My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 322

"But this is the first time it's just the two of us eating lunch together, right?"

That's actually true. We would eat with Kawanami and Minami, but it wasn't just the two of us. Because, for a typical pair of step-siblings, we felt that the two of us eating lunch together was slightly over the line.

"Actually, what I long for more is a place that feels like a safe haven. Like the kind of doorway leading to the top floor that you sometimes see in comics or other things."

"That kind of place must be pretty dirty, right?"

"That's what I mean. I'm saying that kind of place isn't really suitable for eating."

I doubt many people would bother to clean it.

"I think this place is fine; it doesn't make me nervous every time someone walks by."

This floor only houses classrooms that are rarely used, such as the library, art room, and craft room. Just like now, even though it's lunch break at school, it's so quiet you can't hear a sound.

"That's true. And booking the entire spacious hall feels very luxurious."

We opened the bento boxes. The dishes in both bento boxes were almost identical, except that mine was slightly more brownish. Of course, that's because both were made by Aunt Ren.

When we first started this lifestyle, Aunt Yu-ren would make us bento boxes every day, but lately she's been having more and more days without it. It's not that she's starting to slack off; it seems like she's been very busy with work lately. My dad is the same way; since the beginning of this year, they've been coming home later and later every day.

"Ah, your bento box has more meat than mine."

Jie peeked into my lunchbox and said, quite indignantly.

I glanced at the woman's lunchbox and said:

"But your color scheme is more diverse than mine."

"They're probably worried about my beauty... but I still want to eat meat... could you share some with me?"

"You'll gain weight."

"Ugh."

Jie Nu first looked unhappy, then pouted.

"Who would be so direct? Saying that to their girlfriend?"

Have you gained weight?

"...It's just that my breasts have gotten bigger."

"Don't make excuses like that, they're no different from Isana's."

Although the growth period may not be over yet.

"Waaaaah...! Before, you could say, 'All the nutrients went to your breasts'...!"

"Hmph, the reward period is over, isn't it?"

"You're talking like it has nothing to do with you! You wouldn't like it if I got fat, would you?"

"It depends on the degree. Being a little chubby is fine. You're already too thin anyway."

I should say, she's still just as thin. You can tell from the feel of her when you hug her.

I picked up my chopsticks and took out a piece of karaage chicken from the lunchbox for Jie.

"Here you are."

"Waaah...! No, don't do this... Don't spoil me... Once my boyfriend accepts me, I'll lose my reason to try anymore...!"

"It's better than letting your girlfriend become skin and bones, right?"

I placed the karaoke chicken near the woman's lips, and she opened her mouth slightly like a little bird, taking a small bite of the karaoke chicken.

“…So delicious…”

Watching Yui eat the karaage chicken little by little with my chopsticks, I felt like I had become a parent bird feeding its young.

After finishing the karaage chicken, the girl let out a "woo-woo" moan with her slightly oily lips.

"I need to look up some weight loss methods... I should ask Dongtou..."

"That guy would never go on a diet."

"It's a complete lie to say I haven't lost weight! Otherwise, that underbust measurement would be unreasonable!"

"But that girl has lost weight recently without doing anything. Because she gets so focused on painting that she forgets to eat."

Even during winter break, she was always causing trouble. I had decided to stop bothering the East family as much as possible, but Aunt Nagira still called me over once, saying, "I'm going out to play, could you please make some food for Isana?" I was practically her pet breeder.

The girl wore an expression that was hard to decipher—it was a mix of envy and worry—and said:

"It's less about losing weight and more about looking haggard..."

"Aren't the results all the same?"

Isana isn't the type to gain weight easily. I don't know if it's a matter of her constitution, but at least not on a mental level. Because she's not the type to relieve stress by eating. If I had to say, she's the type who forgets about it after sleeping with someone.

"Sigh." Jie Nu sighed heavily.

"This world is so unfair..."

I felt a little embarrassed as I watched the girl finish speaking in a low voice and then begin to chew on the fresh, crisp vegetables.

Her fingers were as thin as spring onions; her neck seemed so delicate it could snap at any moment; her figure was slender yet curvaceous.

No matter where I look, I feel that you are the kind of person who would be blamed for God's unfairness.

Thankfully, he told me; if he said that to other girls, they probably would have disliked him. As her boyfriend, perhaps I should compliment her figure more, making her more aware of her good looks? Should I tell her, "You have such big breasts, but such a tiny waist!"? Wouldn't that make me a perverted old man harassing her?

Rather than that, it would be better to let her work on maintaining her figure; that might leave a better impression than her shamelessly saying, "No way! I don't care about that at all!" So I should...

"Okay, good luck. Consider it an effort for me."

The last sentence was just something I casually added, but the girl reacted with a big "Huh?" to it.

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"No... it's just... how should I put it..."

While stammering and hesitant to speak, Jie Nu pointlessly poked at the cherry tomatoes with her chopsticks.

"Maintaining my boyfriend's figure...it seems...a bit like...a tribute, so..."

Tribute.

This word conjures up images of stale, vulgar scenes in my mind. A naked woman, wrapped only in a thin sheet, opens her arms, offering her body, and murmurs seductively, "This is for you..."

"...You always say I'm a repressed pervert, but I think you're much worse than me."

Upon hearing what I said, Jie Nu immediately blushed.

"This...this isn't my fault! This is a real problem for girls!"

It seems like a pipe dream for guys, but in reality, it's something I can't ignore either.

Indeed, this was the first time we had eaten lunch together as a couple.

But that refers to after entering high school.

Just like now, we used to eat together secretly when we were in junior high school. Not only that, we also experienced all sorts of different "firsts" together in junior high.

It felt like a first date.

Or perhaps it was her first kiss.

Although we had only just started dating, we had already experienced all of these things.

So—our "first time" now only has one left.

That is, it has been tried before...

The thing that ultimately failed.

"........."

"........."

We finished lunch in the worst situation we've ever had since we met.

Haba Jouji ◆ Daring to show courage

—How about it...? If you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to my home...

The voice that has been echoing in my mind over the past few days made me sigh.

No man's heart wouldn't race after she said that.

Hong is always like this. Her intentions are so obvious that it's almost like she's forcing me to accept them, making me feel like it's me who's being despicable for trying to draw a clear line.

If it were any other girl, I would have thought she had misunderstood; but Hong is different, she's much smarter than me. No matter how I think about it, I'm convinced that her words and actions were definitely the result of careful consideration.

I... am very scared.

The same feeling came over me when I first saw Hong's background and outfit. On one hand, I felt like a fool, floating on air thinking, "She actually went to such lengths for me," and on the other hand, a strong sense of guilt overwhelmed me, feeling that I was the one who made her have to go to such lengths.

For someone like Hong to have feelings for someone like me, there's no doubt that something is definitely wrong.

But in the process of observing others, I did learn one thing.

Learning about love always begins with some kind of mistake.

I don't have the courage to admit that mistake. And it just so happens that I'm the one who caused Hong to make a mistake—how can I possibly acknowledge this situation?

I've never seen anyone with a lower self-evaluation than me.

I naturally and naturally see myself as a pebble on the roadside. Some might say I'm better than trash, but to me, trash is better, at least someone will pick it up.

The only thing the pebbles on the roadside can do is trip people up.

No, this is just playing with words. It's just excessively belittling myself and reveling in the pleasure of feeling inferior. I just—yes, I just—backed down.

Faced with a dreamlike reality, the only fear is waking up from the dream...

Despite my fear, I mechanically opened the door to the student council room at the same time every day.

As a result, I saw my classmate Hong completely naked.

"Um?"

"……ah."

A snow-white back came into view, freezing me in place.

She was only wearing a sophisticated-looking black pair of underwear, her upper body completely naked. A white towel, as if she had just showered, hung around her neck, barely covering her prominent breasts.

To escape the sight, I glanced around and saw her discarded gym clothes lying on the table. It then dawned on me that today's fifth and sixth periods were PE, and it was a marathon. After the run, we could be dismissed and go home immediately, so I guessed she must have come straight to the student council room after the run, and wanted to dry off while changing.

This isn't the first time I've seen Hong wearing underwear.

Rather, I'd say that Hong actually shows herself to me quite often. While I haven't gotten used to it, I think I've developed a resistance to it by now.

However, the timing is not right today.

I said goodbye like that just a few days ago, and now I see this side of me again—

"...Isn't that right?!"

"Door."

Just as I was about to apologize, Hong smiled, looking slightly troubled.

"It's cold, can you close the door?"

"Ah... okay."

I obediently reached behind me and closed the door.

Then I realized why I hadn't left the room: it was because Hong seemed so calm that I didn't think I needed to run away.

It's not too late now; I should leave the student council room immediately.

"Ah-zhang."

Just as I was about to turn around and open the door, Hong moved quickly and was already right in front of me.

I tried to back away, but bumped into the door from behind. Then, Hong's right hand braced against my face.

It's what's known as "wall slam".

Hong, who was wearing nothing but a towel around her neck, smiled slightly and teasingly, gently tracing the outline of my ear with her left hand.

"You're blushing."

As I felt the blood rushing to my face, I thought: Could it be...?