My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 264

Sitting on the edge of the bathtub, with her back to the window stained with night, she showed me her wet, glistening naked body.

He still had a smile on his face.

Xiaoyue tilted her head slightly and repeated herself:

"Really...not excited?"

Her petite frame has hardly changed since junior high school.

The body hidden beneath the clothes had already reached full maturity. The lines from the waist to the hips, and the shape of the breasts that appeared flat at first glance but were actually still rounded—the curves of the body, exuding femininity, were noticeably more pronounced than before.

She was as tall as a child, with an innocent and childlike face, yet still charming and beautiful.

At least I—unfortunately, have this feeling.

"……Why……"

I felt hives about to break out on my body, and my stomach churned with nausea, I groaned.

"Why...did you go to such lengths...?"

Is it a question, or a plea?

His brain was damaged to the point that his intelligence was below that of a monkey, and he couldn't even ask himself a question.

"Actually, I'm content with maintaining the status quo... We've made up... Like before, we've become compatible childhood friends again... I even thought, this isn't so bad...!"

Even I felt that my voice sounded like I was crying.

I felt like a little brat, crying and whining.

"But why—why did you have to destroy all of this!"

It’s over.

The carefree days are coming to an end.

The thought of this makes me sad and angry, and my mind is a complete mess.

Xiaoyue seemed to be in a difficult position, her eyebrows drooping slightly.

"...Did I destroy anything?"

"Yes, of course! Because if you treat me like this—"

If I saw you like this.

"From now on, I can only see you as a woman."

Deep within my mind, a spark burst forth. It enveloped my brain from the inside, rewriting what I call rationality, imbuing it with the colors of animal instinct.

No, I don't want to! I've had enough. I don't want to repeat this mistake! It's disgusting, disgusting, disgusting, disgusting! Please, let it remain a beautiful image in my heart. Let me continue to see men, women, and humanity as more beautiful. Let me believe that all of this is precious, lovely, noble, and beautiful!

Just like childhood memories.

"I'm sorry, Xiaoxiao."

But she was so ruthless.

"You saying that makes me... incredibly happy."

Upon seeing her shy smile, I covered my mouth.

I was speechless. I couldn't even lift my head. With a splash, I walked out of the difficult-to-enter hot spring, retracing my steps in the direction I had come from.

"...Damn it..."

Even so, the image did not disappear.

Xiaoxiao's naked body is etched in my mind.

"...Damn it, damn it, damn it...!"

My brain felt like it was beating wildly, like a heart.

My throat is so dry I can't stand it, and I just can't breathe smoothly anymore.

I didn't want things to come to this.

I wish I could stay a child forever.

I hope that we can continue being ordinary childhood sweethearts, without any distinction between men and women.

But—it refuses to disappear. It refuses to disappear, nor does it refuse to fade.

Slightly flushed and warm skin, the tips of her breasts rising gently like hills, and glimpses of skin peeking out from between her firm thighs—

"You bastard...!"

It's all so vivid in my mind. I can't help but recall it.

This fact proves that we can no longer go back to the way things were.

Yui Irito ◆ A reward for giving it your all

I peeked over to see Senior Sister Ya Shuang, who was sleeping soundly under the covers.

"...She must have cried herself to death."

"Shouting, making a scene, venting his frustrations by eating, sleeping... he's just like a little kid."

Asahi-no-Yuan said, somewhat dumbfounded. "The senior's sleeping face really does look so childish; it's almost as if we're the seniors."

"No, it should be a baby. That's why they're so obsessed with breasts."

"Yes, she was still crying and fussing at the end..."

"...So this is what love is, it can make a person so crazy."

I stared at Asuha-in as she muttered to herself.

"You find it hard to believe?"

"Well... I do feel like it's unnecessary to make such a fuss."

"Okay, I also think that only a minority of people are making such a big fuss like Senior Sister Ya Shuang..."

I gave a wry smile. The dinner that Senior Sister Ya Shuang ate after taking a shower was also just a way to drown her sorrows.

"However... I was quite surprised myself... Actually, I was... a little angry."

"angry?"

"I'm angry with Senior Shengxing... I don't understand why he insisted on refusing to date Senior Yashuang, making her cry so much."

"...I see."

Judging from the president's expression earlier, she seemed to think so too. It's understandable that she would feel that way, given her close relationship with Asou-senpai.

As for me... maybe it's because I caused someone else's heartbreak in the past? I can't help but think that perhaps Senior Xingbian also has his own difficulties.

"That's incredible..."

Asahi-no-in looked down at Asahi-senpai, who was sleeping like a child, and spoke.

"I don't really care about being in a relationship... but seeing someone cry like this makes me feel a little soft-hearted. It makes me think that just like I'm studying so hard—this girl is probably also working so hard to be in a relationship."

"...Yes, I can understand. When I see someone giving their all—taking something seriously, I understand the feeling of wanting to stand by their side."

"serious……"

Asahi Yeyuan murmured, savoring the word, and said:

"I wonder how serious Hoshibe-senpai is about things?"

"what?"

"I... have never seen Hoshibe-senpai seriously put effort into anything. Although, since he's the student council president, he must be very capable..."

"this……"

I know that Senior Xingbian has a problem with his shoulder.

Although it's not entirely clear, it's very likely that he was injured... forcing him to give up something.

"Senior Sister Ya Shuang kept asking... 'Why'."

Like a mother, Asuhain touched the cheek of the upperclassman who had encouraged her to join the student council.

"Could it be that the senior didn't want to tell her the reason? Did he not tell her the reason? He let down Senior Sister Ya Shuang's serious attitude."

Why, why, why?

Like someone talking in their sleep when they have a high fever, Senior Sister Ya Shuang kept repeating these words.

"I can't be your boyfriend." That's what her senior told her, she said. But she never mentioned whether he explained to her why he couldn't be her boyfriend.

If even Senior Sister Asou couldn't hear Senior Brother Hoshino's explanation—

"—I think I'm starting to get a little angry too."

If Mizuto hadn't given a reason when he dumped Higashi-kun—even if that reason were mine, I'd probably be very angry with him.

Some might think it's unreasonable for her to fall in love and confess, but isn't it fair to expect the other person to take some responsibility? The person who confesses must say goodbye to the feelings that have been taken for granted until now—wouldn't it be alright to give them a proper send-off?

Is it strange to hope that the other person can reciprocate with sincerity?

"You two."

Suddenly, Chairman Hong spoke to us.

"Let me make this clear first, don't go and interrogate Senior Xingbian. That would only embarrass Aisha again."

"I understand, but..."

"This is ultimately just a matter between Aisha and Hoshino. It would be a huge mistake for us outsiders to meddle."

The president is absolutely right. She has been friends with Senior Sister Ya Shuang the longest, so she must be even angrier than the rest of us, but our president remains calm in the face of this.

But if that's the case, then what should be done?

"—Since it's their own problem, why not just let them talk it out themselves?"

Suddenly, someone whispered those words; it wasn't me, nor Asuka, nor the student council president.

It's Dongtou's classmate.

"It's not like a relationship ends just because you were rejected after confessing... Luckily, we still have a day of sightseeing tomorrow, isn't that perfect?"

The student from the east end chuckled shyly and said:

"Based on my personal experience, confessing your feelings from the second time onwards is much easier than the first time."

Of all those present, Dongtou was the least involved in the matter, yet her opinion was the most persuasive.

...Seriously, I'm still not as good as her.

It seems like a long time ago that I offered her advice as an experienced person.

"...I see. Heh...I see."

The president chuckled happily, shaking his shoulders.

"Indeed, there's no reason to give up after just one failure. Besides, Aisha is always being bothered by her senior, but she hasn't gotten discouraged at all. Hehe... Hahaha! You're absolutely right!"

The president seemed to have been amused and burst into laughter.

Tomorrow Ye Yuan looked puzzled, glancing at the student council president, then at the student in the east, and finally at me.

"Um... is this okay?"

"Well... it's not really that bad, is it?"

Just as persistent, clingy guys get disliked, persistent, clingy girls might be the same, but...

Anyway, judging from Senior Sister Ya Shuang's situation... she usually loves to pester her senior.

"Alright... Now that things are settled, let's have a strategy meeting."

After saying that, the Red Cross leader sat cross-legged on the quilt with a carefree air.

"Tomorrow—we're going to make Aisha confess to her senior again on Mount Rokko. And then, we'll definitely force that spineless, fake man to tell the truth."

"So, President, you're even more unwilling to swallow this insult than I thought..."

And so, the night deepened in the girls' room.

Haba Jouji's situation on the last day