My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

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Oh, so that's what you meant. I was immediately relieved and put on a smile.

"Do you now have a basic understanding of how high school students have fun?"

"That's hard to say. If it were just me alone, or with other guys—like Isana or Kawanami—I probably wouldn't feel that way."

Shuidou looked up at the night sky.

"This is my personality, so it will never change. But you will keep changing in my place, so even someone like me doesn't have to worry about being left behind. That's how I feel."

"Abandoned?...You mean abandoned by the world?"

"If you want to say it in a cool way..."

In the dimly lit study, the boy who wept alone while reading the unknown "La Bayadère of Siberia"—now says that because he has me, he doesn't have to worry about being forgotten by the world…

"……So……"

I gripped the hand I was holding even tighter.

"You'd better hold on tight to me, or I'll leave you behind."

"Okay—I will."

I take back what I just said.

As long as Mizuto stays by my side, I'll be content.

At least I think I can still feel that way in the short term.

--That's how it was supposed to be, but the incident happened after we got home.

"...Huh?"

“…Huh?”

We were stunned and stood there dumbfounded, staring at our smiling mother and Uncle Fengqiu.

The reason is as follows.

"Look—our wedding anniversary is almost here!"

"We want to take advantage of the spring break to go on a belated honeymoon."

Our parents spoke with eyes that held complete trust in us.

"So I'm telling you two—we'll probably be away from home for about three days."

"You two will have to look after the house yourselves."

Volume 10: As long as you can reach out your hand, you are there.

Mizuto Irito ◆ A Man's Determination

Standing in front of a convenience store quite a distance from my home, I aimlessly looked around.

Go straight to the end and you'll find the rice ball shelf; turn left and you'll find the magazine shelf. This space, which I usually only recognize in this way, has a corner that exudes an undeniable presence today.

I remember when I was in junior high school, I visited a pharmacy for the same purpose, but I didn't know where it was, so I wandered around the spacious pharmacy twice.

After finding the item, I didn't pick it up and wasted time circling the store three times. Looking back, it seems really suspicious; I even suspect the store clerk might have been watching me as a potential shoplifter.

This time, it wasn't as exaggerated as last time.

I only went around once.

I picked up a plastic bottled drink that I didn't want to buy, then went straight to the magazine shelf. I randomly picked up a comic book magazine, flipped through a few pages without even looking at the contents, and tucked it under my arm.

Then──

With an extremely natural movement, I turned my head to look behind me.

Several boxes with white face masks painted on them caught my eye. That wasn't what I wanted. My gaze drifted downwards. After searching for a few seconds, I finally spotted it. It was hidden among the other products. With its rather stylish packaging, it seemed almost aware it shouldn't be exposed, blending seamlessly into the mix of bandages and wet wipes.

The packaging of this small box only emphasizes numerical values ​​like 0.01 or 0.02. Only those standing here with a specific purpose will perceive the meaning these numbers represent…

In short, I'll take a few seconds to look at the masks on the shelf first.

Then, making up his mind, he quickly and smoothly moved his gaze downwards again, looking at the small box placed on the bottom layer.

The few small boxes on the shelf differed only in the numbers written on the packaging and the quantity indicated. Last time I bought them at the pharmacy, I figured the price was the same, so I bought a pack of twelve.

But looking back now, was that judgment questionable? If the price is the same but the quantity is less, the only reason is that its quality is better. Since we're going to use it anyway, wouldn't choosing better quality be more considerate of the recipient?

But three sheets are already a bit much... Just calculating it, that's four times the price. And if (I mean, just suppose!) I run out, I'll have to buy more. If I keep repurchasing, will the sales clerk remember my face? Even worse, what if I run out halfway through...?

What if we lacked normal judgment right now? The thought sent chills down my spine. If that happened, it could easily escalate into an irreversible situation. If I wanted to avoid that risk while still showing respect and consideration for the other person, it seemed there was only one choice. I reached for the small box of six pieces, priced at about a thousand dollars—

--Is it really necessary?

As I approached the small box, this question flashed through my mind.

Starting tomorrow, Dad and Aunt Youren will go on a trip.

For two and a half days, it was just me and Jie Nu at home.

That's why I thought I might need it. I bought it during junior high school, and about a year ago, it disappeared from my drawer after an incident.

But will it really be used?

Didn't all that preparation last time turn out to be a complete waste of money?

────No.

I picked up the small box.

Whether or not I will actually need it, I must be prepared.

This represents my determination and my responsibility.

I should have said goodbye to that naive, complacent, and overly optimistic attitude back in junior high school...

Finally, I picked up the condom box and hid it inside the magazine I had tucked under my arm.

I don't yet have the resolve to openly and honestly take it to pay the bill.

Yui Irito ◆ A Girl's Determination

...I still bought it.

I lay out a new set of clothes on my bed in my room.

While it's called clothing, I don't usually need to carefully select the style. Because I'm not wearing it for others to see. Of course, a cute style might make me excited, but that's just for my own enjoyment. At least so far, I've never had the opportunity to wear it to show off to others.

That is, sexy lingerie.

It's not just underwear, it's sexy underwear. Seeing this complete bra and panty set, every single person would say, "This is sexy underwear."

This lingerie set, based on black (a color I almost never wear), is adorned with intricate floral embroidery. If that were all, it could be considered just lingerie that looks reasonably priced, but the sheer lace that forms the upper part of the cups and the sides of the panties transforms it into sexy lingerie.

These glimpses of skin beneath are clearly not just for enhancing the wearer's mood. They're meant to subtly reveal the hidden nudity beneath, enticing the eye like a carnivorous plant luring its prey—yes, it's meant to be worn for the opposite sex.

People call it the winning underwear.

I had thought about using it a long time ago—after all, I live in the same house as Mizuto, and who knows, maybe one day my mom and the others will be away, and that kind of atmosphere will suddenly come. But, preparing something like this felt like I was expecting something, which made me shy, and the student council was also very busy, so I put it off for now—and that's how it got to today.

It was as if my deadline had arrived: my mom and the others decided to go on a trip.

There's nothing I can do but... buy it.

Thinking that backing out now might lead to lifelong regret, I could only tell myself, "I'll just buy it first!" However, I had been debating which style to buy for a long time, so surprisingly, I didn't hesitate for long when I arrived at the sexy lingerie store. When I tried it on through the fabric, its mature charm made me secretly thrilled.

Now that the excitement has subsided, an unprecedented sense of unease envelops me.

The fact that this garment is placed here signifies...

That kind of thing will happen to me soon, right?

What nonsense is this woman spouting? What else would she be preparing this for? I could almost hear this grand pronouncement coming from somewhere. But, but, when things suddenly materialize and manifest as omens, it's as if the whole thing suddenly loses its sense of reality. "Huh? Is this real? Am I just imagining things?" This escapist thought became uncontrollable.

According to rumors, I seem to be the "pure and innocent representative of the student council."

Incidentally, it seems that the Red Student Council President is the cool girl type, Asou-senpai is the scheming type, and Asuha-in is the tsundere type (you guys clearly haven't seen her shy reactions). Although it's just a silly rumor, it's hard to ignore how others perceive me, making me constantly mindful of whether my words and actions can be considered innocent.

And now, I am finally going to...?

"........."

A sudden surge of tension gripped my entire body, and I began to tremble.

No, no, no, no. Don't overthink it, stop being so vain. It's not the first time Mom and the others haven't been home, and nothing's ever happened before.

This kind of sexy lingerie—no, having a set like this wouldn't hurt. I haven't decided what to do with it yet, but it'll just sit there. That's all, no other significance. Now that I've figured it out, I'll neatly fold this set and put it in the closet. That's all for now.

(Illustration 009)

The disappearance of the black see-through lingerie from my sight slightly eased my tension. I can't stand myself. Mom and the others are still home; this will arouse their suspicion. I should just go back to normal. After all, it's been a year since we became a family—a whole year of living like a normal family.

I went downstairs to the first floor while thinking about these things...

"I'm back."

Just then, Shuidou walked into the house.

"Ah...you're back."

"Um."

I managed to greet him with a forced calm, and Mizuto nodded slightly before walking past me.

At that moment, the thing tucked under my arm caught my attention.

...A comic book magazine?

He would never normally buy such publications to bring home.

This question made me notice that thing.

There was something in the pocket of Mizuta's coat.

Peeking out from the slightly bulging bag opening is a small box with a somewhat familiar packaging design.

That is...

-- About a year ago.

—I threw it into the trash bag…

"........."

The pounding of my heart erupted deep within my ears.

That's it.

That's it.

—It's really going to happen.

Irito Mizuto ◆ Day 1, Part 1

"Let's head out!"

"Take care on the road. Have fun!"

"Mizuto, feel free to contact me if anything comes up."

"It's okay, Dad, don't worry."

My dad and Aunt Yu-ren said "Then we're leaving—" again, and then walked out of the entrance hall. I and Jie-nv saw them off.

With a snap, the door slammed shut.

The voices and footsteps gradually faded into the distance until they could no longer be heard. Only then did Jie Nu slowly lower her gently waving hand.

"........."

"........."

The entryway was filled with a silence that seemed to be gradually tightened by a vise.

For more than two days starting today, we will be spending this time together in this house, just the two of us.

There were no onlookers.

There's absolutely no need to worry about being overheard or seen when we're together. We can do whatever we want—

—It is absolutely impossible for the situation to be interrupted halfway through because the father and others almost found out.

No matter how hard you step on the gas, no one will tell you to stop.