Chapter 2: The Omen of a Storm

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I finished my part-time job at 10 PM and stepped outside through the back door. The asphalt was wet from the rain that had fallen until the evening, and the humid air from the ground was rising, making it feel muggy.

Tonight might be another uncomfortable night for sleeping. While I’d like to manage with just the fan for as long as possible, it might be time to turn on the air conditioner.

Weighing the cost of electricity against the impact of sleep deprivation, my phone buzzed in my sweatpants pocket. I stopped and checked the display: it was a call from my mom.

“…Ah.”

I had completely forgotten to contact her after saying I’d come home soon. As much as I didn’t feel like it, I was a pretty heartless son.

“Souhei, when are you finally going to call me?”

As soon as I answered, my mom’s voice came through, sounding a bit irritated. I scratched my head.

“…Ah, sorry. I forgot.”

“Geez… So, when are you coming home?”

Her tone was slightly annoyed and pressing. She probably wanted to introduce me to my stepfather and stepsister as soon as possible.

Honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to it. My mother’s new husband, my stepfather, and his daughter, my stepsister. They were strangers I had never met. I wasn’t a sociable type, and I doubted I could get along with a high school girl.

…But, I guess it’s about time I meet them.

“How about next Saturday?”

I reluctantly suggested, and my mom seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“That’s fine. I’ll prepare for that, then.”

She ended the call with a firm “Make sure you come back,” and I leaned against a utility pole, sighing deeply.

I had briefly met my stepsister once when I went home with Nanase. I shamefully ran away at that time, so I don’t remember her face well. She seemed like a serious and quiet girl, if I recall correctly.

…Well, it’s not like we’re going to live together. As long as we only see each other occasionally, we don’t need to get too close. Even though we’re family on paper, we’re practically strangers.

Convincing myself of this, I headed back to my apartment. The lights in Nanase’s room were still on. I wanted to see her before going to bed, but I resisted and went straight to my own room.

The following weekend, I took a highway bus back to Nagoya.

The meeting place was a Chinese restaurant on the upper floor of a high-rise hotel. It looked more upscale than I had expected, making me feel a bit out of place. Though I wore a collared shirt to be considerate, maybe I should have worn a suit.

After giving my name to the courteous staff who greeted me, I was guided to a table at the back. There was a glass window nearby with a great view of Nagoya.

“Souhei! Thank you for coming.”

Upon seeing my face, my mom’s expression softened with relief. She might have been worried I wouldn’t show up.

Sitting across from my mom were a middle-aged man with a gentle demeanor and a high school girl in a sailor uniform. I bowed my head to them.

“…I’m Sagara Souhei.”

“No need to be so formal. Souhei-kun, please have a seat.”

My mother’s new husband—my stepfather—smiled warmly. It was my first time facing him properly, but he seemed like a nice person, which was a relief.

To be honest, I felt very gloomy and thought many times, “Should I just not go…” But I mustered up the courage and came here.

──It’s okay. You’ll be fine, Souhei-kun.

Nanase’s words that once encouraged me still supported me.

Thanks to her, I was finally able to face my mother. There was no turning back now.

“Let me introduce you. This is my daughter, Ichika. She’s a sophomore in high school, so she’s three years younger than you, Souhei-kun.”

The girl sitting next to my stepfather bowed her head with a ponytail swaying.

“Hello, I’m Ichika.”

“…Nice to meet you.”

When I said that, she chuckled softly.

“It’s not our first meeting, is it?”

“…Huh?”

“We met at the open campus, didn’t we?”

“…Oh!”

At her words, I finally realized who she was.

The high school girl in a sailor uniform with a ponytail. My stepsister sitting before me was the same high school girl from the open campus.

──You’ve got lipstick on you.

Remembering that incident, a cold sweat ran down my back. I had been caught kissing my girlfriend by my stepsister. It was embarrassing enough to be seen by an acquaintance, but to be seen by family was mortifying. I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Being seen flirting with my girlfriend at university would undoubtedly leave a bad impression. However, my stepsister smiled at me amiably.

“I’m sorry for not saying anything. It seemed like you didn’t recognize me.”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t realize at all.”

I answered honestly, but she didn’t seem offended and laughed, “I thought so.”

“I’ve always wanted an older brother, so I’m happy to meet you. Can I call you Souhei-kun?”

“Oh, sure… feel free.”

She was quite friendly. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the skills to engage in lively conversation with a high school girl, so all I could do was mumble vague responses. If it were Hojo or Kinami, they would have easily livened up the atmosphere.

“So, Souhei-kun is attending Risseikan University in Kyoto, right?”

“Yes.”

“If you don’t mind, could you help Ichika with her studies? She’s always out playing with friends, pretty carefree.”

“Oh, that’s not true. She studies diligently. She stays late at cram school and works hard at her part-time job.”

My mom smiled gently, and Ichika looked embarrassed.