«Please welcome Hakuto Seiko, from the Kurotsuki family. Starting today, he will be your new classmate.»
Ms. Misaki Yuunami, the math teacher, introduces him. She's a charming woman in her forties, with an athletic build, hazel eyes, and her hair gathered into a neat bun.
Despite how professional she sounds, it's as if the teacher is trembling with excitement. Her voice quivers slightly, even though she's hiding it well.
Hakuto stands stiff in front of Class 2-B at Tsugumi High School. He tries not to get worked up under the weight of dozens of suspicious stares.
He can't shake the feeling all his classmates are thinking: Who is this guy? Some stray the prestigious Kurotsuki family picked up off the street?
Off to a great start…
To his surprise, Hakuto only now realizes that Claire is in the same class as him. Iris, on the other hand, is in Class 1-A.
«Alright, let's get back to the lesson. Who can solve this logarithmic equation?»
Behind her, the blackboard is covered in numbers and symbols that, to Hakuto, look like some mysterious alien language. It's all thanks to the spotty education he got at that den of delinquents on the outskirts of Tokyo, the school he attended until the week before.
After Shin lost his real job, that low-rent school was the best he could afford.
A moment later, Claire — sitting at the front desk by the teacher's — jumps to her feet and solves the intricate math problem in an instant.
«Excellent work, Miss Kurotsuki. Brilliant as always.»
The teacher praises her — a compliment accompanied by the polite applause of the rest of the class.
«Your stepsister is extraordinarily smart. It's no coincidence she's the student council president, as well as the most admired student in the whole school. Living with a genius like her must feel like winning the lottery, don't you think?»
That question comes from Hakuto's seatmate — a boy with a cheerful expression and messy carrot-orange hair who smiles at him.
«Yeah… I guess it's luck…»
Hakuto is completely thrown off by those revelations. After all, he and Claire hadn't even exchanged a single word the day before, let alone talked about their private lives.
Then again, Iris had warned him about her older sister's reserved, introverted personality.
«Anyway, I'm Leon Thazreel. Nice to meet you.»
«Mr. Thazreel! Mr. Seiko has been here for two minutes and you're already trying to lead him down the wrong path?! One slacker in this class is more than enough!» Ms. Yuunami grumbles.
«I'm sorry, Ms. Yuunami! I'll be quiet as a mouse! I promise!» Leon exclaims.
Then he springs to his feet and makes an exaggerated bow in apology, inevitably drawing a barrage of disdainful looks from the entire class.
Especially from Claire.
Hakuto lets out an awkward little smile.
Something tells me Leon isn't the most popular and admired guy at school…
When they get back from school, Hakuto, Claire, and Iris find a sheet of paper left on the table. The three of them stare at it in absolute silence.
[We left for our honeymoon and we'll be gone for a few days. Be good and don't neglect your studying. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call us. Smack! 💋
Vivian & Shin]
«I'm guessing the honeymoon is entirely on Mom's dime…» Claire mutters.
Meanwhile, Iris starts bouncing with excitement.
«Which means that… we'll have the house all to ourselves! This is going to be the best week of my life!» Iris cheers, practically hopping with happiness. Then she locks eyes with Hakuto. «So… how are you with household chores?»
«And why should it matter?» Hakuto replies, puzzled.
«WHAT?! You're not expecting it to be just me and Claire doing everything, are you?!»
«I'm the guy. You're the girls. Obviously the housework's on you.»
«For once, I agree with Iris!» Claire snaps. «We're not your maids! We'll split the chores. And there's no way in hell you're putting your hands on my laundry, let alone setting foot in my room… which leaves cooking.»
«B-But I… I can only make instant yakisoba…»
Claire shakes her head, disappointed.
«I'd never marry someone who can't cook. Even if he were the last man on Earth.»
«Big sis, are you saying the way to melt your icy heart is a nice bowl of hot ramen?» Iris grins, elbowing Hakuto. «You hear that, big bro? Time to get busy at the stove if you wanna get into Claire's panties!»
«I- I NEVER SAID THAT!!!» Claire explodes, bright red. «It was just a generic comment!!»
But Iris is already lost in her own world.
«Come on, Hakuto! I'll teach you how to make restaurant ramen! Leave it to your adorable little sister! Wait here — I've got the perfect outfit!»
And with that, she immediately disappears, running off who knows where.
«I have to study. Call me when dinner is ready — I'll be in my room. And don't come in without knocking!» Claire warns.
And about ten minutes later…
«I finally found the perfect outfit for your first cooking lesson! It took a while, but I'm sure it was worth it!»
Iris is wearing a white kitchen apron.
By itself, that wouldn't be a problem… if it weren't the only thing she's wearing.
Most of her huge chest spills out from the sides of the apron, while down below it barely covers what it's supposed to cover.
From behind, it's completely open.
«W-What kind of outfit is that?!» Hakuto cries.
«It's a way to make sure you stay focused on the lesson and don't get distracted for no reason!»
Yeah, sure… with Iris half-naked next to me, I'm definitely going to watch how she chops the vegetables…
«Anyway! Today we're making omurice — with ketchup and mayonnaise on top! So easy even a three-year-old could cook it!» Iris announces enthusiastically.
The two of them don't waste any time.
Iris starts preparing fresh mayonnaise, while Hakuto's job is to chop the onions.
They work side by side at the counter, and surprisingly, things go better than expected. At first.
«Come on, Hakuto! At this rate we'll be eating omurice for breakfast!»
«I-It's not my fault…!»
Tears run down Hakuto's face. He's never cried this much in sixteen years.
Iris sighs, resigned.
«Let me show you how to slice onions the right way.»
And… BOING!
Iris presses her chest against Hakuto's back, bringing her hand over his to guide the knife.
But the apron is too thin… and she isn't wearing a bra.
Hakuto feels everything.
«I-Iris… what are you doing?!»
«I'm teaching you how to cook, obviously. What else?»
She's so casual about it that Hakuto even starts to feel guilty.
«Big bro, you're really a disaster in the kitchen…» Iris sighs. «I'll handle the onions. You whip the mayonnaise and watch the noodles. And don't overcook them! I don't like anything soft in my mouth — I prefer them hard.»
«Why do you have to make everything sound so ambiguous, even when we're talking about cooking…?!»
«Who said I was talking about cooking?»
«Iris…!!»
Hakuto furiously beats the whisk in the bowl, his eyes still burning. He can barely keep them open.
Until…
«B-Big bro… what did you do…?»
Iris's voice sounds like a soft, provocative moan.
With a whisking motion a bit too strong… Hakuto has splattered mayonnaise straight onto Iris's chest and face.
«S-Sorry, Iris! I didn't do it on purpose! Let me clean it!!»
Groping around, he grabs a damp cloth and, still half-blinded, starts scrubbing vigorously.
«Oh, Hakuto… you're so… bold. If you keep rubbing like that, I might— aaah…»
«Bold? What the hell are you babbling about?!»
Only now does Hakuto realize what he's rubbing…
Blinded by onion tears, he hadn't noticed where he put his hands until it was too late.
«D-Damn it, Iris… you could've warned me you were all messy right there! I would've avoided putting my hands on you!»
Iris flashes a sly grin.
«That's exactly why I didn't tell you.»
Ah… sooner or later, this girl is going to drive me crazy!
As Hakuto staggers toward the sink, Iris casually adjusts her apron.
«Et voilà! Despite everything… the omurice turned out great!» Iris announces, beaming.
«Grab the water from the fridge and bring it to the table, then go call Claire. I'll set the table and plate everything in the meantime.»
Hakuto obeys.
He throws open the fridge and grabs a bottle of water, but his gaze falls on a bottle of red wine hidden in the back.
Inevitably, his thoughts go to the night before, when he ran into Iris sipping what looked exactly like red wine.
He sighs and shakes his head in disapproval. Then he closes the fridge and pretends he didn't see anything — though not without a heavy dose of worry.
Finally, he heads toward Claire's bedroom.
He's about to open the door, but stops an instant before.
Yeah, right. Claire told me to knock first.
Hakuto taps lightly on the door with his knuckles… but it was only ajar. The moment he touches it, it swings fully open.
Claire is lying on her stomach on the bed, deeply focused on studying a school text.
She's wearing only pink lingerie and a long white T-shirt… but not long enough. And the way she's stretched out on the bed only emphasizes even more her round, firm ass, which, once again, Hakuto can't help but stare at.
«H-Hakuto…» Claire hisses, not even lifting her eyes from the book. «…I-I'll kill you!»