Shiki Tohno POV:
It is winter.
The traces of autumn have long since disappeared. Today is the last day of November, with just one month left until the New Year arrives, along with an entirely new century.
If possible, I, Shiki Tohno, would like to spend this time at home, welcoming the New Year with my mom, dad, and Miyako.
However, unfortunately, that is not possible. A few days ago, a message came from the main family—
"Return to the Tohno household now."
This was the command from the current head of the Tohno family.
It is really hard to accept. Although I am the eldest son of the Tohno family, I have been fostered by the Arima family for seven years and haven't returned even once during that time.
I am 16 years old this year. Seven years ago, I was 9, and I spent almost all of my childhood with the Arima family. To me, perhaps this is my true home.
Compared to the Tohno household, which emphasizes etiquette and strict family rules, the Arima household feels more like a real home.
Stable, ordinary, leisurely.
The family gets along harmoniously. My foster mother, Keiko, and foster father, Fumio, treat me as their child, and my sister, Miyako, is very attached to me, like a child who never grows up.
I have always longed for such a life. Living so warmly for a lifetime wouldn't be bad at all.
Clasping my hands together in front of the place that has always been my room, like praying at a shrine, I clap my hands and leave the room I've grown so accustomed to. I walk through the living room I have passed countless times and step out of the entrance.
Turning back, I look at the Arima household where I have lived for seven years one more time.
My foster mother, Keiko, rushes out, calling my name with a sorrowful expression I have never seen before, continuously nagging.
She's worried about my health, worried about whether I can adapt to life in the main family, worried about whether I can get along with the people there—this is how mothers are with children who are leaving.
Biting my lip, I say the usual words when going out.
Why is it like this? I don't know. Although I won't step through this door as a family member again, perhaps I still hold onto the fantasy of becoming a family member here once more.
However, at the moment of stepping out the door, I couldn't hold back.
"Thank you for taking care of me all this time. Please take care of yourself, Mom. Please convey my regards to Dad and Miyako..."
Behind me came my mother's sobs, and I also felt my eyes well up with tears, telling myself repeatedly that if I didn't leave now, I'd be late.
Today is Tuesday, a regular school day. Returning to the main family was set for after school. I could skip school, but I still want to walk the school path one more time. There might not be another chance in the future.
School life was the same as usual, with classes and breaks. The atmosphere was slightly tense due to the approaching final exams.
But this has nothing to do with me. My grades are average, neither good nor bad, and I have no plans to go to college. If I don't find something I want to do after graduation, I'll go to my big sis' dojo to be a substitute instructor. My big sis said I'm almost qualified. Working at teacher Touko's office like my brother Mikiya wouldn't be bad either; I might even learn something about the teacher. I've always wanted to thank her.
It doesn't seem to have anything to do with my two friends either.
Arihiko Inui. With his orange-dyed hair, earrings, sloppy clothes, truancy, and constant fights—he's the only delinquent in our academically focused high school.
Satsuki Yumizuka. The class idol with long brown hair and a beautiful face that mesmerizes boys. Coupled with her excellent grades and gentle personality, she's also very popular among girls.
Why these two prominent figures, who walk such different paths, became friends with an unremarkable student like me, I still don't understand.
Looking back, it seems that ever since I met my big sis and big bro, the number of people around me started to increase, and they all have very distinct personalities.
But that's not bad. Thanks to them, my days have been fulfilling.
Exchanging jabs with my mischievous friend Arihiko, and bidding a gentle farewell to Satsuki, another school day comes to an end.
"Sigh," I exhaled.
"Next, it's time to head to the other side."
Since I've decided to return, I'll just take it one step at a time. Whatever happens, I'll leave it to fate.
A red sedan was parked at the school gate. The car's model and license plate were very familiar, as were the people inside—Kokutou Mikiya, a man who looked like an older version of myself wearing old-fashioned black-framed glasses, and Ryougi Shiki, a woman with the same type of eyes as me.
The latter rolled down the window and casually waved.
"What are you spacing out for? Get in."
"Oh, big sis, big bro. Why are you here? Aren't you preparing for the wedding?"
The Ryougi family is one of the prominent families in Misaki City. Although their status is not as high as the Tohno family, it's not far off. As the heir and future head of the family, Shiki's wedding is naturally a big deal. Even before I received the order to return to the main family, they were busy with preparations and wouldn't have had the time to come see me. Could it be that God heard my prayers?
"Shiki knew you were returning to the Tohno household today and was worried about you. The people in the Tohno family are not ordinary."
My big bro spoke while driving. My foster mother had said similar things before I left, but—
"Don't worry. I'm not ordinary myself."
I adjusted my glasses, my peripheral vision catching a world full of cracks through the gap above the lenses.
"Confidence is good, but—here."
Big sis said, tossing me a black short-handled knife decorated with a Taiji symbol and the inscription Nanaya—the short sword I use most often.
"The Tohno household has been restless recently. You should be careful. Also, I suspect Touko and Matou are involved in this."
"Shinji? He's back?"
Shinji Matou, a boy who is also my friend, is the most mysterious one, disappearing from time to time.
"He just returned a few days ago. Fujino said he didn't go home and came straight there."
"Clearly at the Tohno household but didn't contact you and just asked you to return. It seems suspicious no matter how you think about it."
"Miss Touko mentioned she had a surprise for you."
"With those two's twisted sense of humor, it might not be a surprise but a shock."
"So we decided to come and check things out, greet your family, and deliver the wedding invitations to Miss Touko and Shinji."
I understand that my big bro and big sis mean well and are worried about me, but I don't think Teacher Touko or Shinji would harm me. But it's quite a coincidence—we're all gathering together again. Could that be their real intention?
The scenery outside the window quickly receded, overlapping with memories.
The main gate of the family home was right in front of us.