarrass herself when she becomes an author and publishes her work someday.

"—Oh, right. That makes sense..."

Hearing me mutter to myself, Jie Nu asked, "What's wrong?" and turned to look at me.

I'm not particularly interested in traveling to Kobe—but if that's the case, it might be worth a visit.

"Regarding the trip... I only have one condition."

"Huh? W-what conditions...?"

I pointed at Izana and said:

"If I can bring this guy along, I'll go."

“…Huh?”

"...Huh?"

Yui and Isana blinked a few times in unison.

Asou Aisa◆ willing to shed her devilish disguise

"Welcome home, Master♪"

I greeted the senior student who opened the door to the student council room with my most charming eye contact.

The senior student, who is 187 centimeters tall, looked down at me from a height of over 20 centimeters, frowning in surprise. "Oh dear, you look like you've seen a suspicious person. Can you be a little more excited?"

The iconic cat-ear cosplay has already been given to Xiaojiezi, so I'll opt for a variation.

This refers to a Chinese-style maid cosplay outfit that combines the styles of a cheongsam and a maid outfit.

It blends Chinese-style design with the ruffles unique to maid outfits to create a charming style, making it one of my favorite pieces. Because the dress has a very low neckline, it took me quite a bit of effort to create cleavage, but that was no big deal for me.

Seeing that my senior was still frowning and silent, I continued my offensive:

"Come in, host. Aisha will serve you tea shortly."

"...Hey. This isn't going to end until I start ranting, is it?"

"What are you talking about spraying... It's not even dark yet, you can't do that, Master?"

(Illustration 006)

"Ugh, look at me, deliberately squirming my body." The senior sighed and went to sit down on the sofa in the reception area.

I walked to the cabinet against the wall and deftly prepared tea. My senior, leaning back in his chair, rested his chin on his hand and watched me, saying:

"Ya Shuang. I might not be very convincing as someone who wasn't very serious about being president before, but please stop fooling around like this in the student council room. It's setting a bad example."

"Aisa isn't fooling around, senior! Aisa is very serious!"

I gently swayed my skirt and placed the teacup filled with green tea in front of my senior. I even took the opportunity to bend forward, revealing my chest to him. However, it's safe to say he's a senior who hasn't fallen for me all year. He didn't even glance at me before picking up the teacup.

As my senior sipped his tea with gusto, I plopped down next to him. I even tried lightly touching his knee area, but he didn't even raise an eyebrow. He's definitely not someone to mess with.

However, I won't back down because of this little thing. Today, I have a very important mission: to get my senior on the Kobe trip!

"By the way, senior, has anything fun happened lately?"

"Huh? What's so fun about it? All the guys in my class have gone into exam mode and are super hard to get a hold of. I know it's unavoidable, but I feel like I'm being ostracized."

"So that's why you went to the student council, which you've already left office, to find someone to keep you company? Senior, you're just afraid of being alone♪"

"None of your business. You have no right to talk to me like that, Ya Shuang."

"What?! What do you mean, senior? Waaaaah!"

"So cheesy..."

Seeing me chuckle, the senior gave a light snort. Even though he found it annoying, he would still chat with me for a long time. I don't know when it started, but his half-hearted, indifferent reactions actually became more and more addictive to me.

It's already November... There are only four months left until graduation.

Since there is also a period of free time at school, it will actually be shorter.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt there wasn't enough time. His senior was very caring, and he would definitely make many friends after entering university, attend drinking parties, and meet beautiful female college students... The junior girl he knew in high school who wouldn't leave him would soon be forgotten by him.

...I don't want that.

Although I don't like the senior... I don't want that.

Perhaps Ling Lili is giving me a chance. That genius girl who doesn't know how to reflect on herself and keeps nagging me like a country bumpkin about when to take our relationship to the next level might actually be taking pity on me.

It means: Take this opportunity to do something.

Perhaps they're handing me this opportunity with a condescending attitude—the more I think about it, the angrier I get.

In any case, I won't let him graduate like this.

Because if I do that, it would seem as if he had won and left the stage... Just once, at least once—I hope he can take this seriously and look at me properly.

I wanted to make his eyes, which always seemed to lack enthusiasm, become serious.

"--So it must be difficult for you to go out and have fun."

Since that's the case, perhaps I should...

No inappropriate jokes, no sarcastic remarks, no making excuses.

--Would it be better to tell him seriously?

"Senior, it's like this—"

—I hope you can travel with me.

That's what I was originally going to say.

I originally intended to turn over a new leaf and earnestly ask him for help.

But—ah—! How can I just do what I say I will? I always talk to him while joking around! How can I suddenly become serious?

"Huh? -- What do you mean?"

The senior student frowned in surprise and looked at me.

"...Um...well, that's right, Aisha wanted to tell you! Aisha won the grand prize in the gacha yesterday!"

"You already said that. Didn't you force me to look at the screenshots sent by Discord?"

"Ah... I... I forgot. Well then... Ah, I've got it! Apex Legends got a patch! Want to play duos together after the update?"

"It doesn't really matter, but do I really need to say something like this while wearing a cosplay outfit?"

“Ugh…”

What should I do? What should I do? The more I try to find excuses, the further I stray from what I really wanted to say!

Just as my head was about to get all tangled up, my senior finished the rest of his tea in one gulp, then sighed and said:

"It's a trip, isn't it?"

"what?"

I was startled and looked up at my senior's face. He put the teacup back on the table and said:

"I've been busy with student council handover and organizing events lately, so I haven't had a break for a while. Given Zhao Hong's love of travel, I knew she'd be here... and more importantly—"

The senior student glanced at me casually, and then raised the corners of his mouth as if he couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Whenever you stammer like this, it's usually because you want to ask me for a favor. You probably want to ask me out cleverly and smoothly, but this is just beating around the bush and it's pointless. You don't have that kind of talent, just say what you want to say."

"Or perhaps..." he said.

My senior smiled at me with a smile a thousand times more mischievous than mine, looking down at me.

"You're this scared of me going on a trip? That's pathetic."

"Useless...! What do you mean 'too useless'? How could you say that! Who said Aisha was afraid!"

Of course I'm scared.

Perhaps the senior will be leaving soon.

Perhaps there are no more chances for me to fail.

Thinking about all this, of course I'm scared.

...Even so...

"Eisa...is not afraid at all."

and so.

I put my weight on the hand that was resting on my senior's knee and leaned forward towards him.

Seriously.

From very close range, leaning in to look into the senior's eyes, I said:

"Senior."

Please, don't turn me into a memory from high school.

"Eisa hopes that you can travel with her."

Irito Yume: How to Keep Her from Being Lonely

"Huh? Going on a trip to Kobe?"