She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her first year of High School was finally over... with little progress.

It doesn't even matter...

Although she remembered saying that on that one fateful night, she at least expected someone to speak to her during the rest of her year. Her seating arrangement, her participation in the Culture Festival, even speaking to Megumi-chan on that day... nothing changed. Sure, sometimes Megumi would say hello when they met in a hallway, but that was all. It was better than nothing, I suppose... Tomoko yawned loudly and wiped tears from her eyes. It's so boring... even though I have my computer, video games and manga, it's boring... what's going on with my life...?

Remembering that she had her computer just sitting there, Tomoko got up slowly. She placed a hand on her chair and was about to sit down when her mother called.

"Tomoko! Come down here, please!"
Why does her timing have to suck so much!? "Coming!"

It was 18:04 pm.

...

"Babysitting? I have to do babysitting?"
"That's right, I have a close friend who's going on a trip with her husband and their children need some taking care of for the weekend. I promised that I'd help."

Are you fucking serious? I'm having a mid-life crisis here (sorta) and she's just pulling me into all of her bullshit! I feel like I'm drowning in feces right now, WHY DO THINGS HAVE TO BE SO DAMN FRUSTRATING?

Tomoko put her thoughts into five words:

"Why can't you do it?"
A vein bulged on her mother's forehead, an alarm set to go off. "I'm busy cleaning the house and preparing meals for you while your father is at work."
My ass, I could probably make something better. "What about Tomoki? He's probably better with kids anyway."
Another vein bulged, another step towards the cliff. "Your brother has worked hard finishing Middle School. His first day of High School is coming up and he needs time to study."
OH NO YOU DIDN'T. "My 2nd year of High School is starting soon, I also need to study, he's probably just hanging out with friends again now and-"

A loud smack could be heard blocks away, along with Tomoko's cry.

...

"The siblings are quite active, but they usually tire out soon. Make sure to read Toko and Tiki a bedtime story or they'll never go to sleep. They like eggs and toast every morning with..."

Tomoko rubbed her aching cheek as she listened to the mother's instructions. High School girls never get into these kind of situations with something good coming out of it... babysitting seven year-olds? When does that end up in a bedroom with incense burning...? After the lecture was finally finished, the mother ran outside to meet her husband and leave for the weekend.

Well, I could probably make something out of this anyway, she thought, a smile beginning to crease her face. Boys like girls who are good with kids, don't they? Hmph... I could actually get some guys jealous with all the cute things I can do with little ones. It can also really help with teen pregna-

Her thoughts were interrupted once again as the mother called back.

"Oh, and don't worry about Takashi! He can take care of himself! Good luck!"

Tomoko blinked. "Here I thought there were only two siblings to babysit..." She brushed aside the hair over her right eye. 'Take care of himself'? What could she have meant by that? Is he some sort of albino-twin who enjoys that kind of shit? She dismissed the thought as the parent's van exited the driveway. As she walked into the living room, she met the two siblings.

At 19:45 pm, the popularity succubus found herself defeated by a pair of demons.

They were constantly jumping up and down, grabbing her hair, trying to push her on the ground... and thanks to Tomoko's petite (straight 8.5/10, obviously) body structure, she felt like she was in a wrestling match... that she was quickly getting her ass kicked in. To add insult to injury, unlike the lovely-yet-gullible Kii-chan, these twins did not wish to know of her popularity status and would much rather continue their Hostel-like torture infliction.

Not to mention that it was a pain in the ass to tell the difference between them; They both had black hair and red eyes, just like their mother. Every time Tomoko told them to calm down, the siblings mimicked her and made fun of her simultaneously, holding hands and jumping up and down, screeching like that of banshees.

"Tomo-chan! Tomo-chan! Calm down! Stop jumping!"
Their voices are like evil spirits that wander through the underworld... wait, I think I forgot about something...? She felt her spirits falter. There's one more stupid twin left, ins't there. MY HELL ISN'T OVER YET!

"W-where's the third sibling..."
The twins looked at each other and laughed. "Tomo-chan has a crush on Takashi! Tomo-chan has a crush on Takashi!" They both shouted.
"What are you talking about? Why would I have a crush on a seven year-old?"
More giggles as one of the twins walked up to Tomoko. "Takashi just finished his first year of High School. He's sixteen, silly!"

There it was. The knife in her coffin, the bullet to the head. H-High School? He's in High School!? Her face flashed a hot, beet red as her mouth slid open like a cash-register.

Noticing her reaction, the twins giggled once more. "Tomo-chan does have a crush on Takashi! So cute! So cute!"

With a speed faster than that of light (knowing our protagonist, that was all but possible), the Mojo screamed down the hall, still hearing Toko and Tiki's giggling behind her. When she finally reached the bathroom, she tried the door. She leaned her back against the wall and collapsed. Why didn't the stupid mother tell me that Takashi was in High School!? She remembered the last words she was given. 'Take care of himself...' Gears turned. THAT'S WHAT SHE MEANT? SERIOUSLY? SHE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC!?

"Alright Tomoko, get a hold of yourself," she whispered. "You're not supposed to be acting this way. Things are different now." An idea popped into her head. I'll just stay away from him. Tomorrow morning, I'll just make breakfast for the kids and hide in the-

The bathroom door opened and he stepped out. "Toko, Tiki, quit talking outside the bathroom! It's irrita-" his sentence stopped as he saw Tomoko against the wall. The sitter's eyes widened as the boy's face turned almost as red as his hair. In a flash, he jumped back into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

Tomoko was left blinking in confusion.

"Who the hell was that...?"

...

Who the hell was that? Why is there a girl in the house? Takashi Kiraya, age 17, was abnormally puzzled. He stood with his hands against the door, his emotions falling apart and blowing away. Cogs rotated. Oh shit, that's right... she must be the babysitter. It was hard to remember shitty rules like those. Takashi, known by his parents as a "special case" who spends literally all of his time in his room (doing God knows what), was not able to handle the responsibilities of taking care of his little brothers. The two perfect, adorable, extremely-like-able-little-twin angels.

Something isn't right, he thought. She's not a middle schooler... no, that can't be it. She's just petite. That means that... oh no.

Takashi's nightmares were coming true. For the first time in his hideous loner experience of a life...

There was a cute high-school girl in his house.