01x01 - The Former Couple Refuses to Say... 'It's things like this...!

[bunniefuu]

Where are you going, Mizuto-kun?

Right back at you. Where are

you going, Yume-san?

Oh? I thought you two were headed out.

We were just about to leave.

For that bookstore

on Karasuma Street, by chance?

A little bird told me you like to read!

So you two must be headed to the same place.

Yume only ever goes to the

bookstore or the library, after all.

M-Mom, please!

I trust you'll take care of her, Mizuto-kun.

S-Sure thing

All righty then. You two get along, okay?

Take care!

Why did you say yes?

You heard her.

She didn't give me much choice.

Why should I have to tag along

with someone like you?

Whatever. I don't want you

tagging along, either.

I always hated how passive you are.

Stupid geek!

And I always hated how selfish you are.

Stupid nerd!

Irido

That curry was so good!

The Former Couple Refuses to Say

"It's things like this!"

I'm glad you liked it.

Thanks for the meal.

Of course!

Thanks for the meal.

I'm so glad they seem to be getting along.

You're telling me.

To suddenly get a housemate

of the opposite sex at that age

I guess that sort of thing

doesn't matter much nowadays.

Well, looks like I was worried over nothing!

Families come in all shapes

and sizes these days.

Just because they're stepsiblings

doesn't mean they can't get along.

Here you go, dear.

You get it, don't you?

Why thank you, Yuni-san.

Get what?

We mustn't do anything to upset them.

I know that.

I'll take what happened

between us to my grave.

Excellent.

Look who's all high and mighty.

Since when were you this bossy?

If I wasn't like this before,

then it's certainly your fault

that I'm like this now.

Huh?

Got a problem?

Apparently their daughter's

gonna start living on her own.

Yeah?

Yeah, and I heard

Beyond All Limits

I've completely reached my limit.

Something's Wrong

Is something wrong?

How much longer do you plan on calling

me by my given name like it's nothing?

You're using my given name too.

That's better than you using mine.

Not much we can do now

that we share a family name.

What would you suggest I call you?

That's obvious, isn't it? It's perfect.

What is?

"Onee-chan."

Huh?

We're siblings now, so addressing me

as your older sister makes perfect sense, no?

Hold it, hold it, hold it.

You're the older sibling?

Gimme a break. It's the other way around.

I'm the older sibling here.

Let me put this simply, since your

brain cells seem to be off duty right now.

Listen well.

Our society considers the

firstborn child to be the eldest.

That's premise number one.

I was born before you.

That's premise number two.

Therefore, I am the older sibling.

It's the logical conclusion. You follow?

But if memory serves, weren't we

both born on November 3rd?

So we're the same age, correct?

By the day, perhaps,

but that's not everything.

You must also consider the time of birth.

Time of birth?

I asked Mineaki-san in order

to settle the matter.

I was born at 11:04 AM,

while you were born at 11:34 AM.

In other words, I was born

thirty minutes earlier.

You with me?

Didn't Japan used to consider the firstborn

twin to be younger in ancient times?

But we're not twins.

We're not even siblings in the first place.

Hey, wait a second

We consider the firstborn

to be the eldest now anyway.

Just go along with it, would you?

Thought you could fool me?

Whatever. I'm the older sibling. QED.

Case dismissed.

I'm going to be the older sibling.

The thought of being your

little sister creeps me out!

Same here!

I'd take anything over

being your little brother!

Wait, hang on.

What?

Glaring at each other won't get us anywhere.

At times like this, any reasonable person

would settle things with a game.

Irritating choice of words, but you're right.

In that case

How about this?

We've both accepted the fact that

we'll have to hide our previous relationship

and act like any normal stepsiblings would.

We've both been doing well so far,

but either one of us may yet slip up

and do something out of line, no?

So whoever screws up first loses.

So whoever first acts in a manner

unnatural for a stepsibling

Little Brother

becomes the younger brother or sister?

Little Sister

Little Brother

Little Sister

The sense of competition

engendered by such a rule

should also help inspire us

to better hide our past.

So do these rules apply even

when our parents aren't around?

Of course.

Also, that's per slip-up.

The winner gets to decide how the

younger shows it every time.

I guess there'd be no point

if it was sudden death.

Okay, let's go with that.

Then

The game starts now.

Wai—What are you doing?!

Oh, what's wrong?

Isn't this normal sibling behavior?

I get it now

It seems he's finally realized the true

nature of the rules I laid out..

Even if it's an obvious provocation,

I'm not allowed to show

irritation over any action

that would be considered

normal among siblings.

Such a reaction would fall into the

category of "unnatural for a stepsibling."

In other words

This was just a ploy to get under my skin!

Stupid girl She proposed

those rules just for that?!

She's twisted!

This is bad.

My own personal Pandora's box is right there!

That drawer contains things

I can't let anyone see!

What do I do? What do I do?

What do I do? What do I do?!

Forgive me

I can't bear to fight with you any longer.

If I've upset you, I apologize.

I'll even get out of your sight.

So please

Can we put this behind us?

Irido-kun

Yup, you're out!

Siblings don't call each

other by their last names.

B-But you're out too, aren't you?

Wanting to bury the hatchet is completely

normal for siblings, don't you think?

Now then, since this is the first round,

let's keep it simple.

Just say it.

H-How should I say it?

However you'd like.

O-Onii-chan

Well, you've learned your lesson.

Now you know not to mess with me.

You may fancy yourself a

hardcore mystery fan,

but you and I simply aren't

on the same level up here.

You never

used to be this mean to me back then!

There, there.

You're right. I'm sorry.

Onee

Nee-san.

Th-This is the part of you I

I always hated how you flip-flop like that!

Stupid Onii-chan!

You both look wonderful!

Rakuro High School

Entrance

Ceremony

Rakuro High School

Entrance Ceremony

It would've been one thing

if we were only going to the same school.

Squeeze in closer, you two.

New StudentsClass Assignments

Student Name

Irido Mizuto

Irido Yume

Egami Akika

Ogata Shogo

Pronunciation

I-ri-do Mi-zu-to

I-ri-do Yu-me

E-ga-mi A-ki-ka

O-ga-ta Sho-go

But we're in the same class.

With the same surname.

I guess pretending to be strangers

Say cheese!

is kind of out of the question now.

Rakuro High School Entrance Ceremony

We're walking to school separately

starting tomorrow, got it?

That goes without saying.

Anyway, shouldn't you be more

focused on making friends?

This is your high school debut.

My high school debut?

I'm the only one in the entire school

who knows you used to be a total nerd.

It's the perfect time to reinvent yourself.

Don't you worry, Mizuto-kun.

I have a secret weapon up my sleeve.

Rakuro High School Entrance Ceremony

Now for the opening address.

Rakuro Private High School's

entrance ceremony is about to begin.

You were so cool back there, Irido-san!

You didn't seem nervous at all!

That's not true. I was a

nervous wreck on the inside.

Really?!

Yup.

You little

Rakuro High School Entrance Ceremony

And now a word from

our first-year representative,

Irido Yume-san.

Coming!

Lured by the warmth of the spring breeze,

the cherry blossoms start

to bloom on this

You must have aced the entrance exam

if they made you the student rep, right?

How much did you study?

Not much is what I'd like to say,

but honestly, I studied day and night.

I still don't feel like

I'm truly free from it.

How on earth does this girl

have better grades than me?!

You little

Attendance

Take your seats, everyone.

Orientation

I'm gonna start orientation.

Irido!

What junior high did you go to?

Nagimi Middle. Why?

Huh. You play video games?

No, not really.

Gotcha.

Wh-What's going on?

Just thought it might be fun

to play together if you did.

Why are people flocking to me now?

Um

So anyway

Is it true you and Irido-san are stepsiblings?

They really caught me off guard with that.

But that girl

Did she really tell everyone

we're stepsiblings?

Even if they would've

figured it out anyway

You know that Irido-san girl?

She's a real cutie, isn't she?

Yeah.

A cutie? Give me a break.

I'd go to the optometrist and get

my eyes checked if I were you.

It was love at first sight.

So your plan is to get close

with the younger brother, right?

If I went to her directly,

she'd just sh**t me down.

So she told people I'm younger, huh?

That girl

It'll be smooth sailing if I can get

to her through him, y'know?

But her brother was such a killjoy.

Maybe he just thought

you were annoying?

Whoa, harsh!

I see what's happening.

So they mean to use me as a

stepping stone to get to her, huh?

Irido

What do you want?

Aren't you upset?

They're looking down on you.

You mean those guys that swarmed me?

They don't have the guts

to speak to me directly,

but they assume you're a pushover,

so they're using you to get to me.

I hate people like that.

Don't let it bother you.

They're not worth the time.

But then you'll—

What about me?

Nothing

I see.

My Stepmom's Daughter is my Ex

What is she doing?

Hey

What is it?

Didn't we agree to walk

to school separately?

What on earth is she thinking?

Rakuro Private High School

Hey! It's Mizuto-kun.

Let's hang out.

Oh?

Sorry, you two.

Mizuto and I are talking right now,

so would you mind not getting in our way?

Irido-san?

Y-You two aren't—

You are brother and sister, right?

Indeed.

Sorry for having a brother complex.

What was that?

Just now

Irido

I'm gonna buy it and come home

Mom

Today

Sorry, Yume. I think I'm gonna be home late today. It seems like

Mineaki-san is gonna be late too, so tell Mizuto-kun for me, will you?

Looks like Mom and Mineaki-san

will be home late tonight.

Should I make something to eat, then?

You can cook?

A little.

It was just me and my dad, after all.

And you

You're terrible at it, right?

Well, what are you gonna make?

I'll see what's in the fridge

and decide from there.

Okay, what do we have?

Eggs and fish That'll need prepping.

What else?

Breasts, huh?

B-Breasts?!

Hmm?

Got something against chicken breast?

Oh No, not really.

Hey

Hmm? What is it?

About this morning

The sensation on your arm

from when I hugged you

You should wipe it from your memory!

Huh?

Oh, yeah, I'd already forgotten about that.

I see!

Infuriating! So infuriating!

Absolutely, truly, and utterly infuriating!

You'd already forgotten, huh?

Are you trying to say mine are forgettable?

There must be some way

to break through his indifference

Japan Sinks

I'm out now.

All right! That worked better than I expected.

I—You—What gives?!

I'm in my own home, you know?

It's not that big of a deal.

No, but I'm here, so

Oh?

So what if my brother's here?

Or, don't tell me

Mizuto-kun, are you the kind of bad boy

who'd sneak a peek at his stepsister

with lusty eyes?

He's getting redder by the second.

He turned away, but I can tell he's looking.

Guess I'll switch legs.

Ha, he looked! He definitely

looked! So easy to read.

To think the guy who's always

acting so cool-headed

would lose his composure like this.

O-Oh no! It's gonna It's

H-He's gonna see!

Huh, wait.

Hold on a sec. It looks like I'm

trying to seduce him, doesn't it?!

I think I got too carried away!

Japan Sinks

W-Wait

I know you were just trying to mess with me,

but didn't you realize this might happen?

You're usually so reserved,

but every now and then, you go and

do something outrageous, don't you?

Like this morning.

If you act like that at school,

you're gonna lose the reputation

you've made for yourself.

But you're family now.

I can't stand people looking

down on my family like that!

Thanks. I appreciate it.

Don't you have something to say?

I genuinely thanked you, didn't I?

D-Don't mention it!

I'm gonna go get in my pajamas—

The Bottom of the Sea

Ayai.

S-Stop The rules

I don't mind

losing today.

Mineaki-san, I'll hold the door,

so would you be a dear and bring that in?

Wh-What do we do?!

Just hide!

Hide? But where?!

Oh, sure!

Uh

Is it all right if I leave

everything in the corridor here?

Yeah.

Here!

Huh?!

We're home!

Oh? You alone, Mizuto?

Welcome home, Dad, Yuni-san.

Yume-san went to bed already.

Oh, okay.

Really? Aw, I brought back gifts.

Just now, if our parents hadn't come home

I was finally getting used

to how things are.

What was I thinking back there?

I'd almost gotten over the past.

It's things like this

It's things like this

Irido

That I can't stand about him!

That I can't stand about her!