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 3

The day after I became the Tsukimori sisters’ stepsister.

It was a situation filled with nothing but discomfort, but the shared life with the Tsukimori sisters was about to begin.

Yesterday, since I hadn’t finished moving in, I was allowed to return to my original apartment for the night.

But starting today, I would officially live in the Tsukimori house.

“Hey, Mom. If you were going to get remarried, you could’ve told me a little earlier, don’t you think?”

I had complained to my mom about the sudden turn of events.

“Well, you know how they say, ‘Love is blind.'”

“…”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but understand where she was coming from.

“Oh, but don’t worry. I’ve already told the school that your last name will stay as Hanano. I figured it might be tough if people started asking questions.”

“I appreciate that you’re thinking of me, but there were other things I wish you had considered too!”

While it was a relief that my relationship with the Tsukimori sisters wouldn’t be public, there were still a lot of unresolved feelings.

After this exchange, I arrived at school with heavy steps.

I headed toward my seat by the window at the back of the classroom.

“…Huh?”

Immediately, I noticed the eyes of my classmates—especially the girls—on me.

It felt like I was being stared at, intently.

“Hey, did you hear? She confessed to the Tsukimori sisters.”

“Wait, to a girl?”

“No, like, seriously. She confessed for real.”

“Wow, there really are people like that.”

…Oh, great.

It seemed that my classmates had witnessed my confession (which I didn’t even acknowledge as such), and the rumor had spread like wildfire.

“Either way, she should know her place.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t stand a chance against the Tsukimori sisters.”

The Tsukimori sisters stood at the top of this class—hell, even this school.

And here I was, at the bottom of the class hierarchy.

We had just switched classes, so the social groups hadn’t been formed yet, and on top of that, my friends had been placed in another class.

For someone like me, a background character, to confess to the school’s idols, the Tsukimori sisters?

Well, of course, it would be entertaining for them.

To put it mildly, this was the worst possible outcome.

“Oh, here they come.”

“I wonder what kind of reaction they’ll have.”

Amid the morning commotion, the Tsukimori sisters made their entrance.

Once again, they radiated their usual divine aura, and their behavior was no different from usual.

Each of them took their seat, and as the lesson began, they either prepared for class, relaxed, or chatted, just as they always did.

“Haha, looks like she’s being ignored again.”

“I know, it’s so sad.”

The girls were laughing at me from afar.

But honestly, it wasn’t their fault.

There had never been any connection between me and the Tsukimori sisters, and we weren’t even on speaking terms.

This was the same reaction they’d had from the start.

Yet, when I was ignored by the Tsukimori sisters, the girls in class were treating me with contempt.

Honestly, this felt like too much.

“…But in the end, it’s still the truth.”

It didn’t change the fact that I was being ignored by the Tsukimori sisters.

But still, the sticky feelings rising inside me wouldn’t go away so easily.

At the end of the day, I sat alone in the classroom.

“…I’m so tired.”

The empty classroom echoed with a hollow sound.

The girls in my class were completely avoiding me.

They stared at me like I was some sort of spectacle, and hearing whispered gossip was anything but pleasant.

Being the center of attention like this was incredibly stressful.

At this rate, it seemed like I’d be living a lonely life for a while.

“Ugh… this is such a troublesome situation.”

I had been misunderstood by the Tsukimori sisters, and now the girls in class were treating me like I was strange.

I didn’t feel like doing anything anymore.

“And now, I have to go back to the Tsukimori house…”

This was so awkward.

I hadn’t exchanged a single word with them at school today, so how was I supposed to face them at home?

I couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

◇◇◇

In front of me stood a house with a sign reading Tsukimori.

It was supposed to be my new home starting today, yet all I could feel was like I was on foreign soil.

“…I want to go home.”

And I couldn’t help but mutter the contradiction out loud.

Yes, I wanted to go home.

But not here—back to my old home.

“What are you saying? Do you even know what you’re talking about?”

“Eek!”

I jumped, startled by a voice behind me.

I hadn’t noticed someone had come up, and I felt embarrassed to have been overheard.

“…Can’t you even react normally?”

The one looking at me with suspicion was Chiya Tsukimori, the eldest sister.

She looked just as stunning today, exuding her usual cool aura, but her sharp eyes made me nervous.

“I-I’m sorry! I was just spacing out for a second.”

“Standing in front of the house like that is disturbing. And stop muttering nonsense.”

“I’ll be more careful…”

Oh dear…

It seems like the distance between me and Chiya is only growing.

“This is your home, isn’t it?”

“Huh…?”

I had been lost in thought, but her words caught me off guard.

“Hehe…”

Hearing Chiya call this my home made me so happy.

Could it be that she’s starting to accept me, even just a little?

“What’s with that laugh? It’s creepy.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

It was a misunderstanding… I’ll be more careful.

Chiya then took a key out of her bag.

At that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Um, where are the other two?”

Why wasn’t Hiyori or Karin with her?

“They’re not here.”

Her reply was curt.

“Aren’t you all supposed to be going home together?”

“…We don’t need to go home together.”

…Huh?

I thought they would always come home together, but it seemed like that wasn’t the case at all.

It felt odd.

“Do they have something else to do?”

“…”

Chiya let out a sigh and turned to look at me, reluctantly opening her mouth.

“Just because we’re sisters doesn’t mean we always have to do everything together.”

“Ah, yes, of course…”

Well, that’s true.

I don’t think we need to do everything together, but…

Still, something about Chiya’s words and the way she spoke made me feel a little uneasy.

If I had to pinpoint exactly what, I couldn’t quite figure it out yet.

“What are you standing there for?”

“Huh?”

Chiya was still standing by the door, looking at me with a piercing gaze.

“You’re home now, so come in.”

“Huh… H-huh?!”

Chiya was waiting for me and holding the door open?!

Wh-what is this surprise?!

This is too much, I can’t handle it!

This is beyond what I deserve!!

“I’ve never seen someone act so over-the-top just to go home…”

Oh no.

Chiya seemed taken aback by my reaction.

That’s not it!

It’s not that I’m shocked to be entering the house.

But if I tried to explain, she’d just reject me again, wouldn’t she…?

“S-sorry. Eh… hehehe…”

I tried to laugh it off, hoping to cover up my embarrassment.

“Just hurry up and come in.”

“Yes, I’m coming!”

She urged me coldly, and I hurried into the house.

“Honestly…”

Chiya sighed in exasperation as she followed me inside.

“Um…”

“What now? Do you have something else to say?”

She gave me a look that clearly said she wasn’t in the mood for this.

I quickly gathered my courage.

“W-welcome home!”

“Ah…”

Chiya’s expression completely changed.

Her eyes widened in surprise, as though she hadn’t expected me to say that.

It seemed like my words had caught her off guard.

But, well, we do live together now.

And I entered the house first.

Saying this much should be okay, right?

“…Welcome home.”

“!!”

Chiya quickly looked away, muttering the words under her breath.

She brushed past me and headed deeper into the house.

“To think I’d be able to say ‘welcome home’ to Chiya…”

A warmth filled my chest.

It almost felt like we were family.

Well, technically, we are.

But still, I felt joy from the conversation—however small—like we had closed the gap between us.