My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

I heard that her name is Irito Kawana.

That was the altar of Irito Mizuto's biological mother.

The water basin remained still for more than ten seconds, and I silently clasped my hands together in front of it.

Soon he looked up and stared at the photograph—his funeral portrait—for a long time. When he stood up and turned around, he realized I was standing on the threshold.

"...Were you spying on me?"

Water Fighter maintained his expressionless face, like a barren desert, and cast a reproachful glance at me.

I ignored him and went into the Japanese-style room.

I sat upright on the cushion in front of the Buddha altar, picked up a small stick, and gently tapped the golden chime.

Ding—the sound continued incessantly.

I put my hands together and closed my eyes for a moment.

When I looked up, I found that Shuidou, who had been standing up, was now sitting cross-legged next to me.

He remained expressionless and silent.

Since he was only staring intently at the altar, I took the initiative to speak cautiously:

"...You seem to have said you didn't remember?"

Despite the question lacking a subject and object, Mizuto answered immediately:

"It seems like he was already in poor health."

His answer was brief, but I understood it.

It probably means that the physical exertion of childbirth wore her down.

And so... she passed away before he even understood what was happening.

"As for her appearance, all I know is this photo. I don't know her speaking habits, or what she likes or dislikes. Dad doesn't like to talk about it either—only the name Mizuto exists. That's the only certainty."

Water bucket.

Then there's... Kawana.

That happened more than a month ago. The first place my mother and I went to on the day we moved into this house was not the living room or the room we were assigned, but this Japanese-style room.

My mother and I sat in front of this Buddhist altar, put our hands together, and greeted her.

The mother lowered her head deeply and said:

—I'm sorry. And please take good care of me.

There is still a place for this woman in this house. Mom understands this, which is why she apologized to her like that, bowing her head to seek forgiveness.

Mizuto was also present at the time... and he too had a blank expression.

His mother's presence was deeply etched into his name.

Therefore, Uncle Fengqiu and Mom could both sense her influence in it.

—But Mizuto himself had nothing.

No memories, no recollections, and little knowledge whatsoever.

But he was forced to accept this loss of his mother that never existed... What could he do—what could he think?

What else could he do but give up everything in return?

That's why he had a blank expression.

"…………I'll say it."

"Hmm? -- Ah, eh?"

Shuidou couldn't help but let out a confused sound.

Because of me—with a light touch.

Lean down and touch his shoulder with your own.

"...What are you doing?"

The water bucket didn't budge much, and the eldest brother whispered unhappily in my ear.

"I'm doing this for your own good... but who told me I'm the older sister now?"

"That's not over yet..."

"No one said it would end on the second day."

Lovers will eventually break up.

Even marriage is not eternal.

However, only parents, brothers, and sisters—by all accounts—are lifelong relationships.

So, if this guy leaves my side...

So, if I leave this guy's side...

The person involved will inevitably feel a sense of loss.

It's not that it never existed in the first place, but rather that it lost something that once existed.

—I believe he can no longer say he "doesn't quite understand".

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, the sound of a clock came from somewhere.

In the dimly lit Japanese-style room, I leaned against my stepson, trying to etch my presence into his heart.

Soon, from an undeniably close distance, came a tone of surrender:

"...Alright, there's nothing we can do about it since it's the rule."

My shoulder was pushed back a little.

"Is this what they call going all the way from start to finish?"

What do you take me for?

"hehe."

Leaning against each other, Irito Mizuto smiled faintly.

◆

And so, on the surface, the Mother's Day gift was successfully given to Mom.

However, there is still a secret gift that hasn't been given.

"Hey, do we really have to do that?"

My parents seemed to still be whispering sweet nothings in the living room, so we stayed huddled in the dimly lit Japanese-style room. Of course, we weren't touching anymore, maintaining a proper distance.

"Of course! It would be great if we could happen to be on a school trip, but it seems like we'd have to wait a long time. Besides, if we have to rely on school activities, it will be difficult to do it again later."

"One more time—wait, you...you want to do it a few more times?!"

"Wouldn't it be great if we could give our parents more opportunities to relax without worrying about us? We can achieve this simply by not staying at home."

Yes, this is the gift we came up with by accident.

As long as we leave home temporarily—in other words, spend the night outside…

Mom and her husband should then be able to enjoy some time together as a couple.

"Sigh, just bear with it for a while. Once they trust us, we can just ask them to go out for dinner or something."

"Well, okay, maybe that's true, but..."

"Why are you speaking so hesitantly? Is there a problem?"

"You have so many questions! Even though we have no feelings for each other anymore, think about it, we're still a boy and a girl... spending the night in a cramped internet cafe..."

"Huh?"

In the dimly lit room, Mizuto's expression was contorted with surprise.

"You don't actually think you're going to spend the night with me in a couples' booth at an internet cafe or something, do you?"

"...Huh?"

My mind went completely blank.

Huh? ...Huh?

Isn't that right!

"Are you an idiot...?"

Mizuto deliberately let out a very long sigh and said:

"The law stipulates that people under the age of 18 are not allowed to stay overnight in internet cafes. Doing so would result in being refused by the counter staff, being advised by the police, and having their parents contacted, which would only have the opposite effect."

"Huh...wait, no way!"

"Hotels and inns won't work either, because parental consent is required... although there are some places that might allow high school students to stay overnight..."

"Are there such places?"

"Love Hotel".

What do you love?

Seeing me frozen in place, Mizuta repeated:

"I was talking about love hotels. As long as the security cameras can't tell they're high school students, they're fine... I heard that."

"You idiot...!"

"are you going?"

"Go to hell!"

I slapped Shuidou on the shoulder hard. He didn't seem to feel much pain.

"I checked, and hotels aren't cheap either, so ultimately it's not feasible."

"...What are you checking for? Just because it's cheap doesn't mean you'll stay there with me!"

"The worst-case scenario."

"...The worst..."

Does this guy mean that staying in a love hotel with me is the worst-case scenario?

I glared at him, and he scoffed. It's infuriating...!

"So, we'll have to find a place to spend the night in the most basic way possible."

"Stop keeping me in suspense, what's the most common way?"

"That's of course..."

Mizuto said with a somewhat incomprehensible expression and tone:

"So-called...friends?"

Mizuto showed me the LINE screen.

The screen displayed his conversation with his classmate Kawanami, in which Kawanami wrote:

"Sure. Since it's for this kind of thing, I can let you stay one night."

<If it's Irito-san, just ask Minami for help!>

"Nan lives right next door to me, so you can rest assured, right?"

“…Huh?”

I looked at Mizuto in surprise, and he nodded with a troubled expression.

"I was startled too...it seems those two are neighbors."

Volume Two: Even if you're no longer lovers, former couples going out overnight is "no problem".

Looking back, I can only say it was a mistake I made when I was young. However, I did have what is commonly known as a girlfriend between my second and third years of junior high school.

When I start with something like this, some people might be wary, thinking, "What embarrassing history is going to surface this time?" But I would like to ask everyone to be patient. Back then, Ayai Yui and I were indeed a pair of immature, irrational lovers, but we didn't experience every single thing that might happen to a couple.