A Daily Life With My 3 Stepsisters

The moment we stepped through the school gates, I knew I was doomed. Heads turned. Whispers started. I could feel the weight of a hundred stares boring into me, and it wasn't because I'd suddenly become cool overnight. No, it was them—my three stepsisters, walking beside me like some kind of dazzling entourage I hadn't signed up for.

Mina was still clinging to my arm, her pigtails bouncing as she chattered about how she was going to "conquer the freshman class." Aiko strode ahead, her uniform somehow looking more like a fashion statement than regulation attire, her confident smirk daring anyone to challenge her. And Reina trailed just behind me, her soft steps and shy glances making her stand out in a way that was impossible to ignore.

"Kaito, you didn't tell me your school was this big!" Mina said, tugging me toward the main building. "Where's the cafeteria? I'm starving already."

"You just ate," I muttered, trying to pry her off me without drawing more attention. Too late—half the courtyard was already watching.

"Relax, Kaito," Aiko said, glancing back at me with a teasing grin. "You're acting like we're embarrassing you or something."

"You kind of are," I shot back, but she just laughed, flipping her ponytail like she didn't care who heard.

"Don't be mean," Reina said softly, stepping closer to my side. Her voice was barely audible over the buzz of the crowd, but it still made my stomach flip. "We're new here. It's normal for people to stare, right?"

"Yeah, sure," I said, though I wasn't convinced. Normal didn't cover this. Normal was me blending into the background, not parading around with three girls who looked like they'd walked out of a magazine.

The bell rang again, signaling five minutes until homeroom, and I seized my chance. "Okay, I've got to go. You guys can find your classes, right?"

"Aw, you're ditching us already?" Mina pouted, finally letting go of my arm. "Fine, but you owe me lunch!"

"I don't owe you anything," I said, but she was already skipping off toward the freshman wing, waving over her shoulder.

Aiko shrugged. "Catch you later, Kaito. Try not to miss me too much." She sauntered off toward the senior classrooms, leaving a trail of stunned underclassmen in her wake.

Reina lingered a moment longer, fiddling with her bag straps. "Um, Kaito-kun… my class is 2-B. Do you know where that is?"

"Yeah, it's down the hall from mine," I said, relieved to have something normal to focus on. "I'll show you."

Her face lit up with a smile that hit me harder than it should've. "Thanks. I'd probably get lost without you."

We walked in silence for a bit, the crowd thinning as students rushed to their rooms. I kept my eyes forward, trying not to think about how close she was—or how her skirt swished with every step. She smelled like that floral shampoo again, and it was messing with my head.

"Here it is," I said, stopping outside 2-B. "You good?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Kaito-kun." She hesitated, then added, "See you at lunch?"

"Uh, sure," I said, because what else could I say? She smiled again and slipped into the classroom, leaving me standing there like an idiot.

Homeroom was a blur. My friends—well, the two guys I usually sat with—pounced the second I walked in.

"Dude," Taro hissed, leaning over his desk, "who were those girls? Are you secretly a player now?"

"No!" I said, dropping into my seat. "They're my stepsisters. My dad just remarried."

"Stepsisters?" Yuki's eyes widened, his glasses slipping down his nose. "Like, those stepsisters? The hot ones everyone's talking about?"

"Shut up," I groaned, sinking lower in my chair. "It's not like that."

"Sure it's not," Taro said, grinning. "You're living the dream, man. Three girls under one roof? That's straight out of a manga."

"It's more like a nightmare," I muttered, but they just laughed, oblivious to my misery.

The morning dragged on—math, history, a pop quiz I definitely bombed—but the real chaos hit at lunch. I'd barely made it to the cafeteria with my tray when Mina materialized out of nowhere, plopping down across from me.

"Found you!" she said, stealing a fry from my plate before I could stop her. "The freshmen are boring. I'm hanging with you instead."

"You can't just—" I started, but then Aiko slid into the seat next to me, her tray clattering onto the table.

"Move over," she said, nudging me with her hip. Her thigh pressed against mine under the table, and I froze, my chopsticks hovering midair.

"Uh, there's plenty of room over there," I said, pointing to the empty seats across from us.

"Nah, this is fine," she said, smirking as she popped a piece of chicken into her mouth. "What's the point of having a little brother if I can't mess with him?"

"I'm not your little brother," I grumbled, but she ignored me, leaning closer to grab the ketchup. Her arm brushed mine, and I swear she did it on purpose.

Reina showed up a minute later, her tray balanced carefully in her hands. "Oh, you're all here already," she said, her voice soft as she hesitated by the table.

"Sit, Reina!" Mina patted the spot next to her. "Kaito's being stingy with his fries, but I'll share."

"They're my fries," I said, but Reina sat down anyway, giving me that shy smile that made my chest tighten.

Lunch turned into a circus. Mina kept stealing food, Aiko kept teasing me—her knee bumped mine under the table way too many times to be accidental—and Reina just sat there, quietly eating while occasionally glancing my way. The rest of the cafeteria was watching, too. I could hear the whispers, see the pointed looks. By the time the bell rang, I was ready to crawl under a rock.

The afternoon wasn't much better. Word had spread fast—by last period, half the school seemed to know I was living with "the hot new girls." Guys I barely knew cornered me in the hall, asking for introductions. Girls I'd never spoken to shot me dirty looks, like I'd personally offended them.

After school, I waited by the gates, hoping to slip away unnoticed. No such luck. Mina bounded over first, dragging a couple of wide-eyed freshmen behind her. "Kaito, meet my minions! They're cool, right?"

"Minions?" I raised an eyebrow, but the two kids just nodded, staring at me like I was some kind of celebrity.

Aiko appeared next, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "You surviving, Kaito? You look like you're about to bolt."

"I'm fine," I lied, rubbing the back of my neck.

Reina joined us last, her cheeks pink from the afternoon heat. "It was a long day," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "But… it wasn't so bad. Thanks for helping me this morning."

"Yeah, no problem," I said, avoiding her gaze.

As we started the walk home, Mina skipped ahead again, Aiko fell into step beside me, and Reina stayed close on my other side. The whispers followed us out of the gates, and I realized something grim: this wasn't just a one-day thing. This was my life now—stuck in the spotlight, surrounded by three girls who were way too much trouble.

And deep down, buried under all the embarrassment and chaos, a tiny part of me was starting to enjoy it.