Vol. 1 Chapter 3 – Horror and Eroticism Come as a Set

The Sunday after my first date with Mizushima.

In order to recover from yesterday’s exhaustion, (mainly mental), I had been lazing around at home since early morning.

“Fwaaah…… It’s already ten?”

After waking from my lazy sleep and heading down to the living room on the first floor, there was already no one in the house.

My old man was probably out fishing with his usual fishing buddies, Mom was at yoga class and my little sister Suzuka had probably gone out to play with her friends.

Good grief. Seriously, everyone in my family is such an outdoorsy type.

They even seem to have this idea that being outside during the day is the normal thing to do, which is a real problem. As the only indoor type in the family, I can only feel out of place.

Scratching my bedhead, which was all messy and bosa-bosa, I took some milk out of the fridge and poured it into a glass.

May had only just begun, but apparently today was warm across the country, almost like summer.

“On a day like this, lazing around indoors with the air conditioner on really is the best, huh.”

That was the carefree sort of thing I said.

But to tell the truth, I had already prepared myself for the fact that I probably wouldn’t be able to laze around at home today either.

After all, I had assumed I would be forced to go along with another date with Mizushima again.

However, for some reason, from last night until this morning, there had been no contact from Mizushima at all.

I had been so sure she would say something like,『Souta, let’s go on another date tomorrow』but now I felt strangely let down.

Well, if there was no message, then that was perfectly fine with me. Rather, I was relieved that my day off wouldn’t be ruined two days in a row.

Today, I was going to make up for what I couldn’t do yesterday and laze around at home to my heart’s content!

Ding-dong!

Just as I was smirking to myself like that, the doorbell at the entrance suddenly rang.

What is it? A delivery? I don’t remember ordering anything these past few days, though.

“Don’t tell me Mom ordered some health food again?”

I left the living room and trudged toward the entrance.

I changed from my indoor slippers into sandals, undid the chain and opened the door.

“Okay, okay, who might this b……”

Just as I was about to finish saying that, I froze there like an idiot, my mouth hanging wide open in a daze.

Beyond the door, where I had fully expected to see a delivery person in a cap and uniform, stood someone who shouldn’t have been there…… No, someone who absolutely must not be there.

“Hey, Souta. I came over.”

Sure enough, the one standing beyond the door was Mizushima.

“Wah, Souta, your bedhead is amazing. Were you sleeping until just now, maybe? But it’s kind of cute. Oh, speaking of bedhead, the other day, you know…”

With a cheerful smile on her face, Mizushima tried to casually start chatting away.

But I was in no state for that.

“Souta? Heeey, Souta? You’re spacing out, but are you okay?”

“……You’ve got the wrong house.”

Without giving Mizushima any room to argue, I immediately tried to close the door.

“Ottotto. Wait, wait, don’t close it.”

But before I could, Mizushima smoothly slipped the tip of her shoe into the gap in the door.

“Ah, hey, you little! Pull your shoe back! That’s dangerous!”

“No, no. If I pull it back, you won’t open the door again, right?”

“Of course I won’t! Why the hell are you here!?”

What the hell is going on? Putting my contact info aside, I don’t remember ever telling her my home address!

“Why, you ask? Obviously because I wanted to see you, Souta.”

“That doesn’t mean you come straight to my house, normally!? You’ve got way too much initiative!”

“Yaaay, Souta praised me.”

“I didn’t praise you!?”

Even while we were arguing back and forth, Mizushima gradually started wedging not just the tip of her shoe, but her whole foot into the gap.

“Souta~. Come on, let me in~. Souta, pleaaase~.”

“H-Hey! Don’t keep repeating my name! The neighbors will hear you!”

That said, I really couldn’t let her make any more noise in front of the entrance.

From the perspective of neighbors who knew nothing, this situation could easily look like『the Sakuhara family’s son is trying to drag an innocent girl into his house』.

If someone reported me over something like that, it would be way too disgraceful. I absolutely did not want that.

‘Damn it…… I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.’

After letting out a deep, deep sigh, I suddenly loosened the strength in the hand I had on the door.

It pissed me off to let her inside, but there was no helping it. It was better than dying socially.

“Hah…… Fine. If you’re coming in, hurry up and come in.”

“Oh, yes.”

When I reluctantly raised the white flag, Mizushima gave a small guts pose.

※

“Pardon the intrusion~”

After letting Mizushima into the entrance, I showed her to the living room for the time being.

It felt kind of strange that Mizushima Shizuno, that popular model and charismatic high school girl, was inside my house.

Well, that didn’t really matter right now.

“Let me make this clear. I don’t plan on letting you stay long. Since I’ve already invited you in, I’ll at least serve you some tea, but once you drink it, go home immediately. Go home at once. Go home as quickly as possible. Got it?”

“Just how badly do you want me to leave?”

Mizushima gave a wry smile, but right away, that smile changed into the look of a mischievous kid.

“I came all this way to see you, you know. I’d like you to show me a little more hospitality.”

“No. I’ve already decided that today, I’m going to laze around at home alone.”

“Ehh, you’re so cold.”

“Shut it. Anyway, why do you even know my home address in the first place?”

“Ah, that. Let’s see…… I’ll just say it was information from a trustworthy source.”

So she had no intention of telling me, huh. Hmph, you vixen.

I carelessly placed the glass of cold barley tea I had poured onto the dining table.

“Anyway, I don’t have time to entertain a guest today, much less someone like you. If you understand, drink this and hurry up and go home.”

“But I came here today thinking we could have an『at-home date』at Souta’s house, you know? So if you chase me away, that means you’re running away from our『match』. Are you okay with that?”

“……Tch.”

It was true that I was weak when she said that.

But don’t think I’m the kind of guy who’ll get swept along by your pace again and again.

“I’m not planning to run away from the『match』. But suddenly barging all the way to my house for a surprise attack is a little unfair, isn’t it? At the very least, I’d like you to give me some notice beforehand. I need time to mentally prepare too.”

“True. Showing up out of nowhere probably did surprise you a bit, huh.”

For a brief moment, she shrugged apologetically, but then Mizushima’s eyes quietly narrowed.

“But since I’m doing this to become lovers with you, Souta, of course I’ll use a little unfairness here and there. I don’t have time to be picky about my methods. So even from now on, I’m sure I’ll do the same sort of thing again.”

『Sorry』Mizushima said, wearing a smile so calm that it almost felt unnatural.

Mizushima was always elusive and I could never tell how serious she was about anything she did or said. Even so, every now and then, she looked at me with very serious eyes like this.

“……Why would you go that far?”

Overwhelmed by Mizushima’s aura, I asked almost as if I were talking to myself.

The answer that came back was, as expected, the same as always.

“Obviously because I like you, Souta.”

……What I wanted to ask was why she liked someone like me that much.

I seriously considered saying that, but somehow, I felt like even if I asked, Mizushima wouldn’t give me a proper answer, so I stopped myself.

In the first place, no matter what reason she had for liking me, the fact that I was going to reject her confession wouldn’t change.

“So, that’s how it is. Let’s have an『at-home date』.”

“……Fiiine. Do whatever you want.”

Almost in desperation, I said that to Mizushima.

“Still, what are we even supposed to do now? Even if you say we’re doing something at home, all we’ve got here are things like games or movies.”

“Heeh. Games? What kind?”

“Well, normal stuff like racing games and versus action games.”

“Sounds good. Then let’s start with that.”

And so, for the time being, I ended up playing a versus action game with Mizushima.

While Mizushima drank her barley tea and settled down, I started up the game on the large TV in the living room.

It wasn’t like I couldn’t play games on the TV in my own room, but since my little sister often played these kinds of versus games too, this was the usual spot for it.

Well, there was also the fact that I didn’t want to let Mizushima into my room if I could help it.

“It’s ready.”

“Okay. All right, I’m not gonna lose. Even though I’ve never played this game before.”

“Gak…… You’ve never played it before?”

“My house doesn’t have a game console or anything, you know. But I’ve seen videos of it before, so I can do this, I can do this.”

“Hmph. Thinking you can beat me with such a shallow, last-minute trick is laughable.”

Not to brag but I was pretty confident in my gaming skills.

In fact, I had a pretty decent record in online matches too. A total amateur who had only watched a little bit of gameplay commentary shouldn’t even be a match for me.

If I completely beat her to a pulp, maybe she’d get bored right away and go home.

All right. Souta-kun was suddenly feeling fired up, ZE!

……Or so I was secretly getting cocky in my head.

“So close~. I was almost there too.”

“Bufuu~…… S-Somehow, I managed to win.”

However, Mizushima, who should have practically been an amateur, was barely keeping up with my PS, my player skill.

For the first few games, the matches ended pretty quickly but the more rounds we played, the more evenly matched we became.

I thought it would turn into a one-sided beatdown but once the lid was opened, she actually gave me a pretty good fight.

“You really were an amateur until just now? Haven’t you gotten crazy better in just one or two hours?”

“You think so? I’m just playing normally, though. Besides, in the end, I barely beat you at all, Souta.”

That was how Mizushima humbly put it, but honestly, there had been plenty of dangerous moments.

If I had let my guard down even a little, I was sure I’d be the one with more losses by now.

Damn it, she’s beautiful, excels in both academics and sports and even has a high gaming sense?

Just how many gifts does heaven plan to give this girl? Seriously, I can’t deal with this.

“But I’m tired now, as expected. Let’s take a little break~”

“Yeah…… Wait, it’s already one?”

I looked at the clock in the living room and unconsciously rubbed my stomach.

Come to think of it, all I’d had this morning was milk. My hunger was finally reaching its limit.

I got up from the sofa in front of the TV and headed to the kitchen.

If I remembered right, there should still be a few cup noodles I’d stocked away in the cupboard.

“I’m eating cup noodles. You want some too?”

Since it felt awkward to only prepare food for myself, I called out to Mizushima too.

“Ehh, you’re going with that?”

“What? If you don’t want it, then……Well, I guess feeding cup noodles to an active model is kind of questionable.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. Since this is a precious 『at-home date』let’s make something together.”

No sooner had she said that than Mizushima entered the kitchen too.

“Make something…… What are we making? Just so you know, it’s not like I’m that good at cooking.”

“Something simple is fine. The point is that we make it together. Can I check the fridge?”

When I nodded, Mizushima looked through the contents of the fridge and the food in the cupboards.

“Does it feel like it’s okay to use the stuff here?”

“Huh? Yeah, well, I don’t mind if you use whatever you want. There’s nothing that special, though.”

“It’s fine. Let’s see, there are eggs and bacon~…… Oh, you’ve got Parmigiano. Then let’s make carbonara.”

After efficiently preparing the necessary ingredients, Mizushima began the prep work with practiced hands.

Her movements were smooth enough to make it clear that she usually cooked.

“Okay, I’ll handle the sauce, so Souta, can you boil the pasta?”

“Y-Yeah. Got it.”

Following Mizushima’s instructions, I put a pot filled with water on the stove. Before long, once it came to a boil, I added enough dried pasta for two people and some salt. Then I boiled it while being careful not to let it overflow.

“What, how many minutes do you boil that for?”

“Wait a second. Let’s see, the package says,『Standard boiling time: eight minutes.』”

“Then you can turn off the heat once about seven minutes have passed.”

“Isn’t that too soon?”

“We’re going to heat it together with the sauce in the frying pan afterward. So it’s fine even if it’s a little early.”

“I see. Got it.”

I nodded, but then I suddenly came back to my senses.

Now that I really thought about it, why was I standing shoulder to shoulder in my own kitchen, cooking with the sworn enemy who stole my girlfriend from me? Under normal circumstances, this situation would be absolutely impossible.

Was I somehow being gradually made to get used to being with her without realizing it……?

I looked away from the pot that was bubbling away and stole a glance at Mizushima beside me.

“Funfufu~n♪”

Mizushima was cutting the bacon while humming, then quickly mixing the eggs, cheese, and pepper together in a bowl.

Her outfit today was a ribbed long-sleeve knit top with a loose long skirt.

It was different from her usual boyish atmosphere, and also different from the completely high school girl-like vibe she had shown on yesterday’s date. How should I put it? She felt like『the beautiful, kind older girl from the neighborhood.』 The red nail polish on her nails also somehow gave off an adult sort of charm.

Come to think of it……Ena-chan often wore casual clothes like this on her days off too. They really suited her pure and refined image and she looked cute in them.

“What’s wrong, Souta? You’re staring at me so intently.”

“Huh? N-No, it’s nothing. I just thought you were pretty skilled……”

Crap. Without realizing it, my eyes had gotten glued to her.

I hurriedly looked away and tried to play it off, but it was already too late. Mizushima seemed to have seen right through everything.

“Liar. Souta, you were thinking about Ena-chan just now, weren’t you?”

“Huh!? H-How did you……?”

“I knew it. Well, it’s true that I was kind of conscious of dressing in an Ena-chan-like outfit today. Even so, thinking about another girl while you’re on a date with your girlfriend is kind of lonely.”

Just as I was about to retort,『Then don’t come dressed like that』, Mizushima went and rested her head on my shoulder.

“If you’re going to go out of your way to stare at me…”

Then she pressed her shoulder tightly against mine and looked up at my face from right below.

“Think only about me.”

With a somewhat bewitching smile, she whispered those words.

“……You’re way too calculating with every little thing you do.”

Even though I spat out that complaint, I couldn’t bring myself to look Mizushima properly in the face.

※

Frustratingly, the carbonara Mizushima made for me tasted pretty damn good.

The ingredients were just ordinary things from our fridge, and the cooking process hadn’t been anything complicated either. So this was Mizushima’s skill at cooking, huh.

She’s beautiful, excels in both academics and sports, is good at games, and on top of that, she’s domestic too?

At this point, what can’t this woman do?

“All right. Then once we’re done cleaning up, let’s watch a movie together.”

As I was washing the dishes at the sink, Mizushima suggested that.

Apparently, she really did intend to squat in my house for the entire day.

That said, watching a movie wasn’t a bad idea. While we were watching, there’d be no need to make unnecessary conversation, and just one movie would kill nearly two hours.

“Okay, got it. Then on that TV over there……”

Just as I was about to say that, Mizushima shook her head.

“You have one in your room too, right, Souta? A TV.”

…………Excuse me?

“Since we’re here, I want to watch it together in your room, Souta.”

“No, that’s……”

“No good? Maybe there’s something bad about me going into your room? Ah, I get it. You’ve got dirty books lying around, don’t you? It’s okay, I’m pretty understanding about that kind of thing.”

“That’s not it! Don’t go making weird delusions on your own!”

“Then it’s fine if I go in, right? There’s nothing guilty in there, after all, right?”

“Guh…… You really are shameless, you know that?”

Even though I made a sour face as I said that.

In the end, I lost to Mizushima’s pressure and reluctantly guided her to my room.

“Heeh, so this is your room, Souta.”

“Listen, don’t touch things all over the place. You’re also banned from opening drawers on your own.”

“It’s pretty clean. That’s kind of surprising.”

“Hey, listen to me.”

As Mizushima stepped into my room without any hesitation, I warned her with a sigh mixed in.

It wasn’t like there was much in there that I’d be troubled by if she saw it, but even so, I was the type who didn’t really want other people coming into my private space.

That was why, until now, the only person who had ever come to this room was Higuchi, who I’d known since elementary school. Much less a girl. Even Ena-chan, who had been my girlfriend, had never come here before.

And yet, to think that in this kind of way, I would end up offering my『first time』to this Mizushima…… It was completely against my wishes.

“Fufu, it’s full of Souta’s scent.”

“Don’t say creepy things. Of course it is. It’s my room.”

I sat down on the sofa, turned on the TV in my room, and launched the VOD, video-on-demand, service I was registered for.

“Here, we’re watching a movie, right? Stop doing unnecessary stuff and sit down already. And don’t move.”

“Okay, okay.”

Mizushima shrugged and nodded, then said,『What should we watch~?』while sitting down right beside me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“……Hey, move a little farther away. The sofa isn’t that narrow.”

I shifted sideways as if to escape from Mizushima but Mizushima immediately pressed herself snugly against my side. Apparently, she had no intention of moving away.

It was too much of a pain to complain any further, so I decided not to worry about it too much anymore.

Once the movie started, I’d probably stop caring before long.

“So, what are we watching?”

“Let’s see~…… Ah, how about this one? It says,『An adult love story with divorce as its theme.』”

“So basically one of those messy romance movies. Hmm, I’m not really interested in that kind of thing.”

“I see. Then how about this?『A heartwarming animal movie based on a true story.』”

“Rejected. If it means letting you see my crying face, I’d rather choose death.”

“Isn’t that basically you confessing that you’re weak to this kind of thing?”

After going back and forth like that while taking each other’s tastes into consideration, we ultimately settled on watching a classic panic horror movie.

It was a fairly typical zombie movie where the protagonist and heroine had to survive in a world that had become overrun with zombies after a mysterious virus spread.

“To be honest, I’ve never properly watched a zombie movie before. I’m looking forward to this.”

“I see. Well, it’s not like I’m that deeply into them either.”

“Right! To set the mood, let’s close the curtains and turn off the lights. Like an『at-home theater.』”

Yeah, yeah. Do whatever you want already.

I nodded half-heartedly and selected the play button on the TV screen.

<Shit! Shit! You’ve gotta be kidding me, you damn monsters!>

<Edgar, wait! That way is……!>

<U-Uwaaaaah!? What the hell is this!? D-Don’t come any closer!>

<Edgar!!>

And so, the zombie movie began. The plot itself was pretty standard, but thanks to the powerful CG and the passionate performances from the actors, it was pretty watchable right from the start.

Once the movie started, Mizushima also completely quieted down, only occasionally letting out little sounds like『Wah』or『Ooh.』As for me, I got so absorbed in the world of the movie that, before I knew it, I didn’t even mind that Mizushima had wrapped herself around my arm.

We had picked this one pretty randomly but maybe we’d actually hit the jackpot.

<Hey, Jim. What’s going to happen to us from here on out?>

<I don’t know. But we can’t give up. The two of us will definitely make it out of this town alive.>

<Jim……>

<Sarah……>

However, around the middle of the story…

When the so-called『bed scene』the usual staple in this kind of movie, began, my consciousness was suddenly dragged back to reality.

Watching this kind of scene alone wouldn’t be a problem at all, but……even if she was my sworn enemy, watching it with a girl my age sitting right beside me made me feel horribly uncomfortable.

Even so, I continued watching while feeling somewhat awkward and just as the protagonist and heroine finally collapsed onto the same bed, Mizushima suddenly murmured.

“……What would you do, Souta?”

“Huh?”

When I turned beside me, Mizushima was no longer watching the movie. Before I knew it, she was staring up at my face.

In the dark room, only the bright glow from the TV screen dimly illuminated Mizushima’s face.

“Say the world had gone completely crazy and right now, we were the only two people left in this town.”

As she spoke, Mizushima intertwined her slender, beautiful fingers with mine.

“M-Mizushima……?”

“We’d be surrounded by enemies, in an absolutely hopeless situation……but because of that, all kinds of things that had started to grow between us would become even stronger. Trust, bonds…… love.”

As she whispered that, Mizushima finally climbed up onto the sofa and leaned over me as if covering me with her body.

Naturally, I ended up in a position where I was lying on my back on the sofa.

Caught off guard for an instant, I ended up letting Mizushima take the mount position over me.

“In that kind of situation, you know. If I pressed you like this……”

Mizushima’s eyes held the same glint as when she had once cornered me on the school stair landing, like a beast driving its prey into a trap.

“Hey, what would you do?”

When I looked up, Mizushima’s face was right in front of mine, and her usual elusive expression had vanished.

There was no smile on her lips. Her large jade-green eyes, reflecting the light of the screen, simply stared straight into mine.

“W-What the hell are you suddenly……”

I gulped and somehow managed to ask her that.

But Mizushima didn’t answer. Instead, she tugged at the sleeve of her long-sleeved knit top and slowly exposed her shoulder.

Her skin, which looked soft at a glance and the valley of her chest slowly, but surely, came into view.

“Hey, Souta…… No one’s watching right now, you know?”

Saying that in a sweet voice that strangely lingered in my head, Mizushima leaned even more of her weight onto me.

‘T-This girl! Her eyes are totally serious……!’

Gradually closing the distance, Mizushima came at me, and I desperately held her back.

However, Mizushima showed no sign of easing up either, pressing forward with enough force to put her whole body weight into it.

“Ooh, you’re really hanging in there. But resisting is useless. I may not look it, but I’m actually pretty well-trained.”

“Uwoah!?”

“I don’t know how it’d go in a pure contest of strength, but in this position, pinning Souta down is easy.”

I let my guard down! I completely let my guard down!

I had thought she would behave herself while the movie was playing, but I never imagined she would make such an obvious approach!

……No, that was wrong. Creating this situation where the two of us were alone together in a locked room was the mistake from the very beginning.

Thinking about it calmly, there was no way this girl, who apparently seemed serious about conquering me, would let such a perfect chance slip by.

“Come on, come on. You can’t win anyway, so just surrender already.”

“W-wait, hold on……!”

My resistance was in vain, and at last, Mizushima’s glossy lips rapidly closed in until we were near enough to feel each other’s breath.

The sweet scent of osmanthus tickled my nose. The soft, warm body of a girl pressed tightly against me.

Every single thing was far too stimulating for a healthy high school boy. Now that things had reached this point, even my thought process was on the verge of short-circuiting.

I…… shouldn’t like this girl or anything.

She was my archenemy, and us being lovers was supposed to be nothing more than a temporary setup.

Maybe even this action was just her teasing me, nothing more.

But…… but, if a beautiful girl of her level came at me this passionately…… then, wasn’t it already hopeless? Rather, was there even any guy who could withstand this temptation here?

If it was just a little…… really, only the tiniest bit……

“It’s okay, you know? I’ll accept everything Souta wants to do. So, just like when you were with Ena-chan, you don’t have to hold back, okay?”

As if delivering the finishing blow to my inner conflict, Mizushima said that with an alluring smile.

──However.

“Ngh…… oooooooooh!”

“Huh? S-Souta?”

That one sentence instead became the trigger that brought my crumbling reason back all at once.

Somehow, I twisted my body and skillfully moved the tips of my toes, tickling Mizushima’s side.

“Hyau!?”

Caught by a surprise attack from her blind spot, Mizushima let out a small shriek and bent backward as if she had been sprung away. Thanks to that, the restraint on my arms finally came loose.

T-that was close. If my legs had been even a little shorter, I wouldn’t have been able to escape.

“Haa, haa…… You’ll be in trouble if you underestimate me too much, Mizushima.”

To Mizushima, who was staring blankly, I put on the most fearless smile I could manage and said that.

“Sure, I’m a healthy high school boy too. I’m interested in ecchi stuff as much as anyone else. But I wasn’t dating Ena-chan because I wanted to do ecchi stuff with her. Sorry, but your seduction tactics won’t work on me.”

Well, honestly, it had been pretty dangerous there, but I wouldn’t say that even if my mouth were torn open.

“……Heeh.”

I thought she might show at least one frustrated pout.

Instead, Mizushima murmured that as if impressed, though her tone dropped ever so slightly.

W-what? Her reaction was different from what I expected, and it was kind of scary.

“Hmm, I see, I see.”

“W-what is it?”

“No, well. I was just thinking, this really would make someone worry.”

“Worry? Well, that’s──”

Just as I was about to ask what she meant, it happened.

The door to my dimly lit room was suddenly pushed open by someone.

The one who appeared from beyond it was a ponytailed girl characterized by a springy ahoge sticking up from her head.

“I’m home～. Hey, Anii～, about that reference book you mentioned yesterday──huh?”

As it turned out, despite entering without even knocking, the one who froze while staring as if she had seen something unbelievable was my foolish little sister, Suzuka.

“Oh?”

“S-Suzuka!? Weren’t you out……!”

Now, let’s organize the situation one more time.

The lights in my room were off and the curtains were completely shut, so the only source of light was the glow from the TV screen.

In that dark room, I was lying face-up on the sofa, and on top of me, Mizushima was straddling me in a position like she was sitting astride me.

To put it simply, from the perspective of an uninformed third party, it was a situation where it couldn’t be helped if they misunderstood and thought we had been doing something indecent in a locked room.

“Ah, ah, ah, ah……”

“W-wait, Suzuka! You’ve got it wrong! First, listen to what I have to say……”

And in fact, it seemed my little sister was no exception to that.

“M-my brother brought a girl into his rooooooooom!?”

Oofu…… The scene I least wanted anyone to see had been seen by the person I least wanted to see it……

※

After that, worn down by my little sister’s relentless barrage of questions, I reluctantly ended up having to introduce Mizushima.

Of course, it was obvious that things would get troublesome if I told her the truth about my relationship with Mizushima, so I glossed it over by saying she was a friend I had recently met, a fellow『movie lover』.

Even so, I never expected Suzuka to come home this early.

If this was going to happen, then instead of watching a movie, I should have just sent Mizushima home right after lunch.

“Wow～! I never knew my movie-otaku, gloomy, indoor-type, good-for-nothing brother, who never stands out no matter what he does, had such a cool beauty for a friend～!”

“Sorry for suddenly intruding like this.”

“Not at all! In fact, please come over anytime!”

“Fufu, thank you. I didn’t know Souta had such an adorable little sister either. Let’s get along from now on, Suzuka-chan.”

Faced with Mizushima’s smile as she once again activated her natural lady-killer charm, my foolish little sister seemed to have been completely won over. Pressing a hand around her heart, she said things like, 『H-her face is too good!』while breathing heavily.

In the end, they pushed my existence completely out of the picture and happily started chatting away together.

After that, the atmosphere was no longer one where we could keep watching the movie, and Mizushima spent around an hour enjoying her chat with Suzuka.

“Oops, it’s already this late. I hate to leave, but I guess it’s about time to wrap things up.”

By the time the sun looked like it was about to set, she finally seemed willing to go home.

However, because Suzuka said something unnecessary like,『Make sure you walk her to the station properly!』 I ended up walking side by side with Mizushima through the quiet residential area beneath the orange-tinted sky.

“Thanks for today, Souta. We couldn’t watch the movie until the end, but our『home date』was fun. I got to become friends with your little sister too.”

Walking beside me, Mizushima said that while peering into my face.

“Did you have fun, Souta?”

“Honestly, I feel like it wasn’t really a matter of whether it was fun or not.”

“I see. Then I’ll come again.”

“What do you mean,『again』? Don’t come again.”

Apparently, she had already gotten completely used to my blunt, rejecting replies.

Mizushima looked at me like she was watching a troublesome child and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, good grief.

This atmosphere, where it seemed like I was the one being selfish. It was completely outrageous.

“Look, once you’re here, you know the rest of the way, right?”

Eventually, after we reached the plaza in front of the nearest station, I jerked my chin toward the ticket gates.

“Yeah. It helped that you walked me here. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Well then, I’m off.”

Since I wanted to end things quickly, I said only that and turned my back on Mizushima.

Now then, today had basically been wasted from morning to night, but I finally had some free time.

Once I got home and ate dinner, maybe I’d watch the rest of that zombie movie from earlier.

“Hey, Souta.”

However, the moment my name was suddenly called and I turned only my head back.

──Chu.

No sooner had the now-familiar scent of osmanthus reached my nose than I felt a soft sensation on my left cheek.

It took me several seconds of freezing in place before I realized that it had been caused by Mizushima’s kiss.

“Ah, so close. I was aiming for your lips, though. It ended up on your cheek.”

“What, h-huh!? You…… what!?”

“What do you mean, what? It’s the continuation from earlier. But, well, for today, just getting to see that cute face of yours is enough.”

As I stood there frozen with my face bright red, Mizushima showed me a triumphant expression, then cheerfully waved her hand and said, “Well then, bye-bye.”

And as she briskly walked away, all I could do was watch her retreating figure while grinding my teeth, feeling both embarrassed and frustrated.