When her eyes met Kotomi Izumi's, Megumi Kato instinctively felt nervous. Realizing it, she couldn't help but mock herself—was she becoming a henpecked wife?
After calming her breathing—not just from nerves, but mainly from being winded by the running—she collected herself and said,
"Kotomi, I'm really sorry about yesterday morning! I just... couldn't help myself when I thought of something, and I ended up hurting you."
It was the first time Megumi had ever been so nervous that her speech wasn't fluent.
Kotomi didn't accept her apology, but she didn't lash out either. And it was precisely this kind of Kotomi that was more worrying.
An angry Kotomi wasn't scary—an un-angry Kotomi was terrifying!
That trait really reminded Megumi of Akina Izumi. No wonder they say children grow up following their parents' example…
"Thought of what? You haven't said yet," Kotomi said blandly, as if she were reading aloud in class.
You saw Aimi climb into your bed and pounce on you while you were sleeping… Megumi said silently to herself. But she didn't know how to say it out loud. She couldn't. If she said that, she wouldn't be able to explain it properly.
If she just said she saw Aimi sneaking into Kotomi's bed and that made her jealous, how would she explain how she saw it?
If she told Kotomi that the owl plushie's original eyes had been replaced with miniature cameras, would Kotomi get even angrier?
Even with Kotomi's soft personality, she'd definitely get mad about something like that!
At that moment, Megumi suddenly understood what it meant to say too much and mess up.
But since she had already said half of it, she couldn't back out now. If she pretended it was a slip of the tongue, Kotomi definitely wouldn't buy it. She had no choice but to confess the truth… She should've been ready for Kotomi to find out the moment she modified the owl plushie's eyes into miniature cameras.
No matter if Kotomi scolded or hit her after learning the truth, Megumi would accept it all! With that thought, Megumi steeled her resolve.
"Before I gave you the owl plushie, I had already modified it. I changed its eyes into miniature cameras, connected to my tablet, so I could always see what you were doing in your room. The first night you brought the plushie home, I was already spying on you through the camera."
When someone finally decides to confess something, even if they don't know what will happen next, the moment they speak, they feel a sense of release—as if a heavy stone in their chest suddenly dropped. Whether it lands safely or not is another matter.
Megumi didn't mention Aimi sneaking into Kotomi's bed because, out of gratitude for what Aimi said that morning, she decided on her own to keep it a secret for her.
Kotomi had been sound asleep that night and wouldn't have known, and judging by Aimi's practiced actions and composed demeanor afterward, it clearly wasn't the first time she had done something like that!
If Megumi told Kotomi, the relationship between the sisters would crash completely. Besides, Kotomi sometimes got bashful—if someone, even her girlfriend, mentioned something like that, who knows how she'd react or what she'd do.
To play it safe, Megumi chose not to say anything.
Even though seeing Aimi sneak into her future wife's bed every night made Megumi burn with a million shades of frustration…
Still, Aimi was her little sister-in-law. If Megumi wanted to be her future "brother-in-law," then regular bribery was essential. Aimi considered Arisu Sakayanagi a good person only because she didn't see her as a threat who might steal her sister. The reason—
Megumi Kato still hadn't fully grasped it, but one thing was certain—Arisu Sakayanagi had already gotten a head start in establishing a friendly relationship with Aimi.
That clueless Aimi, still struggling to find her path, had probably never realized Arisu also had eyes on her sister. She might have even unwittingly helped her plenty.
Megumi Kato felt so embarrassed on Aimi's behalf! Not only had she unknowingly let the big bad wolf Arisu—who had been drooling over Kotomi since childhood—right through the door, she even thought Arisu was a kind woman who wouldn't compete for her sister!
She's the good woman, and I'm the bad one?! Having often bullied Aimi, Megumi suddenly felt a little aggrieved.
Despite all the internal grumbling, the most important thing now was to improve her relationship with Aimi. They couldn't keep clashing every time they met.
Last time she gave Aimi a glowing melon-shaped ornament, which the girl really liked. Now she was doing her a favor again by keeping this secret. Relationships are built bit by bit like this, slowly growing more harmonious.
After confessing that the owl plushie's eyes were actually miniature cameras, Megumi had been waiting anxiously for Kotomi's response. But for some reason, even after a minute or two had passed, Kotomi just quietly stared at her without saying a word. Honestly, if she just hit her right now, Megumi would feel more at ease.
"I don't know why I came up with such an idea either. It started with just wanting to see you more… and eventually became this need to always see you—even when you went home. I wanted to see what you did when you were alone, what you'd say, what kind of expressions you'd make."
"I admit my possessiveness is way too strong. But if I could go back and do it all over again… I'd still choose to do it!"
Megumi, in a moment of emotional heat, ended up blurting out everything she felt.
And now she waited to see what Kotomi would do after hearing it all.
"Heh heh~"
Instead of an angry or cold voice, what came out sounded more like… a mischievous girl gloating after a prank had succeeded—a smug little laugh.
Megumi looked at Kotomi, puzzled. Why was she suddenly laughing?
Kotomi laughed happily, though she restrained her voice since they were still on the street. She didn't want to draw weird looks from passersby. But the smile on her face was enough to show just how delighted she was.
After laughing for a bit, Kotomi gently cleared her throat to calm herself, then looked at Megumi with soft eyes. After a long pause, she finally spoke again:
"Megumi, you fool."
"Eh?"
Megumi looked at her, completely lost. Kotomi didn't look angry at all.
Still… it felt a bit awkward to admit, but when she heard Kotomi call her a fool in such a gentle voice, Megumi suddenly got excited.
"Hold me," Kotomi said succinctly, almost like a command.
Megumi froze for a moment, then extended her arms and embraced Kotomi.
A beauty in her arms—Kotomi's lovely snow-white hair carried a mesmerizing fragrance. At that moment, Megumi felt like she was in heaven. The soft pressure of those twin snowy peaks against her chest would leave anyone breathless. The sensation made Megumi's mouth go dry.
"Foolish Megumi, did you really think I wouldn't notice? I knew from the moment you gave me that owl plushie that the eyes were cameras. Even so, I didn't say anything. I pretended not to know and placed it in my room—right on the desk, facing my bed. Don't you get it? I was hinting at you. And that's why I called you a fool."
Kotomi's gentle breaths, her blushing face, and orchid-like whispers brushed against Megumi's collarbone—tickling her with a peculiar sensation of warmth and coolness all at once.
Hugging Kotomi used to feel like a regular occurrence. But after yesterday's "cold war," holding her soft, warm body again made Megumi realize just how precious that embrace truly was. Her impulsiveness yesterday could've cost her the chance to ever hold Kotomi again.
Megumi had a sleepless night. In that hazy half-awake state, she had a terrifying nightmare—Kotomi looked at her coldly, as if she'd never be able to forgive her for that morning's roughness, and said in an icy voice:
"Megumi, let's break up."
After that, Kotomi turned and walked away. Megumi tried to chase her, but her legs felt like they were sinking into a swamp—she couldn't move an inch.
It was the first time Megumi had ever cried herself awake.
Before that, she had always thought crying from a dream was a ridiculous notion.
"Last night I had a nightmare… I dreamed you wanted to break up with me…" Megumi said with her head lowered, like a child seeking comfort from her mother.
Before she could even finish speaking, Kotomi felt warm drops fall on her clothes. One hand gently stroked Megumi's hair as Kotomi smiled softly and said:
"What a silly girl. I was never mad at you to begin with, and I'd never ask to break up. Didn't you say before that after we get married, you'd take me on a honeymoon? I've already started looking up where we could go and what food they have there."
As Kotomi finished speaking, she felt Megumi's body tense slightly—probably sniffing back her tears. Normally so dominant and always appearing to be in control, she now sobbed in Kotomi's arms like a child. It made Kotomi want to cherish her even more.
When do girls develop maternal instincts?
That remains a mystery.
No one can say for sure.
But when Kotomi was being gentle, she seemed to radiate a natural nurturing warmth that made others instinctively want to rely on her.
When they were younger, even the ever-responsible little Aimi—who often looked after her sister like a little adult—would drop all her toughness at the sight of Kotomi's soft smile and soothing words, running into her arms crying like any ordinary child.
Now, instead of Aimi, it was Megumi crying in Kotomi's embrace.
Megumi couldn't even remember the last time she cried. Now, all she felt was complete relief. She cried out all the fear she had bottled up from thinking Kotomi might break up with her. And even more—she cried out the pressure her mother had always piled onto her.
To become the perfect child her mother demanded—the kind that had to get into a top university's PhD program—was too painful and exhausting. Even when she wanted to take part in the sports festival or cultural festival, her mother told her not to go. She had to stay home and study during those days.
Megumi was still just a high schooler, and her mental endurance wasn't that strong. She didn't usually show it, not because she had great emotional strength, but more like a wounded person holding their breath just to stay standing.
Now, in the face of Kotomi's gentleness, that breath finally escaped—and with it, all the strength that kept her pretending to be okay.
Megumi didn't know how long she cried in Kotomi's arms. It was more instinct than intention—pouring out all the pressure her mother's expectations had placed on her.
Kotomi said nothing. She just listened quietly.
After crying for a long time, Megumi slowly calmed down. Still holding Kotomi, she murmured:
"Kotomi, let's get married after we graduate high school."
"Dummy. You have to finish college properly too, you know," Kotomi said with a gentle laugh, ruffling Megumi's hair.
"Got it," Megumi replied, hugging Kotomi even tighter.
"Don't worry about the sports festival or cultural festival. I'll definitely find a way to convince Aunt Kato to let you participate."
Kotomi didn't say exactly how, but the way she spoke made Megumi believe her completely. If Kotomi said she'd do it, then she surely would.
"During the cultural festival, I want to eat yakisoba with you. I've never had the yakisoba sold at school festivals before."
"Want to add a beef and mashed potato wrap too?"
"It's a deal."
Megumi nodded eagerly. Once she had calmed down, she suddenly said,
"Kotomi, can I kiss you? Please?"
"Nope," Kotomi refused bluntly.
Megumi's eyes welled up again: "Eh—why not?!"
"Look at the time."
Kotomi took out her phone and showed Megumi the time.
Only twenty minutes left until the first exam!
They just barely made it to their respective exam rooms. Because of her emotional fight with Kotomi the day before, Megumi had been completely off during the previous day's tests.
But now that she had made up with Kotomi, Megumi was back in the zone. Every tough question, every problem the exam writers had carefully crafted, seemed to lose its power in front of her.
Meanwhile, in the Year 1 Class A exam room, Kotomi received her test paper. She didn't start writing right away. Instead, she twirled her pen and thought about what Megumi had said while crying.
"Didn't think Aunt Kato had such high expectations of Megumi… insisting she must get into a top university's PhD program… Just hearing that kind of pressure is hellish for a regular student."
Kotomi murmured softly, only loud enough for herself to hear.
They say wanting your child to succeed is a form of love. And it's normal to have hopes like that.
But when those expectations grow too heavy and are driven by irrationality, they become less of a motivation and more like boulders falling from a cliff—inescapable, unbearable, painful. Kids don't know how to refuse or even how to talk to their parents about it.
Communication, however, goes both ways. Without mutual understanding and cooperation, it can't happen.
Parents who apply pressure without logic and feel self-satisfied by it often turn out to be the ones who neither understand nor want to understand their children.
"How can I convince Aunt Kato to let Megumi join the sports and cultural festivals? Hmm… I haven't figured out the details yet. But right now, the most crucial step is to make sure I get first place in this midterm exam. That'll give me the leverage to negotiate with her."
To ensure Megumi could take part in the events instead of being cooped up at home studying, Kotomi steeled herself and focused on each upcoming test.
She might've been willing to make a few mistakes yesterday, but not anymore.
From now on, her goal for the midterm exams was to get every single question right!
A day and a half passed, neither too slow nor too fast. The midterm exams at Sobu High came to an end under the anticipation of countless students.
The midterms were finally over!
As per tradition, they got a two-day break. After the break, a few more days of classes awaited. Then, one of the most anticipated events among the students would be held—the sports festival.
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