I Realized I Was the Cheating Bastard in a Hentai Manga only after I Had Already Stolen the Heroine - 51

Chapter 51: A Day Spent at the Yamada Household

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After finishing the meal and putting the dishes in the dishwasher, I suddenly had free time.

What should I do now? When I had free time, I usually studied or did strength training, but doing muscle training in someone else’s house was out of the question.

Thinking about it, I really didn’t have much of a hobby. I read manga and novels, or watched TV and videos, but I never got hooked enough for it to be called a hobby. So basically, most of the time, I studied and worked out.

It was the same even when I was with Kyouko. We studied together, worked out, jogged, and had sex. Even though it was always the same routine over and over again, I never once got bored. Just being with Kyouko—that alone fulfilled me.

Of course, I also thought of various things to make sure Kyouko didn’t get bored. But seriously, I had nothing to do now.

I guess I’ll study.

“What are you doing?”

After studying for about an hour, Yamada, who had slipped out of his room at some point, spoke to me.

“What am I doing? Studying, as you can see.”

“A delinquent shouldn’t be studying…”

What’s wrong with a delinquent studying? It’s better than not doing it at all.

There was no point in arguing, so I just waved him off and went back to my studying.

“Tch! Trying to act like a good boy, huh? Is this how you rack up points with girls?”

…Wait, so now he’s picking a fight with me? Is he just desperate for attention? Starving for communication, maybe?

“Well, I don’t care what you think of me, but there’s no harm in studying, you know?”

I decided to humor him a little.

“Ha! So you’re good at studying, good at sports, and you don’t even have trouble with women! Must be nice, being so blessed!”

Blessed, huh? My father had no interest in the son born from a fling with some woman. And my mother… She beat me since I was little, and when I finally started fighting back, she vanished.

I prided myself on having a pretty messed-up family background. Still, when they found out I existed, they gave me enough money to survive without issues—for their own self-preservation, of course. So maybe, in that sense, I was blessed?

My future path had been decided for me, but thanks to that, I met Kyouko and the others. So when I thought about it, it wasn’t such a bad life.

But if we’re talking about being blessed, isn’t Yamada far more blessed? Surrounded by a good family and having the best kind of childhood friend…

Not that I’d say that out loud. I wasn’t looking to brag about misfortune.

“Hey, don’t ignore me!”

“Oh, sorry, sorry. You’re right, I am blessed. I should live with gratitude.”

“…You’re mocking me!”

“I don’t mean to mock you, but if talking to me just makes you pissed off, wouldn’t it be better not to?”

“…Damn it!”

Bang!

Yamada stormed back into his room.

If he gets so irritated, why bother talking to me in the first place?

I finished my studying, and since it was getting to be a good time, I started preparing dinner. From that earlier conversation with Yamada, something had caught my attention. So, I decided to make something a little unusual.

Still, since it was one of Kyouko’s recipes, there was no doubt it would turn out delicious. What I made was Tenshinhan with chicken and bamboo shoots, namul with carrots and bean sprouts, and a slightly spicy soup with sesame oil and chili oil.

Just like at lunch, I placed Yamada’s meal outside his room and then started eating my own. And, just like at lunch, right when I was about halfway through eating, the empty tray was placed back outside his room.

As expected, Yamada didn’t say a single word. This confirmed it. That guy didn’t remember the taste of Kyouko’s cooking at all. Since I had made him a generic dish at lunch, I thought maybe it was hard for him to discern Kyouko’s recipe. That was why I purposely made something distinctive for dinner.

Of course, there could be other recipes out there like it, but Tenshinhan with chicken and bamboo shoots wasn’t common. And yet, he had no questions or complaints about me making it. That meant he didn’t even realize it was Kyouko’s recipe.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

If he didn’t remember, then my whole plan of overwriting his memories with mine had been pointless. All I had done was serve him delicious food.

“Should’ve just ordered takeout…”

Guess the world really was set up so you couldn’t get away with petty nastiness. Feeling dejected, I finished eating and cleaned the kitchen. That was when I got a message from Rui. She said she had safely finished her family gathering.

Not long after, Yamada’s parents also came home. Rui, as usual, went back to my place. Kyouko should’ve been there with her.

Noticing his parents’ return, Yamada—damn, everyone here’s a Yamada, this gets confusing—

Kouta came out of his room.

“Dad! Mom! Why the hell did you let this guy into the house!”

“To keep watch over the son who tried to assault his own sister while we were away, of course.”

His father glared sharply at Kouta. That glare made Kouta shrink back.

“Besides, it was he who cooked today’s meals, wasn’t it? Did you even thank him?”

“Th-that was just him cooking on his own! I didn’t ask him to cook for me!”

“…Enough. You didn’t even express a word of gratitude, and on top of that you have the nerve to call him ‘this guy’… Go back to your room.”

“B-but!”

“I said, go back to your room!!”

“Eek! F-fine…”

When his father raised his voice, Kouta slunk back into his room. After watching that, his father turned his gaze toward me.

“I apologize for showing you such an unseemly display.”

“…Not at all.”

In truth, Kouta’s behavior was really unseemly, so I found myself at a loss for words. I couldn’t exactly say otherwise.

“Hiiragi-san, could we talk for a bit?”

At his request, I stepped outside with Kouta’s father.

“First, thank you for putting up with my foolish son today.”

“Not at all… I was just cooking anyway…”

And I couldn’t even manage to harass him properly…

“Also, thank you for everything regarding Rui. …To think a brother would try to assault his own sister… I realize now I failed miserably in raising my son. It’s a regret I’ll never be able to fully atone for…”

His father’s fist clenched tightly.

“I know it’s not really my place to ask this, but… Are you truly okay with this? Letting someone like me be with your daughter?”

“Of course, as a father, I do have my feelings about it.”

He turned his back to me, leaning on the railing as he continued.

“But today, while Rui was with us, she kept talking about you. ‘Shuu-nii this,’ ‘Shuu-nii that.’ And she looked so happy while she did. There wasn’t the slightest trace of trauma from being assaulted by her brother. Kyouko-chan, too—she joined in, and the two of them were so lively while talking about you.”

When he turned back to face me, his smile was kind.

“A girl I thought of as my own daughter, and my actual daughter—both of them looked that happy. I have nothing but gratitude for you. Thank you, Hiiragi-san.”

He bowed deeply to me. Relief and joy spread through me.

“I’ll take good care of both Kyouko and Rui. The world may see it as improper, but I’m serious about them.”

“…Please, take care of my daughters.”

After that, I had a brief chat with Miyo-san, who had brought over my belongings, and then I headed home.

And then—

“Welcome back, Shuu-nii! Thanks for today!”

“Welcome home, Shuuya. Dinner’s already done, so… Will you take a bath? Or will you take… Us♡?”

At that moment, I renewed my vow that I would never, ever let go of this happiness.

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