My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 274

The visitor was a tall woman—Izana's mother, Aunt Nagi.

"Oh, you've arrived."

"Excuse me."

I almost forgot, she was the one who invited me here in the first place.

"You said you'd contact me if you needed anything."

"Yes. So you're aware of Isana's current situation?"

"Izana's condition?"

I looked at the people around me.

Does it refer to this kind of outfit where someone is only wearing an oversized shirt and has no sense of security?

"You know this girl's been obsessed with painting lately, right?"

Oh, so that's what you meant...

"Although she always liked to stay in her room, lately it's gotten even worse. When her cravings kick in, she won't even eat."

"...If Auntie wants me to tell her to stop drawing, I'm afraid I can't."

"Who said that to you? Don't be so wary. Don't portray me as some kind of narrow-minded tiger mom. I'm not that unenlightened."

What else could it be?

"It's good to focus on one thing. In this day and age, it's not like you can get a secure job at a big company just by studying hard. Besides, I did whatever I wanted when I was a student... That being said, I did pay a lot of tuition for her to go to that school."

Okay, yes, we attend a private high school. Although my daughter and I are on special treatment, with tuition completely waived...

"Hey, Mizuto, do you know how Izana did on her midterms?"

Izana immediately curled up and hid behind me.

I turned to look at her and said:

"...Yes, I don't know."

"It's better not to know, she got a failing grade."

"Ugh," Isana groaned in shame.

"It's fine if you're obsessed with drawing, but failing exams or repeating a grade is a different story, as that would cost me more money. So, little Mizuto, I appoint you as Isana's tutor."

"Huh?"

How can this person make all the decisions?

"I'll pay a small tutoring fee. If that's not enough, Izana will pay with her body."

"This woman sold her daughter! Is this how a mother behaves?!"

"Stop your nonsense. Wait until you get the average score for all the students before you come at me advocating for human rights."

Izana was disheartened and discouraged after being refuted. It seems she really is a terrible mother.

Tutoring... given Isana's personality, it's possible she'll neglect her studies—but that would mean I'd have to come to her house regularly.

Why are you asking me?

"What do you think? I think this arrangement is perfect."

Aunt Nagihira smiled as if she knew everything.

Could she have already anticipated my determination to make Isana famous? If I were to become her tutor, I could manage Isana's time more efficiently, allowing her to balance painting and reading—indeed, there's no better arrangement.

It's almost as if the moat has been filled in.

From the very beginning, I had no other choice.

"...Okay. At least I'll take care of her until her final exams are over."

"It's settled then. I'm short on cash right now, Isana, you can pay for the tutoring fee in advance."

"Eek...! I'm facing a crisis in losing my virginity!"

"No need."

Don't look so smug. How could this mother and daughter be so tasteless?

Irito Yume ◆ Moat

“Eh…?”

What Shuidou reported to me after returning from my classmate's house in the east left me speechless.

"I mean, I'm going to be her tutor. It was Aunt Nagira—Isana's mother—who asked me to. So, at least until the final exams, I'll be going to her house almost every day."

Almost every day?

Going to my classmate's house in the east corner?

Private tutor?

Just the two of them?

"Aunt Nagatora is so domineering. She's a completely different person from Aunt Yoshihito, even though they're both mothers. She even said something like, 'If the tutoring fees aren't enough, Izana will have to pay with her body—'"

"Pay with your body!"

"...Let me state upfront that I am formally refusing."

Shuidou rolled his eyes at me. "You're right, you should know that."

No, but wait a minute?

Even if it was just a joke, if a mother can say something like that, doesn't that mean she accepts your relationship?

If you really have to admit it, you must trust her a lot to have a guy close to your daughter's age as a tutor, right? Does that mean she thinks it doesn't matter what happens between you two? She's made up her mind to welcome you into the family? And you even call her Aunt Nagira? You're already that close to Dongtou's mom? Do you have contact with her whole family?

My head is about to explode.

Although his classmates already thought that Mizuto was dating Higashi, if even his family thought so, wouldn't that be...?

"I might come home a little late sometimes, so I wanted to let you know in advance. That's all for now, I need to go look up some information—"

"--Wait, wait a minute!"

Seeing that Shuidou was about to turn and leave, I quickly grabbed his arm.

Mizuto looked at my face in surprise.

There's no turning back.

If Dongtou is playing the mother card, then I will—

"It's like this... There's something I really need to ask you."

I don't want to give him to someone else.

Even if neither Mizuto nor Higashito had that intention...

I am still—in my place—

"—Could you please meet my father?"

Volume Nine: Proposal Isn't Enough, Chapter Two: The Destined One

Kawanami Kogure ◆ The person most likely to achieve happiness

"The whole family is involved, which is actually quite troublesome."

Xiaoyue sat on my lap, talking as she played video games.

"Because my parents are like walking photo albums. They'll blurt out things even that the people involved don't want others to know."

Xiaoyue's petite body nestled in my arms, warm from her recent shower. Although it was the perfect hot water bottle in this freezing weather, the glimpses of her breasts beneath the loose collar of her pajamas were a bit too much for my eyes.

“Ah—”

While casually replying to conceal my true thoughts, I said:

"I don't quite understand how you feel... After all, to me it's not just a walking photo album, there's a guy who's practically a walking dark history."

"Who are you calling a 'dark history'?"

Xiaoyue protested while repeatedly digging her head into my chin. As I fled from the irresistible shampoo scent filling my nostrils, I said:

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"

"Hmm—? No, it was just one of my friends who brought her boyfriend to meet her parents."

"Ugh, this is so stressful..."

"Don't be so blunt! Although I think so too!"

"What if you break up and find another boyfriend? Will you have to introduce him to your parents again?"

"They might even say things like 'she seems gentler than the last one' or something."

"Oh my god! This is so embarrassing..."

Just imagining it is terrifying. What kind of expression would a potential boyfriend have on his face?

Xiaoyue turned to look at my face and said:

"We really did the right thing back then; we didn't tell our parents."

"This is the only thing I really want to praise about us back then."

"That's exactly what I meant!"

We laughed. The only downside is that I still get asked, "When are you going to date Xiaoyue?"

Xiaoyue leaned against my chest and said:

"But when you're dating, no one can imagine that you'll break up one day."

"...If you'd even think about it, why bother dating at all?"

"That's true... It would be wonderful if all couples in the world could get married."

"Even if you get married, you can still get divorced."

"Life is so hard to navigate!"

The idea that true love between a man and a woman is the only eternal thing is outdated.

In this day and age, there are countless ways to live a fulfilling life. If you want to find a partner to dedicate yourself to, you can become a fan of celebrities; if you want to gain praise from others, you can become an internet celebrity.

Marriage is no longer the main goal in life; dating has long been a preference for some groups.

Just like playing video games, it's merely a pastime before death.

"Perhaps only those who still believe in true love can live the happiest lives."

True love is neither the only thing nor eternal.

Even those who understand this principle—and are still able to believe it—can…

"...You sometimes get really into talking about life philosophy."

"You're just pretending to be stupid."

Xiaoyue grinned mischievously, pressing her body down so her buttocks slid to my inner thighs. Oh no! If she's this close, it'll be—

"I knew it from the beginning, you pervert."

"........."

I silently looked away, and Xiaoyue turned her head back as if trying to catch me...

"(Should I do something I can't tell my family...?)"

She whispered that to me in a provocative tone.

You can probably guess how I'd answer.

"...No way..."

"Enduring it isn't good for your health, little one ♥"

"If you say that again, I'll rub your breasts!"

"Oh! Are you going to help me grow bigger? Thank you~♪"