Kuro Kurogane avoids noise.

Not because it was tranquil or lyrical or other such nonsense people wrote online.

No noise simply meant that no one was talking to him.

That worked out well.

The classroom was filled with morning noise as students were talking about games, love and exams. Kuro, who sat at the back corner of the window, with headphones around his neck, was under the desk.

Not visible.

Just the way he liked it.

Good Morning Kuro-kun!".

Cheerful voice broke his tranquility.

Kuro raised his head slowly.

Akari Tachibana stood pitched beside the desk, her amber hair tied to a side with a nice big bright smile. Beside her stood her twin sister Aoi, like always calm and expressionless.

The whole class glanced over at once.

Kuro wished he didn’t exist.

He said ’morning’.

Akari filled her cheeks with air.

Hmm? Is That Enough? You speak like an old man.

You threw off my morning.

Nevertheless you still replied to me. So generous.

She smiled and leaned on his desk.

Aoi sat quietly in the empty space beside him without asking.

Kuro gazed at her.

"The Hayashi seat."

"He will be safe."

chilly Straightforward. Unfeeling.

Same as usual.

The unfortunate owner of the chair entered the class a few seconds later, saw Aoi sitting on his chair and accepted his loss quietly.

Coward.

Kuro had respect для него.

Abruptly, Akari took the book from Kuro.

Do you still read romance novels?".

Return it.

Nope.

Akari.

" ooo he said my name and didn’t sound dead inside " Progress.

Kuro let out a deep sigh.

All mornings used to be such.

He truly had no idea why the twins hung around him. Although they were his childhood friends, they were more popular than he was.

highly trendy

Akari was bright, sporty, and always with others.

Aoi’s beauty was quiet but still made half the male population nervous.

On the other hand, Kuro resembled a supporting character fated for episode three’s demise.

But somehow...

The twins always hung around him.

Kuro went up to the rooftop as usual at lunchtime.

Or so he made every effort to do.

You actually thought we wouldn’t find you?".

Akari opened the door to the rooftop.

How do you even know where I go?".

Mothering instinct

You are 17

"Remains valid."

Aoi entered quietly behind her carrying boxes.

Kuro’s eyelids fluttered.

Why are there three?".

"You left your thing behind," Aoi said.

I did not requested.

Akari unexpectedly plopped herself down next to Kuro and opened up her lunch box.

"Say ’Ahhh’~"

"No."

"Say ’Ahhh’~"

"No."

"Say it."

Most people misconstrue Akari’s smile as being happy.

However, Kuro understands that Akari’s smile shows that fighting back is pointless.

"...Ah."

He closed his mouth just as she shoved a piece of tamagoyaki into his mouth.

Meanwhile, several students entering onto the rooftop stopped moving abruptly, and there was a brief dead silence.

One of the boys whispered, "Dude..."

Another boy looked shocked.

"They’re not just rumors..."

Kuro almost choked, "They’re not!?"

Akari innocently tilted her head to the side, "Not what?"

"You know good and well what!"

Aoi sat down on Kuro’s other side and opened up a drink bottle.

Without any warning, she took a drink of Kuro’s drink.

Kuro frowned.

"That was mine."

"Right."

"...You stole it."

Aoi looked straight into Kuro’s eyes before taking another sip of his drink.

The other students standing near Kuro looked like they were about to witness a murder.

A girl standing close by whispered, "Those two girls are WAY too obsessed with him..."

Kuro wanted to jump off the side of the rooftop.

Akari suddenly leaned against him, and stated, "Kuro-kun smells really good today."

"Get away from me."

"You’re blushing."

"I’m burning up."

"Cute."

"This is called harassment..."

Finally, as Kuro and Akari were left alone, the other students were leaving the rooftop by recently shutting the door behind them.

Perhaps, in an attempt to share bad information.

Great.

So great.

—

As soon as school let out, Kuro walked home with his hands in his pockets.

So, yes, absolutely.

Not really.

Next to him was Akari swinging her bag like she was just a happy kid; Aoi walked next to him, but quietly.

"Do you want to stop and grab some ice cream?" Akari asked.

"No way."

"Too bad."

A few minutes later, Kuro had ice cream in his hand.

He simply looked at it with no reaction.

"I didn’t say we could get ice cream; I said no way," said Kuro.

Akari was beaming with pride.

"I know," was all she said.

Suddenly, Aoi reached over and took a bite out of Kuro’s cone.

"Why’d you do that?" he asked.

"To check the flavor," said Aoi.

"You ordered the same ice cream that I did."

"Research."

Kuro looked up at the night sky.

Finding a job as a monk doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

Eventually, they reached a crossroads where each of them would head home.

Akari waved goodbye to Kuro.

"See you tomorrow, Kuro-kun!"

Aoi nodded to him.

"Don’t stay up too late trying to beat games again."

The twins walked home together.

Kuro watched them for a few seconds before he walked home himself.

Lights were on inside Kuro’s house.

Damn.

His dad is usually late getting home.

Kuro walked into his house.

"Hey! I’m back!" Kuro yelled.

"Kuro! Good timing!"

Kuro’s dad was acting differently than normal.

That was absolutely awful.

The food on the table was expensive.

His dad only buys expensive food for two occasions:

Promotions, or after experiencing a traumatic incident.

Kuro prepared immediately for the emotional backlash.

"Um... what happened?"

His dad coughed with embarrassment.

"Umm...,"

Laughing, he explained:

"I’m getting remarried,"

And it was awkwardly quiet.

Kuro blinked twice.

"Ummm..." was all he could think of to say.

"Was that your reaction!?"

"What was I supposed to say?"

"I don’t know! Something sentimental or emotional!!"

"Congratulations?"

His dad gave a disappointed look.

Whatever...

He has raised Kuro singlehandedly for years since his mom died, and if he finds happiness again good for him.

Anyway...

Then he added:

"They’re going to move in today."

"Who?"

"The lady has 2 daughters your age,"

Kuro made an owie face.

This sounded complicated, too complicated.

As he was about to ask another question—

The front door opened.

Voices were heard from the front.

"We’re home!"

Kuro was stopped.

That voice was familiar.

Very familiar.

His dad had a nervous grin on.

"Surprise?"

And the living room door opened.

Akari was the first in with bags.

Aoi walked in behind her.

They looked casually at each other—

Then completely froze.

And there was silence.

Akari’s bag fell out of her hand and hit the floor.

Aoi’s usually emotionless face cracked for the first time in years.

Kuro stared at them.

They stared at him.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Then together—

"EEEEHHHHHH!?"