My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 54

◆ The Maiden ◆

"Mizuto-kun, Mizuto-kun, which one do you like more, Flora or Bianca?"

"DQ5? The problem is, I've never played that game..."

"Let me explain briefly. If Flora doesn't marry the protagonist, she will marry a boy she grew up with. As for Bianca, she will remain single for life in a remote rural area."

"...Then Flora."

"Why?! What's wrong with Bianca?! This girl is so heavy!"

"I don't want this girl because she's so heavy!"

I walked behind, watching Shuidou and Dongtou chatting happily as they walked.

Dongtou's statement just now clearly indicated that she considered the other person a friend, not a boy she liked. And a same-sex friend at that. While I wouldn't dare say such vulgar things even to someone of the same sex—it sounds very much like the behavior I've heard about in all-girls schools.

If Higashi-san is usually like that, it makes sense that Mizuto doesn't seem to care about her much... Higashi-san's overall demeanor is a bit like mine when I was in junior high, so I thought that must be true, but I didn't expect her to be that kind of person.

...But then again...

"They really have a great relationship. It doesn't seem like they've only known each other for a few days—"

Xiaoyue, who was walking next to me, expressed my true feelings.

"To expect others not to have doubts after that is simply asking the impossible, isn't it, Yui?"

"Yes, really..."

Even if it weren't for me, I would still have my doubts. It's definitely not because I have an unresolved possessiveness towards my ex-boyfriend; anyone who sees the two of them would think that way.

They walked almost shoulder to shoulder, their conversation never stopping, and sometimes they even burst into laughter.

Even when I was dating that guy, we weren't this close...

"What a pity. If Dongtou-kun were interested, I would have liked to help..."

"Huh? Help?"

"Because Dongtou seems rather spineless, doesn't he? If things continue like this, we might really only be able to remain friends. Besides... that might be better for me?"

Xiaoyue grinned wickedly and looked in my direction.

"If Yui is willing to help, it would be like adding wings to a tiger! After all, you and he are siblings, so you must have plenty of information and strategies, right?"

"...I guess so."

I think no one in the world has more information about Irito Mizuto than I do.

"But the person themselves also need to have that intention, right?"

"Yeah, it's such a shame~ I think they're a perfect match..."

...They're a perfect match.

I took another look at the backs of the two people walking ahead.

Ahh—I sincerely think:

How wonderful it would be if these two became a couple.

"Ah, I'll have to take another route..."

When they reached the zebra crossing, Dongtou stopped.

"Okay. See you tomorrow then."

"Okay... oh, and one more thing..."

Dongtou glanced at us, but didn't say anything, just kept fidgeting.

Just as we were tilting our heads in confusion, Mizuto gently patted her back.

"...Uh, that..."

He pushed us out with that hand, and the student from the east bowed deeply to us.

"...Goodbye...!"

She finished speaking in a slightly hoarse voice, then looked up and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I...I said it out loud..."

"well done."

Mizuto finished speaking with a hint of amusement in his voice...

The student at the east end looked back at his face...

"...Hehe♥"

She gave a shy, slight smile.

That classmate from the east end whose expression hasn't changed at all...

As if disappearing into the sunset—her cheeks were tinged with a faint crimson…

(Illustration 010)

"……Um?"

"...Hmm?"

Hey.

Hey, this is...

"Well then, goodbye, Mizuto-kun! I'll contact you on LINE after I've finished reading the book you recommended today!"

"Okay. I probably won't go to sleep until around 2 a.m.

"receive!"

Just then, the traffic light turned green, and Dongtou crossed the zebra crossing with light steps.

Wait until her figure disappears into the flow of traffic...

Xiaoyue whispered in a lower tone than usual:

"...You said it, Yume."

"what?"

"Yume, you said that as long as the person has that intention, it's fine, right?"

"Huh...! I... I didn't agree to that—"

"Irito-san! Give me Higashi-san's ID!"

"I told you I didn't agree!!"

Volume Two: Even though they are no longer lovers, Higashito Isana doesn't know what love is.

As you all know, there is a ritual that is practically an essential step for two people to become a couple.

That's right, it's a confession.

In my situation with that man, I'm the one performing this ritual. Now I feel: isn't it unfair that one of us doesn't have to confess? But the man can't possibly make any declaration of love, so in the end, I guess there's no other way but for me to confess.

My way of confessing my feelings is by writing love letters.

This was, of course, because I didn't have the courage to confess in person, but the timing of writing the love letter was terrible. Although we could see each other every day during the summer vacation, the relationship might end as soon as the next semester started—I was anxious, so I unfolded the letter paper late at night on the second-to-last day of summer vacation.

The article I wrote clearly came from my unique thoughts late at night. And I was so tired that I fell asleep immediately, so I didn't make the most important preparations.

It's about being mentally prepared.

When it comes to how to deliver love letters, the usual practice is to throw them in the school shoe locker. So that's what I planned to do when I wrote the letter. But true to my notoriously cowardly and clueless self from junior high, the result was exactly as expected.

When the moment came to take action, I hesitated.

I didn't dare to think about it; I'd better think about it some more.

Thinking and thinking...

Good morning, Ayai.

Good morning... Irito-san...

As a result, the person involved showed up and changed their shoes right in front of me.

I walked with him to the library where we usually met, my heart pounding with anxiety the whole way. What should I do? Should I put it away tomorrow? No, no, school starts tomorrow, and if I miss today, I'll never have another chance…!

I should have made up my mind sooner—making such assumptions is pointless; cowards like me always have to be pushed to the limit to make a decision. So, back to reality, I wasn't forced to speak up until the very last moment, when we were almost saying goodbye and going home.

--I-Irito-san…! This, this is for you! …Please! …Take a look…

To reiterate, the reason I prepared such an outdated thing as a love letter is because I didn't have the courage to confess to someone in person.

But what's the situation now?

How could someone make me read a love letter that was written in the middle of the night in a fit of madness? What kind of fetish would someone have to like this?

While the man silently read the letter, all I could think about was regret. Excessive self-loathing made me want to vomit, and my stomach started to hurt. During that time, I felt like all my internal organs were about to burst out of every orifice in my body and kill me.

Finally, he finished reading the letter.

Compared to me, who was just staring at the floor trembling, he started with this sentence:

—I think you are the best person I've ever known in my life.

The unexpected opening remarks made me raise my head nervously.

—Besides my dad, you're the only person I talk to every day. Even my dad isn't like you, smiling at me like this every day.

At that moment, I thought to myself, could it really be...?

I can't help but start looking forward to the wonderful future I envision.

...but then immediately dismissed the idea.

Throughout my life so far, I've had countless expectations, only to be disappointed. Nothing has ever gone smoothly; there has only been failure. I doubt I've ever achieved anything tangible.

Therefore, without any basis, I gave up hope and assumed that this time would be the same.

Then, Irito said:

—Thank you for liking someone like me… I should ask for your guidance.

what.

Huh?

what!

I didn't have time to understand at first. I thought I had misheard. After thinking about it several times and confirming that I wasn't mistaken, I started guessing wildly whether I was dreaming.

Looking up, I saw the person I liked, but with an expression I'd never seen before. It was gentler than ever, yet seemed slightly shy, as they gazed sincerely into my eyes.

Could it really be...? I asked myself again.

As if she could read my mind, Irito uttered a decisive sentence:

—Please be my girlfriend, Ayai.

So I cried.

It wasn't because of fear, nor sadness. Nor was it because reading a novel stirred up my emotions.

That was... the first time in my life I cried tears of joy.

—And so, in the summer of my second year of junior high school.

I actually got what people usually call a boyfriend.

Although now it can only be attributed to the mistakes of youth.

◆

"I know your secret. If you don't want it to be exposed, you must go to the following place alone after school."

The next morning, I tossed the letter, which was almost a threat, into Dongtou's shoe locker. This was because my stepson, who has a strong sense of security, refused to give us Dongtou's LINE ID. I think that was the right decision.

After school, Xiaoyue and I went into the designated family restaurant and ordered drinks. We also went to this restaurant the time I stayed overnight at her house.

"Are you sure it's okay...?"

As I poured the black tea into my cup, I glanced at the shop entrance.