How I, a Hated Person, Ended Up Staying With Three Beautiful Sisters
And so, Maho and I ended up sitting side by side on the sofa. I don’t know why, but there we were, sitting next to each other.
Maho was wrapped in a blanket, curled up like a small animal, while I continued reading my light novel, using the light from my smartphone.
The only sound in the silent living room was the turning of pages.
Nothing happened for about ten minutes.
It was Maho who broke the silence.
“Hey…”
Suddenly, Maho let out a voice.
“What is it?”
“…Just talk about something.”
“What am I supposed to say?”
“Anything is fine.”
“That’s annoying. It’s like being asked what you want for dinner and answering, ‘Anything is fine.’”
“Are you talking about Akane?”
“I mean mothers in general.”
I said only that and closed the book with a snap.
I’m not skilled enough to talk freely when asked to talk about something.
Or rather, I only have memories of clashing with Maho.
There’s no way we have anything to talk about.
If there is anything, it would be,
“Akane senpai is a good older sister, isn’t she? I feel like she’s a good person at heart.”
“Of course, she’s my older sister.”
“Actually, Miyu and I have a common hobby. We talked a little about it the other day. She seems quiet, but she talks a lot, which surprised me.”
“Miyu has strong likes and dislikes. She’s my cute little sister.”
Even though I was trying to start a conversation, Maho’s response was too bland.
She agreed with me, but she didn’t seem interested in expanding on the topic. In terms of Maho’s love life, it was like there was no chance.
“Hey, if you’re feeling awkward, why don’t you go back to your room? You’re used to the darkness by now, right?”
When I suggested that after the conversation had died down, Maho suddenly looked unhappy for some reason.
Her face looked a little lonely.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but it was clear that she was thinking about something.
“No.”
That was the only thing she whispered in a small voice.
“…What’s wrong? That’s not like you.”
I asked her while looking at her out of the corner of my eye.
The next moment, Maho closed the distance between us.
The space between us on the sofa, which had been wide enough for one person, became half a person’s width, then a quarter of a person’s width, and finally close enough for our shoulders to touch.
Her sapphire-blue long hair swayed, and there was a faint sweet scent. It was clearly unusual for Maho to close the distance like this.
Until yesterday, she would have glared at me the moment I entered a three-meter radius. Even on field trips, she would keep a decent distance.
“Do you have something on your mind?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is it about school?”
“No.”
“Then is it about friends?”
“It’s a secret.”
“I see. Is it about your sister?”
“You’re so persistent, aren’t you?”
Even if you say I’m persistent, you’re the one who asked me to talk about it.
“Or is it about love?”
“…U…n….”
Maho, who was being bombarded with questions, shivered. It didn’t seem to be because of her dislike for me.
“Are you cold?”
When I asked her, Maho shook her shoulders slightly.
“No, of course not ! I’m not thinking of curling up in a blanket and snuggling up to you to keep warm ! I came to the sofa because there’s only a thin towel blanket in my room !”
Her face turned bright red, and she turned away.
But the way she was wrapped in the blanket looked undeniably cold.
She curled up tightly, hugging her knees, and rubbing her feet together. Looking closely, her face was red, and her breathing seemed a bit rapid.
The air conditioning was off, and we had rushed home in the rain, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she caught a cold. If her core was cold, she might catch a cold even if she took a shower.
Especially since Miyu was even more soaked than I was.
“…Wait a sec.”
I stood up and rummaged through my bag.
And I found it at the bottom.
“Here, use this.”
“A heating pad? Why do you have a heating pad at this time of year?”
“The run-down apartment I used to live in had thin walls, so it was cold even at this time of year. That’s why I always kept one on hand. Stop complaining and stick it on your body.”
Maho said in a whisper, “….That’s not bad,” and stuck the heating pad I gave her on her stomach and back.
“Not bad, right?”
I said that and opened the light novel again. My shoulders and legs were touching, and I felt a little nervous, but I immersed myself in the two-dimensional world and decided not to worry about it.
For some reason, Maho was peeking over my shoulder and reading with me, but she looked completely serious and seemed clueless about what was going on.
Occasionally, she muttered things like, “….There are too many scenes where he strokes her head,” or “How can such a cute girl fall for the protagonist? Who is he?” But such questions are taboo in a romance comedy.
I ignored her and continued reading.
Maigetsu