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 9

“Hey, Akari?”

“Ah, yes! What is it?”

After practice, Karin had invited me to walk home together.

Even though I had technically won our little match, I was still just a complete beginner talking about basketball—and a newcomer meddling in her family affairs.

Yet, despite all that, Karin still wanted to walk home with me. She really was kind.

“You were right, Akari. When I spread my focus and considered passing as an option, I was able to break through defenders much more easily.”

That was true.

After our match, Karin had stayed behind and played a few rounds with some of the remaining team members.

Just as I had expected, by keeping her options open, she was able to throw off her opponents and successfully dribble past them.

“As expected of you!”

“It was thanks to your advice.”

“No, no, it’s only because of your talent, Karin.”

“But if I couldn’t figure it out on my own, doesn’t that mean I’m just not good enough?”

“If a simple piece of advice were enough to change someone, nobody would ever struggle. The fact that you could immediately apply it just shows how amazing you really are.”

“Well… that’s just because you said it…”

“Hmm? Because I said it?”

“N-Never mind!”

She quickly turned away, looking flustered.

Still, I couldn’t believe it.

Karin had thanked me multiple times.

T-This was bad…

I was so happy I felt like I could ascend to heaven on the spot.

I also felt like we had gotten much closer.

Today was truly a great day…

“I’m home!”

“U-Um… I’m home too…”

I returned home alongside Karin.

Since I still wasn’t used to saying that, my voice came out a little quieter than hers.

“Welcome back, Karin.”

Chiya appeared at the entrance to greet us.

“You’re home later than usual. What were you doing?”

“Ah, um, well…”

W-What should I say?

That I was watching Karin’s practice?

But if she asked why I was doing that, I wouldn’t know how to explain.

Saying that we played together would also be misleading…

Ugh… what do I do…?

“You don’t have club activities or a part-time job. I don’t think it’s good for you to stay out late for no reason.”

“A-Ah, I-I’m sorry—”

“I asked Akari to help me practice basketball.”

Just as I was about to bow and apologize, Karin interrupted.

“Aka…ri?”

Chiya repeated my name as if it was something unfamiliar.

Umm… That’s my name, you know?

“Yeah. Thanks to her, I improved. So it wasn’t her fault.”

“You… played basketball with her?”

Chiya blinked in surprise, as if the idea of me and Karin together just didn’t make sense to her.

It was rare to see Chiya’s normally composed expression crack like that.

…She’s way too cute.

Ah, wait, this isn’t the time to be thinking about that.

“Yeah. So if you’re going to scold anyone, scold me.”

“…If that’s the case, then I have no objections.”

“Good. Then let’s go, Akari.”

Karin suddenly took my hand and pulled me along.

“Ah—Y-Yes!”

I followed after her, flustered.

I could feel Chiya’s gaze on my back, but my mind was too preoccupied by the sensation of Karin’s hand touching mine.

“…You were right.”

“Huh?”

As we climbed the stairs, Karin suddenly muttered those words.

“Like you said, when I actually explained things properly, Chiya understood.”

I see.

For Karin, standing up to Chiya like that was probably a rare thing.

But she didn’t need to worry.

Chiya was more caring toward her sister than she realized.

At that moment, I think she finally felt it.

“S-See? That’s what I was trying to tell you!”

“…Honestly, it was all so simple. Why didn’t I realize it sooner?”

Her words carried a weight of regret.

But feeling regret meant she had changed from who she was before.

And that, in itself, was proof of growth.

“It’s all thanks to you, Akari. Really, thank you.”

“Um… if you keep praising me any more, I think my brain might explode, so could you tone it down a little?”

She was still holding my hand, and at this rate, I wasn’t sure my heart would survive.

“You’re such a weirdo.”

For the first time, I saw Karin laugh—really laugh, without any reservations.

◇◇◇

“Dinner’s ready! We’re having hamburger steak tonight!”

As dinnertime rolled around, Hiyori had prepared the meal for us.

We all took our seats and began eating together.

…

And as expected, the usual silence settled in.

I had gotten used to it, but eating with the three sisters still made me a little nervous.

That’s when—

“Akari, do you like hamburg steak?”

“Huh?”

Karin was the one to break the silence.

Wait, we’re allowed to talk during meals?

“I’m asking about your food preferences.”

“Oh, um, yes! I love it.”

“Good. Hiyori’s cooking is amazing, so you’re in for a treat.”

On my plate was a thick, juicy hamburg steak.

As I slid my knife through, it cut effortlessly, revealing a glistening cross-section of meat bursting with juices.

This… this was restaurant-level food!

“Oh dear, if you expect too much, I’ll feel pressured,” Hiyori said with a gentle laugh, resting a hand on her cheek.

Admiring her soft expression, I took a bite.

The rich flavor of the beef, enhanced by the perfect balance of spices, filled my mouth.

With every chew, the meat released even more delicious juices.

“It’s absolutely delicious!”

“Oh my, no need to flatter me, you know?”

“I mean it!”

This was genuinely delicious—there wasn’t a single person in the world who could complain about this meal.

“Though, there are times when even Hiyori messes up. You should tell her if that ever happens.”

“Oh my, Karin, we agreed not to mention that,” Hiyori said, smiling sweetly.

“If it’s Hiyori’s cooking, I’d eat it even if it was burnt to a crisp.”

I was dead serious.

There was no way I could ever disrespect something Hiyori had made.

“That’s… not necessarily a good thing,” Karin said, sighing.

“Indeed. If you say that, it makes your words less credible,” Hiyori added playfully.

“A-Ah… Sorry.”

But still—

Something had changed.

Because I had grown closer to Karin, there was now conversation at the dinner table.

Something that wasn’t there yesterday.

…

However, not everything had fallen into place just yet.

Chiya remained silent throughout the meal.

She didn’t seem particularly angry, but I had a feeling she was skeptical about how quickly things between me and Karin had changed.

“In that case, next time we should have Miss Hanano test whether burnt food is truly edible.”

…And, of course, Hiyori had her own way of stirring things up.

She was usually gentle, but every now and then, she could be unexpectedly sharp.

“If it’s made by you, Hiyori, I’ll eat every last bite.”

“No, there’s no meaning in putting emotion into a burnt meal.”

“Oh my, I was only joking.”

Even Karin had to step in.

There was still more work to be done if I wanted to help this family find their way back to each other.