My Stepsister is My Ex-Girlfriend - Volume 5 - Chapter 3

Isana Higashira Will Not Be Led Astray

“Um... Would you like to adjourn to my room?”

Mizuto Irido

Not to brag, but I’ve been in a girl’s room before. And again, not to brag, but that girl also happened to be my girlfriend. You might not believe me, but I really wasn’t bragging, because I’m not proud of it. Sure, I’d been over to my girlfriend’s house, but I’d never been over to the house of a girl who was also my friend.

“Mizuto-kun, would you like to visit my home tomorrow?” Isana Higashira had asked when we spoke over the phone last night.

“Why? I don’t have anything I wanna do at your house.”

“Are you positive about that? Don’t you want to witness me in the flesh?”

“I don’t need to go to your house to do that. You pop up at my house even when I don’t ask you to come over.”

“Precisely what I mean!”

“Explain.”

“I visit your house almost daily, which has prompted my mother to...”

“Get pissed at you?”

“Not at all. She simply wishes to greet your family.”

“Oh...” That makes sense. Most parents would want to meet their kid’s friend’s family. It’s completely normal...I think. From the little information I had about her mom, I knew that she was pretty intense but was very knowledgeable about societal expectations and common sense.

“However, don’t you find it a little uncomfortable for a friend to bring their parent all the way to your house for the sole purpose of meeting your family?”

“Yeah, true.”

“So to avoid that, I suggested that she meet you and you alone first.”

“That’s still pretty annoying. Why do I need to meet your mom at all?”

“I know—it’s almost as if we’re tying the knot,” she giggled.

“Any intention I had of coming just disappeared.”

“Please reconsider! Do you wish for me to be slain by my mother’s hand?!”

“Y’know, I’ve been wondering, did your mom used to be in a gang or something?”

“Oh no, I seem to have misrepresented my mother. She has never been part of a gang. She doesn’t require that pretense to be violent.”

“Now I really don’t want to go.”

“There’s no need to worry! She truly only wishes to thank you and apologize.”

“Thank me and apologize? I don’t even know where to start.” I let out a sigh.

It wouldn’t hurt to accept Higashira’s invitation. After all, it wasn’t like there’d be any real problems. Also, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t even a little curious about her home. She’d spent so much time going through my bookcase; it was about time to do the same to hers. It wouldn’t be fair otherwise.

But also, there was something else weighing on me. I glanced at the wall as if to look into the other side where she was. How would she react if I told her I was going to Higashira’s house?

“Are you rejecting my offer?” Higashira asked, worried. “If you wouldn’t enjoy visiting my home, that’s all right...”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll be there,” I immediately answered. It was so quick, it made me doubt that I’d even been taking time to debate going.

Higashira perked up. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It’s about time you had your privacy violated too.”

“Just my privacy?”

“I’m gonna make you lay everything bare.”

“Huh? O-Oh, if that’s the case, wouldn’t it normally be the gentleman’s responsibility to prepare the necessary items?”

“I’m talking about your bookcase, by the way. Oops. Shoulda mentioned that.”

“I-I can’t believe you were toying with my emotions. My purity! Mother!”

“Stop! It’s not my fault you have a dirty mind!” I absolutely did not want her mom to confront me about “dirty talking” to her child on the phone.

“Hmph. Please be careful, Mizuto-kun. Just so you are aware, my house is bereft of any of the proper preventative items we may require.”

“My house doesn’t have any either, meaning that it’ll be business as usual.”

“True enough. I’ll be sure to tidy up my room!” she promised before hanging up the phone.

I once again found myself looking at the wall separating our rooms. You have no right to complain. I don’t have any obligation to protect your feelings to the point that I’d make Higashira feel lonely. Not anymore.

The Higashira residence was in an apartment building a little off the main road. I’d walked her to the front door before, but I’d never actually gone inside.

Unlike Minami-san and Kawanami’s place, Higashira’s building didn’t have auto-locking doors. This made it really easy for me to waltz in and take the elevator to her floor. She’d told me that she lived in a corner apartment at the end of the hall, which I confirmed by looking at the nameplate by the door. As I stood outside, I considered ringing the doorbell but instead pulled out my phone and called her.

“Higashira?”

“Mnh... Hello...?” she said, clearly half-asleep.

“I can’t believe it. Are you just waking up?”

“No... I will be right there.” And with that, she hung up.

It was currently one in the afternoon, a time when most normal people would be up. To be fair, it was summer vacation. Of course she was gonna take it easy and sleep in.

I decided to patiently wait while she made herself presentable. In the meantime, I considered reading the book I’d brought, but just as I reached into my bag, the door opened.

“Please come in...” Higashira said, poking her head out from behind the door.

I found myself frowning at her appearance. “Is this how you greet your guests?”

She had obvious bedhead and was wearing a baggy T-shirt and loose fit shorts. I didn’t have to be a detective to know she’d just rolled out of bed. She wasn’t wearing a belt or anything, which meant that the puffed-out hem of her shirt swayed like a curtain above the stomach it was supposed to cover. The shirt was also showing its age; the elastic band in the collar was obviously broken and did little to nothing to hide the cleavage it was supposed to. Meanwhile, her shorts did little to nothing to cover her thighs. This was not the kind of outfit you’d wear to greet a guest, least of all a guy.

I’d always known that Higashira wasn’t very careful about her appearance or aware of her surroundings, but at the very least she wore appropriate clothing whenever I saw her. Does she really dress like this at home?

“Oh, of course... I’m still in my pajamas, aren’t I...?” Higashira lightly tugged on her collar and looked at her attire.

I quickly looked away, otherwise I would’ve probably seen everything that the T-shirt was supposed to be covering. Hm? Wait, is she wearing a...?

“My apologies... I just woke up...” Higashira said with a yawn.

“Go change. I’ll wait.”

“Oh, no worries. I’ll be sure to change later. Please, come in...” Higashira rubbed her eyes and turned around to walk farther into her apartment.

Uh, you sure? I tilted my head as I walked inside.

Higashira yawned once more as she took off her slippers and stepped up onto the wooden floor, nearly losing her balance but barely managing to catch herself. But in the midst of that, I noticed a jiggle. Hm? Did her boobs just...jiggle?

“Phew, that was a close call. Oh, right. Would you like slippers?” Higashira asked, sheepishly laughing.

“No, I’m okay.”

“Okay then. Onwards,” she said, gesturing for me to follow her.

Had I just imagined it? It’s not as if I’d been observing her breasts enough to notice the subtle differences in how they moved. Either way, Higashira tottered down the hallway for a little before stopping.

“This is my room,” she said, opening the door.

“It’s surprisingly close to the entrance.”

“It certainly is! It’s very convenient whenever I decide to leave the house.”

“As someone whose room is on the second floor, I really envy you.”

“The grass is always greener, as they say. I’ve always yearned to reside in a two-story home.”

“What’s over there?” I asked, gesturing to the door at the end of the hall.

“Oh, that’s my parents’ room. And then down that hallway to the left is the living room.”

“Should I say hi to them first?”

“My father won’t be home today. However, my mother will return later, so you can greet her then.”

Her family was different from Kawanami’s and Minami’s. The way she’d phrased that implied that it wasn’t normal for her dad to be out of the house, whereas with those two, it was an everyday thing.

“You needn’t be shy,” she added, gesturing for me to enter her room.

Exactly as I’d imagined, her bookcase was crammed with light novels, and whatever didn’t fit there was messily strewn about her bed and desk. There was even a pile of books on her floor. Unsurprisingly, there were also school papers and socks all over the place. Yep, this sure is Higashira’s room. I saw a clean enough spot on the floor, so I sat down.

Higashira yawned. “You could sit on the bed as well, if you’d like.”

“I’m not nearly as bold as you.”

“Bold? I don’t believe sitting on the bed is necessarily bold...” she said, tilting her head before sitting on her knees.

I could’ve sworn she told me she’d “tidy up,” but there was no sign of that being the case, what with all these papers strewn about the place. I hope none of them are her summer homework...huh? As I went to pick one up, my hand met the sensation of cloth. What is this? It’s rose-red and has two cups... I froze as it dawned on me what it was. Is this a...bra?

It was unmistakably a bra, but something about it was different from Yume’s. What, you might be wondering? The size. By her own admission, Higashira was a G-cup. Argh! You really shouldn’t leave things like this when you have guests over! I quickly turned away from the bra and as soon as I did, something else happened.

There she was, sitting on her messy bed, when she let out a groan—the same kind one makes when they’re taking their first stretch of the day after waking up. Then, she gripped the hem of her T-shirt with both hands and pulled it up. First, I saw her bellybutton, then her ribs. If she kept going, there were two specific parts of her, barely protected by her T-shirt, that would fall out. After all, what goes up must come down. They were no match for gravity.

Suddenly, it hit me. If her bra was on the ground, that meant she wasn’t wearing anything under her shirt. There wasn’t anything to protect her from my unintentional gaze besides the thin cloth of her T-shirt. My brain froze. First of all, I’d never seen underboobs before, but I also couldn’t believe Higashira wasn’t wearing a bra.

“Ngh!” Higashira groaned as she struggled with her T-shirt getting stuck on her chest.

Time began moving again for me. This was my chance.

“Stop!” I cried, giving her the chance to avoid doing something she’d never be able to take back.

Higashira paused and looked at me, but it seemed that she still hadn’t realized what she was doing, judging by the confused look she was shooting me. It took her a few seconds of staring at me with her underboobs exposed before she finally yanked her shirt back down and froze. Silence temporarily filled the room before she broke it.

“Phew, that startled me.”

“Yeah, I know!”

“Ehe heh heh. I completely spaced out. I was not in a state of mind to recognize there was a male in my room.”

“You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” she said, bowing her head.

As she did, her loose collar once again revealed the two lumps hidden by her shirt, confirming my suspicions that she wasn’t wearing a bra. I immediately looked away. Her skin’s so pale. Just pale, right? I didn’t see any pink, did I?

Higashira could already be described as extremely careless and defenseless, but being in the comfort of her own room amped it up several notches. Maybe she was comfortable around me due to our close, trusting relationship, but the level of comfort was a little too high. She had absolutely no clue how to properly act when other people were in her room.

“Look, I know this is your room, but there’s a limit to how slovenly you can dress. Your room’s a mess too.”

“Funny story... I was planning to tidy up before I slept... Oh no, I didn’t put away the one I was wearing yesterday.”

“By that, I’m assuming you’re referring to that thing on the floor?” I asked, referencing the bra I’d noticed earlier.

“Ehe heh heh... I’m so embarrassed.”

“You should be!”

I pinched the edge of the bra, trying to make as little contact with it as possible before throwing it and hitting her in the face. Completely unfazed, she grabbed it by both straps and held it in front of her chest.

“What do you think? I believe it’s quite the sexy piece of underwear.”

“Do you listen to anything I say? Or is it just in one ear and out the other with you?!”

“Do not let my words deceive you; I’m plenty embarrassed. I am simply trying to play it off with my behavior. I wish you would have picked up on that.”

How am I supposed to pick up on that?! I could use a cue or two. Blush a little, at least!

Higashira proceeded to stuff her bra under the sheets.

“Anyway, why aren’t you wearing a bra?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I was asleep until you arrived.”

“You take it off when you sleep?”

“Yes, I wear a sports bra at night. See? This one,” she said, pulling out a piece of black cloth and showing it to me.

It looked like a short, plain camisole.

“Apparently, I must wear this in order to continue the battle against gravity.”

“You care about your looks?”

“No, not me. My mother. She’s made it clear she’ll kill me if I don’t take good care of my breasts. She said, ‘I’ll be pissed if the beautiful rack I gave birth to goes to shit.’ Her words, not mine.”

Wouldn’t killing her get rid of said kid with said beautiful rack, though? “So then why aren’t you wearing it?”

“I remove it while I’m unconscious.”

“Uh-huh...” I decided to accept her explanation. As a guy, I had no clue what so-called boob jail felt like. I didn’t have the knowledge or experience to comment further.

Higashira tossed the bra aside and looked down at her boobs. “Hm...” She groaned, tilting her head. “Must I truly wear a bra?”

“Yes.”

“But perhaps you’d be happier if I didn’t?”

“No.”

“Are you certain?” she asked, pulling her shirt tightly against her chest, highlighting what was underneath. Then she began moving up and down. “Look how bouncy they are!”

“Knock it off!”

The springs in her bed creaked with every move she made. Without the support of a bra, her boobs freely swayed in accordance with her movements, allowing me to sense their weight. I turned to look away, but that seemingly only flipped a switch for Higashira. A devilish smile crept across her face.

“Whatever could be the matter? Are you perhaps becoming aroused by the breasts of the very girl you rejected, Mizuto-kun?”

“You are so lucky that I’m chill. Seriously, you should thank me for being such a gentleman!”

“Ehe heh heh, you’re very cute when you’re embarrassed. Perhaps I should close the distance between us?”

“How about no?” I moved back as Higashira got off her bed, but this only encouraged Higashira to lean even more into the joke, because this time, she grabbed both of her boobs with her hands and held them up. Their weight was even more apparent now, seeing how her fingers disappeared into her shirt.

“They’re very soft! I wouldn’t mind if you touched them.”

She’s getting way too full of herself! I wasn’t about to let her walk all over me. “Really?” I asked in a serious voice.

“Huh?”

“You really wouldn’t mind if I touched them?”

“Huh?”

I looked right into her eyes. Suddenly, she began blinking unusually quickly. “U-Uh, w-well...”

“You really won’t mind?” I got up and moved towards her.

“W-Well,” she began as she backed up. The predator had become the prey. “I certainly wouldn’t be against it... But also, I’d like time to mentally prepare myself... I-I don’t think I’m quite in the correct emotional state at the minute... I-I might’ve gotten a little too full of myself— Ah!” She was throwing out excuse after excuse, when suddenly, she yelped and crouched as if to hide her body.

“You okay?”

“U-Uh, um... Well, if you didn’t notice then that’s good...” she mumbled. She raised her head. Her cheeks had turned bright red. “My nipples...got hard.” She softly chuckled.

I froze. “Uh...what?”

“Ehe...heh heh... I may have gotten a little too excited. Ow!”

She winced in pain as I smacked her over the head. Let this be a lesson that there are certain lines friends shouldn’t cross.

After that, I left the room to give Higashira time to change. Does she not know boundaries exist no matter how close of a friend you are? It should be common knowledge that you don’t act completely unhinged even with the closest of friends. You have to show some restraint.

Sure, I may have been a little too unhinged myself. I’d been putting on an act and pretending like I was going to touch her boobs just to get back at her, but still, it wasn’t exactly the best look for me...even if I wasn’t serious about touching them. I swear.

I leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling. It felt really uncomfortable just standing in someone else’s house. What if her mom came home right now? What if her mom didn’t come home? Luckily, I didn’t have the opportunity to worry about that because in the next moment, the door opened.

“I’m hooome!” someone shouted from the entrance, making me jump a little. I didn’t even need to go check to know who it was; I could tell from the voice. “Isana, you awake? Oh?” The woman stopped when she saw me aimlessly standing in the hallway.

She was tall and slender. She didn’t look as aggressive as Higashira had described her as being, but her pants and short hair gave off a boyish vibe.

Yuni-san already looked young for her age, but Higashira’s mom was in a league of her own. She could’ve told me she was Higashira’s sister and I would’ve believed her. The only way I’d know that wasn’t true was because Higashira had never mentioned any siblings.

“Thanks for having me...” I wasn’t sure what to do, so for the time being, I decided to politely greet her.

“Hm?” Higashira’s mom approached me, squinted, and moved her face close to mine as if she was examining it. I tried moving back more. “You... Are you the Mizuto-kun?”

“Y-Yes. I’m Mizuto Irido.” Is this how she addresses people she’s just met?

I felt intimidation radiating off of her, and the fact that she was almost as tall as I was didn’t help. All I could do was return her gaze with a dubious one of my own.

“Hm?” Higashira’s mom tilted her head. “Weird... You’re Isana’s pal, right? How’s it that you know proper manners?” I don’t even know how to respond. “From what Isana’s told me, the ‘Mizuto-kun’ she hangs out with is an unsociable loner and a bully... But look at you! You’re a total stand-up guy. And hot, to boot!”

“Higashira! What the hell have you been saying about me?!”

Then I heard a weird, frantic yelp from the other side of the door. After a few seconds, Higashira’s head popped out from behind it. She was still wearing the same T-shirt as before, but now her bra straps were showing through the loose collar. Thank god she’s wearing a bra now. Wait, this isn’t good. I can still see her chest.

“Why are you shout— Oh, hello, mother.”

“Isana.” Higashira’s mom glared at her. “Is that how you greet someone who’s come home?”

“Welcome home, mother!” Higashira quickly saluted her mom.

“Good.” Her mom nodded. What is this, the military? Suddenly, she was pointing her thumb towards me. “Isana, who’s this guy?”

“Huh? That’s Mizuto-kun.”

“Him? Really?”

“Yes, I’m not lying. I told you he’s quite adorable in the face area, didn’t I?”

I knew Higashira spoke to most people in her usual formal speech, but I had no idea this extended to her mother as well.

“Hm...” Higashira’s mom began sizing me up. This was starting to get annoying.

“Sorry, can I ask you something?” I asked.

“What?”

“Could I ask for your name?”

“Mine?” Higashira’s mom asked.

“Yes, I’d prefer to call you by your name instead of ‘Higashira’s mom.’”

She began cheerfully laughing. “You’re an interestin’ guy. My name’s written with the characters for ‘lull’ and ‘tiger.’ Can ya guess?”

“By lull, I’m assuming that’s as in ‘lull of the sea,’ right?”

“Yep. So what’s my name?”

Logically, combining the two would get you Nagitora, but that wasn’t very feminine. “Is it...Natora?”

“Correct.”

A smile spread across Higashira’s mom’s—I mean, Natora-san’s face, and she patted me on the shoulders. “Aw, man. Ha ha ha, I’m sorry I doubted who you were, Mizuto-kun! You’re just completely different from what I imagined.”

“It’s okay. Doesn’t bother me.”

“You’re a smart guy, ya know that? You’re probably the fifth person in my life to guess my name on their first try!”

Sure, it was a bit of an unusual name, but I had a good guess that it was one of those flashy names that parents would sometimes give their kids. Also, I figured that the first character in her name had to do with the ocean because her daughter’s name, Isana, had to do with the sea. In olden times, when it was written with a proper character, it meant “whale.”

“You know your manners, despite bein’ a kid. I like you, Mizuto-kun. Guy like you’s totally wasted on Isana!”

“Thanks.” Can you stop hitting my shoulders now?

“Aren’t you glad she doesn’t despise you, Mizuto-kun?” Isana asked. “Otherwise you may have been beaten to a pulp.”

“Huh?”

“Isana, don’t be running your mouth off to a guest! All I’d do is kick his ass a little.” And how exactly is that different from beating me to a pulp?! “Isana, is this how you dress when you have a guest over? What’s the matter with ya?”

“Huh? I don’t see the problem. I’m wearing my indoor clothes, and I don’t plan on going out.” Higashira frowned.

Finally, someone with common sense had arrived. Surely, Natora-san would show her the error of her loose T-shirt, baggy short-wearing ways.

“Hm...” Natora-san folded her arms and began taking a closer look at her daughter’s attire. “Actually, you know what? This works. Stay like that.”

“Yay!”

Stay like that?! Excuse me?! Are you okay with your daughter’s boobs practically spilling out of her shirt?

Natora-san began walking down the hallway and called out to Higashira. “Isana, you haven’t eaten yet, have ya? It’s a little late, but let’s have lunch. Mizuto-kun, you probably already ate before you came, so I’ll whip somethin’ up for you to snack on.”

“Oh, it’s okay. You don’t have to. Just ignore me.”

“Huh?! Not happening! Like hell am I gonna ignore the first friend my daughter’s invited over,” she said with a fierce smile.

If I were a girl, I bet I would’ve fallen for her right then and there, what with how cool and handsome she was. No matter what she said, it sounded like a command.

Higashira followed her mom to a door down the hall that opened to their living room and dining room. At the end of it was a balcony, where their laundry was hung out to dry. Does carelessness run in the family or something?!

“Isana, you’re having oyakodon. Sit your butt down and wait.”

“Understood.”

Natora-san headed into the kitchen while Higashira walked over and plopped herself down on the couch. She turned her head to me and patted the cushion next to her, motioning for me to sit, so I did.

“Your introduction was a great success,” Higashira said, looking at me.

“Yeah, looks like it. I’m glad we got off on the right foot.”

“Now you can visit whenever you’d like!”

“If you can actually get dressed next time, I’ll think about it,” I said, not turning to look at her.

If I looked her way, I was sure to catch a glimpse of her chest.

“I implore you to reconsider. Changing clothes is very cumbersome...” Higashira said, sulking.

I really wished that she would have some kind of decency—even the smallest amount of it—as a fellow human being. Then again, she had grown up with a mom who gave her approval for this kind of attire. If her only knowledge of the world was from her home environment, then it wasn’t surprising that she’d turned out like this.

Higashira and I chatted for a while about upcoming book releases before Natora-san returned from the kitchen.

“Here. Eat up,” she said, placing a bowl of oyakodon in front of Higashira.

Looks were deceiving. I hadn’t expected her mom to be this amazing of a cook. This was the kind of quality you’d expect from restaurants. Higashira didn’t take the time to appreciate it or thank her mom, though—she immediately dug in. I couldn’t shake the image of a dog eating its food from my mind as I watched her.

“Here. This is for you. Take what you want.” Natora-san placed a tray of cookies in front of me.

“O-Oh,” Higashira said, her mouth still filled with rice. “You made those yesterday, didn’t you?”

“Sorry they’re not fresh, but I promise they taste good...probably,” Natora-san said.

“You made them yourself?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s my hobby. No point in livin’ if you’re not enjoyin’ yourself.”

It was certainly surprising that a woman like that liked to bake. Honestly, I was kind of impressed by how effortlessly she admitted to it. Maybe some of this forwardness had rubbed off on Higashira.

I began eating the cookies—delicious, by the way—while Natora-san sat across from me.

“So hey, Mizuto-kun, thanks again for takin’ care of my daughter.”

“Yep.”

“Hm? Ain’t this the part where you say that she’s the one takin’ care of you?”

“Your daughter is being taken care of by me,” I reiterated.

“Um, pardon?!” Higashira chimed in. “That’s incorrect! Our relationship is much more mutual, is it not?!”

Natora-san heartily laughed. “He’s a real smart-ass, huh? Perfect.” Natora-san crossed her legs and violently chomped on a cookie. Uh, I don’t think you’re supposed to eat cookies the way you eat rice crackers. “Isana’s always moved to the beat of her own drum. Makes it hard to work with others, but I think it’s a hell of a lot better than her being some forgettable background character. Only problem is she could never make any friends. Can’t tell you how happy it made me to see her comin’ home, smile plastered on her face as she talked my ear off about you.”

“I-I wasn’t smiling that much.”

“You were. Oh wait, you know what? You were grinnin’! God, that creeped me the hell out.”

“You’re horrible! This is abuse!” Higashira protested.

Natora-san let out a hearty laugh. They seemed really close. “You’re the only person I’ve met that’s actually able to hang with someone this socially dense. It’s like you two’re on the same wavelength. Am I right, or...?”

“Yeah... Higashira’s the first person in my life who I feel like I have a genuine rapport with. I don’t make friends just for the hell of it.”

“Oh?”

“M-Mizuto-kun, please. You’re humiliating me...” Higashira groaned.

What’s the big deal? I’m just being honest. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Natora-san laughed and slapped her knees. “Okay, you two are gettin’ married.”

It took a second for my mind to process what she’d said. “Huh?”

“Wh-What?” It seemed as if Higashira was just as confused as I.

“I hear you’re top of your class—a real honor student. Impressive, considering the kinda school ya got into. Isana’ll never find someone as good as you who she jives with as much. That being said, take my daughter’s hand.”

“Uh...”

“What’re you hesitatin’ for? You’re gonna ignore a sincere request from her loving mom? I pride myself on having a good eye for others. I know you’re gonna make my daughter happy. I’m sure of it. Marry Isana. Now. And by now, I mean when you two turn eighteen.”

She was so adamant and hyped up about it that it made me wonder if Higashira had talked to her mom about that.

“Higashira,” I whispered. “Did you not tell her?” She wouldn’t be saying this if she knew that I rejected her daughter, right?

“O-Of course not!”

“Why not?”

“After some consideration, I arrived at the conclusion that she’d beat you to a pulp.”

I froze and slowly turned back to Natora-san, who was shooting a piercing glare at me. I could feel myself starting to sweat. Higashira might’ve been right. I hadn’t seen firsthand just how violent Natora-san could get, but I kinda got a good read from the pressure she was exerting. She was definitely the type to kill anyone who hurt her daughter. She was a certified overbearing parent, but in a much more violent way.

Yeah, I need to keep my mouth shut if I want to live. She absolutely can’t find out that I already rejected her daughter.

“Hm? What’s the matter? I’m offerin’ a pretty good deal here, especially if you’ve got a thing for Isana.”

“Y-Yes, I do like her, but only as a friend.”

“Good enough for me. Nothin’ wrong with friends getting married. She might be a handful, but I guarantee that her body leaves nothin’ to be desired.” She gave me a thumbs-up of approval.

“Ehe heh heh,” Higashira sheepishly laughed.

Stop that! Your mom just said some horrible things! Plus, what did she mean by “there’s nothing wrong with friends getting married”? I mean, sure, I guess I wouldn’t mind being roommates, but still...

“Hmph,” Natora-san snorted before taking another chomp out of a cookie. “You’re that kinda guy, huh? The kind that acts like romance is a pain in the ass.”

“If I’m being honest, yeah.”

Natora-san deeply exhaled at my response. She may have been disappointed, but I wasn’t going to lie to her. It’d be worse if she—of all people—caught me in a lie.

“Ya really are just a kid who doesn’t understand anythin’. Friends are the exact kinds of people who should get married.”

“Huh?”

“Listen up. Married people are just what you call people who’ve washed their hands of the annoying world of romance.” Her words were so unexpected, I felt myself gasp slightly. “Just by putting a stupid ring on your left ring finger, you get a shit ton of people off your back. Your parents stop buggin’ ya about whether you’ve got a special someone and when you’re gettin’ married. Your life becomes so much easier when you’re married. Everyone in the world’s obsessed with love and can’t get the thought of it out of their heads, but by getting married, you can finally shake ’em off.”

Natora-san heartily laughed. “I’m not tryin’ to throw shade at people who marry for love—they’re completely valid,” she continued. “I think they’re takin’ a gamble, though. There’s no guarantee that you and the person you love will fit each other perfectly when living together. Look around you. Middle school couples break up when they get to high school, and high school couples break up when they go to college. No way in hell little shits like them will ever find someone they can spend their entire lives with. If you’re gonna get married, you should do it with someone ya get along with—just my two cents.”

“That makes sense. You and dad get along very well,” Higashira said.

“Yeah. We still play Monster Hunter together.”

“I feel as if I’ve seen you abuse him more often than not.”

“It’s his fault for always forgetting to bring the Large Barrel Bombs!” Natora-san let out a booming laugh like a pirate’s.

Her words about middle school couples breaking up when they got to high school made me think about my situation. She certainly had a point. Romantic feelings were more often than not fleeting, and shouldn’t be used as criteria for choosing a life partner. Marriage also helped eliminate any feelings of doubt in your relationship. Her logic was sound.

I couldn’t deny the possibility that even if Higashira and I didn’t work out as a couple, we could still perfectly function as a married couple. It’d probably be effortless for the two of us to get along.

“I get that I kinda sprung this idea on you, so you know what? Take your time and think about it. You’re still at an age that most of your brains aren’t in the right ‘head.’” Does she think that high school students are some kind of underdeveloped animals? “Isana.”

“Yes?” Higashira’s bowl was empty, and she was licking off the grains of rice around her mouth.

“Seduce this guy,” Natora-san commanded, pointing at me.

“I would certainly have done so if it was possible.”

“Say what? What the hell do you think those huge tits of yours are for?! Use ’em!”

“You make it sound so simple, but you are unaware of how difficult it is to pierce through Mizuto-kun’s defenses.”

“You dumbass, he’s obviously just holdin’ himself back. Look, there’s usually a person or two around at his place, right? Here’s the deal. I’m gonna head out for a bit. If I come back and you’ve pussied out, consider yourself dead meat.”

Higashira let out an annoyed groan. Uh... What’s going on? I was having trouble keeping up. Why are these people having this kind of private conversation in front of the person they’re talking about? I almost felt as if I’d been reincarnated in a world with different common sense.

Natora-san stood up. “So yeah, take it easy, Mizuto-kun. We got thick walls, so bein’ a little loud’s no problem.”

“Just ignore me...”

“How many times do I gotta say this? Like hell am I gonna ignore you,” she said, grinning, and then she left.

I cannot believe she actually left. After that, we spent some time in silence munching on the cookies. Higashira seemed to be more reserved than usual. Usually, she’d be asking to use my lap as a pillow or something.

“Uh...Mizuto-kun?” Higashira said slowly as if she was searching for the right words. “You don’t have to take what my mother said too seriously.”

“I know.”

“She’s always very quick to jump to conclusions and give commands based on them.”

“I see.”

“Um...would you like to adjourn to my room?”

I turned my head and saw Higashira looking up at me. At this angle, I could once again see the pale skin that her collar failed to cover on her chest. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt like I could see a light blue cloth peeking out too.

“Yeah...”

Natora-san’s words suddenly rang in my head. He’s obviously just holdin’ himself back. Well, of course I was. Higashira’s looks were not even remotely a factor influencing my rejection.

Maybe it’d be best if I revisited the order of events from back when I had rejected Higashira. I’d told her that I couldn’t take her as my girlfriend, then she fell silent and stood there, and all I could do was watch. That was the only thing I could do.

Deep down, I’d always known that Higashira and I might not be able to remain friends forever because, like what had happened with Yume Ayai and me, our relationship might’ve tried to evolve into something more than friendship. In that case, I was sure I would want Higashira to hate me.

Of course, I’d been over the moon when I found out that Higashira liked me, but...someone else was still occupying the space in my heart. The thing was, though, I chose to keep her there. I didn’t want her to cry. In exchange, I was willing to make Higashira cry instead. I knew it might result in me hating myself, but that was the only choice I could make in order to forgive myself.

But Higashira hadn’t cried. She’d spaced out for a bit and hung her head, but when she looked up at me again, she was smiling. A weak laugh had escaped her lips. “Thank you for listening to me. Let’s go home, Mizuto-kun,” she’d said as if nothing had happened.

That had caught me off guard. “Are...you okay?” I’d asked.

Higashira had simply smiled in response as if she were trying to avoid answering my ridiculous question. “I’m not okay...but it’s precisely because I’m not that I’m terrified of being left alone,” she’d said, clutching her elbow.

This was the first time I’d ever seen Isana Higashira hurt. If it hadn’t been me... If it’d been anyone else who’d hurt her, I would’ve made it my mission in life to destroy them by any means possible. There was no way I’d let them off scot-free. I’d make them rue the day that they hurt her.

In this case, though, I was the one who’d hurt her. I needed to punish myself. I needed to take responsibility as the one who rejected her. No matter how strange it was for her to request that I walk her home, I felt obligated to accept.

The very day that I’d rejected Higashira had ended the same way our days together always did. We had left school together, stopped by our usual bookstore, and talked about new releases and other interesting series. Same as always.

When we were about to go our separate ways for the day, Higashira had stopped me. “Truthfully...I appreciate your efforts today.”

That was the first time I’d ever heard her voice tremble. It was very slight, but I noticed. It was more than enough to show me how desperately she’d been trying to calm her heart and preserve our friendship.

Maybe that was just how she was. Maybe she wasn’t great at expressing herself because she didn’t have experience being around others. No matter the reason, she hadn’t let her pain show. She’s so strong.

The two of us were totally different. I’d sulk over the smallest thing. I would never put in the work to make things go back to normal with the person I liked, even if I wanted to reconcile. No matter how defeated she’d looked, I saw her as strong. Like someone I needed to protect at all costs.

That’s why before she could turn and walk away, I’d grabbed her arm.

“Huh?” Surprise had filled Higashira’s face, her eyes glistening from tears she’d been holding back.

“What’s wrong with being friends?” I’d asked in an attempt to stop those tears from ever coming out. “Couples eventually break up. They go to college and fall out of contact. Isn’t being friends so much better than that?!” I might’ve been talking out of my ass, doing everything I could to shit on romance and talk up friendship by going to extremes. But that hadn’t mattered—I’d wanted to pull out all the stops to prevent her from shedding a single tear.

“I might not be able to kiss you, but I can at least hug you. I’ll never treat you any differently whether you put on cute clothes or wear makeup—or don’t do any of that. I don’t want you to feel like you need to do anything different to be my friend. So...” After all that, I couldn’t finish what I’d wanted to say. Not because I was incapable of it, but because Higashira had suddenly gripped my shirt.

“Please...stop... If you keep speaking...I will only fall more deeply in love with you!”

I’d stayed still, unsure how to react. The only one who could forgive me was Higashira. Even so, I’d wanted to promise her something.

“I won’t change who I am. I’ll always be the same Mizuto Irido that you’ve come to know.”

I wasn’t about to change just because she confessed to me or because I’d rejected her. That had been the only way to honor her strength. After a few seconds, I’d heard Higashira sucking snot back into her nose. She’d looked up at me with a bright smile on her face.

“Okay, then. I look forward to continuing our relationship!”

I’d been a little taken aback by how quickly she could change emotional states. I’d had a nagging feeling that she was pushing herself to act like nothing had happened, but as she waved her hand and began walking off, I’d understood. Isana Higashira was just this kind of person.

I’d squinted as I’d watched her leave, as though she were too bright for me to look at. But I hadn’t fooled myself. My feelings weren’t some kind of temporary lapse of judgment—they weren’t love, they were faith. I trust Isana Higashira. 

When the two of us returned to her room, she ended up sitting on her bed, and I stood by her desk. Her bed creaked as she put her full weight onto it. She was toying with her bangs as her eyes nervously darted around. She’d been the one who told me not to take what her mom said so seriously, but she was the one freaking out the most.

“Higashira?”

“Eek!” She jumped and began frantically waving her hands around.

Her reaction was so amusing, I couldn’t help but tease her some more. “Not gonna do anything?”

“Huh? U-Uh, sh-should I perhaps disrobe?!”

“Is showing off your boobs the only trick you have up your sleeve?” If you’re trying to seduce someone, getting naked should be your trump card.

Higashira fell on her side and moaned. “This is impossible for me. If I was capable of such feats, I wouldn’t have been rejected.”

“Don’t let it get to you. You’ve already gotten further than most people would.”

“True. I’ve already accomplished the impossible by bringing you to my room.”

Seriously. It’s hard to even bring your S.O. into your room when you’re sick. Either way, I could tell that she’d calmed down. My eyes fell to her desk. It probably wasn’t very polite to look around somebody else’s room without their permission, but Higashira did it to me all the time, so I felt justified.

She had a tablet on her desk, several light novels, and a headset that didn’t seem to have been used too much, judging by the dust. I could deduce though that not much schoolwork was done here. Is she even doing her summer homework?

“Hm?” I noticed a single sheet of paper stuck in between everything. It looked like it had come from a notebook, but it didn’t seem like anything was written on it. I was curious, so I moved the light novel on top, eliciting a frantic yell from Higashira.

“W-Wait, Mizuto-kun. That’s—”

Unfortunately for her, she was too slow. By the time she said that, I’d already seen what she’d drawn. It was an illustration of the heroine of the light novel that’d been on top of it.

“Hm... I see.”

“Augh! No! Do not perceive it!”

“Stop freaking out. I already kinda suspected you either drew or wrote, if not both.”

“How? D-Did you look on my tablet, perchance?”

“Oh, so your novel’s on your tablet?”

“Ah! Notlikethis!” Higashira shoved her head under her pillow and writhed in agony.

I took the opportunity to get a full look at the drawing.

“Hm, you didn’t trace it. You even thought of an original pose. This is actually pretty good.”

“Not at all! No matter how many times I redraw it, I’m unable to get the arms, the legs, or the face right.”

“Uh-huh. Well, for someone like me who knows nothing about art, it looks good.” At the very least, it looked like something that’d catch some attention in art class.

“You are mistaken! I’m incapable of producing art of the same quality as that of the social media art gods!” she cried, rolling around on her bed.

“Do you want to?”

“Of course!” she exclaimed, immediately sitting up and giving me a serious expression. “Listen closely, Mizuto-kun. If you are not proficient at drawing, then you’ll be unable to draw anything lascivious!”

“Okay...?” I said hesitantly.

“Bad art does not make for true lascivious content! One must possess enough skill to realistically depict bodies entwining in carnal pleasure.”

She was brazenly declaring that she was breaking laws by consuming mature content as a minor.

“Why do you want to draw that kinda stuff in the first place?”

“Well, obviously, I’d like to see the nipples of my favorite heroines! Light novels tend not to receive too much fan art, so I must take matters into my own hands!”

I’d never met anyone so true to their adolescent horny desires as Higashira. “I guess I can’t really give you shit for your motivations... I don’t know anything about drawing, so I don’t have any advice, but you shouldn’t give up when you’re already this good.”

“Yes, but that would require practice, especially with rough sketches. I’d like to get better, but not through such troublesome activities.”

“No matter what you do, you gotta get the basics down first.”

“Such as drawing an apple? I’ve tried, but simply looking at one bores me.”

“You know you don’t have to use an apple to practice, right? Maybe try using something that’s not boring.”

“Hm... The only thing that comes to mind is you.”

“Yeah... Wait, what?” I’d reflexively agreed before my mind processed what she’d said.

Higashira tilted her head at my confusion. “I need a subject I’m interested in, right? That’d be you. I appreciate your cooperation!”

“Uh... Okay, fine...”

She really lived a carefree—or maybe a hesitation-free—life. But that was fine. I couldn’t let myself be bothered by every last weird thing that Higashira did. She hopped off her bed and grabbed her tablet. Apparently, she preferred to do art digitally, rather than on paper.

“Have a seat!” She pulled out her desk chair for me before returning to the bed, sitting with her knees pointed upwards and her tablet on her thighs.

“Can you draw like that?”

“Absolutely. Please stay still, okay?”

She took the stylus in her hand and, after glancing between me and the tablet, began drawing.

“This is the first time I’ve ever used a real person as a subject. I’m a little nervous.”

“So you usually draw from imagination? Impressive.”

“No, I often use reference material. Accurately depicting the human body is quite the difficult feat.”

“Oh, so do you look online for that kinda stuff?”

“Why go through that effort when I can simply use my own body?”

“Huh?”

“I pose and take pictures of myself to use as reference. Would you like to see?”

“No.”

“Phew. That’s a relief. I haven’t edited them at all.”

What exactly are you trying to draw? Also, if you don’t want me to see them in the first place, don’t ask!

“Truth be told, up until recently, I’d only been using that mirror over there as a way to take full-body shots. But now that I’ve received the guidance of Minami-san and Yume-san, I’ve been using it for its originally intended purpose as well.”

My eyes shifted to the mirror on the wall. I wonder what kind of poses she does. My mind began to wander, imagining her alone in this room...wearing all sorts of different outfits...striking pose after pose...with only her phone’s camera bearing witness to— I need to stop. If I fantasized about her like that, I’d feel incredibly guilty, like I was rejecting the choice I’d made not to date her.

I knew Higashira would happily accept if I did change my mind, but for that to happen, I would have to be positive that it wasn’t as a result of any impure feelings I may have had towards her.

“Heh heh heh... Mizuto-kun’s body...” Well, she certainly seems to have impure feelings. “You really have a beautiful, slender body. Your thin fingers remind me of girls’ hands from shojo manga.”

“I’m just not muscular—I’m pretty much skin and bones.”

“Hm... I suppose I’ll just have to add some meat to you.”

“Wait... I am wearing clothes in your drawing, right?”

“Well...drawing clothes is quite difficult.”

“Hey!”

“Don’t fret! I won’t draw anything that needs to be censored! However, I suppose if you were to show me a sample of the real thing, then—”

“Hell no!”

Higashira deeply frowned in disappointment. She’s really not kidding, is she? Higashira kept chattering away as she drew. It looked like she was having a blast. It reminded me of how excited Yume got when she took pictures of me. Seriously though, what was so fun about my body that caused them to act like this?

“Girls are so weird...” I muttered.

“I don’t understand. What’s weird about this? You’re my first love, after all.” Higashira tilted her head.

“Seriously, stop being so nonchalant about that.”

“Surely you understand where I’m coming from, though. Has there not been someone you’ve wished to be in a relationship with?” She asked this so naturally while looking back at her tablet and moving her stylus again.

I knew that Higashira wasn’t a petty enough person to be bothered if I did have someone.

“No. There hasn’t been.”

“Why must you be dishonest? I clearly remember you saying that there was someone occupying your heart when you rejected me. I thought that you phrased that sentence very strangely, but in essence, you were saying that you were interested in someone, correct?”

All this time, I’d never checked with Higashira to see what she thought about what I’d said. Maybe I’d been foolishly hoping that Higashira of all people wouldn’t get too invested, ruminating about the finer details of things.

“Well, you’re wrong,” I said, scoffing. “I’m not interested in anyone...right now.”

“Right now?”

“You really wanna know?”

“Of course! I’ve been slightly interested all this time!”

“Just slightly? Why didn’t you ask me sooner?”

“I haven’t had the proper opportunity! I’d just been rejected, remember?”

“Oh right, sorry about that. Okay, I’ll come clean, but...you won’t get mad, right?”

“Huh?” She tilted her head. “No, I won’t.”

“Well, I had a girlfriend in middle school.”

She was the only person I’d ever told. Her hands stopped moving and she slowly looked up at me.

“H-Huh?” Her mouth hung open. “A...girlfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“A significant other?”

“Right.”

“Yours?”

“Yep.”

Higashira flapped her mouth in disbelief. “Y-You’re lying!” She retreated until her back made contact with the wall. “I-It is completely out of the realm of possibility that an otaku like yourself had a girlfriend! I-It’s impossible!”

“Uh, didn’t you confess to this otaku?”

“Oh, true.” Higashira began to calm down.

Honestly, I’d expected her to be angry. She’d been under the impression that the two of us had similar lives, meaning that if she hadn’t dated anyone in middle school, then there was no chance that I would’ve either. But now, it was like I had betrayed her. I wasn’t sure how she’d react if I told her who I’d dated.

“I see...” she said. “You had a girlfriend. I must admit, I’m shocked.”

“I’m glad you’re only shocked.”

“I’d sincerely thought that you’d developed feelings for a girl who’d simply given you an eraser and weren’t ever able to shake those feelings. I was expecting a much more repulsive story.”

“Who in their right mind would go out with someone like that?!” I certainly wouldn’t want such an insane person occupying space in my heart.

Higashira started drawing again. “So I’m assuming you’ve since broken up with her?”

“Yeah, at graduation. Well, we were technically already pretty much broken up half a year before that.”

“Wow... I don’t believe I enjoy hearing such a raw story from you.”

“I can stop.”

“Good idea. Let’s not go any further.” Huh? I expected her to say the opposite. “Hm, I see... So you rejected me...because of your ex?”

“Yeah...pretty much.”

“So, you’re still preoccupied with thoughts of your ex?”

“Ugh.”

“I see. You’re filled with unresolved feelings.”

“N-No...”

“Are you certain?”

It was just for a moment, but Higashira’s eyes looked sad. “You had strong feelings for her, didn’t you?” A look of jealousy flashed across her face. She was envious of a person who she—as far as she was aware, anyway—didn’t even know. “Knowing you, I’m sure your girlfriend was very kind, tactful, perceptive, and helpful, like a heroine in a shojo manga.” She stopped drawing again and looked up at the ceiling, as if she were imagining it. “Oh...” She exhaled. “That’s kind of...repulsive...”

“Wow, really?” Is this not the part where you reflect on your own broken heart?

“Hear me out: it’s repulsive because I’m imagining you as a handsome guy who is kind to girls. That’s a complete shift of character. It’s not who you are.”

“Well, yeah, it’s not who I am now.”

“Well, why not reprise that role, then?” She snickered.

“I don’t like the way you said that.” Be careful what you wish for! Not my fault if you fall for me again!

I may have been in the middle of modeling for her, but I wasn’t about to take this kind of abuse sitting down. I leaned over the edge of her bed, reached out, and lightly brushed her bangs out of her face.

“Show me more of your face.” I used the same kind of sweet voice that I had in the past. “A cute girl like you shouldn’t hide behind your bangs.” I looked straight into her eyes.

“Pfft.” She immediately covered her mouth, but wasn’t able to contain her laughter. “Aha! Aha ha ha ha! Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

“Stop laughing!” I gave her a light smack as she began clutching her stomach and rolling around on her bed. Sure, it may have seemed like a joke with how everything was going, but this was something I seriously used to do. Oh god, I want to die!

“Ha ha! Phew. That was amusing. Would you like to try again?” she asked through another snicker.

“Hell no!”

“I believe you are much more suited to being the usual grump that you are. However, I will say that you could produce some potentially good ASMR content. If you try to record any dirty clips though, please do it just like that.”

“Hell no!”

A half smile crept across her face as she moved closer to me. She put her hand on my shoulder, leaned in, and whispered. “You’re much cooler the way you are now.”

“Huh?!”

“Was that close to your ex? Hm, I see, so this is what your ex was like. Did you really engage in these kinds of stupid conversations?”

“Shut up! All couples are stupid!”

“Heh heh. All right, then next, I’ll—”

“There is no ‘next.’ I’m done!”

“Ah!” she yelped as I ripped her hand off my shoulder and pushed my own hand against the bed. Her eyes widened. “If you had a girlfriend, does that mean that...you are experienced?!”

“No. We never got that far.”

“Ah, I see. No wonder you still have unresolved feelings.”

“That’s not why! Listen carefully: there’s a whole different reason and different circumstances that led to me rejecting you. I don’t have any unresolved feelings for that girl—”

“Ah.” Higashira suddenly turned to the side as if she were pulled by something, making me look in that direction too.

The door was slightly ajar, and looking in through the crack...was Natora-san.

“Good job, Isana, but you gotta be safe,” she said before throwing a box at us. It was certainly something that was part of the proper etiquette for night encounters. “It’s too early for you to have a kid. Anyway, get it, girl.” With that, she closed the door, not leaving any time for me to say anything.

“Hm?” Higashira looked curiously at the box that’d been thrown into her room. “Is that...” Higashira broke away from me and crawled off her bed towards the box. “Are these— Ah! They are!” Higashira’s face filled with joy as she inspected the box. “Please look, Mizuto-kun! Do you know what these are?! These are the kind you put on! I’ve never seen them before! Wow, so this is what they’re like? Amazing...”

“Yeah...”

Higashira opened the box before I could stop her and pulled out a string of square, wrapped items. “Look, Mizuto-kun!” she put the edge of one in her mouth. “Just like in the doujins!”

“Knock it off!”

“Ow!” Higashira spit it out after I quickly whacked her head. How many lines do you have to cross today before you’re satisfied?!

“Thanks for having me.”

“You could’ve stayed over. You had my mom’s permission.”

“I’m not brave enough to stay over at a home that I’m visiting for the first time,” I said at the entrance to her apartment building.

In the end, Natora-san kinda strong-armed me into having dinner with them. She nearly pushed me to take a bath too, which would’ve made it hard to go home, so I escaped before that could happen.

“I hope you visit again,” Higashira said, now wearing a cardigan over her clothes and lightly rubbing her arms for warmth.

“Yeah, hopefully next time there won’t be anyone around.”

“Oh, you. You’re so filthy,” she said, giggling while pressing the sleeves of her cardigan to her cheeks.

“Your embarrassed act could use a little more work.”

“We should play video games next time. Mom has some horror games. I’d love to see you frightened.”

“I don’t really get scared while playing horror games.”

“Oh, is that right? Could you say the same thing while playing it in VR?”

“VR, huh? Honestly, that sounds kinda fun.”

“Having a gamer for a parent is a real life hack. You don’t have to spend any of your allowance on games,” Higashira said, swaying happily.

I smiled a little, seeing her like this. As long as neither of us changed, our relationship would stay the same. Even if one of us confessed, rejected, fell in love, or was the recipient of any of those...our relationship would never be a temporary lapse of judgment.

“I’ll send you a message when you get back.”

“I’ll respond if I feel like it,” I said.

“Aw, don’t be like that. You always respond to my messages.”

“That’s because you spam crying stickers whenever I leave you on read.”

Higashira giggled. I’m perfectly happy with how we are.

Yume Irido

I heard the front door open around eight at night. I’d been restlessly waiting in the living room since after dinner. I quickly headed towards the entrance, where I found Mizuto taking off his shoes.

“You!” I hissed.

“Hm? Oh, I’m home.”

“Welcome back— No! You—”

“I what?”

“What are you doing out this late? You even said that you were going to eat while you were out. Mom wouldn’t tell me what she was grinning about either!”

This was the first time he’d stayed out so late. I’d originally thought he might’ve been eating with Kawanami-kun, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was something else. Something worse. It didn’t help that mom had been grinning ear to ear. There was definitely something behind that smile.

“I was at Higashira’s,” he replied simply, completely ignoring my irritation while he walked inside. Huh? “Apparently her mom wanted to say hi since Higashira always comes over. I didn’t expect her to make food for me too. Oh, right.” Mizuto opened the door to the living room, walking past me as I froze in place. “Yuni-san. Or dad—it doesn’t really matter.”

“Oh, Mizuto-kun, welcome home! What’s up?” mom asked.

“Higashira’s mom wants to visit and say hi. Let me know what day works for you, and I’ll tell her.”

“Oh, really? Hm, just give me one second, okay? I’ll check,” she said, looking through her phone’s calendar.

I started to panic. “W-W-Wait!”

“Hm?” Mizuto shot me a confused look as I grabbed and yanked him in my direction.

“What are you thinking?! Don’t you remember what our parents think your relationship with Higashira-san is?!”

They still thought that she was his girlfriend. If that misunderstanding were to spread to her family as well...

“Ah...” Mizuto looked away from me as if he were trying to hide something. “About that...”

“Huh? What? What?! Tell me!”

“I think it’s a little late for that,” he said, sighing.

I didn’t need to ask him what he meant by that. Apparently, Higashira-san’s family was under the same impression as ours. What the heck is going on?! How are things going smoother for her when I’m the one living with him?!