My Stepsister is My Ex-Girlfriend - Volume 6 - Chapter 5.06

10:56 A.M.: Why Not Just You?

Mizuto Irido

After my teeny tiny slipup in the haunted house, Yume and I continued our rounds of the festival. The only problem was that Yume had gotten a big head from what’d happened.

If I could cut one of the three main human desires, normally I’d pick sleep because I’d rather spend that time reading. But right now, I’d choose lust. I mean, how was I supposed to have reacted? It hadn’t been the first time we’d hugged or anything. Ugh, this is the biggest humiliation of my life.

I continued walking through the bustling halls of the festival, but my mind was focused on something else entirely. Is Isana okay? When I’d checked on her earlier, she’d seemed uncomfortable due to her classmates talking to her. Hopefully she wasn’t too bored. Then again, she was gifted at killing time, so maybe I had nothing to worry about. Either way, I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so I could go hang out with her.

As I pulled out my phone to check the time, I noticed that Yume had stopped walking for a split second, wincing.

“You okay?”

“Y-Yeah. I’m fine. I just tripped a little,” she said as she flashed me an empty smile.

I knew her better than to take her at her word. I looked down at her boots and thought for a little. “Shoe bite?”

“Huh? H-How did you—”

“You’ve been walking around in shoes you’re not used to for an hour. Shouldn’t surprise you that I’d figure it out.” Honestly, if I were quicker on the uptake, I’d have guessed sooner.

“The nurse’s office is a little far, so...”

“I-I’m seriously okay!”

“Sheesh, give it a rest already. I’m gonna take a look at your foot. There should be an empty classroom nearby. Come on.”

I grabbed Yume by the wrist and pulled her forward, without much resistance. The hallway outside the classroom was empty, almost as if we’d been transported to another world. Strangely enough, we could hear our footsteps echoing, despite how noisy the school had become.

I opened the door and peeked inside. I’d heard that there were always students who slacked off in these classrooms, but no one was currently in this one.

“Perfect, it’s empty. Sit in that chair.”

“I’m telling you, it’s not a big deal. It just hurts a little now and then.”

“It shouldn’t hurt in the first place. Think about how much more work I’ll have to do if you can’t move.”

“You’re worried about yourself?”

“So what?”

“Never mind...”

I crouched in front of Yume. “Which foot?”

“The right one...”

I undid the shoelaces and took off the boot. She started to panic when I reached for her sock, but thanks to Isana, I’d gotten used to this sort of thing. But, like, what was there to freak out about? She’d made me put knee-highs on her before, so why was she acting all innocent now?

Bit by bit, I removed her sock, revealing the pale skin underneath. Yume stifled laughter from her ticklish feet as I held her foot in my hand.

“Your ankle and your big toe have gotten red. It doesn’t look too bad right now, though.”

“S-See? I’m fine.”

“I said, it doesn’t look bad right now. You still have a shift at our class’s café, remember? Knowing you, you’d pretend like everything’s fine and continue working no matter how bad things got.”

Yume fell silent, slightly embarrassed.

I decided to treat it right then and there so things wouldn’t get out of hand. The fastest solution would be to have her walk in shoes she was actually used to, but we didn’t have any with us.

“Oh, I know.” I reached into my pocket.

Yume raised her eyebrows at what I’d pulled out. “Why do you have bandages?”

“Just in case the kids who visit hurt themselves. Better than nothing, right?” I put the bandages over the red areas.

“You’re more caring than I thought...” Yume mumbled as she watched me work.

“Not really. I just hate crying kids, so I thought of a countermeasure.”

“I guess only Higashira-san and I know that you’re actually nice.”

After finishing up her first aid, I kept my eyes on her feet while grabbing her socks.

“Even if that were true...so what?”

“You could have so many friends, but people think that you’re hard to approach—especially the other committee members.”

“Well, they’re not wrong.” I continued focusing on her foot, not looking up as I put the boot back on. “I don’t want them thinking I’m approachable. Chatting tires me out.”

“Even with me?”

“Especially with you.”

“Aw, don’t be like that. We’re family, so you could stand to be a little nicer to me.” Yume giggled.

I don’t need something as useless as “other people.” I’m not like you. I’m hopelessly different from you.

I stood up after tying her shoelace. “How’s it feel?”

Yume stood up as well and looked at her right foot while walking between the desks in the room. “Mm... I think I should be okay. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“Don’t push yourself. I don’t wanna have to take a look at it again.”

“Aw, be nice. I know you’re a good boy,” she said, giggling again. “Thanks.”

Deep down, I remembered how she took care of me when I was sick. Yuni-san had told me to thank Yume in person, but I still hadn’t. And yet you did it so effortlessly.

“Sure,” I said shortly before turning towards the door.

All that ever came out of my mouth were empty words.