CH 56

“Yahoo Minato. I’m here~♡”

“Uh, Shinozuka…san?”

I was stunned when I saw the person who was standing in front of me when I opened the front door of our house. The reason for that was because she was a familiar beautiful girl with her silky brown hair tied neatly in a ponytail.

I clearly don’t remember ever telling Shiozuka-san, my home’s location.

Despite this, I couldn’t help but be perplexed by the fact that Shinozuka-sam had come to visit me at my own home.

“Oh, you’re calling me by my surname again. It’s Mi-zu-na, right?”

“I’m s-sorry… Um, Mizuna?”

“Good job. You did well.”

“Hey! D-don’t pet me!”

For some reason Shinozuka-san started petting my head. I blushed as that was something unexpected for me and I hurriedly shook off her hand.

Earlier, I was asked by Shinozuka-san to call her by her given name. 

However, the change in name-calling wasn’t really going smoothly.

To be honest, the true reason why I was avoiding calling Shinozuka-san by her given name was so that I could avoid getting close to her. I also can’t respond to her feelings as I was already dating Sakuramiya-sensei.

“…Hello Mizuna-nee.”

Still feeling flustered by Shinozuka-san’s unexpected visit, Shii-chan appeared from the living room.

Shii-chan came over to where we were but after approaching us she hid behind me, and just peeked her head a little and greeted Shinozuka-san.

“Hello Shii-chan.”

Shinozuka-san bent her knees and looked at Shii-chan. She then reached out her hand to Shii-chan’s head and ruffled her hair a little bit while still keeping eye contact.

“I wonder if you kept your promise,” she said.

“Yes, I did, ma’am,” Shii-chan replied.

“Well done. Now I’ll keep my promise too,” Shinozuka-san said with a smile.

“Thank you, Mizuna-nee,” Shi-chan said, lowering her head slightly in a bow.

I was really confused by the turn of events more so when I heard the word “promise” being mentioned in their conversation. I confusedly tilted my head while continuing to hear their talks which was apparently kept as a secret from me.

“Promise?” I asked.

“It doesn’t concern you, Minato. Anyway, let’s go on a date,” Shinzuka-san said.

“Eh?”

“Oh, haven’t you heard from Shii-chan? Today is family service day,” Shinozuka-san said with a stern expression, looking directly at me as though she wouldn’t refute no matter what I would say to her.

I opened and closed my mouth multiple times, but failed to ask the thing I eagerly wanted to ask since the beginning of this whole conversation and suddenly Shi-chan who was still standing behind me, tugged on my hand sleeves.

“Mizuna-nee is going to play house with us.”

“Huh? What are you saying?”

“I don’t really understand either… I just know that I’m weak compared to that ‘power’.”

“Power?”

Shii-chan just shrugged her shoulders in denial as though she didn’t intend to say anything to me at all. When I tried to ask more things from her, Shinozuka-san interjected us and diverted the conversation.

Shinozuka-san, who was watching this, interjected.

“Shii-chan… Don’t say unnecessary things.”

“I-I’m sorry, ma’am.”

Shinozuka-san placed her finger on her mouth and smiled. Shii-chan’s body trembled in that tiny gesture. I wonder what she is doing behind my back to this cute little girl…

Clearly, it seems that something happened between Shii-chan and Shinozuka-san that I don’t know about.

Anyway, it seems like it’s better to avoid this topic.

I awkwardly smiled and returned the focus of the conversation.

“Uh, so, is it okay for us to go out now?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Then, I’ll get ready, so could you wait for a little bit?”

“Okay. While I’m waiting, can I go up to the living room?”

“Ah, Shi-chan, could you guide her?”

Upon asking this, Shii-chan saluted and said, “Understood!” and guided Shinozuka-san to the living room.

What an obedient girl… And her vocabulary is not that of a young girl who is barely five years old.

While I was taken aback, I quickly started getting ready to go out with her.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

[PoV] Kaede Ayase :

“Ah, Mii-kun. Who’s here… Eh? Mizuna-chan?”

In the living room’s kitchen.

I had just finished up cleaning the last dishes and was now wiping my hands with a towel.

When I looked at the opened door, there was not my cousin who was coming in, but rather his classmate, Mizuna-chan.

I was taken aback by the unexpected visit. It completely left me surprised.

“Hello there. Long time no see. Has it been two weeks?”

“It’s been about that long… But why are you here?”

Waving her hand elegantly in the air, Mizuna-chan cheerfully laughed. But I couldn’t greet her with the same smile as I was still affected by her surprise visit.

“I was thinking of filling in from the outer moat. Well, I don’t think it’ll be that hard with a direct approach.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you don’t know, it’s okay. Right, Shii-chan?”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

Yes, ma’am? What is my little sister talking about…

When did Mizuna-chan and Shii-chan have that kind of relationship?

Wait a minute…

Suddenly, a memory from about a week ago came back to me.

There was a time when Mizuna-chan suddenly called me. She also asked me that she wanted to hear Shii-chan’s cute voice, so she asked me to hand over the phone to her.

At that time, I had to clean the bath so I left them alone as I thought it wouldn’t be that important. That’s why I don’t know what happened between Mizuna-chan and Shii-chan.

But now I’m sure of it, something probably happened.

I have no idea what it could be, but…

I quickly moved my finger, indicating for Shii-chan to come here. When she noticed, she hesitantly came over.

“W-what is it, onee-chan?”

“What’s going on? What is Mizuna-chan doing here?”

“I can’t say anything as per the deal.”

“What? Why are you being so secretive about it?”

In response to my question, Shii-chan just shrugged her shoulders.

It’s a well-known fact that Mizuna-chan has feelings for Mii-kun. So when Shi-chan, who supports Mii-kun and Yumi-nee, starts supporting Mizuna-chan as well, it seems unnatural.

“Don’t talk alone, I’m being left out. Let me join in too.”

“Uh… okay.”

Everything was unclear to me, and I couldn’t keep up with the flow of events taking place in front of me.

Just like at the amusement park, Mizuna-chan seems to have a dark side to her… I can clearly feel it.

I wonder if Mii-kun will be okay… that’s what I thought.