Chapter 10

"Ah, good morning, Shin. Are you leaving so soon? You should at least eat something before you go."

"Ugh... Good morning, Onii-chan... I slept too much... I can't remember anything... I think I forgot something important..."

It was a typical morning scene. My stepmother sighed as she looked at my stepsister. I bowed as usual and was about to leave the living room—when I stopped.

—I am a minor. If we proceed with the book publication, I need my parents' consent.

"What's wrong?"

My stepmother, who looked young for her age, tilted her head. I usually leave the living room right away.

I closed my eyes for a moment, recalling my stepmother's past words.

"—Perverts... I can't even speak about it."

"It doesn't matter if it's just a rumor. In this world, even if you didn't do it, it can become a fact."

"Please, don't cause any trouble. Another violent incident?"

"You just helped a classmate? But there's no one to testify for you."

"Father, don't interfere! You haven't raised us at all!"

"Don't cause trouble for the family—"

She is not a bad stepmother. She is just an ordinary stepmother. She has to deal with unpleasant mom friends and diligently handle housework and child-rearing. She wants to do everything perfectly. She doesn't want to be told by mom friends that she made a mistake in raising her children. Her pride won't allow it.

My stepmother's righteous words can corner people. They exhaust the heart. There is no place to run. She might not understand it herself, but I, my stepsister, and my father know it.

"Say it clearly. Don't mope around."

She can't imagine what would happen if I told her that I write novels and want to publish them.

"No, it's nothing. I'm going now."

Even though my body has grown, I am still a minor. I am a child. I have no social credibility.

—Today is the day to meet Sae. There is still time. I'll think about it at school.

"Onii-chan!! Goodbye!! Mochi!!"

My stepsister suddenly shouted, making me flinch. Something flew over and I caught it without dropping it.

She usually says she will go with me, but today she is seeing me off?

"Ah, mochi? Haruka, are you going to school? Don't be late."

My stepsister, in her pajamas, with jam and food crumbs around her mouth, waved goodbye with a big smile. She was waving her hands wildly.

I opened the front door and went outside without a second thought. A loud voice came from inside.

"Mom!! Onii-chan, Onii-chan, he was worried about me!!"

Is that so? I just said it without thinking. I started walking, trying to push my stepsister out of my mind. I bit into the mochi while thinking about the plot of the latest chapter.

---

"Anyway, the two problem children in our class. Did you guys become friends?"

After the homeroom meeting, Shinzaka and I were called to the staff room. We hadn't done anything wrong, but I never liked the staff room. I was called there many times in middle school and scolded.

"We're not friends."

"Damn, that's not true."

The teacher ignored our objections and continued.

"I see, well, it doesn't matter. You guys are stubborn. I'm not going to tell you to behave or not to cause trouble. I'm just your homeroom teacher, after all. But I am a close adult outside of your family. I can give you some advice."

"I don't get it. What are you trying to say?"

Shinzaka frowned. I couldn't understand the teacher's intention either. The teacher continued while drinking tea.

"---This world is full of injustice. School is a microcosm of society. I won't tell you to make friends or to get along with your classmates. Just find someone, even one person, you can truly trust."

Did the teacher call us here to scold us? To warn us about the bad rumors from middle school?

I frowned.

"Teacher, I'm sorry, but if you trust someone, they will betray you."

"Yeah, that's right. If you're going to be betrayed in the end, you don't need friends."

The teacher threw a candy to Shinzaka and me. We caught it without hesitation.

"Hehe, nostalgic... It would be nice if you could find someone you can trust, even if they betray you—"

The teacher had a calm expression. Was he reminiscing about a distant memory? I don't know much about him, but I was a little intrigued. I rarely see someone with that kind of expression.

"Even if they betray you?"

"What, I don't get it."

Shinzaka and I looked at each other, confused.

"Idiot! Don't look at me!"

"No, no, Shinzaka, I'm not looking."

The teacher started organizing the papers on his desk, signaling the end of the conversation.

"Alright, you're dismissed. Get out. And don't skip the field trip. If you do, I'll give you a failing grade."

The teacher, back to his usual self, kicked us out with those words.

---

We left the staff room. The sound of club activities could be heard from a distance. It was the atmosphere after school.

We looked at each other without saying a word. The conversation didn't seem meaningless.

"Ultimately, he said not to skip the field trip? I don't get it..."

"Yeah, what was that all about?"

Both Pomeko and I felt something from the teacher, but we couldn't put it into words. Pomeko seemed to want to say something to me.

"Hey, Nyan—"

Pomeko stopped speaking. Someone else's voice interrupted.

"Um... Shin? Is that you? It's been a while. Hey, I've always wanted to talk to you—"

I turned around. In front of Pomeko, a plain-looking girl stood, trembling. She had her hands on her chest and a sad expression on her face.

I tilted my head.

"Who are you?"

I had no memory of her. She was a girl I didn't recognize. Was she in my class? If so, I should remember her. She was plain but objectively cute. I wasn't interested, though.

The girl looked shocked.

"No, no... Don't be mean. I'm Kozuki. I haven't changed at all..."

I thought Pomeko was going to the food court alone, but she was leaning against the wall in the hallway. I looked at the girl's face more closely. Was this Kozuki? I had no memory of her. I had tried to forget her when I deleted the data on my phone.

A fake smile appeared on my face.

"Kozuki, it's been a while. Excuse me."

"Shin, it wasn't a fake confession! I really liked you and confessed, but my friends were joking around. Hey, can't we start over? I still... like you—"

"Excuse me, it was a penalty game, right?"

"Ah, yeah... but—"

"Then we weren't dating. We weren't even friends. You were laughing at me, right?"

What's wrong? Usually, I could brush it off, but I couldn't this time. My heart was still empty. It still didn't resonate with anything.

But I didn't like it.

—Having this conversation in front of Pomeko.

I couldn't suppress my feelings. I wanted to deny it, even though I should have just brushed it off.

"Sorry! So, can we go to the aquarium and the movies that we missed? Please!!"

I whispered one sentence.

"—It's too late now..."

A simple sentence, but it contained all my current feelings. Still, Kozuki pressed on.

"I didn't like it either! But I had to maintain my friendships... Can't you show a little sympathy? It wasn't just you; I was also pitiful—"

Ah, this girl thinks she is the most important.

She is drunk on her own pity—

I couldn't have imagined it from her plain appearance, but she might be more troublesome than Saito, Miyazaki, or even my stepsister.

"Don't get cocky just because you've become a little cooler! Hic, hic"

I wanted to leave this place quickly. Kozuki, crying, tried to hug me. I didn't want to touch her at all. I don't want any more misunderstandings or false accusations.

"Hey, that's enough. Shinjo, I have to discuss the field trip with you. Back off."

Pomeko stepped in between us?

"Mmm... Who are you? I'm talking to Shin now!"

"Huh? That's strange. You interrupted our conversation. So you're the outsider. —Move."

Pomeko calmly and firmly told Kozuki.

"Ah, stop it..."

Pomeko sighed and relaxed her shoulders. She suddenly grabbed my hand. Not through the jacket, but directly.

"Shinjo, let's go."

"Ah, yeah."

We passed by Kozuki, who stopped crying as we walked by. I glanced back and saw her glaring at Pomeko with a terrifying expression.

Pomeko walked ahead of me with long strides. I couldn't see her face, but her neck was red. We ended up holding hands all the way to the shoe lockers.

We needed to let go to take off our shoes. Pomeko and I looked at each other and let go.

"---You'll be late for your sister's appointment, right? Damn, it's because Nyan-ta is so indecisive."

"No, you didn't hear the conversation, did you?"

"Yeah, she's a dangerous woman."

While putting on our shoes, Pomeko and I continued talking to hide our embarrassment.

"Come on, let's go."

"Ah..."

I looked at my hand. The warmth of another person lingered. It felt very fresh. I didn't dislike it.

We had let go of each other's hands. ...But for some reason, I felt like we were still holding hands.

Pomeko said in a teasing tone.

"Hehe, what? Do you want to hold hands?"

I shook my head slightly.

"It's okay, I'll refrain because Pomeko would be embarrassed."

"Damn you..."

We started walking towards the shopping center. It was different from usual.

We walked together, talking—