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 29

Hanano Akari is a strange girl.

During class, she often rubs her eyes while glaring up at the blackboard.

I know this because I occasionally watch her.
Whenever she gets sleepy, she just… sleeps.
Even if it’s right in the middle of class.

I used to think, Wow, she’s really honest about her needs, but lately, she’s stopped dozing off.

The reason is simple—Chiya-nee made her promise not to get a failing grade.

And just that alone was enough for Akari to start taking her lessons seriously.

What kind of motivation could push someone to change their behavior so drastically?

“Akari~?”

“Eh—ah, yes!”

After school, while our classmates trickled out of the room, I called out to her.

Her face looked drained—like all the life had been sucked out of her.

“You okay? You look totally wiped.”

“Yeah… Studying is exhausting.”

She mumbled with a vacant look in her eyes. She really did look completely done in.

“Do you usually not pay attention in class or something?”

“I wouldn’t call it a badge of honor, but class makes me sleepy. I can’t stay focused.”

“Yeah, that’s not something to brag about.”

“Ahaha…”

Scratching her head sheepishly, she clearly tried to laugh it off.

Akari doesn’t hide her weaknesses. She admits them freely.
I think that’s part of what makes her so genuine.

“But you’ve been putting in effort lately, haven’t you?”

“Yup. Chiya-san was very clear. I can’t afford to mess up.”

She clenched her tiny fists with an awkward sort of determination.

Doing something completely out of character—where does that kind of drive come from?

“So, if Chiya-nee tells you to do something, you’ll work hard even if you hate it?”

“That’s not quite it, Karin-san.”

“Huh?”

“There’s nothing Chiya-san could tell me that I’d hate doing.”

…Sometimes, I really think this girl’s devotion goes overboard.

“Didn’t you just say you hate studying?”

“But when Chiya-san asks me to, it doesn’t feel like I hate it anymore.”

See what I mean?

Usually she’s passive, doesn’t take initiative—but when it comes to Chiya-nee… or more broadly, us three sisters, she jumps into action without hesitation.

At first, I just thought she was kind of quirky.

But somewhere along the way, I started feeling… a little annoyed by it.

“I mean… what if I told you to fail with me instead?”

If she prioritizes us, then where do I rank in all of that?

I decided to ask something a little mean.

“Ughhhhh…”

Akari trembled, clutching her head.

Okay, maybe that was too mean?

“So? Who would you choose?”

Still, I wanted to hear her answer.

Even if I didn’t know how I’d feel once I heard it.

“Aaaaaaahh…”

“C’mon, you’re gonna pick Chiya-nee and leave me behind, right?”

Well, I mean—getting a failing grade is obviously a bad idea.

So choosing to listen to Chiya-nee makes the most sense.

“…I’ll solve the questions seriously, but not write my name.”

She answered with a straight face.

“…Come again?”

I still don’t think I fully understand this girl.

“If there’s no name, the test can’t be scored. It’ll be a failing grade. But I’ll show Chiya-san how well I answered everything, and plead for forgiveness.”

“…Oh, that’s your plan.”

That’s… bold.
I could actually see her doing it.

“This way, I can fail together with you, and not get scolded by Chiya-san.”

I can’t say I don’t feel happy that she chose to fall with me.

But still… it’s not just about me.
It’s both of us.

“You’re breathing kinda hard, you know.”

“That was a tough one.”

Choosing both is the same as not choosing either.

So of course, it left me with mixed feelings.

When did I start having such complicated emotions?

It’s all because of this girl.

“If it were me, I’d just tell Chiya-nee, ‘If it’s too much, then too bad!’”

“I can totally see you doing that, Karin-san.”

But I didn’t used to be like that.

Even if I had thoughts or doubts about my older sisters, I never voiced them.

Part of it was because I found it too much trouble.
And part of me… was probably running away.

It was Akari who showed me that expressing myself honestly was something I needed to learn.

She’s the one who changed me.

“C’mon, let’s walk home together.”

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—?!”

…Wait, she does like us, right?

Is that really the kind of reaction someone gives when invited to walk home together?

“…Why do you always react so weirdly?”

“I got more than enough ‘Tsukimori Time’ this morning…”

“What does that even mean?”

“If I’m seen walking around with the three Tsukimori sisters, people get upset…”

If there’s one thing about Akari that’s not great, it’s this.

She worships us, but completely neglects herself.

But it was Akari who helped me out of my own emotional cage.

So if that’s true, then I think it’s okay if I help free her from hers.

“It’s fine—come on, let’s go.”

“Eh, ah—w-wait, Karin-san!”

She’s the one who opened my heart.

So I should be allowed to do the same for her.

“Chiya-nee and Hiyori-nee aren’t around today. That makes this my chance—I’m not letting it go.”

“Chance…? For what exactly?”

“Well, you’ll figure it out eventually.”

It doesn’t have to be right now.

But someday— I believe your heart will change, too.

With that quiet hope in mind, I grabbed Akari’s arm and pulled her forward.