250: Reverse Card

Hitori still remembers what Chisato told her at noon.

"Do you want to be with me forever?"

"Of course!"

There is no doubt about it!

"Then, if you meet them tonight, you must remember one thing: our relationship timeline has to move forward." 

"We didn't just meet at the beginning of this semester; we were already familiar with each other in our freshman year of high school, and we established a relationship not long after."

"What does 'relationship' mean?"

"The kind where a boyfriend and girlfriend have hugged, held hands, and kissed."

"…Yes."

"After you tell them this fact in person, they probably won't ask for specific details, but just in case they do, you can explain the details of our relationship appropriately. Feel free to express yourself."

"Freedom... I'm afraid I'm going to mess up."

"It's not difficult; just highlight how deep our relationship is. You must remember to emphasize that our relationship was established before theirs."

"Besides, you don't have to be so nervous. I will always be by your side. If something arises that you can't handle, I will be there to help."

"It's just that the things I just mentioned will be more convincing if they come from you, so I can't say anything but leave it to you."

"I see!"

"Thank you. If everything goes well, you'll be able to visit my place anytime in the future and stay overnight without any problems."

"Wait... spend the night?!"

"If you want, we can also offer shoulder and leg massages to help you fall asleep."

"...Hmm!"

While feeling shy, Hitori sensed a sense of urgency.

This sudden feeling arose from a dream. 

She had done something very similar to what she was about to do now, but the final result had been somewhat unsatisfactory, though she felt quite happy at the time.

It was just unclear whether the outcome of doing this in reality would be as smooth as in her dream.

But there was no reason for Hitori not to listen to Chisato and give it a try.

He was the boy who reached out and pulled her from the dark corner into the light of day.

As long as it was a request he made, she would execute it perfectly without any hesitation.

…

In the living room of the apartment, Hitori's unexpected speech and bold move made it difficult for Eriri and Utaha—whose hands she was holding—to accept the situation for a moment.

Their pupils, originally calm, were now shaking uncontrollably. They had lost something that was invisible and intangible, yet the most important thing between the sexes.

First come, first served... in name.

The definitions of "original partner" and "third party" are actually very simple.

First, confirm that the couple in question are considered the original partners.

As time passes, the person who steps in between a couple who are not separated becomes an inappropriate third party.

Utaha and Eriri had both experienced those two dreamlike lives, and with the blessing of such memories, they naturally inserted themselves into the role of Mrs. Suzumiya in the main palace, without considering any other possibilities.

Now, they were paying the price for their careless missteps.

After being told by Hitori that she was the one who came first, Utaha and Eriri immediately lost their opportunity, and any countermeasures they had originally considered lost their meaning.

In society, there are all kinds of people; some third parties with poor moral character may be caught by their original partners yet still wear their ugly faces with pride.

But Utaha and Eriri are not like that. They are kind and reasonable characters.

Thus, after Hitori's revelation, their identities and positions instantly switched.

The two of them looked at Hitori, their lips pursed for a long time, yet they couldn't utter a single word.

It's no wonder they were so thrown off balance; they truly hadn't expected this.

Faced with Hitori, who was crying silently and seemed both unwilling and helpless, Eriri finally reacted.

She placed her right hand on the back of Hitori's hand, then moved her position, pulling her to sit beside her, and finally took out a tissue to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

This action could be described as extremely gentle.

Well… if you don't look at her expression.

Eriri's expression was no longer gentle; it looked a bit serious, or perhaps even dissatisfied.

Her sharp mind had already grasped something the moment Hitori finished speaking.

Combined with Chisato's typically weak sense of presence, Eriri didn't think the current situation had nothing to do with him.

In this case, it doesn't matter what Hitori says now.

What matters is the thoughts and stance of the person behind her, Chisato.

In this situation, it can even be said that the most important person is almost entirely standing opposite her and Utaha.

This makes it somewhat difficult to navigate.

Eriri gently patted Hitori's back to comfort her, and after her mood stabilized a bit, she took the initiative to speak.

However, it was not a response to Hitori's previous words, but rather about something unrelated.

"The soup in the kitchen should be ready soon. I'll go take a look."

At first, her words received no response.

Hitori was still immersed in her role, filled with sadness.

Chisato lowered his gaze to the floor, seemingly lost in thought and guilt.

Utaha realized that this was Eriri's reminder to her.

She took a deep breath and stood up.

"There is one more dish that needs to be prepared. I'll go help with that."

The two of them exchanged no further unnecessary words and walked toward the kitchen one after another.

Once they left, Chisato slowly raised his head, stood up, and sat next to Hitori. He placed his palm on her head and gently stroked her hair, which looked messy but felt incredibly soft.

"Sorry, Chisato, I seem to have messed up."

Hitori had seen Eriri's and Utaha's reactions. No matter how it was interpreted, their attitudes were definitely not those of kindness and friendship.

"That's not the case. You did a good job, Hitori. It's natural for them to react like that. If they can't calm down, you just have to give them time to accept it."

Chisato's words were not comforting, and the reactions of Eriri and Utaha were exactly what he expected.

If they could still maintain that polite smile after hearing what Hitori just said, he would be worried.

For now, it doesn't matter. If he wants to convince them to accept others, this is a stage they must go through. He has already mentally prepared for this.

It's not that simple to want to be surrounded by kittens.

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(13/22)

50+ advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta

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