My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 62

We silently watched her figure disappear into the distance.

Xiaoyue said with deep emotion:

"They say being in love changes a person, and it turns out it's true!"

Why do you sound like you're completely uninvolved?

"...Ah—well, it's because I'm the type that tends to change for the worse."

Xiaoyue finished speaking in a low voice with an embarrassed expression, and then took small, shuffling steps forward as if trying to evade the question.

"Let's hurry over there, Yume. We have to take responsibility and witness the final outcome!"

"...Yeah, we'll have to see it all the way through."

Witness another possible outcome.

Xiaoyue and I hid in the classroom next to the school building behind the place where the confession took place.

Peeking out the window, I saw the student at the east end looking distracted, aimlessly playing with his hair or kicking small stones. The boy didn't seem to be coming yet.

Beside me, Xiaoyue sat on the floor by the window, busy scrolling through her phone for some reason.

"What are you doing?"

"Drive away any unauthorized personnel."

The classrooms were empty, and so was the hallway. The classrooms on either side also felt deserted.

Although I haven't put much effort into club activities, it's still quite unusual to see the place so empty. I wonder if Xiaoyue has made some arrangements behind the scenes. But how did she manage that...?

Just as I was starting to think that this first friend I made after entering high school was somewhat unfathomable, a soft rustling sound came from outside, followed by new footsteps.

"(Here he comes.)"

After I whispered what I said, Xiaoyue stopped using her phone and started looking out the window.

Just then, Shuidou stood in front of Dongtou's classmate.

"...I've arrived, East End."

Mizuto said in a slightly stiff tone.

The tone was solemn and sincere, full of awareness.

Therefore, Dongtou must have sensed it too. He knows that his efforts were not in vain.

"Um... thank you so much for making this special trip..."

"Um."

The results of the practice have vanished; Dongtou stammers as he speaks, while Shuidou responds gently.

"Um...it's like this. I...I have something I want to say to...Mizuto-kun..."

"Um."

"I should say I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me... Although it's only been a little over two weeks, so it's not really thanking you, but I still... Ah, no, no, that's not what I meant, uh, this and that, I meant..."

Dongtou was completely panicked.

She clutched her hair, which she had finally styled with great care, and couldn't help but whimper.

Xiaoyue let out a wail, "Waaah..." and covered her face, as if she couldn't bear to watch any longer.

But I didn't look away.

Because I know that this little setback won't ruin things.

"Say what you want to say in order, tell me slowly."

Shuidou, keeping pace with Dongtou's pace, spoke in a slow tone.

"I'll summarize what you want to say. You don't just read a lot of books for show."

...Ah, that's it.

It was the voice that Dongtou's classmate had mentioned she liked—it was so gentle.

Dongtou raised his eyes slightly and breathed a sigh of relief.

(Illustration 012)

Then, haltingly but this time more clearly and logically, she expressed her feelings.

"...In the library, when we bumped into each other, it was Mizuto who spoke to me first, right?"

"right."

"I'm so happy... not just because I met someone with the same interests... but even happier that you're not impatient and are willing to listen to me... people have always said that I'm a strange girl, awkward and difficult to deal with..."

"Um."

"No matter what I talk about, you're willing to listen...and not only that, you also respond seriously...I've never met someone like you before...I'm so happy...really, really, I'm so happy."

At this moment, Dongtou's gaze, which had been fixed on the ground, fell directly onto Shuidou for the first time.

I want to spend more time with you.

The words were spoken with a slight tremor.

I want to be with you forever.

It's like seeking reliance, like seeking a safe haven.

"So—please let me be Mizuto's girlfriend."

The last sentence he uttered sounded like a natural outpouring of his true feelings.

"I like you."

The four-word sentence echoed repeatedly in the silence.

It's impossible for the message not to reach the other person's heart.

I have never heard such pure and sincere words.

I stared at Mizuto's face, forgetting even to breathe.

(Illustration 013)

He met the gaze of the student at the east end for a while, then suddenly smiled as if to relieve his tension.

"...You always say we're friends."

"Ah! Ah... I wasn't lying to you! I really did consider you a friend...!"

"I also feel very happy being with Dongtou."

It felt as if a gust of wind had blown by.

However, the trees were not blown away. Nor did the hair flutter.

It was a feeling similar to a cold wind, but completely different, that gently caressed my heart.

"This is probably the first time in my life I've met someone I get along with so well, someone I don't have to worry about at all. So if we were to date, I think it would go very smoothly. We'd probably argue, but you'd probably forget about it as soon as we talked about our new book."

"……ah……"

I close my eyes.

Just now, when Dongtou was panicking, I was able to keep my eyes glued to him... but now, for some reason, I can't bear to watch anymore.

—I knew what he was going to say next.

He would show an unprecedentedly gentle smile.

I felt a little embarrassed, but I looked directly into the other person's eyes.

Then tell her—

"—But, I'm sorry."

……what?

I opened my eyes.

What I heard... was exactly the opposite of what I had imagined.

"I'm sorry, I can't date you."

Shui Dou repeated it again, as if it were a matter of politeness.

me too.

Xiaoyue is the same.

The same goes for Dongtou's classmate.

Everyone was stunned.

"Why...why...?"

With an empty expression that seemed to reject understanding, Dongtou asked in a trembling voice.

"Is it... that you still can't... treat me... as a girl...?"

"No, that's not true—let me tell you, Dongtou. I'm a guy too. If you put your chest against me, I can't possibly be indifferent. Even if it's just a female friend. The sad thing is, I seem unable to clearly distinguish between friendship and romance..."

"...Since that's the case...!"

"I've also calmed down and thought about it."

A troubled, bitter smile appeared on Mizuto's lips.

"I also tried to re-examine my inner feelings. As a result—I found that the seats were already full."

Mizuto said self-deprecatingly:

"I'm a narrow-minded person. It seems that I can only be truly sincere with one person at most—and this one and only seat is being occupied by someone who clearly doesn't have that right."

……ah.

"And I—even though I have no obligation to do so—seem to not want to make her cry."

The words seeped into my heart, blurring my vision with a film of water.

"So, I must apologize to you again and again. I'm sorry. I rejected you not because of your relationship, but because of someone else. I'm sorry. There's nothing wrong with you, and there's nothing wrong with the other person. This is my personal problem—it's my own feeling that's clearly there in my heart."

I'm sorry.

The sounds that linger in my ears overlap with the present moment.

"I'm sorry, Dongtou—I can't let you be my girlfriend."

What Xiaoyue said last night came back to my mind.

So, if he still wants to have a girlfriend even after all this...

—That must be someone who, even if it doesn't bring any benefits or can't be shown off, just wants her to stay by his side no matter what…that's the kind of person who makes him think that way.

"……ah……"

My knees buckled.

I turned around, facing away from the window, with my back against the wall, and slid down to sit on the floor.

"...Ah, ah...ah ah...!"

Why, you idiot?

They clearly had the opportunity to be happy.

Unlike me, you two would have been a great couple.

To you now, I am clearly just a stepsister.

Why do you still...?

And it also involves someone who is no longer his girlfriend...

--Stay by your side?

"...Sigh──"

I heard Xiaoyue say, dumbfounded:

"No matter what the outcome, it will make people cry."