A soft breeze rustled the curtains of a small bedroom, letting in the golden glow of morning sun. Birds chirped outside as if the world were still whole. In this quiet slice of suburbia, nestled between one too many apartments and a street where the buses never came on time, a digital alarm clock blinked 7:48 AM.
Kaida Tatsuya was still dead asleep.
Sprawled across his bed with a pillow clutched like a lifeline and a thin trail of drool hanging precariously from his mouth, he mumbled something incoherent—probably about grilled salmon or saving the world with dance moves. His jet-black hair was a mess, one foot hung off the bed, and his blanket had long since given up the fight to stay on top of him.
Then came the end of peace.
“RISE AND SUFFER, LOSER!”
CRASH!!
A sudden weight slammed into Kaida’s stomach as Olivia Tatsuya—his older sister and personal alarm system—body-splashed him like a missile, landing with the glee of a sleep-deprived warlord.
“Gah—OLIVIA!” Kaida choked, arms flailing wildly beneath her.
THUMP! THUD!
She straddled his waist with the precision of a pro-wrestler, pinning him before he could fully open his eyes.
“Late again,” she grinned wickedly, hair tied back in a sloppy ponytail, tank top slightly wrinkled, and eyes glowing with sadistic joy. “I told you I was gonna suplex you outta bed if you missed that alarm again.”
“Why are you like this?!”
“You’re welcome!” she cackled, reaching to give him a bone-grinding noogie with monstrous strength. WHIRR-WHAP-WHAP! Kaida twisted beneath her like a fish on the floor of a boat, but at 5’5” and built like a compact hurricane, Olivia had him locked down.
“Leggo, I can’t breathe!”
“You’ll live,” she said, pinning his arms with her knees. “You always survive my love.”
Kaida gritted his teeth. “I’m gonna tell Mom you assaulted me again.”
“Please do. I’ll just tell her you were having a ‘lazy boy episode’ again.”
They rolled violently across the bed, nearly knocking a lamp off the nightstand. THUMP—THWACK—BOUNCE.
Kaida finally managed to slip out from under her and flung himself off the mattress, slamming face-first onto the hardwood floor with a dull thud.
“Ow.”
Just as he opened his mouth to counterattack, a voice roared up from downstairs—a force of nature, sharp and commanding.
“IF Y’ALL DON’T CALM THAT MESS DOWN AND GET YOUR BEHINDS DOWNSTAIRS, I SWEAR—!”
They both froze. A sacred silence.
“…She hit the Black Mama pitch,” Olivia whispered, dead serious.
“Abort. Retreat. Run.” Kaida scrambled to his feet, slipping on a sock with a skid-thump, nearly crashing into the doorframe as they fled.
334Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaY3TnPl1V1
In the kitchen, the scent of buttered toast, eggs, and miso soup floated through the air like a divine bribe. Their mother stood at the stove, spatula in hand, apron wrapped neatly around her waist, and one slipper dangerously tilted—the universal symbol of maternal judgment.
SLAM.
They slid into their seats faster than disciplined soldiers.
“Sit. Eat. Say not one word.” She didn’t even look at them as she flipped another egg.
Olivia leaned toward Kaida and muttered, “You ever notice how she gains power when she’s holding a spatula?”
Kaida, still rubbing his ribs, replied, “It’s her divine weapon. Like Thor’s hammer, but for household justice.”
Their mother narrowed her eyes without turning. “Try me today, Kaida.”
“…Noted,” he muttered, grabbing a seat.
Bowls of steaming rice, eggs, toast, and soup were placed before them. The table was slightly cramped but warm with family energy. For a few moments, there was only chewing, slurping, and the occasional clink of chopsticks.
Then:
“Eat faster, both of you. You’re already late. And Kaida—where’s your school bag?”
“I think… I left it near the laundry—wait, no! I got it! It’s fine!” he lied.
Olivia snorted. “Watch him forget his gym shoes again.”
“I only did that twice!”
“Twice last week.”
Before Kaida could reply, he tilted his head, frowning. “Hey… where’s Dad? He didn’t come home last night.”
Their mom paused briefly, the spatula mid-flip.
“He’s away on business. Big contract out of town. Should be back by Friday—maybe Saturday if things run long.”
Kaida raised an eyebrow. “He didn’t tell us?”
“He told me. You were too busy falling asleep on the couch mid-anime.”
Kaida leaned back, staring at the ceiling. “Figures. He never really tells me anything anymore.”
Olivia gave him a brief, sympathetic glance—but masked it quickly with a sneaky toast toss that bonked off his head. “Flomp.”
“Eat your feelings, emo boy.”
“Rude.”
“You love it.”
334Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG157ZdVu1E
They finished eating, and chaos resumed like a well-practiced storm.
RUSTLE—ZIIIP—SLAM—SCUFF—BRUSHBRUSHBRUSH—WHERE’S MY SHOES?!
After a brief whirlwind of bags being flung, shoes half-tied, and hair being combed with two fingers, the front door finally slammed shut behind them.
The walk to school was crisp and golden. Sunlight filtered between the trees like spears of warmth. A few cyclists zoomed by, chasing the clock like warriors racing into battle.
Olivia slung her bag over one shoulder like a seasoned mercenary. “So…Do you plan on asking that girl in Class B out or have you decided to back down yet?”
Kaida groaned. “Drop it.”
“Come on, you’ve been eyeing her since last semester.”
“You do know she has a boyfriend.”
“Minor detail.”
“One, I ain't that type of guy, two, I’m not trying to get folded by some senior named Greg.”
“I could fold Greg.”
Kaida glanced sideways. “You probably could. You got that gorilla strength.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite the quality to have considering how small you are.” he smirked, “But hey, it’s not your fault you’re, like, super buff… and loud. Although it’s probably why you don’t have a date, probably break them in half.”
There was a brief silence.
Kaida sensed the incoming doom too late.
SNATCH!
Olivia caught him in a lightning-fast headlock, dragging him mid-step while grinding her knuckles into his skull.
“Say that again and I will end you!”
“IT WAS A JOKE! TAKE IT BACK—I’M SORRY—OLIVIA!”
“WHO’S LOUD NOW, HUH?!”
“YOU’RE LITERALLY YELLING IN MY EAR—”
They reached the school gate in this formation: Kaida flailing like a ragdoll in a chokehold, and Olivia grinning like a smug war goddess.
She finally let him go and patted his disheveled head. “Go find your nerd herd. I got real friends to hang with.”
Kaida rubbed his neck. “Yeah yeah. Try not to scare anyone with your… personality.”
She blew him a kiss, phone already out and thumbs flying as she walked away. Probably running one of her five clubs like the teen dictator she was.
Kaida watched her go with a half-smile. As annoying as she could be, she was always… Olivia.
Stable. Fierce. Protective.
“KAIDA!”
The voice hit his ears just as he turned.
Across the courtyard, three figures barreled toward him.
Tsubaki, sleek ponytail slicing the wind.
Mishell, hopping and waving like a caffeinated squirrel.
Kumuna, arms crossed, smirking as if he’d been waiting to say “I told you so.”
“Kaida! You’re late!”
He smiled without hesitation, the sun catching in his eyes. He lifted a hand and waved.
Something faint tugged at him—a whisper on the edge of consciousness.
But for now, everything was still normal.
Still safe.
Still home.
