Monday was finally here and the birds chirping the morning slowly woke me from my rest. My mind was groggy as I lifted my head. I looked at the clock, and it seemed I woke up a few minutes before my alarm. So, I turned it off and sat up in my bed.

“So-chan…”

Her name was first on my mind. Last night, we had a chat about her sister… rejecting the truth of her feelings. Sophia-chan is broken up and lost over what to do. I… am not sure if me going to see Taylor-sensei today will change anything, but…

To help my friend…

And be there for my partner…

 

 

I decided that this was what I had to do after school today. Taylor-sensei has always wanted to have a fairytale romance. This world is too cruel for that to be possible. So, I want to ease her pain just like she did for me once it was over and she realized that the world isn't as pleasant as it is in the books we read.

As if there was a force that wanted to string us along, give us hope only to crash it down upon us. I felt that Taylor-sensei and I were alike in that way. My feelings for Mari-san stemmed from how I felt about her in the past. They amplified by how I still felt about her in the present. However, with everything that happened recently, I know that my feelings aren't something that is found in fairytales. My feelings caused pain and suffering, which is the reality that I have to deal with.

“It’ll be okay… for the both of us, Taylor-sensei.”

If she wasn’t in today, I was that I was going to go to her home and speak with her there. Determined, I got up from my bed and walked over to my closet. Today, I was going to mark this as a new start. Christmas was coming up soon and then New Year’s. If I remember right, my friends wanted to do something special for Christmas, and maybe… just maybe, this would be the perfect time for me to do what Saya-san asked me to.

That is… to open my heart and allow myself to grow and change. That way, I won't be stuck in the past…

That way… I won’t be like my mom, avoiding the truth of things.

I will become my own person, and comforting Taylor-sensei in her time of need is a perfect start. After getting dressed, I walked downstairs. Surprisingly, Mary-san wasn’t awake yet, so I decided to put my cooking skills to good use. I was going to make something simple for breakfast. Miso soup, rice, and meat that was easy. Probably ground beef. As I looked into the refrigerator, I found a package of ground beef just as I expected.

“There we go.”

I whispered as I began my steal cooking mission. I added the stock and let it simmer. There was a trick I learned online yesterday before I went to bed. I watched a few professionals make delicious miso soup. I wanted to add that blend in there to try and impress Mary-san.

“Hm?”

I stopped myself as the water was boiling in front of me. Strangely, I wanted to impress Mary-san with my cooking. Maybe it was because she fed me all these delicious dishes since I got here… and that I want to try and thank her by offering her something of equal gratitude. Or maybe it was because I realized that she had vital senses when it came to cooking, and I wanted to show her that I'm just as skilled…

I didn't know what was rummaging through my heart. But one thing was sure out of everything…

I wanted to thank Mary-san for being so understanding and hospitable to me during my hard times.

I…. wanted to show her how thankful I was.

After around thirty minutes of cooking, I heard the tender footsteps of my roommate. She gently walked down the steps and entered the kitchen a tad surprised.

“Oh, good morning, Mary-san.”

She looked around, seeing the plate of food I made for the both of us. As I decided, Miso soup and rice with ground beef. Everything was steaming like a mist from a hot spring. The smell had a pleasing aroma that tenderly touched our noses. I… did my best to make sure this was a perfect breakfast.

“Madoka-san, you didn’t have to do this.”

Despite her saying that Mary-san smiled as she approached the table. She rubbed her cheek and confessed something I wasn’t expecting.

“It’s… be a while since someone made breakfast for me.”

I smiled back, but inside, I could only imagine how lonely she felt. Mary-san has been alone for a while, and this morning… might have struck something in her. Gently, she pulled the chair and sat down as I set the plate in front of her.

She was too surprised to even start.

“Mary-san, why did you move to Japan?”

I asked as I sat across from her. She seemed to not have many friends here, and I wasn’t sure if it was only for Uncle Ryuji. After tasting her meal, her eyes lowered.

“This is amazing, Madoka-san.”

She started before turning back to me.

"And for your question… there's an associate's job for modeling that was offered to me. The company is based out of Hiroshima, Japan, and I'll be starting in January."

She kicked her feet as she sipped her miso soup. She reminded me of a queen, elegantly going about her meal. Mary-san was undoubtedly a highlight in every situation, someone I adored watching the more I got to know her.

“My Visa would be running out at the end of this month. Thankfully, because Ryuji has good connections, they pushed it out until I can get my job.”

She sighed.

“I…. just wish your uncle was around more, Madoka-san.”

My aunt admitted as she bit at her rice. She was like a dove that was separated from her own. Mary-san isolates herself within this large house in a land that she's not used to. Mary-san is like a princess. She wishes for the person she's fallen in love with to come and let her out of the cage.

"Yeah… I wish Ryuji would come home more too."

We ate our meal silently for a bit before I perked up.

“Oh, ah… Mary-san. I might be going over to a friend's house after school.”

I stated. I wasn't asking Mary-san's permission, just informing her. She nodded as she finished her bowl of rice.

“What time do you think you’ll be back?”

“Maybe around… 8 PM. I know it’s a bit late, but I have something important to talk to her about. If I plan not to go, I'll message you later."

I laid out what I was going to do. Again, I wasn’t asking as this was something I needed to get done. And as it stood, Mary-san wasn't my mom or parent. I was just living with her until things were settled, and I wanted to make sure I kept that apparent.

“Sure, that’s fine with me.”

She nodded.

“However Madoka-san, as a woman… You should always tell people where you are going. It's to be safe."

She explained.

“I don’t want to sound preachy, but it’s okay to be independent. However, you have to know how to get yourself safe to be a woman. To do that, it's best people always know who you will be with In case of emergencies.”

I was taken aback by her assertive nature. I take it she knew my feelings and… respectfully, she’s treating me like a woman, as an adult, by allowing me to do what I need. However, she was worried enough about me to show me the proper way of… being an adult.

“I… I want to go to my friend, Linda Taylor-san’s house.”

I thought about the nurse in pain.

"She's having a hard time with her relationships… and I promised I'd catch up with her."

Mary-san smiled.

“You’re such a thoughtful person, Madoka-san. Sure, if you plan to go over to her place, let me know.”

At that, she stood up and took her plate to the sink.

"I'll do the dishes. Get ready to leave. You might actually be running late. It takes around  10 minutes to get to the station from here.”

I popped up like a jack in the box, put my bag around my shoulder, and nodded.

“Ah, right! See you later, Mary-san!”

I cried as I rushed out the door. My feet bounced on the steps as I hit the sidewalk with vigor. The air was fresh. Life felt a bit new as I began my trek to school. As if I was officially starting new, slowly becoming the person I wanted to be, I walked briskly towards the train station.

"I don't want to be late for the train."

I murmured as I looked at my phone. The air was cool but wasn’t too cold. There was a nice layer of mist on the ground, but I liked its feel. I knew that today might turn out to be a difficult one. With Taylor-sensei's broken heart and Sophia-san’s struggling emotions…

But I knew… If anyone could help mend their broken hearts, it was me, the one who promised to be there for both of them.

"I can do this…."

I whispered as I checked the train schedule. Before bed, I checked it the previous day, but I wanted to make sure my timing was right. I had twenty or so minutes before the train arrived as I expected. At this rate, I would make it there in around eight minutes, giving me that balance to wait patiently for it, so I don't feel rushed.

“Hmm…”

My hand was empty, and I was missing… my little sister. So, I brought out my phone again and made sure I got a message in.

[Tell everyone to have a good day, Hana-chan.]

I shot her the message before turning back to the sidewalk. Hopefully, that would brighten her day because I won't be there to walk her to school. As expected, the message came back in less than a minute.

[I told everyone, Onee-chan! Have a great day too!]

She sounded so bubbly in the message, but I know Hana-chan was more reserved than what my mind was imagining. My mental image was my Hana-chan in a poppy idol costume, giving me the cutest poses. I… found myself imagining this for a while as I made my way to the train station.

“Nakagawa-san!”

I turned towards the street to the right of me. There, Takade-san and Saya-san were walking my way. I completely forgot that Saya-san and Takade-san would ride the same train as me because we live near each other. Excitedly, she raced over, stopped at my feet, and wagged her non-existent tail at me.

“So cool to have you join us!”

Takade-san screamed as she turned to Saya-san.

“Calm down, Saki-chan. It’s too early for all that yelling.”

Suddenly, Saya-san wrapped her arms around Takade-san’s hips and pulled her closer to her.

 

 

“Ehhhh!”

She screamed louder. I was afraid that we'd get scolded for being so excited this morning. I put my head down slightly as I looked away, hoping if anyone was watching, I wouldn't be seen as the culprit of all the noise.

“S-Saya-senpai! I-it’s too soon!”

Despite her pleads, Saya-san pushed her closer to her and began walking.

“You’re warm with all your excitement. I’m freezing here. Let me hold you for a bit, Saki-chan.”

Saya-san explained as she took the lead with her… body warmer. I caught up to them and walked to the side. Takade-san was in the middle, Saya-san held her hips on the side, and I… walked like the third wheel I was in this situation.

“It’s nice to have you join us, Madoka-san. My sister was talking to me all night about your date.”

Takade-san jumped up, but Saya-san pulled her closer to her. Coyly, she looked over at me.

“Y-You had a date with Risa-san?!”

I could see the world being created in her eyes as she concluded everything in her mind.

"That means we're sisters-in-law?!"

“Eh… not quite yet, Takade-san.”

I found myself petting her on the head. She purred like a cat before opening those bright pink eyes at me.

“Hey, you like older women, Madoka-san?!”

“Eh?”

I was put on the spot, and it was way too early for her to get me going like this. My morning went from pleasant with Hana-chan holding my head to a circus in only a few days with Takade-san and Saya-san.

“Hey, don’t patronize her, Saki-chan! Do I have to punish you?”

The devil said as she pulled her closer to her. At this rate, Takade-san would pop as her face turned bright red like a balloon. She swirled in bliss at all the attention Saya-san was giving her. It… indeed showed me that Takade-san had feelings for the girl who entrapped her in a hip lock like this.

“Punish me, Saya-senpai!”

She screamed. A few residents doing their morning rounds like checking their mail, tending to their yard, and such turned our way. I… instantly felt embarrassed and began rushing to the train station.

“Eh? Nakagawa-san, wait for us!”

Takade-san’s volume was two hundred percent, and I don't believe she noticed it. She had super high blood pressure for the morning… and it made me giggle out of embarrassment and a slight ting of happiness.

Once we reached the train station, we were early as I had planned. Together, we all three waited for our ride to pick us up. As we waited there, I felt like someone was staring at me. That knawing feeling that eyes were digging into my back. So, I looked around and to my surprise, someone was actually there. She was gazing at me hesitantly. When we connected eyes, she looked away. 

"Hm..."

Confused, I looked away, back towards the train tracks. It was then I heard small footsteps approaching me.

“Oh, hey… O-Onee-san, can I ask you something?”

I turned to see that young girl with dark hair approaching me. She looked to be slightly younger than a first-year in high school. I took it that she might have been a middle schooler. Unsure why she called me out, I was on the defense as she approached.

“Oh?! Is this a confession?!”

Takade-san whispered in a thunderous voice. Saya-san shushed her for good reason as they turned away. I rubbed the back of my head as I turned back to the mysterious girl.

“Can I help you?”

 

 

I asked. The raven-haired girl wore a yellow and white uniform that I'd seen before. It was from a new coed school for the moderately wealthy. If I recall right, the school's name was Endo middle school. When I was looking at schools in the area, this was one of the places that came up. Clearly, I wasn't going to be going there, but I made a mental note of the school because of the cute uniforms.

The raven-head put one hand on her hip and looked me over.

“I couldn’t help but notice, isn’t that a magenta scarf?”

I rubbed my scarf, confirming if this was what she was talking about.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Her eyes shined as she looked at my neck.

“And that’s a necklace from Magenta too, right?!”

It was then she started circling me. I was getting a bit overstimulated by all of this sudden attention. Before I could open my mouth, the train pulled into the station. Mountains of people loaded in and out. There we stood in the crowd. Her bright blue eyes captivated me. As I looked her over, I noticed that this person was quite striking. She looked to be a rich girl with a  fashion sense in every word aspect.

“Yeah, you… know your fashion, don’t you?”

She rubbed the back of her head.

“I just recently got into all the latest stuff. I just noticed how you wear it and was curious about it. Sorry for being so forward, Onee-san.”

Together, we walked on the train. When I approached Saya-san and Takade-san… they were in a very compromising position. Saya-san was sitting on a seat. There was a person next to her, so… Takade-san sat on top of her senpai. I believe this was illegal on the train, but... I didn't bring it up.

“Ah… aren’t you both embarrassed?”

“She’s keeping me warm, Madoka-san.”

Takade-san looked up at me with tears of joy in her eyes.

“My senpai’s lap is warm.”

I chose to ignore them as best as I could. Turning back to the middle schooler. The dark-haired girl was confused as she looked at the two of them.

“Anyway…”

She said, turning back to me.

"Again, sorry for being so forward, but… you stuck out to me with all your merch."

Slightly, she bowed.

“My name is Higashi Sakura, and I go to the Kenjo Middle school.”

As I expected, I bowed next.

"That's a great school, I heard. Ah, my name is Nakagawa Madoka. It's nice to meet you, Higashi-san.”

She flipped her hair a tad proudly as she put her hand on my hips.

“I’ve never seen you on this train before. Are you new?”

I shrugged.

"No, I moved recently, but I'm going to the same school as… those two."

I glanced over, and Saya-san was reading a book, arms wrapped around Takade-san. The latter was humming as she swung her body back and forth. I swear I could see music notes popping from her head like something out of a manga.

“Listen, Onee-san… Ah, Nakagawa-san.”

I looked back at Higashi-san, who was a tad shorter than me.

“Do you like fashion?”

She asked, a tad cautiously.

“Yeah, I follow all the latest trends.”

I bounced in excitement. I thought about all the hours I've spent surfing my phone and computer just looking at fashion I couldn't afford. Thankfully, I wasn't an impulse buyer, or all of my hard work at the Red Roses would be to buy things I'd never wear. But when I did buy new things, I ensured it would go along with many outfits. That's the true meaning of being a fashionista. Nobody even realizes that you are using the same items to create something stylish, the ability to design your outfits.

Excitedly, she put her hand on her hip and took out her phone.

“I just started to really get into the newest fashions. Ah… would you look at a few articles with me?”

She pushed out her lips. It reminded me of something Hana-chan would do.

“I… don't know where to start. And many of my friends are more into other things… than this kind of stuff."

Before I knew it, I went from a regular high school student to a fashion mentor.

“Sure. Let’s see what we have here.”

“Wow, really?! I can’t believe this!”

She giggled.

“To think I just happen to spot you coming to the train station. This is… like destiny or some crap!”

Tenderly, she poked around on her phone.

"I was looking at this one for a while, but everyone I asked didn't have a good answer for me."

She showed me an outfit that’s just hit the line last fall… around the time I woke up from my coma. It was a dark autumn tone, and it was made to be worn on dates primarily in the evening. It was a dark coat and a skirt that stopped right before the thighs. A tad mature for someone her age, in my opinion. And that was coming from someone who wanted to be more mature.

“Hm, where do you plan to wear this?”

I asked.

"Oh? Ah… may be out with friends or… a date or something?"

She coughed, and I could see she was out of her element. I bent down with my phone.

"It's a nice outfit, and I'm sure it would look good on you… but maybe you might be looking for something that you can wear more often. That's more of a specialty look.”

I explained to her the differences between the outfits in the catalogs. How to determine what’s coming off as gaudy and what is perfect for the occasion. Mentally, I began dressing my new kohai into the latest fashions. With Higashi-san's dark hair and blue eyes, something that brought out the color of her eyes would be the best starting place.

Eventually, after looking around, I settled on a baby blue cardigan with a white dress. The bright colors would compliment her dark hair, and a bit of blush would make her stand out amongst the girls.

“Oh, that’s a good one, Nakagawa-san!”

The train pinged, and Higashi-san jumped up.

“This is my stop! I-I have to go!”

Before I could say anything, she rushed out the door. Suddenly, she turned back around and screamed.

“Ah! I forgot! I-I wanted to trade-“

The doors shut on her, and as fast as she came, the train rode away, and she was gone.

“Hm… I’ve seen that girl around quite a lot.”

Saya-san admitted as she looked at me. Her head was peeking out from behind Takade-san’s back suspiciously. I couldn’t imagine how her legs felt with that much weight being her on thighs for this long.

“You know Higashi-san?”

I asked. Saya-san shook her head awkwardly. It was so mechanical and strange that I wasn't sure what she was even doing. Her motions felt off… and that only added to the strangeness of this chat.

"Nope. I didn't even know her name until you mentioned it, Madoka-san. That girl would usually ride the train alone in the mornings."

Saya-san hugged Takade-san tighter as she continued.

"She'd just look at her phone most days. It… was kind of nice seeing her smile, I guess."

Saya-san snickered and turned to the side.

“You must have really caught her eye, Madoka-san. Always decked out in cool fashionable things.”

I scratched my cheek as I turned to the side. This morning was already a rollercoaster. To think that I'd help a younger girl with a blooming fashion sense. She tried to say something before the doors shut as I thought about her, but I didn't know what. So, instead of letting it get to me, I held onto the bar, waiting for our stop to come.

Eventually, the train arrived, and Saya-san jumped up. Takade-san stumbled forward as her dream shattered instantly.

 

“Wow, I’m way too hot now.”

Saya-san complained in a joking tone. She was the first one out, and I followed next.

Takade-san, still in a daze, followed behind as we made our way to school.