When Mizuto said that he wanted to go back, Hazuki, Midori, and Kumiko also decided to follow him to leave. With the four of them leaving, they walked together like before, but naturally, the three girls were curious about his relationship with Kousaka.
"That girl is so beautiful."
"Is she your girlfriend, Irido-kun?"
"....."
Mizuto's lips twitched as he saw Hazuki and Midori, who stared at him with curious yet pained gazes as if their hearts were broken, and from the corner of his eyes, he could also see that Kumiko was staring at him intently, waiting for him to answer that question.
"She is my classmate. As for a relationship? Can a relationship even begin when we have just talked a few words at the entrance of the music clubroom? Do you think that I am a master hypnosis who can control someone's mind and heart to fall for me at first sight?"
"Really? I think that she seems to have an interest in you. Even if she appeared cold, she talked patiently with you."
Mizuto stared at Hazuki and wondered whether this girl had fallen for him. After all, her question was a common question asked by a girl toward their crush, which made him think that a high school student was sure to fall in love so quickly.
"I think it is normal. We are classmates, after all, and isn't it normal for us to talk politely to each other? Moreover, instead of talking about my relationship with Kousaka-san, as we have just met each other today, shouldn't you ask Oumae-san? She was like a ninja, trying to erase her presence when Kousaka-san was there.
"Or rather, you were like a boy who became awkward and didn't know what to do when he met the target of his confession after failing with his confession during graduation."
Kumiko's lips and could tell that this bastard was teasing her.
Also, what was that example?
Did he think that she loved the same gender or something?
She was normal, okay?
After all, she was still attracted to Mizuto, but she definitely wouldn't say it, and her affection toward him definitely had almost become zero as this guy had a bad personality.
If his face wasn't so handsome, then she would erase the trace of affection she had toward him directly!
"Now that you mention it!"
"Did you confess your love at Kousaka-san during the graduation of your middle school, Kumiko-chan?"
Midori and Hazuki quickly turned their attention to Kumiko as they were interested in Kumiko's strange reaction when she met Reina. Still, due to Mizuto's words, there was also a strong teasing taste in their questions, which made them wonder whether Kumiko and Reina had a forbidden relationship.
"NO!"
Kumiko reacted strongly before she sighed helplessly. "We don't have such a relationship, and I don't feel something like that to her, nor did I confess to her at the end of middle school." Even though she had to admit that Reina was cute. "I just knew her since we were in the same concert band club during middle school." Then, hesitating, she let out a long sigh again and said, "It was just... at the end of our concert during middle school, I might have said something a bit... no, a little... bit too mean to her."
Still, she didn't want to talk about this problem, so she quickly changed the topic of conversation. "Anyway, it's my first time to see Kousaka-san talk like that with the opposite gender. You might have a chance, you know?"
His lips twitched as he sighed. "I just talked to her casually. Why did you have to exaggerate every little thing?"
"I am not exaggerating this. You should know that she always had this cold face whenever guys approached or talked to her." Kumiko showed Reina's expression whenever guys tried to approach or talk to her, causing the three of them to laugh. "Don't you feel excited knowing this?" Still, watching Mizuto, who was the same as ever, made her confused as he should be happy to hear a beautiful girl feel special about him, right?
"Oumae-san, you are not popular, right?"
"....." Kumiko's lips twitched and said, "Irido-kun, has someone told you that you have a bad personality?"
"Really? That's the first time."
"You really have a bad personality!"
"But, really, you should stop thinking that we might have a romantic relationship since the reason why I could talk with Kousaka-san normally was because I talked to her normally."
"Huh? What do you mean?" 3x
The three girls became confused.
"As you have said before, Kousaka-san is a beautiful girl, and I am sure that every guy who came to her either fell in love with her or wanted to get close to her. She must have been exhausted talking with those guys who tried to impress her when she felt nothing at all toward them."
When they heard his explanation, they somehow understood why Reina had a cold reaction toward any guys who approached her; meanwhile, she could normally talk to Mizuto.
Kumiko also thought that this might be the reason why she could talk in a relaxed manner with Mizuto, as he didn't put her on a pedestal or treat her like the most special being. Well, it wasn't like she had been treated that way since, like he had said before, she was unpopular.
Watching his calm expression, she couldn't help but lightly kick his leg annoyedly.
"Why did you kick me?"
"I will forgive you for saying that I am unpopular with that."
"...should I say thank you?"
"You don't need to," Kumiko said generously with a smile.
"..." Mizuto.
"Mizuto!"
When they approached the school locket, his name was called.
"Yume."
Yume, who had been waiting for him, also quickly approached him, especially when she noticed three girls who walked by his side.
Still watching Yume, who observed the girls' bodies in a subtle manner, Mizuto sighed helplessly, thinking that this girl really had a bad habit.
"Oumae-san."
"Hello, Irido-san."
Yume and Kumiko greeted each other normally. While they might have known each other at the entrance, their relationship wasn't particularly close, after all.
Still, Kumiko felt as helpless as she could feel an intense gaze from Yume as if a wife had found her husband's secret lover.
"Let's go back."
Mizuto held Yume's hand, then excused himself. "Then, Oumae-san, Hazuki-san, Kawashima-san, we will leave first."
When he held her hand in front of everyone, Yume was a little shy, but she didn't pull away from him and moved even closer naturally. Excuse herself, she walked by his side, then asked, "Why did you go out with them?"
"I happened to meet them when I just finished my talk with Ootake-sensei."
"What did you say with Ootake-sensei?"
"She just told me to keep my grade, and she is afraid that my grade might decline since there are many temptations as a high school student."
"....." Yume.
Hearing their conversation, Kumiko looked at Mizuto in a subtle manner as he didn't mention his outing with them to the concert band. He might not lie, but this guy definitely wasn't a good guy as he didn't intend to tell what he had done before. However, she didn't intend to say anything to Yume as she knew that he was also kind enough not to continue to ask about what had happened to her and Reina. Moreover, while she knew that it was a bit wrong, she felt a little bit annoyed by Yume's doubtful expression.
While it was true that she was tempted by Mizuto's handsome face, she wasn't crazy enough to attack him on a bright day like this, okay?
Still, was the temptation that he mentioned also included her?
Kumiko shook her head and stopped dreaming since it was impossible for him to fall for a plain girl like her.
"Ku-Kumiko, she-she is..." Hazuki's voice was shaky as she watched Mizuto and Yume hold each other hands.
"Ah, um, it's probably something that you have imagined."
While Kumiko knew that they were stepsiblings, their relationship was definitely more than a mere stepsibling relationship, so she might as well say that Yume was his girlfriend.
With those words, Hazuki squatted on the ground, hugging her knees and burying her face.
"Hazuki-chan?"
"Don't tell me...?"
Kumiko and Midori looked at each other helplessly, then quietly patted Hazuki's shoulders. However, they had to say, it was their first time to see someone whose heart broke so fast.
When Mizuto said that he wanted to go back, Hazuki, Midori, and Kumiko also decided to follow him to leave. With the four of them leaving, they walked together like before, but naturally, the three girls were curious about his relationship with Kousaka.
"That girl is so beautiful."
"Is she your girlfriend, Irido-kun?"
"....."
Mizuto's lips twitched as he saw Hazuki and Midori, who stared at him with curious yet pained gazes as if their hearts were broken, and from the corner of his eyes, he could also see that Kumiko was staring at him intently, waiting for him to answer that question.
"She is my classmate. As for a relationship? Can a relationship even begin when we have just talked a few words at the entrance of the music clubroom? Do you think that I am a master hypnosis who can control someone's mind and heart to fall for me at first sight?"
"Really? I think that she seems to have an interest in you. Even if she appeared cold, she talked patiently with you."
Mizuto stared at Hazuki and wondered whether this girl had fallen for him. After all, her question was a common question asked by a girl toward their crush, which made him think that a high school student was sure to fall in love so quickly.
"I think it is normal. We are classmates, after all, and isn't it normal for us to talk politely to each other? Moreover, instead of talking about my relationship with Kousaka-san, as we have just met each other today, shouldn't you ask Oumae-san? She was like a ninja, trying to erase her presence when Kousaka-san was there.
"Or rather, you were like a boy who became awkward and didn't know what to do when he met the target of his confession after failing with his confession during graduation."
Kumiko's lips and could tell that this bastard was teasing her.
Also, what was that example?
Did he think that she loved the same gender or something?
She was normal, okay?
After all, she was still attracted to Mizuto, but she definitely wouldn't say it, and her affection toward him definitely had almost become zero as this guy had a bad personality.
If his face wasn't so handsome, then she would erase the trace of affection she had toward him directly!
"Now that you mention it!"
"Did you confess your love at Kousaka-san during the graduation of your middle school, Kumiko-chan?"
Midori and Hazuki quickly turned their attention to Kumiko as they were interested in Kumiko's strange reaction when she met Reina. Still, due to Mizuto's words, there was also a strong teasing taste in their questions, which made them wonder whether Kumiko and Reina had a forbidden relationship.
"NO!"
Kumiko reacted strongly before she sighed helplessly. "We don't have such a relationship, and I don't feel something like that to her, nor did I confess to her at the end of middle school." Even though she had to admit that Reina was cute. "I just knew her since we were in the same concert band club during middle school." Then, hesitating, she let out a long sigh again and said, "It was just... at the end of our concert during middle school, I might have said something a bit... no, a little... bit too mean to her."
Still, she didn't want to talk about this problem, so she quickly changed the topic of conversation. "Anyway, it's my first time to see Kousaka-san talk like that with the opposite gender. You might have a chance, you know?"
His lips twitched as he sighed. "I just talked to her casually. Why did you have to exaggerate every little thing?"
"I am not exaggerating this. You should know that she always had this cold face whenever guys approached or talked to her." Kumiko showed Reina's expression whenever guys tried to approach or talk to her, causing the three of them to laugh. "Don't you feel excited knowing this?" Still, watching Mizuto, who was the same as ever, made her confused as he should be happy to hear a beautiful girl feel special about him, right?
"Oumae-san, you are not popular, right?"
"....." Kumiko's lips twitched and said, "Irido-kun, has someone told you that you have a bad personality?"
"Really? That's the first time."
"You really have a bad personality!"
"But, really, you should stop thinking that we might have a romantic relationship since the reason why I could talk with Kousaka-san normally was because I talked to her normally."
"Huh? What do you mean?" 3x
The three girls became confused.
"As you have said before, Kousaka-san is a beautiful girl, and I am sure that every guy who came to her either fell in love with her or wanted to get close to her. She must have been exhausted talking with those guys who tried to impress her when she felt nothing at all toward them."
When they heard his explanation, they somehow understood why Reina had a cold reaction toward any guys who approached her; meanwhile, she could normally talk to Mizuto.
Kumiko also thought that this might be the reason why she could talk in a relaxed manner with Mizuto, as he didn't put her on a pedestal or treat her like the most special being. Well, it wasn't like she had been treated that way since, like he had said before, she was unpopular.
Watching his calm expression, she couldn't help but lightly kick his leg annoyedly.
"Why did you kick me?"
"I will forgive you for saying that I am unpopular with that."
"...should I say thank you?"
"You don't need to," Kumiko said generously with a smile.
"..." Mizuto.
"Mizuto!"
When they approached the school locket, his name was called.
"Yume."
Yume, who had been waiting for him, also quickly approached him, especially when she noticed three girls who walked by his side.
Still watching Yume, who observed the girls' bodies in a subtle manner, Mizuto sighed helplessly, thinking that this girl really had a bad habit.
"Oumae-san."
"Hello, Irido-san."
Yume and Kumiko greeted each other normally. While they might have known each other at the entrance, their relationship wasn't particularly close, after all.
Still, Kumiko felt as helpless as she could feel an intense gaze from Yume as if a wife had found her husband's secret lover.
"Let's go back."
Mizuto held Yume's hand, then excused himself. "Then, Oumae-san, Hazuki-san, Kawashima-san, we will leave first."
When he held her hand in front of everyone, Yume was a little shy, but she didn't pull away from him and moved even closer naturally. Excuse herself, she walked by his side, then asked, "Why did you go out with them?"
"I happened to meet them when I just finished my talk with Ootake-sensei."
"What did you say with Ootake-sensei?"
"She just told me to keep my grade, and she is afraid that my grade might decline since there are many temptations as a high school student."
"....." Yume.
Hearing their conversation, Kumiko looked at Mizuto in a subtle manner as he didn't mention his outing with them to the concert band. He might not lie, but this guy definitely wasn't a good guy as he didn't intend to tell what he had done before. However, she didn't intend to say anything to Yume as she knew that he was also kind enough not to continue to ask about what had happened to her and Reina. Moreover, while she knew that it was a bit wrong, she felt a little bit annoyed by Yume's doubtful expression.
While it was true that she was tempted by Mizuto's handsome face, she wasn't crazy enough to attack him on a bright day like this, okay?
Still, was the temptation that he mentioned also included her?
Kumiko shook her head and stopped dreaming since it was impossible for him to fall for a plain girl like her.
"Ku-Kumiko, she-she is..." Hazuki's voice was shaky as she watched Mizuto and Yume hold each other hands.
"Ah, um, it's probably something that you have imagined."
While Kumiko knew that they were stepsiblings, their relationship was definitely more than a mere stepsibling relationship, so she might as well say that Yume was his girlfriend.
With those words, Hazuki squatted on the ground, hugging her knees and burying her face.
"Hazuki-chan?"
"Don't tell me...?"
Kumiko and Midori looked at each other helplessly, then quietly patted Hazuki's shoulders. However, they had to say, it was their first time to see someone whose heart broke so fast.
