The Most Beautiful Girl in School Has Become a Mother - Chapter 20: Cool Dad

After that, Miori and Shuri spent some time drawing pictures.

Sometimes, while searching for characters to draw on her phone, I think she was also enjoying playing with Shuri. The sound of their laughter could be heard constantly from the living room.

As evening approached, Shuri, perhaps a bit tired from drawing, suggested to Miori that they watch TV together. It was the girls’ anime she watched every Saturday. Now, the two of them were sitting on the low sofa, watching the anime together.

“Huh, no way!? This anime is still airing…?”

Miori was surprised that the sequel to the anime she watched when she was little was still being aired.

Apparently, Shuri had been watching the sequel to the anime she used to watch as a child. Although the art style, voice actors, and setting had changed almost completely, she seemed somewhat moved by the fact that a child eleven years younger than her had been watching the same world she once did.

By the way, as for Shuri, she is watching TV while leaning back against Miori. Miori is holding Shuri from behind.

It seems that Shuri has completely let her guard down around “Mom.”

──I mean, that was my position, you know.

Last week, I was watching anime while holding Shuri from behind, but now that’s been taken away from me too. It’s a bit sad.

However, it was very helpful that Miori was taking care of Shuri. While she was looking after my sister, I was able to finish all the household chores that had piled up.

Cleaning the bathroom, doing laundry, tidying up the bedroom, and washing dishes—when I always had to entertain Shuri while doing these tasks, the time and effort doubled. But today, I was able to get things done smoothly.

──Really, she saved me.

I’m concerned about it, but there are quite a few things I can’t do because I’m busy with daily life. I have a bit of time in the evening, but after putting Shuri to bed, I have to be careful not to make loud noises, so the things I can do are limited.

“Ah, thank you for your hard work.”

After finishing most of the work and returning to the living room, Miori called out to me like that.

She is still using Shuri as a backrest while watching TV with my sister. It seems they are currently watching an educational TV variety show.

──When I think about it calmly, this is an incredible sight too, isn’t it?

The most beautiful girl in school is watching TV in our living room with my younger sister.

It feels like I’m in a dream.

“If there’s anything I can help with, just let me know, okay?”

Suddenly, she says something strange.

Isn’t that a task that deviates from the role of “being a mom”?

“Why?”

“Even though Isaki-kun is working so hard, I’m just here taking it easy. I can’t help but feel a bit guilty about it.”

“No, no, it’s thanks to Miori that I was able to do things I couldn’t do before. It really helped me out a lot.”

Apparently, while she was playing with my sister, she was concerned that I had been doing housework the whole time.

Even though she shouldn’t have to worry about such things, I once again realize that Miori is such a kind child.

By the way, we’ve both gotten used to calling each other by our first names. At first, I accidentally called her by her last name a few times and got scolded by Shuri, but now it feels more awkward to use her last name. It’s strange how our habits of addressing each other changed in just a few hours.

However, even though I was getting used to calling her by her name, I still wasn’t used to being called by my name. She was the same, and when I called her by her name, she had a somewhat ticklish expression on her face.

“Isaki-kun is amazing, isn’t he?”

Miori was looking at me with an admiring gaze.

“Huh? Where?”

“Because you’re doing all the housework by yourself, right? And you’re also taking care of school stuff properly… I think that’s amazing.”

“Well, you see… if I don’t do it, the house will end up in a real mess. Plus, it’s clean today because Miori is coming over, but usually, I cut corners quite a bit. Compared to housewives, it’s really nothing special.”

“That’s not true. I think Isaki-kun is cool.”

When Miori shook her head and looked at me, she narrowed her eyes.

Cool──That word makes my heart skip a beat. There’s no way I wouldn’t be happy to be called cool by the person I’m interested in.

“N-no. I think the people who have confessed to Miori so far are cooler. Like the captain of the soccer club.”

“Eh, no way. How did you find out?”

When I changed the subject to hide my embarrassment, the most beautiful girl in the school looked surprised.

Since she never mentioned the confession, she probably thought it wasn’t known.

“…The story about rejecting the handsome soccer team captain is quite famous, isn’t it? Even I know about it.”

I just heard it from Shinya too, but…

If I remember correctly, that captain was heartbroken after being rejected by Miori, and the soccer team’s manager comforted him. In the end, it seems he ended up with the manager. I still vividly remember Shinya saying, “Go to hell,” in anger.

“Surprisingly, everyone says it themselves.”

Even though I was trying not to talk, she sighed in exasperation.

She has been respecting the other person’s privacy and has been evasive when asked by friends. Even though she is being considerate, it would be unbearable if she were to blurt everything out herself.

Moreover, it seems that there are times when girls don’t say anything because of jealousy among women. In the girls’ social world, it seems that the girl who likes the boy who confessed can face hostility or jealousy from other girls. That’s scary.

“Honestly, I hardly remember that person… but, you know, the way Isaki-kun is working so hard for Shuri-chan is definitely way cooler.”

Saying that the most beautiful girl in the school smiled gently.

“I think that’s… quite a peculiar perspective.”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I shifted my gaze from her to the TV screen.

“Really? Well, it might just be that I don’t really understand what people generally consider a cool guy.”

Miori stroked Shuri’s head, then leaned forward slightly to look into her face.

“Hey, Shuri-chan. Dad is so cool, right?”

And then, suddenly, she asked my sister such a thing.

S-stop calling me “dad”… it’s bad for my heart in so many ways. At least call me “big brother.” I mean, I am your real big brother, after all.

“Yeah! Dad is the coolest in the world!”

Shuri said with a broad smile.

“Well, Isaki-kun. That’s great.”

When Miori looked at my face, she smiled teasingly and said, “Oh, you look happy.” I must have been grinning, and she was probably finding it amusing.

It’s not that I was grinning just because my sister called me cool. I was genuinely happy to have someone recognize and praise the things I do, or rather, the things I have no choice but to do.

These things… arose suddenly as obligations when my mother passed away and my father stopped coming home almost entirely. They are not known to anyone, are not praised, and do not earn any awards like club activities or contests. They are just duties that I have to do.

However, even if it is an obligation, fulfilling all of it as a high school student is quite difficult, and there are many times when I envy other high school students.

Even so, knowing that there are people who appreciate my daily efforts like this makes me feel saved.

“Oh, right. I’m a mom, so I’ll help with the housework next time, okay? You might not believe it, but I’m actually pretty good at housework.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, stop it. Do you think I can ask for something like that? I’ll really have to pay for a housekeeper.”

“You don’t have to hold back.”

Miori, saying it with a hint of amusement, asks Shuri, “Right?” and my younger sister mimics her, saying “Right?” as well. Truly, they get along so well.

Of course, it’s not just about being considerate; it’s also that she might find out how much I’ve been slacking off. It’s a bit embarrassing for my classmates to know that.

Or rather…

──If she goes that far, it really starts to feel like we’re a married couple.

The words that almost came out.

If I say this, I thought we would both be so embarrassed that we would die, so I won’t say it.

──I mean, Shuri calls us Mom and Dad, but I wonder what Miori thinks about that?

I wonder if she is just treating it as a slightly bigger meal. Perhaps it would be easier for me to do the same.

However, seeing my sister and the most beautiful girl in school happily laughing and watching TV together, I can’t help but imagine, just a little, what such a married life with her would be like.

It surely felt like a very happy life.