BSS – Vol 2 Chapter 2 – The British Stepsister Wants to Be A Manager (?)

“—Kento-kun, Kento-kun, could I have a moment?” (Jessica)

One day, just as I stepped out of the bath, Jessica-san stopped me.

It was rare for her to call out to me like this, so I instinctively braced myself.

“Yes, is something wrong?” (Kento)

“Hmm~ It might be bad if Sophia finds us, so could you come over here?” (Jessica)

Jessica-san gestured for me to follow her.

If she didn’t want Sophia to hear, then it must be about her.

At first, I had only been pretending to get along with Sophia, but over the past few days, I had been able to interact with her as if we were genuinely close. There shouldn’t have been anything for Jessica-san to worry about…

“Understood.” (Kento)

Since I wouldn’t know anything unless I listened, I decided to follow Jessica-san.

And the place she led me to was… her and my father’s bedroom.

I hesitated to step into such a private space.

My father seemed to be in the living room, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I would get scolded later…

“You don’t have to be so tense. I’m not going to eat you or anything.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san laughed as she reassured me, but of course, that wasn’t what I was worried about.

I was simply hesitant to step into the bedroom of my newlywed father and Jessica-san.

“Alright, excuse me.” (Kento)

Even though I hesitated, making a big deal out of it and letting Jessica-san notice would be troublesome in its own way. So, I made up my mind and stepped inside.

“Take a seat over there.” (Jessica)

As soon as I entered the room, she gestured for me to sit in a chair.

Following her instructions, I sat down. Jessica-san, meanwhile, sat on the bed and looked at me.

“Kento-kun, you’ve been getting along very well with Sophia lately, haven’t you?” (Jessica)

Just as I was bracing myself for whatever she was about to say, she brought up Sophia.

Of course, I knew this wasn’t the main topic.

It was just small talk before getting to the real point.

“I wouldn’t say we’re very close, but I do think we get along. She can be a bit distant at times, but she’s a kind girl who’s considerate of others.” (Kento)

Since Sophia and I had a tense relationship when we first met, I thought it would be suspicious if I completely praised her. So, I mixed in a few of her flaws while mentioning her good qualities.

“To be honest, I was worried about whether you two would get along, so I’m really happy to see you getting closer. And it’s all thanks to you, Kento-kun.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san seemed genuinely pleased, just as her words suggested.

She nodded with a warm, cheerful smile.

“I didn’t really do anything.” (Kento)

“Hmm~ I think it’s because of your personality, Kento-kun. That girl came to Japan when she was still young and could only speak English, so she had some unpleasant experiences. It made her more cautious and wary of others. Normally, she wouldn’t have opened up to someone this quickly.” (Jessica)

As I thought, Sophia’s past experiences were the reason she had developed such an attitude.

Being thrown into an environment where she couldn’t communicate at such a young age must have been incredibly tough.

Even now, after growing up to some extent, I wouldn’t want to be in a place where I couldn’t understand the language.

That aside… did she just imply that I’m not normal?

“She does have a strong guard up.” (Kento)

Also, her instinct to go on the offensive against people she doesn’t like is quite strong.

Well, thinking back on it now, that was probably her way of keeping others in check to protect herself.

“That girl… I’m sure she doesn’t have a boyfriend, but I wonder if she has any friends at school…?” (Jessica)

Jessica-san was clearly worried about her daughter.

I understood why she would ask me since I knew about her situation at school, but… to think that even her own mother was absolutely convinced she didn’t have a boyfriend, despite how cute she was.

Well, considering her attitude, it would be more surprising if she did have one…

Anyway, putting that aside… how was I supposed to answer this?

There was no doubt that Sophia didn’t have any friends.

She herself had even said things that suggested as much.

But even if it was the truth, was it really okay to tell her mother that she had no friends…?

“Of course, she has friends.” (Kento)

I hesitated for a moment but nodded with a smile.

Technically, this wasn’t a lie.

Since we were talking about school, if I counted myself as her friend, then it wasn’t untrue.

…Okay, maybe it was a bit of a stretch.

“If that’s the case, then I’m relieved… But if possible, I’d like you to help her fit in with those around her.” (Jessica)

“Of course, that’s my intention. Is that what you wanted to talk about?” (Kento)

As I had discussed with Sophia, if she wanted to get along with others, I was willing to help.

That said, it wouldn’t be easy unless she was willing to make the effort herself.

Even if I created opportunities, if Sophia wasn’t interested in making friends, the distance between her and others would remain, and she wouldn’t feel good about it either.

The first step was to make her feel like she actually wanted to get along with those around her.

“Hmm, no, I actually have a different favor to ask.” (Jessica)

I had assumed that Jessica-san called me here to ask me to help Sophia get along with others, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“Well, it’s not entirely unrelated but… could you invite her to be the baseball team’s manager?” (Kento)

“…Huh?” (Jessica)

Her request was so unexpected that I completely froze.

Sophia… as the baseball team’s manager?

Why…?

“I understand why you’d be confused. But please, invite her.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san lowered her head slightly, her expression serious.

She had a playful side and sometimes joked around, but she wasn’t saying this as a joke.

“Um… I mean… why all of a sudden…?” (Kento)

Could it be that she wanted Sophia to join the club I was in so she could get along with others?

But that wouldn’t be good for Sophia.

Even as a manager, joining our baseball team would mean dealing with long practice hours and a ton of responsibilities.

For someone like Sophia, who wants to focus on her studies, it would be a hindrance.

“I know it’s not really my place to say this, but I truly believe that deep down, this is what she wants. That’s why I want you to be the one to invite her, Kento-kun.” (Jessica)

Sophia… wants to be the baseball team’s manager?

That’s ridiculous…

She’s said herself that she has no interest in baseball, and she’s the kind of person who not only dislikes taking care of others but avoids social interactions altogether.

“You don’t believe me?” (Jessica)

As if reading my thoughts, Jessica-san tilted her head slightly and looked into my eyes.

“…It’s not that I want to doubt you, Jessica-san, but I just can’t imagine Sophia wanting to be a baseball team manager…” (Kento)

She wakes up early every day just to make my bento, so I guess she does have a caring side.

But that doesn’t mean she’d want to be a manager, and more importantly, she wouldn’t do anything that would interfere with her studies.

“Besides, if she really wanted to do it, I feel like she’d join on her own…” (Kento)

Sophia isn’t the type to be timid. If she sets her mind to something, she follows through with strong determination.

If she truly wanted to do it, she wouldn’t need me to ask—she’d come forward herself, wouldn’t she?

“That girl is a scholarship student, isn’t she? She’s afraid that if her grades drop, she’ll lose her scholarship status.” (Kento)

Since I’m also a scholarship student, I understand how strict the system is.

Depending on the rank, some students get full tuition exemption, while others receive half, but if they are deemed unqualified to continue, the scholarship is revoked.

Naturally, that means losing all the benefits they had, forcing them to pay tuition—or worse, making it impossible for them to stay at the school.

In my case, as a sports scholarship student, my status wouldn’t be revoked based on competition results. However, if I were to get injured and become unable to play baseball—if I had to retire due to an injury—my scholarship would be taken away.

More than that, since I was admitted through baseball, if I were to quit the team for any reason other than injury, I would have to withdraw from school entirely.

In Sophia’s case, as an academic scholarship student, she likely doesn’t face the risk of expulsion, but there must be conditions tied to her test scores and class ranking.

“Being a baseball team manager is honestly tough. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sophia thinks it would be too hard to maintain her scholarship while managing the team…” (Kento)

Personally, considering how smart she is, I feel like she could balance both successfully—but I can’t say something so irresponsible.

She’s already pushing herself with her studies, and I don’t want her to take on more than she can handle.

“I don’t think she needs to be a scholarship student.” (Jessica)

“Jessica-san…?” (Kento)

Her unexpected words made me feel uneasy.

It almost sounded like she was denying all of Sophia’s hard work.

“Don’t get me wrong, okay? I acknowledge how hard she’s working, and I’m not dismissing her efforts in studying.” (Jessica)

I had tried not to let my feelings show, but Jessica-san clearly saw right through me.

She made sure to clarify her point.

“But you see, the reason she works hard in her studies isn’t for her future, it’s for the scholarship. She didn’t want to burden the family, so she became a scholarship student.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san’s words made me think back to the time I talked with Sophia on the bench at the amusement park.

She did indeed say that she chose this school out of her own will and that she didn’t want to burden her family, which is why she worked so hard to earn a scholarship.

I understood her desire not to burden her family, so I could understand why Sophia worked so hard at studying.

But from what I heard, it seemed Jessica-san didn’t like this.

If Sophia was working hard for her future, that would be fine, but it seemed that studying for the sake of the family and neglecting other things was what bothered her.

“Jessica-san, do you want to make Sophia give up her scholarship?” (Kento)

“I’m not saying that. It’s true that it benefits our family but… if she has something she wants to do, I don’t think she needs to sacrifice it just for the scholarship. I don’t think it’s right to bring up my ex-husband in front of you, but… He left us plenty of money, so even if Sophia’s tuition becomes an expense, we’ll be fine. I want her to do what she loves.” (Jessica)

Honestly, I don’t know much about Sophia’s biological father at all.

It was clear that Jessica-san had been intentionally avoiding mentioning this topic, likely to be considerate toward me and my father.

The fact that she brought it up now was probably to provide a reason that even if Sophia were to lose her scholarship, it wouldn’t cause any problems.

I wasn’t sure if it was from a high-paying job or something like life insurance, but Jessica-san isn’t the type of person to lie, so I believe it’s probably true.

While it’s always better if there’s no financial burden, it seems she believes there’s no need for Sophia to push herself to the point of sacrificing other things.

“So, does this ‘thing she wants to do’ mean being the manager for the baseball team?” (Kento)

“I think so.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san responded immediately, and I closed my eyes to think.

Sophia, with her intelligence, could easily get into the top high schools in the prefecture, yet she chose our school.

Given that she had expressed it as selfishness, it’s clear that it was her decision.

And when I asked her about it, she had avoided the topic, but if the baseball club is involved, it all makes sense.

Baseball was something her biological father also seemed to be involved in…

“Understood. I’ll talk to Sophia for now.” (Kento)

Given my impression of Sophia until now, this request seemed unbelievable, but since it came from Jessica-san, who knows her well, I couldn’t just dismiss it as her overthinking things.

I wasn’t sure if Sophia would speak honestly, but I had to talk to her first to get a guise of how she felt.

“Thank you, Kento-kun. I knew you’d say that.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san smiled gently at me.

She was always kind to me, even though I wasn’t her biological son, and I wanted to help her…

“Please don’t get your hopes up too much…” (Kento)

I had already been brushed off once before, and I felt like the chances of Sophia being open with me were slim.

“I think you’ll be fine. She’s opened up to you.” (Jessica)

“I’ll do my best…” (Kento)

Seeing Jessica-san’s happy smile, I could only reply like that.

Personally, I was concerned about how Sophia becoming the manager would affect those rules… but this smile was so enchanting that I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint her.

“—Ah, by the way. It seems like you’ve started calling Sophia differently, so you can stop using honorifics with me too. In fact, you can just call me ‘Mom’ if you want.” (Jessica)

Just when I thought the conversation was over, I was caught off guard by those words.

I froze, not prepared for it, and was left fumbling for an answer, my gaze drifting.

To be honest, I wasn’t ready to call Jessica-san “Mom” just yet.

I needed a bit more time before I could do that.

“Ahaha… I’ll call you that eventually, I suppose…” (Kento)

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san said that with a soft, kind smile as she gazed at me.

◆

“—Sophia, you free now?” (Kento)

After leaving Jessica-san’s room, I headed straight for Sophia’s room.

I thought it would be better not to put this off.

“What’s wrong? It’s rare for you to come here.” (Sophia)

Unlike when we first met, Sophia came out of her room to meet me.

For a moment, I was distracted by her cute pink pajamas, but I quickly composed myself, smiling before speaking.

“I want to talk about something. Is that alright?” (Kento)

“…Yeah, well. If you want to talk, you can come in. It’s not every day we get a chance like this, so I’d like to take my time…” (Sophia)

Sophia blushed slightly, twirling a strand of her hair with her finger as she gave me permission.

Though I couldn’t catch the English words she muttered afterward, it seemed like she was letting me into her room.

“Thanks, sorry to bother you when you’re busy.” (Kento)

Since I wanted to take my time talking, I accepted Sophia’s kindness without hesitation.

It seemed like our relationship had really improved, given that she was now letting me into her room like this.

“Don’t worry about it. If it’s not a good time, I’ll just say so.” (Sophia)

Does that mean I can continue to approach and talk to her about anything without holding back from now on?

“You can sit there.” (Sophia)

She pointed to the bed where she usually slept.

Although there was only one chair, I never expected to be allowed to sit on her bed. I had been prepared to sit on the floor.

Taking her invitation, I sat on the bed.

Then—

“………” (Sophia)

For some reason, Sophia didn’t sit in her chair. Instead, she silently sat down next to me on the bed.

“Eh?” (Kento)

I had expected her to sit in the chair, so I unconsciously blurted out a surprised sound.

“T-This is… um…! If we’re going to talk, then closer is better, right…?!” (Sophia)

Sophia hurriedly tried to explain, but it was so fast in English that I couldn’t make out all of it.

The one thing I could understand was that she was clearly flustered, to the point where English came out of her mouth.

“You’re speaking in English again. You don’t want to sit in the chair?” (Kento)

I gently pointed out the chair in front of us, making sure to use soft words so she wouldn’t feel defensive.

“Ah… it’s just that I think it’s better if we talk like this…” (Sophia)

Realizing what she’d done, Sophia fiddled with her hair using her index finger as she responded.

I thought it might actually be better to talk face-to-face, but I decided not to say that—it would be too awkward.

“So, what did you want to talk about…?” (Sophia)

It seemed like she was embarrassed about speaking in English just now, so she asked the question with a shy upward glance.

Seeing this side of her, vastly different from her usual cool demeanor, made my heart skip a beat. I quickly looked away, trying to gather my thoughts before speaking.

“Do… Do you want to try being the manager for the baseball club?” (Kento)

“—!?” (Sophia)

As soon as I brought up the topic of becoming a manager, I could tell without even looking that she had held her breath for a moment.

When I met her gaze again, I saw her wide eyes flickering in surprise as she stared at me.

It wasn’t surprising. She probably never imagined I would bring up something like this.

“Why…?” (Sophia)

Sophia asked in a voice that seemed almost forced as if she was struggling to speak.

How should I interpret this reaction? Was she just confused and flustered, or had I hit the mark with my question?

At least she didn’t seem to be rejecting it outright, so I decided to press a little further.

“I don’t have any hidden agenda. I just want to know how you feel about it.” (Kento)

“My feelings…” (Sophia)

Sophia repeated my words quietly, looking down. Her expression clearly showed both confusion and a sense of reluctance, but it also conveyed that she wasn’t completely opposed to the idea.

It seemed that what Jessica-san had said was true. The indifference she had shown toward baseball up until now was likely a facade to keep me from noticing her true feelings.

No wonder she knew about our tournament schedules and my position.

“I have my studies… so I can’t…” (Sophia)

After a few moments of silence, Sophia slowly opened her mouth, and, almost as if forcing the words out, she expressed her rejection.

Her answer, though expected, made it clear that she couldn’t disregard her studies.

Even though I had anticipated this response, seeing her true feelings laid bare made me realize this wasn’t something I could leave as it was.

Just like Jessica-san, I saw that Sophia was putting her own desires aside and prioritizing her studies for the sake of her family.

If she truly didn’t want to, Sophia would have said so clearly, but the fact that she didn’t says a lot.

I didn’t want her to have to suppress her own desires.

Whether that was a feeling because I’m her brother, or something more… I wasn’t sure.

But I knew well enough that Sophia was stubborn.

Just because it was something she wanted to do, she wouldn’t easily bend or change her mind.

The question was how to convince her—or is trying to convince her even enough? I had to think this through.

“I see… Sorry for asking something strange all of a sudden.” (Kento)

Since I didn’t have anything to persuade her with, I decided to pull back for the time being.

If I pushed too hard, it might only make her more determined to refuse. The timing was crucial here.

Fortunately, it seemed like Sophia was still conflicted inside, so I was sure there would be another opportunity.

“It’s not that it’s strange, just… surprising… Did mom say something?” (Sophia)

It wasn’t surprising that Sophia arrived at that conclusion. After all, I had never shown much interest in this topic before—naturally, she’d think it had something to do with Jessica.

“Jessica-san was worried about whether you had any friends. So, I thought that if you joined the baseball club, I could support you, and that’s why I asked.” (Kento)

I intentionally omitted the part about knowing Sophia’s feelings about being the manager. If she realized that I knew she wanted to be the baseball team’s manager, I thought she might stop showing her true feelings altogether.

As long as she didn’t notice, she wouldn’t be on guard, and there might be times when she unconsciously showed her feelings.

That could be the opportunity I need to convince her.

“Mom, you’re way too worried…” (Sophia)

Sophia puffed her lips in a bit of a pout, clearly displeased by the idea of her social circle being questioned.

“She’s a kind person. Plus, it’s natural for a mother to worry about her daughter, right?” (Kento)

“But asking Shirakawa-kun is going too far.” (Sophia)

“Well, since we go to the same school, and I know about your situation, it can’t be helped.” (Kento)

Since I had brought up Jessica-san, I tried my best to avoid Sophia’s frustration being directed at her. If it were Jessica-san, she’d likely handle Sophia well, but it was best to avoid any conflict altogether.

“Even though we go to the same school, we’re in different courses, and the buildings are far apart, so you wouldn’t know anything about it, right?” (Sophia)

Sophia seemed genuinely irritated by me consulting her, and for the first time in a while, I saw her sharp attitude return.

She had a point. Even though we were at the same school, the campus was large, and our classrooms were far from each other. Until recently, I’d only ever run into her in the cafeteria, the bookstore, or along the way to class, never in the building. 

We didn’t know what the other person was doing during break times, so I understood her point.

“During their honeymoon, we made sure to show her that we were close, right? I’m sure, in Jessica-san’s mind, she thinks you’re confiding in me about all kinds of things.” (Kento)

That’s why, at the start when I entered the room, she brought up, “You two have been getting along very well recently.”

“If you understood my personality, you’d know I wouldn’t consult you about friends or whatnot…” (Sophia)

“Well, I guess so. You do have a tendency to try to handle everything on your own.” (Kento)

“……..” (Sophia)

When I deliberately agreed with her, she shot me an incredibly displeased glare.

It seems that she wasn’t happy about me agreeing with her, even though she was the one who brought it up.

“You know that what I said is true.” (Kento)

“I don’t like it when Shirakawa-kun says it.” (Sophia)

It was a bit unreasonable, but I smiled.

“Then make sure to consult me properly. Like I said before, I’d be happy if you relied on me.” (Kento)

It wasn’t just her personality that made Sophia handle things by herself; I think not having anyone to talk to played a big part too.

That’s why I want to become someone she can rely on—someone she can turn to for help.

If I do that, I think she’ll start coming to me for advice on her own.

“Sounds like you say that kind of thing to a lot of girls, huh?” (Sophia)

But for some reason, Sophia gave me a sharp, reproachful look again.

Does this mean she’s implying something like… I’m a guy who tries to please every girl?

“I don’t say that to just anyone. Besides, there’s no one else to say it to.” (Kento)

The fact that I can say this to her is largely because she’s become like a sister to me.

She has her moments where she seems like she might do something reckless, and I can’t ignore that. But if she weren’t family, I probably wouldn’t be meddling this much.

More importantly, I want to take responsibility for what I say, so I wouldn’t say something like that to someone just because.

In other words, for someone like me, who doesn’t have many close female friends, I don’t really have anyone else to say something like that to.

“You probably say it to someone like Kujouin-senpai, right?” (Sophia)

While I tried to laugh it off, Sophia gave me a meaningful glance.

I have no idea why she brought up Kujouin-senpai’s name here, though…

“She’s my senpai, and we’re not really close enough to talk about stuff like that, so I don’t say such things to her.” (Kento)

Besides, she’s not the type to carry things on her own. If there’s something, she makes sure to coordinate with others to find a solution, and she’s quite efficient, so she rarely gets into trouble.

She also has a lot of friends, so there’s no need for her to rely on me. I don’t think the day will ever come when I’ll have to tell her something I said to Sophia.

“Mm, I see…” (Sophia)

For some reason, Sophia turned her face away from me and started twirling her hair with her index finger.

Her voice seemed to carry a bit of a bounce, but I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it.

“But you two seem pretty close.” (Sophia)

“No, she talks to everyone like that… She’s just good at taking care of people and tends to be friendly, but that doesn’t mean we’re close or anything. Well, I guess a lot of guys misunderstand that and end up confessing to her.” (Kento)

I understood that Kujouin-senpai, with her looks and kind personality, was popular, but the rumor that she gets confessed to once or twice a month probably stems from guys misinterpreting her friendly nature.

At least, from what I’ve seen, Kujouin-senpai treats all the club members equally, with kindness and care.

“If you say you’re not close, it’s hard to believe…” (Sophia)

But for some reason, Sophia didn’t seem convinced. She had witnessed my interactions with Kujouin-senpai, and it looked like she couldn’t make sense of it.

“I won’t say that we’re not close, but this is normal.” (Kento)

Since we’re in the same club, we’re probably closer than some other students, but from Kujouin-senpai’s perspective, I’m just one of her kouhais. If I called it a close friendship, I’d probably embarrass myself.

“But didn’t you contact her first…?” (Sophia)

It seemed like something in Sophia’s mind was particularly bugging her, so she pressed me about my relationship with Kujouin-senpai.

I didn’t think I’d said anything strange, though…

“You’re talking about that incident with the gal group, right? The thing is, I didn’t have any close girls to rely on, and she was the only one I could go to. She’s someone who helps out without making a fuss, and she has good connections with the teachers, so she’s someone I could trust.” (Kento)

Sophia was drenched, and her clothes were sticking to her, making it impossible to call any boys for help.

On top of that, Kujouin-senpai quickly got the teachers on our side, and I knew she’d help take care of Sophia, so I turned to her.

I had a feeling that Kujouin-senpai would handle things well even with Sophia, so I called without hesitation. It had nothing to do with how close we were.

“Shirakawa-kun, you’re surprisingly calm…” (Sophia)

It seemed like Sophia had accepted my explanation, but she still wore a slightly uneasy expression.

Naturally, I couldn’t ignore that look.

“Is something wrong?” (Kento)

“It’s nothing… it’s just if you’re not that close with Kujouin-senpai, I was wondering how things are between me and you…” (Sophia)

Was that an unconscious slip?

She’d been opening up more recently, but I didn’t expect her to make such a bold statement.

But if it was an unconscious remark, she would definitely panic and try to brush it off if she realized it, and I could already picture her feeling awkward about it later.

So before Sophia could correct herself, I decided to speak up first.

“From my perspective, I think we’ve gotten a lot closer recently.” (Kento)

“—! I-I see… is that so…” (Sophia)

Sophia opened her eyes wide, then turned slightly red and looked away, beginning to fiddle with her hair again.

It was incredibly embarrassing to put it into words in front of her, but she didn’t seem to mind and didn’t try to argue, which was a relief.

What I said wasn’t wrong. I had definitely become closer to Sophia.

She used to keep her distance, but now she lets me into her room, and during mornings and lunch breaks, she approaches me on her own.

Considering how she usually keeps her distance from others, it seemed like she trusted me enough to let me get close to her.

Although, I never thought I’d say the words “we’re close” to her directly.

“Kujouin-senpai is normal, but I’m close with Shirakawa-kun… Heh, so that’s how it is…♪” (Sophia)

As I quietly watched Sophia, she suddenly muttered something in English, a smile spreading across her face.

Seeing that adorable and sweet smile from her caught me off guard, and I felt my heart race.

“—Ah…!” (Sophia)

But then Sophia briefly glanced at me and quickly turned her face away.

It seemed like she realized I had been watching.

I braced myself for some harsh words, but she didn’t say anything while still looking away.

She wasn’t angry?

“I guess I should get back to studying. I’ll head to my room.” (Kento)

Although I didn’t sense any anger from Sophia, she didn’t look at me, so I decided to read the room and leave.

However…

“Eh? You’re leaving already…?” (Sophia)

As I stood up, Sophia gave me a sad look.

I had never thought of myself as a nuisance to her, but her reaction was definitely unexpected.

“Won’t I be interrupting your studying?” (Kento)

“…I’ve already reached a good stopping point for today, so it’s fine…” (Sophia)

A good stopping point? Isn’t she the type who would keep studying until it’s time to sleep…?

I thought that, but when she looked at me with those glistening eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to comment.

“Well… if I’m in the way, just let me know.” (Kento)

It seemed like Sophia didn’t want me to leave, so I sat back down beside her.

But, still…

“……” (Sophia)

We both fell silent, and the atmosphere became incredibly awkward.

I had already said everything I wanted to say, so I didn’t have anything else to add…

I glanced at Sophia, and it seemed like she had also just looked at me, and as usual, our eyes met perfectly.

Immediately, she looked away.

Ah… my back is really itching.

What is this… what is going on right now…?

Having never spent time like this with a girl before, I was overwhelmed by the urge to just leave right away.

But, if I did that, I might end up hurting Sophia’s feelings, and as a guy, it would be pathetic, so I forced myself to hold back.

If only there were a good topic to bring up…

“By the way, I heard Dad and Jessica-san are going to my grandparent’s house next Saturday. Are you going with them, Sophia?” (Kento)

I was desperately trying to find a topic and remembered Saturday’s plans, so I decided to bring it up.

“Ah… I have cram school, and it’s probably better if I’m not there…” (Sophia)

What Sophia was referring to was likely the awkwardness of visiting my grandparents when she was not even related by blood.

From her position, it’s understandable that she would feel uncomfortable.

“I think my grandparents would actually be happy to see you. They’ve always wanted a girl, from what I’ve heard.” (Kento)

I’ve heard that since they had sons, and their grandchildren were boys, Grandpa often grumbled about it.

Now that a cute girl like Sophia is their granddaughter, I’m sure they would love to spoil her with clothes and sweets.

“Ahaha… that might actually make it harder to go…” (Sophia)

“Yeah, if they’re too overbearing, that’d be a problem.” (Kento)

Sophia probably isn’t fond of being smothered with affection, so I figured it would be uncomfortable for her if they kept trying to dote on her too much.

“Plus, you’re not going either, right?” (Sophia)

“Yeah, I’ve got practice. The regional tournament starts next week, so I can’t afford to skip that.” (Kento)

With the important tournament coming up, I couldn’t afford to take a break from practice.

Dad and Jessica-san understood that as well.

“If you’re not going, there’s no way I can go alone.” (Sophia)

“Yeah, I get it.” (Kento)

If Sophia went alone while the actual grandchild stayed behind, it would make the situation even more uncomfortable, I could understand her feelings.

“You’re being kind of mean, asking me when you know the answer.” (Sophia)

“I wasn’t trying to be mean, though.” (Kento)

I was just trying to find something to talk about.

“By the way, there’s something I’ve been curious about.” (Sophia)

“Hm? What is it?” (Kento)

“Do you have any cousins?” (Sophia)

It seemed like Sophia was curious about our relatives, particularly whether I had cousins. 

Since she couldn’t ask Dad or Jessica-san, but the possibility of cousins seemed likely, she probably turned to me to ask.

“Dad’s an only child.” (Kento)

I subtly explained that since Dad doesn’t have any siblings, there are no cousins on his side.

On Mom’s side, though, that might be different.

Sophia would never meet them, and I’ve been distant from my maternal relatives ever since my mom passed away.

—That’s right, I haven’t seen that kid in years.

“What about you, Sophia? Do you have any cousins?” (Kento)

“No, I don’t.” (Sophia)

Sophia immediately answered my question.

In a romantic comedy, there’d probably be a cute cousin on the heroine’s side in this kind of situation—but the reality is much different.

“It’s kind of surprising, actually.” (Kento)

“Yeah, I thought Shirakawa-kun might have a younger cousin, though.” (Sophia)

“…Why do you think that?” (Kento)

“I don’t know, just because you seem like the type who’d have one.” (Sophia)

It must be some kind of intuition.

I’m not quite sure what she means by that, but I guess there’s something she can see in me that I can’t notice.

“You should stop making assumptions based on appearances.” (Kento)

“Yeah, I’ve learned that the hard way.” (Sophia)

She must have gone through a lot of trouble due to those assumptions, huh?

Given how she looks different from everyone else, she’s probably been treated unfairly more than once.

From now on, I want to make sure that doesn’t happen again. I want to protect her.

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Thanks for reading!

Future cousin character foreshadowing?

Well, I guess this chapter has been long overdue. I kinda just got lazy and procrastinated which is why this took so long.

On a different note, the 3rd volume of this series is gonna get released near the end of Feb, and it is a whole 70 pages longer than this volume. But the important thing is, in the synopsis, it stated that Sophia is gonna call Kento ‘Onii-chan’ lol.

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