My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 352

Irito Mizuto ◆ Something never seen before

My roommates included Kawanami and two classmates I barely spoke to. These two were recruits Kawanami had picked from another group. Curious, I asked him about his selection criteria, and he said:

"Of course I have a girlfriend. Living together makes it easier to look after each other, right?"

I felt disgusted when I heard that, but it would also benefit me, so I didn't say anything more.

Dinner began at 7 p.m. and was served in the banquet hall with large platters of food. Tables were set out according to group seating, filled with roasted meat, steamed fish, or mixed rice dishes, for everyone to help themselves.

As expected, Kawanami was the biggest eater, and surprisingly, Minami was almost just as big. I couldn't understand how someone so petite could burn so much energy, but Yui asked without much thought, only to be met with an infuriating retort: "That's what I was going to ask!"

After dinner and a shower, I'll be free for the day. Until lights out at 10 PM, it's all free time. I don't need to go to the public bathhouse; I can just shower in my room's bathroom, so there's no need to worry too much about time.

That being said, it would be a shame to retreat to my room so early on a rare school trip, so I decided to take a walk around the hotel and see if there was a place where I could secretly meet up with Yui. But I hadn't even taken two steps...

"—Isn't that right?"

On the floor of the banquet hall, which is the elevator lobby on the basement level, I heard several girls talking.

I stood at a distance and took a quick look, and realized it was someone I knew—Asuhain seemed to be surrounded by three girls.

Upon closer inspection, one of the three girls was Yoshino Miko. She was wearing a top that looked like a cropped tank top and hot pants that were practically underwear; only she would dare to wear such a daring outfit that exposed her stomach and thighs. The other two were her usual acquaintances—friends to put it nicely, followers to put it bluntly.

It seemed like only Yoshino's small group was talking, and even I could hear the barbed tone in their voices.

"Be sensible, everyone's on the sidelines."

"That's right. Don't try to sneak away, I'm serious. You don't actually think you're better off with him, do you? That makes you seem like you have a terrible personality."

...It didn't sound like a very peaceful conversation...

The Yoshino group adopted a superior-to-subordinate lecturing tone, while Asuhain simply listened silently. The scene was extremely uncomfortable to watch, but unfortunately, I'm not the kind of chivalrous hero who would intervene. Besides, I couldn't understand a word they were arguing about.

Fortunately, I didn't need to help; Yoshino had already said, "Okay, okay," and gently persuaded the other two.

"You two don't need to be so fierce~ Xiaolan just lost control of her emotions for a moment~"

"Huh? But don't you feel angry? Just thinking about how Dongtou feels makes me angry~"

...East end?

Could it be... that they're talking about us?

"It's true that sneaking out is wrong, but you can just be more careful from now on, right, Ran?"

Yoshino placed his hand on Asuhain's shoulder, first saying this with a friendly smile, then bringing his mouth slightly close to Asuhain's ear.

"────────"

"...!"

This action... the two girls standing behind Yoshino might not have noticed, but I clearly saw Yoshino whispering something to Asuhain from the side.

As soon as Asuka heard this, she raised her eyebrows slightly, showing a surprised expression.

Yoshino quickly stepped back, then turned back to look at his two friends with a smile.

"Let's go upstairs. I want to go to the convenience store, what about you?"

Then the three of them pressed the elevator button, stepped into the elevator, and left.

Asuhain, who was left behind, also left the scene via another elevator.

Judging from the content of the conversation... it seems that even though I was already dating Isana, Asuhain tried to seduce me, so they did something to restrain me.

That is, the group self-defense rights that girls sometimes exercise among themselves. The fact that three people surrounded one of them inevitably left me with a sinister impression, but in reality, their actions were no different from Kawanami or Minami secretly dealing with people who wanted to pursue me or Yui.

Why did Asukain risk everything to confess his love to me?

And what did Yoshino whisper to her at the end...? What did Asuhain hear that made her so surprised?

...Until the last school year, I had no time to think about anything other than Yui or Isana.

Now that those things have come to an end, it's good that I have extra energy to focus on other things... but it seems that the school is a more complicated and difficult place than I imagined.

"Ah, I've found you."

I turned around when I heard the sound and saw Jie running towards me from the banquet hall.

Having changed out of her uniform, Yui was now wearing a sandy-colored women's shirt and an ankle-length skirt, looking so innocent compared to Yoshino that it seemed like a deliberate act.

"Ugh, why do you always disappear for no reason?"

"I can't help it, I'm too free. I just want to make good use of my time."

Besides, the teacher had also advised us not to stay in the banquet hall for too long.

"Honestly. I need to make a promise with you to hold onto you tight, or you'll run away."

"What agreement—"

Suddenly, Jie Nu quickly moved closer to me and whispered in a tone that couldn't hide her joy:

"(Wait until 9 o'clock, the swimming pool on the third floor.)"

Hearing her say that, I immediately understood.

Students on our school trip are prohibited from using the swimming pool, but not from entering the poolside area. Besides, almost all students are already in their rooms getting ready for bed an hour before lights out, so there's not much to worry about being seen.

"(Okay, see you at nine.)"

The woman smiled and nodded, then stepped back from in front of me, waving and saying, "Goodnight." Then she turned and walked back to the banquet hall.

The obedient little girl Ayai from before has become quite shrewd now.

As I calmly accepted this exciting and anticipated event, I walked back to my room.

Irito Yume ◆ Her evil thoughts are unexpectedly easy to expose.

After the four of us, who were sharing the same room, returned to our guest room together, I spoke first:

"What's the recommended order for showering?"

The student sitting on the edge of the bed at the east end tilted his head and said:

"Are you going to shower so soon? There's still time before you turn off the lights."

"Let me see..."

Xiaoyue took out her travel guide from her bag to confirm.

"Lights out at 10 PM, so there are still more than two hours left."

"That's true, but if four people take turns washing, it'll be quite rushed, won't it?"

Assuming a person takes half an hour to shower, that's exactly two hours, and by calculation, they'll barely finish showering just before lights out.

Xiaoyue clicked her tongue deliberately.

"I was originally planning to wait until the last minute to shower together..."

"The bathroom here is indeed quite large, but you have wicked thoughts, so it won't work."

Perhaps because it's a four-person room, the bathroom and shower are separate. It not only has a bathtub, but also a shower.

At this moment, the student at the east end suddenly raised his hand and said:

"Teacher, I have a question! If there are no impure thoughts, can we wash together?"

"Students who ask such questions are considered to have evil intentions."

"Yes……"

...Besides, if the other person is a classmate from the east end, I might be the one with impure thoughts. No matter how many times I think about it, I still think her breasts are amazing...

"I can wash it later."

Asuhain said this.

"I shower pretty quickly... and my hair dries pretty quickly too."

Indeed, Asuhain has the shortest hair among us. The biggest problem when rushing to shower before lights out is not having time to dry your hair, so it's quite reasonable to let Asuhain shower last.

"Can I go first?"

I made a suggestion based on that statement.

"You see, it takes me a long time to wash and blow-dry my hair. If I wait until after nine o'clock, I might not have enough time..."

That's right, that's why I discussed this as soon as I got back. In order to meet Shuidou at the pool at nine o'clock, I have to take a shower right now, or I'll miss the opportunity.

That being said, I was too embarrassed to say it directly, so I brought up the topic myself to try and make things sound as natural as possible.

The plan succeeded, and no one suspected anything...

I was secretly chuckling to myself when I noticed that Xiaoyue and Dongtou were both looking at me coldly.

"Sure, that's fine..."

"I don't know why... Is there some reason why you need to take a shower so quickly...?"

How come your intuition is so sharp!

Xiaoyue sighed, looking quite helpless, and said:

"Okay, it doesn't matter. Whatever you're planning to do at nine o'clock is fine. I'll go find some friends from another class while Yui takes a shower. What about you two?"

"As for me... I'll just wander around. This hotel is beautiful... maybe I can use it as a reference."

"……I……"

Asahi-no-in-classmate said so.

"I'll probably stay in my room. I brought my textbooks and stationery with me."

"Oh my god~ We have to study even on a school trip~"

Seeing Asuka quietly take out her reference books, I smiled and said:

"No wonder he's number one in the whole grade."

"…………Thanks."

As always, Ye Yuan didn't reply to me at all.

Mizuto Irito's signature expressions when the two are together

After walking through the changing room to the pool, I discovered that I had the night view all to myself.

There wasn't a soul in sight except for me. The notice posted at the entrance said swimming was until 9 PM, and the barbecue terrace next door seemed to have long since passed its last order time. So, at 9 PM, it seemed I was the only person in the pool.

Between here and the pool, there are probably two watermarks that someone has walked on, leading to the wooden platform. I walked around the watermarks and came to the parasol placed by the pool.

White beach chairs were placed under the parasols. I sat down and gazed at the swimming pool, which seemed to blend into the night view.

The pool connects to the exterior of the building, and at first glance, the pool and the surrounding sky seem to have no boundaries, designed to perfectly blend the pool surface with the surrounding landscape.

This reminds me of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore. I don't remember where I saw it, but it seems like that hotel, with its awe-inspiring design and a giant ship atop the building, also had a similar swimming pool.

The pool is brightly lit, and the dazzling lights accentuate the night view reflected on the water, creating a truly atmospheric scene. And as long as you stay under the parasols, you don't have to worry about anyone peeping at you from the hotel building behind you.

The school only prohibits students from playing in the pool, not from enjoying the view from the poolside, right...?

"They're getting increasingly cunning and scheming..."

"Who are you talking about?"

First I heard a sound, then Jie Nu came up behind me and looked at my face over my shoulder.

I was slightly startled and leaned back as I said:

"What...you got here first?"

"Because I'm always punctual. And you, you're here early too. Are you just itching to get here?"

Seeing Jie's mischievous smile, I said to her openly and honestly:

"Need you even ask? I can't wait."

Jie Nu seemed to find it unfunny and pouted.

"It sounds a bit fake coming from you..."

"I can't accept that. Your boyfriend sincerely expressed his love for you, but you've interpreted it like this."