Mash-Up Anime World: Adopted by the Sawamura Family

Arisu Sakayanagi wrapped her arms around Akira Sawamura's neck, leaning into his embrace as she demanded:

"Spend tomorrow with me, and I won't be mad anymore."

Hearing this, Sena Kashiwazaki immediately bristled, clenching her fists as she retorted:

"Hey, shorty, are you picking a fight on purpose?"

She had already invited Akira Sawamura first.

Yet this little one still had the audacity to cut in.

This was simply a slap in her face.

"Waaah! Miss Kashiwazaki is going to bully me!"

"Akira, you have to protect me."

"Look at her clenched fists."

"I can't take a punch from Miss Kashiwazaki."

"Who do you think you're looking down on!"

"Who would bully a disabled person like you!"

"When I see disabled people in trouble, I always step up to help."

"That's what my dad taught me."

"As someone with a healthy body, we're already much luckier than those who are disabled."

"So we shouldn't discriminate against them."

"I'm not disabled!"

Arisu Sakayanagi's face, which had been fake-crying, instantly darkened.

The thing she hated most since she was a child was being treated as disabled by others.

She didn't need special treatment or pity.

"Chairman Sakayanagi, my daughter has just been a bit spoiled since she was young."

"So she might sometimes say things that hurt without realizing it."

"But deep down, she's a good kid."

"I can tell that Arisu is sensitive to the term 'disabled' because of her congenital heart condition."

"It's my fault and her mother's fault for not being there for her."

"In the end, it's all that brat's fault."

"That's right, it's all that little rascal's fault."

The two future fathers-in-law united in their frustration, cursing in unison.

Hearing this, Akira Sawamura couldn't hold back.

"How about we all go out together tomorrow?"

"No, I hate that big-breasted woman."

Sena Kashiwazaki's smile wavered, her teeth clenched as she snapped:

"Akira, I don't want to be around this weird, short-tempered midget either."

"Then why don't you just leave!"

"Why don't you leave first?"

"I'm Akira's childhood friend."

"If anyone should leave, it's you, the newcomer."

Arisu Sakayanagi declared with an air of righteousness.

"Is being a childhood friend something to brag about?"

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine—I can't even count them all on both hands."

Sena Kashiwazaki counted on her fingers, one by one.

"And that's not even counting the woman who just left."

"Just a measly childhood friend."

"Haven't you heard? Childhood friends can't beat the new girl."

Sena Kashiwazaki's words immediately drew glares from all the girls.

It wasn't just because of their jerk of a childhood friend.

Since they were kids, he'd been attracting one girl after another.

Making the title of "childhood friend" practically worthless.

What happened to the innocent, carefree days of childhood?

How many "little" friends were there now?

"Weren't we all happy playing together when we were kids?"

Akira Sawamura tried to mediate weakly.

"You know that was just us being naive back then."

"Now that we're grown up, we're not happy anymore."

Back then, they couldn't possibly have understood the concept of marriage being a lifelong commitment or monogamy.

Now that they did, they regretted it.

"Chisato, save me!"

Trapped in the middle of this battlefield, Akira Sawamura could only turn to Chisato Nishikigi for help.

Chisato had always been popular and respected by everyone since they were kids.

She was always so cheerful and optimistic, the glue that held everyone together.

"Chisato, don't bother with this playboy. He always turns to you when he's in trouble."

"Takina, don't be so stingy!"

"Ugh, why are you, a grown man, acting all cute?"

"Everyone, please do me a favor."

"Akira might be a bit of a flirt, but he just wants everyone to be happy."

"After all, we've all known him since we were kids."

Chisato Nishikigi stepped forward, trying to mediate with her usual optimism.

"Chisato, was being with Leonora-san also about making us all happy?"

"Uh, well..."

Chisato Nishikigi was momentarily speechless, her mind racing.

Desperately searching for a way to defend Akira Sawamura.

"This just proves that Akira's hit puberty."

"He's starting to think about... you know, naughty stuff."

Chisato Nishikigi's eyes suddenly lit up as she loudly explained.

"Back then, Akira was only focused on studying and practicing swordsmanship."

"He was either practicing or reading books."

Pfft!

Akira Sawamura couldn't help but spit out in disbelief.

"Chisato, you're a real genius."

"I am a genius, after all."

"Tsk tsk tsk! Shorty, with your physical condition, you can't even handle regular exercise."

"Let alone anything intense."

"Looks like you'll have to settle for a platonic relationship with Akira."

Hearing this, Arisu Sakayanagi instinctively clenched her small fists.

She buried her face in Akira Sawamura's broad shoulder.

Her petite frame trembled uncontrollably.

The proud Arisu-sama was crying in public for the first time.

"I'm sorry, Akira, I didn't mean to make her cry."

Seeing Arisu Sakayanagi break down, Sena Kashiwazaki panicked and quickly apologized.

"Arisu isn't mad at you. She's just crying because she's frustrated with herself."

"Arisu, there's something I've never told you."

"Chisato actually had a more severe heart condition than you when she was young."

"Back then, it was so bad she could only lie in bed waiting to die."

"But now she's lively and healthy, no different from anyone else."

"If I hadn't told you, would you have guessed Chisato had a heart problem?"

The reason Akira Sawamura had never told Arisu Sakayanagi before was simply that he hadn't been able to help her back then.

Telling her would have only caused unnecessary worry.

The cruelest thing in the world is a glimmer of hope that's just out of reach.

But now, he had the ability to cure Arisu Sakayanagi's heart condition.

"No way!"

"I used to spar with Chisato all the time."

"Her reflexes and shooting skills are even better than mine."

"She can dodge bullets with her eyes closed."

"And you're saying she had such a severe heart condition?"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

For the first time, the always calm and elegant Ryouko Yakushiji's face showed a look of utter astonishment.

Her eyes scanned Chisato Nishikigi's body up and down.

As if trying to see through her completely.

She was too curious.

What could have caused such a drastic change in Chisato Nishikigi?

She was crying uncontrollably.

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