A Daily Life With My 3 Stepsisters

Monday morning hit me like a slap, dragging me out of the weekend's haze and back into the chaos of school. Yesterday's kitchen scene—Mina's clinginess, Reina's softness, Aiko's sharp edges—had left me restless, my head spinning with thoughts I couldn't shake. I'd barely slept, replaying every touch, every glance, until the cracks I'd felt widening in my calm were impossible to ignore. Day nineteen, and I was walking a tightrope, waiting for it to snap.

School was its usual mess—hallways buzzing, lockers slamming—but there was an extra edge today. Posters plastered the walls, announcing the drama club's "impromptu showcase" after classes, a last-minute thing Mina had roped half the school into hyping up. I'd planned to skip it, hide out somewhere quiet, but Mina had other ideas.

"Kaito!" she yelled, ambushing me at lunch as I tried to eat in peace near the courtyard. She was in her uniform, tie loose, skirt hiked up, her pigtails bouncing as she dropped onto the bench beside me. "You're coming to the showcase, right?"

"No," I said, shoving a bite of sandwich into my mouth. "I've got stuff to do."

"Liar!" she said, snatching a fry from my tray and leaning into me, her shoulder pressing against mine. "You can't miss it! I'm starring!"

"Starring?" I raised an eyebrow, brushing her off enough to breathe. "Since when?"

"Since I begged the club leader!" she grinned, unfazed by my shove. "It's a short play—super dramatic! You'll love it!"

"Doubt it," I said, but her energy was infectious, and I couldn't help a small smirk. "What's it about?"

"Love and betrayal!" she said, throwing her arms up, nearly knocking my tray off the table. "I'm the spurned lover—lots of crying and yelling!"

"Sounds like you," Aiko said, appearing with her camera slung around her neck. She slid onto the bench across from me, her smirk sharp, her uniform top unbuttoned just enough to make me look away fast. "Kaito, you're going, right? Gotta get shots of this trainwreck."

"No," I said again, but weaker this time, pinned by their double-team.

"Yes, you are," Aiko said, leaning forward, her knee brushing mine under the table. "You're my assistant. I need you."

"Assistant?" I snorted. "You just want someone to carry your stuff."

"Maybe," she said, her voice low, teasing. "But you're good at it. Plus, you owe me after the locker room."

My face heated up, the memory of her pressed against me flashing too vivid—her heat, her breath, her smirk. "I don't owe you anything," I muttered, shoving another bite down to hide it.

"Sure you don't," she said, winking, her foot nudging mine again, deliberate and slow.

Reina arrived then, her tray balanced carefully, her smile shy as she sat next to Aiko. "Kaito-kun, are you really coming? Mina's been talking about it all day."

"Apparently I don't have a choice," I said, glancing at her. Her uniform was neat, her hair tucked behind her ears, but there was a quiet glow to her that hit me harder than Aiko's taunts or Mina's chaos.

"It'll be fun," she said, her voice soft. "I'm helping with props. Nothing big, but… I'd like it if you were there."

Her eyes met mine, steady and warm, and my resolve crumbled. "Fine," I sighed. "I'll go."

"Yes!" Mina cheered, tackling me in a hug that nearly sent us both off the bench. Her chest pressed into mine, her hair in my face, and I flailed, trying to push her off.

"Mina, get off!" I said, my voice muffled, my hands landing on her shoulders.

"Nope!" she giggled, clinging tighter. "You're mine now!"

"Help," I said, looking at Reina, who laughed, covering her mouth, and Aiko, who just smirked, snapping a quick shot.

"Perfect," Aiko said, checking the screen. "That's going in the blackmail folder."

"Delete it," I said, finally prying Mina loose, but she just grinned, sprawling across the bench with her head in my lap now.

"Never!" Aiko said, pocketing the camera.

Lunch ended with Mina chattering about her "big role," Aiko teasing me into submission, and Reina's quiet smiles keeping me grounded. By the time the bell rang for afternoon classes, I was resigned—dragged into their orbit again, no escape in sight.

The showcase was in the auditorium after school, a cramped space packed with students buzzing with energy. I slunk in late, hoping to blend into the back, but Aiko spotted me, waving me over to where she'd claimed a spot near the stage with her tripod set up.

"Sit," she said, patting the seat next to her. "You're helping me frame shots."

"I'm not—" I started, but she grabbed my arm, pulling me down, her grip firm, her thigh pressing against mine as I landed.

"Too late," she said, smirking, her voice low in my ear. "You're mine for this."

My pulse kicked up, her closeness stirring memories of the locker room—too warm, too close. "Fine," I muttered, focusing on the stage to avoid her eyes.

The lights dimmed, and the play started—a melodramatic mess about a love triangle gone wrong. Mina burst onto the stage in a frilly costume, her voice loud and shrill as she wailed about her "lost love." She flailed her arms, tripped over a prop, and somehow turned it into part of the act, earning laughs from the crowd.

"She's terrible," Aiko whispered, snapping shots, her shoulder brushing mine. "But it's gold."

"Yeah," I said, a grin slipping out despite myself. "She's… Mina."

Reina appeared backstage, adjusting props between scenes, her movements quick and quiet. She caught my eye once, smiling shyly, and I waved, my chest tightening at how natural it felt—her there, me here, connected without words.

The play stumbled on, Mina's overacting stealing the show, until the final scene—a big confrontation where her character "died" dramatically, collapsing in a heap. The crowd cheered, half-laughing, and Aiko snorted beside me.

"Oscar-worthy," she said, her hand landing on my knee, squeezing lightly. "You're proud of her, huh?"

"Something like that," I said, my voice rough as her touch lingered, warm and deliberate.

The lights came up, and Mina bounded offstage, spotting us instantly. She barreled over, still in her costume, and threw herself onto me, nearly knocking Aiko's camera over.

"Kaito! Wasn't I amazing?" she said, her arms around my neck, her chest pressed into mine again.

"You were loud," I said, prying her off, but she just grinned, perching on my lap now, her legs dangling over Aiko's.

"Loud is good!" she said, oblivious to the stares from nearby students.

"Get off," I said, shoving at her, but she clung tighter, giggling.

"Let her have her moment," Aiko said, smirking as she adjusted her camera, her hand brushing my thigh again—accidentally, maybe, but I doubted it.

Reina joined us then, her apron dusted with paint, her smile soft but tired. "Kaito-kun, what did you think?"

"It was… chaotic," I said, meeting her eyes. "You did great, though. The props were solid."

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly. "It was fun. Messy, but fun."

"Messy's our thing," Aiko said, leaning into me, her voice a tease. "Right, Kaito?"

"Guess so," I said, trapped between Mina's weight, Aiko's heat, and Reina's gaze.

The auditorium emptied slowly, students filtering out, but we lingered—Mina chattering about her "performance," Aiko critiquing every shot she'd taken, Reina quietly packing up props. I helped her carry a box backstage, the noise fading as we stepped into the wings, the air cooler, quieter.

"You didn't have to," she said, setting the box down, her hands brushing mine as I handed it over.

"Wanted to," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Her eyes widened, then softened, her smile small but real. "Kaito-kun… you're sweet."

"Am I?" I said, my voice low, the space between us shrinking. She was close—too close—her breath soft, her hair catching the dim light.

"Yeah," she said, her hand lingering on mine, warm and steady. "You are."

For a second, it was just us—the chaos gone, the world narrow and still. My pulse thumped, her touch electric, and I almost—almost—leaned in. Then Mina's voice shattered it, yelling from the stage, "Kaito! Reina! Hurry up!"

Reina stepped back, blushing, and I rubbed my neck, the moment slipping away. "Guess we should go," I said, rougher than I meant.

"Yeah," she said, but her eyes held mine a beat longer, heavy with something unspoken.

The walk home was loud—Mina skipping ahead, Aiko beside me with her camera, Reina trailing close, her quiet presence a pull I couldn't ignore. Aiko nudged me, her smirk sharp. "You're in deep now, huh?"

"Shut up," I said, but she just laughed, her arm brushing mine, deliberate and warm.

Day nineteen, and the cracks weren't just widening—they were breaking open. Mina's chaos, Aiko's fire, Reina's softness—they weren't just pulling me in anymore. They were splitting me apart, revealing something I couldn't hide from. I wasn't just caught—I was falling, and the spotlight was on me now, whether I liked it or not.