"It's so expensive!"
The moment Mizuto finished his registration and left the driving school, Yume couldn't help but complain as she felt pain when she thought about how much money he spent on this driving school.
Whether it was the schedule, facilities, teachers, or everything about this school was about, the price made Yume sigh helplessly.
"It's for safety." Mizuto rubbed Yume's head and asked, "Do you think that my safety isn't worth that much?"
"But even so... isn't it better to choose a different school?"
As a high school student, Yume naturally got pocket money from her mother, and of course, the number increased. However, her pocket money was nothing more than 15,000 yen every month, but Mizuto spent 150,000 yen on the driving school. In other words, to get into this school, he needed to pay a similar amount to her ten months of pocket money!
Even if it was Mizuto's money, Yume felt that her chest was so painful, thinking that he was being ripped off.
"This price is normal, Yume. All schools are about the same, but this one is closer, so I will save a lot on transportation. Moreover, with inflation, it is normal for the cost to increase since the pay for the teachers and the staff needs to be increased. Lastly, this is only once in a lifetime. In the future, there is no need for me to spend this much money, and with the inflation, isn't it better to learn it earlier since it is cheaper?"
"...if you say it like that, it is true."
If inflation increased the cost of driving schools even further, then they might as well do it earlier.
"Should I take a driving school, too?"
"Do you have enough money to take the driving school?"
"..." Yume.
"You can sit in the backseat when I get my motorcycle later. There is no need for you to get one. Instead, let's get you stockings. Let's get back before the dinner since our parents are waiting."
"Okay."
The cost of the driving school aside, why was Mizuto more excited when they went to buy her stockings?
As expected, this guy was a pervert!
Still, she held her hand as they went to the nearby department store.
As a city with the ninth largest population in the country, Kyoto wasn't a countryside; it had a complete infrastructure. However, unlike in Tokyo, where there were a lot of high-rise buildings, such buildings weren't allowed in this city as there were many historical buildings, which made it impossible for the city to build a skyscraper.
Nevertheless, even if this city wasn't as advanced as Tokyo, it still had its own beauty.
Still, if Mizuto had to say why building a high-rise building wasn't allowed, it was all because those who were from the traditional industry were afraid that their industry would be affected before they were pushed away before going bankrupt.
Wasn't it too selfish?
Not really, since it was the majority of people who thought so, but he didn't care anyway since it had nothing to do with him currently.
The two didn't waste their time and went to the department store to get Yume's stockings.
If possible, he wanted to buy some sexy lingerie for her, too, but he wondered what she thought. Still, he knew that he couldn't lose his focus and needed to put all of his attention on the stockings as they were necessary to keep Yume's healthy and well-shaped legs.
Still, while he wanted to know the types of stockings that were sold in the store, he needed to maintain his image, so he gave her money and let her buy those stockings by herself.
"I won't enter. Buy them yourselves."
"..."
Watching him take out 10,000 yen so easily, Yume felt that this stepbrother of hers became even more mysterious in her eyes. They lived under the same rooftop and lived together every day, but somehow, she felt like there were many things that she didn't know about him.
"What's wrong? Do you need more?"
"No, no! This is enough! Or, rather, this is too much."
"It's okay. We need a lot of them since we don't know what will happen in the future, right?"
Don't say stockings are like rations that are kept during an emergency!
Yume sighed helplessly, then asked with a subtle expression, "Do you like my legs that much?"
"I don't," Mizuto said firmly.
"....."
Yume didn't say anything and just stared at him in silence.
"I just care about your health. I don't want your legs to become swollen and cold because of me." He liked her legs, but it was impossible for him to acknowledge it. While he might have said that he wasn't a hypocrite, there was something that he should say and shouldn't say.
"What's wrong with those eyes? Do you think I am lying? Look into my eyes closely! Do you think someone with such pure eyes is capable of lying?"
Yume looked at him with contempt, then she thought for a moment and asked with a blush, "Should... should I get a garter belt?"
"Get them."
"....."
Noticing her eyes, which silently stared at him, he was calm and said, "I also have heard the garter belt has a health benefit such as—"
"Wait here, I will get something that makes you acknowledge that you like my legs."
Was this a challenge?
Watching how confident Yume was walking toward the undergarment shop, he somehow anticipated that she was going to surprise him.
"Yume, you can use all of them! There is no need to hold back!"
As a good stepsibling, he didn't mind spending money to keep the health of his stepsister.
"I-I know!"
Yume thought that she needed to buy stockings in different styles and colors for a variety of purposes, along with many different types of sexy lingerie.
Watching Yume, who had left, he had nothing to do, so he just observed the legs. He realized that there were many types of legs, whether they were long, short, slender, or even thick. There were a variety of them, like how there were many brands of motorcycles in this world. Frankly, he wondered why he loved legs so much since it didn't seem like he had loved them this much before. Moreover, he remembered that he should lean toward breasts in his previous life.
Or was it the influence of the original Mizuro Irido?
He was into breasts, and Mizuto was into bottoms, so as they took the middle ground, they chose the legs.
Still, he didn't stare at them for so long since those legs were so far away from him, and it was better to wait for Yume, only—
"Hey, are you alone?"
"Do you want to play with big sisters?"
"...."
He blinked his eyes as he saw two young women, who seemed to be in college, approach him and invite him to play. One of them had short hair and fair skin, and the other had blonde hair, which she tied in a ponytail. There was no doubt that they were beautiful and exuded the charms of college students.
"Did you talk to me?"
"Of course~!"
"What's your name?"
He smiled and thought of having fun with them while waiting for Yume, but somehow, he felt a shudder and strange coldness on his neck, causing him to look around in confusion.
'Again.'
This wasn't the first time he felt it when he was on the bus before.
It was weird.
"I am sorry. I have a girlfriend. Excuse me."
While Mizuto had politely refused their invitation, they didn't seem to give up, but Yume had come out and quickly glared at the two young women, causing them to laugh awkwardly before they left.
"It's great that you have come..." He sighed helplessly.
Yume, who was holding a bag filled with stockings, looked at him in a complicated mood as she could see that he was being picked up by women. Usually, it was the girl who was being picked up, and the boy would come to save the girl, yet in their case, it was the opposite, which made her helpless. "Is something like this happening often?"
"It is."
"Really?"
"Yes. You should know how rare handsome guys are than beautiful women are."
"Well, that's true. You guys can't wear make-up anyway."
With that said, Yume stretched her hand and touched his face subconsciously.
"What's wrong?"
"No, I am just jealous of your skin. How did you take care of them?"
His skin was naturally smooth and clear, which made Yume feel how unjust this world was. Still, no matter how many times she saw his face, she wouldn't get bored due to how handsome he was.
"A... healthy lifestyle?"
"..."
This is probably the only answer.
Still, the chillness he felt before had disappeared as if it were just an illusion, which made him confused.
"By the way, do you want ice cream?"
"Are you going to treat me?"
"Sure."
Mizuto stared at Yume in silence when he heard that answer.
"Wh-what's with that stare? I feel bad for you for treating me all the time. I don't have much money, but I can still treat you to an ice cream or... you don't want to?"
"I want the strawberry flavor."
"Okay~!"
Nevertheless, watching how easily a smile appeared on her face, Mizuto realized something that he lacked, yet Yume had.
An innocence.
Yes, an innocence.
He might be a teenager, but he lacked an innocence like Yume. Still, this made him worried that she might be deceived by a scumbag in the future. Though, wasn't she being deceived already?
Still, their future was still long, so he knew that he was thinking too much and he might as well enjoy the present since no one knew what would happen in the future.
After buying an ice cream, they didn't leave the department store immediately but walked around, watching various shops inside.
"Does the strawberry flavor taste good?"
"Taste it yourselves."
Watching him casually feed her, Yume stared at his profile for a moment before licking his ice cream with her small, pink tongue timidly, but as she had gotten used to its taste, she gained her courage, and her tongue moved even faster.
"Hey, don't eat too much."
"Cheapskate~!" Yume stuck out her tongue cutely, then asked, "By the way, do you want to taste mine?"
"Sure." He moved closer and licked the whiteness of hers.
Still watching his long tongue, Yume fell into a trace for a moment.
"It's sweet." Licking his upper lip, while he felt the strawberry taste better, the vanilla wasn't bad at all, but then, he noticed Yume, whose breathing became rapid, which made him helpless. "Do you want to go to the toilet to wash your carnal desires?"
"I don't need to!"
However, neither of them planned to stay at the department store any longer and hurriedly returned to their home as their parents were waiting for them; it felt safer at home since there was no need to worry about her being shown her carnal desire in public.
"I am home!"
"We're back."
As they returned to their home, a figure somehow appeared from behind the electric pole, staring into their house for half an hour before she left quietly as a police patrol was seen in the area.
---
Grrr~!