CH 1

Human beings are often unable to do many things as they wish, including petty things.

However, that does not mean we should give up.

It is essential not to expect too much, but to try to do something about it.

These are the words my father left me.

Just to be clear, my father is not dead.

He taught me this very lesson before he left for Kushiro City, Hokkaido, far away from home.

That is why, as a high school student, I live alone in a small apartment in a suburban city, with my name <Haruto Akihara> written on the mailbox.

As my father said, even when I was in trouble, I always tried to do something about it.

I forced myself to enter a prestigious preparatory school and fell behind, but I managed to avoid getting red marks.

When I confessed my love to my childhood friend, whom I thought I was in love with, and was rejected, I was very discouraged. However, I somehow succeeded in getting back to being good friends with that childhood friend.

So, I should be able to deal with my ongoing troubles in an appropriate manner.

Even if it means I have to live with a girl with a few unusual quirks.

☆

The high school I attend is located about a 10-minute bus ride from a JR (Japan Railway) station.

Behind the school building, there is a large riverbed, giving it the atmosphere of a famous school drama filming location.

It was a public high school with no outstanding features, but it was a reasonably advanced school with a high standard score, so I had a hard time in the entrance examination.

As to why I chose this high school, my motive was completely impure.

I wanted to go to school with the girl I had known since childhood.

My childhood friend, Kaho Sasaki, is quite cute, even without any favoritism.

Her short, clean-cut haircut is perfect for her cheerful and active personality, and her big, round eyes always sparkle with joy.

I liked her a lot.

Then, in the spring of our third year of junior high school, Kaho asked me “Let’s go to the same high school together.” and I agreed to do so.

Kaho was an honor student, while I was in the upper middle of the class.

So, although my grades were not high enough, I was able to enter the high school with the help of Kaho’s tutoring and intense studying.

So far, so good.

Everything was smooth sailing.

Kaho was kind to me, and after entering high school, we were in the same class and often went to school together.

On the way home, we would go to the movie theater near the station or stop by Kaho’s favorite café for a slice of cake.

Since we had known each other since childhood and lived near each other, we would go back and forth to each other’s houses and cook dinner together in the evening.

However, Kaho was not very good at housework, and it was always my role to cook.

She would always say, “Haruto’s cooking is really delicious.” after which she would smile beautifully at me.

I never doubted that Kaho liked me, too.

It was almost like I was in a relationship with her, and at that moment I knew it was time for me to confess my feelings to her.

Looking back on it now, I really was an idiot.

In June of our first year of high school, I confessed my feelings to Kaho and she simply rejected me.