After I Comforted My Younger Stepsister Who Had Her Boyfriend Taken From Her, She Started Becoming Obsessively Sweet - 24-25

Chapter 24: From an Unexpected Person

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“Why, hello there! Nice to meet the infamous immoral siblings who play hooky!~”

A girl whose name I didn’t know was standing in the doorway of the empty classroom. She was wearing glasses and her sharp features gave her the impression of a straitlaced student, but it seemed her appearance didn’t reflect her true personality. She flashed a peace sign excitedly, almost like a gyaru. The corners of her mouth were raised in a small smirk. To be frank, she didn’t seem to be our ally. Although she hadn’t explicitly stated it, but the fact that she had been following us suggested she had a connection with Orihara-san. It would be dangerous to accept her presence without caution. I also had zero idea why she decided to appear before us like this. 

“I don’t know who you are, but aren’t you also skipping class? We’re on the same boat here. You have no right to talk to us like that.”

“Well, I guess you’re right. I mean, if I weren’t skipping class, I wouldn’t be able to pop up here like this either.”

The girl whose name I didn’t know said so while walking past me. She entered the classroom and made her way over to Shikino. Once she reached Shikino, she stopped walking. She gazed at my little sister’s face. As she drew closer, Shikino instinctively tried to put some distance between them, but the glasses-wearing girl only moved in closer. 

“Whoa~ The rumors are right!~ You’re really beautiful! No wonder your big brother is head over heels for you~’

“…Just who are you exactly…?”

“Fufufu~ Who knows?~ Shikino-chan, can you try to guess? For the record, I’m older than you, okay?~”

Seriously?

Upon hearing that, I immediately asked her. 

“Are you a third year student?”

“No, no, no. Onii-chan, I’m in the same year as you. I’m in my second year too. If I were a third year student, I’d be busy cramming for exams. I wouldn’t have time for this sort of thing. Well, to be fair, some nerds in our year are already preparing for our university entrance exam now. They’re preparing two years in advance. Geez.”

“…I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t think I’ve seen you before. I don’t even know your name.”

“I’m Yuzuhi Era. A second year in Class D. By the way, I’m in the science class although I look like this.”

Yuzuhi Era said while raising her hand in an exaggerated manner, introducing herself playfully. Her name didn’t ring a bell. She wasn’t in my class during our first year and my classroom was located far away from the science class. I couldn’t find any connection between us. 

“We were in different classes during our first year too. It’s not a surprise that you don’t know me. To be fair, there are plenty of people in the same grade that I don’t know either.”

“But still… I should’ve recognized your face, even though we’ve never been in the same class. And yet, I don’t remember you at all…”

“Ughh, so cruel… Is what I’d like to say, but of course you don’t know me. I transferred to this school near the end of the first year after all.”

“…This is my first time hearing that.”

“Right? You don’t have many friends, so it’s not surprising that this is your first time hearing that. I get it, I really do~”

“Then why do you know me so much even though I don’t have many friends? Where are you getting all this information about me?”

“Is it from that woman…?”

Shikino interjected, directing her question at Era Yuzuhi. Era Yuzuhi smiled at Shikino and threw another question back at Shikino. 

“Oh? Which woman are you talking about, Shikino-chan? You see, I really don’t have the slightest clue here~”

“Don’t play dumb. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”

“I’m not playing dumb~ I really don’t know~ That’s why I’m asking you back~”

“…You’re so annoying…”

“Don’t say that~ Come on?~ Tell me?~ Come on now~”

Era Yuzuhi kept pestering Shikino. She was clinging to Shikino so annoyingly. Even watching her behavior from a distance like this was enough to irritate me. I stepped in for Shikino and said to her curtly. 

“It’s Megumi Orihara. So? Is it true that you’re connected to her? And she’s the reason why you’re approaching us?”

“Eeeeh?~ Why you immediately answer it so bluntly like that?~ And here I thought I’d already dodged that question earlier~”

“Fine. If you want to keep brushing that question off, we’ll just assume that you are really connected to Megumi Orihara. There’s nothing we want to talk about with you and nothing you say will interest us either. Let’s go, Shikino.”

I gestured for Shikino to come over to my side, but Era Yuzuhi blocked her. She stepped in front of Shikino and spread her arms to block Shikino’s path. Of course Shikino ignored her and tried to brush past her to get to me, but…

“Can you stop making decisions on your own? And please stop cutting me. I actually have a pretty important thing to do here, you know?~”

“…Then just say it. Why do you keep wasting our time like this?”

“You… Do people often call you impatient? I thought it was common courtesy to start a conversation with some small talk when it’s our first meeting. I guess you don’t share the same common sense as me~”

“It’s not about sharing the same common sense. I simply don’t trust you, so I’d rather end this conversation as soon as possible.”

“Wow. Just say that you hate me, why don’t you?”

“Precisely. That’s what I’m trying to tell you here.”

“Uwahh~ You sure don’t hold back, huh?”

She said with a wry smile, but I didn’t let my expression change. I didn’t have any reason to be nice with Era Yuzuhi, especially when she might be connected to Megumi Orihara.

I kept my response curt and to the point. After all, I had to leave early with Shikino so we could head home together.

“Good grief. Fine. I get it. I will say it. You want me to be completely honest with you, right? Fine. I will just say it straight now.”

“That’s what I’ve been asking for from the start.”

“Haaa~ What a boring guy~ You’re exactly like the rumors~”

Era said while shaking her head, feigning exasperation. Although her behavior annoyed me a bit, but I held my tongue. I was already tired of having unnecessary arguments with this girl. 

“The reason I came here is not because of Orihara-san. No. I came here because of Marukawa-kun.”

“Huh…? Marukawa…?”

“That’s right. Your best friend and honestly? He’s so much easier to talk with than you. Takumu Marukawa-kun. The boy that I like.”

“…What?”

Her last words left my mouth gaping open. I was rendered speechless. Shikino, who was standing beside me, also tilted her head to the side in confusion. We had been completely blindsided.

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Chapter 25: Your Reckless Flirting Will Lead to Your Downfall, You Know?

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“Takumu Marukawa-kun. Your only best friend and the person that I like. He’s the reason why I came here. He asked me to come to you.”

Era declared with an air of aloofness. Her words left me… No. Her words left both me and Shikino speechless.

“Wait a second. What do you mean…? Takumu told you to come to us…?”

“What do you mean by ‘what do you mean’? It’s exactly as I said. Marukawa-kun thinks of me as a convenient girl and he knows you two are being played around by Orihara-san, so he asked me to use my connections to help you out.”

“…”

“What’s this? Why the silence? Are you still doubting me? If you are, you can ask Marukawa-kun, but he’s in class right now. So that’s not really an option here~”

“Doubting you… No. It’s not that. I was just thinking of something rude in my head.”

“Something rude? What is it? That I’d look cuter without glasses? I get told that a lot, but you see~ I’m scared of wearing contact lenses. I’m sticking with this look for now.”

“No-No. It’s not that…”

“Huh? It’s not? Then what is it?”

“I… I was just thinking that Takumu is more popular than I expected…”

I said cautiously and she let out a small, amused laugh.

“Well~ Who knows?~ Maybe he’s popular?~ I’m not sure either~ I know it’s a bit weird to hear this from me, but I think he’s not the type to be liked by girls out in the open. I think he’s the type to be liked in secret.”

“Why do you like Takumu…? I mean, I know he’s a good guy, but still…”

“Do I really need to tell you that? It’s not that I don’t want to, but it’s kind of embarrassing for me to say it out loud~”

“Ri-Right…”

I admitted that my last question was probably crossing the line. 

Sorry. My bad.

“Let me ask you this. Do you really need a reason to fall in love? Because I don’t think so.”

“There is. Of course you need a reason.”

Shikino spoke in a soft voice, even though she had stayed silent. 

“If you can’t find any reason behind your love, that means your feelings are too weak. At least, that’s what I think…”

“Hooo~ I see. Fufu~ So that’s how it is for Shikino-chan, huh?~”

Era was staring at me as she said so. her smirk was annoying, but I couldn’t think of a good comeback either. I remained silent while biting my lip in secret.

“Onii-chan, you’re a real lucky guy, aren’t you? You need to cherish your relationship with Shikino-chan, you know?~”

“…I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“It’s just… It’s probably better if you stop flirting with your little sister while everyone else is busy studying in class. Sinking too deep in your relationship will eventually destroy you both, you know? Don’t let your heart lead you astray, Onii-chan~”

“…”

“Good grief. I had to go through all that trouble just to have you listen to me. Awkward~ Sooo awkward~”

I felt like our conversation was slowly going off course, so I forcibly veered the main topic back, partly to cover my embarrassment at being exposed by her. 

“Forget about us. Let’s get back to the main point. So? Why did Takumu send you here? Just what is happening here?”

Shikino nodded behind me. Era sighed, feigning exasperation again before she replied.

“Like I said, I’m here to help you.”

“I get that, but how exactly are you going to help us?”

“I’m going to use my personal connections to free you two from Orihara-san.”

“…Even if you’re going to use your personal connections to help us, I doubt she…”

I trailed my words and Era nodded in agreement.

“Yeah. I know. It’s not going to be easy. That girl… From what I’ve heard, she seems to have reallyyyy deep attachment toward you two.”

“…”

“But still, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing I can do to help you two.”

“Hm…?”

I tilted my head in confusion and Era showed me the screen of her smartphone.

“In fact, I’m already in the middle of a talk with someone promising. I think she might be able to help you.”

“Someone promising…?”

“Yeah. Megumi Orihara-san’s friend, Ayane Sugai-san.”

“Huh…?”

“Let’s talk together with her after school today. I think we’re going to have a pretty interesting conversation with her.”

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