Wednesday, April 2, 2019. 7.37 a.m.

 

The day is still cold even though it is already spring. As usual, I am walking alone from my home to school while still wearing the winter uniform. I don’t know what I was thinking a little while ago.

 

About an hour before…

 

I faintly heard my alarm ringing in my ears and opened my eyelids that felt so heavy.

 

"Ugh… What time is it?"

 

I looked at the clock near my bed and the digital numbers were showing 6.30 a.m. Seeing my breath was condensed, I immediately thought, Winter uniform it is…

 

My thought was immediately dispersed when a goodness gracious smell tickled my nostrils.

 

"Sniff sniff… Oooh! I know this smell!"

 

I jumped out of my bed, took my phone and recharged it, and quickly headed for the first floor. Well, my bedroom is on the second floor, next to my big sister's room. She had already moved out of the house because she is a college student in the next town starting from last year. I wonder how she's been doing…

 

By the time I reached the bottom of the staircase, I turned my head and spotted my parents already eating breakfast in the dining room across the hall.

 

“Oh, Touka. I’ve already prepared your breakfast.”

 

My mom, with a few wrinkles on her face, called for me warmly. I could only smile and ran to the dining room happily.

 

“Whoooaaah! Last night’s hamburger steak!”

 

I don’t know what kind of expression I made at that time, but one thing for sure, I was genuinely happy to see my favorite food on the table. With, maybe, sparkling eyes, I turned my glance to my mom who was smiling widely.

 

“Is it okay to eat this lavishly in the morning?”

 

“Of course, dear. Tell me if you want another serving.”

 

“No waaaaaay! I’m the happiest girl in the world!”

 

Childish. I know. I am just that easily made happy. I vigorously slammed my butt on the chair, picked my chopsticks, and opened my mouth wide.

 

"Aaaaa-"

 

“Hey, where're your manners?”

 

My dad, who was being silent while reading his newspaper, squinted his eyes and gazed sharply at me. His assertive yet loving eyes were visible through his thick glasses.

 

“Oh right! I'll enjoy having this~!”

 

“Hmm. That’s better.”

 

He heaved a sigh and smiled slightly, but I had no time to look at him making that kind of expression. The only thing I could think of was the hamburger steak in front of me, drowning in my favorite ponzu sauce.

 

I tore a bit of the steak and scooped it to my mouth. Almost instantly, my palate buds were dancing happily tasting the beefy goodness and the lingering savory when I swallowed it.

 

"Look at you, I can't believe you're already in highschool."

 

My mom giggled after seeing me acting like a child, and in response, I only smiled and praised her cooking. I knew she always loved being praised as a good cook.

 

"It can't be helped! Your cooking is the best, mom!"

 

I didn't lie, though. It was splendidly amazing.

 

"You're so good at flattery, just don't use it on your male friends, okay? They'll get the wrong idea."

 

"Daaaad, please! I'm not that kind of woman, y'know? And I'm not interested in any kind of relationship."

 

I continued shoving the hamburger steak along with the rice, and every scoop was a blessing. No joke, I was indeed so happy. Almost in no time at all, everything was already inside my tummy. Then I added.

 

"At least not until I realize my dream. Thanks for the food~!"

 

I clapped my hands and quickly brought all my utensils to the sink and washed them clean. After that, I quickly walked to the bathroom and took my towel.

 

"Hmm~ La la la la~"

 

I hummed happily as I was looking at myself in the mirror.

 

"Yep! Today's me is also perfect!"

 

Despite saying those embarrassing things, I am ashamed to say this, but in fact, I look quite normal. There's no distinguishable feature from my face that will make me stand out. Normal, is all my face can tell. You can place me among any other Japanese women and perhaps, if you're a western, you won't be able to tell which one I am.

 

I then swiftly took care of my teeth with my toothbrush and elegantly… No, normally washed my face. Once I was done, I felt refreshed and clapped my cheeks gently.

 

"Yeah, ready perfectly…"

 

I heightened my voice and imitated the slogan of one of the characters from my favorite novel and quickly dashed towards the second floor. I entered my room and locked the door. Seriously, no one wants to be seen while changing clothes, even me.

 

"3, 2, 1… Start!"

 

I counted down and, with all the speed I could muster in my arms, took off my sky blue pajama and my underwears, threw them to the dirty clothes basket, took a new pair of underwears, wore them, ran a little bit to the right, took my winter uniform that had been hanging on the walls near the door, and swiftly wore it.

 

I then took my hair pin, fixed the angle, and clipped it perfectly. The next was my scarf. It was hanging by the door and I quickly wrapped it around my neck. The last one was my stockings. Well, there's no need to tell how I wore it, right? Everybody knows how to wear stockings. And once I was done, I quickly turned my gaze to the clock.

 

"3 minutes and 27 seconds, huh? Damn it, I didn't break my own record!"

 

By the way, my best record is 2 minutes and 56 seconds. Aren't I fast? Wait, who am I talking to?

 

Anyway, I was ready to go to school and hurriedly headed to the front door. I took my shoes and, Hup!, I already wore them.

 

"Mom, dad, I'm going!"

 

"Okay. Take care, dear."

 

"Be careful of the cars on the way!"

 

"Daaaaad, I'm no longer a kid! Bweeeeh!"

 

I stuck my tongue out and hurriedly dashed outside. And here I am, walking all alone to school that is 15 minutes by walking from my house.

 

"Hrmm… Why is today so cold? Isn't this colder than yesterday?"

 

I murmured to myself and trotted my steps, in hope to reach the school faster.

 

At that time, I was still unaware… That the warm and fulfilling life I'd used to feel would just crumble into pieces.

 

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

 

The distance between my home and school isn't that far, but still, I always have to pass through 2 blocks and one of them is a shopping district.

 

"Huh? I didn't see it here yesterday."

 

When I was walking in that shopping district, a big bear plushie in front of a certain doll store caught my attention. The stuffed bear was pink and so big, even bigger than me. For the information, I am 154 centimeters tall. A very average height for a still growing up girl.

 

"Ugh… You must contain the urge, Touka! You're already a high school student!"

 

I clapped my cheeks a few times and persuaded myself not to jump at the stuffed bear and hug it.

 

"... Once is okay, right…?"

 

Okay, the urge did get the better of me. Mindlessly, and embarrassingly, I leaped and hugged the big plushie with all my might.

 

"So waaaarm…"

 

I couldn't help but make a really happy face, while some people began to glance at my direction. I ignored everything and just kept going on with my business. Not long after, I could hear someone calling for me with a troubled tone.

 

"Um… Miss? Can you please refrain yourself from doing that? You're scaring away the customers…"

 

I jolted as I turned my head slowly. And what I saw there was a young lady in her, probably, I'm not sure, late 20s making a really, really troubled face.

 

"Aa… A-Ahaha… Sorry…"

 

I could feel my face burning red with shame. I then bowed a few times and quickly escaped the place. Truly, that should be one of the top three most embarrassing things I ever did in my life.

 

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

 

8.04 a.m.

 

Finally, I arrived at my school and went straight to the staircase, after placing my shoes and scarf in my locker and changing to school sandals of course. Well, I'm a second year student and my classroom, 2-4, is located on the second floor. Once I reached my classroom, almost all of my classmates were already there.

 

"Morning, Kirishima."

 

A girl came running to me. She was a girl with a smiley kinda face and her gorgeous face features protected her from being called a weirdo for smiling all the time. But what caught my attention wasn't her dazzling smile, instead, I was looking at her big 'personalities' jiggling up and down. I then looked at mine and it was… sadly lonesome.

 

"Tsk… Go blow up, titty-monster…"

 

I grunted in a soft voice and glanced to the left.

 

"Huh? Did you say anything?"

 

The girl with big 'personalities' tilted her head a little and asked me. Realizing that she was somewhat able to hear my grunt a little, I quickly changed my complexion and faked a smile.

 

"Ah, nothing… Good morning, Tachibana."

 

"Morning~, Toukacchi!"

 

"Good morning, Satsuki."

 

"Yo, Kirishima. What’s up?"

 

"Ah, good morning Kazuki. As you can see, I'm always perfectly fine!"

 

Boys and girls alike, one after another, a lot more was coming to greet me next, and in fact, almost everyone in the class. It was tiring, but I loved the fact that everyone here liked me. I don't know, I just like connecting with other people. Probably that is the reason why I always get into problems rather easily.

 

After greeting that ti-... Ahem! After greeting Tachibana and my other classmates back, I headed for my desk that was on the second row from the front. I placed my bag on the desk and sat on the chair.

 

"You've had it rough, Touka."

 

I turned my head back and spotted another one of my classmates grinning widely. Well, in fact, she was my best friend.

 

"Just give me a break, Kyouko. You know my complex, don't you?"

 

"Aaah, what a shame… If you've got yours a little bigger, along with that face of yours, you could be the most popular girl in this school, you know?"

 

Kyouko made a hand gesture imitating someone groping while talking. It was irritating but I could never get angry at this girl.

 

"Just stop it, idiot!"

 

I reached for her nose but it was to no avail. She was too quick for me to even touch her shadow.

 

"Hihihi!"

 

Kyouko Hoshinuma, a girl with partially dyed hair and 'gyaru'-like appearance. She was somewhat from a rich family but to everyone's surprise, she didn't like her social standing. Usually, she ranted about her parents telling her to behave more lady-like. Well, she’s the daughter of a family that owns a prestigious inn.But thanks to that, we'd been best friends from the first year.

 

"Seriously, why are you always teasing me like this?"

 

To be honest, whenever Kyouko told me that I'm cute or something similar, all I could think of was, Girl, you need an eye surgery. I don't know which part of my face makes me look 'cute'. And even if I, imaginatively, was cute, why had I never been confessed to!?

 

Well, as I said before, it's not like I didn't get attracted to opposite sex, I'm just not interested in any relationship. At least until I reach my dreams.

 

That was my daily life, my last ordinary daily life.