While I Was Shutting in My Room for One Year, My Parent Remarried and Now I’m Living Together With Super Beautiful Stepsisters - Chapter 11: The Stepsister Trio and the Turbulent Start to High School Life!

Chapter 11: The Stepsister Trio and the Turbulent Start to High School Life!

Returning to high school, I somehow ended up in the same class as my stepsisters. And with Yamada, to boot.

We were told to freely choose from four seats at the back by the window. I picked the one right by the window, Anzu sat to my right, and the two seats in front were taken by Momiji and Yuzuna.

“Well then, since we’ve finished introducing the transfer students, morning homeroom is over.”

And so, my high school life started moving again… or so it was supposed to.

“Momiji-chan, your skin is so fair!”

“Your hair is super silky too!”

“Are you using some great skincare or what?”

“Ehh? You guys are too kind♡ It’s not like that at all!”

Momiji was so popular that a crowd of soft-spoken girls gathered around her desk.

And it was the same for Yuzuna next to her…

“Yuzuna-chan, you play the guitar?!”

“Yeah, I do. I also write songs and compose.”

“That’s amazing!”

“And your accessories are super cool! Did you get them at some city shop?”

“Something like that.”

“Wow!!”

In a way (a noisy one), it was concerning, but Yuzuna was wildly popular with the blonde gal-types in her own way.

Momiji blended right in with the top-tier girl group, and Yuzuna with the gal group.

While the two in front made friends in class with ease on their first day as transfer students, Anzu and I, sitting in their shadow, were…

“…”

“…”

I read a book in silence, and Anzu focused on a mobile game, holding her phone sideways.

Yeah, we were the only ones no one talked to.

In my case, during introductions, I honestly mentioned returning to school after a year away, so I figured people kept their distance because I’m older.

If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t easily want to be friends with someone who hadn’t come to school for a whole year.

For me, the downside of my shut-in life was that I’d become a bit socially awkward, so being alone felt more comfortable anyway.

But even so, Anzu’s case… was different.

Maybe because of her extreme shyness, during introductions, she only said her name and then went quiet.

Her pink hair might seem a bit too flashy, but with all the girls flocking to the two in front, Anzu was left in their shadow, eyes glued to her phone.

…Was it like this at her old all-girls school too?

“Hey, Big Brother…”

As I was thinking about that, Anzu spoke to me.

Was something up?

“What’s wrong, Anzu?”

“Um… that person sitting up front has been looking at us for a while.”

“What?”

Someone looking… maybe some guys?

Anzu’s chest was, even at a glance, clearly the largest in the class, obvious even through her uniform. So, it made sense she’d get a lot of sexualized looks.

“Who’s looking at you?”

“Um, um, the one in that seat.”

Damn it… who’s the creep staring at Anzu with those eyes?

It was, of all people, Yamada.

Now that she mentioned it, looking over, Yamada, sitting in the front row, wasn’t just glancing—she was outright staring at us.

Like a tiger eyeing its prey.

Just… staring.

“Why’s Yamada staring at us like that?”

“Maybe I did something to her without realizing…”

“I don’t think that’s it.”

As we looked at Yamada, she reacted, stood up, and walked toward us, step by step.

Wh-what’s going on?

Yamada, her donut-shaped hair bouncing, came right up to us and stood tall.

“You two. Already looking like you’re floating out of place in class, huh?”

“Shut up, Yamada, mind your own business. And you were staring at us the whole time—what do you want?”

When I shot back, Yamada flinched, her small shoulders twitching, and she made a sour face.

“W-Well, that’s… you see.”

“What?”

“…I thought Aoto-senpai looked bored.”

“Huh?”

This from the girl who said being in the same class as me was the worst thing ever during introductions. Why was she staring at me?

But, well, since it came up… Yamada will do.

“Hey, Yamada, lend me your ear.”

“W-What’s that all of a sudden?! Don’t tell me, Senpai, you suddenly got the urge to lick my ear or something!”

“Stop with the apocalyptic thoughts. Come on, quick.”

Urging her, I whispered to Yamada.

“Hey, Yamada, could you be friends with Anzu? I’m worried about the guys’ stares, and her being alone all the time is concerning. Please.”

After the whisper, Yamada’s face lit up strangely.

“…Tch! Fine! If Senpai insists that much, well, I just so happened to not have any friends either… so okay!”

You didn’t have any friends, huh… That’s why you were staring.

Despite everything (and her being annoying), Yamada agreed readily.

“Anzu-san?”

“Y-Yes…?”

“I’m Momone Yamada. Would you like to be friends?”

“Um, uh, sure…”

Anzu was hesitant at first but looked somewhat happy.

I wasn’t sure if leaving Anzu to Yamada was the right call, but it seemed like the three sisters would settle into school life just fine.

“Hey, Momiji-chan, wanna go to the station after school today?”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go!”

“Oh, sorry, guys? I have to take care of Aoto-kun after school♡”

“””Huh?”””

What?

What did Momiji just say…?!

“No way, seriously?! Momiji-chan, are you, like, *that* kind of close with him?!”

“Maybe that’s why you all transferred at the same time?”

“No way… living together?”

The girls’ gazes from Momiji’s desk all turned to me at the back.

Th-this is bad, this is some kind of misunderstanding!!

Then Momiji turned to me and gave a cheeky wink.

“Aoto-kun, let’s go to the supermarket together on the way home, okay?”

“””Kyaa!”””

The girls erupted at the suggestive comment, implying we were living together.

Th-this girl, she did that on purpose!!

“Yo, did you hear that? That guy’s with Momiji-san…”

“So jealous. She was totally my type.”

“Unforgivable.”

The guys’ jealous glares hit me… ugh.

Somehow, I’m the only one who doesn’t seem likely to fit in.