Part One _ Neru

The alarm resounded in the room, a high-pitched beeping sound. Still, the pair of eyes didn't open. It went again, the sound not changing from the last time. And again, not even a single flutter of movement. As if she was deaf and the sound of the loud clock could never be heard to her ears. The young and lonely Neru was quietly sleeping on her small yellow bed, stuffed cow in her arms. Her eyes were tightly shut with her orange eyelashes curving so innocently. An adorable image of sleep in its own way.

Why am I speaking in third person?

Don't know.

But it sounded pretty cool, huh?

I was sleeping soundly on my bed, paying absolutely no attention to the loud beeps of my old black digital alarm clock. To most, that would seem outrageous, considering as the alarm could be heard throughout the entire house (including those next door). But to Nero and Naru, that's the opposite. They're already used to me drowning out all sound when I'm asleep. And besides, they have a special way of waking me up.

That's when I was pushed from bed and pinched on the nose. In desperation, I opened my eyes and flailed my arms while trying to comprehend why I suddenly couldn't breath. There before my eyes, Naru was crouched in a huddled position beside me with a devilish smile playing on her face.

"Wake up, wake up, Onee-Sama!"

"Go away. Let me sleep."

She crossed her arms and puffed out her plump cheeks, "I'll tell Mama!"

"She left, remember?"

"Then I'll tell Dada!"

I sighed, "He left, too."

"Ergh, but you have to go to school, Onee-Sama!"

"I'll go later, kay? Leave," I smiled and turned around, planning on sleeping on the floor as I pulled the pillow of the bed and slipped under my head.

Naru grunted and lightly hit me with her small teddy bear, "No! Onee-Sama has to go to school or you'll be stupid like Nero!"

"Geez, geez... Fine! No helping it since I'm already awake. Now go away, you're starting to annoy me."

She smiled and kissed me on the forehead, hopping away with her teddy swinging around.

"What an annoying eight year old... Ugh," I groaned and lazily stood up from the wooden floor, throwing my pillow and Hello Kitty blanket back on my bed (Don't judge me, okay?).

I went to my closet and pulled the first things I saw. A Green Day t-shirt and washed-out grey skinny jeans. Since of course, I had to wear shoes, I took out the only ones I actually had. A pair of red Converse that had been worn out to the point I had to duct tape them together. I know, I know... Why don't I get new ones, right? I considered it, I was just too lazy to do so. ... And I'm broke. Converse cost a lot, you know?

When I finished dressing up and grabbed my phone (A spunky Samsung Galaxy III) and headed to the bathroom, checking for any interesting texts on the way. After all, I get hundreds a day. It's only natural I answer interesting ones first, right? While I was brushing my teeth, I saw a particular text from my very best friend.

YOUR BITCH

NERU NERU NERU NERU NERU NERU

GUESS WHATTTTTTT?!

"Hahah, what?" I laughed and started gagging because toothpaste went down my throat. After my interesting gag session, I opened the text and replied.

'What's up?'

And, this is no exaggeration, in exactly 6 seconds I got my reply.

'I GOT INVITED TO A PARTAY AND I WANT YOU TO COMEEE~'

'Whose party?'

'I DON'T KNOWWWW JUST COME WITH MEEE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!'

'Did you really get invited?'

'nope :D'

'...'

'COME COME COME COME PLEASEEEEEE! ;-;'

'...Fine. But only for the food!'

'YAYYYY TELL YOU THE DEETS AT SCHOOL HUNNY DEAR'

'Fuck you.'

'3'

I smiled and replied to a couple other texts as I tied my over-grown orange hair into a messy ponytail. I don't think anyone else other than Akaito can actually make me feel like I'm having a good time. That idiot and I are two peas in a pod. I remember the first time we met, too.

We were in the 2nd grade and Nishimura-Sensei was passing out Valentines to the entire class. Akaito was late to class that day, so he didn't arrive yet. I decided to pull my master prank that day. Want to know I did? Well, it's simple. The day before, I went bug hunting with my brother and got a shitload (Pardon my French) of different insects. So, I planted them in every single Valentine. Apparently, Akaito had something up his sleeves, too. He was planning on pulling the fire alarm to steal everyone's candy. Long story short, we both got caught. And of course, we got one month of detention. During the time we'd become very close and had hung out since. After all, we were the bad apples. Most people weren't surprised that the delinquents would become friends. But we were. We barely acknowledged each other in the past. And since that time, our lives were much brighter.

"NERU, CAN YOU MAKE US BREAKFAST?!" Nero's voice yelled from downstairs. In irritation, I groaned and headed down the stairs as I stuffed my phone back in my pocket.

I trotted down the stairway and into the kitchen where Nero and Naru were sitting. Nero was on his PSP while Naru was colouring some pictures out of her Barbie Girl colouring book. "Waffles or Pancakes?" I asked as I once again pulled out my phone and replied to multiple texts.

"Pancakes, please!"

Nero looked up from his game, "Waffles!"

"I'm not making both."

"Pancakes! Give us pancakes!"

"No! Waffles! Waffles taste better!"

Naru growled and beat him with her teddy, "We're getting pancakes you useless bastard!"

"Ugh! You creepy eight year old! What's wrong with you?! Why are you so damn annoying?!" Nero blocked the hits and pushed her head away.

"... I'll just make cereal..." I left them to fight and grabbed a box of Fruit Loops (Because the entire family has an obsession with fruit flavoured products) from the cabinet. I got two bowls and a gallon of milk. While my idiot siblings were continuing their pointless argument, I poured the cereal and milk in the bowls and put it in front of them. "Get the spoons yourselves. I'm going to school," I grabbed by bag and opened the door, "And Nero, don't forget to bring Naru with you on the bus... It's bad enough I have to leave before you, I don't want you make her go missing. Bye!"

"Yeah, yeah... Whatever. Bye." Nero went back to his PSP as he carefully gulped down the cereal at the same time.

"What about your breakfast, Onee-Chan?"

"I'll eat at school."

Naru pouted, "Ehh?~ Okay... Bye, Bye, Onee-Chan!" She waved and a smile instantly replaced her sad pout.

I waved back and walked out the door, the sun piercing my eyes blind so that I could cover them. I walked down the pavement to wear my red bike lay on the grass and picked it up. A couple of kids were running freely with their backpacks to the school bus. Parents were waving at their children as they leave. I smiled at that and hopped on my bike, riding it the opposite direction; to my school.

I watched the scenery as I rode along the streets. Everything was as it was supposed to be, simple. Everything was the same as the day before. And the day, the same as all previous to that. I remembered my family. Mom and Dad left weeks ago without notice, but that's not unusual because they always leave. Naru and Nero, they're the same, too. Completely unfazed by this. I think of me, already turning 18 in less than two months and I'm still the same. But it's a different kind of 'same'. Not the nostalgic or melancholy same, but the depressing and pitiful same. I was still the same little girl who cried when Mom and Dad left. The same girl who looked after her young siblings and lied to them saying 'They'll be back soon! Don't worry!' when everyone knew they'd leave from months and never return.

I don't cry anymore, though. I've grown too old for something like that over something this. In fact, I don't care anymore. All I care about are Naru and Nero... and myself, in an ironic way. Mom and Dad, they were just people. People that gave birth to me, and people who have the same genetics as me. That's all they'll ever be. But why do I wish they'll come back? Honestly, I don't know...

Before I knew it, I suddenly arrived. I parked my bike and took a grim look at the building before me. In large red letters read 'Welcome to Ongaku Koukou ! Where dreams of the arts are fulfilled !'. Ongaku Gakkou was the school I went to. It's the most promising school for children with the gift of music and dance to enroll in because of its high class professors and modern-day technology. I think that's just a bunch of bullshit, though. If anything, it should spend less time spending money on useless crap and more time teaching us a thing or two. Literally, the four stages of school, from Elementary to University, are all in a row next to each other. And may I say, larger than they should be. Oh, yeah, you guessed it. I was one of those kids to go to the same school since Primary grades and now I'm going all the up to college. Not very interesting.

But whatever. At lest my friends were here, at least Akaito, especially. Not many I knew left, so I still had the company of some great people. I'll explain that when I get to class, I mean, I'm already running late. Not like I care, though. I just don't want to get bothered by Hiyama-Sensei again. That idiot is so strict!

I checked my phone to see the time. It was 7:54 am. Good. I still have a chance! Just watch me, Hiyama! I'll zoom all the way over there! Hahah! So I ran. Fast. So fast I could barely feel the ground beneath me. For a person with legs as short as mine, you'd be surprised what I can do! You'll see! No one's getting detention today! Not me, at least! This butterfly will fly faster than Usain Bolt himself!