Tatsujin Residence, Kurosuoba
April 3rd, 2018 | 5:01 AM
"Nnn..." A loud ringing tone emitted from his flip-phone, doubling as his alarm clock. The noise resounded throughout the room, unceasing. A few more seconds passed until his consciousness returned to him.
"Ugh..." Reaching for the desk where his phone lay chattering at the flat-top surface with its vibrations, Juno's eyes slowly darted open, reluctant as he was to do so. The incessant noise finally dealt with, his still-lethargic frame hoisted up and parted with the bed.
It was a very early morning, which he had already acclimated to. Most students his age were still sound asleep at that time, but his situation was a bit different. Being the de facto man of the house, Juno was in charge of making breakfast for the whole family. With his constricted hour-and-a-half, Juno had to act promptly. Nowadays, he can whip up the most basic of meals with little-to-no slip-ups; a definite learning experience which took him quite a while since he wasn't very fond of cooking food. Today, their breakfast comprised of
bread and omelette, complemented by a side of orange juice for the kids, and coffee for himself and his father.*knock knock*
He would then knock on their rooms one-by-one to wake them up.
"Oiiiii. Wake up, you two! Time to eat and get ready for school. Especially you, Miya!"
*knock knock*
"Hey, dad. Wake up. Breakfast."
There was no response. As per usual.
"..."
Their breakfast was set on the dining table, beckoning them.
Miya and Goro, his two younger siblings, settled down on their respective seats. The sole absentee was their father; a regular occurrence at this point.
"..." And of course,
Haru and Aki were also absent, away from their fragmented abode.
It was only due to the generosity of their departed mother's sister, whom the siblings have a close bond with, that the hospitalized Haru is still clinging on to life despite her grave illness. From shouldering her medical expenses, along with visiting her on the daily and taking care of Aki, the youngest sibling, the Tatsujin family was indebted to her for sure. Repaying her along with making up for their expenses are the two chief reasons why Juno's been working hard these past few months. With these lingering thoughts, his blank trance had him occupied to the point where it was too late for him to notice.
"...bro! Hey, big bro!" He finally snapped back to reality, darting his attention to his younger sister.
"Uh.. sorry, Miya. What is it?" Having finally caught her big brother's attention, she inquired.
"Is school going to be hard? Goro-nee said so himself~!" It was finally time for Miya to embark on her own childhood journey, with Goro having started school a year prior. For convenience sake, they both attend the same elementary.
"Heh. Goro's just scaring ya, unless he's actually that dumb."
"Hey! That's uncalled for! Meanie!"
"Ahahaha! Big bro said you're a dummy~!"
"I was just joking. Now, listen. As long as you balance both making friends and studying, you won't go astray. Excess of either is a big no-no, alright?"
"Okay!"
"Just play nice with your classmates, and you'll make friends in no time. That applies to you too, Goro. Got it?"
The both of them nodded in unison.
"Good. Now finish up your breakfast so you can get dressed. You know where your uniform is, right?" Miya merrily nodded once more.
"Good girl." A faint smile escaped the eldest brother's lips as she headed off to prepare herself for her very first day of embarking in her childhood. It was short but sweet moments like these where he felt like his weary days were most definitely worth it.
Goro, on the other hand, was still glued to the table, his platter still unfinished. He paid notice over their father's untouched portion, and then to Juno.
"Daddy's still..." The child muttered; a perceptible frown painted on his face.
"... He'll wake up soon. Let's just leave his food here, alright? Now go. We don't wanna be late." Taking their finished plates and setting them down on the kitchen sink, Goro woefully concurred.
"Okay.."
Kawashiri Elementary, Kurosuoba
April 3rd, 2018 | 6:22 AM
"Goro, I'm counting on you to watch over her while I'm gone. Miss Nishiyama will be fetching you two after class, so don't wander outside this gate until she's arrived. Got it?"
"Mmm!"
"Yeah."
"Be good, okay?"
Juno patted the two of them on the head, before seeing them run off together with the crowd of elementary schoolers. Juno picked up his flip-phone to check on the time.
"6:23. That's enough time." Luckily, the distance between the Kawashiri Elementary and Fujioka Senior High wasn't too far off. And with that, he began treading along the sidewalk, on the way to his destination.
Today was going to be Juno's first day being a high school student. He felt as if this transition would be brutal for him, considering his unfortunate circumstances. Unlike most of the freshmen who were particularly excited to meet a lot of faces, fresh and old, said thoughts haven't crossed his mind as his aim was solely focused on one thing: finishing as soon as possible. He was more nervous than enthusiastic, but there was no time for that. He could only think of his family's future, and how Haru and the rest were relying on him. This was for his family, and he can't rely on that "despondent slob". No one else can do it but him.
