Finally, the day where my high school life will start.

 

The inexplicable feeling, that I'm having right now, felt like I was exhilarated and afraid at the same time. This is the day where I need to get my stuff together and live a peaceful quiet life without getting into trouble. Aside from that, I hope that I could make some friends along the way.

 

I started the day waking up and I looked at the time. It was currently 6:51 am.

 

I've got an hour to be ready so I went downstairs and saw Aunt Ayaka cooking breakfast.

 

"Tatsuya, you're awake.", Aunt Ayaka called me.

 

"Yeah, Auntie, Good morning.", I greeted her.

 

"Yep, Good morning too, you've still got an hour so pack your things and make sure you don't forget anything. The entrance ceremony is very important. So, don't miss it."

 

" Yes, Auntie."

 

Then I went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. After getting out, I asked Aunt Ayaka for the blow dryer, "Auntie, do you have a hairdryer?"

 

I usually don't use a hairdryer, but today is the first day of school, I just don't want my hair to be wet when I walk outside later.

 

"Oh, give me a minute, I'll go get it upstairs, just go wait there on the couch", she hurriedly went upstairs.

 

After a few minutes...

 

I saw Aunt Ayaka holding a lavender-colored hairdryer.

 

"All right, just stay there, let me dry your hair.", she said.

 

"Eh? But, you're making breakfast though? I can do it, Auntie."

 

"Come on, I'm only cooking eggs and sausages. Plus, this is a bonding time for the both of us.", she said and smiled at me.

 

"Err...Okay", I agreed.

 

Aunt Ayaka started drying my hair, then she asked me a question, "Are you nervous?"

 

"Err... I guess, so.", I replied.

 

"Fufu~ don't worry, I'm pretty sure you'll do great."

 

"Plus, you have Naoki beside you. Naoki knew about your trauma."

 

"R—really?"

 

"Yep, she only knew the trauma."

 

"Only?", I replied in stupefy.

 

"Yep, only the trauma part."

 

"O—okay then."

 

"All right,  all done.", she said as she puts down the hairdryer.

 

"Thank you, Auntie.", I smiled thanking her.

 

"No problem.", and she did the same.

 

Then I saw Asuka on the stairs, wiping her sleepy eyes.

 

Asuka only turned 4 last month and will go to kindergarten this year.

 

Asuka walked towards me and raised her flabby arms to me.

 

I lifted her up and hold her, but as soon as I did that, she put her head on my shoulders and went back to sleep. I tried poking her chubby cheeks but there's no reaction or so whatever.

 

Did she go downstairs just to sleep again? I thought to myself.

 

Aunt Ayaka saw this, and said, "Oh, look at how close you two are, Asuka is making me jealous."

 

Wait, that's supposed to be the other way around. You're supposed to be jealous of me though.

 

 

✯ ✯ ✯

 

 

Sometime later...

 

After eating breakfast, I went to my room to change.

 

With me all dressed, I looked at the mirror. My uniform was a black-bluish blazer inside was a plain white polo shirt and for my trousers, I have gray pants. And, my necktie was color blue with white diagonal strips over it. The blue necktie was for students in the freshman year, red for the 2nd year students, while green for the 3rd year students. That applies to the female too, but they can choose whether they want a ribbon or necktie. I have my hoodie inside the blazer since the school isn't that strict. If I remember they even allowed different hairstyles but dying your hair is not allowed.

 

I looked at the time and saw I still got time spare left. It was currently 7:32 am.

 

The school isn't that far from here. If I remember, the school should be about a 15-minute walk from here. I know, because I was passing by last week. Auntie said it was a huge school so I went there out of curiosity. And I must say, the school that I'm going to, was huge. I didn't really get to see the inside of it. Though, I could say that roaming around the school will be fun later.

 

I went downstairs and saw Asuka pouting. She started being like this after breakfast when I was about to change into my uniform, she kept clinging to me since earlier. Even on breakfast, she sat on my lap and I was forced to feed her. When I was about to go into my room she started dragging my shirt, not letting me go anywhere. It took me quite some time before I even got to my room, Aunt Ayaka took Asuka away so that I could change. But... when I came back downstairs, she was like this.

 

"What happened, Asuka?"

 

"Hmpf", then she turned her head the other way.

 

"—??", I looked at her confused.

 

I picked her up, but she still didn't look at me, so I poked her chubby cheeks.

 

"Hey hey, why are you like this?", I said while smiling at her.

 

"Hmpf"

 

Why is she acting like this? Did I do something wrong? Those were my thoughts on how Asuka was acting right now.

 

Then Aunt Ayaka went out of the bathroom and saw us.

 

"Fufu~ she's acting rebellious, huh.", she said.

 

"Why is she acting like this?", I asked her.

 

"Well, I said that you will go to school this day, and she doesn't want you to go to school."

 

I kind of getting a glimpse of what happened yesterday, maybe that's she acted like that earlier. Ever since I got here, Asuka became attached to me. I don't know how, but that's just what happened. There were some times that she will cry if she doesn't see me early in the morning. Maybe, the cause of her tantrum was that she thought I will be gone or something?

 

So I said, "Asuka, are you mad at me?"

 

"...", still not looking at me.

 

"Haa... okay then, I need to go, or I will be late.", I said and I was about hand her to Aunt Ayaka, but she suddenly exclaimed.

 

"Noo—oo!!", then she holds my neck tightly.

 

I was surprised by her sudden actions, so I asked her, "Whoa, what happened Asuka?"

 

"Noo, don't wanna.", still clinging to my neck tightly.

 

I looked at Aunt Ayaka dumbfounded.

 

Aunt Ayaka tried getting her but to no avail. It didn't work.

 

I gave a tired sigh, and asked Asuka, "Asuka, what happened, care to tell Nii-chan?"

 

Then she finally looked at me with teary eyes.

 

"Sniff—B—b—ut you'll lea—sniff—ve", Asuka said.

 

"Who said I'll leave?", I asked her confused.

 

Leave? To school? I thought to myself.

 

Then I looked at Aunt Ayaka who seemed to have a painful expression on her face which is very rare, I still don't have any idea why Asuka was acting like this.

 

So instead of thinking of that, I quickly said to her, "Asuka, I will not leave you though? I'm only going to school."

 

"Hic—I—I don't—sniff—believe you—hic—You will—sniff—not come back and—hic—you will leave me and mommy—hic", she said as she was about to start crying.

 

"But, I will come back though? I will only leave to study and come back in the evening.", I said.

 

"...", she didn't respond.

 

"How about this, let's do a pinky swear? Do you know pinky swear?", I said to her.

 

"Y—yes..."

 

Oh, I guess that calmed her down a bit.

 

"Okay then, I swear if I don't come back to Auntie and Asuka, I will swallow a thousand needles. How about that?"

 

"Mmm", she nodded

 

Then we interlocked our pinky fingers and made an oath.

 

"Feeling good now?", I smiled.

 

"Mhmm", she nodded.

 

I patted her head then caresses her cheeks which full of tears.

 

After a few minutes, she fell asleep.

 

I gave her to Aunt Ayaka who still had a pained expression on her face.

 

"Thank you, Tatsuya.", Aunt Ayaka thanked me and gently smiled at me.

 

"No problem, but...", when I was about to ask her, she interjected.

 

"Sorry, Tatsuya, but this is mostly because of her father.", she said and her smile became stiff.

 

At that time, I understood what she said, so I decided not to pry into this matter.

 

"O—okay, Auntie, but if ever you want help I'm here."

 

"Fufu, I'm supposed to say that to you.", Aunt Ayaka said.

 

"You better get going, or else you'll be late", she added.

 

Because of what she mentioned, I looked at my phone and saw the time, it's currently 7:50 am.

 

So I decided to head out.

 

"Oh, see you later then, Auntie.", I waved at her.

 

"Bye, take care", and she waved back.

 

I stepped out and saw a familiar blonde figure who seems to be patiently waiting for someone. It was Naoki.

 

"Good morning, Naoki.", I greeted her.

 

"Good morning, Tatsuya.", she greeted back with a smile.

 

"Were you waiting for me?", I asked her.

 

"Y—yes!"

 

"Oh, okay then, let's go?"

 

Then we started walking towards the school, where we're about to start our new high school life.

 

When we're currently walking side by side with each other, I saw some people looking at us, well mostly because of Naoki, either they're a male or a female, they're all looking at Naoki. Who can blame them, it's quite rare to see a foreign beauty like her. Now that I can see her closely, she's quite shorter to me like about my shoulder level? But nevertheless, beauty is still beauty. Though I feel like some of them are looking at me too, I could only guess that they're jealous of me. I could feel it. Is this the stuff that I have read on some LN? the envy or jealous stares? I don't know if this feels great, but it's quite bothersome. So, I decided to ignore them.

 

I saw Naoki who seems to be taking some occasional glances at me, but whenever I will look at her she will look the other. Why is that though?

 

So, I asked her, "Err... Naoki."

 

"Y—yes!", she replied.

 

"Um, are you uncomfortable walking with me?", I asked her.

 

"Eh? No!", she exclaimed.

 

I was stunned by her reply, even the passerby near us looked at her stunned.

 

When she noticed the people looked at her, her face flushed out of embarrassment and looked down.

 

"Oh, okay then, I thought... Because you kept glancing at me", I said and shyly scratched my cheeks.

 

"A—Wa—Awawawa", then her face was beet red even more than before.

 

Then she crouched down, hiding her face. I saw some passersby started whispering and looked at me with disgust.

 

Huh? Why are they looking at me like? I didn't even do anything?! I thought myself.

 

"Err, Nao—"

 

When I was about to ask if she's okay, she suddenly stood up and looked at me with an indifferent expression.

 

"Let's go, Tatsuya", she said as if nothing happened, but I could still see the redness on her face remained.

 

Since I saw her acting like that, I decided to follow and stayed quiet.

 

"O—okay."

 

Then we started walking as if nothing happened, though I could still hear some whisperings around us.

 

We ignored them and started walking peacefully.

 

I forgot about the thing Aunt Ayaka told me about Naoki knowing my trauma. I guess I'll bring that matter next time.