"Hey, Summer, wake up. It's morning."
Ignoring the distracting thoughts swirling in my head, I focused on rousing her. If I ever get excited over my sister's underwear, it'd be time to seriously consider ending it all.
"Summer! Get up! Do you want to be late for school?"
"…Mmm."
I shook her shoulders gently, but she hardly reacted. Occasionally, a soft, enticing sound escaped her lips, but I wished she'd keep that to herself at home.
"Seriously, wake up. Being late on your first day at a new school is no joke."
"…Ugh. Just… three more…"
"Three more minutes?"
"Three… years."
"Fine, sleep forever."
I left Summer's room and headed to the living room. I'd spent all night organizing, so the space was neat and tidy. As I brewed some instant coffee I'd bought before the move, I glanced at my phone, and halfway awake, Summer shuffled into the living room.
"Good morning… big brother."
"Morning. Why are you still in your pajamas?"
Not only was she in her pajamas, but she was also clutching her favorite pillow as if she planned to go back to sleep.
"To take a nap…"
"At school?"
"…Exactly. School? …School!!?"
It seemed her sluggish brain had finally kicked into gear, and she rushed back to her room in a flurry.
Honestly, my sister is a whirlwind first thing in the morning.
"Good morning! Big brother! It's such a lovely morning!"
After waiting for a few minutes, Summer appears in the living room, dressed in her uniform. She seems fully awake now, back to her usual self.
"How do I look? Does it suit me?" she asks.
"I personally think the old uniform suited you better," I reply.
"I kind of wish you would have just said it looks good, even if it's a lie…" she pouts, taking a seat in front of me. She grabs a bag of melon bread from a selection of sweet rolls and begins to eat it with delight.
As for me… I'll go with the red bean paste bun. I ate enough bean paste yesterday.
"Why is it called melon bread when it doesn't even taste like melon?" she muses.
"I think it's because the bumpy surface resembles a melon—at least, that's what I remember," I respond.
"By that definition, wouldn't anything shaped like a melon be considered melon bread?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if your red bean bun had a bumpy crust, it would be melon bread, right?"
Wait, really? Is that how it works?
"I think if you shape the dough right, anything could be called melon bread," I ponder.
"Hmmm… melon bread is quite profound," she reflects.
And so we dive deeper into the world of melon bread, as breakfast time lazily drifts by.
***
"Wow, it's different today. I see a few people in uniform," I comment.
As we stroll down the school route with Summer, the weather is pleasant. The occasional breeze is refreshing, marking a delightful morning. In contrast to the bustling city, where it's hot, crowded, and chaotic even in this season, it's peaceful here in the countryside.
"If the facilities were all set up, there would be nothing to complain about…"
"Do we have to go to the staff room when we arrive at school?"
"I think that's what I heard. Probably just to pick up some paperwork and get a tour of the school."
"Oh, if they hand out textbooks, that's going to be a hassle. I regretted bringing just this shoulder bag…"
"Hey, did you join the group Weatherby invited us to?"
"Not yet. I need to meet the members in person first."
"I plan to do the same. I'll swing by during lunch."
"Got it… So, this is Nijigaoka High School."
As we talked, we reached the school gate. I felt a sense of relief at the sight of the impressive school building—it was nicer than I had imagined. There's definitely a difference in feeling between a wooden structure and concrete in times of need.
"Okay, let's look for the staff room… huh?"
"What's up, big brother… oh."
A girl with black hair approached us, smiling. Her expression was just as comforting as it had been yesterday, radiating warmth.
"Good morning, you two! Welcome to Nijigaoka High School."
"Good morning, Jasper."
"Good morning, Weatherby."
We exchanged pleasantries and headed toward the school building together.
"Hm?"
As we got closer to the building, I couldn't shake the feeling that more eyes were on us.
"You don't need to worry too much about it. I mean, it's a rural school, so everyone pretty much knows each other. Naturally, if there are unfamiliar faces, they're going to turn some heads."
"Are there really that few students?"
"There's not even enough for one class per grade. I think there are around 100 students in total, if that."
"That's incredibly small… If anything bad happens, it'll spread like wildfire, won't it, big brother?"
"I was quite the troublemaker at my last school. Let's try to keep a low profile this time, Summer."
By the way, at the previous school, Summer and I were pretty famous. Everyone knew our names. We were celebrated as the close-knit sibling duo, and we had quite a few enthusiastic fans thanks to our silly adventures.
"Are you two heading to the staff room? Do you need directions?"
"Is it okay to ask for help? We both have terrible sense of direction. Just explaining won't help us find it."
"Sure! Let's change into our shoes and head over to the staff room."
As we reached the shoe locker, I suddenly realized something. I had a nagging feeling I forgot something… It turned out I had forgotten to bring my indoor shoes. I threw away my old ones from the previous school, so now I have to buy new ones.
In the meantime, Summer and I changed into guest slippers and made our way to the staff room. It was on the first floor of the school building, and thanks to Jasper's directions, we found it quickly.
"Well, my job here is done. I'll see you later in class!"
"Hmm? Oh, okay."
It suddenly hit me that there's only one class. For a moment, I thought I had somehow glimpsed the future all the way to Anywhere.
"Let's go, big brother."
"Yeah."
*
The first-day self-introduction is a crucial moment; it shapes first impressions and sets the tone for future relationships. One misstep here could doom my school life before it even begins.
"..."
Right now, I'm waiting in the hallway. The homeroom teacher is wrapping up the morning announcements and mentioning the new transfer student, so I should be called in soon.
"—Okay then, Fukanagi-kun. You can come in."
Here we go. Time to make my mark. I'm ready to unleash a cool city-style introduction that will leave the others in awe—not even the most seasoned guys can compete. Prepare to be impressed by my super cool intro.
"Yes."
As I swung the door open and stepped into the classroom, I felt every gaze instantly turn to me. Standing in front of the teacher's desk, I finally take in the faces of my classmates. Among them is Jasper, who discreetly waved at me so no one else would notice.
"Alright, would you like to introduce yourself?"
The moment has finally arrived. Here we go... let the show begin.
"HEAR ME, PEASANTS!"
In an instant, every sound in the class vanished.
"I am Shuhei Fukanagi! Due to my parents' whims, I've been banished to this town! No need to pity me! I look forward to being a part of this class and getting along with all of you!"
She tossed her hair back and flashed a smile that seemed designed to charm everyone.
"..."
"..."
The class was utterly silent.
Not a single clap. Hesitantly, I glanced at our teacher, only to find him silently turning away.
"Hey, Ethan? Is that how city folk greet each other?"
The only one who responded was Jasper.
"Jasper! What did I do wrong this time in Anywhere?!"
"Haha. It's everything, right from the start."
As he laughed, his cruel words sank in, and I realized the gravity of my mistakes. I wanted to strangle the part of me that thought I could win everyone over with this.
"Um... Funagi-kun? Your seat is next to Weatherby, so why don't you go ahead and sit?"
"... Yes."
Ah… it's over. This last year of high school. My dear sister, Summer, I fervently hope you haven't made the same mistakes I have.
Meanwhile, Summer was off in her own world.
"Listen up, my loyal subjects! Your master's name is Funagi Summer!!"
Yes, we were both making quite the spectacle.
*
A transfer student—
When one of these arrives in class, it's a given that the day will turn into a festive affair. Back when I was in the city, our class went wild when a new student joined. We gathered around them during every break, and lunchtime turned into a battleground over which group would sit with the transfer student. After school? A full-blown riot was inevitable. Yet…
"...How did it come to this?" I sat at my desk, cradling my head in my hands. Well, to be precise, Jasper, who was feeling pity for my miserable state, was sitting next to me. Honestly, I felt bad for him.
"...I think it just ended up this way," Jasper said.
"I think so too," chimed in a voice. "That was way too much for a country bumpkin to handle."
"Jasper, please. Give me back my rosy school life."
"Impossible. What's done is done."
"Yeah, you're right."
It was currently after school. My classmates were glancing at me from a distance, but no one dared to approach. What? Lunch? Summer and I had a delightful meal together—what's your problem with that?
"...By the way, where's that friend of Jasper's you mentioned yesterday? Are they anywhere around?"
"I think they're right next to Ethan," Jasper replied.
"That's me! It's me!"
"..."
I turned to where Jasper was pointing and only found a girl who resembled a flat soda—no one else was around.
"Sorry, Jasper. I don't have any psychic abilities, so I can't see that kind of presence."
"Huh? That's strange. I feel like I'm being treated really poorly for a first meeting," Jasper said with a mock pout.
I might need to see a psychiatrist; I could swear I was hearing things. "My friend is a real person," she said. "Here, let me introduce Autumn."
I had the girl who had been sitting next to me stand in front of me.
"This is Oakley Kabane. I'm a human, not a ghost~"
My first impression was, "Is she okay?" She seemed so relaxed that I felt she might float away like a soap bubble at any moment. Her soft crimson hair was wavy and fluffy, while her round, dark irises stared at me, revealing nothing of her thoughts. I sensed she was a bit of an enigma.
"I've been friends with Autumn since our first year of high school. I think she's exactly the kind of girl Ethan imagines, so be nice to her," Jasper said.
"Hi there. I'm Shuuhei Fuunagi, the idiot who messed up on the first day of school. I'd be happy if you'd befriend me!"
"Yay! Nice to meet you~. It would make me happy if you called me by my name?"
"Alright then, Kabane. I need to ask you right away, what was wrong with my self-introduction?"
"Everything?"
"Got it. So this is what they call a generation gap."
"I don't think that's it…"
After finishing my introduction, I took a look around the classroom. It was already after school, and though some time had passed, most of my classmates were still hanging around.
"It's a boring town, you see. When everyone goes home, there's nothing to do," Jasper explained as if reading my mind.
A town with no entertainment to speak of. For students, it must be incredibly dull.