The high school I attended, Kaihin High, was a public school located in Kaihin Mihama City, an academic city with two universities, one to the east and one to the west. Its academic ranking was slightly above average. Most students commuted by train or bicycle, but I took the bus.
The city passing by my window that afternoon was brimming with the sparkle of youth. University couples, groups of high school students… The average age around here was remarkably low. Everything was bright, dazzling, and glittering. On a day like this, just looking at it, all was enough to bring my mood down.
“Maybe I should just abandon everything and ride this bus all the way to the last stop…”
My muttered words startled the middle-aged man standing beside me.
Sorry. I apologized silently. I’m sorry for suddenly saying something so depressing. Talking to myself is a bad habit. Please forgive me.
“Seriously, though, she’s really beautiful! Our vice president!”
“That beautiful? You’re exaggerating a little, aren’t you?”
“No way! You’ll understand as soon as you see her. She’s like an actress or something. She could totally star in a historical drama.”
A lively voice came from the seats behind me. I peeked over discreetly and saw that the speakers were wearing the same school uniform as I was. Their ribbon ties were the same deep red as mine, which meant they were first-year students at Kaihin High.
Actually, they were probably my classmates. Their faces seemed vaguely familiar, though I couldn’t be sure.
It had been exactly two weeks since the entrance ceremony, and I still couldn’t match most of my classmates’ names to their faces. It wasn’t so much a problem with my memory as it was a lack of interest and opportunities to interact with them.
“Huh?”
I thought one of the girls had made eye contact with me, so I quickly lowered my head.
“Isn’t that Sako standing up there?”
“Huh? Where?”
I slid discreetly behind the middle-aged man’s rather ample belly. He gave me a suspicious look.
I’m really sorry.
“She’s gone. You know, Sako is really cute… but she always run… and you can never ta-…”
“Ahh, I see.”
The noise inside the bus drowned out the rest of their conversation, making it impossible to understand what they were saying.
What would a normal person do in this situation? Would they at least give their classmates a little nod? Or would a more sociable person take the initiative, walk over, and strike up a conversation?
I was neither of those people. I simply kept my head down and pretended I hadn’t noticed them.
Because getting involved with other people was terrifying.
Teasing someone or being teased. Trying to one-up others or being one-upped. Joining a group or getting kicked out of one. Trusting people, only to be betrayed.
I’d had more than enough of all that.
Healthy group life was simply too much for me to handle. I wanted to live like air, unnoticed by everyone, walking through life alone without having to deal with anyone.
I knew my mental fortitude was pretty pathetic.
The only reason I’d managed to make it this far in life was my beloved room. Yes, my own personal sanctuary had protected my fragile heart from the world.
Ahhhhhhh!
“That all comes to an end today…”
I opened my chat history with Mom and looked at it again.
There was a single photo she’d sent me earlier that afternoon. It showed my room, transformed beyond recognition by the moving crew.
A closet crammed full of clothes. A huge Yogibo beanbag cushion I’d never seen before. Mysterious personal belongings. A large, imposing full-length mirror.
And most importantly, two study desks placed side by side.
Starting today, this would be a shared bedroom.
Mine and the room of the child belonging to my mother’s new husband, Masataka Kujo.
“Uuugh…”
My stomach twisted painfully.
I’d already met Masataka Kujo, my mother’s new husband, beforehand. He was gentle-spoken and mild-mannered. Since he was someone my mother had chosen, I had no reason to object to their remarriage in the first place.
The problem was his child.
Starting today, she… yes, his child was a girl… would be living in my room.
I was a high school student now, after all. If my new step-sibling had been a boy, we would surely have been given separate rooms, even if that meant moving to another house.
But, for better or worse, the child was a girl. And my room was reasonably spacious. Spacious enough, at least, for two children to somehow manage to live in it.
Sharing a room with a complete stranger.
In other words, communal living.
Naturally, I’d protested with all my might. I’d earnestly explained to Mom just how important personal space was.
But she’d brushed me off with, “It’ll be fine, it’ll be fine! It’ll be just like a school trip. It’ll be fun!”
And just like that, my fate as a roommate had been sealed.
If it really was going to be like a school trip, then it sounded like pure hell to me…
I still knew almost nothing about her beyond her name and age.
We hadn’t even met face-to-face yet. Well, that was mostly because I’d kept making excuses to avoid it.
Her name was Mito Kujo.
She was a fourteen-year-old girl in her third year of junior high school.
And starting today, I’d be living with my mysterious new stepsister.
“Uuuuuugh…”
Couldn’t I somehow cheat my way out of this?
At this point, I’d be willing to live in a corner of the hallway by myself. It might be a little rough during the summer, but I honestly thought I’d rather endure a room temperature of thirty-four degrees Celsius than share my bedroom with someone.
No? Of course not. That wouldn’t work.
The announcement for my nearest bus stop came over the speakers.
I sighed and slipped my phone into my skirt pocket.
Come to think of it, Mom had said she was going to convert my current bed into a bunk bed. But in the photo, it was still a regular single-level bed. Was a furniture crew supposed to come later? No, surely they wouldn’t have enough time for that.
By the time I’d finished worrying about it, I’d arrived home.
Trembling with apprehension, I opened the front door and stepped inside. Mom and Masataka were preparing dinner in the kitchen.
“Meno, welcome home!”
“Hello, Meno. Welcome back.”
My impression of Masataka hadn’t changed since our first meeting. He was the sort of man who looked like a university professor, especially in his autumn-colored summer knitwear.
In reality, he worked for a government agency and apparently had an incredibly demanding schedule. He’d met Mom, who worked as a freelance designer, through his job. Since Mom was also passionate about her work, I supposed the two of them were a good match.
“Once again, I look forward to getting along with you.”
“Ah, y-yes. Likewise…”
I somehow managed to return the greeting, then looked around the living and dining area.
His daughter didn’t seem to be here.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t noticed any extra shoes by the entrance.
As if anticipating my question, Masataka spoke up.
“I’m sorry, but Mito is coming straight here from school. She should be arriving soon.”
“Oh? I wonder if Mito-chan knows how to find our house.”
The neighborhood was lined with newly built detached houses, and they all looked pretty much alike. Even with the address, it would be easy to get lost.
Masataka stopped arranging the dishes.
“That’s true. In that case, I’ll go and meet her.”
“Oh, no need. We can just have whoever’s free take care of it.”
Mom turned to look at me.
Huh?