A new school term is about to start in a few day’s time. Miiko, who managed to pass her entrance exam splendidly, has moved in to my apartment to live with me three days ago. We had been splitting the house works between the two of us. Except laundry, for obvious reasons. I’ve purchased another bed so that the two of us don’t have to fight over who should sleep on the floor.

   Her parents promised to sent me money for Miiko’s share of food and rent. I wanted to refuse, but they’re having none of it.

   ‘You’re already taking care of Miiko for us. The least we could do is help you divide the burden on money.’ Uncle Toshiharu told me over the phone.

   ‘But-’

   ‘No buts.’ he cut me off. ‘You’re still a student. You should spend your hard-earned money for yourself. Besides, we can’t rely on your kindness just because we’re related. Unless it’s an emergency, a line should be drawn on how the money are spent.’

   Man, Uncle Toshiharu is such an awesome adult, unlike a certain someone that I’m ashamed to be related to.

   Today, someone has moved in to the empty apartment right next to ours. Miiko and I were just lazing around in our apartment when we start to hear the hustle and bustle coming from next door.

   ‘Let’s go say hello after they’ve settled down, Takuya onii-chan.’ Miiko tells me.

   ‘Do we really have to?’ I ask her dejectedly.

   ‘Oh come on! We have to be more friendly towards our neighbours!’

   ‘Look Miiko, this isn’t the countryside. People from the city don’t really appreciate random people talking to them for no apparent reasons.’

   ‘Geez, this is why you barely have any friends, onii-chan.’

   ‘I’m fine with that, thank you very much.’

   In the end, she talked me out of leaving our neighbour alone and go knock on their door. A girl around our age opens the door. Based on the timing of her moving in, I’m guessing that she’s going to a nearby high school when the new term starts.

   ‘May I help you?’ she asks us gruffly.

   The way she opens the door barely leaves any gap, so we could hardly see her face. Her eyes are narrowed in suspicion and her expression is ice cold. It’s like I’m looking at the human version of a cat.

   ‘The two of us are your neighbours. We’re just here to say hello.’ Miiko tells her in a friendly way.

   ‘Hello. Now please leave.’

   The girl proceeds to close the door. She’s acting exactly like I would act if a stranger comes knocking at my door. Unfortunately, Miiko is really bad at taking a hint, and she tries to pry open to door by force.

   ‘Please don’t be like that! We just want to talk to you for a while.’ she tells the girl.

   ‘Miiko, she’s clearing hating it. Just leave her alone.’ I whisper to my cousin. ‘And leave me out of it.’

   ‘He’s right. I’m not in the mood for small talks, right now or anytime in the future.’ the girls tells Miiko while doing her best to close the door on her.

   ‘Is anything the matter, Maya?’ a male’s voice suddenly comes from inside her apartment.

   ‘It’s nothing, father.’ the girl tells whoever that’s inside. ‘Just some overly-friendly neighbours.’

   ‘Well, just let them come in, then. You have to be more sociable to them, you know.’ her father tells her.

   ‘Your father is right. We won’t take long.’ Miiko insists.

   The girl called Maya gives up and opens up the door wide enough for us to come in. I freeze up the moment I saw who her father is.

   Do any of you remember the backstory I told Nagano? Or more specifically, the part where I said that my father tried to drug me so that his debt to a loan shark can be paid off? Well, the boss of that company is sitting in front of the dining table right now while wearing a business suit.

   He narrows his eyes in recognition when he saw me.

   ‘Have we met?’ he asks me.

   ‘Yes. Yes we did.’ I inform him.

   He decides to let it drop for now since Miiko and his daughter are with us. He gestures towards her, who hadn’t been maintaining eye contact with neither of us ever since we came in.

   ‘This is my daughter Amano Maya.’ he introduces her to us.

   ‘I can introduce myself just fine, father.’ Amano complains.

   ‘Remember the time when we went and visit one of my business partners? You straight up refused to even look at him.’ he reminds her.

   ‘That’s because I couldn’t stand him. He was totally trying to butter up me so that he could get more benefits from you. It’s different for this time.’

   ‘Well then, show me what you got.’

   Amano looks at us and nods.

   ‘Nice to meet you.’ she says to us .

   After she said that, she averts her eyes once again. Her father couldn’t help but do a facepalm.

   ‘You have a lot more to learn, my dear daughter.’ he mumbles.

   ‘It’s okay. You can take this one at a time.’ Miiko says to Amano patiently.

   ‘She just graduated middle school, and she’s going to Jindai this spring.’ he tells us in his daughter’s stead.

   ‘Really? So am I. We could go to school together everyday!’ Miiko tells Amano excitedly.

   Amano stares at her like she’s just been told that the end of the world is near.

   ‘By the way, my name is Ozawa Miiko. This is my cousin Bandou Takuya. He’s one year older than us.’ Miiko introduces herself and me to Amano.

   Amano nods as a way of greeting without looking at us.

   ‘Maya, why don’t you and Miiko-chan go and have a walk around the neighbourhood.’ Amano’s father suddenly suggests.

   Another look of despair from Amano. ‘Do I really have to?’

   ‘I want to have a talk with the young man, you see.’

   Perhaps sensing the seriousness of the tone of her father, Amano’s expression become serious as well, although still somewhat reluctant.

   ‘Alright. Take your time. We’ll be back in an hour or so.’

   Miiko walks over to Amano’s side and links their arms together like they had been friends since forever.

   ‘Let’s go~!’ she tells her way too cheerfully.

   ‘Is the arm-linking really necessary?’ Amano asks.

   ‘We wouldn’t want to get separated from each other, do we?’

   ‘We’re not outside yet.’ Amano points out bluntly. ‘Even if we are, I’m not that comfortable with this kind of thing.’

   ‘Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it soon.’

   ‘Hey, listen to me!’

   And off they go. It’s like poor Amano has to walk an overly energetic puppy.

   ‘Do sit down, young man.’ Maya’s father tells me once we’re alone.

   I do as he says and sits down right opposite him.

   ‘It’s been almost ten years, hasn’t it?’ he asks me.

   ‘Indeed it has, sir.’ I agree.

   ‘Time sure flies. I still remember that you were half your height now when my men took your father Bandou Takumi away.’

   ‘How is he, by the way?’

   ‘Still slaving around at one of the factories that I own to pay off the money he owes me. Based on his progress and the way he keeps on spending the rest of the money paid to him on pointless gambles, I’d say that he’ll never be a free man for the rest of his life. Unless his next of kin wants to help him out with the payment.’

   ‘I have no such plan.’ I tell him bluntly.

   ‘I thought not.’

   ‘To be honest, you’re doing the world a favor. Please take extra care so that he doesn’t escape. I don’t fancy inheriting his debts.’

   One thing about Japan’s inheritance law is that when a person is deemed to have passed away or disappeared from the face of earth, his or her next of kin will inherit every single property from that person, including the debt he or she owed to others.

   ‘You don’t have to worry about that. My men will chase him down to the end of the world if they have to.’ he guffaws.

   His expression suddenly turns serious. Even a bit apologetic.

   ‘I’ve been wanting to apologize to you, young man. It was a very close call for you. He told me that he had a way to get me the money, but never in my wildest dreams had I imagined that he would lay his hands on his own flesh and blood.’ he tells me.

   I raise my eyebrow in surprise.

   ‘That wasn’t your idea?’

   ‘Heavens, no! I’m a loan shark, not a human trafficker! Even someone like me have a conscience, you know? I would rather die than letting my daughter live on the fact that her father profits off human trafficking and other disgusting acts.’

   ‘I see that you’re being a good role model for her.’

   He chuckles. ‘I ain’t no dad of the year, but I can at least claim that I’m a better father than yours.’

   ‘That’s something both of us can agree on.’

   ‘She’s growing up to be a fine lady so far, but I wish she would choose a better career for herself.’

   ‘What kind of job does she has her eyes on?’

   ‘She’s planning to inherit my company.’

   ‘What’s wrong with that?’

   ‘Are you listening to yourself, young man? I did say I draw a line when collecting money from debtors, but being a loan shark isn’t a job you can be proud of.’

   I shrug. ‘Apparently, she disagrees.’

   ‘Her mother and I been trying to talk her out of it for years, but to no avail. I wish something can be done.’

   ‘Who knows? Maybe she’ll change her mind in the near future.’

   ‘I sure hope so. That’s why we want her to move away from our house and live alone. We’re trying to let her experience a different environment than the one she’s used to.’

   ‘And she’s fine with it?’

   ‘Not really. However, she’s mature enough to understand that she has to learn to be independent one of these days, which is why she agreed to move out of the house.’

   ‘Incidentally, where is her mother?’

   ‘Let’s just say the two of them had an argument last night. It’s best if they don’t see each other for a while.’

   As promised, Amano and Miiko came back from their walk after an hour or so. Amano looks absolutely exhausted. It’s like she had been working for two days straight.

   ‘That was really fun.’ Miiko tells her.

   ‘Let’s never do that again.’

   ‘Aww, but I haven’t even seen half of the neighbourhood yet.’

   ‘Not my problem.’

   Amano’s father gets up from his seat.

   ‘Well, I still have work to do, so I’m leaving right now.’ he tells us. ‘Take care of yourself, Maya. And don’t hesitate to ask help from Bandou-kun and Miiko-chan.’

   ‘Don’t worry sir, we’ll watch over her.’ Miiko assures him.

   ‘I can take care of myself just fine.’

   ‘There you go again! Aren’t we friends?’

   ‘No we’re not. We barely know each other.’

   Not long after Amano’s father has left, I had to drag Miiko back to our own apartment since she’s really getting on Amano’s nerves.

   ‘Do you really know Maya-chan’s father, Takuya onii-chan?’ she asks me all of a sudden after we’re back.

   ‘You can say that.’

   ‘How did the two of you met?’

   ‘Can you keep a secret?’

   She was taken aback by my sudden question.

   ‘Is it something you’ve never told others?’ she asks.

   ‘That’s right. After all, I’m not really proud of what I did.’

   ‘I won’t tell a soul about what you’re about to tell me.’ she assures me firmly.

   After getting her assurance, I told her about how we met. She gasped in horror as I was recounting on how I hit the back of my father’s head with a metal bat. By the time I was done, Miiko looks a bit pale.

   ‘I can’t believe Uncle Takumi would do such a thing.’

   ‘I can. That’s the kind of person he is, after all.’

   ‘So, Maya-chan’s father is actually a loan shark?’

   ‘That’s right. Are you having second thoughts on hanging out with her now?’

   She shakes her head without hesitating.

   ‘What her father does for a living has nothing to do with me wanting to be her friend. I’ve talked to her for a bit during our walk. Her desire to be left alone is a bit on the extreme side, but she’s actually very polite and kind. She really reminds me of you, Takuya onii-chan.’

   ‘I take it that you’re not going to leave her alone as per her request, then?’

   She grins. ‘Nope.’

   On the day of the new school term, I woke up earlier than usual to prepare breakfast for the two of us. After Miiko has woke up, she proceeds to brush her teeth and get changed into her new uniform worn by Jindai students. I do the same after I’m done with the cooking.

   ‘How do I look?’ she asks me while showing off her new high school uniform look.

   ‘You look very nice.’ I assure her.

   After we ate breakfast and cleaned up, we get prepared to go to school. A few days ago, I made sure to change my old bark blue shoes that I wore during my time as a first year to new blue shoes that second years wear.

   As we’re about to leave, however, Miiko is just standing by the door and putting her right ears on it.

   ‘What are you doing?’ I ask her.

   ‘Shh…’ she shushes me.

   After waiting for a while, I hear a very soft click coming from next door. Miiko takes the cue and charges out of our apartment.

   ‘Good morning Maya-chan~!’ she says loudly.

   ‘Gah, how did you know? To think I went through the trouble of closing the door really softly!’

   I go outside and find Miiko clinging on to Amano, with the latter trying to push the former away.

   ‘Good morning, Amano.’ I greet our neighbour calmly.

   She temporarily stops pushing Miiko’s face with her hand. ‘Oh, good morning Bandou-senpai. Can you please do something about this clingy cousin of yours?’

   ‘I won’t stop clinging you until you agree to go to school with us!’ Miiko tells her.

   ‘Fine, fine! I’ll do it!’ Amano finally relents. ‘Just stop clinging to me!’

   ‘Yay~!’

   After the shenanigan is over, we could finally head to Jindai.

   ‘I hope we’re in the same class.’ Miiko tells Amano along the way.

   ‘I don’t. It’s already bad enough that we’re neighbours, I can’t imagine my school life being peaceful with you as my classmate.’ Amano tells my cousin bluntly.

   Miiko isn’t fazed by Amano’s harsh word at all.

   ‘I know you’re just being shy.’

   ‘There’s just no talking to you, is there?’

   Miiko looks at me next. ‘Are you hoping to be the same class as your classmates from the previous year?’

   ‘Not one bit. I couldn’t care less who my classmates are. It doesn’t matter at all.’

   ‘Exactly. We’re going there to study, not make new friends.’ Amano agrees with me.

   ‘I’m really worried about the two of you.’

   Once we reach Jindai, we head to where the huge bulletin boards are to see which class we’re assigned to. I see Motozawa and his girlfriend Matsuda-san checking out the boards too. Looks like they passed the entrance exams as well. Once again, all the new students are giving Motozawa a wide berth. I walk forward and greet them both.

   ‘The two of you did well to pass your entrance exams. Well done.’ I tell them.

   The two of them bow at me politely.

   ‘We’ll be in your care from today onwards, Bandou-senpai.’ Motozawa tells me.

   ‘Um, of course.’

   Man. It feels so weird to be a senpai.

   ‘By the way Ozawa-san, the three of us are in the same class. Class 1-2.’ Matsuda-san informs Miiko.

   ‘Really? That’s wonderful! I sure hope Maya-chan is too.’

   ‘Again, leave me out of this.’

   ‘Maya-chan, they are Motozawa Keizo-san and Matsuda Enri-san. I met them when we were taking our entrance exams. Motozawa-san and Matsuda-san, she’s Amano Maya-chan. She’s our next door neighbour.’ Miiko introduces the three of them to each other.

   The three of them nods at each other politely.

   ‘Come on Maya-chan, let’s check which class you’re in!’ Miiko says to Amano.

   ‘All right all right. There’s no need for you to push me.’

   Turns out that she’s in the same class as them.

‘   Yay~! Now we can enjoy our school life to the fullest together!’ Miiko says excitedly.

   ‘I wonder if it’s too late to change school.’ Amano mumbles.

   ‘Oh come on, don’t say that!’

   ‘Well, the boards for the second years are over there, so I’ll be excusing myself.’ I tell them.

   ‘Yes. See you later, onii-chan.’ Miiko tells me.

   The rest of the gang are already there by the time I got to the boards.

   ‘Morning, Takuya. Most of us are in the same class again.’ Masato tells me.

   I look at the board where my name is written. I’ll be in the Class 2-1, along with the usual gang and most of my old classmates. Plus Nagano, Nitta, Takaki and Saotome. Looks like this year will be rowdy. The good news is, Nishiyama is in another class. Remember him? Neither do I.

   After the bell rings, instead of heading to out new classroom immediately, we’re supposed to head to the multi-functioned hall to participate in the welcome ceremony for the new students which double as a welcome back ceremony for the second and third years.

   The ceremony begins with a speech from Chairwoman Seki. She formally welcomes the first year students, hope they’ll achieve greatness while they’re in this school, blah blah blah. I didn’t to bother listening to the rest of her speech.

   Next is a speech by a student who has aced his or her entrance exams splendidly. It was Takaki last year, and for this year it’s a guy. I couldn’t care less about his speech either. I just want this ceremony to be over.

   Finally, after two torturing hours, the ceremony is finally over. After we enter to our new classroom, we sit down according to the pre-arranged seats according to our family names. I’m sitting at a seat around the bottom left corner with Nitta and Suzu as my neighbours. I look at Nitta in despair.

   ‘You’re my neighbour? Seriously?’

   ‘Hey, do you know how many people wanted to be my neighbours during our first year? Be grateful!’

   ‘I’m afraid I can’t. There’s no way I can have any peace and quiet while your fans surround you during every break time.’

   ‘Well Takkun. I’ll be counting on you to wake me up when I feel like sleeping~.’ Suzu tells me.

   She lets out a huge yawn right after she said that.

   ‘You’re not going to fall asleep right now, are you?’ I ask her.

   ‘Nope~. I think I can at least hang on until the third period~. Then I’ll sleep.’

   ‘Suzu-san, you’re not supposed to fall asleep at all.’ Takaki tells her from her right.

   ‘Oh shoot~! The ever-serious Takayu is my other neighbour~! Takkun, help me~!’

   ‘Not my problem.’

   Our homeroom teacher is Shimada-sensei. She didn’t even bother to hide the look of despair the moment she sees me.

   ‘This is going to be a long year.’ she mumbles while rolling her eyes.

   ‘Nice to have you again too, sensei.’ I tell her drily.

   After a brief self-introduction, it’s time to select the class committees. Once again, Kazuki and Murata are chosen as the class president and vice-president. Their reputation to get things done precede them so much they’re elected without any objections.

   Today’s just the briefing period, which means no class. Since we’ve already elected our class president and vice president, we could go home straight away. Miiko texted me to tell me that she’s going to the nearest KTV with her new classmates, so I’m going back to our apartment all by myself today.

   Miiko comes back to our apartment around two o’clock in the afternoon.

   ‘How was your first day being a high school student?’ I ask her as she’s preparing lunch.

   ‘It was not as nerve-wrecking as I thought it would be. I think I’ll enjoy it here.’

   ‘Good for you. What about everyone else?’

   ‘Well, pretty much everyone is terrified of Motozawa-kun.’

   ‘Poor guy.’

   ‘And Maya-chan straight up refused to exchange contact info with anyone even though lots of our classmates wanted to.’

   ‘I can totally imagine her doing that. Speaking of her, I’m rather surprised that you didn’t drag her here to hang out with you.’

   ‘I wanted to do just that, but she gave me the slips once we left the school. I don’t want to disturb the other neighbours, so I refrained myself from ringing her doorbell.’

   ‘Well, you’ll get lots of chances. Just don’t push her too far. She might hate you for real.’

   ‘Don’t worry Takuya onii-chan. I know what I’m doing.’

   Nothing special happened for the rest of the day, and so ends the first day of our new school term.