After My Girlfriend Dumped Me, I Got Reincarnated As A High School Student. That Part’s Fine—But Why Are All My Ex-Girlfriends Here Too? - Chapter 50 –Closet and Shame Play

That’s why—

My cold finally cured, and I, Yuta Misumi, was back in perfect shape.

Tomorrow, Sunday, I’ll be studying alone with the Student Council President herself.

Now that I think about it calmly… wait, isn’t this basically a date!?

I thought it would be a group study session with all the Student Council members, but no—just the two of us.

A kind and thorough one-on-one session!

Well, technically it’s “man and woman,” isn’t it…? Uh… right…?

Anyway, that doesn’t matter right now.

Even if—if, just if—I take a thousand steps back and call this a date, my partner would still be the school’s famous Madonna, the Student Council President, Haru Ayase.

Meanwhile, I’m just… kind of an introverted guy. Nothing really special about me except being tall.

At least I should dress properly, right…?

Okay, let’s see… casual clothes, casual clothes…

I opened my closet—then froze on the spot.

“Huh…?”

So few.

What’s so few? My lineup of casual clothes.

“What the heck is this lame hoodie… And this T-shirt with dragons and skulls—how old is this thing?

This one’s torn, dirty—wait, are those moth holes?!”

Yeah… back when I was alive, around this time of year, I didn’t care about fashion at all.

If it fit, I wore it. Even if it was a little dirty or frayed, I didn’t mind.

No wonder I wasn’t popular, huh…

Honestly, I only started caring about what I wore after I began working and earning my own money. Before that, I just wore whatever Mom bought me. Basically, I was her life-sized dress-up doll.

Now, it feels like I’m being forced to relive a childhood trauma at this age.

What kind of humiliation play is this!?

Come to think of it, on weekdays I just rotated between my school uniform, loungewear, and pajamas. Of course I didn’t have much use for casual clothes.

That lazy lifestyle led to this disaster.

Wait—doesn’t that mean I invited girls over the other day while wearing this?

This is bad. Extremely bad.

“Wait… maybe this is fine. I mean, I don’t plan on falling in love again anyway… right?

But still, this is way too much…”

“What are you doing, big brother…?”

Just as I was suffering in front of the closet, Hinami called out, looking completely exasperated.

“Hey… Hinami. Was I always this lame?”

“Yeah.”

She answered instantly, with a dead-serious face.

I totally agreed—but still, it kind of hurt.

“Wait—so you actually noticed? Finally…?”

This is so complicated I could cry…

“Honestly, I want to go buy you clothes right now.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea! I totally agree!”

“Hinami… your brother’s gonna cry soon, you know? Like, for real.”

“Oh, uh… sorry… but… well…”

“It’s fine… don’t say it. I get it.”

But here comes a new problem.

“Hinami, what do I do… I thought this was just a manga thing, but—
I don’t even have clothes to wear to buy clothes!”

“Ah…”

I used to think it was dumb when characters said that in stories—but now that I’m living it, I get it.

“In that case, got it. I’ll go buy you some clothes.”

“No, no, wait a second—”

So, I graduated from being Mom’s dress-up doll, only to evolve into my little sister’s dress-up doll!

Is this… evolution…?

“So, here’s the plan, big brother. You’ll wear what I buy for you, then we’ll go shopping together. You’ll pick your own clothes, and maybe help me pick some too.”

“Uh… meaning?”

“I’ll get you clothes to go buy clothes in. Then we’ll go together, okay?”

“O-okay.”

Well… that actually helps a lot.

“Besides… I wanna go on a date with you too… (quietly)”

“Huh? You say something?”

“N-nothing! Just wait here!”

Hinami ran back to her room, changed into casual clothes, and came out wearing—

A beige summer knit top, a black knee-length skirt, and a white casquette hat.

“I’ll go to the shop nearby, so wait here, okay?”

She hurried out before I could say anything.

And there she goes…

What kind of clothes will she even buy…?

“I’m back!”

“Whoa, that was fast!?”

“Well, I’d already decided what to get.”

What Hinami brought back was a simple white T-shirt and light blue jeans.

A safe, simple choice—but hey, way better than what’s in my closet.

“They’ll show dirt easily, but that’s fine—people who can wear bright colors cleanly always give off a good, tidy impression. Girls like that kind of thing.”

“I see.”

“It’s definitely better than wearing dirty, worn-out clothes.”

Yeah, yeah, I know that, but still…!

Guess I’ll start taking this seriously from now on…

“I think it’s fine if you wear that tomorrow, but you’ll want to choose for yourself too, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

And so—let’s go shopping! Yah-hoo!

I feel like some feudal warlord suddenly speaking a foreign language.

We arrived at the big shopping mall, Ozone.

When Hinami told Mom about our plan, she was so surprised—and happy—that she even gave us extra spending money.

Still feels complicated though…

Anyway.

“Hinami? Do we really need to hold hands?”

“It’s Saturday. There are lots of people. You might get lost.”

“Ah, right.”

“Yeah—you might.”

Wait, me!?

Still though…

“What?”

“No, it’s just…”

This… this is a lover’s handhold, right?

The first time I learned about it—and the first person I did it with—was Mizuho.

Then later with Mie, too. Hiromi found it uncomfortable if we held hands too long, so we just held them normally.

It all feels like so long ago.

And now, the next person I’m holding hands with like this… is Hinami—my little sister, even if it’s not the same world as before.

Who could’ve predicted this?

No one, because it should’ve been impossible.

If someone actually wrote this situation, they’d have to be one seriously delusional romantic.

“Come on, let’s go already!”

Hinami tugged my hand with a bright smile.

Well… maybe I can be grateful to that delusional romantic—
Because I get to see Hinami looking this happy, right up close.

And so, we arrived at the famous clothing chain store, Uniqlo.

Affordable, stylish, and loved by all ages.

“Oh, this shirt’s nice.”

A navy short-sleeved shirt made of cool, summer fabric.

“Wha—my big brother’s actually picking clothes himself…!
And his taste isn’t bad at all!”

“Well, I did study a little, you know.”

“Hey, hey, what about this floral dress? Maybe it’s too flashy for me?”

“I think you’d look like the cutest girl in Japan.”

“Wha…!? Th-then what about this navy long skirt?”

“Cutest girl in the world.”

“Eh!? T-then this knit top layered with a shirt…?”

“Cutest girl in the universe.”

“Are you even being serious right now…?”

She’s mad.

But I am serious though…

“No, really—both would look great on you.

The knit-and-shirt combo with the navy long skirt would go perfectly together. You’ve got great taste, Hinami.

That floral dress gives off a pure, elegant vibe that totally matches your image, and—”

“W-wait! Stop right there!”

Her face turned bright red.

“Don’t compliment me so much all at once like that! It’s embarrassing!”

Her reactions are just too cute.

Honestly, I could watch her all day.

And so, our shopping trip continued—From one store to another, until the sky outside turned softly dark.