Cover

Illustrations
 Contents

Cover
Illustrations
Chapter 1: The ex-couple refuses to address each other (This is what I hate about
you)
Chapter 2: The ex-couple watch the house (It’s my house. That’s normal, right?)
Chapter 3: The ex-couple’s going to school (You feeling lonely?)
Chapter 4: The ex-couple goes for a test (…it smells of sweat)
Chapter 5: The ex-boyfriend’s caring for the sick (Easy peasy)
Chapter 6: In the house, the ex-girlfriend waits dreaming
Chapter 7: The ex-couple XXXX, First Half (Please go out with me, and that we’ll
get married in the future)
Chapter 7: The ex-couple goes on a date, Second Half (Shitty Maniac) (Shitty
otaku)
Chapter 8: The couple exchange gifts. (I wanna die)
Instead of an afterword: A comment on every chapter
 Chapter 1: The ex-couple refuses to address each
other (This is what I hate about you)
“…………”
“…………”
I was standing at my house’s entrance, starting a staring contest like some
delinquent.
My opponent was a girl my age, and there was nothing else between us─ or so I
wished to say, but I have to admit, there’s a relationship beyond that, or at least,
there used to be.
“…Where are you going, Mizuto-kun?”
“…I should be the one asking that. Where are you going, Yume-san?”
The girl asked; I replied, and all that followed was silence.
It was the third time.
I already knew where this woman was going even without asking. It’s the large
bookstore before the station. A certain publisher of mystery novels had just made a
new release, and I was planning on picking up a new series; it seemed like this
woman had the same idea.
At this rate, we’d end up leaving the entrance, walking alongside to the
bookstore, going to the same corner, and queuing at the same cashier.
Wouldn’t we totally look like a couple with the same taste in books?
Those kinds of misunderstandings were exactly what we wanted to avoid.
Basically, we were in a deadlock. We couldn’t leave the house at the same time,
so as for the issue of who gets to leave the house first–well, we’re negotiating and
fending off each other just to decide this.
Why couldn’t we just talk it out? No way. There’s no way it would happen
with her.
“─Eh? Yume, Mizuto-kun, what are you two doing?”
Yuni-san, dressed in a suit, appeared from the living room. She became my
mother just last week. In other words, she married my father–and she’s the actual
mother of the girl before me.
“Aren’t you two going out?”
“Well, about to.”
Bye then, I was about to say that and walk out like a smooth operator, but Yuni-
san said,
 “Ah, are you two going to the bookstore at Karasuma Dori? I heard that you’re a
bookworm too, Mizuto-kun~! Are you going with Yume? This girl only goes to the
bookstore or the library.”
“…Err.”
“Wait, Mom…”
“Ah, are you two going together!? I’m glad, Mizuto-kun! You seem to be getting
along well with Yume! Please continue to take care of her. This girl’s a little shy~”
“…Y-yes…”
I could only agree since she said so. I sensed a murderous glare next to me.
“Now then, I’m going to work. Do hurry back you two! Get along well
as siblings!”
Leaving those words behind, Yuni-san disappeared beyond the entrance door.
After that, she and I, siblings, were the only ones left behind.
Yes. We’re siblings. But, stepsiblings.
Our parents remarried, so she was a tagalong.
“…Why did you just agree?”
“…I didn’t have a choice. It just went that way.”
“Why do I need you to take care of me?”
“Like I’d know? I don’t want to care about you.”
“That passive attitude is what I hate about you, you shitty otaku.”
“That self-centeredness is what I hate about you, you shitty maniac.”
But our parents didn’t know.
She and I were the only ones who knew of our true relationship.
I, Mizuto Irido―
And she, Yume Irido―
―Were boyfriend and girlfriend until just two weeks ago.

I can say now that I was young and foolish, but I had an existence called a
girlfriend between my second and third year of middle school.
The moment that could truly be called our first encounter was soon after summer
break, late July, an afternoon in the empty library―she was standing on the stool.
It was a really cliche situation, and thinking back about it, it was easy to guess
what happened next; I took the book down, and gave it to her.
If I could just rewind to that exact moment, I’d really want to tell the past me to
just leave that woman alone.
 But I couldn’t predict the future, and once I saw the cover of the book she was
reaching for, I foolishly spoke to her.
――Do you like detective novels too?
I’m really not a mystery maniac. I was, and still am, a professed all-rounder
reader of genres―I’ll read anything, whether it’s pure literature, romance, light
novels, novels. Of course, I knew the title of the classic detective novel I picked up.
It’s just that while I knew about it, I couldn’t say I liked it.
But anyway, my nature as a bookworm’s such that I feel happy seeing others
pick up a book I once read. It’s like a bull getting excited at seeing the color red, an
urge that couldn’t be controlled, and most likely a trap laid out by God.
It was a trap set by God. In other words, fate.
We had our fated encounter, and just like that, we got along really well with each
other, bumping into each other at the library nobody visited during summer
vacation. As August came to pass, with summer vacation all but over, I received
her confession.
And so, For the first time in my life, I had something called a girlfriend.
Yume Ayai. That was her name back then.
Now then, It goes without saying, this was the prelude to destruction.
By the way, the chances of a love confession of a middle schooler not leading to
destruction is no more than 5%, I guess―looking at it realistically, it was
uncommon for middle school couples to stay together for the rest of their lives.
Even so, back then, we thought that would happen.
We didn’t really stand out much at school, so Ayai and I had a quiet relationship.
We were either in a corner of the library, or in the library on rest days, or in a
bookshop cafe, just talking about our interests.
Of course, we did what lovers would do. We went on dates, we held hands,
clumsily kissed…nothing particularly special to write about. Just some common
events between couples, which we did in order. The first kiss we had was at the
cross junction on the way to school, under the sunset. It was more like a graze near
the mouth though, and Ayai’s smiling, blushing face remains etched inside my
mind like a photo.
There’s only one thing I’d say about that photo.
Die.
That woman can die, and so can the me from back then.
…Anyway, our relationship way back then was relatively smooth sailing, but
when we started our third year, a divide appeared between us.
The divide being that Ayai has improved on her timidity.
 I guess it was because ever since we dated, she improved in her ability to
communicate―she made a few friends in her new class. It was a rather obvious
change compared to her second year, when she couldn’t find a single partner for
gym class.
She was really happy about herself, and I congratulated her with lip service.
Yeah, lip service.
What my heart was feeling back then―this is where it becomes my confessional.
While blessing her growth in words, my desire to monopolize her unconsciously
emerged.
Whether it be Ayai’s cuteness, her smile, her heartiness, I was the only one who
knew them all, supposedly. That was really bad.
Before I knew it, I started voicing my emotions in my words. Ayai was troubled
by that, not understanding, but she still worked hard to make me happy. Then
again, that touched my nerves.
Yep, I know. Part of the reason was because of Ayai’s growth, but the real
reason was because of my stupid desire to monopolize her for myself. She hadn’t
done anything wrong. I was the one who was in the wrong initially. I admit it.
But. But, yeah.
Please let me defend myself. I was foolish, and once I realized my mistake, I
apologized to her, lowering my head. I got jealous of her because of such a reason,
that I’d apologize for being angry at her for no reason, that I hoped she wouldn’t
mind.
And yet, that woman. You know what she said?
You don’t like seeing me get along with others, but you’re getting along well with
other girls?
Haahh?
Who could have blamed me for making such a response?
According to her, I was flirting with other girls in the library we met―even
though I didn’t have any memories of that. Maybe it was the librarian or someone
else I was talking to, but Ayai just insisted that I was cheating on her, and wouldn’t
even listen to me.
So basically, I apologized for nothing. For what?
It’s true that I was in the wrong for throwing a tantrum. I apologized, I lowered
my head. It was up to her to forgive me, I get that.
But why did I have to be scolded for a ridiculous misunderstanding and a
presumptuous assumption?
 No no, well, maybe this sort of thing happens out of impulse. I apologized
because it happened to me once. If not, then she should be apologizing to me, like I
did to her, right? I was forced to admit my mistake, but she wouldn’t even
apologize to me. Isn’t that right? Isn’t it weird?
―That’s what I felt, and we appeared to have patched things up, and maintained
that relationship for a few months.
But―once there’s a dent between the meshed gears , there’s no way it can be
fixed again.
What I thought were her charm points just became so annoying thereafter. We
started to jab at each other sarcastically, and before we knew it, even a phone call
was torture. But we still couldn’t forgive the other party for not replying, and this
increased the divide between us.
Our relationship lasted until we graduated from middle school, but it was
because we were both too apprehensive. Neither of us had the courage.
It was all because we continued to cling onto the happy memories. But when we
didn’t contact each other even once on Valentine’s, that’s when we were
convinced. There was no way we could go back to how it was before.
And at graduation, I said,
―Let’s break up.
―Mn.
Quick and simple. Not a single tear was shed.
She wasn’t angry, and she gave me a look like, she’s been waiting for me to say
that. I guess my face was showing the same.
I liked her…I really treasured her.
But to me, she looked like a sworn enemy.
…Seriously, love is just a moment of folly.
At least I was released from that folly.
I happily enjoyed my middle school graduation, feeling as though a heavy
burden was lifted from me.
And then, on that night.
Dad said with a serious look.
―Your dad’s planning to remarry.
Oho.
Well, humans can’t help but commit such folly even at this age. Dad single-
handedly raised me, and while I was sad about his decision to remarry, I didn’t
intend to oppose his marriage. Marry again? Great. It’s up to you. I’m done with
my obligatory education after all.
 I was really happy back then. What my dad said next fell on deaf ears, since I
was feeling gracious enough.
―She has a daughter…is that fine with you?
Oi oi a stepsister at this age? It’s just like a light novel LOL!
I was feeling really agitated back then. I might have lost my composure.
And so when I was brought to meet my stepmother and stepsister, I felt like cold
water was doused upon my face.
―………
―………
Standing there was Yume Ayai.
Nope.
At that moment, she became Yume Irido.
We stared dumbfoundedly at each other, our mouths agape, and our hearts were
definitely yelling the same thing.
―DAMN YOU GOD!!!
And so, my ex became my step sister.

“…I’m done.”
Ayai―nope, Yume coldly said as she stacked the dinner utensils, and carried
them to the kitchen.
…Shit. What bad timing. I just finished eating. It’s weird for me to leave the
table like this.
“I’m done eating too”
I too stacked my utensils, and moved towards the kitchen. Right before me was
Yume, washing her own utensils.
Her annoyingly long hair looked innocent and wet in color. She looked
unhealthily thin, and I think she was better off at a well instead of a kitchen,
counting plates instead of washing them.
Her long eyelashes were still and drooping, and she glared at me. She didn’t say
anything, just the sounds of the plates clanking.
There was nothing I could say, so I stood next to her, and began washing the
dishes too.
I could avoid standing next to this woman in the kitchen, but there’s a problem
with avoiding her outright. That’s because―
 “Oh my, I was worried what’ll happen if a boy and girl at this age are to live
together, but they get along unexpectedly well.”
“It’s true! You know, Mizuto-kun just went to the bookshop along with Yume! I
guess it’s easy for them to get along well when they have the same interests”
“I’m relieved too. This was what we’re most worried about.”
My dad and her mom were chatting away happily at the dining table. Those two
had just remarried, and they looked so happy every day―unlike us kids.
“…You get that?”
“…What?”
Yume whispered with the water sounds as a disguise.
“We can’t let them regret it, at all.”
“Got it. I’ll bring my relationship with you to the grave.”
“Please do.”
“…Always with the uppity eyes. When did that start?”
“If it wasn’t like that in the past, that’s 100% your fault.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Oii! You two! What are you saying!?”
We heard dad’s voice from the dining room, and sheathed away our heinous
looks.
“Just something minor, we’re talking about the books we bought, minor stuff.”
“Ehh, yes, of course. We’re talking about books now.”
“―Ow.”
Yume answered loud and clear, and gave a low kick from a place I couldn’t see.
“(You don’t have to say ‘minor’ twice. Are your modern language grades
alright?)”
“(It just so happens that I’m in the top 100 for the national mock exam for
modern language. You know that right?)
“(…It’s vexing. I regret going all ‘Amazing’ and praising you back then.)”
“(I should be the one angry at myself for accepting your praise just like that.)”
On the surface, we were acting as stepsiblings who got along really well. We
weren’t going to let dad and Yuni-san know of our past relationship, and regret
marrying again. It’s the one common understanding Yume and I established and
agreed on. Looking at it the other way, we agreed on nothing else.
I returned to my room, returning to the book I bought, knock knock, there’s a
sound from the door.
“Dad? What?”
 There was no answer. I wasn’t happy about stopping, but I couldn’t bring myself
to ruin their new marriage life just because of my careless response―so I tucked
the bookmark in, and opened the door.
Standing in the corridor was the one woman I despised most in this world.
In other words, Yume Irido.
“…What?”
The temperature of my “What” probably dropped to about minus 100 degrees
celsius as I met Yume at the door.
“Hmph.” Yume snorted with a chortle, as though saying, “This little bit of
coldness from you isn’t anything much.”
If I could sugarcoat my feelings with layers and layers of oblaat, I’d say this, I
wanted to punch her out.
“Got something to say to you. Are you free right now?”
“You think I have free time? You know what I just bought today, don’t you?”
“I know. That’s why I’m here. I finished reading.”
“Tch.”
It seemed she’s here to stop me from reading. It’s been like that ever since we
got together; she had always been a little faster than me at reading. If we bought the
same book and began to read at the same time, this woman would always finish her
book while I was still at the climax. It’s really shady.
That’s what I hate about you. Thank goodness we broke up.
“…What? Keep it short.”
“Let me in. I don’t want mom to hear this.”
“Tch.”
“Can you not click your tongue so loudly?”
“Sure, as long as you disappear before my sight.”
“Tch.”
After making sure that dad and Yuni-san weren’t around, I let Yume into my
room.
Yume looked at her feet as she entered the room.
“This room’s really dirty with all the books around. I feel dirty just entering.”
“When dad went on his business trip the last time, your eyes were glittering like
‘amazing…! It’s like an archive!'”
“That was a really boring time. I feel really frustrated just looking at the full
collection of Sherlock Holmes volumes put together neatly like this.”
“Die then. I’ll sink you into the waterfall like Professor Moriarty did.”
I sighed, and sat on the bed that’s half covered by books.
 “So, what do you want to talk about?”
“I had enough.”
Yume said as she stood there with a cold expression on her face.
“I can’t take it anymore―how long do I have to keep hearing you address me as
‘Yume-san’?
I frowned. There was no need to hide my displeasure at this woman.
“Aren’t you addressing me as ‘Mizuto-kun’ yourself?”
“I’m fine with anyone calling me that, except for you. I can’t stand hearing you
call me that. Even when we were dat―back in middle school, I didn’t allow you to
call me that.”
It seemed she hated to say ‘when we’re dating’. I see, I see.
“Well, too bad we have the same family name now. What else can I call you?”
“There is, right? Something appropriate.”
“Like what?”
“‘Onee-chan’.”
…Huh?
“We’re siblings, so you should be calling me ‘onee-chan’, right?”
“No no no hold on hold on hold on.”
I cupped my head.
“You? My? Older? Sister?…enough with the nonsense. It’s the other way
around, right?”
“Huh?”
“‘Onii-chan’. I’m your older brother. It’s obvious you’re my little sister.”
What nonsense is she talking about?
“…Goodness. Looks like my little stepbrother’s brain cells have gone into
hibernation.”
“How about I make you sleep, forever?”
“Let me explain since I’m in the top 100 of the national mock maths exams.
Listen up.”
She’s better at maths than modern language, and certainly didn’t seem like a
bookworm. This was unforgivable.
Yume pointed her index finger, acting like a teacher.
“One condition is that those born earlier in this world are determined as the older
one. Next, I was born earlier than you, that’s two. So, I’m your older sister. That
concludes it, get it?”
 Yume giddily described something that wasn’t math, but logic. More
importantly, there was something about what I had just heard that I couldn’t just
ignore.
“…If I’m not mistaken, your birthday and mine are exactly the same, right?”
Yep, it was another trap by God. This woman and I were born on the same year,
same month, same day.
Because of that, we got along well, and more; I still have some dark memories of
saying these terrifying words, ‘now we can celebrate our birthdays together’, and
doing the evil ritual of exchanging gifts. That memory had long been locked away
and thrown into the dumpster.
“So we shouldn’t even be addressing each other as older brother or sister here.”
“But I thought you just loudly declared me as your little sister, right?”
I was more accepting of having a little stepsister than an older stepsister, that’s
all. There’s nothing else to it.
“Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with what I just said. We’re born on exactly the
same date―but not the time of birth.”
“Time of birth?”
“I looked into it.”
She sounded like a constable as she frisked her smartphone, showing it to me.
“Look.”
There’s a baby photo on the screen. It’s an album photo, and there are words
below.
“You were born at 11.34am.”
Yume swiped the screen and showed another baby photo, pointing at the time
listed.
“And according to this photo, I was born before 11.04am at least. I’m older than
you by at least 30 minutes. You get that?”
………Is she for real? Did she just search for my family photo album? Just to
investigate?
“That’s disgusting.”
I expressed my honest thoughts, and Yume just started blushing all of a sudden.
“Wh…why!? The perfect reasoning needs perfect evidence, right?”
“Your mystery maniac tendencies are leaking. Can’t you just play puzzles
instead of treating it as a mystery to be solved?”
“Woah, you’ve done it! You’ve declared war on everyone in the mystery world!
Bring it on!?”
 “Well, you’re calling things fair or unfair, but you never even tried to solve
mysteries before the reveal. If I go by your logic, too bad, there’s still a flaw.”
“What do you mean, flaw!? You’re talking about your own rotten eyes right!?”
This detective story maniac was raging away because she was hit where it hurts
(and she was also the type to ignore all challenges set by the authors for the
readers), so I refuted,
“You say ‘those born earlier in this world are determined as the older one.’―as a
condition, but there’s a misconception. In ancient Japan, when there are twins, the
first to be born is considered the younger sibling.”
“Eh? Why?”
Yume began to look interested, and tilted her head slightly,
“Some say that the one born first is to pave the way for the older sibling, and
some say the later born is higher up in the uterus. There’s a lot of sayings, but
anyway, if we take us stepsiblings as twins since we’re born on the same day,
you’re my little sister since you’re born later. Right, anything to refute?”
“W-we aren’t even twins…”
“If you want to put it that way, we aren’t even siblings. We’re just tagalongs of
our parents.”
“Uuu…uuu~~…”
Yume started grumbling about something in regret as she glared at me. Hahaha,
now prostrate obediently before me.
“…No, wait a sec?’
“Not waiting. Get out.”
“That topic about the order of twins is an old story, right? Don’t we just treat the
first one out at the older one nowadays…?”
“…Tch. Can’t you just be fooled by me quietly?”
“Ahhh!? Th-that’s you bluffing me!?”
“Anyway, I’m the older brother. Yes, Q.E.D. Case closed.”
“I’m the older sister! You know how pitiful it is to be your little sister?”
We glared at each other. Sugarcoating it, I’ll say that sparks were flying. Right
now, it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say we were clashing in a Futaro Yamada work,
cutting at each other, blood flying everywhere.
Yume’s eyes were already beyond serious. It’s like Shiro Amakusa in Makai
Tensho. I looked at her, sighed, and stopped my posturing.
“…There’s no end to this if we keep glaring. How about we settle this with a
game? That’s what rational people should do.”
“It annoys me to hear you say that, but that makes sense.”
 “So what are we going to do? Rock-paper-scissors? Draw lots? Coin toss?”
“Wait a sec.”
“Not waiting, get out.”
“Stop answering like you’re on auto-reply, okay!?”
Oops, forgot to switch off the bot.
Yume placed her hand on her mouth, “Now then…” and said wisely.
“…So, how about it?”
“I really want to deny it with all I have, but thank goodness I’m a rational human
being. I’ll hear you out.”
“You vex me…but we’ll have to hide our real relationship from now on, and we
have to act like step siblings who get along really well. You get that so far?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Seems like there won’t be a problem now, but we might end up revealing it in
the future―in other words, not act like step siblings, you know? How about the one
who does this first loses?”
“Hmm…you sure?”
“What?”
“If we go by these rules, of course I’ll win.”
“Are you taking me for an idiot?”
Actually, that’s a logical conclusion if we go by the facts.
“…Well, that’s fine with me. It gives me some sense of tension, and can help in
hiding our relationship…just to note, this applies even without dad or Yuni-san
around, right?”
“Of course. It applies even now.”
“I see. ‘So the one who says anything unlike a proper stepsibling becomes the
younger one’?”
“One loss means the loser only has to be the younger one for once. We’ll work
out the details later.”
“There’s no point if it’s decided full time on sudden death. let’s do this.”
“Alright, right now―start!”
Pak! Yume clapped her hands together―and right after.
She quickly headed towards my bookshelf, and naturally started searching
through it.
“Wait…what are you doing!?”
“Eh~? It’s normal, isn’t it? We’re siblings after all~.”
This woman grinned away happily, and only then did I realize the real intent
behind this rule.
 If it’s something that is considered normal between siblings, I couldn’t look
annoyed even if I hated what she’s doing, because doing so makes it ‘not
something siblings will do’.
In other words…this one rule is just a get out of jail free card for her to do
anything she wants!
Th-this woman…! She came up with such a rule for this reason!? She’s really
rotten to the core! If a boy who can fall for such a rotten woman existed, then he
too must be rotten to the core!
…Uh oh.
I glared at the woman as she pulled a book out from the school bag, going all
‘hmph’, heh’, ‘woah’ and such, and felt a sense of danger in my heart.
Having someone check on my bookshelf was like having my heart read, and I
was a little jumpy. Luckily, there was nothing unsightly up there. At most, there
were a few erotic light novels.
The problem was…to the side, the desk I used for studying.
That desk could be considered as the only pandora’s box in my room. It
contained the novel I wrote back in middle school, the stuff I bought from the
drugstore when my head got heavy―as well as the present I received from this
woman when we were still dating!
As the thought of her her spotting those things crossed my mind―
“Woah, you still have that thing here? Are you, still having thoughts about me?
Eh~? Really, don’t do that~! That’s disgusting~!”
―I could definitely imagine that happening.
If this kept up, it’s only a matter of time until Yume directed her attention to my
desk. I needed to distract her while I still could, and in a way that wouldn’t feel out
of place between stepsiblings!
I tried to think of a breakthrough, mobilizing all my brain cells. It was the first
time I used my brain so much ever since the high school entrance exams.
But then, I guess my efforts thinking hard about it paid off―allowing me to
finally figure out how to use this ‘sibling rule’ in another way.
“―…Spare me already.”
Hearing the weak voice from my mouth, Yume’s black hair swayed as she turned
back towards me.
I stood up from the bed, and looked at her. She was starting to look a little
perturbed as she looked up at my face.
“Seriously, I don’t want to keep feuding with you…”
“Eh…”
 Yume’s eyes widened as they reflected my strange look.
“I’ll apologize if you’re still angry. I’ll disappear from your sight. So…can we
stop feuding on like this already?”
I placed my hands on her shoulders, and told her with the most serious voice I
could possibly muster.
Yume’s eyes wandered around, and again, she looked up at my eyes.
Those large eyes faltered a little. She stared at my face blankly, the doubt on her
face starting to disappear.
Then, her eyes focused on the my serious look―
“……..Irido, kun………”
“Yes, you’re out.”
“Eh?”
I smiled at Yume as her mouth was slightly agape.
“Siblings don’t call each other by family name.”
Yume looked dumbfounded, and slowly, like hot water with a tea bag, started to
turn red.
I made this woman remember our past relationship―and I guess she realized this
was the way to win using this rule.
“Im…i-in that case…aren’t you out too?”
“How? Isn’t it common sense not to feud? We’re siblings after all.”
“Ahhhhh……!!! Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu……!!”
My ‘little step sister’s’ ears are red all over, and I looked down at her with glee.
“So…as promised, you’re now my little step sister, right?”
“Wh-what do you want…!?”
“Don’t tuck your tail and run. What do you think being a little step sister is
about?”
I really did want to humiliate this woman to my heart’s content, but there was a
limit to what I could do. We’ll leave the cat ears little step sister maid treatment for
next time.
“Well, it’s the first time, so let’s make it simple. Change the way you address
me.”
“Li-like how…?”
“As you wish.”
Let’s see what’s your ideal of a little stepsister. LOLOLOLOLOL! Yippee ay ay!
(starts opening my mouth wide and guzzling red wine)
 “Uu~…” Yume clearly looked displeased, her eyes just wandering listlessly as
she puts her fists before her chest― she looks up at me with her blushing,
embarrassed face.
The shaky, soft voice rang into my ears.
 “O……onii, chan…”
“……………”
I turned my face aside.
“O-out! That reaction of yours is foul! A normal sibling can’t be embarrassed
just by being called.”
“…I wasn’t embarrassed.”
“You were! How long do you think I’ve seen that face!?”
“I don’t know. Did you mistake me for someone else? I think our first encounter
was just a few days ago?”
“Y-you’re despicable! Despicable despicable despicable despicable despicable!!”
Yume stomped away on the floor like a kid, and I made sure not to turn towards
her. My face was definitely not feeling hot, my heart wasn’t racing, and I didn’t
want her to call me that one more time, but I couldn’t just bring myself to turn my
face towards her.
Yume’s rage continued to rise, but it was getting a little too much.
“Yume~? It seems a little noisy up there~?”
I heard Yuni-san’s voice downstairs. That voice was my respite, and I forced a
smile, acting like the winner.
“Time’s up.”
“G-grrrr…!”
“Well, if there’s a lesson to be learned, don’t mess with me next time. I guess
someone who loves to read mystery novels will look into it too much, but there’s a
difference between you and me here.”
Over here, here. I say, tapping at my temple.
I didn’t know if she was fuming or regretting it, but Yume’s face was
astonishingly flushed, unable to say anything, with a few tears coming out from her
eyes.
“……You wouldn’t say such cruel things in the past…!!”
…Don’t cry already, you despicable one.
I fondle with my bangs, feeling a little awkward.
…Guess I got too carried away. For folks like us who prefer to read, the most
critical damage to us is an attack on our personalities. It was akin to the tabloids
rummaging a criminal’s bookshelf all over, adding this and that nonsense…yep,
guess I overdid it..
I say, and begrudgingly, gingerly, reached my right hand out―tap tap, up, I pat
Yume’s head gently as though I was dealing with a kid.
“Yes yes. My bad here, sorry. Onee―nee-san.”
 …This was nostalgic. It used to be like this too, whenever Ayai looks at me with
a bashful look―
But the Yume now wasn’t looking embarrassed or anything.
Right now, her body was shaking away, like a volcano inching towards an
eruption.
“………Tha.”
“That?”
“That’s…it! I hate how you’re always able to do this!! You shitty onii-chan!!”
Well, Yume just spat out this brand new sentence, got tripped over by the books
on the floor, and dashed out of the room.
I stood alone in the room, dumbfounded.
…I never saw such a reaction before, even when we were dating.
“…Goodness…”
―Same goes for me.
Same goes for you too―you look so weak, but you hate to lose. You’re mature,
yet immature…I forgot most of it, but now she’s showing a face I never saw
before―
―That’s what I hate about you.

And so,
“…Morning, Mizuto-kun.”
“…Morning, Yume-san.”
The way we addressed each other hasn’t changed.
Basically, according to our rule, the one who breaks it becomes the little sibling
for a moment. If it wasn’t for that, there would be a mysterious relationship if we
go about calling each other ‘nee-san’ and ‘onii-chan’.
If there was anything that has changed―
“Mizuto-kun, the soy sauce please?”
“Ahh, yes, Yume-san.”
I passed the soy sauce to her, and for a moment, our eyes met.
―There’s no way I’m going to be your little sister. Absolutely not.
―What a coincidence. No way am I going to be your little brother.
We wordlessly conveyed our intentions.
 There was no way I could get along with this woman. We dated in middle
school, but that was just us being foolish because something went wrong. The
biggest takeaway from yesterday is that I have further understood this.
We gathered at the same table for breakfast, kicking each other under it. Next to
us, dad and Yuni-san were just chatting away with happy looks, not realizing what
was going on.
We were the only one who knew of our relationship.
We were the only ones who knew that we were sworn enemies who hated each
other more than anyone else in this world, living under the same roof, in the same
family.
…Despite that.
“Yume-san, return the soy sauce.”
“Alright, Mizuto-kun.”
Even when we were dating, we would address each other by our family names,
and we end up addressing each other by given names now that we broke up―I
think that God bastard sure loves irony.
 Chapter 2: The ex-couple watch the house (It’s
my house. That’s normal, right?)
I was young and ignorant thinking back about it now, but between my second
and third year of middle school, I had something called a boyfriend.
He had a face that’s never going to stand out, he didn’t really care about fashion,
always hunched his back, talked about boring stuff. He’s not charming as a guy at
all; he’s basically a scumhead, but he’s a little on the smarter side.
But I was in middle school back then, the flawless time of my youth, and I was a
peerless plain looking girl. I ended up on cloud nine just because someone treated
me kindly, chatted with me, and enjoyed being with me.
I was careless. I was absolutely ignorant.
I wrote the love letter with such agitated emotions in the middle of the night, and
handed it to him in the spur of the moment. My ship of destiny began to embark.
The final destination of my middle school romance could only be described as a
‘catastrophe’.
It was not a shoujo manga that’s meant to bluff kids. It was only taking a matter
of time before we woke up and realized what reality is, and afterwards, we just
broke up as though nothing had happened. That man and I couldn’t avoid such a
fate.
Our parents then remarried, and we became stepsiblings living under the same
roof.
They say life isn’t always smooth sailing, but such a disaster wasn’t something
common to begin with. It was definitely the mischievous God pulling a trap on us,
definitely.
The trap laid by God. In other words, fate.
The days of me getting along with that man had been discarded from my mind
into the trash, but I have to admit that my mind still has some memories that
couldn’t be erased, like mold that couldn’t be scrubbed away in the bathhouse.
I think it happened between our second and third years—it was spring break.
I was called to that man’s house.
My dad isn’t home now.
And just like that, he went straight to the point with an embarrassed voice. I was
foolish back then, and the first thing I thought was.
It’s finally here.
 We dated, we kissed, so what next is naturally…that’s what every single girl in
middle school would have thought. I wasn’t being really lewd here. I was serious.
It seemed this was mentioned more frequently between girls, which I
occasionally eavesdropped. After all, we’ve only just started our battle against the
dreaded menstruation.T here’s some distance between us and the bastards who
were just gawking at internet photos and yapping away.
I prepared myself. I was finally about to experience what I only knew in books.
My anticipation and uneasiness was about 3:7 ratio. It was the first time I entered
my boyfriend’s room, marching on to the capital.
To the capital I went.
It was a stupid way to express how I felt when I went to my boyfriend’s place,
and also explained the determination I had—the night before, I went online to
research on ‘things to know before the first experience’, and basically searched
everywhere, leaving no stones unturned. I even practiced how to make the voices.
I made sure I was thoroughly prepared, entered that man’s room, and first sought
a place to be comfortable at. The room was messy with books all over the place,
and the only place to actually sit on is the bed. Is it there? Is it going to be there?
My mind was a mess, I was at a loss, and then that man just said.
Don’t worry. Have a seat.
So I sat on his bed, but what happened next was really shocking. That man just
sat next to me naturally.
I thought. Ehhhhh…!? He-he’s more aggressive than I thought…! Even though
he’s usually a reserved guy! Seriously, how short-sighted was this girl? Go get hit
by a truck and get isekai’d!
That’s what I think in hindsight but unfortunately, I was stuck on Earth, and
started chit-chatting with that man.
I’d no recollection of what we talked about. My mind was just completely
preoccupied with stuff like, when is he going to knock me over, do we start off with
a kiss, is this underwear okay?
Whenever that man adjusted himself, my shoulders were shaking; whenever his
little finger twitches, I just let out weird sounds. The sad time of the naive girl
lasted 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes. And then from then on, an hour passed,
two hours passed, three hours passed…
Huh? We’re not done talking yet? I was starting to think so, and finally, that man
said,
Well, it’s about that time. I guess…
It’s here.
 It’s finally here.
Please don’t hurt too much, please don’t be scared, please make sure everything
goes well…!
you should be heading back. I’ll send you back.
………………………………………………..
Eh?
E-erm…
It’s a pity, but if it gets any later, your family will be worried.
And so I was escorted by that man back to my apartment.
Wait, an escorting wolf!? Is that it!?
I was thinking of such stuff until we were just about to reach home, but thinking
about it, mom’s at home. It was definitely more appropriate to do such stuff at his
house no matter how I looked at it.
He just waved at me normally before the entrance, and just said normally,
I enjoyed myself today. That’s it then, bye.
I just watched him leave, while still spaced out, and then I realized. That man
didn’t invite me to his house just to do such things. He just wanted to use his room
to talk to me.
I was the only one who wanted to graduate into an adult!
Huh? Yume, your face is really red, you know? Did you catch a cold~?
I returned home, and mom was worried about me.
I couldn’t give her a proper reply, and just laid down on my bed, completely,
bitterly crushed by the shame I felt.
About a year later since, that man and I never managed to take the next step until
we broke up.

“Dad and Yuni-san said they’ll be late today.”

“…Hmm, and then?”
I had just finished packing my belongings into my room, elegantly reading a
detective novel, when my little step brother, yes, little, no matter what anyone else
says. He dropped by to inform me.
“Then? Well…”
“Then?…”
My little stepbrother, Mizuto Irido, looked like he had just swallowed a bitter
pill…Ahh, I guess even a formal conversation with me is painful for you? Hmph.
 “What are we doing for dinner?”
“Don’t make it sound like I have to be responsible for this. I’m not your mother.”
“Right. I’m just discussing things with you since you’re going to be at the same
table as me. Ah damn it, I can’t continue like this.”
…You’re making it sound like I’m the dumb one. I’ve improved, you know?
Compared to when I first met you.
This little step brother of mine was as thin as a bean sprout growing in the shade.
He had never been one to show kind looking eyes, but they were getting more
heinous as he anxiously tapped his toes onto the floor.
His hair was really messy, and he looked as though he didn’t care about his
attire. In fact, this man’s facial features were as generic as an illustration. My
affection for him was already in the negatives, and he’s just so irritating, but it feels
like, if he really tried, he could look decent, and knowing that did nothing but
increase my annoyance towards him.
“I’ll prepare dinner by myself then. I decide the menu, is that fine?”
“Prepare…you know how to cook?”
“Pfft.” So Mizuto chuckled, looking at me like I was a little idiot. This man knew
I couldn’t cook. He once ate the bento I made that was basically industrial waste,
“Yep, really delicious.” and made such a bold faced lie.
“Well, we’re family now. I can cook some for you. Be grateful and eat my
cooking like a pig.”
One of these days, I’ll slaughter this man.
I tried to smile as much as I could, while concealing this murderous intent inside
me.
“No, Mizuto-kun, I’ll feel sorry leaving everything to you. I’ll help out too.”
“No need for that. It’ll be really troublesome if those hands are full of band-
aids.”
“I mean I’d hate to receive your graciousness wholeheartedly, you cold-blooded
man.”
“I don’t want to hear you say that, you cold-blooded woman. Goodness.”
Mizuto looked gleeful, before suddenly sighing. Did he think that pretentious
sigh of his shows that he’s concerned about me? If that was the case, just hurry up
and die.
“Let’s go then.”
“…Go?”
To where? I tilted my head.
 “We need to buy ingredients for dinner. You think food’s going to come out of
nowhere?”
What is this situation? Why am I at a supermarket with the ex-boyfriend I just
broke up with a month ago? Isn’t this, like newlyweds? Or a couple living together
now!?
“Erm…ohh, this is cheap.”
And while I was letting my thoughts run, the ex-boyfriend began to just put one
shopping item after another into the shopping cart.
Does this man not know the situation we’re both in right now? How dense can he
be—or does he not think of me as a woman? …no, well, I’m not a woman to him,
and he’s not a man. I’m the older sister, and he’s the little brother…Wait, isn’t this
just a repeat of what happened that time? I’m the only one letting my thoughts run
wild, I’m the only one unhappy about this. Got to remain calm.
“…It feels like you’re just chucking stuff randomly. Have you thought of what
you want to cook?”
“Hm? Well, nope.”
“Ehh…you don’t know? These are to be used for dinner right?’
“I say, we should buy the cheaper stuff first before thinking of what we can cook.
If we planned what to cook, that means we’ll have to buy the expensive stuff too,
right?”
“…I see.”
I got it. So it’s a little nugget of life, huh…he actually had a parameter called life
skills. What’s with this guy? Why’s he so capable at this useless stat?
“Worst case scenario, if we can’t figure out how to use these stuff, throw them
into the pot, add curry powder, and you can somehow make curry. Understand the
difference between ‘cooking’ and ‘making food’, little sister.”
“Who’s your little sister? I said I’m the older sister, right?”
“Yes yes.”
…The more I listen to him, the more despondent I feel about giving him the
lousy bento I made. Arggghhhhh…
“Well, it’s cute to make some bad food once in a while, but not for every day. Go
level up.”
Mizuto’s careless voice caused my body and thoughts to freeze…C-cute?
This guy’s just prattling off again—no, but just now, it felt like he just blurted it
out without thinking. The chances of him actually saying what he really thought
was.
“…What? I’m leaving, you know.”
 I was left standing in the middle of the walkway. I hurried after Mizuto, shaking
my head as I tried to chase the thoughts aside.
Seriously, it’s going to end up as deja vu. I was the only one thinking weird
things, and he was just being so casual about it. It was really unfair.
…I’ll make you realize it. I’ll make sure that this repulsive face of yours will be
bloody red.
And then, I’ll make sure this man’s going to call me ‘onee-chan’!
We stood side by side in the kitchen reluctantly, finished making the curry, and
finished dinner. Fortunately, no mishap occurred as we cooked, except when
Mizuto saw me wield the chopper and went all “hey wait a sec. You’re scaring me!
This is where you put the fingers, here!” and just touched my hand accidentally.
Since our parents weren’t around, there wasn’t any need for us to act as good
siblings. It was easier for me.
“The hot water’s ready. Now what?”
“I’ll bathe first.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
“I don’t want to bathe in your leftover bathwater.”
“So you’re fine with me bathing in your leftover bathwater?”
“…I’ll bathe after you then!”
I didn’t really notice because of mom and my new stepdad, but I had been
bathing in the same bathwater as this man every day.
And then…and then, it feels…that…!
…Calm down. Thank goodness. Let’s sort out my mind while Mizuto’s in the
bath. And plan the counterattack later.
“I’m done.”
I tried to calm down while planning this locked room murder mystery game (one
I basically thought up. I assumed Mizuto’s murdered in the room, and thought of
all kinds of tricks to make it possible). Not even 10 minutes in, Mizuto returned
with his hair dripping wet.
“Uu…”
“Hm?”
…Well anyway, anyone with their hair wet would look a little cooler. Basically,
it’s a common sight. Nothing special about it at all. Nothing at all.
“…Aren’t you too fast? Did you even wash properly? You’re probably still
dirty.”
“Don’t decide before I answer. I washed already. I’m just fast because I think it’s
a waste of time.”
 Always in a hurry…that’s what I hate about you. You’d pace yourself along with
me when we started dating. But whatever, the time has come.
I erased the thoughts of Mizuto’s corpse in the locked room, and stood up.
“I’ll go bathe then…I’ll kill you if you peek.”
“If I see you like that, I’ll die without you killing me. My eyes will rot.”
…Say that while you can.
I kept my eyes on the door as I stripped myself and entered the bath.
I didn’t really notice because of mom and my stepdad, but if I think hard about
it…I’m in his house, naked…if that man suddenly barged into the bathroom,
nobody could save me…
“……”
…In hindsight, there’s no way that bean sprout man will do that. If it really
happened, I’d make sure to bite him off in various places.
I carefully washed my body, kept it warm, and left the bathroom. I put the dry
bath towel over my naked body, and use the dryer on my hair.
…This is where it started.
I tightened the knot on my bath towel.
—I didn’t bring my clothes into the changing room.
It’s for me to cast the die, because I decided to crush that man’s aloof face with
my back against the wall.
Yes. I can do this without bringing a change of clothes. I’ll just appear before
that man while dressed in only a bath towel!
“…!”
The mirror reflected my body, which had grown a lot more feminine compared
to when I was getting along well with that man. The chest had changed completely
over the past year—so much that my mom and my classmates were getting
envious.
There’s still some steam coming from my bare chest, having just left the bath. I
shouldn’t be saying this, but it was one alluring sight…do-do I show this to that
man?
I was a little bitter, thinking that I should have at least prepared my underwear.
But if I don’t go this far, it’s not going to be effective on that blockhead.
“…Right.”
I made up my mind, and left the changing room.
My bare feet made sounds along the floor, and I returned to the living room.
“I-I’m done.”
“Nn—uorggh!?”
 The moment he saw me, Mizuto spat out the tea he was drinking, and started
coughing. That’s a way bigger reaction than I expected!
I turned my face aside, hiding my relieved look.
“You idi…wh-what are you doing?”
“It’s my house. That’s normal, right?”
I tried to answer calmly, and sat diagonally before Mizuto, who was sitting on
the L-shaped sofa.
Mizuto turned his face aside, but from time to time, he would take glances at me.
“No, but…well, I’m here…”
“We’re siblings, so? …are you—”
I force a smile, piling onto Mizuto’s troubled face.
“—Mizuto-kun, are you a bad kid looking at your stepsister with such lewd
eyes?”
“Grr…”
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!
He’s blushing!! He’s blushing!! He’s blushing!!
Mizuto’s been trying to look away from me, but he’s definitely looking; I can
sense his stare. He’s glancing at the chest and thighs that the bath towel can’t cover.
Hu hu, too spicy for you there? So how about it, I know you’re a kid! Ahh, it’s a
pity. You dated a woman in her kid body form, so you can’t handle an adult woman
like me! Who has a kid body now?
So now, let me cross my legs.
“……!!”
Ahh, he’s looking. He’s definitely looking. It’s so easy.
 This man’s usually trying to look cool, but now, with him actually losing his cool
like this…fufufu! I was really enjoying myself. I reached my hand for the TV
remote, trying to show off my chest.
“~~~~~~!!!!!!”
Ahh, he’s looking, he’s looking, he’s looking. He’s definitely, definitely looking.
I continued to try and maintain the poker face. I felt I was taking revenge for
today, and also that day a year ago. This man never noticed this about me back
then, and now he’s so captivated by me.
Is this what they call the pride of a woman? I felt a certain something in my heart
being fulfilled…r so it seemed.
It’s about, well…I was a little embarrassed.
He was looking a lot more often than I expected…and I feel that if my bath towel
tilts, if my legs aren’t careful, I might accidentally show him something that
shouldn’t be seen.
…Or rather, what was I doing anyway?
There was no need to be doubtful about this. Isn’t what I’m doing now
completely erotic…?
I guess I didn’t have any right to complain if this man pushed me down?
“……”
Suddenly, I calmed down. I wanted to pull the bath towel up to cover my chest a
little more, but the defenses below would drop. A single movement could cause an
irreversible outcome, and I was unable to move at all.
…I-I got too cocky…Why was I always like this whenever I get cocky…
“……Haaa…”
Mizuto let out a deep sigh, suddenly stood up, and walked towards me.
Eh, eh, eh? I-is he, really…?
Mizuto approached me while I sat petrified like a rock, still grabbing my bath
towel. He removed the coat on him.
My heart began to pound. Eh, for real? No, wait, I-I didn’t plan to go that far—!
I unwittingly closed my eyes, and then,
—I felt cloth draped over my shoulders.
…Huh?
“You’re probably trying to tease me or something…didn’t think you were going
to regret it, you idiot?”
I opened my eyes with much fear…and saw the coat Mizuto just removed on my
shoulders.
Mizuto himself was looking down at me with a dumbfounded look.
 “You’re usually so obedient, but sometimes you just go with the flow to do
something very out of character. You…better change that habit. I’m not going to
keep cleaning up your mess.”
His tone was rigid, and his words sounded so condescending to me. But then,
these words sounded the same as back then during middle school, when he had
saved me countless times.
I fondled the shirt on my chest that still had his warmth. His words, his
warmth…caused me to remember what happened a year ago.
“…A year ago.”
“Nn?”
“When I came to this house…why, didn’t you do anything?”
The sudden change in our relationship was soon after that day—just as we
entered the third year of middle school.
I once thought that I might have done something weird that day, which destroyed
his illusion of me.
But then, that was just my misunderstanding. The reason for his change in
attitude was something else—
“Why…are you mentioning that now!?”
Eh!? Mizuto showed an unexpected look.
“Ha! Just laugh all you want!”
He went straight to the point.
“Just laugh at the useless bum who prepared everything, called his girlfriend to
his house, and just dithered over there and did nothing, alright!?”
It took me about five seconds.
I stopped thinking.
“———
EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
?”
And once my brain started to think again, I stood up and yelled with all my mind.
“P-prepare!? Dither!? Wh-what…what do you mean!? I-I really prepared myself
on that day, but nothing happened. I thought I was the one who wanted it…!?”
“Huh!? N-no. I saw you being so tense and wary, so I just had second
thoughts…”
“That! Was! Because! I! Was! Really! Nervous!!!??????”
“HHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?”
Mizuto too yells with his eyes wide open.
“You’re kidding right!? Were you also planning to do it that night!?”
 “I really was! I wanted to make that room become a memory of my life!
Absolutely!!”
“Y-you serious…? Then, the regrets I had about that day because I ruined it
was…”
“I’m the one regretting it!! Give back all my worries for thinking I lacked
charm!”
“Like I care!!? It’s your fault for being so nervous that day!!”
“It’s definitely your fault!! You sleazebag!”
“What!?”
“What!?”
What ensued was an endless volley of insults that can’t be written in words
easily.
We started trading barbs, and then it got physical as we took it to the sofa.
After using up all the insults we had, we were left just panting away hard, our
shoulders huffing as we glared at each other.
“…Haa…haaa….”
“Haaa…nn….haaaa…”
We were panting at each other, with Mizuto pressing me down onto the sofa.
I really…can’t take this.
We look like we get along well because we like books, but we couldn’t get
along, and just this little thing ended up as a big misunderstanding, and we
somehow ended up as siblings…
“…Uuu…
For some reason, I wanted to cry. Why couldn’t things go as I want them to? If I
wasn’t so nervous that day, maybe now—
“…Crying while arguing is forbidden.”
“Shut up…! I know that…!”
I wiped my tears with my arm.
The weak me a year ago who already relied on this man didn’t exist anymore.
It became the reason why these feelings ended up this way, but I didn’t feel
regret about my own growth.
So it wasn’t my fault. It’s all this man’s fault! All of it!
“…Hey, Ayai.”
Hearing that, my heart jolted.
Ayai. That was my old family name, and also the name he would use to address
me.
 I rubbed my thighs uneasily. The coat he put on me was long gone while we
were arguing. I was wrapped in a towel, practically naked. Even the towel was a
mess, and it could fall apart anytime soon.
I remained on the sofa with Irido-kun on top of me, his pale hand reaching for
me. His fingers were rather soft and thin for a guy, and he brushed my bangs past
my forehead.
It was the first step…before we did something.
He would always move my bangs aside before he did that, so that he could see
me clearly, when I was lacking confidence, being so shy, and had my bangs long
enough to cover my face.
Irido-kun stared into my unfiltered eyes. I felt that everything and anything, from
my chest to my belly, was being laid bare in front of him, and I covered my face
with my right hand.
My hand was gently grabbed by Irido-kun, and was gently nudged aside.
His honest eyes were clearly saying that he had no intentions of letting me go.
All I could do was give a weak excuse through my mouth—my lips.
“N-no…the rules…”
This was completely out of line. Stepsiblings should never do such things…But
my words just sounded so weak…
I knew this alone wasn’t going to stop him…I knew that from experience. Irido-
kun’s soft voice echoed in my chest.
“…It’s my loss today.”
Our eyes met.
His face was blushing because he had used up all his strength during our quarrel.
No, that’s not why.
I felt my consciousness being sucked into Irido-kun’s eyes. I had a feeling I
sensed everything about him. His warmth, his breath, his heartbeat.
And before I knew it, I had closed my eyes. I felt the calm breathing gently
reaching my lips.
…Ah. It’s been a while since we kissed.
“We’re back~!”
The moment we heard the voices from the entrance, we jolted up like springs.
“Mizuto~! Yume-chan~!? Are you in the living room~!?”
M-mom…!? They’re back!?
“Ack…! It’s this time already!?”
Mizuto hastily pulled his distance from me, and checked the time.
 Woah…! It got so late before we realized it. How much time did we even spend
bickering…
“Hey! Put your clothes on, quick! This situation’s bad!”
I was almost naked, Mizuto’s clothes in a mess, and we were together on the
sofa. We needed to maintain the good siblings act before mom and stepdad, but
there was a limit to that. It would be really bad if they think we were on
such good terms with each other!
“B-but, my clothes…”
“Ah right, you walked out without getting your clothes…ahh shit! Hide
somewhere! Erm erm—yeah, here!”
“Woah!?”
Mizuto shoved me onto the floor, and removed the sofa cushion. It seems like
it’s meant to store stuff.
“Inside! Hurry!”
“Wa-wait! I can do this without you pushing me…! Ow!? You just kicked me!
You just kicked me, didn’t you!?”
“Don’t talk, get it!?”
Mizuto shoved me into the sofa space before closing the lid. My sights were
completely dark.
“—Hm? You’re alone, Mizuto!?”
“I thought I heard Yume’s voice though…”
“Welcome back, dad, Yuni-san. Yume-san went to sleep first—”
As I listened to the conversation with Mizuto trying to misdirect them, I recalled
what just happened.
If…mom and stepdad didn’t return. What…would I have done…?
“……Uuuuuu…”
It’s weird. It’s really weird!!
We broke up. We hated each other. He was now just an annoying little step
brother no matter what he does. He’s not my boyfriend! But, but…!
I held onto my pounding heart. Why do things never go as planned?
We managed to end these feelings for good. We were supposed to be happy with
that.
But we became siblings, and I was just tempting him, only now did I learn that
we both felt the same!
“…Ahhhh goodness……!!!!”
I hate this!!!
 ◆

The next day, I exercised my right as the winner.

“You said you lost yesterday, didn’t you, Mizuto-kun?”
“…Well, I did, sorta. But to be forced by you to say this—”
“Anyway, little brother, this is your sister’s order. Leave the room.”
I chased Mizuto out of his room, and began searching.
Mizuto testified yesterday that he ‘called me over a year ago, and prepared
various stuff…if that’s the case, that thing was definitely still here. I didn’t mind if
I couldn’t find it, but I had to destroy it if it’s still there.
I was completely prepared to rummage everywhere from under the bed to the
bookshelf, but I was a little disappointed to find the target item in the drawer I first
checked…though it’s just like that man to not hide such things in weird places.
I brought out the target item and left Mizuto’s room.
He, waiting in the corridor, stared at me like a dead, rotting fish.
“What did you look for?”
“Where’s the ‘onee-chan’?”
“…Nee-san.”
“Something unnecessary for stepsiblings.”
I said as I brought the box of a dozen behind my back, playing dumb…a dozen’s
unexpectedly many. Eh, erm…he just so happened to buy 12, right? There’s no rule
saying that we have to use them all, right? I guess.
I cautiously made sure Mizuto’s eyes wouldn’t see the thing, passed him by, and
headed towards the stairs leading to the first floor.
“Oy, nee-san.”
The sudden rude voice behind me suddenly strikes, and I turned around.
“What, my little brother Mizuto-kun?”
“Step siblings are—”
As he said that, Mizuto looked to the side, trying to pass it off.
“—No, nothing.”
I snorted as I went down the stairs. I made my way towards the trash bag by the
corridor, dropped that little box in, and tied it up firmly.
I just needed to throw it away on the garbage collection day. Afterwards, no
matter what, there was no way we were ever going to be able to do anything
inappropriate as stepsiblings.
I heaved a sigh of relief…and looked up the stairs.
I know my words couldn’t possibly reach him, but I answered.
 “…I know this at least.”
But there was no point in mentioning that trivia. Right? There’s no point
remembering it, or knowing it…let alone, mentioning it at all. That’s why he didn’t
mention it. That’s why I didn’t mention it.
The useless trivia—that step siblings can get married.
 Chapter 3: The ex-couple’s going to school (You
feeling lonely?)
I can say now that I was young and foolish, but I had an existence called a
girlfriend between my second and third years of middle school.
They said that humanity’s filled with much history, and they were right. I’m just
a hard-boiled guy, talking about my past to nobody in particular, the past when I
didn’t know left from right.
Like for example, the first day of the second semester, during my second year of
middle school.
That day, I opened my eyes, rarely sleepy to begin with, and slowly got out of
bed—it hurts me now to explain the reason why I was sleep deprived, and it’s
really embarrassing to me back then, but if I have to explain while enduring all
kinds of emotions. It’s because of something that happened the previous day.
I had received Yume Ayai’s confession.
I finished reading the love letter she personally handed to me, and accepted on
the spot. I guessed that was the more appropriate to describe it, somehow. Anyway,
since that day, I officially had a girlfriend.
The first girlfriend in my life.
I felt a little fluffy, a little agitated, and I rolled about on the bed for no reason,
until it was dawn. I guessed that could be considered normal though, definitely not
because I was lost in the real life fantasy, nor was I in the mood to have a really
meaningful dream. It was just an illogical biological phenomenon that robbed me
of my precious sleeping time. Ayai should never be forgiven.
Anyway, it’s the first morning since I had a girlfriend; the only first morning of
the second year, second semester.
I got ready, and hurried out of the house.
It’s not good to be late for opening day, but that’s not what I thought. I was in a
hurry because I had an appointment.
There’s a girl with braids standing at the crossway leading to school, the place
where I’ll have my first kiss, holding her bag before her knees, waiting for me.
Yume Ayai. My girlfriend.
So-sorry! I overslept…!
N-no…there’s still time…
 Ayai back then wasn’t one to really talk, and even when talking to me, she was
stammering. I’m infuriated thinking about what she experienced to end up with her
mouth being only capable of foul language, but that’s for another time.
Ayai peeked at my face, and her mouth opened slightly.
Did you…not sleep, last night?
Ahh, yeah…well, just a little…I guess.
…I, see…
She continued to fiddle with the long bangs, averting her eyes while her cheeks
blushed slight a little, and said with a voice soft enough to be gone with the wind.
I-I too…couldn’t sleep at all, last night…
I was too stupid back then, and a simple conversation like this overwhelmed me
completely. My hear pounded wildly, and my tongue was about five times slower
than Ayai; I was acting like a robot that had forgotten to add grease.
We just continued our conversation with stuff like ahhh, uuuhhh, stuff that really
weren’t a conversation, walking alongside each other to school. We’re only half a
step away from each other. Every step we took, the back of our hands would shake,
and we’re at the point of wondering whether we should hold hands.
As lovers, it seemed we could hold hands. But it might have been too fast for us
since that just happened yesterday.
I was thinking about such stuff back then, but holding hands or such was very
hard for me to do, considering I’m a virgin bastard who treasured the memory of
our fingers touching just the day before.
And before we knew it, the school’s 50 meters away. I started to spot the other
students headed towards school, so I thought, ahh, is it ending? Hahaha, go end
your life already. Unfortunately for me, Ayai started looking around, looking
suspicious.
Ahh…erm…over here…
Eh?
It is, e-embarrassing…to go to the classroom….together..
I guess my luck ran out back then, when I found myself determining that the
whispering Ayai was really cute—at that moment, it was fated that the relationship
between Ayai and me would be known only to us.
If we showed back at the classroom together back then, and act like we’re dating,
I might not have this strange possessive urge, and Ayai wouldn’t have tried to find
fault with me—and we probably wouldn’t have broken up. It’s all hindsight
though.
 We’re not Kazuko Yoshiyama or Natsuki Subaru. All the what-ifs were just a
game of imagination. But yes, I would say the following as it it was an imagination.
If, what if. If, on that day, Ayai and I could go to school together until the very
end?
…But even this hard-boiled me never expected a day when such a what-if route
pops up.

The most hated period of my life, the spring break before the new school
admission, finally ended.
I was really happy about that, but at this point, I had another big problem.
“……”
“……”
My little stepsister, Yume Irido, showed up from the washroom. I wordlessly
exchanged glares with her. We were frowning at each other, or to be precise, the
uniforms we were wearing.
A navy blue blazer. It’s a design that appeared so serious; the red ties showed
that we’re in our first years.
Yume and I were wearing the same high school uniform. This was another trap
laid by the tragedy-loving God, tied to how Yume and I became siblings.
We were preparing for our entrance exams last year, back then our relationship
was already frosty.
Of course, we didn’t discuss the school we wanted to enter. My first choice was a
private prep school nobody else from our middle school had gone to. There’s also
the issue of school fees for a single parent family, but that was nothing if I passed
the entrance exam. I heard she’s also in a single family, with her mother, so I was
certain that if I could enter this school, I could definitely break away from her. I
studied hard.
And then I got a free scholarship. Together with Yume…Yes.
This woman had exactly the same thoughts as me.
She didn’t want to attend the same school as me, chose a prep school I definitely
wouldn’t have chosen, and studied hard.
There were few scholarship places, and the two of us, from the same middle
school, managed to get them.
Is there anyone who can understand our despair when we were called to the staff
room together, and praised for “being the pride of our school!”. To be honest, it
was more shocking than failing, so shocking that we could only smile blankly until
the very end.
In this world, many couples studied hard to attend the same school, but there’s
probably only one particular couple that studied hard to attend different schools.
We ended up entering the same high school despite that. What were the chance?
Damn you God.
…No, actually, we didn’t gather intel on each other, and we’re also idiots at this.
Anyway, the sight of the same uniform has us utterly despising each other.
“…That uniform doesn’t suit you.”
Yume coldly spat with dark eyes.
“…Same to you. The pleated skirt really doesn’t suit you.”
I shot back with a really frigid voice and dark black eyes.
“Most uniforms have pleated skirts.”
“Sorry I misspoke. Being a high school student doesn’t suit you.”
“Ahh, yes. Now that you mention it, being human doesn’t suit you.”
“Then you’re not suited for Earth.”
“Then you’re not suited for the solar galaxy.”
“Then you’re not suited for the Milky Way—!”
And then we start to use concepts like space, three dimensions, even though they
weren’t appropriate for arguing. A female pokes her face out from the living room.
“Oh my~! They really suit you!”
That’s my stepmom Yuni-san. With unprecedented vigor, she pulled us together
while we were about to slaughter each other, and nods away with a childish look.
“I guess the uniform of a prep school’s different after all~! You two look really
cool! You managed to enter such a high school that’s difficult to get into! As to be
expected of our kids!”
…Even though we’re berating each other about the uniforms, we never once said
anything about ‘attending another high school’. There’s a reason for that; our
parents were really happy about us getting in.
Yume and me both agreed on something about our family. We both know it was
the bottom line we can’t touch, even without saying anything.
“Of course, shall we have a photo!? Come on you two, get closer!”
You got to be kidding.
Or so I wanted to say, but I couldn’t refuse her after seeing Yuni-san happily
bring out her smartphone, even thought I was her stepson. It seems her actual
daughter Yume too felt the same.
 We stood side by side, we tried to plaster smiles on our faces for the photo. I was
really starting to get the hang of faking smiles.
Humans really are used to habits.
“—Fufu. Now that I look at it, you two resemble a couple, you know?”
So I thought, but a sudden ambush derailed me completely, and my heart jolted.
…Am I in the clear? Did I show a look on my face?
“What are you saying, mom? We have not met for long, right?”
Yume said calmly while kicking my calf discreetly. Was my face showing
anything?
“But you see, you resemble me, and Mizuto-kun resembles Mine-kun, right? I
guess this is how it looks like if we’re in high school~.”
“…Don’t flaunt your love using your kids. And I’m not like you, mom.”
“Sorry sorry.”
This Mine-san referred to my dad. Full name’s Mineaki Irido.
“Then you two, shall you get in the car first? We’ll be there once we’re done.”
Yuni-san said, and returned to the living room.
It’s the opening ceremony. Since we were freshmen, Dad and Yuni-san would be
visiting our school as our guardians. What did this mean?
“…Haa.”
“Don’t sigh away. That’ll infect me.”
“Can’t I not? It’s one thing that we’re in the same high school; we can pretend
not to know each other…”
Nobody in this high school knew about us. It should have be easy for us to act as
strangers. But we’re now siblings. We had the same parents, and would taking the
same car to school together. We had to act familiar.
It’s way too difficult to act unfamiliar with each other considering all these
factors.
“See you later then!”
“Mizuto~ Do make some friends!”
We arrived at school, finished the photo taking before the school gates, and most
of the other stuff. Finally, we left our parents for the time being. We had to reach
the classroom before the opening ceremony, and meet our classmates and
homeroom teacher.
We already knew which class we’ll be in. It seemed they split us according to the
grades of our entrance exam; in other words, not because of family reasons.
Somehow though, we ended up together in the same class (Class 1-7). The
coincidence has me too exasperated to sigh.
 Once they disappeared, “Nnn~” Yume stretched her back, and then,
“You shitty otaku.”
“You shitty maniac.”
“Bean sprout.”
“Shorty.”
“I’m not short now!?”
“You still look like one to me.”
We continue our barrage of insults. It’s a necessary measure to let out some gas,
lest we ended up exploding.
We entered school, and went towards classroom 1-7.
“So, now what?”
“What?”
“Are we seriously entering the classroom together?”
“We have the same family name now, and that’s enough attention. Let’s just go
in.”
“…Can’t imagine you being the same person as the one so embarrassed back
then.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
It’s true that if we worry about it too much, the opposite effect would happen
instead. We entered class 7 from the front, as normal.
All the stares in class gathered on us. There’s about 20 or so students, and they
were all strangely agitated as they wanted to check out new friends.
According to the paper pasted on the blackboard, my seat’s right at the front.
As ‘Irido’s, we had to sit front and back. I sat in front because my name started
with ‘Mi’, and Yume’s behind as her name started with ‘Yu’…I had a bad feeling
about Yume sitting behind me, but we sat at our designated seats for the time being.
Thud!
“Ow!”
My chair got kicked in the back. That’s way too expected!
I turned to glare behind, and the culprit’s just staring outside the window as
though nothing happened. This woman…
I guess we wouldn’t be changing seats until about a month later, and I had to
leave my back exposed to this woman. It’s really disadvantageous. I need to think
of a counter quickly…
Given our situation, our classmates were just watching us from the outside.
“…You’re kicking my chair now?”
 “I don’t know what you’re saying.”
“You’re fine with not trying to make friends? You high school rookie.”
“Who’s this high school rookie?”
Back in the third year of middle school, she was just a plain girl. Gone was that
impression as she’s changed inside and outside. Basically, she was completely
person from that Yume Ayai who gave me the love letter at the end of that summer
vacation.
Our situation now is that we’re entering this high school without knowing
anyone else here. If that’s not a high school rookie, I don’t know what is.
“You don’t have to worry about that, Mizuto-kun?”
Yume smiled, taking me for an idiot.
“I do have a critical weapon.”
“Irido-san, which middle school are you from?”
“Just an ordinary middle school. Nothing particularly noteworthy about that.”
“Do you have any hobbies!?”
“Reading, I guess. Though it’s rather boring to talk about.”
“You’re the top ranked in the exams, right? How much did you study?”
“Not too much, I guess, or so I wish to say, but I really spent much time
cramming, even ignoring sleep and food. I feel relieved to be free from that.”
I could hear such chuckles behind me…Yume Irido rose to the top of the class
caste on the first day of school.
It happened when we returned to the classroom after the opening ceremony, and
finished the simple homeroom session. The students started to approach us like ants
gathering around sugar.
Yep, opening ceremony. The weapon Yume spoke of was at
work. She represented us freshmen.
Well, that’s proof of her being the top ranked student. This prep school focused
entirely on grades, and she had a powerful position. Yume Irido was no lowly
peasant going around finding friends.
But it didn’t matter for me, since…damn it all…!
Why were her grades better than me!? DAAAAMMMNNNN IIIIITTTT…!
She had the shiny new label of being the school rep, and it felt like everyone
forgot about me, even though we had the same family name. WhateverI leave my
seat, as though squeezed out by the people surrounding Yume.
The opening ceremony and homeroom ended, so there’s no need to be at school.
I’d just appear before dad and Yuni-san, and then hurry home. I didn’t need to
return home with her, since we’re not lovers.
 “……”
It felt like Yume was glancing at me, or maybe it was just me overthinking it.
Hmph. Sure is nice to be able to make so many friends.
I kept reading in my room, and before I knew it, it was evening. Feeling thirsty, I
went downstairs for a drink, and the entrance door opened.
“I’m back.”
It’s Yume. She returned alone. Dad and Yuni-san already returned home, and it’s
been three hours since the opening ceremony. According to dad, Yume was invited
by the classmates to the freshmen party.
I guessed she has a fine debut. Couldn’t imagine her being the person who
couldn’t find a partner for gym class back then.
Yume silently walked down the hall, and gave me a gleeful smile as she passed
me by.
“Feeling lonely?”
“…Huh?”
I frowned. She’s just giggling away.
“Sorry that I can’t take care of you while you’re alone, you know?”
“…It’s nothing. Don’t worry about that. You can spend the entire day responding
to LINE messages then.”
“I’ll do so then.”
Yume responded tersely, and went up the stairs….Tch. Why did I have to see
such a victorious smirk from her? Was there a reason why I had to feel lonely here?
And after these inexplicable thoughts, the next morning,
“Irido, which middle school are you from?”
“…Well, just an ordinary middle school.”
“Do you have any hobbies? Like gaming?”
“Not many games….”
“How’s your entrance exam? You should be rather smart yourself, since you’re
Irido-san’s brother, right?”
“Passable I guess.”
Why? Why was I the one being surrounded now?
It’s like a supernatural phenomenon. I just went to school in the morning, and out
of a sudden, this was the situation. It’s like everyone knew that Yume and I are
stepsiblings. Did she blurt it out during the freshmen party? Even though it’s only a
matter of time…
It wass probably the first time so many people surrounded me, ever since I was
born out of my mom’s womb. There were many more boys gathered around me
than back then, many times more the number of doctors and nurses in the delivery
room.
I was bombarded by one question after another, completely lost. She managed to
deal with such tortuous interrogations yesterday? Was she a spy in training?
Forced to the brink of death, Yume barely makes it in time as she enters the
classroom—greeting the girls as she watches me get surrounded, and just frowning
away.
And then, after she puts her bag down behind me.
Bam! She kicked my chair. Why?
I guessed that’s what they meant by when it rains, it pours.
Since it’s a prep school, I guessed everything was at full throttle right out of the
gates. We had six periods of lessons, and not just student orientation. It’s still
heaven compared to the interrogative barrage of questions. Classes for the win.
I escaped from the classroom during noon break, and fled for my life.
Whenever class was about to start in the morning, those interrogators would be
waiting for me, most of them from other classes. It would it’ll take them some time
to gather. That’s when I seized the chance to escape.
I lock myself in the cubicle, waiting for things to calm down. The toilet’s pretty,
western styled, and it was more comfortable than I imagined. Private schools are
amazing.
Goodness, seriously, why was my popularity popping up like that. It’s not like I
was trending on the internet news or twitter. Was there anything eye catching about
me? If there was…I guess it’s about me being Yume Irido’s stepbrother
“You going in the afternoon?”
“Of course. Got to get close to him.”
I could hear voices outside the cubicle. So it’s not just a woman’s right to gossip
in the toilet? That’s surprising.
“That girl’s—really cute, isn’t she? And she’s first in our year. She’s a perfect
superhuman right?”
“But seriously, I see her photo on LINE and I’m in love.”
First in our year…her? They say she’s cute…? Did they need the optometrist?
“So why are you sticking to the little stepbrother? Can’t you go to her instead?”
“She’ll find me annoying. Isn’t it better to go through the little brother instead?”
……Huh?
“I think there’s a lot with such thoughts.”
“But that little brother looks a little gloomy. Doesn’t feel like it’s easy getting
along with me.”
 “That’s just you being annoying right?”
“Ahh, how cruel. Hahahaha.”
…Ahh. Mystery solved. Those guys are using me as a jumpboard just to
approach Yume with evil intentions. Was that it?
I left the cubicle.
“Woah!?”
“That shocked me…”
I left the toilet, ignoring the shocked guys.
“…Wait? That was…”
“Ah.”
A few guys gathered soon after I appeared on the corridor. I guessed it’s more
appropriate to say they were just clinging to me.
If they were talking to me because they wanted friends, I would have treated
them somewhat seriously. But if that’s not it, there wasn’t any point to running and
hiding.
That night, I finished dinner, and washed my utensils at the sink. It seemed
Yume too was done when she stood next to me.
For a moment, there’s only the sound of water. Yume mumbled.
“…You don’t feel angry about it?”
“What?”
I asked, and Yume frowned, looking a little anxious.
“You know, don’t you?”
“You mean the guys surrounding me?’
“Yes.”
News sure spread quickly between girls.
“You…were looked down upon.”
“I guess.”
“They have no courage to talk to me, so they decide to use you, since you look
honest…if it went as planned, they’ll start giving excuses…I really can’t deal with
such people.”
“I don’t care what you think. Just ignore those guys. Squashing water, beating
your head against the wall, you do know these kinds of idioms as a prep school
student, right?”
“But then you’ll…!”
Yume sounded really agitated for some reason, but she stopped. Her hands
stopped washing the utensils.
I too stop washing.
 Water continued to flow from the tap.
“…Me?”
I quietly asked. Yume stopped moving her mouth and hands, and after a moment,
started scrubbing the utensils with the sponge again.
“…It’s nothing.”
The next day.
It’s my third morning as a high schooler. Yume and I decided to go to school at
different times just yesterday, but a day later, the agreement’s broken.
“Shall we go to school together, Mizuto-kun?”
Disgusting. That was my immediately thought when she s what I immediately
think of once she asks me with such a kind voice. I can’t refuse her at the breakfast
table though.
“Looks like you’re on good terms.”
“Hahahaha, Mizuto. Let her teach you how to deal with girls.”
That Yume was just smiling away. It was obvious she’s suggesting this in front
of our parents, so that I couldn’t refuse her.
What’s she planning now?
My skeptical look was completely repelled by her flawless smile. And
unwillingly, both of us left the house.
I continued to watch Yume with wary eyes as we went to school, but she
continued to maintain the poker face. Seriously, what was she thinking…
Filled with much fear and disgust, we ended up about 50 meters away from the
school gates. There were more students around us, on their way.
…We used to go our separate ways here back then.
I didn’t know why she said she wants to go to school with me, but there’s no
way she’s going to happily go to the classroom with…
That’s when I stop thinking. Why, you ask? That was what I wanted to know.
Why…did this woman just latch onto my arm naturally!?
“Huh!? Wait…!”
“Alright.”
She muttered as she walked on, holding onto my arm as she dragged me along.
I could feel stares. That’s expected. The talk of the school, the freshmen
representative’s was latching onto a man’s upper arm while going to school early in
the morning!
W-what’s she thinking here!? I don’t remember us doing such a bold thing when
we were out dating!
 The scary thing was that Yume continued to latch onto my arm as we passed
through the school gates. Naturally, there were more students in there, and I was on
tenterhooks. A boy and girl couple going to school while locking arms would
attract attention, let alone us!
“Heh. Isn’t that Mizuto-kun~?” “Shall we too…?”
And like yesterday, the boys aiming at Yume gathered…only to stop. Well, it’s
no wonder.
The one they’re trying to get close to has gotten so close with me, the stepping
stone.
Yume’s arm exerted more strength, and thanks to that, we’re sticking
closer. Arggh damn it, my elbow! They’re s soft, you idiot! What’s with the useless
growth, you shorty girl!
“Sorry?”
Yume’s face showed a dazzling smile. The boys were all stunned.
“As you can see, right now, I’m, talking to Mizuto. Can you please not disturb
us?”
The boys’ mouths were wide open, startled as they point back and forth between
Yume and me.
“Irido, san…?” “Th-this is…” “You two…are siblings, right!?”
“Yes.”
 At that moment, the smile on Yume’s face was terrifying.
“—Sorry, I’m a brocon.”
The frozen me.
The boys who were shot down.
The crowd gawking at the fiery scene.
“And, that’s how it is.”
Yume delivered the haymaker to the boys who stopped completely, and pulled
me along.
We entered the school building. Yume finally let go of my arm; that was when I
could finally move
“Y-you…just caused one huge commotion out there, you know!?”
“What? That group won’t be approaching you now, right?”
“Well that’s right, but!!”
You’re their target, and they just acknowledged that they have no interest other
than you!
“It’s fine. I’ll explain this well to the friends I’m on better terms with.”
“You okay with that!? The impressions they have of you…!”
“…After all, you’re still family.”
Yume muttered, and averted her eyes slightly.
“I can’t allow my family to be belittled. That’s all. Nothing much.”
…This woman…ahh whatever, shit. Seriously, I couldn’t just laugh it off as a
joke when she just said that, you know?
I suppressed the slight hesitation within me, and expressed my thanks as honestly
as I could.
“—Thanks, you helped me out there.”
And just because of these words, Yume’s shoulders shivered.
This shouldn’t be the reaction of the one being thanked.
“What? I just thanked you.”
“…It’s nothing!”
Yume turned away, and prepared to enter the classroom alone…but she suddenly
turned towards me, staring at my upper arm.
“…Just now.”
“Huh?”
“Just now…your elbow…erase that feeling from your memories!”
“Ahh…”
I instinctively touch the upper arm that was once crushed by this woman’s
breasts.
 “~~~!?”
Immediately, Yume’s face turns red like a siren, and she folded her arms before
her chest. Eh? What?
“…You, silent pervert!”
Yume threw this ridiculous insult at me, and fled the scene. What was that…?
Wondering that, I start to rub my upper arm.
Ah.
“Indirect touch?”
Didn’t think of that.

Things calmed down after the crazy morning, and it’s noon break when a guy
approaches me.
“Yo, hello there, Mizuto Irido-kun. Can I have lunch with you?”
I never thought there would be a steel warrior who overcame the declaration of a
brocon. I lifted my head in annoyance.
He looked like a frivolous guy. The bright permed hair seemed to challenge the
rules of this really strict prep school. He’s rather tall, and had the physique of a
basketball club member, I supposed. I was annoyed by that smile that had some
intent, but he didn’t look too flirty or too honest, a little more to the former. Guess
he’s popular.
…Was this guy part of the gang harassing me? I did have some impression, but
he’s probably a classmate. Well, either way, my reply wouldn’t change.
“…Sorry, but I’ll answer only two questions.”
“Let’s hear them.”
“One. I had lunch.”
“That’s a pity.”
“Two—I’m not going to let a frivolous guy like you approach Yume.”
The frivolous guy was completely rejected by me, but he gave me an annoying
smile for some reason…What?
“Then I’ll tell you two good things as responses.”
“…?”
“One. I’m not approaching you just to get close to Irido-chan.”
“…!?”
“Two—she just heard what you said, you know?”
 The boy pointed to the side. Yume, who might have just finished her lunch, was
standing by the side.
…………..Erm?
I started to digest what I had just said.
I’m not going to let a frivolous guy like you approach Yume.
………………………….Am I her boyfriend!?
Yume’s face was much redder than usual, and I preferred to think of it as a light
bulb. I really couldn’t look at her wavering eyes however. She started to act
nostalgically suspicious, just flailing her arms meaninglessly, and walked as
naturally as a roboto would, sat behind me, and then,
—Bam! Bam! Bam!
She starts kicking at my chair over and over again.
“Gahahahahahahaha!”
This guy whose name I didn’t know burst out laughing. It’s domestic violence,
what’s funny about that?
“No, well! Hahaha! I guess so! My nose’s correct here!”
“Huh? Nose?”
“No no, just an issue of mine.”
The boy started wiping the tears off his eyes (while laughing), and reached a
hand out towards me.
“I’m Kogure Kawanami. Just a guy who wants to be your friend, that’s all.”
“…It’s really suspicious hearing someone say his honest intentions.”
“Don’t say that bro.”
“I don’t remember being your bro.”
“Eh? Aren’t you very good at being bros with other ordinary guys?”
“I might say, not at all.”
“I see. Well, let’s just be friends then. Please take care of me!”
The guy called Kogure Kawanami grabbed my hand rather forcibly…looks like I
got a somewhat troublesome guy as a friend.
“Now then, friend.”
“Why so passionate all of a sudden?”
“To celebrate us being friends, I’ll tell you something really interesting.”
“Interesting?”
Kawanami’s still showing that annoying grin.
“There’s something reaaaalllllyyy interesting to be seen if you look back now.”
Behind? I turn back, as he said,
“………”
 And then, entering my sight was Yume’s pouty face. She pursed her lips,
directing her eyes afar.
…Hhuuuuuuhhh?
My outstanding brain immediately thought of what I should say. I blurted.
“You feeling lonely? Brocon?”
BAM! My chair gets kicked. It’s the strongest kick I got thus far.
 Chapter 4: The ex-couple goes for a test (…it
smells of sweat)
I was young and ignorant thinking back about it now, but between my second
and third year of middle school, I had something called a boyfriend.
He’s aloof, cerebral, kind, somewhat cool, like a famous detective in a detective
story, or so the memory in my mind, but I guess it’ s narrative trick. If he was
anything similar to a famous detective, I guessed it was the part about him
scratching his hair and letting the dandruff fly everywhere. There’s no way I can
recreate the miracle at Reichenbach no matter how the conditions may align again.
There was an example that proved how useless he was.
I, Yume Ayai, was just an ordinary equal to all in the world back then, and would
occasionally be tortured mentally. Yes, during gym class.
There’s always this demonic command, alright, everyone, form pairs, and it’s
like a trumpet beckoning the end. I would always end up wandering around like a
ghost, nowhere to go, and paired with those who never got to pair with friends. It
was infuriating thinking back about it.
I was in the same class as him during our second year of middle school.
However, boys and girls had their gym classes separately, and I never noticed
how he spent his time during gym class until we became a couple. Well, I started
watching him during class and breaks, right from the beginning…ah, ignore what I
just said.
…A-anyway, I was a little curious during the first gym class after we started
dating. He’s so smart, so kind, so reliable (or so I was bluffed into believing), so
how athletic was he? I guessed he would be good at sports since he could do
everything so easily.
I wanted to watch. I wanted to see him being active for gym class.
On that day, the boys had soccer.
The boys were split into two teams, red and white. The girls had tennis, but we
all went to watch the boys soccer match, with the excuse that we were waiting for
the court to be open. It’s like we’re the team managers cheering on our team, but
it’s just an act of puberty out there.
Why did we go “One, two…do your best~!” out there? What was there to do
their best for? Do you know how pretentious it was to scream for the boys who
weren’t our boyfriends?
Yes, and the one most into it was yours truly.
 After all, I was just supporting the boyfriend I was secretly dating, and what I did
was beyond what any of them could do. I had a delusion of handing a white towel
to him, and that couldn’t be stopped. It’s already at the point where I could see
myself being in a kabedon while he’s full of sweat. What happened to the me who
hates all those boasting about youth here and there?
But, unfortunately…or luckily, that delusion didn’t come to pass.
He, my boyfriend…never performed at any given moment.
The match ended, and he didn’t have any sweat on his face…but that was to be
expected. He was just standing on the right side of the pitch, not moving, just
defending with the ‘don’t come close’ aura all over him, radicalizing the
footballing world in a whole new way.
I saw him nonchalantly leave the crowds, sit under the tree shade by the edge
of pitch, and approached him.
Irido-kun, are you bad at sports?
His shoulders jolted…and he slowly turned around.
…Were you watching?
…Can’t I?
…Actually, yeah.
I found something resembling shame on his averting eyes, and unwittingly
smiled.
I see…so you’re bad at sports too Irido-kun~
…Why are you so happy?
Why you ask…maybe it’s because I know there’s something else in common
between us.
Leaving the facts aside, I used to think of my boyfriend as a ‘lone, perfect
superhuman’. I guessed it’s because he never showed his weakness to me. It’s
probably a man’s pride at stake here.
Irido-kun, you’re cute.
And I commented once I noticed this.
He lowered his head, hiding his face.
Actually, I really hope you would call me ‘cool’ instead of ‘cute’…
But no matter how he tried to hide his face, I could see it, even while standing
behind him.
His finely-shaped ears were clearly redder than usual.
That cold-blooded, stoic man was just a boy who would struggle for his useless
pride after all. There was no doubt that he was not a hero like Sherlock Holmes, but
a flawed individual like me…just an ordinary person who liked me.
 And back then, I was feeling strangely happy for some reason.
This woman actually liked such a beansprout man who lacks exercise; she should
correct her fetishes.

“—Erm…81cm? Woah~”
The female nursing teacher noted with amazement after she measured my bust.
“I’ve been measuring high school girls’ bust size for so many years, but it’s the
first time I’m so envious. Such pretty breasts. I want to measure again…”
“…Erm, is that okay now?”
I fled from the teacher who’s just bowing twice, clapping twice, and bowing
once, out of the curtains.
I had always been bad at this body checkup. Because of my old diminutive body,
I did feel a sense of melancholy even at this point.
So I sighed as I picked up the gym clothes placed in a corner of the
classroom…No, I can’t be pressurized just because of this. There’s something more
troublesome after this.
I was wearing my gym clothes, only to immediately stop.
Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.
There was a girl with a ponytail, shorter than me by 10cm or so, staring at my
breasts intensely up close. She kept staring at them in different directions, widening
her eyes like plates, not blinking at all. She’s scary.
If it’s an unfamiliar face, I would have called the police even if she’s of similar
gender. Luckily, maybe, I knew her.
“M-Minami-san? Wh-what…?”
I covered my breasts with my hands, and took a step back away from that girl.
She then recovered, “Ahahah.” and gave a troubled laugh.”
“I was just thinking, Irido-san, you have quite the bou~ncy~ breasts~ even
though you’re so thin~! See, I’m like this~”
Slamming her chest that’s devoid of lumps without mercy was the girl Akatsuki
Minami-san. She’s one of my best friends ever since we started school.
She’s chirpy and great at interacting, a cute outgoing character who resembled an
animal. If it’s the me back in middle school, there’s no way we could have
remained friends like this, even if she was treating me kindly. She widened her
large squirrel-like eyes.
 “Every year, I just think, this is the year, but I never grow at all~. Haaa~ this is
why I feel sad about body checkups every year.”
“I get that, yes. My puberty didn’t start until last year…”
“Eh? You were part of the shorties too?”
“I was about the same height as you just last year, same day.”
“Ehh~!? You grew this much in a single year!? …C-can you please tell me about
your bust size…?”
“Why are you talking formally now…ermm, not that big now.”
I bent down and whispered to Minami-san. At that moment, her already large
eyes instantly widened.
“…D-D…?”
“An-anyway, I just chose a slightly larger size, you know…!?”
“You’re my hope, Irido-san!”
I started to panic when she suddenly lunged at me. Minami-san’s skinship was
really intense. I really couldn’t change my personality to become like her.
“They say we turn red by approaching the red. If I keep clinging onto you, can I
grow a little more, Irido-san?”
“Um, sorry about that, but that idiom’s really used wrongly here, so can you
please let go?”
The only thing turning red was my face. Stop rubbing onto my face like a kitten.
But seriously, why did I suddenly enter puberty? Were my feminine hormones
working in some way? …After all, the time I began to grow was when my
hormones were being released fully.
Minami-san and I chatted happily about the body checkup, and we left the
infirmary for the gym. The gym was where we would have our fitness tested. She’s
just walking next to me nonchalantly, swaying her ponytail, “Hm.” observing me as
I put on my shirt.
“Your waist and legs are~ thin~ It’s tough for you to maintain such a size, right?
Like you’ll grow fat if you leave it be.”
“Y-yeah.”
“Ah, that means you usually do something to maintain your body size. Did you
exercise?”
“Well…sort of?”
I plaster a Papier-mâché-like smile on my face. It would sound like boasting if I
told her “I didn’t do anything, the nutrition’s just going to my height and chest”,
and people would gossip stuff like “Isn’t that girl getting too arrogant?”
 “I feel heavy hearted whenever it comes to the fitness test~ You have it good
Irido-san~ I guess you’ll do it well~”
“N-not really…”
“Not all~! Ahhh~, why do we have to do a fitness test even in high school? It’s a
cruel world for us shorties~!”
I tried to agree with her words, but deep inside, I was fretting.
I changed my personality, my appearance. I changed everything about myself, to
complete the metamorphosis…the only thing that hasn’t changed is my fitness.
I always wondered, why was it that the fitness test never respected students’
privacy, like the body checkup? Why were we forced to show how useless we were
athletically? Wasn’t it like being hung and paraded around? Was it about turning all
athletic idiots into clowns? Such a world should be destroyed.
I continued to curse away as I entered the gym.
“Oh, the boys are still inside.”
Minami-san muttered as she hopped past the gym.
The body checkups and fitness tests were all divided by gender and year, held
separately. The first year boys were tested before us first year girls, and the group
that has finished all the outdoor activities was now doing the indoor activities.
I found a rather familiar face amongst the boys, one I saw every day at home, but
I pretended not to notice.
“Then, Irido-san, let’s hurry up and finish this~”
“Eh, yeah…”
Before the other girls show up.
…I’m Yume Irido, the perfect high school girl who had brains and brawns,
which everyone know. I couldn’t allow this facade I actively cultivated be
broken…so I did some secret training to ensure I get a passable grade.
Of course, there was no way I can overcome the athletic ability of an old broken
decade old telephone with a sudden boot camp, but I could at least deal with the
few stations for the fitness tests. I couldn’t be first in our year, but I should be able
to pass, nothing too embarrassing for an ordinary girl.
All I needed to do was to pray there are other athletic idiots like me. I guessed I
was lucky to have Minami-san, who called herself an idiot at this…
Or so I thought.
“Hey look!” “Minami? You’re amazing!” “What’s with that agility?” “She’s a
rabbit, a rabbit!” “55 repetitive side jumps?” “Woah, that’s more than me!”
“Damn it!!! I thought I could do more than that~”
I silently faced Minami-san, who finished her test without gasping for air.
 …You’re kidding!
She, an athletic idiot!? Wasn’t she just bluffing here!? She had such amazing
athleticism! Could she really called herself one before this me who’s the real idiot
here!?”
“M-Minami-san? Didn’t you say, you have bad fitness…?”
I endured the hurricane of turmoil inside my heart as I ask, and Minami-san just
stook her head like a wave.
“I say I’m feeling heavy-hearted, but I never said I’m bad at it. Look, if I’m
doing better than the guys, everyone’s just going to make fun of me, right?”
So a narrative trick. Make fun of? Like hell that it! Don’t use isekai logic here
like that!
There’s no doubt this girl called Akatsuki Minami wasthe type of girl who goes
“Let’s run together~” for a long run, and leave me behind! Unforgivable…I
shouldn’t have trusted someone who’s naturally talented at talking…!
“It’s your turn next Irido-san. Do your best~”
What’s the intent behind the little animal-like smile? Had she seen through how
useless I am at sports? Uuu, it’s scary…riajuus are scary…
My heart’s really shaking like a little animal, and I arrive at the middle of the
three lines for the sidestep station. Over there, I see there’s a sit-up test station right
before the stage, and my little stepbrother (along with the boy who’s been close to
him recently).
“Let’s start then, Irido! 1, 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!”
“I give up.”
“That’s not part of the rules!!”
…That man’s way too unmotivated about this.
Obviously, his actions were ridiculed at by the surrounding students, and the
supervising gym teacher glared at them. For some reason, he’s just playing dumb
and lying on the ground, and the guy who’s holding down his feet (I remember he’s
called Kawanami-kun?) saw this, grabbed his hands, and pulled him up. It’s not sit-
up, it’s sit-and-pull-up. It’s just a test of Kawanami-kun’s strength here.
…There’s no way I’ll end up like this.
That’s what I swore. For this reason, I spent weeks training hard every day even
though my muscles weren’t used to it, and read up lots of sports science books. I’ve
been revising them until midnight, and I felt a little groggy, fatigued and sleep
deprived.
Alright!
 I was motivated after seeing my little stepbrother’s lack of vigor, finish the
repetitive jumps, sit and reach, and sit ups. A passable grade, I think. Well, my
grip’s bad because of my lack of muscles…
“Ohh~! You’re amazing, Irido-san!”
“W-well, I guess…”
Minami-san cheered me on so earnestly, and I started to feel guilty for doubting
her. More painfully for me though, I could only answer her with a stiff smile.
…I’m, so, tired…
I expended quite some strength, probably because my nerves are tense, and that I
was sleep deprived. We still had the outdoor stations. Would I be fine?
I’ll just work hard a little, and go to sleep immediately after returning home…
I dragged my somewhat sluggish feet out of the gym, and could sense my little
stepbrother, who was forced to do a set of situps, glancing at me.
Board jump, shot put, 50m dash. Those were the outdoor tests. There’s also a
torture test called the shuttle run, but that was not to be tested today. I had the urge
to vomit just from hearing the merciless beeps. At this point, I just wanted to hurry
and drop out.
I made sure not to end up with my butt on the ground in my shot put, and use the
maximum centrifuge force. I guess it was passable. Minami-san instead set records
that put boys to shame. How did she feel with everyone just cheering her on? I
couldn’t imagine it.
I wandered under the sun, sleep deprived, and finally overwhelmed with fatigue.
I just want to get onto a bed and sleep, any second sooner. I managed to ease my
fatigue through the cold water of the cooler, and stood at the start of today’s main
event, the 50 meters dash.
“I’ll be off then.”
Minami-san queued before me, looking more energized compared to me as she
stood on the starting line. With a perfect crouching start, she left all the other
participants behind, and passed the finishing line alone.
“7-7.3 seconds!!”
The girl timing us yelled, and there’s a commotion. It’s the best score, outright.
To be honest, how could she say she’s feeling heavy-hearted? Girls really can’t be
trusted after all…
I looked towards MInami-san , who appeared to be surrounded by the seniors of
the track team. I got into position.
“Fuuu…”
 Anyway, it’s all over once I was done with this. I just needed a little more effort.
I timed my breathing, recalled everything I practised and studied.
“Everyone ready~ Get set—”
I kicked off the ground. I paid attention to my posture, arm swing, and kick off,
trying to replicate the ideal form in my mind.
I could feel myself progressing at a speed I couldn’t imagine doing a year ago. I
just needed to do what I could. I could do whatever I put my mind into. I was
completely different from he who didn’t want to try.
The me at this point wasn’t ‘together’ with him. The me now was better
than him.
The students who tested are gone from my sight. The finishing line’s getting
closer. 10m left. I leaned my body forward, stomping harder off the ground. Just a
little, just a little, just a little more…!
I passed the finishing line.
I slowed down my overly burdened legs, gasping away. I couldn’t say anything,
and gasped hard for oxygen as I looked towards the girl timing me.
“8.5 seconds!”
The record read to me from high up is the fastest in my life. No, but, instead of
the joy of setting a new record…
“…It’s over…”
The next moment, my world was turned upside down.
…Huh?
You’re kidding. It’s bad. I feel dizzy. Where’s the, ground?
“—Oops.”
I regained my bearings, and my body was held up by one arm.
It was a thin arm without any muscle on it, but it was a firm arm that held my
shoulder, my body up.
“(…Good work).”
I could hear the familiar voice in my ear.
“(But you should stop forcing yourself.)”
I lifted my somewhat dizzy eyes, and found the usual scowling face up close.
Well, he looke a little angry, and halfway through, my face ended up buried into his
shoulder. I was unable to say anything.
He patted my back, as though consoling a kid. It’s like he was telling me “You
worked hard”, and I was unable to lift my head.
It felt warm…and smelled of sweat.
“Irido-san~!!! You alright~!?”
 I could hear Minami-san’s voice. Then, I’m shoved away in a violent manner,
much different from before.
“Woah!?”
My body stumbled again, and this time, it seemd Minami-san was holding me
up.
“I’ll leave her to you.”
He who just shoved me casually said in the same tone, turned to leave, and went
to the school building.
I, Minami-san, and the other students witnessed this, and could only stare blankly
at the back, of Mizuto Irido.
“…Isn’t Irido-kun, already done with his outdoor events…?”
Minami-san muttered once Mizuto completely disappeared.
The boys started their physical tests before us, so the only reason why we met in
the gym was because they’re already done with the outdoor events..
In that case, the reason he’s here…there’s no way Mizuto Irido could be a hero.
He’s not going to save a person he was unfamiliar with, even if someone’s life
was in utter peril.
The same will happen no matter how many times it repeated. Nobody would ever
doubt Mizuto Irido for a hero. At least…to anyone else other than me.
I was dragged by Minami-san to the empty infirmary after the body checkups are
done. I did say that I was just feeling a little dizzy, that I was fine, but Minami-san
insisted “A little dizzy means you’re still unwell, right!?” I couldn’t argue back.
I laid on the white bed, and the fatigue that has gathered instantly disappears like
smoke.
…I guessed the accumulated fatigue was worse than I thought. Mom’s remarried,
we entered our new house, had more family members, and we were in high
school…was it because of the sudden major changes in my life…
“Sorry Irido-san…I didn’t notice that you’re so tired…”
“No, it’s fine…it’s just me trying to act tough…”
“Tough?”
I guessed it’s because I saw that man’s utter bluntness that I end up confessing
everything to Minami-san, surprisingly easily.
I told Minami-san about me being actually an idiot at sports, that I didn’t want
others to know this, that I forced myself through the stations.
I didn’t think she’s the kind of girl to give up being my friend just because she
knew this, but she might have her illusions destroyed….but that’s to be expected. I
was completely different from before, but it’s expected that there’s a part or two
that hadn’t changed. It might be a little too much to say that I was like him, who
hadn’t changed at all.
“…Fufu.”
I expected her to be disappointed, but I saw her smiling, a little happy.
“But well~ I feel a little closer to you now.”
“Eh? How…?”
“Actually, you look a little unapproachable, Irido-san~. You’re pretty, smart, and
well, a flower in a high place? But…I see, you’re an idiot at sports, and like to act
tough~”
“…Erm, I’m, a little annoyed by that. Can I be angry now?”
“Sure. I’ll like to see you get angry, Irido-san.”
“Then, please excuse me…H-hey!”
While lying on the bed, I reached my hand out and start poking at Minami-san’s
forehead…I really couldn’t t get used to getting angry.
“Pfftt…ahahahahah!! What’s with the ‘h-hey’! You’re! So! Cute!”
“…D-don’t laugh…you’re making me really embarrassed…”
I cooped my face under the blanket. Seriously, I was really inexperienced in
everything…
“Say, Irido-san!”
I could see Minami-san’s shadow staring intently at me beyond the thin blanket.
“Can I call you ‘Yume-chan’ instead?”
B-by name!?
It’s the first time a friend calls me by time…well, it might be the first time in my
life anyone calls me so, except for my family. Woah, but well, I feel, a little itchy
inside!
“Huh? Yume-chan? Yume-chan~? Is that okay? No? Which one?”
I wondered about it while being under the blanket, and finally poked my eyes
out. I spotted an incredulous looking Minami-san, and tried my best to eke a voice,
“T-that’s, fine. Actually…er-erm, please do.”
Then, I figured out something. Since she’s calling me by name, I should call her
by name too, no?
…Right, right right right. I’m doing it. One further step of growth…
“A…Aka…aka…”
WOOOAHHHHHHHH! Wh-why is this so embarrassing!? Calling a friend by
name…! But we’re not even close! I-I’m humbled to…even though we haven’t
known each other for more than a week…!
 A-Aka-A…I started to mumble about like a test subject with severe PTSD issues,
and Aka—Minami-san just smiled at me.
“Alright alright, take it easy! You’ll get used to it~!”
She began patting my head like a mother, was I being taken, for an idiot!?
“…Please continue to take care of me, Minami-san.”
“Oh, you’re not calling me ‘Akatsuki’~? You’re addressing me In formal
language too.”
We stared at each other for seconds, and giggled with our shoulders shaking.
Ahh, I…made a friend.

I felt a lot better after lying down for a while. Minami-san and I left the infirmary
together, for I felt I could at least change clothes and go home, .
We’re still in gym clothes, and went to the changing room. We arrived at the
stairs, and a certain man in blaze was coming downstairs.
“Ah.”
“……”
He, Mizuto Irido, had a really crooked tie on his neck, and he didn’t look like
he’s going to adjust it as he stared at me silently.
…I was just helped by this man.
He shouldn’t have a reason to come to the field. He probably noticed how bad
my body’s condition was, and gave chase from the gym…I should thank him at
least. Out of courtesy, and out of human decency. Yes, it’s to be expected for
someone with common sense….yes.
I made up my mind, and said.
“…Erm, just now—”
“Your eyes.”
Mizuto suddenly pointed at my eyes, cutting me off.
“Your eyebags are showing.”
“…Eh? You’re kidding!?”
In a panic, I used my smartphone camera, and showed myself on the selfie.
“Just kidding.”
Mizuto grined mischievously as he turns towards the shoe lockers.
……..HUUUUUHHH!?
What was that!? What’s with that guy? I thought he was acting a little kinder, but
what’s with that meaningless lie!?
 Uuuughhhh… Right, I forgot. He’s that kind of person who liked to see me
troubled. He’s utterly rotten to the core. The more I thought about it, the more I felt
he was just at the field to see me acting tough and struggling. Yep, that’s definitely
it! Ahh seriously, he’s horrible! Thank goodness I broke up with him!
I stared at the back of my little stepbrother furiously, and next to me, Minami-san
muttered,
“…Irido-kun seems really kind to you, Yume-chan.”
“Eh? How?”
“How indeed~?”
Minami-san said this, and skipped across the corridor, making loud footsteps.
I saw her fade away with her swinging ponytail, and couldn’t help but be
troubled.
 Chapter 5: The ex-boyfriend’s caring for the sick
(Easy peasy)
I can say now that I was young and foolish, but I had an existence called a
girlfriend between my second and third years of middle school.
Whenever I recalled the past, I always thought that humans had the wonderful
ability to forget, but wasn’t there an obvious flaw to it? We can forget the
necessary knowledge so easily, but the memories we wanted to forget would stick
in the mind, unable to be erased.
I just felt there was something wrong with that. If an anomaly occurring in
creatures can be called a disease, then humanity was long inflicted with a disease
ever since we were born. I tried to sound like a philosopher of the ancient era. Yes,
I have to mentioned this. It’s about the disease.
It didn’t meant though that I caught any life-threatening disease. That attribute’s
for a certain pretty girl who seemed lively enough, but yet looked a little fragile. It
was just a common cold. And the one who caught that wasn’t me, but that woman,
Yume Irido.
It was November, our second year of middle school. Winter loomed, and it was a
cold morning; I didn’t manage to see Ayai at the place we usually met at.
Back then, I was a really kind guy; I worriedly called her on the smartphone, and
learned that she was sick. “I see, take care.” I answered, and started walking alone
to school, which I hadn’t done in a long while.
And after school,
The organization called school is so outdated, so there was a lot of paper wastage
called printouts. Couldn’t they have send emails? It’s not like we’ll lose them. That
was what I always thought, but just for today, it brought me some convenience. The
homeroom teacher said,
Is there anyone who’s willing to give the resting Ayai her printouts?
Naturally, nobody volunteered. Usually, this job’s pushed to the gopher called
the monitor, but I couldn’t just call it being a gopher.
I tried my best to come up with an excuse, one that wouldn’t feel weird and
allow me to deliver the printouts to Ayai.
I guessed the opposite effect happened because we usually hid our relationship,
but I expected this from myself, no matter how flimsy the excuse. At that moment,
I came up with the perfect excuse.
Erm…I think my house’s in her direction…
 In hindsight, it’s just an ordinary excuse, but anyway, I figured out a way to
legally enter Ayai’s house.
And the house visit happened.
I stood before the apartment after learning of the address from the homeroom
teacher, and stared at the doorplate, feeling nervous. What if her family shows up?
Do I deliver the printouts and just go? No no no, Ayai’s from a single parent
family. She should be the only one at home—
Maybe she’s feeling lonely, I wondered.
I was always alone when I caught a cold, so I was painfully aware of what Ayai
was thinking.
I really wanted to surprise her by pressing her doorbell, but a patient didn’t need
to be surprised. I called her on the phone.
Uehh!? I-Irido-kun!? You’re here!? In front of my house?
She got shocked to receive the phone call.
W-wait a minute…! Just wait a bit!
…Wait, are you changing?
B-because…!
Well, you have a fever. You don’t have to force yourself. I won’t mind.
I want to see you in pajamas. If we translate my words, that was what I meant.
Go to Hell, puberty.
Well, my explanation was worth it, and Ayai welcomed me in pastel pink
pajamas. So cut…ahem, so normal. Yep, ordinary pajamas for her.
Of course, I didn’t just go after talking. It’s my first time visiting my girlfriend’s
place, and after I had Ayai lie down on the bed, I quickly took care of
her…quickly, but I merely peeled the apple for her, fed her isotonic drinks. I should
emphasize that I didn’t wipe her body with a towel at all.
There wasn’t anything else to do, so I sat by Ayai, looking at her.
Ayai’s mom should be back a little earlier, so it’s about time, or I thought. Ayai
covered her mouth with her blanket, and stared at me with her searing red face.
…Irido-kun.
Hm? Anything you want?
Erm…actually…
I saw her twitch, and moved her right hand out from under the blanket.
Please…hold my hand. I’ll be glad…
Of course, my heart did not jolt just because of this little thing (NOT AT ALL!),
but I could sense what she was thinking.
 When I caught a cold, I would feel strangely weak. Moreso when I’m the only
one at home. Before I knew it, I would yearn for the body warmth of others…
Easy peasy.
I grabbed Ayai’s right hand with a little bit of strength. Her hand was hot and
little, just like a baby.
Fufufu…
She seemed a little happy, embarrassed, and finally, her consciousness started to
blur, a peaceful breathing by my ear. I wanted to continue holding this hand…ahh,
not trying to excuse myself. That was what I really thought back then.
But if I were to space out like this, I would have met Ayai’s mother. It might be
bad for a boy to enter a girl’s bedroom while she has a flu and on the bed.
After listening to her sleeping breath for about 30 minutes, I reluctantly let go of
Ayai’s hand, and left her house.
In hindsight, I probably brushed by Yuni-san on the way back. That was a close
shave.

“Huh? What happened to Irido-san today?”

And as expected, Kogure Kawanami went to my desk, looking around the
classroom before talking to me. I knew he would ask me about this, so I gave my
prepared answer.
“She caught a cold. Resting at home.”
“Eh? Really?”
“Really…well, there’s a huge change in environment for her. She’s probably
exhausted.”
She changed family names, moved houses, and had to live with me under the
same roof. It’s no wonder she’s tired, though I couldn’t say I got off unscathed
“Eh~!? Yume-chan isn’t coming today~!?”
A somewhat loud yell smacked me hard in the back of the head.
I nearly lost consciousness instinctly, and right before my eyes was a petite girl,
her ponytail swaying behind her head.
She’s as small as Yume was back in eighth grade, but she’s really a lively girl
who stood out. Because of this, and because she’s often with Yume, I somehow
remembered her name. Akatsuki MInami, one of the girls gathered around Yume
Irido’s clique. She was always the first to greet her.
MInami-san slammed her hands onto my desk.
 “I-I heard it’s 38°C…”
“38°C!? Isn’t that bad—!?”
“Minami, calm down. You’re scaring Irido.”
Kawanami grabs Minami-san by her nape like a cat, and pulled her away from
me. He really saved me here. I really couldn’t deal with such people who somehow
end up too close to me.
“What, Kawanami!? Stop treating me like a cat!”
“Okay okay.”
“Nyaa!?”
Kawanami suddenly let go of Minami-san, who fell to the floor. She really was
like a cat. But it’s uncommon to see such an action. I stared at Kawanami’s face.
“Are you Minami-san’s acquaintance?”
“Ah? No…well, we do know each other. She’s in the same class as me in cram
school.”
“Yep yep. Didn’t think this guy could enter this school though!”
“Same goes for you.”
I see. Most middle schoolers probably attended such classes to attend this kind of
prep school. Yume and I were self taught. Both of them didn’t seem like the type to
attend cram school seriously though.
“More importantly!”
Minami-san stood up, looking like she’s fired from a loaded gun.
“Is Yume-chan, alone at home now?”
“Ah, ahh…yeah. Dad and Yuni-san…mom, they’re working, and I can’t take
leave.”
Even if I could, I didn’t want to end up taking care of her for the entire day.
“Eh~! That’s pitiful~! Is Yume-chan feeling lonely…”
…A certain memory awoke in my mind. I recall the face that begged me to hold
her hand, the face that didn’t resemble Yume Irido at all.
“Alright, we decided!”
Minami-san suddenly slammed on my table.
“Let’s go visit her after school! Can we, Irido-kun!?”
“Ehhh…”
“Don’t make it so obvious that you don’t want it!”
“Oh, looks interesting. I’ll join in too—”
“Ah, you don’t have to come, Kawanami.”
“Why me!?”
 …Well, I would have to take care of her before dad and Yuni-san returned…I
would really be grateful if Minami-san could help me take care of her instead.
And so it ended up as me having to invite Minami-san to my house after school.
Of course, Kawanami’s not invited.
“Your house’s rather big. It’s your house originally isn’t it, Irido-kun?”
“…It doesn’t look that new. Dad’s been living here since he was a kid.”
“Hmm. Then, I’m coming in~!”
The moment I unlocked the door, Minami-san barged through the entrance. She’s
really making herself at home.
“2nd floor?”
“The inner room. Even she’s going to be shocked seeing you pop by out of a
sudden. Mind being a little discreet?”
“Eh~, but I want to shock her…”
“The sick don’t need surprises.”
“I guess so.”
Thank goodness she’s more obedient than I thought.
I brought Minami-san to the second floor, and knock on Yume’s door. I have to
knock on the door before visiting, just in case something unexpected actually
happens—this is a rule we set as part of our cohabitation.
She didn’t answer. Maybe she’s sleeping.
“I’m going in.”
I called out and entered the room. The cardboard boxes used when they moved in
were cleared, and replacing them were common books. At the very least, the floor
could be seen, unlike mine.
I guessed it should be obvious given how much I said about her, but her room
didn’t feel like a girl’s. If I have to say, the old mascot cushions were lying on the
floor, and there are some bottles at the desk, probably perfume. It barely had the
impression of a girl’s room.
Yume’s lying on the bed. I was wondering if she’s recovered while we’re at
school, but guess not. Her long black hair’s tied in twintails, and she’s wearing thin
blue pajamas. She’s a despicable woman who keeps spiting me without restraint,
and her snoring the only cute thing about her.
“…Yume-chan, are you sleeping?”
“Looks like it.”
We approached the bed, and Yume’s long eyebrow twitch, her eye widen
slightly. Did we wake her up, or was she not fully sleeping?
“…Nn…”
 Yume’s half-opened eyes look up at me in a daze. She then gave a relieved
smile.
“……Irido, kun……”
Nkgar!?
I barely managed to keep my shriek down…this woman! It’s bad calling me that
right now!
“O-oh. How’re you feeling?”
Thank goodness her voice was soft. I played dumb and continued on. If Minami-
san overheard it behind us, she might just ignore it thinking that she misheard,
probably.
Nnn, she tugs at the hem of my clothes.
“Where…are you going…I’m lonely….!”
UOOORRGGHHH!? Yume-san—!! Your memory regressed to a year ago!?
I couldn’t give up yet. I was so nervous, sweat was trickling down, but I tried to
act like nothing happened as I pointed at Minami-san behind me.
“L-look, Minami-san’s here to see you.”
“Good morning, Yume-chan. You alright~?”
Minami-san’s greeting remained lively as usual, probably because she didn’t
hear Yume’s fawning words. Because of that, once Yume spotted Minami-san’s
face, the shred of sanity in her eyes seems to recover.
“…..Ah……”
It looked like she realized what she had said. Her face began to turn red, but
luckily, she had a cold…and her face was red because of the fever, or so Minami-
san might think. Yep, please think so.
Yume glared at me somewhat angrily. It’s not my fault right? She then gave the
smile of an elite student at school.
“Ah thank you, Minami-san…my fever’s a lot better…”
“You don’t have to force yourself to talk…eh, is there something you want me to
do for you? Are you hungry? I bought lots of ingredients.”
Minami-san searched through the shopping bags from the supermarket near my
house. I was holding them until we arrived at the entrance though.
“You did that much…sorry for that…”
“It’s fine it’s fine! I’ll borrow the kitchen then! Help me out, Irido-kun!”
I was planning to leave her to Minami-san and exit, but the latter grabbed my
wrist.
“…Eh? Me?”
“Aren’t you good at cooking? I heard from Yume-chan.”
 …So she would discuss about me with her friends. I glanced aside, and found
Yume facing the wall at this point. She might be concerned about how silly she
looked.
“…Well, if it’s just ojiya.”
“Enough enough! Let’s go!”
Minami-san dragged me out of Yume’s room.
Strangely, I felt a stare behind me. Say, that was not my fault…
“Hey Irido-kun~, what’s your relationship with Yume-chan?”
This question was posed to me while I was cutting vegetables, and I nearly ended
up with my finger in the ojiya.
“R-relationship, as in?”
“Of course, as siblings.”
“Ah-ahh…as siblings…”
Of course she’s asking about this. Calm down already, me.
Minami-san continued to beat the egg as she said,
“You’re still complete strangers until last year, right? Now you’re siblings out of
a sudden, and living together. Can you really do it~? And well, you’re of different
genders, at the same age.”
I think it would be better if she was really a complete stranger to me.
At least zero’s better than negative affection; I wouldn’t be so stressed.
“…Well, I can do it if I can, but there’s a lot of things I need to worry about.”
“Worry about? Like what?”
“Yes…”
So I thought.
“First of all, bathing…”
“Ehh~? So you accidentally saw her changing, or something like that?”
“That’s why both of us are working hard to prevent that from happening.”
“What, you haven’t seen each other naked? That’s boring.”
That sort of event would kill us. Either me, or her.
“Well, I guess. After all, isn’t such an environment hard to deal with?”
“Like how?”
“Like, what happens if you have a girlfriend~? It’ll be hard to bring her home,
right?”
“Huh?”
I looked towards the little animal-like moodmaker next to me.
“…Do I look like the kind to get a girlfriend?”
“Not that you’ll get one, but you had one right, Irido-kun?”
 My heart jolted. She just concluded that without hesitation. Yep, she turns her
head around without hesitation—how does she know?
Did MInami-san…actually know?
“Well~ I can sense that, somehow. It’s like, the way you treat girls that makes
me go, ahh, this guy has a girlfriend before~ something like that.”
Heh heh. Minami-san bared her healthy teeth as she giggles away. W-what
the…? Isn’t that like ESP?
“But it feels like you don’t have one. So how? Am I correct?”
“…No comment.”
“Oh, so you’re playing this.”
Minami-san poured my chopped vegetables into the pot, and mixed the beaten
egg in. She’s good at this.
“Well, I’m not going to mention it. But what if you have a girlfriend again?”
The ojiya’s boiling.
“…I can’t get one. Not planning to have one.”
“Then, if you do, will you introduce her to Yume-chan?”
Faced with this hypothesis…for some reason, I just blurted out.
“No way. It’s not like I need her approval, and it sounds like a hassle.”
“Hmm…then Yume-chan won’t know that you have a girlfriend. As long as you
don’t get married.”
“Well, sorta…”
It’s a different matter if we’re married…though I really couldn’t see myself in
such a situation.
“I see I see~. That’s how it is~”
“…Say, what’s the meaning behind this conversation we’re having?”
“Come on~it’s just chit-chat. How’s there any meaning to that?”
She’s right.
And while I was being dragged along at Minami-san’s pace, the ojiya’s done.
“Here, Yume-chan. Say ahhh~”
“I-I can eat it by myself…”
“Nope, you’re a patient. Ahhh~”
“A-ahhh…”
“Is it hot? Do I blow it?”
…What were they showing me?
I missed the opportunity to leave the room, but was I really needed? High school
girls could just chat with each other; couldn’t I just return to my room?
 So after seeing this sight of yuri for quite a few minutes…Let’s calm down and
think about it, thank goodness Minami-san showed up. It’d be the shame for the
ages if I did it, both for me and for Yume.
“Fuu…thank you very much. It’s nice.”
“Glad to serve you. You finished it all!”
“Thank you…for everything…”
“Well, Irido-kun did half of this. I just mixed the flavors! Now then…”
Minami-san quickly stacked up the utensils on the plate, took them, and stood
up,
“I’ll go wash these then. Irio-kun, keep Yume-chan company for me~!”
“Ahh…wait, me?”
“I’ll leave it to you~!”
Minami-san hurried out of the room. I didn’t have the chance to stop her. Left in
the room were Yume and me.
…What is this.
I should have left.
But there was no way I could leave at this point. I unwillingly sat down by the
bed.
Yume covered her face with the pillow, and stared at me for some reason.
“…What?”
“…Nothing.”
The terse question was met with a terse response. Neither looked at each other.
“You really make me uncomfortable…lemme say this, what happened when you
woke up was all your fault. I was the one who cleared the mess for you.”
“I-I know that…! I was…just a little, unconsciousness…”
Yume pouted as she hid under the blanket. Well, this made me happier. The sick
should just sleep well.
“…You two are really on good terms.”
Or so it’s supposed to be, but she started mumbling something unnecessary while
her back was turned on me.
“Huh? Good terms? With who?”
“…Minami-san. You two made ojiya together…”
“……”
For a moment, I started to think.
“…Let me get this clear. Can I take it as ‘you’re unhappy about a boring guy like
me getting close to your important good friend’?”
“……”
 Yume too started to think.
“…Yes.”
“…I see. Well, here’s my answer; we look like we’re on good terms with each
other, but that’s because of Minami-san being very social. You get that, don’t you?
Those really strong at socializing can make anyone feel that they’re on good
terms.”
“You’re making it sound like I’m a fake…”
“Not like, that’s what I’m getting at, you high school rookie.”
“I’m not a rookie…”
Yume’s voice felt devoid of strength.
She probably regained some strength after having eaten something, but it’s a
long way until she was completely recovered.
“Anyway, just sleep. Sleep’s the best medicine for a cold.”
“…Will you…leave again?”
“Look, I’m not leaving. I’ll be home all day.”
“You’re lying…didn’t you go home the last time…?”
Slowly, Yume’s voice becames as soft as cotton candy. Is she sleepy now?
“…When’s this last time?”
“When…I told you to hold my hand…you were gone when I woke up…”
…Ahh, that? One year ago, when winter was coming. When I visited this
woman…
“…The house, was dark…I, was so lonely…”
I didn’t know when Yuni-san would return. I thought I just needed to hold her
hand until she slept. I wasn’t wrong…But.
I brushed by Yuni-san on my way back, but she said the house was dark, so it
meant she woke up after I left. Once my warmth left her hand, she…
…Seriously.
This woman’s cold came with memories of the past few years? That’s a weird
illness.
“…Alright.”
I reached my hand out to Yume’s face.
“I’m not going anywhere this time. I’ll keep holding your hand…just sleep.”
“…Nn…”
Yume showed a look of relief, akin to when she was awake. She firmly clasped
onto my hand with both hands.
“…Thank you, Irido-kun…”
And then…at that moment, she brought the hand to her chest.
 “Idi…!”
“Nfu…”
She looked rather happy, her expression easing as she started to snore.
Her large chest was huffing up and down, and my excited fingernails feel like
they were going to be sucked into that
softness. HQYACQUACYQGABAHWVAKDBXKCOEHAPZHXNCYWKAJJZ!
!
I’m going to be slandered for sexually harassing my sick stepsister at this rate!
Damn iiitttttt…!! Can she stop belittling me with even the virus!!?
…But since I promised to hold her hand until the very end, I couldn’t let go.
I tried to move my hand aside, making sure Yume didn’t wake up.
Anyway, I put my hand at a safe position, and let out a sigh. I wonder how
Minami-san would react if she saw this…
…Eh?
Speaking of which, Minami-san’s rather slow here?
Minami-san returns once Yume fell asleep.
“Yaaa, sorry sorry. Got a phone call~”
It seemed like she got a call from back home. It’s about time for her to head
back, and I sent her off at the entrance.
Of course, I had to let go once Minami-san returned, and I couldn’t send her off
without doing so. Ayai from a year ago would forgive me for this, I guess.
“Say, Irido-kun, before I go back, I have something to ask…”
“Hm?”
Minami-san suddenly turned around at the entrance, and says with her usual
tone,
“Are you really…just siblings with Yume-chan?”
Suddenly stabbing into me were the lances of words. My heart was pierced
through, and there’s a short silence in the conversation…just for a moment though.
After that moment, I recovered.
“…We’re siblings. Stepsiblings though.”
Minami-san looked up at me, “Ahh!” she appeared to understand.
“So stepsiblings! Not actual siblings! I see! I see!”
She quickly stepped outside, and left my…our house.
“Now then, sorry to disturb you~! Take care~!”
She left once she said these usual greetings.
The ponytail behind her head continues to sway until the very end.
 ◆

After that.
Dad contacted me, saying he’d be back late with Yuni-san. While furious, I had
to continue taking care of Yume.
“I want Aquarius.”
“Don’t spill it.”
“Buy me ice cream.”
“…Which kind?”
“I want a book. Give me money.”
“I don’t have any!!”
Yume, having woken up from her nap, was just being selfish, and this pitiful
me’s being a lackey. But she’s a patient, I couldn’t be too harsh on her.
“…Let me hold, your hand again.”
“…Alright.”
So I could only grit my teeth and endure. I’m not as vicious as she usually was. I
wasn’t going to ignore a patient’s wishes for no reason.
But.
“Say, time to measure your temperature.”
“…Eh?”
“If you’re sleeping all day and it’s not subsiding, it’s a really serious fever. If it’s
still 38°C, better see the doctor—”
“N-no need…I’m fine! I’m really fine!”
“I need to measure to know if you’re really normal. Come on, under your
armpit.”
“N—o—!!!”
For some reason, Yume was really resistant. With some force, I tucked the
thermometer under her armpit.
Several seconds later, the number was shown, and it really shocked me.
“……36.5°C”
It’s really normal.
“……”
“……”
I turned from the thermometer to Yume. She’s looking away from me.
“…When…were you cured?”
“………No comment………”
 “Don’t tell me you’re already cured when Minami-san went home…? You’re
cured, and you’re acting like a patient and commanding me!?”
“NO COMMENT!!”
“…Eh? Then, you asking to hold my hand is…”
“~~~~~~~~~!!”
Yume shrieked, and snuggled under the blanket.
“Hey, damn it! Don’t you run away, you healthy woman!!”
“N-no!! I don’t wanna! Let me sleep more just to be safe!!”
“You slept long enough! And you used this chance to take advantage of others’
kindness!”
“KYAAAHHH!!”
I pulled the blanket off, and Yume tumbled onto the floor.
I look at her face that was completely recovered from the fever, and hissed,
“Isn’t there something you should say?”
“…Erm…”
“Or you can’t say it until you hold my hand?”
Yume’s face was red like an alarm for reasons other than a fever.
“…So-sorry. I faked my illness…”
“Very good.”
Yume’s shrivelling on the floor, and I helped her get up. There’s lots of sweat on
her back.
“Well…you just recovered, so I’m not going to press further. Get changed, eat
dinner, and sleep.”
“…Your kindness is really disgusting.”
“Really honored to be praised by you, Yume-san who can’t sleep without
holding my hand.”
“……!!”
Yume leaped onto the bed again, covering the blanket all over her, starting from
the head.
“I can’t hear you! I don’t remember! I’m getting changed, get out, you perverted
little brother!!”
“Some memory you have to easily erase whatever you say…”
Good grief.
“I’ll make dinner then…one last request from you then.”
Yume poked her eyes out from the blanket, and whispered with a teeny-weeny
voice,
“……Don’t just leave, on your own.”
…I’m asking what you want for dinner. Whatever.
“Easy peasy.”
It’s different from last year. After all, it’s my house.
 Chapter 6: In the house, the ex-girlfriend waits
dreaming
I was young and ignorant thinking back about it now, but between my second
and third year of middle school, I had something called a boyfriend.
As far as what drove me mad enough to have one, it’s because I was super
gloomy and quiet. There’s no way a normal girl would’ve found that guy cool.
Let me give you an example of how much of an introvert I was.
It was the second semester of the second year, shortly before the mid-terms. I
was in the library with him, just the two of us, studying and flirting. It’d felt like
we’d been cramming like our lives depended on it, but in hindsight, we weren’t
doing much studying at all. Rather, we were flirting when we pretended to be
studying, similar to how crickets chirped to attract each other.
We’d only been dating for a month then, and I wasn’t chirping like a cricket, but
my heart was pounding loudly.
I was like that everywhere, not just in the library─basically, my hormones were
running wild. That’s why I made a mistake back then.
“Ahh…” I accidentally bumped my eraser off the table with my arm. As you
know, erasers always bounce away in weird angles, then roll off somewhere to
disappear.
I didn’t see it under the table. Since I’d already worn it down to a pebble, I didn’t
want to waste much time looking for it.
…And then, like he’d been waiting for a chance, he passed me an eraser.
“I got an extra one for you.”
I was naive and gullible. Once he said that, I wound up blushing, even though
there wasn’t anything special about it. Still, I took the eraser gingerly.
…Now then. Normally, you’d think that’s the end of it. Unfortunately, my
gloomy mode was on full throttle. Ugh, just remembering makes me nauseous.
That day, after I returned home…
I put the eraser…
…in a box. With a lock!
Yes! This unspeakably gloomy girl cherished that eraser. “The first gift I’d ever
received from my boyfriend.”
Nope nope nope. Even he wouldn’t be so dumb as to make a big show of giving
his girlfriend an eraser. It wasn’t some radio calisthenics souvenir, just something
he gave me. It didn’t have anything to do with us being in a relationship.
 But back then, logic and reason held no sway over me.
Every night, I’d take out that eraser and smile at it, as if I was worshiping a god.
I just kept going through that ritual like a cultist.
While I think that guy’s way of thinking is rather weird, if anyone’d seen me
acting that way, they would’ve probably been utterly terrified. That’s how horrid it
was. I want to go back in time and yell at myself.
Just talking about it fills me with dread, but every time after that, I’d put
everything that guy gave me into the box. I felt like if I did that, I’d grow a little
closer every time. To the guy I now live with.
If I’d known back then that, a year and a half later, he’d be sleeping in the room
next to mine, I’d probably have wet myself. Not out of terror, but excitement.
That’s how gloomy I was.
I sealed away my sacrilegious habit of collecting things, and the box as well,
when we moved.
But ultimately, a seal’s just a seal.
That which lay sealed, lurked in the depths, eager to break free.
—In the house, the damned gloomy girl waits dreaming.

The events of that night were a true terror worth recording, and I strongly swore
myself to silence. However, a vague sense of unease continued to grow by the
minute, by the second, on the verge of brimming from within me; it was only a
matter of time until I reached my limit. I prayed that I could observe the madness
that swallowed me that night in a subjective manner, to shoo away the uneasiness,
and to leave a record here.
There was underwear.
…Wait. Don’t think that far ahead. It wasn’t my underwear. They were a guy’s
boxers!
It happened as I was getting ready to sleep, and I went to the washroom slash
changing room. I just happened to spot it. Within the pile of clothes stacked in the
laundry basket was a hem of boxers, seemingly exposed like a tentacle─and
considering the order in which we took our bath, there was no doubt it belonged to
my younger step-brother, Mizuto Irido.
“…Well, so what?”
Someone just put his dirty underwear in the laundry. What was weird about that?
It was so mundane, it wasn’t even worth mentioning.
 I entered the changing room, calmly turned towards the basin, and then calmly
brushed my teeth.
…At least, that’s what I’d thought.
—But in that moment, my psyche was being attacked by extraordinary madness.
I subconsciously approached the laundry basket.
I subconsciously pulled out the boxers.
I subconsciously stared at it.
…It’s the underwear Irido-kun wore the entire day…
“—Hah!?”
What did I just…!? Why am I holding my little stepbrother’s boxers with both
hands!?
I had no recollection of any of those few seconds! Y’ai’ng’ngah!
I fought back against the repulsive terror, and intended to put those terrifying
boxers back into the laundry basket. If anyone, especially that guy, was to witness
this—
“—Hm?”
“Ah!”
I felt my blood being drained away.
The door to the hallway opened, and Mizuto showed up.
I responded with extraordinary reflexes quite unlike myself, and hid the
terrifying boxers in my hands behind my back. That was close!
“You’re here? I couldn’t detect any presence. Thought nobody’s in.”
“…R-really? Haven’t your senses grown dull?”
His skill honed during my gloomy period might have activated automatically,
and subconsciously erased my presence from his mind. What a busybody! This
man would never have entered if he’d noticed I was inside!
Mizuto frowned, looking stupefied.
“Why’re you hanging out here?”
—Oh no!
At that point, I was at the laundry basket, far from the basin.
Got to find a logical explanation here…!
“…M-my phone…yeah, I forgot my phone in the laundry!”
“Hmm…?”
Nailed it.
Mizuto showed no doubt about my perfect little explanation. He just waltzed to
the basin, and picked up the toothbrush.
 I thought I could use that opportunity to put his boxers back, but to my despair,
the laundry basket was completely reflected in the basin mirror. For some reason,
this man stared at me through the glass pane.
“…Wh-what are you looking at? Are you excited to see me in my pajamas?” I
said, and wondered how to answer if he said yes. Luckily, Mizuto’s reply was
rather calm.
“Nothing. Seems like you’re staring at me for some reason. Like, is watching
people brush their teeth your fetish?”
My heart thumped once I heard the word ‘fetish’, and I thought of the boxers
behind my back.. Luckily, I managed to control myself, and didn’t make a weird
expression.
“…Even if that were true, you’d be a major turn off.”
“That’s a relief.”
He began brushing his teeth. I wouldn’t feel excited, but I still found it
incredulous how I could see this man in his pajamas, brushing his teeth, as a daily
occurrence.
“…Hey.”
Mizuto finished brushing, and looked at me.
“Found your phone yet? Not like I can’t lend a hand—”
“Eh? Ah, th-that’s fine! I’m fine here! I found it!”
It looked like Mizuto was about to approach, so I hurriedly pulled my phone out
of my pocket. My life’d be ruined if he saw the thing I was holding in my other
hand!
“…I see. Go sleep then. I’m going to bed.”
“Y-yeah. I guess. You’re right. Sleeping too little will have a major effect on
one’s skin, after all.”
Grr…! I’ve no choice but to make a tactical retreat here.
Left with no choice, I rolled that horrifying piece of cloth into my pocket, and
left the washroom slash changing room with Mizuto; I retreated to my room,
desperate to escape from some inscrutable thing.
…Now what do I do?
I was left helpless, for the grotesque, ominous looking boxers were laid out upon
my bed.
No, I just needed to put it back in the laundry basket. Nobody would reproach
me, I just had to be sure everyone else was asleep. The problem was—
I looked towards the wall separating me from the next room.
 He was a real creature of the night. Given his lifestyle, it’s amazing he waited for
me every morning back when we were dating…though I suppose he was doing his
part back then.
In other words—I didn’t know when the opportunity to return the underwear
would come. It might be midnight, 1 AM, or even 2 AM.
Arrrghh goodness, I want to hurry up and sleep!
But sleeping with my little stepbrother’s boxers was clearly crossing the line as
siblings.
…All I could do was wait.
I opened a book to read while pricking my ears. From time to time, I could hear
slow footsteps beyond the wall. What’s causing him to walk around this much?
I really couldn’t concentrate—I was paying attention to the next room over, but
the bigger reason was because there were boxers in my room, rattling me greatly.
I couldn’t help but glance downwards at the terrifying boxers that were laid out.
…It’s my room…
…Nobody else’s here…
…Whatever I do…nobody else will…
“……”
At that moment, my heart was gripped by the terrifying hand of the devil.
I rolled onto the bed. It was because I was feeling strangely tired, nothing else; it
was a coincidence that my face was lying next to that man’s boxers. In other words,
in other words, my nose was just getting closer to those boxers—ahh, my heart was
throbbing. Was this an arrhythmic heartbeat? There wasn’t anything to be excited
about; surely only an illness could’ve caused my heart to beat that much. I thought
to myself, well, I’d naturally recover after a while. Yes, I just needed to take deep
breath, calm myself down—
Sniff sniff.
“——————————HUH!?”
The moment I breathed that air into my lungs, I regained my sanity.
My………my memory disappeared again! It’s gone again! I don’t remember
anything~!
“……Ohhhhhh…”
I shriveled into the blanket, curling up like a fetus.
I cupped my head.
I wanna die.
 I was basically acting like those unpopular hordes with insatiable desires…! I
already graduated from my gloomy phase! I was supposed to be a super duper
popular girl who’s top of the cohort!
It’s that man’s fault for putting his boxers in the laundry. It’s his fault that I
accidentally awakened my old self from a year ago. That dastardly pagan gave an
offering in the form of a mere eraser!
…If that man was to know about this…
That would be a complete breach of our rule as siblings—no room for argument,
no probation, a straightforward guilty ruling. I would have to become that man’s
little sister…and then…and then…—
“—Yooo, my perverted little sister who stole her stepbrother’s underwear. Tell
me your desires. What do you want me to do?”
“I-I’m…not a perv…!”
“Heh~? So stealing underwear and putting erasers into treasure boxes aren’t
hallmarks of a pervert? I guess this is normal too!”
“N-no…Irido-kun…!”
“This is where you call me onii-chan! You perverted little sister!”
“O-onii-ch—hyaaaaa!”
Behind my closed eyes, my imagination stared into the abyss, and it stared back.
I flipped the blanket.
I-if this keeps up, I’ll go crazy! I’ll end up with a diary full of strange notes and a
mysterious death!
Now’s not the time to wait for that man to sleep. I have to hurry and return that
thing!
I grabbed the ominous boxers, and got off the bed.
At that moment.
Thud, I heard the door in the next room over open.
“…?”
I pricked my ears, and heard someone head down the stairs.
I looked at the time, and saw it was midnight. What’s he doing this late at
night…?
…Is this my chance?
If he’s going to the convenience store, that’s the best chance I have—
I rolled the terrifying boxers into my pajama pocket.
I had a peek downstairs, and found utter darkness, the night sea seemingly before
me.
Where did he go…?
 I cautiously descended the stairs, one step ata time. At this point, I worried about
Mizuto’s face suddenly showing up in the darkness, and the tension left me
breathless. If we ran into each other, I planned to say I was going to the toilet. I
pulled myself together as I went to the first floor.
There was nary a shadow in the living room. The toilet lights were not switched
on. There was no sound at the entrance.
…In other…words?
I sensed something stir in the washroom slash changing room. In a panic, I
hurried to the dim living room.
Right when I held my breath, Mizuto showed up. He was tiptoeing around,
obviously trying to keep a low profile.
Our parents were still in their honeymoon phase, so we made sure not to disturb
them at night. That was probably why he had been sneaking around, or maybe there
was some other reason…?
Mizuto’s silhouette slowly blended into the darkness waiting at the stairwell…he
vanished.
I didn’t know what exactly he was planning, but it was a good opportunity. At
this point, I wouldn’t have to worry about being spotted by that man.
I snuck into the washroom slash changing room. I switched on the lights, as I
could not see my outstretched fingers.
I let out a sigh of relief once I saw the empty, bright room. I could finally be rid
of my burden…
O’ damned gloomy woman sealed deep within my consciousness, I shall never let
you out again.
I solemnly swore to myself, and approached the laundry basket next to the
washing machine.
“…Huh?”
And then, an ominous feeling raged wildly up my spine.
There were two laundry baskets. Mom had one for the girls and another for the
guys, having considered that her daughter’s at that age.
One of them was the girls’ basket.
My distracted eyes were fixed upon the top of the stack of clothes. It was akin to
an eldritch altar. There was something upon it, showing something I did not want to
understand; a fact so shocking, it rattled me completely.
—There was a bra.
From its size and the brand, it was obviously mine.
“…”
 Every time I removed my clothes, I made sure that my bra was hidden at the
bottom.
That man did the same. The thing in my hand had actually been at the very
bottom of the laundry basket.
Nobody in our household would blatantly expose their underwear to the others.
That being the case…
Why was my bra simply left at the top of the basket?
“……”
I silently buried the boxers into the male laundry basket.
…A pair of boxers landed atop the large pile of laundry.
I remembered something.
I came to the washroom because I had something to do, and that man so
happened to appear from the bathroom. He was dressed, nothing happened—but his
thin shoulders were shivering a little, thinking back about it.
I also remembered him moving his hand behind his back. Wait, was he hiding
something?
“……”
I silently left the washroom slash changing room, moved through the corridor, up
the stairs, through the second floor, and opened the door.
Not mine.
Mizuto’s.
“Huh? …Wh-what!? You’re not knocking in the middle of the night…”
He turned his face around in shock.
For a guy, his shoulders were too delicate, and the cardigan somehow suited him
well. However, I had a spiel of a thousand words within my heart, waiting to be
unleashed upon his thin body.
“…! ~~~~~~!”
But…I couldn’t say anything.
There were too many words for my tongue to churn, and my face was just getting
hotter and hotter.
“…Say, what’s with you? Why did you just barge into someone else’s room to
blush? What sorcery is this—”
“—Laundry basket.”
These were the words I finally uttered.
“Look, at, the laundry basket. You’ll, know.”
“Eh…”
Mizuto looked as though the world was ending.
 He thought his actions were exposed—that expression of his was a little pleasing,
but really unfortunately, I wasn’t in the mood to burst out laughing at him.
I made way, and Mizuto hurried down the stairs with thumping footsteps.
Within 30 seconds, he returned faster than he did going downstairs.
“You…! Ahhh…!”
His flushed face was trying to tell me something, but ultimately, he couldn’t say
anything. See, that’s what would happen, right?
Having taken the time to calm down a little, I solemnly declared, “We’re starting
a family meeting right now.”
Both of us insisted we didn’t want to be on the opponent’s home turf,, so we
agreed to hold a meeting at the living room, in the dead of night.
Mizuto was at the bend of the L-shaped sofa, and I sat about three seats away
from him. I couldn’t calm down if I didn’t see his face, and there’s no way I could
sit next to him—this was the only choice I had.
“…We’ll decide who starts first.”
I turned my eyes towards the TV facing us, hushing my voice.
Mom and stepdad were sleeping in the bedroom on the first floor—or maybe not,
but we had to remain quiet no matter what. The one ironclad rule we had from the
beginning was to not make too much noise.
“…Got it. How are we deciding that?”
“Keep it simple, rock-paper-scissors.”
“Winner goes first?”
“Loser goes first, of course.”
“…Yeah. Then, rock, paper, scissors—”
After three ties, I ended up losing.
I went first.
I started with an excuse.
“I DIDN’T HAVE A CHOICE!!”
“STOP YELLING RIGHT FROM THE START YOU IDIOT!”
Whoops.
We hurriedly poke our heads around the corridor, looking towards the room.
Didn’t seem like mom woke up from that.
We slithered back to the sofa, and I started to explain.
“…I didn’t have a choice. It was a crime perpetrated by the dormant demon
slumbering within me.. It’s not my fault.”
“Seriously, you mind coming up with a proper reason, please?”
 “I’m just going back to my old gloomy period…! I wouldn’t normally… with
your underwear…!”
“Like hell it’s your gloomy period. You’re making it sound like stealing my
boxers isn’t anything out of the ordinary for you back in eighth grade. Any reason
for that?”
“Ahh.”
Ah damn it…Was I just revealing my black history now?
“…D-do I have to tell you that, too…?”
“Yep. No hiding anything from each other at this point. Let’s bare our
weaknesses here.”
“Uuuuuu…! Do-don’t think that this is disgusting, okay?”
“No problem. You’re already disgusting to begin with.”
“I heard that!? But if you put it that way…”
With all hope lost, I confessed to all the past sins I committed.
In other words, I told him all about how I’d tucked everything he’d ever given
me into a treasure box, from the eraser down to even pocket change.
What’s with this interrogation…I thought I sealed away my black history, but I
had to confess everything to him. Couldn’t an eldritch evil or something bury
everything in the veil of darkness?
“So, you’re saying you suddenly had a hoarding relapse, or something…”
I looked aside from time to time and found Mizuto not looking at me. He was
covering his mouth, practically burying his face, his shoulders huffing up and
down.
Argh, this guy…!
“…Yo-you said you wouldn’t find this disgusting, didn’t you!?”
“N-not…at all…”
Mizuto gave me a sideways glance me, then turned his head away.
U-uuu…! Should I be hurt, ashamed, or furious!? My mood remained unstable
as I panicked, pulling close to Mizuto.
“Th-that’s all in the past, though! I’m different now!”
“N-no, I get that, I get that, okay?”
“Look at me when you say that…!”
“Don’t wanna.”
I was flatly rejected. He really didn’t want to look at my face, huh? I see, I see.
Really sorry for being a disgusting, gloomy woman.
I pouted, only to find Mizuto’s ears a little red…erm.
“……Are you…embarrassed?”
 “……Nope.”
“A-are you happy…? You’re happy to hear that I kept your pocket change and
eraser…?”
“I’m not happy at all. You’re disgusting. Really disgusting.”
“Then look at me and say that!”
“I said I don’t wanna!”
Mizuto stubbornly kept turning his face away. Ahh seriously… ! My face’s
getting hot too!
I fanned my face with my hand. I really had to avoid reacting in a way that’d
cause a misunderstanding. I didn’t want anyone to think I still liked this man.
“…Speaking of…” Mizuto continued to look aside as he tried to change topics.
“Didn’t expect you to confess everything honestly. Could’ve come up with an
excuse, then accuse me.”
“…Ah.”
“Huh?”
Mizuto looked at me in surprise, and this time, I was the one who turned away.
“…You just realized that you could have done that, right?”
“……N-not at all. This is…in the name…of fair play—”
“Didn’t you just really want to tell me? At this point, just admit it already. You
really want to show off how much of a pervert you are, huh?”
“Your turn!”
Why’s this guy saying the exact same thing as my delusions back then!? Is he a
telepath!?
Mizuto frowned as he clicked his tongue. He was just trying to buy time to think
up a good defense for himself, huh? I glared intently at his face, and he awkwardly
spoke up.
“Actually, in my case…you might not believe me..”
“I never believed you to begin with, and you’re saying that?”
“……You dropped it on the floor, so I picked it up.”
“…………………………………..”
I stared at the dumb looking sidelong face.
“…Y-you’re despicable…! Why does yours sound like a decent excuse…!?”
“No, I’m being honest…! It fell in front of the basket! I picked it up and was
about to drop it into the basket, but you entered…!”
“……What happened to confessing each other’s weaknesses? Why not just
admit to it? I’ll forgive you this time. C’mon, just admit you masturbated with my
bra!”
 “You…?! Just who…?!”
Mizuto turned away again.
…Erm, wait. If you don’t deny that, I’ll be really bothered…
“N-no, I didn’t do that at all. No way. Just, erm…”
“…Just?”
“……It’s bigger than I thought……”
“……Ah………………………………………….!”
I opened my mouth, wanting to lash out, but I couldn’t say anything.
…Ahhhhhh!! Why’s it me who’s getting these embarrassing memories!?
My bust did grow rapidly after dating this guy, and he might be surprised by
that—ack, wait a minute!
How did he know about my bust size…? How did he figure out that my bust was
bigger than it was in middle school?
…Just how much had this guy been staring at my chest?
“…Y-you didn’t…do any-anything weird to my bra, right…!?”
“……Weird, such as?”
“Th-that’s…”
Mizuto fidgeted and retorted, and I was the one left speechless.
“Don’t worry. I just made a trip between the changing room and my room—I
swear I didn’t do anything else.”
“…Really?”
“Really.”
“You didn’t finger the cups?”
“…Really.”
“There’s a delay in that answer though!”
“Real…!”
Mizuto nearly blurted out as he stifled his voice. He sighed, and continued,
“…Since you asked so much, lemme ask. Did you do anything weird to my
boxers? Did you sniff them?”
“…Ugh…”
“…Get it? Let’s never speak of this again.”
“…Yes. Seems like this will be preferable.”
I never thought there would come a day when I would agree with this man.
Undergarments, the invention of humanity’s genesis.
Now, since both sides stated their excuses, what came after—
“…Anyway, Mizuto-kun?”
“…What now, Yume-san?”
 “Well, actually…you fouled out, didn’t you?”
“That’s the rule, right? Got it.”
No siblings would actually steal each other’s underwear. Most of the time
anyway.
“Time for our deal…now then, what shall I have you do, little brother?”
“You shitty sister, don’t think I’ll let you off just because we both suffered.”
Henceforth, the meeting was its most chaotic, before we finally came up with a
vague conclusion, ‘that each of us could give the other one order without breaking
public order or morality’.
“…Nn…”
I regained some consciousness, and felt something amiss about the pillow. I
moved my head about.
What’s going on…it’s not soft, yet so strangely comfy…it doesn’t smell good, but
my heart’s pounding madly…
“…Nn…”
Still somewhat dazed, I rolled about, and buried my face into the pillow.
…Ahh right.
The smell of this pillow…was somewhat similar to those boxers…
“…Nnnnn~…?”
Smell similar…to those boxers?
Once this thought crossed my mind, my consciousness returned.
I opened my eyelids in gear.
And then, I realized my current predicament.
“……”
I was sleeping…on the sofa.
On Mizuto’s thighs.
In other words, a thigh pillow.
“……”
My thoughts ceased, my prior memories summoned.
I remembered holding a family meeting with this guy because of the
underwear—and then?
I didn’t remember returning to my room.
Wait…did I sleep here…?
I slowly woke up.
The cardigan draped upon me fell off…it was not mine. It was…yeah, Mizuto’s.
It’s Spring, but the night’s cold as usual. Did this man put it on me while I was
sleeping…?
 Mizuto fell asleep, and was unable to move, probably because I used his thighs
as a pillow.
…Even though he would be cold after giving me his clothes.
Let’s repay this favor then. I picked up the cardigan, and put it on the sleeping
Mizuto.
At that moment—his lips twitched a little.
“……Ayai……”
My heart jolted.
…Seriously…who did he dream about, and when? Did he still have feelings?
But well…since it was a dream, it wasn’t anything to fuss about
“Fufu.”
At that moment, Mizuto’s eyes opened.
“Morning.”
“…!?”
I was stupefied, speechless.
Mizuto showed a mischievous smirk up close.
“You look like you’re in a good mood, so early in the morning. Happy I called
you by your old family name in my dreams?”
……This……this man…!
“Anyway, that’s a foul right? ‘Siblings don’t call each other by family names’!””
“I just said the name of a certain classmate back in eighth grade. Still feeling
nostalgia over me calling you that?”
I-if you say that…! Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu~!
“Don’t blush like that. Can’t tell if you’re embarrassed or angry…but this is just
a little payback. You can’t begrudge me here.”
“Payback…!? What did I do to you…!?”
“What did you do, huh? You should take a photo of your sleeping self if you
want to know.” Mizuto said frivolously, shaking his head. “Well, it’s about time for
dad to wake up. Let’s pick up our good siblings charade now, little sister.”
“…I said I’m the older one. See, I hate you because you always make a fuss over
tiny details.”
“Right back at you.”
Mizuto said, which infuriated me.
“The only thing I like about you is how clearly you say you dislike me… It
avoids misunderstandings.”
“…Misunderstandings?”
 “What I mean is, now we have our own lives. Let’s continue to live as we please,
without causing trouble for each other, that is.”
Well you never did anything other than reading, whether it’s the past, or the
present. I was the one who invited you out for the dates. That’s what I hate about
you.
But I had to admit that your words made some sense.
The present’s the present. That past’s the past.
The one grateful for that little eraser was that old me—this man’s girlfriend was
the old me.

So we spent that terrifying night in a relatively peaceful manner.

It was just an idiot boy and an idiot girl doing idiotic things. What was terrifying
about that?
I was on the way back from school, recollecting those somewhat exaggerated
moments. I was about to make a trip to the bookshop, and turned right to Karasuma
Street. A little further down, I spotted my destination, the building right before the
bus stop.
The bookshop was located on the second floor; there was a famous hamburger
shop on the first floor. Both shops were frequented by students from our school. In
fact, there were a few wearing the same school uniform as me.
I once came to this place with that man. We were upstairs, buying books,
chatting about various things while reading, and it seemed our classmates noticed
us—
I recalled the past as I grabbed the escalator railing to the second floor.
—And right before my eyes was an unbelievable, hellish scene.
The hamburger shop on the first level was really noisy because of the students.
Amongst them…
My little stepbrother—was sitting next to a girl with black braided hair.
Echoing in my mind were Mizuto’s words from yesterday.
—Let’s continue to live as we please, without causing trouble for each other, that
is.
“……………HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH~~~
~~~~!?”
Was this what he meant by as we please?
 Chapter 7: The ex-couple XXXX, First Half
(Please go out with me, and that we’ll get married
in the future)
◆ Mizuto ◆

I couldn’t possibly know everything about that woman, just as she couldn’t
possibly know everything about me. It was all obvious, but given that I hardly
changed my routine, I wound up expecting she’d know everything. Especially since
we lived in the same house.
In the end, I arrogantly assumed that I, too, would know everything about her.
I lived my own life, and that woman lived hers—we lived under the same roof,
with the same family name. These facts wouldn’t change at all.
Now, let’s rewind to some time back.
It happened the day after that woman—my little stepsister Yume Irido─fell sick
and took leave at home.
She spoke to me in the empty school library. That girl had braided hair, black-
green glasses, and resembled Yume Ayai back then. That day, she confessed to me,
right on our very first meeting.
—Please go out with me, and that we’ll get married in the future.
We stood by the side of the bookshelf, with the sunset shining upon us. It was
there that she proposed to me.

◆ Yume ◆

I had to admit, I was shaken.

It happened yesterday. Yes, yesterday. I was going to the bookshop I usually
frequented, and spotted my little stepbrother Mizuto Irido at the fast food joint
downstairs.
Yes—I saw him eating fries with a girl I didn’t know!
I just fled the scene at that moment, but seriously, what was that? A date, right?
That was a date, wasn’t it? I was like her, I went on dates……uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.
Feeling really uneasy, I tried probing him at home.
“…How’s school recently? D-did you get a girlfriend or something?”
 “Huh? You making fun of me? Thanks to someone, there’s no way anyone’d
want to go out with me.”
That’s my line! I’m the really popular one, but I can’t get a boyfriend thanks to a
certain someone!
Despite that, his reaction was rather calm, and he didn’t hint at that girl at all.
Same old poker face; really, I couldn’t tell what exactly he was thinking.
Who exactly was that girl?
She was as plain as the old me—what? Was he into that? Hmm~ I see, sorry for
not being to your liking nowadays, you know?
This matter had nothing to do with me at all, but as his family member (family
member!), I wanted to know who exactly that girl was.
After school, I was chatting with Minami, who had a lot of friends, and decided
to ask her.
“A braided girl with dark green glasses? Well…we’re in a prep school~ there are
a few of those girls.”
If that’s the case…wouldn’t this school be a paradise for those who loved plain-
looking girls?
I was shivering in trepidation, and for some reason, Minami-san gave me a really
annoying smile.
“But an after-school date at Mac’s, huh? Irido-kun looks rather obedient, but he’s
unexpectedly capable~! He might look a little quiet, but he’s rather kind. If you
take a good look, he’s rather handsome, too. Shy innocent girls might end up taken
away~!”
Yeah you’re right! Sorry for being a simpleton!
Thinking back, I found it unspeakable how I was such easy pickings in those
days. A gloomy girl without experience with boys would, obviously, fall for one
when offered a few kind words. That’s the law of nature!
In other words, he would only aim for those easy, normal, unpopular girls. He’s
set the bar so low, you’d have to crawl to pass under it. He’s always preying on
those innocent, weak girls!
In that case, I couldn’t just leave it be. I had to help that girl, to prevent a second
me, or even a third me. I should be able to make it!
“…Ah, it’s late.”
Minami-san looked at her phone, and slung the bag over her shoulder.
“Sorry Yume-chan! I got work today~!”
“Oh. I’m fine here. Do your best.”
“See you then~!”
 Minami-san waved her hand energetically as she darted out of the classroom. I
was the only one left. I had no plans, and I didn’t join any club, so I went home.
Might as well. I’d use this chance to save that innocent girl from him.
So I went home.
I saw female loafers at the entrance.
“……”
I had another look.
There were female loafers at my house entrance.
HUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~?
I stared at the shoes that were messily put next to Mizuto’s sneakers, Those
weren’t mine, nor mom’s. They were too small. It stood to reason the owner would
be rather small─and wasn’t the girl Mizuto was with rather small, too?
Th-that guy…!? You’re kidding! He brought her home already!?
We weren’t even a month into high school—it took him half a year after we
started dating to invite me to his home…!
And then, I suddenly thought of something.
…What’s his purpose in bringing her to his house?
From the entrance, I looked up the stairs.
No wait. Right…now?
No…no no no. Impossible impossible impossible! That useless scoundrel
couldn’t have acted so quickly.
…But… if. Just if.
What if he reflected on his failure with me, and decided on a blitzkrieg?
I approached my room, and heard a sudden, suspicious sound, followed by
frantic movements.
No…! I had a feeling I’d hate it!
…Anyway, let’s probe into this.
First off, I filmed a video of the loafers as evidence. Taking a photo’d make too
much sound.
I then crept through the entrance, holding my own loafers as I entered the
changing room.
Then, I gave Mizuto a call.
“…Hello?”
“Hello.”
“What?”
“Where are you now?”
“Huh? At home.”
 I listened for sounds from his end…and didn’t hear anything weird.
“I need someone at home to buy something for me. I can’t leave now, so you
mind running an errand for me?”
“Ehhh…”
He sounded really unwilling. Maybe it was because his gi-girlfriend was at our
home, or maybe he just didn’t want to be ordered by me.
“Alright. I’ll go.”
“Please do.”
“Please do?”
I heard a snicker from the other end.
“It’s rare to hear you actually ask me.”
“…Sh-shut it! Stop insulting me every time you talk.”
“Since you’re asking for my help, better handle a little banter.”
How demented was that guy? I guess his girlfriend must be one sicko like him.
No doubt about it.
“Then what do you want me to buy?”
“Some uh…”
“Some uh?”
Argh damn it! I just blurted out what I was thinking.
“Ah, no…soumen! Soumen!”
“Soumen…? It’s too early for summer.”
“What’s wrong with having soumen in spring? It’s not like the soumen makers
only work in the summer.”
More or less.
“Got it. Soumen. Anything else?”
I listed a few daily necessities, and hung up.
I held my breath in the changing room, and finally sensed a presence pass by.
And then…I heard the entrance close.
Good good. He’s out, he’s out…
I pricked my ears, confirmed that Mizuto was out, and left the changing room.
That girl was probably the only one left at home! Let’s nab her and have a good
talk…I didn’t want to threaten her with ‘you sure have guts to woo my little
stepbrother’; I was planning to warn her not to enter a boy’s home so casually. The
whole country wept because of my magnanimity.
I went up the stairs, and grabbed the door handle of Mizuto’s room.
I pushed it down—but before then.
The door was opened from the inside.
 “Eh?”
“Hm?”
I saw the familiar face.
I was shocked, and my mind went blank.
Eh? What? Why?
“…Why are you here?”
Mizuto looked at me incredulously.
“Didn’t you ask me to run an errand? Why are you at home? Didn’t you say
you’re busy?”
“Eh, but—wait, wait a sec.”
Feeling completely confused, I looked towards the staircase once again.
…He went out…right?
He just went past the changing room, out of the entrance…
But Mizuto’s gave me a sceptical look. He was right in front of me.
In that case—who left by the entrance?
“—Ahh!”
I hurried down the stairs, past the corridor, and onto the entrance.
…They’re gone.
The loafers were gone!
The female loafers were here, and they disappeared!
“What’s with you all of a sudden? You might fall to your death if you run that
fast.”
“You made her go, right?”
Mizuto approached, and I grabbed him by the chest.
“Woah!? H-hey! What’s with you!?”
“You brought that girl back home! You let her go just now, didn’t you!?”
“H-huh…? Girl…?”
Mizuto frowned skeptically.
I was duped.
He misled me into thinking that he left the house, but he had that girl leave first!
He’d somehow already seen through my ruse, and knew I was home…!
“What do you mean, I brought a girl home? I’ve been alone—”
“You’re still trying to claim that? I saw it all! There were loafers just now! Look,
here’s the proof!”
I shoved my phone at him.
“Alright, you saw them, but why did you film…”
 Mizuto looked a little apprehensive (don’t give me that look!), and frowned
harder after seeing the footage.
“Did…you film this today?”
“Yeah. It’s not my size. There’s no way I can fake this.”
“You’re right.”
Mizuto inserted his feet into his shoes, and turned the entrance doorknob.
“It’s unlocked…”
“So that’s because you brought a girl here, and let her go, right? I did lock the
door—”
“……Go check your room.”
Mizuto met my gaze intently.
“Go check your room.”
I did as Mizuto told me, and checked my room. He was looking so serious, I
worried that I might have misheard those footsteps from the changing room.
“…There’s nothing wrong though,” I told Mizuto, who was waiting downstairs.
Mizuto looked increasingly incredulous. I should be the one giving him that
look.
“Don’t scare me…I thought I just entered an empty nest.”
“…Really? You sure your room’s not cleaned up? No additional ero-books?”
“Not at all! What do you mean, additional? I don’t have any!”
Why ero-books? I didn’t get that at all.
Mizuto scowled, and rubbed his nape. He always did that when he was thinking
about something.
“Hey! Start explaining already! Those loafers belong to the girl you brought
back, right?”
“Ahh? Ahhh…yes yes yes. Yep, I brought her back.”
“Huh!? You’re being so honest…”
Mizuto scratched his head as he turned his back on me in frustration. It appeared
he was headed to the living room, so I ran past him, and cut him off.
“…What? I’m really tired. Get it? I need water.”
T-tired…!? Wait, then—
Freshly etched in my mind was the scene of Mizuto doing an intimate thing with
the plain-looking girl, in a locked room.
“Wh-wh-what did you do to her in the room—”
Mizuto narrowed his eyes at mine.
“So, why do I need to tell you, Yume-san?”
“…!”
 I couldn’t answer. I pursed my lips.
…He was right. I had no reason to complain even if Mizuto brought a girl back. I
didn’t have any right to be angry at him, nor did I have any right to make him
apologize.
Because we were merely stepsiblings.
—I got it, but why was I feeling so angsty?
“…Well, I’ll keep it in mind. Just forget about this incident. That’s all.”
I was silent, and Mizuto waved me off, opening the door to the living room.
The moment he did, he was rooted.
He was rooted—just standing over there, stunned.
“…?”
—There were five chairs at the dining table.
That was all.
“…What…!”
I didn’t understand.
Mizuto was completely dumbfounded, and locked himself in his room without
saying anything. I never had any explanation.
“Haa…seriously.”
For the time being, I returned to my room. There was nothing weird there. It was
probably just the way I left it this morning…why did he let me check my room?
Was it to obfuscate the fact that he brought a girlfriend back, or something else—
…Let’s just stop.
I quickly took off my uniform, changed into my lounge clothes, and collapsed on
the bed.
My hair was scattered, covering my body. It took a lot to grow my hair out, but it
was a little annoying now.
“…Did I misunderstand something again?”
A girl’s loafers. A girl sat with him at the burger shop…did I make a big fuss
over nothing again?
I sighed, was overwhelmed with fatigue, and fell into a light sleep—
—You don’t like seeing me getting along with others, and you’re getting along
with other girls instead?
I clearly remembered the moment I said those words.
He was usually aloof, poised, yet at that moment, he faltered, and shot me a
confused look.
I immediately understood I shouldn’t have said those words.
 He apologized. He wanted to make amends with me. He bared his ugly desire to
possess me for himself, and wanted to get closer to me, in a way unlike himself.
Yet—
I remembered the scene in the library. It was where we met, where we fell for
each other. It was there when I spotted him talking happily to a girl other than me.
I knew. It was just a misunderstanding.
Back then, I probably understood that deep within my head.
But the impression I once had couldn’t be erased, the scar couldn’t be healed.
—The person I once trusted most did something I was most unwilling to believe,
at the place filled with our memories.
That impression turned my thoughts, my heart…into a mess.
In that state, even though there might be reasons…if I were treated coldly, or
sneered at…
I was originally a shy person who hardly talked.
But it didn’t mean my heart was silent.
Actually, I didn’t normally say what I really thought. My heart swirled with
dozens more words than any ordinary person would say.
And I took it all.
I lashed out at him—like a broken dam.
…I wanted to make amends with him too.
Thus, I had made plans for that upcoming summer vacation…that was what I had
wanted to tell Irido-kun back then.
But it was useless.
The second summer vacation never came for us.
—I woke up from my nap, and woke up in a groggy state.
I saw a puddle on my pillow as I was sprawled over. Saliva? Or…?
I didn’t yawn, and just rubbed my eyes.
It was dark outside. Seemed like I slept longer than I imagined…maybe I was
mentally worn out. It was all his fault.
“Yume~? You awake~? Come down now. It’s almost time for dinner!”
Yes, I replied, though a little weakly. It was probably because I was hungry. I’d
be fine once I’d eaten something.
So I thought as I opened the door and got to the corridor. Then, at that moment.
An outstretched hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me back.
“Hyaah…!?”
I tripped on my feet, and the wall behind me kept me upright.
Seriously, what’s…!
 I lifted my head furiously, and saw Mizuto Irido’s face.
Ueehhhh!?
Mizuto grabbed my wrists, and stared at me tensely for some strange reason. I
couldn’t feel any warmth, but his eyes were so sharp and honest. It was the same
expression that had me head over heels, back in eighth grade.
I, unwittingly intimidated by him, finally looked back, and eked out a voice,
“Wh-what…?”
“I’m invoking the penalty from last time.”
For a moment, my mind couldn’t wrap around his sudden words. Penalty? What?
Ah, I finally remembered a recent event.
He probably was referring to the terrifying, dreaded underwear incident; because
of the ”whoever does something unsibling-like loses” rule, each of us could give
the other one order, so long as it didn’t conflict with public order or morality, so…
He was going to use that right—what was he going to ask for?
…Maybe he didn’t want me to mention that he brought a girl back? If that were
the case, I’d hurl every insult in the textbook at him.
I made up my mind, but Mizuto’s request was completely beyond my
expectation.

◆ Mizuto ◆

—There were five chairs in the dining room.

So, why was this so shocking?
The reason behind all my actions boiled down to this one mystery.
The girl with me at the fast food joint, the girl’s loafers at the entrance, the
reason why I had Yume check her room, why I asked her if she had more ero-
books—Yume didn’t understand at all, but it all resulted from the message behind
those five chairs.
What did I ask of Yume when I enacted the penalty of the siblings rule?
Before the truth’s revealed, I had to correctly understand the meaning
behind that scene. Yes, for this reason, I had to start from the marriage proposal,
from my viewpoint.
—Please go out with me, and that we’ll get married in the future.
Just as I couldn’t have known everything about her, she couldn’t have known
everything about me.
Let’s talk about this, right from the beginning.
About the looming danger upon Yume, which she didn’t know of.
 It all started from the day after Yume took sick leave.
I was rummaging through the stratum called the bookshelf, like an archaeologist
excavating a fossil.
It was after school, and I was in the library.
For a student lacking in financial ability, the library was a necessity to have a
fulfilled reading life. This library was perfect, as it had everything from specialized
books to light novels. I frequented this place ever since I entered this school.
I excavated a light novel of ancient times. The cover illustration really felt old,
and the edges were tattered. I took out the library card, and found the earliest record
to be in the 20th century. I could feel the history from this book, and happily
returned to my usual place.
It was opposite the entrance, in a corner. It was a place half-concealed by
bookshelves—I leaned towards the air conditioning by the window, as I usually did
at the library.
My back was basked in the faint-colored sunlight as I flipped through the
pages. Hmm, such an irregular expression of words. It feels like it’s stabbing into
my mind—so I muttered, and I sensed another person standing next to me.
Wait…maybe that person was using the window reflection?
I lifted my eyes from the book, and found a girl with two braids before her chest.
The large eyes were looking at me through the large black green glasses.
“…?”
I looked behind, and found nothing other than the wall.
What’s she doing here? No way she’s looking for me…
“……Mizuto…Irido-kun…right…?”
She called out with a teeny-weeny voice as she looked at me.
I guessed she’s looking for me. Strange times.
“Erm…sorry. Have we met?”
“I…erm…there’s something…I want to tell you, Irido-kun…”
The braided girl clasped her fingers together before her chest. Because of that
vibe and attitude, I had a sense of deja vu—the unforgettable moment at the end of
summer vacation back in eighth grade. It was a repeat of when Yume Ayai handed
me the love letter.
 Huh?
No, wait—we just met though? Why would a girl I never met suddenly—
I stared at her, who was looking down. I could have sworn I met her
somewhere…?
“—Pfft.”
The glasses girl suddenly giggled, and covered her mouth.
“P-pfffffffffffffffttt…! Goodness, I didn’t expect myself to slip up! You never
noticed, so I was wondering when I should stop, Irido-kun.”
There was a sudden change in tone. Her face practically screamed that she was a
serious kid, but her voice was absolutely jovial.
It was a strange feeling. It was like an inappropriate voice actor being asked to
dub a Western film.
“Hmm? You really can’t tell? I’ll introduce myself again. Wait a sec—”
The glasses girl looked down, covered her face, removed her glasses and the
hairband, swept her scattered hair behind, and lifted her head.
“Hello! Do you understand now~!?”
“—Ah.”
Understood? She’s the one who came to my house yesterday.
She had a ponytail, was about as diminutive—and had the vibe of a little animal.
“…Minami-san?
“Correct! How’s it? This serious look does suit me too, right?”
She put on her glasses, quickly tied her hair, and chuckled.
I couldn’t tell at all..She really looked like an honest kid—I guess it’s true when
they say an appearance makes up 90% of a person.
“I don’t want to attract attention for now, so here’s an image change! I think this
is a more appropriate appearance to talk to you with, Irido-kun.”
“…What is this joke? I was shocked thinking that I’d be confessed to.”
“Ah, that’s fine. Just be shocked.”
“Huh?”
“Irido-kun. Please go out with me, and that we’ll get married in the future.”
My comprehension ability collapsed, as though I had read a poorly, horribly
translated novel.
“……Sorry. Come again?”
“Eh? Goodness. Hear me out.”
Minami-san approached a little, stared at me through the black green glasses, and
repeated her words.
“Irido-kun. Please go out with me, and that we’ll get married in the future.”
 “…Huh? Did I mishear the same thing twice?”
Dating…and wait, plan to marry? Did I hear something like that?
“Huh~? Did I stutter? I’m asking to be your girlfriend, Irido-kun. Lover. And in
the future, wife. Comprende?”
“……Non comprenderino.”
Wait, did a classmate just confess to me? Less than a month into high school?
And a marriage proposal?
…Okay, calm down. This might be a trap, or a misunderstanding. Let’s calm
down, gather the intel, and wisely decide.
“…Minami-san, you want to marry me?”
“I do.”
“…Minami-san, do you like me?”
“I don’t hate you.”
“……Minam-san…why do you want to marry me?”
“That’s because!” She beamed, her face sparkling with light. “If I get married
with you, Irido-kun, I’ll become Yume-chan’s little sister!”
“……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………”
NON COMPRENDERINO WHATSOEVER.
“—So after that, she started rapping off at you, saying how good Irido-kun
is, like a shady salesman?”
“That’s how it went…”
I was alone in my room that day, listening to my friend Kogure Kawanami on the
phone, and I sighed.
“I don’t get her…what was that…is Minami-san that kind of person…?”
“She’s that kind of person. Terrible, isn’t she? Nahaha!”
For some reason, Kawanami was feeling pleased. Well, it’s like he met a fellow
otaku.
“She really improved since she knows how to fake herself. She’s been
scattering poison everywhere before then. I guess this is the reason why she
chose this high school, where there’s nobody from the same school as her.”
Another high school debutant? Yume’s not the only one.
“Well…what kind of person is she? I remember you said you knew her?”
“She’s like an engine, revved up and stuck in high gear—that’s Akatsuki
Minami.”
Kawanami sounded more serious than usual.
 “When she goes all out, she’s a headache, and she just keeps escalating
things. It’s like a runaway nuclear generator. It starts to leak toxic stuff, and
then it ends with a huge explosion.”
His chortling voice came through the receiver.
“Huge explosion…what’s that about?”
“Well, it feels like I’m badmouthing her, but here’s an example—Minami
had a boyfriend in middle school.”
“Eh?”
Minami-san had a boyfriend?…it was a little hard to imagine. Maybe it was
because she looked like a loli.
“Isn’t that guy stupid? Of course, that Minami just went into that
relationship so passionately. Every minute, every second, she wanted to be
with her boyfriend, always taking care of him. The boyfriend was happy to
begin with at first. The girl he likes—a somewhat cute girl—was always taking
care of him. Any guy would be happy about that, right?”
It sounds so realistic even though I’m only hearing that…so I thought, and
Kawanami continued.
“But about three months later, something happened. You know what that
is?”
“She got pregnant?”
“—The boyfriend was hospitalized due to stress.”
“Huh?”
No, wait.
Didn’t she care for him greatly? Wasn’t he the one being cared for, not the one
caring? Why was the receiver the one who collapsed?
“That’s the scary part about Akatsuki Minami…”
Kawanami sounded a little aloof.
“You know, anyone will collapse from the stress of being overly doted on,
even if it’s a cat. That Akatsuki Minami’s capable of doing that to a human.
She overwhelms with excessive love. She’ll give whoever she likes lots of love,
love, and love…until that person’s killed by that overbearing love.”
I gasped.
I found it a little unbelievable…but after some thought, I couldn’t say I didn’t
understand.
If I were cared for like that boyfriend, with everything in my life settled…I’d
probably feel that my dignity was denied. I would think I was her toy…
 “Minami visited when Irido-san was sick, right? There should have been an
omen or something. Got any ideas?”
…Speaking of which, for a sick visit, she fed Yume, blew at the food. Wasn’t
that overboard for a friendship that hadn’t lasted a month yet?
“Haa, she doesn’t have any restraint. So now she’s going for girls?”
“What?”
“Just mumbling to myself…anyway Irido, do you still plan to marry
Minami after this?”
“Nope. I’m the type who doesn’t want anyone bothering me.”
“Then don’t keep it vague, reject her outright. She’ll continue to harass you,
but never compromise…if she goes overboard then, talk to me. I’ll come up
with a more direct tactic.”
“Overboard? As in?”
“Hmm—…yeah. It’s a rumor I heard in middle school, but what that
psychotic girl did in middle school—ah, forget about that. You’ll just feel
scared. Sorry, just forget it.”
“…Say, do you get a kick out of leaving me hanging or something?”
“You’ll know when you experience it…it’s really fun doing this.”
Kawanami cackled away. “Call me if anything comes up.” He hung up.
I was about to ask how he knew Minami-san that much, but I never got the
chance to.
Ever since, Minami-san kept pestering me.
“Hey~, let’s get married~!”
“I’m the type to give my utmost, you know~?”
“Hey hey, do you really hate me?”
“I’ll give you lots of babies~”
She kept proposing to me, just like that. She wasn’t even trying to convince me.
She was always staring at me, whether it was the fast food joint, or when I was
reading, begging to be married.
And then, that happened.
“You brought that girl back home! You let her go just now, didn’t you!?”
Two days after the underwear incident, Yume suddenly slandered me in rage.
According to her, there were female loafers at the entrance. No way, I thought
she was mistaken, but once I saw the video footage, I knew it was no joke.
The loafers were so small, there’s no way anyone could have worn them, unless
the user was small like Minami-san.
 The entrance was open. It meant that a certain person without the house key just
left through the door. If that was the case, when did she get in, and how?
…I had some idea of what happened. I might have forgotten to lock the door
when I returned home and went straight to my room. When I went downstairs
however, the door was locked. The little loafers were probably at the entrance, just
hidden behind the steps.
I was had.
Minami-san would continue to pester me after school, not just today. She tailed
me home. If she pricked her ears, she could hear if I had locked the door—
It was an extraordinary move, but this was the only explanation I could muster.
She didn’t hide her loafers, which meant it was done out of impulse. She probably
lost composure the moment the opportunity presented itself.
I recalled what Kawanami hinted at. What Akatsuki Minami did in middle school
was—
While Yume checked on her room, I gave Kogure Kawanami a call.
“It’s as you guessed. That girl once entered her boyfriend’s empty room.”
Kogure Kawanami told me…as I expected.
“Well, it’s nothing big since the room’s opened. She just tidied up her
boyfriend’s room, took photos of it like there’s an accident, and there were
more ero pictures on the PC…”
“More, not fewer?”
“Yep. And the pictures all tick the boyfriend’s fetishes too.”
…Why does it sound scarier than if she’d erased them?
“But anyway, there wasn’t any actual damage, right? Then—”
“Actually, there’s one thing I got to say…the pillow cover was changed into
a brand new one.”
“………Ah……”
I recalled the black history Yume spoke of two days ago. Does every middle
school girl collect such things?
…Better inform Yume first.
Your friend’s a full-blown stalker, you know? Like hell I could say that. That
was way too shocking. But seriously, what should I do…?
I was troubled, thinking that Yume’s room was invaded—
“…There’s nothing wrong though.”
Yume answered.
Minami-san never entered Yume’s room. That was an undeniable fact.
So where did she go?
 She illegally intruded upon our house. What did she do?
—Right, we’re back on track.
You get it now? The meaning behind the scene I saw next?
Akatsuki Minami’s objective was to become Yume Irido’s family. Getting
married with me’s part of her plan. Her final plan was to be family with Yume.
We’re a family of four now.
Remember, and look at the situation.
—There were five chairs at the dining table.
“That girl crossed the line.”
I returned to my room and called Kogure Kawanami, who sounded rather reliable
when he declared that.
“Seems like that girl isn’t showing any remorse. Well, I didn’t want to do
this, but it looks like we need to shake her up. Hihihihi!”
“…Sounds like you’re enjoying it.”
What happened to that reliable sounding voice? I was being the serious one all
this while.
“What do you want to do? Thought of something?”
“Of course. To be honest, we just need to have her give up on Irido-san.
Well, in this situation, there’s this one move that works in any era.”
I didn’t get this ‘any era’ the guy spoke of, but I decided to hear him out anyway.
Kawanami then told me with a strangely grim voice.
“Mizuto Irido. When you meet Irido-san later, say to her—”
And then, I really regretted listening to him obediently.

◆ Yume ◆

What Mizuto requested was completely beyond my expectations.

“—Go on a date with me tomorrow.”
 Chapter 7: The ex-couple goes on a date, Second
Half (Shitty Maniac) (Shitty otaku)
◆ Mizuto ◆

I can say now that I was young and foolish, but I had an existence called a
girlfriend between my second and third years of middle school.
It had lasted a year and a half long, but despite that, both of our dating
experiences were negligible—that’s because our social circles were smaller than a
stray cat’s.
Option 1: Bookshop.
Option 2: Library.
Option 3: Second-hand Bookstore.
So, where’re we going today?
That’s pretty much how it felt.
Couples all over the world went to dating hotspots like karaokes, movies,
restaurants, and Kamo river… but well, Ayai and I were shut-ins. We weren’t the
sort to actively go looking for reasons to leave our comfort zone.
That’s why this event was filled with so many unknowns.
Saturday morning. I woke up much earlier than usual, dressed up, and left home
without meeting Yume.
I agreed to meet her at the plaza with the ‘clock lights’ in Kyoto station. That’d
really make it look like a date─or so that guy said.
I took the subway to Kyoto station, and exited the station building through the
Hachijo east exit.
My destination was the night bus stop nearby. It had a paid rest area with a toilet
and a dressing room, reasonably priced for students (or so I’d heard).
I passed the doors, and found that guy, Kogure Kawanami, seated on the chair.
He turned around to look at me.
“Yo Irido—ahhh…”
He wore a raglan t-shirt and manpris. It made him look frivolous. He looked at
me, and for a moment he was speechless.
“You…you’re aware you’re not headed to the convenience store, right?”
“Obviously.”
“Then put some effort in dressing up!”
“Huh?”
 Anything weird about this? I just opened up my wardrobe, chose the outermost
clothes, and put them on.
Kawanami sighed, looking utterly distraught.
“Well, it’s not like I didn’t expect it at all. You looked like that kinda guy.”
“What do you mean, ‘that kinda guy’?”
“The kind who doesn’t put his heart into a date. That’s unacceptable to a girl!”
How rude. Nobody’d made harsh comments about my sense of fashion before.
“Anyway, I prepared a set for you. Get changed. We don’t have much time.”
“Ehh? I’m fine with this here…”
“I mean this is unacceptable! Looks like it’s up to me to drive home what today’s
objective is!!”
Kawanami dragged me into the changing room, and tossed me some new clothes.
He even chose fitting shoes. What’s this about? He prepared them for me? Just how
many bunkos’ worth was this…? Did he need to work so hard for another person’s
date? It was disgusting.
“Irido-kun, dude, your good friend here just footed the bill on your date─for the
two of you, and that’s the look you give me? Talk about rude!”
“Sorry, I don’t lie to myself. Frankly, you’re disgusting.”
“Don’t make it sound like you’re rejecting a confession! Well, the thing about
fetishes is that they’re mostly disgusting, so that’s forgivable.”
So that’s forgivable? And dressing me up’s your fetish? That’s really disgusting.
“Listen up Irido. The objective of today’s date is to make that rare sunny girl
Akatsuki Minami give up on Yume-san.”
Once I was done changing, Kawanami applied wax on my hair, basically
blocking off my retreat as he went through the objectives of this operation.
“Yume Irido declared herself to be a brocon right after entering school, so we’re
making it a reality—we just need to make sure that Minami understands that Irido-
san only has eyes for you, and that her family plans are ruined. You need to woo
the socks off her, act all lovey-dovey, and cause Minami’s heart to explode.”
If that girl knows that you’re dating Irido-san, she’ll stalk you—so Kawanami
said.
…I got what he was saying, I really did…
“Oy oy, what happened? You’re taking the prettiest girl in your year out on a
date. Why do you look so unwilling?”
“…I can’t explain Minami-san’s situation to her, which means she doesn’t know
what’s going on. In other words, I need to keep attacking her. Is there anything
more worrisome than this?”
 “It’s unexpectedly simple though, at least to me.”
Hihihi, he giggled irresponsibly. Every time this guy opened his mouth, nonsense
came flooding out.
There’s no way I didn’t have any objections to the plan Kawanami came up with
at the spur of the moment, but unfortunately, I couldn’t think of any alternate
solution.
I had to conquer the ex-girlfriend after our honeymoon ended—and the more I
thought about it, the more I felt I was a scumbag missing his ex. I was
uncomfortable with that.
Right when I sighed, it seemed Kawanami was done.
He marveled. My appearance was completely off because of him, and he was
marveling.
“…Th-this…”
“Does it really not suit me? Then don’t…”
The concept of fashion really didn’t suit me. Even if I wore more expensive
clothes, I’d still feel disjointed, both outwardly as well as inwardly.
It seemed to be a waste of time. I reached my hand out, trying to rid myself of
the wax figure that was my hair.
“Wait, wait wait wait!”
Kawanami hastily stopped me.
“Just go! Don’t worry too much! Just go and you’ll understand!”
Did he really want to embarrass me? Seriously, was this guy hoping for my date
to succeed, or fail?
I sighed sadly as I left the lounge.
I sensed the stares of passersby gathered upon me for some strange reason.

◆ Yume ◆

…A little bit to the right. Ahh, too much. A little to the left. Yep…no, hmm…?
I used the phone as a mirror, and adjusted my bangs over and over again.
I was waiting for my little stepbrother before the Kyoto Tower Stand, the white
candle-like tower behind me.
Of course, I wasn’t willing to date him again at this point, but it was a penalty for
the rule I broke, and I couldn’t refuse. Speaking of which, it felt like we were
dating. That was against the rule.
“…No, siblings who get along hang out together every now and again…right?
They’ll at least meet outside…maybe.”
 Yep, it was part of being stepsiblings, not a frivolous date between couples.
Nothing to do with our prior relationship! Nope!
I fiddled with my bangs as I looked at the time, and felt warm stares next to me.
I got more used to the looks people gave me after I changed my image, but what
was with these warm stares…? Even the men catcalling passing females out there
were looking at me like they were watching over their daughter or something.
What’s going on? Was there anything weird about me fiddling with my bangs?
Or was it about my attire? Maybe it was because he was the one who asked me out,
and I ended up being fired up. Uuuu…I’m a little restless!
“…Wonder what the boy’ll be like~~…?”
“…I guess it’s a really handsome guy, since he’s asking such a cute girl out…”
I heard such whispers.
I guessed it was troublesome to stand out so much in appearance. Nobody
noticed us when we met up, but at this point, the people around us were looking so
hopeful.
It was so awkward… Because the guy that’d show up was someone who
wouldn’t know fashion if it hit him in the face. He just didn’t stand out. It might
sound like I’m boasting, but frankly, we were leagues apart when it came to
appearances.
It appeared I had to be taken for a fool—
I made up my mind, but a deep, refreshing voice rang at my ear.
“Sorry for being a little late.”

◆ Mizuto ◆

“Sorry for being a little late.”

I greeted Yume, who was leaning back on the wall.
And at that moment, she looked up at me.
“Hya…?”
She blurted embarrassingly.
I frowned.
…This attire really doesn’t suit me after all. I didn’t really fit this outfit, but that
Kawanami forced me into this…
Maybe it was just me, but I felt quite a few stares around me. Well, if we just
looked at her appearance, it was impossible to call Yume anything but cute. I guess
everyone else was just noting how she was meeting up with some ordinary guy like
me.
 I never really paid attention to the looks around me, but this was the one time I
felt a little restless.
I’ll remember this…Kawanami.
“…Erm.”
Yume blinked away as she pointed at me. Her finger shook a little.
“You’re…my little stepbrother Mizuto, right?”
“…The older stepbrother Mizuto.”
Can’t you tell?
Yume kept staring at me from head to toe and back. For some reason, she ended
up quivering all over, covering her mouth with both hands.
“So——”

◆ Yume ◆

———COOOOOOOOOOLLLLLL~~~~~~~~~~~!!!
I screamed in my head as I once again sized up the guy in front of me.
He didn’t dress up too fancily. A lightly colored vest with a refreshing look, shirt
and jeans, it was all passable.It was a modest outfitthat wouldn’t embarrass any girl
walking alongside him.
But, oh man.
There was an intellectual look on his delicate face, and his somewhat troubled
look felt like a perfect opportunity to strike. The face just rattled the maternal
instincts within me, and I really wanted him to look more troubled.
What’s more, his collar bones just popped out from time to time, and so did his
wrists from his sleeves; they’re giving off a strange vibe! Showing off how manly
you are like that?! That’s illegal!
And the decisive blow came from the melancholy oozing from his face and
posture.
Eh? What what? Something happened? Is there something on your mind? You
can talk to me about this, you know?
His posture was giving me the urge to say such things.
Oh no. What’s with this intellectual, goody-goody looking boy? Is my delusion
coming to life? Oh no no no no no no. It feels like the world’s realism is passing at
a visible speed. This is bad bad bad bad bad!
“…If you have something on your mind, please don’t say it.”
 Mizuto averted his eyes, looking a little embarrassed as he fiddled his neat bangs
with his fingertips. He was so overly handsome, and there were sudden squeals
around us.
It’s no wonder we caught attention. We got a guy right out of a shoujo mobile
game before me.
He was my ex-boyfriend, and he was also my little stepbrother.
I really resisted the urge to brag out loud.
…Ca-calm down. I can’t be fooled by his appearance. No matter how cool he
looks, no matter how he hides his unimpressive looking legs with jeans, he’s still
that guy inside—yep, he might have an ideal appearance, but not in personality.
“N-none at all? It’s nothing. Anyway, let’s hurry to where we’re going. There
isn’t much time now. This is all your fault.”
I folded my arms to hide how rattled I was, and barely managed to behave as
normal.
That was really dangerous. Thank goodness he was just a vase.
Haa~ thank goodness thank goodness. Thank goodness he’s not going to grab
my hand and pull me with just the right mix of gentlemanliness and strength—
“Yeah. Let’s go,” Mizuto said as he grabbed my hand with 80% gentleness and
20% firmness.
My heart pounded greatly as all the ladies around us cheered, and I died.

◆ Mizuto ◆

We walked close to the bus lane.

Whenever she was about to bump into others, I consciously pulled her over to
my side.
When we waited at the traffic lights, I mentioned a few topics.
When she showed interest in anything, I hollered to her.
I did everything Kawanami told me to do.
I was aware that it was so unlike me to do these things. I never treated her like a
princess, even when we were dating.
That ‘princess’ probably felt the same, which was probably why she was feeling
terrible and quiet. The gazes around us seemed to indicate that we were attracting
much attention, in a terrible way.
…Whether or not I can ‘conquer’ her isn’t even the issue.. I shouldn’t have done
such unnecessary things to begin with. Maybe I should have treated her like
normal?
 But whenever I thought so, the phone in my pocket would vibrate at such
opportune moments. It was Kawanami’s indication that ‘I’m doing fine’.
…Seriously?
I snuck a sidelong glance at Yume, who had her lips pursed.
Guess she would feel disgusted to be showered in kindness.

◆ Yume ◆

It feels gooooooddddddddd~~~~!!!
What!? What’s with this guy today!? He’s so gentlemanly! So kind! He’s
flawlessly ticking all the boxes!
U-uh oh…I pursed my lips.
If I were to burst out in laughter so openly, people’d look at me like some kind of
weirdo. I have to endure this… endure… endure…
“…Woah, lookie-look, those two…”
“…Amazing, what a perfect couple…”
Whenever I heard such whispers from the couples passing us by, I could feel my
lips curving into a smile.
I spent a year working hard, and had a Class Change into a proper Pretty Girl
(nothing wrong with calling myself that, right?), and was walking alongside a
completely transformed, intellectual, obedient-looking Mizuto. I see, that did make
us resemble a flirty couple, a common streetside attraction.
At that point, we’d become the focus of everyone’s attention, smack-dab in the
middle of a bustling street.
To think we were such a gloomy couple a year ago, no different from furniture in
a classroom!
…It really felt good…
I even forgot about Mizuto, who was walking next to me, as I pricked my ears to
hear the surrounding voices. Ahh, I heard another little mutter.
“…Heh~ these two really get along well…”
“…Oi. Stop staring…”
It’s fine! Don’t worry! Keep looking! Even though we aren’t on good terms!

◆ Mizuto ◆

“…Heh~ these two really get along well…”

“…Oi. Stop staring…”
 I heard them talk, and barely resisted the urge to snap around to them.
Once more, I looked at the vertically-mismatched couple mixed in the crowd.
…Kogure Kawanami and Akatsuki Minami.
Originally, the plan was to have Kawanami keep an eye on Minami-san, who
was stalking us. Somehow, it ended up like this. This sure was some strange double
date, but at least it beat having him stalk her.
Kawanami’s tallness really drove home just how petite Minami-san was, but it
didn’t look like she was bothered by her height. She wore clear-lens glasses and a
cap, and clearly she put effort into disguising herself… but the aura she exuded
gave her away immediately.
She wore a long T-shirt dress with mysterious English words. It clearly showed
her fine legs, but still made her look like a tomboy. By contrast, she exuded an aura
sticky as a swamp. Probably a Water/Dark element.
—Listen up, Irido. You can’t skimp on this.
I observed Minami-san’s clothing, and recalled what Kawanami’d told me.
—Make sure you praise her outfit. Get it? Just do it.
Mnnn. Even after he mentioned it, I never did. I’d been so preoccupied with my
own appearance, I missed the opportunity to compliment hers.
I knew what to focus on, and bucked up. It wasn’t a bad idea to also take the
chance to have a jab at Minami-san.
That’s what I thought as I went over Yume’s attire. It could be described as
completely girly, totally unlike the tomboy-ish Minami-san.
Yume wore a plainly-colored blouse fitting the season, along with a knee-length
skirt. She also wore blue tights up to her thighs─she’d put a lot of attention to detail
on the rest, but it looked like she was against exposing her bare thighs.
She was wearing a red beret, and coupled with her black hair, resembled ‘a
Princess attending an arts college’. I really started to wonder if she had something
like in her family name.
But…it was then that I realized.
Somehow, she seemed really psyched for this?
It felt like she was being a bit too enthusiastic about a dutiful, romance-less date.
Why was that…? She probably wasn’t aware of the reason for this date.
No…wait, maybe that’s why?
She believed we were out on a normal date. How many months had it been since
last we’d gone on one?
So if you applied common sense, obviously that’s why she’d worked so hard to
doll herself up.
 Yume glanced up at me. Her long eyelashes were blinking away.
…Shit. This felt so weird. It’s because I was being forced into doing stuff I
wasn’t used to.. In other words, I blamed Kawanami.
—You can’t skimp on this.
I could hear that guy’s voice in my mind…ahh seriously, got it, got it. I’ll praise
her, alright!?
“…Today.”
“Eh?” She turned to mewith a look of complete surprise, which left me flustered.
I barely managed to press down this emotion as I soldiered on.
“You look…rather cute.”
My voice was a little hoarse, and it sounded somewhat sarcastic.
I-I messed up. I thought I had to clear things up, so I turned to face her.
And then I saw a pair of flushed ears.
Yume’s head was lowered deeply as she looked down at her dress.
And then, she eked out a whisper softer than mine, through the curtain that was
her drooping black hair.
“Thank…you…”
……Oy, oy oy oy oy.
She’d had a boyfriend before. Was this really the sort of reaction she should
have? It felt like she was a middle-schooler, on a date with her first-ever crush.
Haahhh, good grief. I really can’t stand shy people. Now even I’m getting
embarrassed. Hey, you high school rookie, it’s time to pull yourself together. Come
on, let me show you.
“……Oh, oh…”
I turned my head aside, and eked out a reply more hoarse than before.
Just then, the phone in my pocket started vibrating.. Oy Kawanami, got a
problem!? We’re both embarrassed, you happy now, bastard!?
There was a strange, unbearable awkwardness between us, for some reason.
Seriously, I was starting to worry about what was coming up for the date. We were
only getting started…
“S-say, speaking of which.”
Yume started, as though trying to break this mood. Good going. You earned
some praise there.
“Erm…where…are we going now?”
Oh, guess I didn’t tell her.
 The plan was to make Akatsuki Minami see how tight our relationship was, and
make her retreat. Kawanami planned the entire date for me, as I was clueless about
this sort of thing. He really enjoyed himself.
According to him, theme parks were no good, as you couldn’t be sure about the
queue lengths. Cinemas were risky, because tastes could clash. In conclusion, he
chose a place that wasn’t too popular, was neither too bright nor too dim, and had a
number of attractions.
“The aquarium.”

◆ Yume ◆

We really looked like a couple.

So I thought as I stood next to Mizuto, who paid for the tickets.
Isn’t an aquarium a place for couples or families? Why did this guy bring me to
this place? It’s not like we’re dating—ah, no…I think we’re dating?
I couldn’t remember going on any decent-looking date even when we’d been a
couple. There was the summer festival before we officially started dating, the
Christmas lights, and…
Anyway, I had to remain on guard the other time. I was shocked to be praised
just now, but I didn’t know what he was planning.
That’s why I had to be cautious.
“It’s kind of dark here. Don’t get lost.”
“I get that, I’m not a kid.”
“Okay.”
Mizuto merely nodded, and slowed himself to keep pace with me as we walked
in the slightly dim aquarium.
…Huh~?
I did look standoffish just now, didn’t I? Sarcastic? Annoyed? Did he forget
about the damn smirk I always gave him? …I was all confused.
It seemed he was going to play the role of my boyfriend no matter what. If he
was just doing this to raise my affection level, I’d be laughing till my teeth fell out.
Not to boast, but my resolve was hard as the ice of the South Pole. During our
half-year cold war, my affection for him had fallen into the negatives. Don’t you try
and shatter my resolve with that half-baked boyfriend act of yours!
If you’re going to try and rattle me because of this, fine, go ahead. It’ll be
completely futile!
“—Ah.”
 I was pulled by the shoulder.
“Ah, sorry.” He lowered his head in apology, and a pedestrian passed us by.
“Didn’t expect so many people at the aquarium. You didn’t bump into anyone?”
My shoulder! My ear! He just pulled me! He whispered to me! His face was
really close! He smelled nice! Ahh, seriously! Couldn’t he give me a heads-up!? I
needed to prepare myself first! He really was inconsiderate!
“…How long are you going to hold my shoulder?”
I tried to maintain a stoic look as I stared at Mizuto’s face up close. Wow, nice
face. Such long eyebrows. Much thin lips. I was envious of his good skin. Couldn’t
he just be like that all the time? No, if that happened, I might lose it.
“A-Ahh, sorry.”
Mizuto let go of my shoulder, somewhat awkwardly, and took half a step
back. You don’t have to move that far. I coolly spread my hair behind my shoulder.
…He’s more capable than I thought. I should do this much for him at least.

◆ Mizuto ◆

“Buuhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiii!”
I rang my friend, but a pig answered the phone.
“I’m going to have you deported one day.”
“That’s scary man! All I did was laugh like a disgusting otaku!”
“Right, prejudiced against otakus. Better get you deported.”
I was in the guys’ cubicle.
Not even half an hour into our date, I took an early bathroom break. Of course, I
wasn’t emptying my bladder, but my mind.
Dating…is hard.
How did couples around the world cope with such a difficult quest? I saw she
was about to bump into someone and lend her a hand, but she just glared. We were
looking at fish in a tank, and she glared at me from the side. I tried to have a
conversation, and she glared at me. Our entire date was Unlimited Glare Works!
To be honest, death became pretty alluring.
The book that could best describe me at that point was ‘No Longer Human’. I’m
going somewhere where there aren’t any women—no wait, that line shouldn’t be
this shallow.
“Help me out, Kawanami, unless you want me to become Osamu Dazai.”
“Isn’t that great? You get to be a Bungo,” Kawanami said half-
jokingly. “Huuuh? Nothing’s going on. Just look at the fish, shortstack.”
 Was that Minami-san? That was a relief.
“Don’t you get it? The mood’s really bad here! I feel like my stomach’s going to
be skewered!”
“Huh, really~? That what it looks like to you?”
“What do you mean, to me? Isn’t that the case?”
“Well, speaking as an observer, feels like you’re being a little jumpy there.
Buhihohoho!”
This guy’s just laughing at someone else’s misfortune! You’re the one who
started this mess!
“Anyway, all I can say is—I’ll leave the frontline decisions to you!”
“Don’t push the burden onto someone else! Do your duty as commander!”
“Oops, gotta hang up. A certain wild horse’s about to go crazy. I look
forward to seeing your exploits!”
Commander Kawanami hung up on me. If this was a war chronicle then, at the
rate we were going, he’d end up shivved by his subordinates. I’ll remember this.
I sighed, and held my smartphone.
I was starting to get confused by this date’s purpose…was that bastard just
toying with me?
And anyway, why did I have to protect her? She’s the one who just had to
befriend a dangerous nutjob! She wasn’t my lover, so why did I have to worry
about her!?
Utterly furious, I left the toilet.
…Well, no matter the outcome, I was the one to suggest the date. I felt restless,
though, since she wound up spending her day off with me, and I couldn’t just end
the date on that note. Why had I not questioned a thing up to that point…?
We were supposed to meet again at the vending machine near the toilet. I
figured she was getting impatient, since I wound up grumbling to Kawanami a fair
bit, so I resolved myself to endure her ramblings as I went there.
“…Hm?”
I looked right, left, and forward.
Nobody was at the vending machine.
I turned around. There was a long queue outside the female toilet, but I didn’t see
Yume there.
I waited for a while, and didn’t see a girl dressed like a princess.
“…Eh?”
 ◆ Yume ◆

My phone rang.
I was in a corridor with water tanks on both sides. I really didn’t want to, but I
had to answer it.
“…Hello?”
“Oy? Where are you now?”
I froze. There were a bunch of unfamiliar fish swimming in the tanks next to me.
I really had reservations about it, but I had no choice, I had to explain everything.
“……I don’t know.”
“…Ahh—”
There were too many at the female toilet, and I was unenthused about joining the
long queue. In a moment of folly, I thought of visiting another toilet. I thought it
would be fine as long as I could return immediately.
There were three points of miscalculation. First, the other female toilets were
further than expected. Next, the layout of the aquarium was more complicated than
expected. Last, I was bad at reading maps. The last bit wasn’t even a
miscalculation. I could read a map in mystery novels!
So that’s how it was…I didn’t want to admit it, but I got lost.
Ahhhhhhhh…! Why am I always like this…!? Don’t go anywhere if you don’t
know the place well! Don’t plan things you can’t do! Why don’t I learn!? Why!?
“So-sorry…”
I whispered, tormented by my regret. Ahh, here comes the hurricane of
sarcasm…I could imagine that face getting ready to insult my personality.
However, I couldn’t defend myself over this matter. I could only endure. I resolved
myself.
But… the voice I heard from the other end was─
“…No, it’s not your fault. I’m partially to blame for not noticing.”
─it was kind and gentle.
He was consoling me with a tone completely different from the Mizuto Irido I
knew of.
…My heart trembled.
It wasn’t like I was happy, or disgusted, okay?
I merely felt a sandstorm rumbling in my heart.
“Lemme think…tell me what kind of fish are in the tanks. I’ll try to find—”
“—It’s weird.” Finally at my wits end, I blurted. “This…wasn’t supposed to
happen.”
 “…Eh?”
I said something I shouldn’t have.
Only after I said it did I realize.
But it was all in hindsight. No point crying over spilt milk. I said it.
I knew that.
My ears and my heart were aching from the silence coming through the phone. In
a mere three seconds or so, I would have lost it. I put the phone down, and hung up.
I looked up at the ceiling lit by the dim lights, and sat on the bench.
“……Haaaa~”
I messed up.
I was bad at talking, so why did I always say such unnecessary stuff…?
What exactly did I want from that man? If I just wanted him to get along with me
like we were family, then there him being nice shouldn’t have been a problem.. In
fact, it should’ve been desirable.
In fact, today’s Mizuto…felt really nice.
It felt a lot better than him just dripping with sarcasm, than the torrent of insults.
It felt a whole lot better than us despising each other and feeling all vexed.
But.
It sounded like I was hoping for him to show disdain.
What did I actually want?
What did I actually want him to become?
—Did I not break up with him because I hated that?

◆ Mizuto ◆

I wandered the aquarium aimlessly, anxiety gripping my heart.

During the half year when our relationship was on its last legs, my disgust of the
woman called Yume Ayai would increase by a point every day. Every action and
word left me increasingly vexed.
And that was the part that pained me more than anything else.
She was the one I once loved, I once treasured. My feelings for her became
frustrated by the day, until they finally turned to hatred. It was a pain unsurpassed
by anything.
That’s why I broke up with her.
It was fine as long as we were not lovers, no matter how I hated her—after all,
that was common.
—This…wasn’t supposed to happen.
 This should have happened…did you think the other relationship’s better?
Do you think it’s better for us to continue that relationship of just hating,
despising, and hurting each other?
Was it my fault to suggest that we break up?
Was I just being troubled?
Before I knew it, I stood in the middle of the passageway, while the families and
couples passed me by.
…If that’s the case, why didn’t you tell me?
Do you think I’m bothered that you don’t want to break up now?
“…Bothered, huh…?”
Speaking of which, something similar happened before.
She got lost, and I went to find her—the same thing was happening again.
Ah yeah, it happened before we officially started dating.
It was the first date of my life.

◆ Yume ◆

It might have been the first time ever that I gathered my courage.
We were just chatting away in the school library every day, but I gathered my
courage to invite him out to the local summer festival. In hindsight, given his
tendency to avoid crowds like the plague, he was so unsuited to such a place.
However, he’d still put at least a point in his courtesy stat, so he smiled and
accepted my invitation.
The summer festival came, and there were more people than we expected.
As expected, I got lost.
On my first ever date, I got lost. Time ticked away without mercy, and the geta
became torture devices, causing blisters on my feet. Put it all together, and it was
my biggest embarrassment yet.
I barely managed to break away from the crowds, and crouched between the
stalls; that was when Irido-kun contacted me. He was worried about me, and I
snivelled away as I kept apologizing.
—I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I caused you trouble…
He had me wait where I was, and hung up.
…Surely I infuriated him..
I was increasingly despondent as I thought about it.
It was too embarrassing. I was so slow, so incompetent, and things just never
went as planned…I thought I was fine this time, but…I ended up like this again.
 For a long time, I hated myself. Others breezed through the things that seemed
impossible to me. Conversations that came easy to others were difficult for me, and
I couldn’t live like everyone else… Even my father had gone.
At the very least, I just wanted to live without causing trouble for anyone.
At the very least, I didn’t want to be a burden to the one I loved.
That was supposed to be the case, but I got greedy, insatiable and conceited—
and ended up like this.
The noise gradually became more and more distant, and it felt like my
consciousness was seeping into the ground. Well, that was all right. I’d be more
than happy to sink into the ground and disappear.
It was a blessing that someone like me would disappear from this world.
I distanced my heart.. I built a Great Wall in my heart, so that I wouldn’t build
any relation with the world, so that I wouldn’t cause trouble to others—
And then a drink can appeared before me.
—Eh?
I lifted my face. Irido-kun was looking down at me, smiling.
He handed the can to me, and knelt before me, while I was still curled up.
—Say, Ayai.
He stared at my eyes, while being at level height with me.
—To be honest, looking for you in the crowd wore me out. And hearing your
sobs over the phone mentally drained me.
—…Uuu…
—But…there’s no illusion destroyed here. It’s not like I don’t understand you.
I looked towards the can he gave me…and saw it was the tea I had once said was
nice.
—I already know how hopeless you are, and how clumsy you are. Today, I also
learnt you get lost easily. But I still came despite knowing all that.
Irido-kun shoved me the can of tea. There weres quite a few droplets condensed
on the can. It was cold.
—You don’t have to be scared…keep causing me trouble. It’s fine.
I held the can with both hands, and lowered my head.
I could not look at Irido-kun’s face, lest something would explode, so it seemed.
It felt like I would lose control of something; I felt like I would show him
something more embarrassing.
I put my finger into the can ring, trying to cool my unbelievable heated
face…but.
—………I can’t open it…
 Irido-kun showed me a kind smile.
—Give me that.
This one incident turned the supposedly horrible first date into an irreplaceable
memory.
I definitely have to come again next year. That was what I thought back then. I
resolved myself never to get lost again, to enjoy the summer festival with him.
—But I never got that rematch.
That conflict happened before the summer vacation.
We were no longer planning for dates. We never managed to make any promises
during the summer break that lasted more than a month.
Despite that, I did show up at that summer festival.
I went through the crowds alone, and crouched at the place he found me a year
ago. I kept looking and looking at the crowds before me—but obviously, nobody
came to me.
If we never had that argument.
So I thought. I imagined him and I walking together in the crowds—
…Seriously, I was dithering too much.
It had been so long, and I was still thinking about the hypothetical, but of course,
the theoretical zero was nothing in reality.
Ultimately, we never made a promise, yet I continued to cling onto the wonderful
memories, hoping to be found. It was just ridiculous.
If I really wanted to make amends with him, all I needed to do was pick up the
phone and call him or something, and personally convey my feelings to him.
And during the time I wasn’t able to do so, the feelings between us were over.
……Let’s go home.
I was sicked and tired of watching couples and families at the aquarium. I’d
expertly gotten lost again, but if I just followed the crowd, I could probably find the
exit. With that thought in mind, I raised my head…
And then, a drink can was held out to me.
“…Eh?”
I lifted my head.
I saw Mizuto Irido.
He looked down at me, smiling, and looked so handsome in a way so unlike him.
He handed me a can, the same can of tea as back then.
Then, with a smile overflowing with sarcasm and a voice devoid of sarcasm, he
said these words.
 “I’ve come to pick you up, Princess. Do you need to find your bearings?”

◆ Mizuto ◆

It was a mischief insult on my part to erase the goodwill she had till this point.
Yume widened her eyes in surprise.
During that summer festival, I looked for her while meandering through the
crowds I so disliked, and heard her cries over the phone. I opened the can of tea for
her.
For my side, there was nothing about her that had grown more likeable.
I was fed up and tired, and she never did anything to make me like her more—
objectively looking at it, that date was a colossal failure.
But seriously, I wondered why…I wanted to be with this girl ever since that
date—that was what I felt back then.
I didn’t know if it was my desire to protect her. But I might have been envious of
her, given how she was able to show her weakness to others so openly—
Anyway—the moment I saw her, I realized something.
The name of the girl on the bench was Yume Irido.
The new stepsibling I just had.
She was definitely not Yume Ayai.
An existence I had no memories of.
Yume saw the can I handed to her, the thin condensed layer still on it, and
received it with two hands.
“Good work. You should look to fix your reading hobby,” she said, without any
of the weakness she showed before, a mischievous smile on her face.
“What are you saying, you idiot? Let’s settle this with a Biblio battle.”
“I’ll attack first. Ango Sakaguchi’s ‘The Non-serial Murder Incident’.”
“I’m next then. Mori Ōgai’s ‘The Dancing Girl’.”
“Don’t remind me of that scumbag Toyotarou!”
“Isn’t ‘The Non-serial Murder Incident’ just a buzzsaw of scumbags too!?”
“Does it matter when everyone dies anyway!?”
After this somewhat casual greeting. I sat down next to Yume.
She looked at the sealed wet can in her hands, its ring still intact. She inserted her
slender finger into it.
After a little resistance from the ring, there was a pop, and air flowed in.
She opened it easily, without assistance from anyone else.
I too opened my can, and we quenched our throats.
 The couples and families continued to move along. Which of these groups do we
belong to? So I thought. Were we a couple, family, or something else?
When Yume Ayai used to sit next to me, I would find myself unwittingly tense.
My heart would pound wildly, my palms would get sweaty, and I would freeze
all over.
But at this point—my heart remained calm, even though the same woman was
next to me.
As expected..
I didn’t feel any need to make her like me.
I—we—were already liberated from that obligation.
“…Hey.”
Yume moved her mouth away from the can, and said, “Don’t you think there’ll
be a corpse floating in the tank there?”
I too put down my can, and responded.
“How about you get your mystery-obsessed brain checked out? That’s what
someone who barely survived a supernatural phenomenon and lost her mind would
say.”
“What, you never had such a thought? Like, you see that sharp antenna-like thing
on the GIon Festival Yamaboko Float! Don’t you think ‘it’ll be really interesting if
a corpse’s impaled on there’?”
“I never thought of such a dangerous thing, and that’ll get me hit by karma. Even
if I did, that’s just on the level of ‘a man-eating shark suddenly appearing in the
Kamogawa river and eating a couple sitting there’.”
“Your delusion’s more dangerous than mine! And how can there possibly be a
man-eating shark in such a shallow river?”
“Sharks possess endless abilities!”
“Not at all! They’re just fish!”
“Alright. Let’s go check it out then. Since this is an aquarium, I’ll make you
shiver at the endless ability of sharks, and kneel before them.”
“How is this guy having such confidence…that’s more arrogant than a murderer
impersonating a famous name and giving notice before the act.”
We stood up, and tossed the emptied cans into the nearby trash bin.
I see, so I thought.
The moment we had no obligation to like each other, we lost the obligation to
hate each other—we were just stepsiblings who once dated.
By that logic, it’s a lot better than the rotten relationship we had when we were
still dating.
 “Shitty maniac.”
“Shitty otaku.”
We cursed for no reason.
And felt no pain.

◆ Yume ◆

“Kyaa!? The water’s flying!”

“Oy you! Don’t just hide behind me so naturally!”
“This wall’s really noisy. Now I can’t hear the dolphins!”
“Seriously, this woman’s saying that the dolphin sounds are more important than
her older stepbrother’s!? Here’s your punishment! Fanservice skirt!”
“Wait, no no no no! Not in these clothes today you idiot idiot idiot idiot!!”
Mizuto and I had fun at the aquarium, having made full use of the entrance fee.
We healed our souls with the cute penguins, used each other as shields during the
dolphin performances, and had lunch at the indoor restaurant. Of course, we were
cursing at each other the entire time.
We made a detour to the bookshop, bought books, and reached home in the
evening.
“We’re back~” we called out, sounding completely exhausted, but there was no
reply from the living room. It appeared mom hadn’t returned.
“Haa. I feel tired for some reason. Shouldn’t have worn clothes I ain’t used to.”
Mizuto removed his socks behind me, rubbing his shoulders and rolling his neck.
Ahhh…so that was the end of this getup? I would be lying if I said I didn’t have
any lingering regrets about that. It was him after all; even if I asked him to, he’d
firmly insist on never dressing up like that again.
Well, I was indifferent. To be honest, I was getting a little tired of seeing him
like that. Enough eye-candy for the day.
I should head to my room and change—so I thought as I walked to the stairs.
“…Alright, whoah. I didn’t expect Kawanami to message me so much on LINE.”
Mizuto was probably headed to the basin to wash his hair off, only to stop and
check his phone.
And then, while checking the phone—
He pulled out a case from his pocket.
And what he pulled from inside—were black-framed glasses!
“——!?”
Glasses? …Glasses!
 Oh yes…he had a habit of putting on blue-light glasses when using the PC or
phone at home!
And at that point.
He’d become the embodiment of my delusions, the college home tutor!
—Put that medal to the metal!
His intellectual flair accelerated when he put on the glasses, and something just
snapped in me.
“…Seriously, why’s that guy getting all agitated…haaa. Anyway, let’s wash my
hair—”
“SSSTTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPP
PPPP!!!”
I grabbed Mizuto’s shoulder right when he reached his hand for the bathroom
door handle, and tugged at it with all my mind.
Mizuto looked over his shoulder in shock. The eyes beyond his glasses were
widened completely.
“Huh, eh? What? Stop?”
“No-not your hair. Don’t clean it up. Leave it!”
My words were all jumbled up, but it seemed I managed to convey my intent.
The eyebrows beyond the black glasses frowned.
“Don’t clean my hair…why?”
Because it really suits you with these glasses!
Of course, I couldn’t say that.
Th-think…! This isn’t the time for my brain to go numb! I need to prove that I’m
not in middle school anymore. Quick, think of something, some way to continue
enjoying this intellectual, lethargic-looking boy who looked so great with such
glasses…!
My brain cells were running at a never before seen efficiency. After digging
through my memories, I finally thought of something.
Right, this is it!
“I-it’s the underwear penalty! As the older sister, I’m going to record my little
brother in such dashing clothes!”

◆ Mizuto ◆

Each side had one chance to give an order, as long as it didn’t violate public
decency.
 Using the right I obtained from the underwear incident, I managed to get Yume
to go on a date, but Yume hadn’t used her order.
And I forgot all about that, until just then…
I never thought it would be used in this manner however.
“Sit on the sofa. Yes. Then, fold your legs. Yes! Put this bunkobon on your knee!
Yes yes! Now elbow on other knee, cheek on hand! Yes yes yes yes!”
Snap snap snap snap! The sound effects kept coming from her phone.
Front, right, left, slightly low. I just remained seated as I was, like a fortune cat,
cheek on hand, as I endured this stiff pose.
“Ehe, ehehe. Ehehehehehe……!”
Yume was showing such a relaxed face after all.
She looked happier than she did after our first kiss.
“…Say, should you really be lusting after your little stepbrother like that, sis?”
“Huh? What? Can you stop getting carried away? You look just a little cool,
okay?”
“O-Oh.”
“Oooh, that thin figure and the flowing hair and those long fingers and the little
bad boy look really land in all my strike zones perfectly but then there’s all the
things I really can’t say out loud here!”
O-oh…”
Seemed like she was really into this.
I’d expected her to think poorly of this outfit, but it looked like stylist Kawanami
did a perfect job.
Despite that, I was starting to get a little embarrassed, so I turned my face aside,
and moved my hand from the cheek to my mouth. I didn’t know what nerve I
struck, but the snapping sounds from the camera got increasingly frenetic.
My back was unbearably itchy…well, I guess Kawanami’s words weren’t for
naught.
“Ehehehehehehe…I have a handsome guy on my phone now…”
Yume had a lovestruck look on her face as she stared at the photos and her
phone, and I got the urge to throw in a little freebie. With a half-joking smile, I
said,
“You’re fine with photos only?”
Now there’s a conceited guy.
“Now that you have the chance, shall I listen to another one of your requests,
sister?”
“Eh? …R-really!? Anything!?”
 “If it’s within my capabilities.”
“Th-then, then then!”
Her eyes were sparkling, and she sat on the L-shaped sofa.
“I’ll sit here, you embrace me from behind, and whisper something in my ear!”
“…What’s that about?”
“I-it’s just the penalty! Nothing to do with my interests! Of course it’s a younger
brother’s duty to gently embrace his older sister from behind like this!”
It’d be impressive if such a duty truly existed.
…But well, she had the right to order me. I had to do as she ordered. I had to.
I got up, went around, and sat behind Yume on the sofa. Even from behind, I
could see her getting all jittery, and I too ended up tense for some strange reason.
What should I say…? Probably a line from a shoujo manga…hmmm…
I excavated such a line from the few shoujo manga I knew of that would fit this
description. Do I really have to say this? What kind of guy would say this kind of
stuff? Aaah, seriously! This is too embarrassing!

◆ Yume ◆

I had a feeling that I just made an unbelievable request in the spit of the moment,
but it didn’t matter.
What would he say to me? With what tone? I was looking forward to it.
The moment of restlessness continued. After I moved myself for the third time, I
sensed that he had made up his mind. It’s finally here. My heart raced faster. Uh
oh. I was excited. I was really stiff—at this moment.
He gently held my shoulders from behind, like wings wrapped around me.
And then, I could sense his lips up close as he whispered in my ear with that
clear, thick masculine voice, which only I could hear.
“(—I caught you).”
I don’t have any recollection of what happened after that.

◆ Mizuto ◆

I felt a strong sense of regret all over me the moment I said those words. What in
the world did I just say…? Aight, Imma become shark meat.
But. But really. I said it. I said it. I said what you wanted! With a really sweet
voice! Come on, just laugh all you want! I’m ready!
—Just then.
 Yume placed her white hand on my hand that’s on her shoulder.
She turned her head around, and looked at me up close with her moist black eyes.
She gently muttered, as though keeping a secret from the entire world.
“(—I got caught).”
I don’t have any recollection of what happened after that.

◆ Yume ◆

Just like that, the impromptu date at the aquarium ended with the tragedy of two
corpses in the living room.
Despite that, there were still many unsolved mysteries. First off, what was with
the loafers at the entrance? What was the reason for Mizuto asking me out on a
date, dressed fancily like that? Also, it was one thing if it was just me, but why’d
Mizuto end up expiring in the living room as well? What did I do?
It was unprecedented for there to be so many unknowns. If this were a mystery
novel, it was a failure. The only thing I knew for sure was that I had the ideal
handsome guy saved on my phone.
“Haaa…so cool…”
“…Mind not fawning over my picture while I’m right in front of you?”
I compared the Mizuto in his plain, shoddy mode with the handsome home tutor
(Mizucool) on my phone.
“…Say, can’t you just isekai into this instead?”
“I can do that without dying, right!?”
Eh~ no no, that’s impossible. He’s of a completely different species.
According to him, that getup was Kawanami-kun’s handiwork. I really should
have him do that again. Mass production wasn’t just a fantasy now. One day, I
would print the photo out and paste it on the ceiling above my bed. Ehehehe…
“…You have a habit of running wild once you get excited.”
“Huh? When was I excited?”
“Look, you can’t be that oblivious.”
“I don’t want to hear that from you. You don’t know how fine your face is.”
“Say, how are you still keeping up your honor student act?”
I had to admit, I never knew what I would do when I was excited, but it wasn’t
so bad some gloomy loner had to worry about me.
“Morning, Yume-chan~!”
“Morning, Minami-san.”
 We were on the way to school on Monday, and Minami-san started chatting with
us friends.
“Anything happen on the weekend~?”
“I’ve been at work.”
“Seriously? I slept the entire weekend.”
“I’m so jealous~!”
“What about you, Yume-chan?”
“Mostly the same. I’ve been reading at home.”
“So intellectual~! That’s just like you, Irido-san~!”
There wasn’t a need to mention anything about the aquarium date with my little
stepbrother.
There wasn’t a need to enlist others’ help. The ideal daily life I had in middle
school would continue.

◆ Mizuto ◆

No dream comes without cost.

Only by paying that cost, through offer or sacrifice, could the future we wished
for become reality.
The real annoying part was that these dreams also came with upkeep costs.
People had to keep sacrificing to maintain and protect those dreams.
I witnessed a dream-like scene of Yume Irido chatting happily with several
friends, and realized that ridiculous joke of a strategy actually worked.
Ever since that date, Minami-san never approached me.
Kawanami had been watching her, and I was told “Looks like it’s all clear now.
She’s not doing that again! Serves her right!” Coast’s clear.
Despite that, I had to settle this once and for all.
She probably felt the same, and gave me a look when noon break came.
I finished my bento quickly, and arrived at the library. This was where she’d
proposed to me.
We were in a corner of the library, opposite the entrance. The place was mostly
surrounded with bookshelves, and Akatsuki Minami was disguised as a book girl,
waiting for me.
“Sorry! I overdid it when I intruded upon your house!”
She said as she clapped her hands together, lowering her head deeply.
“I didn’t mean any harm! You were so careless that you forgot to lock the door,
and I couldn’t resist!”
 “Can I say it’s weird how you managed to hear I hadn’t locked the door?”
Clearly she intended to sneak into my house, okay?
Minami-san stared at my face worriedly through the plain looking black-green
glasses.
“…Will you tell Yume-chan about what I did?”
Logically, I should be doing this.
She was a stalker, a real criminal. Nevermind Yume, I had to inform the police.
But.
“…Well, that’s fine. Just watch yourself next time.”
“Eh? Why…?”
I looked beyond the window, and fiddled with my bangs.
“…Well, I just don’t want anything drastic to happen to her.”
Appearing in my mind was the sight of that woman chatting nonchalantly with
her friends.
I knew.
A certain girl who bawled her eyes out because she got lost was happily chatting
with her classmates in school. I knew how many sacrifices she had to make.
“…Hmmm, I see.”
She said with much intent, and gave a very conflicted smile.
“But I won’t thank you though.”
“Please do. Thank me with tears in your eyes.”
“Don’t wanna~ I don’t want anything drastic to happen~”
I didn’t understand what she was saying. Minami-san looked around, and I
sighed.
“…Say, what were you thinking, putting a fifth chair at my dining table?”
“Eh? What do you mean, the fifth chair?”
“……Eh?”
“Sorry, I was just joking! But well, I was just fooling around, you know? Ah
seriously, I was so embarrassed, so I tried to pull a horror flick move to misdirect
you~! Don’t take it so seriously~!”
Minami-san put her hands on her face bashfully. Be considerate to my heart
here!
“I’m really sorry! I’ll watch myself and visit as a proper friend!”
“Oy, you don’t look like you’re reflecting on your actions and moving away
from me by a bit.”
“Or maybe we can live together once I get married with you, Irido-kun~!”
“You haven’t given up on that!?”
 That’s not what you said, Kawanami!
Minami-san raised her pink lips and declared,
“The best way to defeat a love rival is to pair the love rival with someone else—
right?”
After school, I started a strategic meeting on how to deal with Akatsuki Minami.
Of course, the participants were Kogure Kawanami and me.
“But to be honest, I can’t do anything if she doesn’t do any actual damage. Might
take a few more times!”
“Don’t try to end this meeting immediately, you damned stalker.”
“I prefer ‘love ROM specialist’.”
“ROM?”
“Read Only Member Specialist. Lurker. Someone who just watches and doesn’t
do anything.”
So in other words, he wasn’t going to fall in love, he was just going to watch. No
wonder he didn’t have any girl around him.
“Well relax. I’m pushing you and Irido-san together! The other girls approaching
you can die of cardiac arrest for all I care!”
“Oy, we got another dangerous person here!”
“Jokes aside.”
“Don’t think you can pass it off as a joke.”
“Let’s not talk about the other Mizuto Irido ships here.”
“You’re not even trying to misdirect me…”
“If that woman does anything bad again, look for me. I think I’ll be more helpful
than anyone else when it comes to Akatsuki Minami.”
I stared intently at my reliable friend’s frivolous face.
…I thought about it before, and what he just said turned that thought into belief.
“…Just to ask you something, Kawanami.”
“Hm?”
“Did you—get hospitalized before?”
Kawanami paused, put his elbows on the table as he held up his face, and gave a
very conflicted smile.
That smile—was so similar to Akatsuki Minami’s.
“Yeah. During middle school.”
…Ahh, as expected.
Seemed like this guy’s a reliable comrade of mine.
Having understood this, I gave him a weary, wry smile.
“We really suffered.”
“Yep, we really did.”
I truly felt that having a girlfriend was a grave mistake.
 Chapter 8: The couple exchange gifts. (I wanna
die)
“…A white Christmas, huh?”
“Ahhh. I’ll never forget this scene, I guess.”
“Because I’m next to you?”
“Whaddya think?”
“I’ll be angry if not.”
“Then yes, because of you.”
“You idiot.”
—After fooling around like that, the actor and actress on the TV kissed.
I never turned it on, but we did have a TV at home. It was usually switched on at
dinner time, mostly for BGM.
In our family of four, Yume and I were complete bookworms, so it usually fell to
dad or Yuni-san to turn on the TV.
“Aaah~ Looking at this scene somehow makes me feel lonely,” Yuni-san
lamented as she watched the actors exchange a kiss more passionate than normal
people could do. “Christmas is always such a rush ‘cause we’re preparing to
welcome in the new year. Just thinking of the 25th of December makes me
melancholic. And my heart always used to squeal in delight around this time~”
“Hahaha! Although we’re still young at heart, when it comes to such
moments…aaah, but Mizuto and Yume-chan are around that age, right?”
Gulp.
Once dad said that, Yume and I stopped moving our chopsticks.
“Don’t worry about us when you get a lover~! Well, Mizuto’s a lost cause, but
Yume-chan looks like she stands a chance!”
“Fufufu. She really changed a lot, you know~? She used to be a really plain girl
back then—”
“Mom…”
Yume reproached her mother, and shot me a sideward glance.
Just in case, huh? I won’t mention it even if you don’t remind me.
Yuni-san smiled as she put her elbows on the table, hands on chin.
“But well, I’m looking forward to it. I wonder when Yume and Mizuto-kun’ll let
us have the house to ourselves for Christmas?”
“Shall we act like youngsters again when that time comes, Yuni-san?”
 “Fufu, of course. I’m looking forward to it~ Let’s hope they’ll work hard for it
then.”
…Neither Dad nor Yuni-san knew.
Yume and I did once let them have the house for Christmas.
Our parents knew nothing; only she and I knew what happened on that chilly
day.
It was eighth grade, the first Christmas after Yume Ayai and I had started dating.

“—I’m back! Mizuto! I bought cake!”

I am Mizuto Irido, an eight-grader with a girlfriend. I was the protagonist of that
Christmas day; every other man was nothing more than a background character
compared to me.
So then, why!? The only thing I did was to go out and buy a small cake at a
nearby convenience store, together with my dad… just like last Christmas.
If the idea of spending Christmas with a loved one were to undergo a Galápagos-
like evolution, then surely, this was the correct way to spend your Christmas.
…But…but…!!
It was just too difficult to believe. Now that I had a girlfriend, a girlfriend,
shouldn’t my Christmas be more special!?
“How is it? Is the chocolate cake good?”
“…Sorta.”
“Let me have a bite. I’ll give you a bite of my shortcake.”
Shouldn’t I be having this conversation with my girlfriend, Yume Ayai? So
why…?!
No, I knew. I knew exactly why.
We were in middle school, still hiding the fact we were dating from everyone
around us. It was impossible to go out on a midnight date to those beautiful,
romantic places.
At least I got to meet her in the afternoon. We’d gone to the same old spot, where
the same old Jingle Bell tune had been playing over and over for the past month or
so, just like all the other couples.
Just like that, we went our separate ways, as usual.
It was really mundane.
As mundane as going home after school… And I knew exactly why.
Ahh, just laugh. Laugh all you want.
 This coward without equal chickened out, just as he was gonna hand her the gift
he picked out for her with such care!
I’d muster my courage, asked the shop attendant to wrap the gift, and then put it
on my bedroom desk where it acted as decoration.
Just kill me already.
“Hm? What’s wrong, Mizuto? You’re looking a little glum… Ahh, I get it, a
present! See, I prepared one for you~! ─It’s a library card!”
I wanna die.

“…I wanna die…”

Yume Ayai (that’s me) was sprawled on her desk, feeling utterly depressed.
Actually, forget depressed. I was already dead. I died. Thanks for caring,
everyone. Please look forward to the next work.
“Why’d it end up like this…every single time… No matter how I prepare, I clam
up when it matters most… I’ve had enough…”
There was a gift-wrapped box on my desk. It was a present for Irido-kun,
prepared specially for today.
I was supposed to look for an opportunity to hand it to him during our afternoon
Christmas date. Instead, it was right there on my desk; in other words, quest failed.
I was satisfied with the date itself. We went to some places frequented by lovers,
which we normally didn’t do, and it really caught up with me that “Whoah, we’re
really dating.”
Well, I guess that was also the problem.
I’d been worrying the entire time. Would I ruin the good mood if I did something
indecent? Would the happy mood dissipate…? I never got to hand over the present,
even when our date came to an end.
“Uu…”
I felt like crying.
I’d always been that way. I hardly ever did the things I wanted to do. The only
thing that ever went right for me was confessing to Irido-kun…
…If I stayed this way, I was sure he’d grow sick and tired of me…
“Yume~? I’ll take a bath first, okay~?”
I heard mom’s voice right when I was about to cry.
…Right, bath.
I always gave Irido-kun a call after my bath.
 I’ll just tell him ‘Oh actually, I prepared a present for you. I’ll give it to you next
time!’
“O-okay…!”
Since I made up my mind, I was gonna hurry.
I was about to answer mom and head to the bath first, but an old western tune
came from the phone on my table.
“…!?”
It was the theme song for the movie Irido-kun forced on me before we went
dating. It was a tune that only played when he called, and I hastily picked up the
phone.
To avoid accidentally hanging up, I carefully slid the button to “Accept.”
“—Y-yes. Hello…?”
“…Ayai.”
That was the voice I most wanted to hear at that point. Just hearing it made me
happy, but what Irido-kun had to say was beyond my expectation.
“Mind coming to the veranda?”

I saw the white breath blend into the air, and Ayai’s window opened.
She leaned from the veranda, spotted me, and I heard a groan from the receiver.
“W…wh-why…why…?”
“No, erm…well, it’s Christmas after all.”
It was so embarrassing. I wanted to change the topic then and there.
But I had to endure. It was a special day, so it should be fine for me not to act
cool, to not give excuses…it was Christmas after all.
I took a deep breath, and resisted the urge to let out my inner chuuni.
“…I wanted to… see your face again.”
“…!! ~~~~~!!!”
Ayai let out a voice on the other side of the call.
Wh-what? What’s going on? She’s sounding like she just sensed a Great Old
One.
Amidst the confusion, beep, she hung up.
And then, Ayai, who’d been leaning from the veranda, retreated back indoors.
“…Ahhh…”
She found me disgusting after all…
 I’d expected it… After all, I’d dropped by without notice. If the roles were
reversed, I would’ve felt the same way.
Ahhh, just kill me already. Sorry for being alive.
“—I-Irido-kun!!”
Just as my despair spiraled into the form of Osamu Dazai, a small silhouette
came running toward the entrance to the apartments…
Huh?
“A-Ayai?”
Ayai got onto the cold walkway, exhaling white breath as she tried to regain her
breath.
Panting heavily, she put her hands on her knees, looked up at me,, and gave an
apprehensive smile.
“A-Ahaha. Y-you came out here?”

“No…erm, that’s my line,” Irido-kun replied coolly. Despite that, he’d stiffened
all over… Maybe he was really shocked after all.
“…Aha.”
I was a little happy.
Happy I managed to get back at him by surprising him.
I came running down the stairs as I was too impatient to wait for the elevator,
and took quite a long time to catch my breath. Once I moved my hands away from
my knees, I smiled bashfully once again.
“E-ehehe. Mom went to bathe…so I used this chance to come here.”
“Ahh…I-I see. That’s why…”
“So, erm…well, I guess, we only have…about 30 minutes.”
“30 minutes…? I see.”
We normally didn’t talk much, and that day, we stammered quite a bit. However,
I was beyond myself that I held a conversation without bursting into laughter, or
feeling anxious. A conversation without ruining the mood.
Ahhh… It was a special day for Irido-kun, too. I wasn’t the only one who
treasured our time together…
He wasn’t the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, and my heart fluttered
whenever I got a rare glimpse at his true feelings.
 He didn’t look like he was particularly interested in other people, but he was in
fact, very kind and caring. He normally looked extremely poised, but really, there
were moments when he would panic in secret.
Before I knew it, I assembled an image of the real Irido-kun, piece by piece. I
cautiously gathered each bit in a photo album inside my heart, and would look at it
over and over…
I really enjoyed my time with him, so much so that he dominated my world that
had previously been dominated by reading.
That was why, I—
“—Achoo!”
I shivered, and sneezed.
Huh? …Oh, I see.
“…I forgot my coat…”
It was then that I felt cold.
I’ve been too hasty in running out of the house…! Uuuuu, it was such a rare time
to be together… Why now of all times…?
“Oy oy, you’re rather careless,” Irido noted dumbfoundedly, and he undid the
buttons of his coat. “Here.”
He removed his coat, and draped it over my shoulders.
It’s so warm…
My head felt a little fuzzy when the warm coat was placed over me. It’s like I
was embraced by Irido-kun, and I was a little embarrassed… You can hug me
directly if you want, you know—I had such a thought, and that left me more
embarrassed. Who was I to think that way?
For various reasons, I started heating up. I tried to take a short breather, but…
“…But won’t you be cold too, Irido-kun?”
“No, I’m fine,” Irido-kun answered, though his shoulders were shivering a little.
He’s just acting tough. So friggin cute…! But he’ll catch a cold if this goes on.
What should I do…?
Those were my thoughts, and I came up with a highly difficult plan. In fact, it’d
be too difficult to execute properly on the first go, and it might be easier to just slip
it underneath the tree. No, well, but… It was Christmas after all.
…It’s Christmas after all!
I was overwhelmed by the power of those words, which urged me on from
behind.. Thank you, Jesus Christ. For me, that was the one miracle that could
convert me to Christianity.
“Th-then…erm…”
 I could sense my face turning beet red, but having been compelled by the power
of Christmas, I sputtered out the rest.
“Shall…we wear it together?”

Unexpectedly, we could fit into the coat together.

Ayai and I were together, shoulder to shoulder underneath the coat. Ayai
shivered anxiously, carefully leaning in against me.
…She’s so light.
Yet so warm.
And she smells nice.
I fell into a relieved state, though my heartbeat was racing as a result. It’d be bad
if I started thinking with my johnny, though. I stared vacantly into the night sky,
trying to avoid clueing her in to my less-than-pure thoughts.
And Ayai giggled.
“…What?”
“Nothing…I just thought my boyfriend’s cute.”
Ugh… She saw right through me.
She’d been on edge the entire time, but she said that sort of stuff so easily…
While I bit down my embarrassment in silence, Ayai hastily waved her hands.
“Ah… Y-you’re angry!? S-sorry…?”
“No, I’m not angry. Just embarrassed… You don’t have to worry so much.”
“I-I see…?”
“Since—”
Ah heck, who cares if it’s cringe? It’s Christmas…
“—I won’t get angry, since it’s you…”
I guessed my words trailed off a little weakly because I was completely relaxed.
This left me all the more embarrassed, and I turned my head aside.
And then…
“…Ehe. Ehehe. Ehehehehehehe…”
Ayai sounded a little happy and nervous, and leaned more onto my shoulder.
Looks like she liked it. Thank goodness. Was worried I said something wrong.
In this short moment, I quietly felt the weight lifted off my shoulders. Two white
breaths appeared intermittently under this night sky.
“…Erm, well…Irido-kun.”
I turned my eyes to the voice, and saw Ayai peeking up at me.
 “I have something…to give you.”
My heart jolted. Ayai had prepared something, too.
“You said…you won’t be angry as long as it’s from me, right? Then…you
will…accept my gift…right?”
Her voice sounded increasingly feeble as she kept talking, confidence flagging.
Whenever Ayai acted that way, I wound up thinking there was no need for her to
be so nervous. Ayai wasn’t stupid at all, and it’s not like I felt bad being with her,
and…well, her face was cute, too.
If only she could talk to people normally, without all the anxiousness spilling
out, she should’ve been able to make a lot of friends. She knew that, too, but for
some reason she simply lacked confidence, and people shunned her because of it.
“…Ayai.”
“Eh…?”
I wordlessly inserted my hand into the pocket, and took out a gift-wrapped box.
Ayai saw that, and kept blinking away.
“Uh…th-that…is?”
“A Christmas gift…I was a little nervous this afternoon, and didn’t give it to
you.”
“…Eh…?”
Ayai looked up at me with a dumbfounded face—and then…
“—Pfft! Aha! Ahahaha! Ahahahaha…!!”
She giggled, and then let out a cute laugh.
And I ended up a little miffed.
“You don’t have to laugh like that…”
“S-sorry…! But, well…I never thought we’d be so similar, Irido-kun.”
“In other words, you too, Ayai…?””
“Yes.”
Ayai took out a wrapped gift, and showed it to me.
Even I started to chuckle when I saw that. Side by side, we laughed for a long
time.
The frigid winds stinging our ears and cheeks soon felt like nothing.
Once we stopped laughing, Ayai wiped the tears from her eyes, and covered her
mouth with her gift.
“Let’s…exchange presents then.”
“Ahh, let’s do it.”
We exchanged our nice-looking boxes. It wasn’t anything real important, but to
us, it was a solemn ritual.
 I handed my box over to Ayai, and in turn, I received her box.
I looked at the front, the back, and the front again. I couldn’t wait anymore.
“Can I open it?”
“Eh? …H-here?”
“You can open mine.”
“…Nn, then…”
We undid the red ribbons in unison.
It wasn’t like we’d never given each other presents before, but till that point,
we’d only given each other practical gifts. There wasn’t any danger of them being
rejected.
Those Christmas presents were different.
They weren’t practical in any way. It was risky and difficult to deal with…the
sort of presents you only exchanged if you had the courage to be lovers.
“…Ah…” Ayai muttered once she opened the box. “Is this…a pendant?”
Contained in the little box was a glass pendant with a pink flower encased in it.
It wasn’t anything real expensive. After all, it was bought with a middle
schooler’s pocket money. I’d spent a lot of effort thinking about it, despite lacking
any fashion knowhow; after all, I didn’t normally bother with such accessories. I
wound up surfing the internet a lot, and still wasn’t sure if it could be considered
pretty, but─
Ayai dangled the pendant before her.
“Amazing…there’s a flower inside the glass…what kind of flower is this?”
“Showy Baby’s-Breath. I like its floral language.”
“Floral language…”
Hearing that, Ayai took out her phone to search immediately. I started to panic.
“No…! Wait! It’s a little embarrassing…!”
“Eh? But it’s fine, right?”
Ayai smiled mischievously as she turned to shield her phone. “Erm.” She started
reading the search results out. ” ‘Romance’, ‘purity’, ‘sincerity’, ‘innocence’…”
“…Actually, erm.” I could only give up and confess to her. “…It’s commonly
used in wedding bouquets.”
“…Eh?”
Ayai looked down at her pendant once again, her face so clearly red even in the
night.
…What’s this? A marriage proposal…!?
My face started to sear at this point. I should have chosen a normal one after all!
“…Nn…”
 I was overwhelmed with regret, and Ayai opened the packaging, lifted her hair,
and put on the pendant.
“Alright…done…… How is it?”
The pendant I’d gifted Ayai was now around her neck.
…Ahhh. Ahh—ahh—how do I describe this?
Should I call this happiness, or giddiness…? Either way, my heart was swelling
with a sense of achievement.
“I’ve never worn something like this before, so I don’t know if it suits me…”
“No, it suits you very well,” I inadvertently blurted. “It really does… You’re
cute.”
“Eh? …Nn, nn… Th-thank…”
 Ayai looked away bashfully, her cold, red face starting to relax.
That expression of hers showed me that the time and effort I put in was more
than richly rewarded.
“…I shall open your present then.”
“Ah…nn, nn!”
I unwrapped the box while Ayai looked at me tensely.
“—…Ahh.”
“Heh… We really are in sync.”
…It was a necklace.
I lifted the necklace, and there was a feather-like decoration hanging on it.
“There’s not a real nice backstory for your present, Irido-kun… It’s more of a
quill pen than a feather.”
“A quill pen?”
“Erm, well…” Ayai’s eyes fluttered for quite some time, and then she finally
seemed to have made up her mind as she said, “……I like to see you scribbling
away on your notebook when you’re studying for the tests.”
“………”
I was silent for several seconds, trying to comprehend her words.
“…..So that’s your fetish?”
“Ahhhhhhhhhh…!! R-rather than a fetish, it’s just an interest of mine…!!”
Well, that’s a fetish if ever I’ve seen one.
Ayai lowered her head dejectedly. “Uuu…sorry for saying something off-
putting.”
“You’re always apologizing for this and that,” I said, as I tried putting on the
pendant. “Look.”
Once she saw me put on her present, Ayai’s gloomy face started to change.
I saw her rein in her excitement, and I chuckled.
“Christmas presents sure are something.”
“N-nn…! Th-they really are!”
We shared these shallow thoughts of ours, looked at each other again, and
chuckled.
After that, we spent another ten or so minutes with our aimless conversations.
There weren’t any pretty lights.
There weren’t any romantic snowflakes.
We were just by a tree next to the apartments. It was just a lonely tree, in the dim
light of street lamps and home lights.
Despite that, the fleeting moment on this day was firmly etched in our hearts.
 “…See you, then.”
“…Ahh, next time.”
We gently waved, bidding each other farewell at the apartment’s entrance.
It was a little quiet, as we said nothing, both reluctant to leave the other.
—And because I knew that, I grabbed Ayai’s wrist.
“Eh? Irido-kun—”
I pulled Ayai closer, and bent forward.
We were forced to remain silent.
I stood upright again, and Ayai’s face had turned red because of something other
than the cold. She blinked in surprise.
“…Well, it’s Christmas,” I said by way of excuse.
Ayai smiled. “Yes… It’s Christmas after all.”
This time, Ayai tiptoed a little.
Once she stood properly again, we smiled at each other, and finally broke away.
At that point, we still hadn’t told anybody about our relationship.
One day, I was going to mention her to dad. Six months before, I never would’ve
thought I’d have a girlfriend to introduce to him.
I walked home alone, and saw the pendant dangling on my chest.
Could we meet openly on the next Christmas?
Would we meet at either house, and gather together at the same table?
What kind of present would we gift next time?
“…I should start thinking about it now.”
365 days from today.
Starting from that moment, I was looking forward to that day.

365 days later, we’d stopped talking to each other.

“Nothing lasts forever…”
Now in my first year of highschool, I took out that necklace after so long, and
grasped the truth of this world.
For a time since that Christmas, we’d try to find our gifts around the other’s
necks, and then laugh about it. Because of that, we’d deliberately hide them in our
collars or mufflers, or even in places you’d not think to look. What was so fun
about that, though?
But now, I didn’t think she’d notice, or even look for it. After all, I fully
expected she’d have tossed out that pendant the moment she moved.
 “…It’s been a while, shall I wear it?”
If she didn’t notice, my hypothesis would be confirmed. If she did, then perhaps
she’d have an interesting reaction.
Feeling enthusiastic, I put on the necklace, hid the feather design beneath my
clothes, and left my room.
I probably would meet her on the way to the bathroom—so I thought.
“Ah.”
“Ah.”
I opened the door, and met her on the second-floor hallway.
It was Yume, now a first year in highschool, taller and with longer hair than
before.
And then, I noticed something on her.
There was a familiar pendant glittering among her black hair.
“…Heh.”
“Hmph.”
That was the only interaction we had. We said nothing else and went down the
stairs.
The dinnertime TV drama ended when I entered the living room. Dad was at the
dining table, while Yuni-san was in the kitchen, putting the dishes into the dryer.
“Ohh, Mizuto. Going to take a bath?”
“I think the water’s warm by now. Yume, play rock paper scissors if you want to
go first!”
They never noticed the small change between us.
We answered our parents, sat on the sofa before the TV, leaving a space between
us, and wordlessly opened the books we brought from our rooms.
“…Fuu.”
Yume suddenly giggled.
“What?”
I kept my eyes on my book.
“We really aren’t in sync,” Yume said, without looking up from her book..
“Yeah,” I answered, and I went back to reading.
My book was ‘A Christmas Carol’, and Yume’s book was ‘Hercule Poirot’s
Christmas’.
 Instead of an afterword: A comment on every
chapter
Chapter 1 – The ex-couple refuses to address each other (Original title: The ex-
couple call each other)
The web version was released on August 7th 2017. If this actually happens in
reality, it’ll be hell on Earth. I guess they’ll refuse to cohabitate. I want to use a
certain opportunity in the future to explain why Yume agreed to living together,
and to changing her family name.

Chapter 2 – The ex-couple watches the house (Original title: The ex-girlfriend is
making me aware)
The web version was released on August 10th 2017. I was wondering for a long
time whether I should have those two cross the line, but well, it doesn’t feel good to
make it too simple. 2 days after this chapter was released, August 12th, it won the
top combined ranking for the week on Kakuyomu.

Chapter 3 – The ex-couple’s going to school

The web version was released on August 19th 2017. After this, I hardly wrote
anything about Yume being popular. So why? Yep, it’s been settled quietly by
someone who specializes in romance.

Chapter 4 – The ex-couple goes for a test

New added content, the part where Akatsuki Minami debuts. It’s a different kind
of chapter that doesn’t have Mizuto and Yume talking to each other much. I feel
some things stand out more when there are fewer words.

Chapter 5 – The ex-boyfriend’s caring for the sick

The web version was released on September 5th 2017. Personally, this was the
hardest chapter for me to write. If not for the illness tormenting her, there’s no way
Yume can be so dere here.

Chapter 6 – In the house, the ex-girlfriend waits dreaming (Original title: Ex-
girlfriend, please wake up.)
The web version was released on August 26th 2017. No, erm, for a moment, I
was wondering if it’ll be interesting to write a stupid story of stealing the
underwear in a Lovecraftian-manner, so…I wanted to write the whole story
Lovecraftian style, but it was really difficult to read, so I left it for a single part.

Chapter 7 – The ex-couple goes on a date (Original title: The ex-girlfriend’s

really anxious / The ex-couple goes on a date / The ex-boyfriend wants to protect)
The web versions were released on September 19h 2017 and October 31st 2017.
I thought it was time for them to date, but they couldn’t follow through it. They
were once together, but had too little dating experience. Well, Mizuto’s actually a
hidden handsome guy. Doesn’t that make people happier?

Chapter 8 – The couple exchange gifts.

The web version was released on December 25th 2017. I wrote this chapter when
it was Christmas in real life. It’s my style to write a kiss scene without a kiss.

Please allow me to give my utmost thanks to the editor-in-charge who took a

liking to this work that has nothing other than unresolved sexual tension between a
boy and a girl, and TakayaKi-sensei for providing cute illustrations here, and to the
readers who have been supporting me since it was published on the WEB.
The WEB version released on Kakuyomu contains new stories involving a new
heroine, while excluding the all-rounder Mizuto and the mystery maniac Yume.
Please have a look. If you want to see her in the books, or more of TakayaKi-
sensei’s illustrations, your promotion to your acquaintances or SNS might be useful
to Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko editorial branch. Let’s work hard to exert pressure on
the publisher in the form of sales volume.
This is ‘The daughter of my stepmother is my ex-girlfriend, the old flame has yet
to be extinguished’ from Kyousuke Kamishiro. I hope to meet again in the second
volume.
Credits
Author: Kyousuke Kamishiro
Illustrator: TakayaKi

Translation group is Hellping

Translated by Teh_Ping