I Confessed to the Three Beautiful Sisters at School and Got Rejected, but After I Became their Stepsister, They Started Doting On Me - Chapter 52

“E-Excuse me…”

Lunch break had ended, and I made my way to the student council’s operations tent to fulfill the promise I’d made.

That said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I didn’t belong here. My voice wavered naturally as I hesitantly spoke up.

“Oh? Do you need something?”

A student standing near the front—likely a member of the student council—responded.

It made sense. If a regular student pokes their head into the council tent, someone’s bound to check in.

“Um, so, uh…”

But naturally, there are people who just can’t respond naturally in return.

That would be me.

I stumbled over my words, completely flustered.

It was already hard enough for someone like me, who lacks even basic communication skills. Now faced with a stranger from the student council? My nerves were out of control.

“…?”

“Uhh…”

“Yes? Can I help you?”

“Umm… well…”

“If you don’t have any business here, I’d kindly ask you to leave.”

Unable to watch me awkwardly mumble my way through syllables, the student council member politely asked me to go.

“Right… Sorry to bother you.”

That, for some reason, came out flawlessly.

Because honestly, this just wasn’t the kind of place I was meant to be.

So I turned on my heel to go back to where I belonged—somewhere like a quiet, shady spot under a tree.

“Guh—!”

But the moment I took a step, I felt pressure around my neck—as if someone had caught me by the collar—and I couldn’t move any further.

“What exactly are you doing here…?”

I turned to see Chiya grabbing the back of my neck.

She stared at me with her usual half-lidded glare.

“…I felt totally out of place, so I decided to retreat.”

“No one feels at home here, you know.”

Well, when she puts it like that… she’s not wrong.

Apparently, Chiya had been discussing something with the other council members in the back. As soon as she saw me, she wrapped up her conversation and made her way over.

“Uh, President…? That person wasn’t really… engaging in coherent conversation…”

The student council member who had first spoken to me whispered to Chiya, like they were reporting a suspicious person.

And since she had me by the scruff of the neck, I must’ve looked the part too.

“It’s fine. I asked her to come.”

“You did…? Her?”

They looked utterly baffled, clearly thinking: Why would the president call someone like that—someone you can’t even talk to?

Please stop looking at me like I’m some strange creature.

“Yes, that’s right. Is there a problem?”

But as soon as Chiya made herself clear, the student council member straightened up.

“No, of course not. My apologies.”

“Good. I’m stepping out for a bit, so I’ll leave the rest to you. If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Understood!”

I see now…

A capable leader respects their team’s autonomy, stepping back when needed and allowing others to work freely.

That’s exactly what Chiya is doing now.

She really does have the air of someone competent and dependable.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Oh, um…”

I must’ve been staring a little too obviously. Chiya raised an eyebrow in mild irritation.

“I was just thinking… you’re someone people count on—not just at home, but here at school too.”

I said it just loud enough for Chiya to hear.

“…We don’t have time for small talk.”

“Ah—sorry!”

Chiya let go of my collar and, without another word, turned away and started walking quickly out of the tent.

Naturally, I hurried after her.

“U-Um, Chiya!”

“…What?”

“You’re walking way too fast!”

“Oh… right.”

She hadn’t even noticed she was speed-walking, but thankfully, she slowed down.

“Is this some kind of urgent task?”

“No, there’s no real rush.”

Then why was she walking like we were being chased…?

So mysterious.

“What exactly am I helping with, student council-wise?”

“Patrolling. Usually it’s done in pairs, but someone’s out today, so you’re filling in.”

“I see.”

I’m not sure how much help I’ll actually be, but… I’ll try.

“That said, most of the actual event operations are being handled by the P.E. Committee. The student council’s role is pretty minor—we’re only expected to step in and assist when something goes wrong and they’re short on hands.”

Apparently, the student council members patrol in shifts so they can respond quickly in case of an emergency.

“But… why me?”

I agreed without thinking it through, but…

If it’s something like that, surely someone else would be a better fit.

I mean, I wouldn’t be able to solve any kind of trouble.

Even just saying that makes me a little sad.

“…You’re the one who said it.”

Chiya mumbled quietly, and I tilted my head, confused.

“You told me I should speak my mind. That I should tell people how I feel.”

Oh—right. I did say that.

I remember telling Chiya, who always bottled up her feelings, that it was okay to express them.

But, if I’m being honest, I said that more for Hiyori and Karin’s sake than hers.

…Still.

“If you chose me, Chiya, then I’m happy. Really.”

I don’t think I’ll be much help. Not at all, honestly. But the fact that she wants me here—that alone makes me feel good.

“I’m grateful to you.”

“…Huh?”

Wait. Did I just hear that right?

It sounded like she said something incredible just now.

“…If you make me say it again, I’m going to be mad.”

“Ah—sorry! I’m listening. I’m really listening now.”

I just couldn’t believe it, so I asked again—but clearly, that wasn’t allowed.

“Thanks to you, I feel like I can breathe easier now.”

“Um…”

“Not in the literal sense. I don’t mean lungs or asthma or anything dumb like that. Figure it out.”

“…Yeah, I figured.”

Sorry. You’re saying something so meaningful, but I got hung up on the wording.

“I think our sisterly bond has gotten a lot better, too.”

“That… makes me really happy to hear.”

I did what I could, hoping it would help. If Chiya can feel the difference, then it was all worth it.

“It’s kind of strange, isn’t it? That the one who helped repair our sisterhood wasn’t even related by blood—but a stepsister.”

“…But that’s only because there was love between you all to begin with.”

If things had been truly broken between them, nothing I did would’ve mattered.

It’s just… the buttons had been fastened in the wrong order, that’s all.

And because I was on the outside, someone not directly involved, I was able to help straighten things out.

That’s really all there was to it.

“…That’s why I think… you’ve become someone important. Not just to all of us—but to me.”

Chiya’s unwavering gaze pierced right through me.

I couldn’t look away.

“So if you’re okay with it, then—”

—Right as Chiya was about to say something more…

“Hey! What the heck is that!?”

A familiar voice cut through the moment like a scene-stealing interruption.

“Oh, this? It’s a bento box. It had my lunch in it!”

“That’s not what I meant! I’m not asking what it is—I’m asking why it looks like that! That ridiculous, over-the-top lunch box!”

“It’s Heart-chan ♡”

Hiyori, pressing a heart-shaped bento box to her cheeks, looked positively delighted.

It was adorable… but seriously, what are those two even doing?

“That is so Akari’s lunch! Why is it only you two who have special lunch boxes, and not the usual ones!?”

“Using objects to express feelings of the heart is a classic technique, you know?”

Karin, for some reason, was flaring up over it, and Hiyori… wasn’t she saying earlier that it represented the heart? Or was it the heart as in organ? Did I mishear?

“…Those two.”

Next to me, Chiya’s voice had taken on a dangerous edge.

Oh no…

Other students nearby were already gathering at a distance to watch the commotion.

“Um… does this count as a ‘trouble’?”

“Considering people are gathering to gawk, yes—it definitely does.”

“B-But couldn’t the P.E. Committee handle this…?”

“Karin is the head of the P.E. Committee.”

Oh. My. God.

Two school idols—who are also P.E. Committee president and vice president—were now arguing in public.

No one could possibly step in.

Which meant…

“This is a job for the student council, huh?”

“…Unfortunately, yes.”

Chiya answered with a huff.

And just a moment ago, she had told me the sisters were finally getting along…

“Come on, let’s go.”

Without warning, she reached out and grabbed my hand.

My heart skipped a beat for a second—but this wasn’t the time to get flustered.

“Wait, I’m coming too?”

Sure, I was here to assist her, but…

Would I really be any help at all?

“You understand us better than anyone else, don’t you?”

“…!”

Those words were Chiya’s greatest show of trust in me.

And they were exactly what I’d hoped for.

To understand the people, I care about. To gain their trust.

What could possibly be more rewarding?

“Of course!”

For the first time, I gripped Chiya’s hand back with confidence.

And the sports festival was still far from over.

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