Dumped by One, Chased by Another? My Ex's Sister Is a Gal and She's Coming for Me - Episode 25

“Alright, now that we’ve finished eating, shall we get back to it?”

The test grading was already done.

All that was left was to go over the answers.

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“Ah, sorry. Mind if I run to the bathroom real quick?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Come to think of it, we’ve been sitting here for over an hour.

Of course she’d need a break.

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“I’ll be right back—ah!”

Something fell from Haruki’s pocket as she stood up.

Instinctively, I picked it up.

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“Is this…?”

“Oh—that’s…”

It was a pass holder.

But I wondered why she would carry something like this, until I saw what was inside.

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“This photo…”

“D-Don’t look at that!”

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It was from when Fuyumi and I had just met.

Which also meant it was around the same time I met Haruki.

Back then, Haruki had taken a liking to me and asked if we could take a photo together.

I don’t remember what prompted it.

That photo—I had left it with my parents.

But apparently, Haruki still carried it with her.

Always close.

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“You really kept it safe all this time… Thank you.”

“Ughhh, I really didn’t want you to see that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s creepy, isn’t it? Carrying someone’s photo around like that?”

“Not at all. I think it’s sweet. I’m really happy, actually.”

“…That’s the kind of person you are, huh? You always say things like that—so genuinely.”

Haruki’s cheeks flushed, and she gave me a mock glare with those half-lidded eyes of hers.

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“You mean you’ve been carrying it around all this time? Not just today?”

“Ugh, enough! We’re done talking about this!”

She gave my shoulder a few playful swats and left the room.

As she said, she was probably headed to the bathroom.

Still… that photo brought back memories.

Maybe I should go visit my parents’ house again.

There might be something worth finding there.

…Though honestly, those memories are more traumatic than not.

Even so, I feel like I want to look.

If I really was her starting point, maybe—just maybe—there’s something I can give her.

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◇

We got through the test review without a hitch.

Actually, there wasn’t much to explain at all.

She’d already gotten most of it right.

Sure, there were a few minor mistakes, but with this level of understanding, she could easily aim for med school in a year.

Considering the grades I saw from school and mock exams, there’s no doubt about it.

So, we sat there reminiscing, looking at Haruki’s photo.

The one in her pass holder was clearly taken at the Ayase house.

I recognized the background.

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“She was around ten years old back then, right? Haruki’s really grown up.”

“Really? I don’t think I’ve gotten that much taller. Or wait… Are you talking about my body, perv.”

“I was talking about your height, thank you very much.”

Honestly, she says she hasn’t grown much, but she’s easily ten centimeters taller.

Please stop treating me like I’m a creep.

…Actually, wait—can talking about someone’s height be considered harassment now?

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“Sorry, Haruki…”

“Why are you apologizing?! You don’t have to take me seriously! I was just kidding!”

So, it was a joke.

Thank goodness.

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“But it is a nostalgic photo, isn’t it?”

“Right? I’ve always kept it close. Sometimes, even when nothing bad happens, I just feel overwhelmed—like when I’m studying a lot.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

Exam prep can be brutal.

Especially in the final year of high school—it’s like constant emotional warfare.

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“High school entrance exams were the worst. When I felt like I was about to break, I’d look at that photo of you.”

“…And that gave you strength?”

“Yeah. I’d get a little sad, and then I’d feel like I had to push through.”

“I see…”

I didn’t ask why it made her sad.

It felt too insensitive, even for me.

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“We used to play all kinds of games back in the day, didn’t we?”

“Yeah! And you never took it easy on me!”

“Because if I did, you’d get mad!”

Haruki had always been sharp.

Even when I was in high school, I had to go all out just to barely beat her in things like chess or Reversi.

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“Let’s play again sometime—bring back the good old days.”

“There’s this board game café I heard about. Want to check it out next time?”

We chatted like that while planning out her study schedule.

And just like that, the first day of tutoring ended without a hitch.

…Wait, why does it feel like I’ve scheduled another date?

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“I really need to make up my mind soon…”

“Hm? Did you say something?”

“Nope! Nothing at all.”

I brushed it off in a hurry.