My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 36

However, at that time, I was even darker than Yokomizo Seishi's works, so I inappropriately wrote a love letter because what angered me was that, apart from my interests, the man resonated with me in other ways as well.

The only things that the man and I had in common were our shared interests.

This is also one of the reasons that has led me to this absurd situation.

In other words, it's a single-parent family.

I remember there were no serious arguments at home.

As far as I can remember, until the early grades of elementary school, I lived in an ordinary, harmonious family—my parents never argued loudly, and of course, there was no domestic violence. So that incident came very suddenly to me at the time.

That means Mom and Dad are no longer a family.

…I never pressed for the reason, but now I understand. There couldn't have been any major reason; it was just that small frictions accumulated over time, the passion that once existed faded, grew colder and colder, and then gradually disappeared… resulting in the inability to be together anymore. That's probably all there is to it.

Nothing surprising—I've been in the same situation myself.

But I was too young to understand then. I was so lonely, so very lonely, and I cried every day. My mother would hold me tightly and whisper again and again, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." This made me so sad that I didn't want my mother to apologize anymore, and so I stopped crying without even realizing it.

Because something like this happened when I was a child... there's a huge hole in my heart.

Things that were once taken for granted suddenly disappeared, leaving a void.

I haven't said goodbye to my father forever; I still have a chance to see him once a year... However, my mother almost never comes when I see my father. Because my mother and I are a family, and my father and I are also a family—but my mother and father are no longer a family.

One day, Mom and Dad were no longer a family.

I didn't become particularly unfortunate, nor did I suffer any particular injustice... it's just that this shape of a void remains in my heart.

So it was only a matter of time before I asked him that question.

—Don't you ever feel lonely?

When I asked him this question hesitantly and cautiously, the man replied:

—I don't quite understand what loneliness is.

Looking back now, it was exactly the kind of answer a middle school student would give to deliberately show off, but his profile and expression were completely expressionless without any pretense.

Nothing.

Feeling nothing, unmoved.

Just like someone who doesn't even understand what loneliness is, harboring an anxiety with nowhere to vent it—that kind of expressionless face.

His profile stirred a strong wind within the gaping hole in my chest.

He doesn't have any sense of loss, unlike me who has a huge hole in my heart. He won't cry in loneliness like I do; he simply can't.

So unlike me, he doesn't need hugs or comfort from others.

His loneliness, his aloofness, swept through my chest like a gust of wind, leaving a stinging and tingling sensation. Like medicine thoroughly penetrating a wound, our touching hearts reacted sensitively.

I didn't ask any further questions about the man's biological mother.

I don't know how that guy grew up to be such an awkward person.

However, when my mother and her husband remarried and I moved into this house, I only sat there once.

In a corner on the first floor.

A tatami room that almost no one goes to normally.

I once sat before the Buddhist altar, which was quietly placed deep inside that room.

◆

The second Sunday in May.

Surprisingly, it's said that there are many high school boys in the world who don't know what this holiday is.

For me, this is one of the most important holidays of the year. Since August 27th, which used to hold the top spot—the anniversary of becoming Irito's girlfriend—has been happily removed, this day is now probably the undisputed number one.

That is Mother's Day.

"……Hello."

On the first Saturday after the Golden Week holiday, I finished reviewing my daily lessons and went downstairs. I saw my stepson leisurely lying on the living room sofa reading a book, so I coldly called out to him.

Shuidou, still staring at his book, answered impatiently:

"Huh? What happened? What stupid thing did you do again?"

Please don't assume I'm bound to do something stupid!

It means that this guy himself often makes stupid mistakes!

"...No, I wanted to ask if you're ready? It's tomorrow."

"Huh? What are you preparing?"

"A gift! For Mother's Day!"

I leaned over from the back of the sofa and looked at him as he said that his stepbrother blinked several times.

"Mother's Day...?"

Shuidou closed the book, picked up the smartphone on the table, and then brought it to his mouth, saying:

"Okay Google, Happy Mother's Day."

"Do I really need to ask Google?"

"Oh—the second Sunday in May…a holiday to thank and reward mothers for their hard work every day…yes, I think I've heard of that."

"...Are you serious?"

"There's nothing I can do; it's my fate to have lived without a mother for so many years."

"Do you know when Father's Day is?"

"…………Okay Google, Father's Day."

"Do I really need to ask Google?"

This guy has absolutely no interest in humans, not even his family. What kind of miracle would it take for someone like him to get a girlfriend? Hey, are you even listening? Me in middle school?

Shuidou's gaze shifted as he spoke:

"Well, I think guys generally don't celebrate these kinds of holidays. Yeah, that's all."

"no."

I reached out and snatched the book from the sink that I was about to pick up.

"As long as I have a breath left, you are not allowed to ignore Mother's Day."

"How bizarre! They've suddenly become Mother's Day police officers... and even have a side job as a Van Dine 20 law enforcement officer?"

"You are not allowed to mention that matter again...!"

The shameful woman who vehemently criticized all detective novels that violated the Van Dine Twenty Rules is dead.

"...So you didn't prepare a Mother's Day gift, right?"

"I don't know what gift to prepare."

"Oh? Didn't you go to your girlfriend's house in the middle of the night to deliver Christmas presents?"

"...You are not allowed to mention that matter again."

He glared at me angrily, and I grinned smugly. If we were to share our embarrassing stories, we'd have plenty to talk about.

After letting out a sigh, Mizuto finally sat up. His head almost bumped into me as I peered over the back of the chair to look at him.

"Please get to the point. After all this talk, what exactly do you want from me?"

"If I don't take care of you, I doubt you'll prepare a gift. So come with me to buy one now."

"Huh?"

He looked at me as if I were some rare and exotic creature. How rude of him.

"...With you? Me? Together?"

"Yes. I can keep an eye on you, and I can make Mom and the others think we get along well. Plus, it won't be embarrassing for you to deliver the package with me, and we can each pay half."

"Hey, I think the last one is your real goal, isn't it?"

"The value of a gift lies not in its monetary value, but in the sentiment behind it."

Actually, it's because I now go out with my school friends, which has made my wallet tighter than before.

"Sigh." Mizuto sighed. If it were true that constantly sighing would make happiness slip away, this man would have been hit by a car and killed long ago.

"I refuse. You want me to go shopping with you? Ha! You're only a teenager and you already have dementia? Are you even okay? Do you remember if you've eaten?"

"...I'm so angry...!"

This guy is a genius at annoying me.

...Very well. If you want to use this approach, then I have my own way of doing it.

I went out of the living room and back to my room, where I quickly got ready, checking myself in the mirror. Once I was sure the result was perfect, I went downstairs again.

As I brushed my loose hair aside, I leaned closer to look at the man's face as he lay back down on the sofa.

"Hello, Mizuto-kun?"

"Huh? Didn't we just see that—huh?"

Shuidou looked up and saw me, blinking his eyes repeatedly.

I changed into a dress, a cover-up, and a wide-brimmed hat, creating a sophisticated summer retreat look.

That's right.

That is, an outfit that perfectly matches the man's taste.

"Hey."

Mizuto stared at me blankly, and I slowly reached out to press my hand against his chest. Thump thump thump thump, his heartbeat was clearly faster than a second, and I felt it in my palm.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear? How strange! It's just that my stepsister dressed up a little bit, and my heart is racing like this. You're completely out of the running now, little brother?"

"What...! You're planning to apply that rule even to heart rate?!"

"Nobody has set a rule that says 'involuntary muscles are not subject to investigation'."

The rule is that whoever behaves in ways that step-siblings shouldn't have has to temporarily become a younger brother or sister. Then, no one's heart will race just because the sister is wearing a dress.

I chuckled to myself.

"Besides, even ignoring the heartbeat, why do you seem so stunned? You really like this innocent look. You guys are such dreamers when it comes to girls, aren't you?"

"Who still holds onto dreams with you? Thanks to a certain lady, my imagination has been utterly destroyed."

"Oh? Who is it? There's just an ordinary older sister here."

"……hateful……"

Mizuto sat up while cursing. Then he tried his best not to look in my direction.

"...I'll go, I'll just go buy a gift, okay?"

Wow, I didn't expect him to be so obedient. I thought he would try to cheat again.

"Is it really to your liking?"

As I said this with a wicked grin, Mizuto muttered gruffly, "You're annoying."

"Wait a minute! You're planning to go out dressed like this?"

"Huh? Can't I wear a sweatshirt?"

"Of course not!"

We forced him to change his clothes and comb his messy hair before we finally stepped out of the house.

I thought Mizuto might wear the clothes he wore to the aquarium, but he just wore a regular shirt, a regular vest, and regular khaki pants.

Well, if he dresses up too nicely and people mistake him for someone on a date, that would be annoying, so I guess that's how it is... I don't feel any regret.

I looked up at the sky through the brim of my hat.

The temperature has been rising lately. Kyoto's hot weather always makes you feel sticky all over, so a breathable dress might be a good choice.

"Then, let's go."