My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

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"I think it's great!"

Dongtou slowly tilted his head and said.

"I've always called Mizuto-kun 'Mizuto-kun,' but he still only calls me by my last name, which actually bothers me a little. I want to take this opportunity to make you call me 'I-chan'!"

"This isn't a punishment game, it's more like a reward... In short, changing the way you address someone goes beyond the scope of a punishment game being limited to the scene."

"Let's set a deadline!"

Xiaoyue seized the opportunity to interject.

"The two worst performers will call each other by nicknames during this training camp! How about that? That way, there won't be any real harm, it's perfect!"

After a long silence, observing the expressions on everyone else's faces, Irito said:

"...Okay, that's settled then."

"Very good, very good!"

Xiaoyue licked her lips, and I mentally cheered. Things were going so smoothly; it was so much fun. Next, all I had to do was get the two Irito to play a punishment game…!

Actually, I've played these kinds of arcade machines before. So has Xiaoyue. In other words, we'll definitely be in the top tier. That means the two Iritos who don't seem to be good at video games will likely have to play a punishment game. The only thing left to worry about is how Xiaoyue will act…

"Well then, let's start with Dongtou-kun—"

"Huh, am I playing alone? There are clearly two machines..."

The dance game machines are placed in pairs, and there are no other people in line, so two people can play at the same time.

"Please demonstrate! You seem to be most familiar with this game; we'd like to observe how others play it first."

"Oh well……"

Xiaoyue used sweet words to get Dongtou onto the machine alone. What does she want to do? Should I interfere?

Just as I was hesitating, the music started.

"Hey! Drink!"

Dongtou skipped and hopped lightly, stepping over the symbols that descended from the screen in front of him.

Although her movements were clumsy, revealing how slow she was, video games are definitely different from gym class; she only made a few mistakes. Judging by this skill level, her score should be higher than the two Iritos, who were complete beginners—

"Dongtou classmate—"

At some point, Xiaoyue circled around to the east end where the dancing was taking place.

"Your breasts are shaking quite violently—"

"Ugh, eh!"

"What!"

I rushed to Irito and covered his eyes with my hand. I hadn't noticed because I was behind him; I never imagined there was such a trap…! I have to protect him, I have to protect Irito's retinas!

When I covered his left eye, his right eye was already covered first. It wasn't my hand there, it was Irito's hand.

"...Hey, I can't see that way."

"You're not allowed to watch this kind of thing!" "You don't need to watch this kind of thing!"

Irito-kun, you're so hardworking and adorable. You must not want him to look at other girls, right? Then I don't need to get involved!

After I released my hand from my left eye, Irito quickly covered it with her other hand. It was a classic "Guess who I am?" pose. Hmm… I don't need to stay here any longer.

"Sway, sway, swing, swing~"

"Please don't add sound effects!"

Oh dear, this is bad. While I was busy doing what I just did, Dongtou, who had been verbally humiliated, made a series of mistakes.

Hmm... so that's how it is. Xiaoyue wanted Irito and Dongtou to play a punishment game! That's why she interfered with her like this...! Damn it! It's all my fault for getting distracted by the two Irito's "Guess who I am?" state!

Dongtou barely managed to finish the entire song, then covered his chest with his arms, his face flushed, and got off the machine.

"Waaah... I'll never play this game again..."

"So, does that mean we can't exercise at all? I've got it! How about I flatten your chest!"

"Please don't say such scary things with a smile!"

Higashi hurriedly hid behind Irito, trembling. Irito stroked her head to comfort her, saying:

"Don't do that, Nan-kun. Let's just overlook her only strength."

"Mizuto-san... am I a girl with nothing to offer except for my big breasts...?"

"You're the one who says that all the time."

"That's true."

It's true. Then even if you get crushed, you can't blame anyone else.

"Just kidding—" Xiaoyue laughed heartily, only to be met with a sharp look from Irito.

"Then, it's time for Xiaoyue and Kawanami to switch places."

"Huh? Why?"

"I'm afraid you'll also use voice-over effects for me, so I want to let you get tired of playing first."

"I'm not some monster or anything that provides sound effects for every breast-jiggling thing in the world!"

"...Boom—Boom—"

"Hey, I heard you, east end—!"

I caught the beast (a short, flat-chested woman) who was trying to attack the east end and dragged her to the front of the machine.

The score at the East Head is already set, so for us, the outcome depends on whether the two Irito can beat the East Head. In that case, it wouldn't hurt to warm up the crowd for them.

"(...Don't make a mistake.)"

"(You are.)"

We stood side by side on the two machines, whispering to each other.

Hey, there's nothing to worry about. To lose to the East End with such a pathetic score, you'd have to suddenly faint.

The music started.

Each of us used our skillful movements to accurately step on each symbol.

"Wow—you can dance so well—"

A leisurely voice came from behind us. Of course, we've always gone to arcades together, playing these kinds of games until we became experts—huh?

I didn't hear the voices of the two Irito.

Not just their voices. They should be behind me, but they're completely invisible. Where did they go—?

The answer to my question came into view automatically.

Behind the screen, Irito pulled Irito's arm and led her around to the front of the dance game machine.

"Hey! What are you doing—"

"I told you to leave it to me."

The instant my consciousness shifted from the game to the two of them—

"Mmm!" "Ahhh!" "Ugh!"

Irito was startled, Xiaoyue screamed, and I spat out a mouthful of saliva.

(Illustration 010)

How...how...suddenly...putting his arm around her...shoulder...how, how, how...how ...

Strange?

what did I do?

When I came to my senses, the words "eliminated" were already dancing on the screen in front of me.

As for the Irito siblings, Irito blushed at first, but now she has kept a distance of nearly a meter from Irito.

It's as if a whole period of time has been skipped.

Am I so moved that I momentarily lost my composure?

"……ah……"

I heard a soft shout and looked to the side. I saw that the screen next to me also displayed "Eliminated".

Xiaoyue and I were both eliminated?

In other words... the score is lower than that of Dongtou...?

"…………Hehehe".

Hearing the chilling laughter, I turned around and saw Dongtou laughing eerily.

"Heh..." "Heh heh heh heh!"

Looking further in the direction of the other laughter, I saw that both of Irito had a smile on their faces.

What's going on...? What's happening?

"The two worst-performing students are going to play a punishment game—"

"—During training camp, we should call each other by nicknames, right?"

The two Irito, with a tone of earnestness, confirmed our identities before boarding the machine in our place.

Then the two started dancing, and although they weren't very good at it—at least they finished the whole song.

Thus, the target of the punishment game was determined.

Irito smiled in a sinister way, staring intently at me and Xiaoyue.

"You said it—of course you have no objections, right?"

Volume 3: Childhood Sweethearts, Forget It (Part 2)

◆ Irito Mizuto ◆

After successfully framing Kawanami and Minami, one night passed.

Breakfast during the training camp was served buffet-style. The restaurant was filled with a wide variety of light snacks, including bread, fruit, ham, and sausages.

As I swallowed a yawn and placed the croissant on the tray, Kawanami Kogure, who was piling sausages all over her plate, suddenly froze on the spot.

I followed his gaze.

Nan Xiaoyue and Jie Nu arrived at the restaurant together.

When Nan saw Kawabata, she froze on the spot.

However—it can only be said that both of them were quick-witted enough to immediately break free of their petrified state and prepare to escape in different directions.

Needless to say, we won't let them get away.

"Where do you want to go?" "Where are you going?"

I grabbed Kawabata's arm, while Yui grabbed Minami's.

Kawanami turned to look at me pleadingly, but naturally, I couldn't let go. I dragged him straight to the dining table, and Yui pulled Minami along to the same table.

The person in the east was already seated, so I asked Kawanami to sit a little further away, and I sat down next to the person in the east.

Yui let Minami sit opposite Kawanami, while she herself sat down in front of the east end.

The woman smiled contentedly and said:

"Let the two young people talk it over slowly."

"Let's chat slowly~"

As Dongtou spoke, he kept chewing his mouth full of sausage.

As I cut open a croissant and put it in my mouth, I also glanced sideways at the reactions of these childhood sweethearts.

There was no exchange between them, nor did they even make eye contact. They ate their breakfast quickly, clearly wanting to get through this situation as soon as possible.

It's not that easy.

"You don't even need to say hello?"