My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 48

Then, with steps several times more forceful than usual, it walked past me.

He didn't say a single word.

But from behind me, I heard the sound of the living room door opening and the sound of someone climbing the stairs roughly.

A loud slamming sound came from the second floor.

Then, I looked down at the wooden floor of the room and walked out of the living room.

"...Yui...Yui? Are you alright...?"

"What's wrong...? It's rare to see you arguing like this..."

My mother and Uncle Fengqiu asked me with some concern, but I couldn't answer their questions properly.

I silently walked up the stairs and returned to my room.

Immediately, like a puppet with its strings cut, he lost all his strength and collapsed onto the bed.

...Now that things have come to this, what am I still hoping for?

We understand each other perfectly; this is nothing but wishful thinking on my part. Haven't I already realized that in the six months since we started arguing?

Only this man would stand opposite me on equal footing, without any pretense—it's stranger to think that way.

In the end, I was just playing singles sumo.

"...Alright, let's leave it at that."

This way, there's one less competitor.

Nothing more.

That's all.

I should be happy.

Keep your position as the top dog.

If I can't do that, I won't be myself anymore.

After all, everyone thinks I'm the one who should do this.

The second day of the exam.

I fell asleep last night, which prevented me from studying.

However, there has been a lot of buildup over time. Rather than saying that the lack of sleep has been alleviated, I'm currently in a good state.

I didn't say a word at the breakfast table.

Although Mom and Uncle Fengqiu would occasionally glance at me and Shuidou with worried eyes as we casually put toast into our mouths, after what happened yesterday, they really weren't in the mood to pretend to make up immediately today.

"……I'm stuffed."

After finishing breakfast, I quickly tidied the table and headed to the entryway earlier than usual.

The biggest enemy chose to fall behind.

And today, I also have my best subject, math.

If he continues to perform to his usual standard, his position as the top student in the grade should be firmly in his grasp.

Change your shoes at the entrance.

Just as I was about to say "I'm going out," an unexpected voice interrupted.

"—You have no right to decide my style."

My heart skipped a beat.

Looking back.

I saw Mizuto, dressed in his uniform, looking at me with his tired-looking eyes.

"Similarly—your conduct shouldn't be decided by anyone else. Isn't that right?"

Hearing that annoying sound, my heart skipped a beat.

A feeling arose in my heart as if I had been seen through.

It felt as if my inner self had been completely exposed.

In my panic, I couldn't utter a single meaningful word. Meanwhile, Mizuto slowly approached and changed his boots beside me.

Shuidou glanced at me and reached for the handle of the entryway door.

That's when I discovered it.

There was a faint dark circle under Mizuto's eyes.

"—Let me end this, my stepsister. Let me end your miserable high school debut."

After unilaterally uttering that sentence, Shuidou disappeared on the other side of the entrance door.

As for me, who was left behind, I still couldn't figure out what was going on.

If there's anything that can be confirmed...

"...I already told you I'm the older sister, sworn brother."

You have no right to make judgments about me.

On the bulletin board, a large sheet of paper will be pasted on by the teacher.

The ranking of the top 50 students based on their total scores in regular tests is published. Since there are roughly 200 students in a school year, the published rankings represent about 25% of the entire grade. Therefore, making the list is not particularly difficult, and the bulletin board where the rankings are published is already surrounded by a huge crowd of students.

And I am at the very front of that sea of ​​people.

When I arrived there, people naturally made way for me. This is evidence that everyone believed I was the one who should confirm my ranking immediately.

Since the water elemental, which was the biggest obstacle, chose to lose points, my securing first place is almost a certainty. My estimated score already gives me this level of confidence. Next, I just need to check for any tiny mistakes that I haven't even noticed myself—

The teacher in charge of posting the list moved away from the bulletin board, and the exam rankings were finally revealed.

Instantly, the surrounding students stirred.

Then, I almost let out a shout of surprise.

Because I saw my name next to "first place".

...However, only half.

Next to "first place" is only my surname.

First place: Mizuto Irito, 777 points

Second place: Yui Irito, 774 points.

The paper that was posted read this.

No matter how many times I look at it, it hasn't changed.

I...I...lost?

The advantage he gained in modern literature... has been surpassed by him in other subjects...!?

"real or fake?"

"The Irito siblings took the top two spots..."

"The competition is incredibly fierce. That's amazing."

"Irito-san, you've already fallen to second place so quickly...?"

Incredibly, I couldn't hear the murmurs around me.

More than anything else, I've been searching for that man's figure.

Looking to the right, then to the left—finally, I saw that figure quietly slipping away from the crowd and disappearing into the distance.

"Excuse me! Let me pass!"

Pushing through the crowd, I chased after the figure that was about to leave without me noticing.

Put your arm around his shoulder and turn him around.

Shuidou's eyes caught my figure.

A mocking smile appeared on his lips.

"Oh, isn't this the second-place student in the grade? Greetings."

This time, however, I ignored his hateful tone.

I unleashed all the questions I had accumulated over time onto that boring face.

"Why, how could you...! To turn things around after making those concessions, you can't do it without studying like crazy... And all of that overnight...! This kind of thing—"

"—Isn't that unlike me?"

I couldn't help but shut my mouth.

Seeing my reaction, Shuidou's sarcasm deepened.

"I already said this from the beginning. I'm just really interested in what it feels like to sit on that throne."

“…Huh?”

"But I failed. — It's really not comfortable at all to be the top student in the grade."

…………ah.

Could it be that.

This man.

"I really envy you—the burden of being second place is probably much, much easier than that of being first."

After saying this, the sworn brother, who had been crowned the top student of the year, turned away.

"That's settled then. ...If you still want this position, then study hard for your final exams, top student."

The term "top student" carries a clear ironic connotation.

But—the word itself became a form of irony.

This already means that my stance has changed.

"—Irito-san, what a pity—!"

Suddenly, someone grabbed my shoulder from behind, making me turn around in surprise.

"There's nothing we can do if we don't get first place! It just shows how strong Irito-kun is!"

Mai Sakamizu, tall and with short hair that gave her a striking and heroic air, spoke with an expression that looked even more regretful than mine.

"There are always people better than you. I can't keep up at all."

A lazy voice, like that of a kitten just waking up, came from behind. It was Kanai Nasuka, who had a bob haircut and a slightly hunched back.

"You're lying! You're only ranked 45th! You're clearly ranked higher than me!"

"Oh, is that so? I hadn't noticed that. Thanks for telling me."

"Ugh! These people from Kyoto are infuriating!"

Wh...what...? What happened...?

Seeing my classmates playing around as usual, my mind went completely blank.

It's so different from what I imagined.

It was so different from what I feared.

What would happen if I couldn't become the top student in the grade...?

The words and expressions of my friends... even though I am no longer the chief, there has been no change...

Ah, I see.

Oh, it was me.

More than anyone else, the one who bound themselves with the label of "top student of the academic year"... it turns out, it was me.

Your style of conduct isn't determined by anyone else, is it?

On the morning of the second day of the exam, I noticed the faint dark circles under his eyes...