My Stepsister is My Ex-Girlfriend - Volume 11 - Chapter Pr

Prologue: A Familiar Face before Our Departure

The Kind of Person I Like

Yume Irido

“I like you, Irido-san! Please go out with me!” a guy exclaimed, bowing his head, acting much more seriously than he needed to.

I couldn’t help but find it cute. This was the third time a guy had asked me out in the first month or so since the start of the new school year. When I was a freshman, people had told me left and right that I was popular, but I’d never been asked out once. But now, it was as if the dam had burst, and I was being flooded with dating requests.

I had an idea as to why I’d suddenly become a hot commodity. Right after the new school year had begun, Akatsuki-san asked me if I knew how to turn people down. Confused, I told her I more or less knew what to do, which led her to saying she “got it” before leaving. Not even a minute later, a guy came to ask me out.

I’d already had a faint idea that, behind the scenes, Akatsuki-san had been acting as a wall, blocking any guys from asking me out. But now that we were second-years and things had settled between me and Mizuto, she’d determined that she didn’t need to play bodyguard anymore.

It was true that if I got asked out at the same rate I was now as a first-year, I would’ve been at a complete loss. I might’ve turned them down in less than gentle ways, which might have led to bad rumors being spread about me. I was no longer the girl that I used to be. Of course, I still got nervous, but I felt a lot calmer and could respond much more confidently now.

“Sorry, but I already have a boyfriend,” I replied.

The guy looked up. “Y-You do? Who? What’s he like?!” he pressed, unable to hide his surprise.

This was the third time I was turning someone down, so I already had an answer prepared.

As I thought about him, my lips curled into a wide smile that wouldn’t have been possible if I were thinking of anyone else. “The smartest guy in school, I guess?”

All Mine

Mizuto Irido

It was now night, and our parents had gone to sleep in preparation for work in the morning. Yume had quietly come to my room and was currently lying on my bed.

“Can you stop making things more difficult for me?” I asked. “Every time you turn someone down, weird rumors blow things more and more out of proportion. Apparently, you’re dating some guy that’s Harvard-bound, a Mensa member, and a young entrepreneur.”

Yume giggled. “Maybe they’ll start calling you a famous detective or something.”

“You’re making it sound like this is my problem, but it affects you too, y’know.” I exhaled while sitting next to Yume.

Yume Irido was steadily becoming the most popular girl at Rakuro High School, but she had a boyfriend who was shrouded in mystery. I, Mizuto Irido, was not only her stepbrother, but also her ex from middle school, and said mysterious boyfriend. Though other people our age might’ve loved the over-the-top rumors about the identity of her boyfriend, it went without saying that I had no plans to go to Harvard, wasn’t a member of Mensa, and had no history of founding any companies.

“Can’t you say something else when you turn them down? Why do you have to say that the guy you’re dating’s the smartest person in the school? You make it sound like they’re even smarter than the genius student council president.”

“Yeah, that’s the point. If I say something noncommittal like I’m dating someone nice or handsome, then people’ll get the wrong idea for sure. These guys can’t compete with the smartest person in school, so they won’t press any further.”

“Wow, worrying about people getting the wrong idea? You’ve grown.”

“Yep. Aren’t you a proud boyfriend?” I looked down at her as she flashed a proud smile at me. In the next moment, I suddenly extended my hand towards her head. “Huh? What?”

I ignored her confusion and began rubbing her earlobes with the back of my fingers as if I was tracing them. “Wasn’t the guy who asked you out today the baseball team’s ace?” I asked.

“Yeah, apparently. I heard that our school isn’t typically strong in the sports department, but this year, they’re quite—”

Before she could say anything further, I put my body over hers. I put my hand next to her, covering her with my shadow. She blinked, confused, while I stared into her eyes—my girlfriend’s eyes.

Eventually, to my annoyance, a teasing smile crept across her face. “Jealous?”

I didn’t reply. All I could do was stare into her eyes with a pleading look. She began giggling as if she was enjoying my reaction.

“That’s okay,” she said with an alluring smile. “I’m all yours.”

Just like a dog hearing the command to go after being told to wait, I sprang into action, embracing Yume and putting my lips on hers. This kiss was much more ravenous than usual, as if I’d been starved. I could hear Yume’s seductive gasps and moans as our tongues intertwined with one another. I kept going until I felt satisfied. When I finally pulled away, Yume smiled at me, her face flushed.

“Wow, getting the hottest girl in our grade all to yourself? You’ve grown,” she teased.

“If your head gets any bigger, I’m gonna have to give you a hickey.”

“Stop! Don’t do that! Sheesh, don’t be such a baby. You can’t expect me not to tease you when you’re finally acting cute for once.”

My arms were starting to get tired from holding myself up over Yume, so instead, I lay next to her, and we cuddled.

We lightly bumped our foreheads against one another’s before whispering to each other.

“I know you’re getting to be an expert on rejecting people, but...my turn’s coming up,” I said.

“Huh? Really? Why’s that?”

“Someone put a note in my desk.”

“What if it’s a prank?” Yume asked.

“I mean, most people think I’m dating Isana. Would someone really play a prank like that on a guy with a girlfriend?”

“Hm... Fair point.”

“You’re not prying? That’s surprising.”

“That would be in poor taste, no? Especially while we’re fooling around like this.”

“I guess it’d be like laughing behind their back, huh?”

“Yeah, and I know how much confidence it takes to ask someone out. Make sure you take them seriously, okay?”

You’re such a softie. “I know.”

“Also, we’re not doing any more than just kissing today.”

“Huh?”

“That much should be obvious. If I were in that girl’s position, I wouldn’t want to use all my courage to ask you out right after you’ve done a bunch of things with someone else.”

You’re the one who baited me this far, and now you’re pulling the rug out from under me?! Just as I regretted having said anything, Yume began saying something in an even lower voice as if she were embarrassed.

“I’ll...let you do anything you want with me, as much as you want, right before the school trip, okay?”

Seeing her furiously trying not to meet my eyes, I couldn’t help but get a closer look at my girlfriend’s face. It was as if emotions as hot as magma were overflowing from my heart. “Just kissing is okay, right?”

“Huh? Mmff!”

There wasn’t going to be any time for us to do this during the school trip. The only ones who knew our secret were our closest friends. That’s why I needed to charge up before the cheat day came. I’d make her rue the day she said such a thoughtless statement. But before that, there was something else I needed to take care of. I have no idea who you are, girl trying to ask me out, but I’m going to make sure you know there’s zero chance of us ever getting together.

“I like you. Please go out with me.”

I was speechless. I was too stunned by the words uttered to me without any nerves or emotion by a girl with the stature of a middle schooler but a curvy, glamorous body. It was Ran Asuhain—the very same girl who worked with Yume on the student council and was known as the biggest man-hater in our school. I’m getting déjà vu.