My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

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"What template...?"

Izana pointed at me while grinning mischievously.

"If you want to understand human anatomy in depth, nude sketching is a must."

"You're dreaming! Besides, what's the point of modeling someone with a figure like mine?"

"That's what makes it great. It avoids situations where the protagonist is an ordinary high school student, but for some reason, he's an extremely muscular and lean guy."

"A lean, muscular physique isn't a problem... just like how female characters are inexplicably all slim."

"What does it matter! Besides, I haven't even asked you to keep your deadline bonus yet!"

Hmm...right, there was such an agreement...

"I'll try to get your permission from my classmate, and I'll be counting on you then!"

"Why does it seem like my own body now belongs to her...?"

"How about we ask our female classmate to come and supervise? ... Ah, that might still not work. I heard that nude models aren't allowed to react."

"What kind of reaction is that? Explain yourself, you lecherous woman."

"Of course... hehehe. If you're willing to let me see, I'd be more than happy to..."

"How disgusting..."

If our genders were reversed, you would definitely lose your job for making such sexually harassing remarks.

Besides, I've been living with my ex-girlfriend for over eight months, how could I possibly embarrass myself so easily? You really underestimate me.

Irito Mizuto ◆ Police Report

When I got home in the evening, I saw Yui sitting at the kotatsu in the living room, dressed in her uniform.

"You're back."

"……I'm back."

She greeted me naturally. But what did she mean by that yesterday?

Jie said back then that she wouldn't initiate conversation. And her meaning couldn't be clearer. When did it begin? The answer is self-evident with a little reflection: it was when we went back to the countryside to watch fireworks together—

She's now curled up in the kotatsu (heated table) as if nothing happened. I have absolutely no idea what Yui is thinking right now.

"Why are you still wearing your uniform?"

I asked tentatively. The woman picked up an orange and said:

"The room was too cold. I only intended to stay until the air conditioning warmed up... but once I sat down, I didn't want to leave."

"That's not something a top student would say."

"Sometimes I'm too lazy to change my clothes."

Too lazy to change clothes...

I couldn't help but recall the illustration of the girl wearing only underwear that I had just seen.

"Would you like to sit with me?"

As Jie spoke, she gently lifted the blanket covering her legs. Her legs, exposed from under her skirt, weren't wearing their usual pantyhose, revealing glimpses of her fair thighs. I looked around and saw the pantyhose had been removed and tossed haphazardly onto the sofa behind me.

"……No."

Normally, she's so meticulous about her appearance, so why is she so uncharacteristically unguarded today...?

"Anyway, I don't need to change my clothes."

"You really don't have a concept of loungewear."

"There's not much to dress up for when going to Isana's house. She can be lazy and just wear a shirt."

"I sometimes dress like that in my own room too."

...Are you kidding me? This guy would dress like Izana...?

Jie gave a meaningful, soft laugh.

"Do you want to come and see?"

"...If I actually go to see it, won't you get angry again?"

I thought this was a counterattack, but Yui's smile remained unchanged.

"I'm fine, if it were you."

—This is a trap.

I don't know what happened, but it was definitely a trap.

"...Don't fall asleep in the kotatsu like last time."

I chose a strategic retreat.

I left the living room and went upstairs to my room.

Why would that guy react like that?

There was no sense of retreat, no application of the brakes. It was as if self-awareness had been completely abandoned.

Is this what she meant when she said yesterday, "I won't let you escape"?

...No, calm down. It'll probably just be the same old thing. This has happened countless times in the last eight months—and it's always just pretense of seduction. I know better than anyone that this guy doesn't have the willpower or skill to seduce me.

But—why?

Why is my chest so restless?

Irito Mizuto ◆ Preemptive Strike

After dinner, I checked Izana's Twitter account on my computer in my room. I had uploaded the first of three illustrations—a girl getting ready in the morning—and found that the number of views was rising the fastest so far. Especially the likes…it's already over 100. The number of followers has also increased significantly.

Eroticism is indeed powerful... Of course, this also helps to boost Isana's motivation. However, if she wants to seriously develop in this direction, she'll have to wait another two years, considering her age.

At this rate, she'll probably have a large following by the time she uploads the third illustration. What kind of promotional approach should she take for this increase in followers...? Sensual or erotic? Eroticism seems to better suit popular tastes, but I think it contradicts my own personality. Actually, Izana is most able to express her aesthetic sense when drawing sensual illustrations—it's a difficult choice between needs and talent.

Just as I was pondering this, my phone rang.

Who is it, Isana?

Upon picking it up, I saw it was a knotted woman.

...Huh? Isn't that guy taking a shower right now...?

"Hey, it's you."

Why is it so slow?

The sound echoed.

Why is this guy calling me from the bathroom on his cell phone?

"What are you going to do?"

"I've run out of conditioner... Could you get me a new bottle?"

"Why did you call me? Aunt Yu-ren is home too, just ask her for help—"

"You've come to the right place!"

After saying that, Jie hung up the phone unilaterally.

What does she mean...? Calling back to refuse would be more troublesome, so just give it to her.

I went downstairs and found the conditioner that Yui used in the locker in the dressing room. It seemed that a lot of it was needed to maintain her long and useless hair, and there was a huge stock in the locker, so I had seen the stuff sitting there before.

I placed it in front of the frosted glass door of the bathroom.

"Put it here—"

I called out to the bathroom, just as I was about to leave early...

With a click, the bathroom door opened.

Only a small slit of about ten centimeters was opened.

Then, the woman peeked out from the crack in the door.

Wet hair clung to dripping shoulders. The area below the shoulders was hidden behind the door; only the curves of the body could be seen through the frosted glass.

Jie Nu looked up at me, who was speechless, and said:

"Thanks."

(Illustration 008)

She reached her wet hand through the crack in the door and took the bottle of conditioner, then the bathroom door slammed shut. The silhouette of the woman gradually receded into the distance, her outline fading, followed by the sound of running water from the shower.

My heart was pounding wildly.

It all happened so suddenly, it might even make me more restless than when she barged in while I was showering.

Irito Mizuto ◆ Attack

"Watch out! This is an enemy's Stand attack!"

In the anime recommended by Isana, the man shouts loudly with an extremely tense expression.

Yes, that's an attack.

It's unclear and inconclusive. From beginning to end, I was attacked in a way that was neither clear nor definitive.

They really know how to be clever.

Surrounded by this unusual situation of living under the same roof as my ex-girlfriend, do you think my rational life is a charade? Trying to use a few provocative moves now won't sway my resolve in the slightest. So the reason I rarely watch anime on my own is definitely not because I can't get into a novel after reading it for ages.

I—cannot make Yui happy.

It's not just me. I think I'm simply not suited for dating.

It was okay when I was in junior high school.

I can be a little naive and immature, without too many worries to prevent me from falling in love.

But now I know there are other things more fun than romance.

I am clearly aware that I belong to the kind of people who can easily set aside other emotions for this.

At least, if we weren't step-siblings—we wouldn't have to worry about the future, which is such a heavy burden for high school students.

However, in reality, we are a family.

I have no intention of ceasing to be family just because I like her.

This also means that sooner or later I will have to tell my parents about our relationship, and for this reason, we can't break up like ordinary high school students. We can't even choose to divorce like a couple who have become strangers.

Because of our relationship, it will inevitably affect Dad and Aunt Yu-ren.

If I want to get back together with her, it will require a tremendous amount of determination.

It requires a vow stronger than any church pledge, a stake of more than any marriage proposal, and an unwavering will to commit to a lifetime together.

Considering all this... I still don't trust myself enough.

I dared not entrust the maiden Irito to Irito Mizuto.

"—You're still awake?"

Someone knocked on the door, bringing me back to reality from my reverie.

I turned off the anime that had already progressed to the next episode and turned my head away.

"Not yet... what's wrong?"

"May I come in?"

"No, it was supposed to be tonight—"

"I'm coming in."

After all that talking, Jie Nu still opened the door without permission.

I'm used to seeing her in this pajama outfit now. Needless to say, she's not going for the Isana style as she said she would this evening.

The woman entered the room and slammed the door shut behind her. I remained seated, casting a wary glance at her.

"...Isn't it a rule that we don't go to each other's rooms at night?"