Study Session With Four People

"Are you sure you didn't forget anything?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

It was late afternoon on a holiday. Minato had just finished his part-time job, and they had promised to have a study session at Momose's house.

They checked what they were taking with them and made sure the door was locked.

Airi went to the door first, wearing a feminine dress they had bought the other day.

It was hot outside as it was almost summer, and Minato was relieved that he had chosen something light.

As Minato was looking at her again, thinking how beautiful she was, Airi tilted her head curiously.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with my outfit?"

"No, I just thought you looked as beautiful as ever. It suits you."

"I-Is that so… Thank you."

He didn't think it would make her happy to be praised by Minato, but Airi held her skirt down and squirmed.

He had already complimented her once before, and he didn't expect her to react this way.

Unsure of what to make with her blushing face, they both fell silent.

"…Th-Then, let's go."

"Y-Yes."

Unable to bear the sweet yet awkward atmosphere, Minato went outside to escape.

"Being out together with Kujo-senpai somehow feels kind of weird."

"I guess… I've always pretended to be a complete stranger outside before."

This time, Minato, who knew Momose's house, was able to show Airi around, so they were able to go out together.

Since it was already known that Minato and Airi had a connection, it shouldn't be that strange.

He felt he had to do something to thank Momose for making it possible for them to have contact outside.

Airi's steps were light as she walked next to him, and she was in a strangely good mood.

"You're in a good mood. What's the matter?"

" Fufu , why do you think that is?"

Airi asked him with a teasing grin on her face.

She must have been looking forward to today's study session, guessing that she had never had a study session before in her friendship.

"Because it's your first study session with your friends?"

"Hah… No, that's not it."

"O-Oh."

Apparently, it was a miss.

Airi let out a grand sigh, which put her in a bad mood, but Minato had no idea why.

"Welcome, you two!"

When they arrived at Momose's house, they were greeted by the person herself, who had also said that her parents were not home.

It had been a long time since Minato had seen her house, he thought as he let himself in. The girl next to him, Airi, was looking around like she was unsure of what to do, which was strangely cute.

When they arrived at Momose's room, Kazuma was already sitting there. He was quite relaxed as he already knew his girlfriend's house well.

"Sup, you two."

"Hello, Mutsura-senpai."

"Sorry, my part-time job took me until after lunch."

"Don't worry about it, we're not pressed for time."

Kazuma waved his hands in the air, as if saying Minato didn't need to apologize.

Taking his word for it, Minato and Airi sat down without further apology.

Airi, who was sitting next to Minato, seemed to have never been in the room of a friend her own age before and was even more stiff than usual. She was probably nervous.

It had been a while since he had been in Momose's room, but he thought it would be wrong to stare at a woman's room, so he was chatting with Kazuma when Momose came into the room with a tray of tea for everyone.

"Relax. You don't have to be so formal, Airi!"

"Ye-Yeah, got it."

Airi was not the type of person who would immediately slack off when told she didn't have to be so formal, so she was almost always tense.

In the first place, Minato almost never saw her slacking off at home. If he had to say, it would be when Airi came home tired after a day out with Minato and the two others.

Momose laughed when she saw Airi like that.

" Mou~ I told you to relax already…"

"…I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad, don't worry about it!"

"…Let's just study. That's what we're here for, right?"

"Right, let's just do it. Kazuma pairs up with me, and Ninomiya with Momose. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me or Ninomiya. Is this okay?"

Kazuma must have thought that the conversation could not go on like this, so he took charge of the situation and changed the flow.

Minato agreed with Kazuma's opinion, thinking that if they studied, she would eventually get used to the room and lose her nervousness, so they studied in pairs as he had told Airi beforehand.

And so the study session began–

"Uwaa, I'm so tired."

"E-Eh… Shiori-san, it's only been an hour."

"Let's take a break, okay?"

"Eh, wait, don't stick to me!"

As expected, Momose's concentration was broken. She was pinning down Airi to take a break somehow.

Although the interplay between the two beautiful girls was a feast for the eyes, Minato would have to make her stop since he had promised Airi that he would help her.

"Oi, Momose, the top scorer of the grade is teaching you how to study."

"And I'm grateful for that."

"Hah… All right, let's take a break in an hour, so do your best until then. You can talk to Ninomiya as much as you want during the break."

"…Eh?"

"Really? Alright, I'm getting motivated now!"

She was in full resting mode, so Minato had no choice but to dangle the bait and Momose took a great bite.

Airi looked at Minato with eyes like an abandoned puppy, so he apologized with just his hand.

Airi frowned and glared at Minato for a moment because she was being sacrificed, but then she smiled and began to teach Momose her studies.

"…You're a devil, you know that?"

"Shut up, I'll do anything to get Momose to study. Kazuma too, hang in there for one more hour."

"Okay, okay, I got it."

Kazuma laughed at him, but Minato brushed it off. Momose wouldn't study if he didn't do this, so there was nothing else he could do.

He thought for a moment that Airi's request might be scary later, but he decided not to think about it now.

And so, the study session went without a hitch.

"Alright, let's take a break!"

Momose put down her pen and relaxed.

They had been studying for a decent hour since then, so Minato took a break as well.

Normally the three of them would play a game together, but Momose wanted to talk to Airi, as Minato had said as her reward.

"Hey, hey, what do you usually call Minato-kun?"

"I usually call him Kujo-senpai."

"Oh, at home too?"

"Yeah. I don't think it's that strange."

"Eh~"

Minato, like Airi, didn't think it was that strange, but Momose seemed to disagree.

Her eyebrows were furrowed and she had a complicated look on her face.

"Since you're living together, I think you should call him something more familiar. Isn't that a bit formal?"

"No, not at all."

"How about 'stepbrother'?"

"What!? Minato's your stepbrother? That's too funny! Hahaha!"

Kazuma was holding his stomach and laughing hysterically, as Minato being called 'stepbrother' must have hit the nail on his head.

Minato also didn't think it was appropriate, but when others laughed at him, it made him angry.

At any rate, he punched Kazuma once in the stomach and then went to stop Momose.

"Hey, Momose, you can't do that."

"Why not? Come on, Airi, give it a try!"

"Ninomiya, you don't have to say anything."

"…St-Stepbrother."

"""..."""

Airi's cheeks flushed red as she faltered to speak.

The air completely froze. Kazuma, who had been laughing so much, stopped with a straight face.

To be honest, it was very cute, but it was bad for Minato's heart if she suddenly did that.

And although Airi was someone he wanted to protect, Minato still felt uncomfortable because he couldn't see Airi as his stepsister.

Sure, there would be many people who would be delighted to have such a pretty, beautiful girl as a stepsister, but in reality, he was just confused.

When everyone except Airi was frozen, Airi started to panic while blushing, thinking that she had misspoken.

"I'm sorry! Of course, you didn't like it!"

"No, it's not that, but it would be nice if you didn't call me that."

"Y-Yes…"

Airi said as her face turned red like an apple, and she shrunk back, which made Minato feel protective of her.

He felt like stroking her head and his hand started to move up, but he desperately suppressed it.

"Wah!!! I forgot how cute you are."

"It's too destructive."

It seemed Kazuma and Momose who froze had recovered.

"But if you don't want to be called stepbrother, then the only thing left is to call you by your first name."

"I'd have to be close to her to do that."

"You're close, aren't you? So there's nothing wrong with that."

"Minato, you live together, so it's fine."

"No, but…"

Minato believed that he could only call a woman by her first name if they were very close.

It would have to be like a lover's relationship.

He didn't want to complicate the conversation by saying something strange, so he decided to run away for now.

"Even if it's fine with me, Ninomiya won't like it, so no thanks."

"Airi, try calling Minato-kun by his name."

"Um, that's…"

Once again, Airi's cheeks were dyed, and this time she must have really not liked it because she turned her face down.

"Momose, stop that."

"…All right. Airi, I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay."

Minato warned Momose in a serious voice to stop her, and she did.

The conversation had died down and quite some time had passed, so they resumed their studies as if to change the air.