My Stepsister is My Ex-Girlfriend - Volume 6 - Chapter 5.14

1:18 P.M.: It Has Absolutely Nothing to Do with Me

Akatsuki Minami

“God, I’m bored...” Maki-chan said, sulking as she walked down the bustling halls. “What happened to our friendship?! I get that Irido-san has work, but Nasuka prioritized hanging out with her boyfriend over us!”

“What’re you gonna do? Their relationship is still fresh. We can’t interrupt the happiest phase of the relationship.”

“But she doesn’t even act like she likes him!”

Good point. When Nasuka-chan left to go see her boyfriend, she didn’t seem giddy, excited, or anything. She seemed neutral as always.

“Maybe she just looked calm on the outside, but was hiding how excited she really was.”

“Ew. Don’t say something so bittersweet! You’re gonna make me want a boyfriend!”

“Okay, okay, settle down. I’ll go out with you.”

“Oh, yay... I might not have gotten a boyfriend, but now I have a girlfriend... Let’s get all lovey-dovey, Akki...”

“Uh-huh. Lovey-dovey.”

I comforted Maki-chan as she hugged me. It was like petting a big dog. I knew how lonely it felt when a friend was taken from you. But neither Nasuka-chan nor Yume-chan were the kind of people who would toss away their friends just because they got boyfriends. We needed to support them.

Maki-chan and I walked around the festival. I laughed a bit when Maki-chan scarfed down some hot dogs to comfort herself and then we went to the gym where people were performing.

“One of the upperclassmen in the basketball club made a band and is performing.”

“Do you like them?”

“Not really. But I figured I might as well watch a bit since everyone’s been fangirling about it.”

“Oh, so this is a popular, good-looking guy, then?”

“Nope. Girl.”

“Wowie.”

I’d been kinda curious what kind of popular traits made up this chimera who was both in a band and the basketball club, but nothing I’d imagined would’ve prepared me for the truth.

The stage sparkled in the midst of the dark gym while people packed in close to one another.

“Ugh, I can’t see.”

“Want me to hold you up?” Maki-chan asked as I was desperately trying to stand on my tippy-toes. She didn’t even wait for my response before she grabbed onto me.

Damn you! You think you can do this to me just because you’re tall? But also, I could see the stage now, where a class was dancing.

“Hm?” For a minute, I thought I saw a familiar head in the sea of people.

No, I’m not seeing things. I’d know that hair anywhere—it’s Kawanami. And next to him... No, whoever he’s with has nothing to do with me. It has absolutely nothing to do with me. Just because he was with Nishimura-san, a girl who hung around him a lot, didn’t mean that I had to involve myself. It had nothing—and I repeat, absolutely nothing—to do with me.

“My arms are tired. I’m puttin’ you down.” As Maki-chan set me down, she looked at my face. “Hm? You good? You look kinda pissed.”

“I’m fine.”

“Wait, are you mad because I held you up without waiting for you to say yes? I’m so sorry! I know how much being short bothers you! But I think being small is cute!”

“Stop trying to comfort me over something I’m not even bothered about!”

I’d already had a feeling that Nishimura-san was into him. It was obvious since he had to go to the bathroom a lot in the middle of their conversations. It meant he could sense her affection towards him. Jeez, him and his stupid allergy. Most girls would totally be put off by someone who got hives whenever they talked. It’d piss me off if I were in her shoes. That’s why I always try to be careful...

When the music ended, a portion of the audience moved to leave.

“Whoa, careful,” Maki-chan said, pulling me out of the way.

I saw his head in the sea of people leaving.

“Hm? Is that Kawanami and Nishimura?”

It looked like Kawanami was talking about something while Nishimura-san was giggling in response. Probably something stupid, the same sorts of things he’d talk about with me...

“Sheesh, I knew they were close, but they look like they’re datin— A-Akki? Y-You’re scaring me!”

“I said I’m fine,” I asserted.

“Are you, though?!”

Whatever was between them had nothing to do with me. I’d always known how popular he was. I’d also long known how big of a liar he was, dating back to when we were kids. Despite always saying that he’d rather be an observer than a participant in romance, it wasn’t at all surprising that he’d so easily gone on a date during the festival.

“Maki-chan, there’re less people now. Let’s move up.”

“O-Okay... It’s gonna be hard to get hyped over her band now, though...”

As I pulled her towards the stage, I heard a voice from outside the gym. “Oh, there you are, Kawanami!”

“Sheesh, I told you guys to stay close.”

“There were like a million people. Not our fault.”

I looked back and saw five people, including Kawanami and Nishimura-san. It was a mix of guys and girls all happily chatting one another up as they moved farther and farther away.

“Akki...?” Maki-chan said, looking at my face after seeing the same sight as me. “Close one, right? Aren’t you happy it wasn’t a date?”

“I don’t care...”

“God, am I really the only one out of you guys who doesn’t have anyone?”

“I told you—I don’t care about him!”