Prologue: Thoughtless

-So, you're going to stay over here a few days, right?

The person that asked this was none other than Ikuyo Ryuuichi, my older sister. 24 years old, a genuine prodigy in finance advisory. She works independently, and earns enough to live on her own house, sustain herself with little to no issue. 

I crashed at her house since i just arrived from quite literally the other side of japan, since i ran away from my parents. Ikuyo's house is the only place where i can stay without paying, and i also need her to be my legal guardian to assist school in the first place, so this was the one and only option. 

We spent a good amount of time just catching up with each other, and after eating with Ikuyo i went to the room she was going to lend me to make sure all of my things were in order and not all around the place. I only brought clothes and some notebooks and pencils which i needed for school, so it wasn't really a big time consumer. After pretty much 30 minutes i was done in cleaning the room up a little bit, and making sure everything was in order. 

I didn't exactly care to make the room look good, but i at least wanted everything to feel okay as long as i stayed in here.

Im starting high school as soon as i can. It feels weird, since i'd usually wouldn't feel as anxious as i do about it, but then again... this is Tokyo. Im not living in Hokkaido anymore. Everything feels slightly unknown, and it makes me recoil at the thought.

-Well, whatever. 

As soon as i said that, my  consciousness started drifting away.

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I woke up as i usually did back in Hokkaido at 7:00AM. Thankfully, this time it wasnt out of my own habit, or my alarm, or whatever. Ikuyo was the one that woke up knocking on my door this morning, and its something that i really don't want to get used to. 

Im already pretty bad at waking up by myself in the mornings, specially since im pretty grumpy when i wake up. I shouldn't rely on getting woken up all the time, but its fine.

After washing my face and my teeth, i sat in the table next to the kitchen while Ikuyo made some scrambled eggs for both of us in silence. I was still pretty sleepy, but today we're both going to Suimei High, where im supposed to enroll for the next three years. 

Ikuyo told me there wasn't a lot to it other than some admision exams that shouldn't be a problem and signing some forums. I'd honestly prefer if we got this done with quickly, since im already pretty sleepy and i don't think i'd be able to handle much more. 

After i finished dressing up, i noticed that my hair was incredibly messy, since i'd forgotten to comb it and just decided against it. I felt like it really wasn't that important to fix it since most people probably weren't going to recognize me if they saw me once i actually started going to classes.

-Atsuya, wait for me outside. I'll be out in a few minutes.

With a quick "Okay" for a answer, i headed outside and felt the warm breeze of spring in Tokyo. 

Hokkaido used to feel a lot colder than this, no matter the time of the year. I got a nostalgic feeling from this thought, and i realized its not just that i miss it. Everything in here is relatively unknown, and it feels like it can swallow me at any time.

As stupid as thinking this is, i snapped back to my senses and turned around to find my weirdly properly dressed up sister. She was wearing what looked like her office outfit from some years back. She was dressed from top to bottom in a black suit with a white blouse , and some black heels to match.  This felt really awkward, as i was just wearing my casual clothes which were my black sneakers with some jeans and a black hoodie.

-You are weirdly dressed up for today, arent you?

-Im paying a visit to a old friend, after all. I thought it was a good time for her to see me at my best so she can tell im doing well.

Ikuyo said this with a proud expression, and i could feel the slight loneliness of her words. Well, it isn't exactly my business so its whatever. It did feel a bit awkward to watch my older sister act like this, with how mature she's always looked in my eyes, so this slightly childish side of her is a bit new to me.

-Well, whatever. I will tell you though, that's a pretty good job with the "at my best" part. 

-I know, right?. Even though, i haven't walked in a pair of these in a while. They feel a bit too much for me now...

She said while slowly moving from left to right, looking down at her heels. 

-I don't think you miss it either way, so lets go already.

-As sharp as ever, aren't you? I don't think i ever want to go back to wearing these daily. I don't hate them, but daily is another thing...

She faintly spoke as we started walking towards Suimei High. Thankfully, it really isn't that far away from her house. It also has its independent dorm for students to live in, so it would be a lot less trouble than usual moving stuff from point A to point B, since its about 10 minutes away walking. 

As uninteresting as the walk there was, i quickly stood in front of what would be a near daily image for the next three years. Its quite the huge campus, which made me feel slightly anxious, but nontheless i walked in following Ikuyo towards the main building, where we would meet at the director's office for all the paperwork that involved making me enroll here. 

We walked through the main hall until we reached the last room at the end of it, which had two big wooden doors with a plate that had engraved "Chairman's Office". From the looks of it, this school is quite classy and well built. 

I softly knocked on the door, and a young woman around the age of Ikuyo welcomed us in. She was probably aware we were coming, so i guessed this was the chairman of the school, despite her young appearance.

-It's been a while, Miyako-san. Nice to see you again.

-The honor is mine, Ikuyo. You are looking dazzling, let me tell you.

As a very light and warm atmosphere surrounded these two, which was slightly annoying, i sat down and spoke quickly before this jumped into both of them reminiscing about the past.

-Is there anything exactly you need from me before we handle the paperwork, Chairman?

She quickly shifted her look at me, and her expression went back to being stoic and focused.

After a brief talk about the school's prestige and history, i ended up signing a few documents with compromises about the school and whatever, and did some basic mental health exams to prove i wasn't out of my mind, we quickly got done over everything and i would start classes here tomorrow along with every first-year that picked this school.

It felt a bit sudden, but it's not annoying. I'd feel a lot worse about troubling Ikuyo more time, since i will move into the school's dorms tomorrow. 

I stood up and quickly left the office, since i took a glance at Ikuyo, and she waved for me to exit the room. I'd figure she does want to talk about some things with the chairman aswell, since they do know each other, and from what im guessing they do have a pretty intimate or close relationship. 

They are on first-name basis after all. 

After about five minutes, Ikuyo opened the door and waved at the chairman before looking at me and signaling me to start walking. I may aswell just ask, right?...

-Anything important to tell me?

Ikuyo gigled at my question

-Weird for you to ask, since you probably thought "its none of my business". But, actually yes. She was one of my dearest upperclassmen when i was studying here. I looked up to her a lot... No, i probably still do. So you can already guess how i feel after she complimented me.

Yes, your hapiness is becoming a bit obnoxious. But then again, for someone as prodigious as you to be feeling this way thanks to someone... The chairman must really be dear to her. 

-I can, and its slightly annoying to be real honest. Im fine with it though, this is a new side of the mature older sister i always thought i had...

She lightly slapped the back of my head before replying angrily to me

-What do you mean "i had". Don't kill me off suddenly, im still here...

After this slight banter that i quite honestly missed having with my sister, we just walked the same way back home. 

Nothing really important or eventful happened on the way back, but as i looked at the scenery and the streets, i kept thinking to myself how this all still feels way too unknown to me. But this time, it wasn't only that. I felt a slight thrill now. 

It was probably the fresh start i wanted for a long time now. I still have regrets that i left along in Hokkaido, but there's probably no point in thinking about them now.

It turns out, im not as thoughtless as i think i am about this.

This is my new life, and after all the doubt and uneasiness, im still looking forward to it.