My Stepsister in Kyoto

The title of the book aside, Mizuto couldn't read the book since it was written in French language, so he tried to get to know the author of this book to understand what kind of person wrote a story about an affair between a young man and a married woman from the internet. 

Still, he had to sigh at Yuu, who recommended this book to him instead of those popular French novels such as "The Little Prince" or the "Three Musketeers." 

"Huh? He is so young!" Yuu was dumbfounded when she read the information of Raymond Radiguet, the author of The Devil in the Flesh. 

It was said that this novel was fiction, yet everyone knew that this novel was an autobiography of 16 years of Raymond's affair with the young married woman when her husband went to fight as a soldier in World War 1. Still, during that era, this novel brought a lot of sensation, especially when his country had just been through World War 1.

Was it a good novel?

Mizuto didn't know, but the reason why this novel was phenomenal was because the author passed away at age 20. He had to say Raymond's life was like a meteor, shining brightly and illuminating the entire world with his literature, even if his life was only for a moment. 

"So, at our age, he should have an affair with a married woman, huh?" 

Reading Raymond's information on Wiki, Yuu murmured. 

"...can you not look at me when you say those words?" 

Yuu stared at Mizuto and asked, "So, what do you think happened, Mizuto?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean... why has he had an affair with a married woman? Why shouldn't he go after a girl around his age? Moreover, why should this married woman have an affair with this young author instead of being devoted to her husband?" 

"Probably... because of love? I am not sure, though. We can't question him since he died. If you want to know the question better, then you need to read the book." 

"I don't know the French language." 

"Can you just buy the translation one?" 

"It might be different from the original then." Yuu sighed. "I want to know what is written on the original since the translations are different from each translator since their interpretations are different." 

"The translator can't be such an egoist. They do their job for food at their table. If they do their job poorly, then the publisher will fire them." Still, he thought for a moment and said, "But I can't deny that there are many translators who do their job poorly, yet the publishers publish the translation book right away." 

"Right?

"Then, how about I explain it to you when I have finished the book." 

"Is that okay?" 

He fell in silence when he saw her eyes were so bright when she heard his words. "I still need to learn the French language first, though." 

"It's okay. I believe you, genius." 

He rolled his eyes, then moved his body to the side, making his body face Yuu. 

Yuu was startled by his sudden action, but she didn't move and just stared into his eyes. 

At this moment, they lay on the same bed as they were facing each other, so close that they could feel the warmth of each other's breath. 

"So, what do you want to talk about?" 

"...." 

Hearing his calm question, Yuu felt conflicted and quickly erased the strangeness in her heart while wondering why she felt so strange by this exchange, even though they often lay on her bed like this. 

Still, previously, she had thought about consulting him about her problem, yet now, she was afraid to tell him. 

"It's okay. You don't need to feel afraid. I won't make fun of you, or do you think that I am someone who will change my impression of you after knowing your problem?" 

Yuu looked at him in a complicated mood before she let out a helpless sigh.

"Geez... I really can't defeat you in an argument." 

"Isn't that why people call me a genius and you are not?" 

"...." 

"Why you are so cheeky?!"

"Hahaha... stop tickling me, Yuu!" 

The two played for a while before they changed positions by sitting on the carpet inside her room as she told him her story. Frankly, there was nothing special about her story; it was just that she had been troubled by the confession told by her friend in middle school. 

"He has been waiting for two weeks now?" 

"Um." 

Still hearing his friend being confessed to, he couldn't help but observe Yuu once again. He knew that it was rude, but he couldn't think of her as the opposite gender even though he knew that she was one before. Yet, when he looked at her again, he realized that she was such a cute girl. This was strange, he thought. Was he such a possessive guy who didn't want his friend to leave him since she went out with a guy?

He didn't think so, and he also knew that he didn't love her, yet for the first time, he realized how charming this girl, who often tickled his waist.

"I can't give you an answer, though. I don't know him well, and I don't think that it is good for me to make a decision for you." 

Hearing his answer, Yuu wasn't sure why, but she felt slightly disappointed when she saw that he didn't seem to be displeased about her confession, but she quickly shook her head and said, "Oh, that isn't it. I already know my answer." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, I like him, but I think I will turn him down." Yuu somehow gained her courage when he listened to her story patiently, so she told him everything. "We were in the same class for three years, and we talked a lot. We have even hung out outside of school before, and it was fun being with him. That's why..." 

Yuu recalled how she was being confessed and how she anticipated her love would be like a shoujo manga or a love song, so when she was truly in love, she thought that wings would grow on her feet and she would float in the sky. Her world would be full of sparkle, and her life would be more colorful. 

That's how she expected her first love to be, yet—

She felt nothing, her feet stuck on the ground, hoping that the fluffy feelings that she expected would grow up soon, but unexpectedly, no matter how much she waited, that feeling wouldn't grow, and her heart never fluttered. 

"I wanted to be able to say "Let's date!" in reply. However, that special feeling... I don't understand it." 

Watching her trembling figure, he had never thought that someone could be troubled by such a matter. Nevertheless, he also wasn't sure how to answer this question since he had never felt particularly in love with someone. Even Yume, his previous girlfriend, what he felt wasn't love but something else. 

Still, he knew that he needed to say something, but—

Her smartphone suddenly vibrated, telling them that someone called her. 

Yuu took her smartphone and held it tightly in her hand nervously. 

"Is it from him?" 

She didn't answer him, only held her smartphone anxiously as she was afraid to know that she might not be able to fall in love, but then her hand was held firmly, and like magic, the anxiety she felt disappeared. 

"It's okay. You don't need to feel anxious. Like how he told his feelings, you should tell him your feelings too. Everything will be okay. I am here with you." 

"....."

Yuu didn't know why; it was just strange, but somehow, she felt like she could give the answer that she had been unable to give until now. Nodding, she looked at her smartphone and accepted the call as she held his hand tighter. 

"Hello?" 

He didn't say anything, but inwardly, he felt weird as a bystander as he saw their interaction. 

"I am sorry!" 

As she rejected her friend's confession, she closed her eyes and never let Mizuto's hand. 

"Thank you." 

Mizuto heard the voice of the guy; it was so gentle, as if truly relieved and happy after this friend heard Yuu's answer. Yet, what if this male friend knew that Yuu rejected the confession while holding his hand? However, he didn't say anything and just quietly observed their interaction as his heart grew weirder and weirder. 

Nevertheless, Yuu was glad to hear the boy's answer. "Yeah. Thank you, from me too." With that, the problem in her heart disappeared, and she didn't need to worry about the confession of her friend. Hung up the phone, she thanked him. "Thank you, Mizuto." 

"...no problem." 

Only, as he gazed over their hands, which held each other tightly, Mizuto wondered whether he had made Yuu's friend into a cuck. 

"But Yuu, please don't tell him that we were holding hands like this when you rejected him." 

Mizuto thought that he was such a gentle guy.