I Confessed to the Three Beautiful Sisters at School and Got Rejected, but After I Became their Stepsister, They Started Doting On Me - Chapter 64

“Saezuki Riko… what exactly are you doing out here?”

With a flat tone and a cold stare, Tsukimori Chiya asked the question.

Beside her stood Tsukimori Hiyori and Tsukimori Karin, both wearing curious expressions.

I guess the combination of me and Saezuki-san by the riverside just doesn’t make sense to them.

Well, not like I really get it either!

“What I’m doing? It’s after school—I can spend my time however I want, right? What about you three, showing up here all together like that?”

“We came looking for her.”

Chiya-san responded without missing a beat.

She looked directly at me when she said “her,” so I’m guessing she meant me…

Hiyori-san and Karin-san both nodded in agreement.

“Looking for her? Well, you three aren’t exactly welcome here!”

Cutting between us, Saezuki-san stepped protectively in front of me.

Um… what exactly is happening here?

“We have something we’d like to talk to her about. If you’re finished, would you mind letting us have a turn?”

Ah, I see now.

Their sisterly meeting must have come to an end.

I assume this “talk” they’re referring to is a continuation of my earlier conversation with Hiyori-san?

But then… why are all three of them here together?

“Hanano doesn’t need anything from you people.”

Saezuki-san showed no sign of moving aside.

Also, she just casually switched from calling me “you” to “Hanano.”

Stop that.

I’m the type who gets all happy over that kind of thing!

“That’s not something for you to decide, especially when you don’t know how she really feels.”

Though her tone remained calm, Chiya-san’s words had a sharp edge.

The tension in the air was starting to get… dangerous.

“Hanano’s here because you guys made her feel like an outsider. She was hurt—and that’s why she ended up in a place like this! You seriously think it makes sense for you to show up like nothing happened?!”

“…!!”

All three sisters widened their eyes in shock at Saezuki-san’s outburst.

“S-Saezuki-san… please don’t say things like that…”

I tried to keep my voice low, hoping only she would hear me—but she dismissed it without hesitation.

Why?

“Akari-chan… is that true?”

Hiyori-san’s expression was full of sadness.

Seeing someone who’s usually so cheerful make that face… I couldn’t help but feel like I’d committed some terrible sin.

“It is true. Hanano said she felt left out. And now those same people come waltzing in like they’re welcome? That’s straight-up trauma! So get lost already!”

“Saezuki-san!?”

She was airing it all out—trying to chase them off completely.

She’d turned into a runaway train.

Please, calm down!

“What about you, Saezuki? What do you want from Akari? You’re not just planning more dumb drama, are you?”

Karin-san scowled, her tone sharp and aggressive.

She was probably remembering the time she caught Saezuki-san pressing me in that awkward situation and was genuinely worried.

Looking back now… what even was that whole scene?

“Of course not! Look, whatever the case—you’re not invited, so get lost!”

She waved them away with a shooing gesture.

But the three sisters didn’t budge an inch—

“I’m afraid I have no intention of leaving.”

—Not even a little.

Chiya-san grabbed Saezuki-san’s hand mid-gesture and declared it flatly.

“…Tsukimori Chiya!!”

You could practically hear Saezuki-san grinding her teeth in frustration.

Th-this is getting dangerously tense…

“If she felt left out, then that was a misunderstanding.”

“Wh—what!? There’s no such thing as a misunderstanding about feeling like an outsider!”

“What I feared… was that I wouldn’t have the courage to tell her the truth. That’s all.”

“Wha… what’s that supposed to mean!?”

“You’ll understand soon. Though, this isn’t something I plan to explain to you.”

And with that, Chiya-san stepped past her.

◇◇◇

Now it was Chiya-san standing before me.

Her jet-black hair shimmered in the sunset, glowing with a deep luster.

“Earlier… I must apologize.”

“Uh, um… for what exactly?”

I didn’t recall her doing anything that warranted an apology.

“I told you I liked you… and yet I said I couldn’t accept being just friends. It was a confusing and strange thing to say. I’m sorry if it caused you any distress.”

“N-No, it’s… really not a big deal…”

Her sharp demeanor from moments ago had completely vanished. Now she looked reserved, almost gentle.

The setting sun must have been to blame—Chiya-san’s cheeks looked slightly flushed, and even her usual demeanor had softened into something… bashful.

What is this…?

“There’s a clear reason why I said I didn’t want to be friends with you.”

“A reason…?”

“Yes. It’s a very simple one.”

Chiya-san glanced away, as if gathering her thoughts. After a brief pause, she returned her gaze to me, placing a hand over her heart, and stepped forward.

“I wanted to be your lover.”

…

Ah.

I see now.

I’m dreaming.

“Sorry. I know it’s confusing. Skipping over friendship and going straight to romance—it’s completely out of order.”

No, no, that’s not the issue here.

It’s far, far beyond that point.

Ha… ha ha…

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Saezuki-san staring with her mouth agape. Honestly, I was feeling the exact same way.

◇◇◇

“Akari-chan, may I speak next?”

Before I realized it, Hiyori-san was now standing in front of me.

“This is just the continuation of our earlier talk, remember? I didn’t get to finish telling you how I truly feel about you.”

She giggled sweetly, wearing her signature gentle smile.

Ah yes… we were having that conversation, weren’t we?

“I love you, Akari-chan, from the bottom of my heart. There’s not a single lie in that feeling.”

She raised her index finger to her lips and gave me a cute little wink.

Ahahaha…

“I’ll make you miso soup every morning, you know♡”

So cute.

Absolutely adorable. Devastatingly so.

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh…

I wonder when I’m going to wake up from this dream.

◇◇◇

“A-Akari…? Um, c-could I go next?”

This time, it was Karin-san.

Fidgeting, she touched the tips of her index fingers together nervously.

“Um, about earlier… I’m sorry, okay? I got caught up in club stuff and couldn’t respond properly. But, like, I didn’t want to say anything just because the moment called for it. I wanted to wait until I was in the right place, looking proper… so I could say it for real.”

Now that I look closely, Karin-san doesn’t look like she came straight from club activities at all.

Her hair was neatly tied, and she was wearing her uniform—not her usual tracksuit.

She must’ve hurried somewhere to get herself cleaned up, just for this.

I’m not sure why she went through so much trouble just to see me, though…

“I… I like you too, Akari! I really do! This is the first time I’ve ever felt this way. Just looking at you makes my chest feel tight, and before I know it, I’m always thinking about you. Meeting you made me realize—this is what love feels like!”

Ah…

So that’s why she fixed herself up.

She was preparing to confess.

“S-So… please don’t be mad at me anymore, okay? I want us to be close again… like before.”

She kept twirling her index fingers and couldn’t even meet my eyes.

She looked just like a girl completely lost in love.

Wow…

“So that’s why—”

Getting confessed to by all three of the Tsukimori sisters—the school’s top idols—at the same time?

What kind of ultra-popular person does that even happen to?

If such a creature exists, I’d really love to see them in the flesh.

Seriously, just explode already. Ahahaha.

“Would you go out with me?”

“Would you honor me by being my partner?”

“I want you to be my girlfriend!”

Ahahaha…

They’re looking at me.

All of them—still looking right at me?

“WHO is confessing to WHO right now!?”

That scream—Saezuki-san.

“I only confessed to her, that’s all.”
“I was just confessing my feelings to Akari-chan, okay?”
“I told Akari I like her, plain and simple!”

Wahahahaha!!

What even is this!?

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