I Confessed to the Three Beautiful Sisters at School and Got Rejected, but After I Became their Stepsister, They Started Doting On Me (GL) - Chapter 20

“So, seriously—nothing happened between you and Chiya-nee, right?”

Karin-san leaned in close, practically pressing her face against mine, her presence overwhelming as she tried to corner me.

After chasing her down and explaining everything in detail, we’d finally made it to this moment.

“It’s true. Please believe me. I mean, it’s not like I could force Chiya-san into anything even if I wanted to.”

And that goes for both physical and emotional force—either way, impossible.

“R-Right… Yeah, that makes sense. Geez, I totally jumped to conclusions…”

“I’m truly sorry about the misunderstanding.”

Still, I was relieved to see the tension finally fade.

“Hmm~ But even if something did happen, it’s not like anyone would admit to it, would they~?”

And just like that, Hiyori-san refused to let it go!

“See?! I knew it wasn’t that simple!”

Karin-san, of course, jumped right on board.

We were this close to settling things…!

“Hiyori-san, you saw what happened, didn’t you? You know nothing went on!”

“True. But maybe you only stopped because I walked in.”

“Karin-saaaan!!”

Karin-san’s face twisted into a furious scowl.

Why does Hiyori-san keep stoking the flames with that calm, composed smile!?

“The important thing is what you intended, Akari-chan. If your heart desired Chiya-chan, then it’s already an indecent act.”

“Even if nothing actually happened?!”

“Yes. Merely thinking it is already a sin.”

Guilty!

That’s… way too heavy!!

Hiyori-san’s soft demeanor makes her words all the more terrifying.

…W-Wait. Could she actually be mad?

No, no way—it’s Hiyori-san. There’s no way she’s upset… right?

“But, you can’t prove what someone’s thinking.”

“No, you can’t.”

“Then how am I supposed to prove my innocence…?”

“If every sin could be proven, wouldn’t false accusations have vanished from the world long ago?”

Okay, yep—still terrifying!!

Chiya-san may be scary too, but at least she’s direct.

Hiyori-san, on the other hand, has this gentle aura while coming at you from these weird angles. It’s so unsettling!

“She’s right! And you spent time with Chiya-nee twice in one day. That’s suspicious! Guilty!”

Karin-san had clearly joined the prosecution side.

No one was even trying to listen to my side anymore.

“C-C’mon, you two. Let’s calm down, okay? I mean, think about it—there’s no way Chiya-san would ever reciprocate feelings for someone like me.”

“And why are you so sure about that?”

Why is that the part she questions!?

“Because—it’s me, you know? Do you seriously think anyone could feel that way about me? Try putting yourselves in my position.”

“……”

…Why are you both silent?

“D-Don’t say weird stuff like that! It’s… hard to respond!”

“…Huh?”

Is that something difficult to respond to?

I figured this was where they’d say, ‘Yeah, no way—Akari? As if,’ or something like, ‘Besides, you’re both girls, so whatever.’
You know—brush it off?

“What a naughty girl you are. Seducing people’s feelings without even realizing it.”

“Ehh…?”

W-Wait.
Could it be they were thinking—don’t make me imagine something like that with a girl like you?

Ah… that makes sense.

They were never going to think of someone like me that way in the first place.

I was the one embarrassing myself with ridiculous assumptions.

“Anyway! Just don’t do anything weird to Chiya-nee, got it?!”

“O-Of course…”

Not that I ever intended to.

“Oh my, then… what will you do with me, Akari-chan?”

“Eh—”

“She’s off limits too, obviously!!”

Before I could respond, Karin-san roared in protest.

“My, my… Then perhaps I should suggest Karin-chan instead?”

“Eh—”

Yeah, that would definitely get Karin-san angry.

“I-I mean… I… um…”

Karin-san began fidgeting, her expression twitching in an all-too-obvious way.

She was changing her tune so fast, I could hardly keep up.

“Ufufu… So you’re saying it’s okay if you’re the one Akari-chan does something to?”

W-Wait… what did she just say?

“Th-That’s not it at all! I’m just acting like a loyal little sister trying to protect her big sister, okay?! I’m sacrificing myself, that’s all!”

“Ah… so I’m the sacrifice, huh…”

I mean, I knew that’s how it was, but hearing it said so directly still kinda stings.

“W-Wait, I didn’t mean it like—!”

“Karin-chan, deep down, you actually want it, don’t you?”

“Gahh! That’s not true either!!”

Ugh… the conversation is falling apart completely…

And so, the night ended in chaos and laughter.

◇◇◇

The next morning, I sat down at the table for breakfast.

“Huh…? Where’s Chiya-san?”

Noticing her empty seat, I asked without thinking.

“She’s not here yet. Still in her room, I imagine,” Hiyori-san replied.

“That’s unusual.”

Chiya-san is usually the first one awake—this was the first time since I arrived that she was the last to come down.

“Well, it is that time of year,” Karin-san chimed in casually, as if it weren’t a big deal.

“That time?”

“You remember yesterday, right? Chiya-nee said midterms were coming up.”

“Yes, she did. That’s why she helped me study.”

“Exactly. Around this time, Chiya-nee always goes into full study mode.”

“Wait… so even after tutoring me, she kept studying for herself?”

“Most likely.”

Whoa… Chiya-san really is intense…

“But now I feel kind of bad…”

I was happy she spent the time to teach me, of course. But if it meant she lost sleep because of it… that just makes me feel guilty.

If I’d known, I could’ve tried to end the session a little earlier…

“That’s none of your concern.”

“Wha—!?”

At some point, Chiya-san had already entered the room.

She walked over with her usual poise, sitting down with not even a trace of sleepiness on her face.

“My grades aren’t so fragile that they’d fall just because I spent time helping you. If you’re so worried, worry about your own situation.”

That’s… extremely fair.

“Even so, sleep deprivation is still bad for your health…”

“Then maybe apply yourself so I don’t have to tutor you.”

Ugh… that’s 100% true…

“Ufufu…”

Watching us go back and forth, Hiyori-san let out a quiet laugh.

“What is it, Hiyori?”

“Oh, nothing. It’s just… up until now, the only one Chiya-chan would go that far to teach was Karin-chan. But she really took the time with Akari-chan, too.”

“…You’re the one who told me to help her in the first place.”

“True. But you’re the one who chose to go along with it, weren’t you? No matter what you say, you do care.”

“……”

Chiya-san fell silent, then slowly turned her gaze to me.

“Don’t get the wrong idea.”

She turned her head away with a quick huff.

Uwah… Wh-What is that supposed to mean…?

I really don’t know how to react to this…