Chapter 5

5 Together at the Entrance Ceremony It was finally here, finally here, finally here… Hee-hee! From the moment I opened my eyes that morning, I was as excited as could be. Today was our long-awaited junior high entrance ceremony! “Shizuki, have another slice of rolled omelette. You don’t wanna feel sick during the ceremony.” “Yep-yep, you need a hearty breakfast. Mifu, gimme seconds!” I wondered if Ichika and Nitori were looking forward to the entrance ceremony as well. Even during breakfast, they seemed kind of fidgety. Shizuki seemed tired, but maybe that was because she’d been too nervous to sleep much last night. I was nervous, too. But I was a hundred times—no, a million times more excited! “Thanks for the food,” we all said in unison once we were finished with breakfast. Next, it was time to change into our brand-new clothes: sailor uniforms colored an elegant blue gray with a white trim. “Whoa…! This is so cute!” I used our big mirror to check myself out from every angle—front, side, back. I looked stylish and grown-up. I hardly even recognized myself. “Today, I’m a junior high school student!” I twirled around, and my skirt fluttered around me like a ballerina’s. Every little thing made me happy. “Hee-hee-hee.” No matter how I tried to hold it in, my incessant smile gave me away. “Oh, Mifu.” “Ha-ha, why are you so giddy?” My big sisters laughed at me. But instead of getting embarrassed, I twirled around to face them with a flourish. “I can’t help it! Today’s our school entrance ceremony. Ichika, Nitori, Shizuki—we’re all together!” Right. It was the first time I would get to go to an entrance ceremony with my family! Back in kindergarten and elementary school, entrance ceremonies weren’t the only time I was alone. There were also Parents’ Day, Sports Day, the Culture Festival—any event where families came to visit. A mom warmly watching me raise my hand and give a presentation on Parents’ Day. A dad cheering me on until his voice was hoarse on Sports Day. Grandparents applauding with tears in their eyes at the Culture Festival play. I was always jealous of kids who were surrounded by their family’s love as if it was the most natural thing in the world. But today, I would be with my family, too! I was thrilled; I felt like hopping around nonstop in my white knee socks. I wanted to brag to everyone at school, “See? I’ve got a family!” I couldn’t overdo it, though. After all, I was a junior high schooler now! I figured I should double-check to make sure I had everything I needed. “Hey, Ichika, have you seen my bag—?” “I’m Nitori.” “I’m Ichika.” “Oh, sorry…” The four of us looked even more alike now that we were wearing matching uniforms. We were sisters, and I still got confused. “It’s fine. But we really can’t tell who’s who like this.” Ichika put her hand to her cheek like she was pondering solutions. If my own sisters couldn’t tell us apart, there was no way anyone at our new school would be able to. Maybe the uniforms are actually a little inconvenient…? Just as that thought came to mind, I heard a dramatic “Heh-heh-heh” seep out. “This is exactly what these are for!” Nitori proudly took out her red hair clip. It was from the matching set she’d bought for all four of us when we went to the supermarket. “Oh, right! The colors are different, so they’d be perfect to differentiate us all.” Ichika then put her hair up into a ponytail with the pink hair clip. Somehow, she seemed even more like my big sister now. “See? Totally worth it, right?” Nitori swiftly tied her hair into pigtails using the hair clip. It was a style that matched her bright, energetic personality. “Ichika, Nitori, those look great on you!” We were identical sisters, but with closer examination, each of us had our own unique charm. Ichika was three centimeters taller than me and had a more grown-up figure. Her long, slender limbs were toned like an athlete’s. Her eyes were so sharp and full of determination that it might be a little scary if she glared at you. Her voice was gentle as a spring breeze, though, and it made me want to let her spoil me. Nitori was about the same size as me, but we were completely different. Her nails were neatly polished. Her hair was silky smooth. Her skin and lips were glossy. Her clothes and belongings were trendy, but she never came across as stuck-up. She was like an amateur model in a fashion magazine. “Mifu, you’re third in line, so why don’t you do braids?” “Oh, um, that might be good.” I tried styling my hair like Nitori said, but… “Ha-ha-ha, Mifu, your braids look like ropes!” My reflection showed a plain girl with two tightly plaited braids drooping on either side. “Hey, that’s mean. You’re the one who said I should do braids in the first place, Sis…” I pouted and turned my face away but couldn’t help a smile. Saying “Sis” made me a little happy. “Ha-ha, sorry! Here, let me try.” Nitori undid my braids, ran a comb through my hair, and redid it. After loosening a few thin strands to balance the look, she finished with a quick mist of hair spray. “Wow, not bad.” Ichika blinked; it was no wonder. My new braids had loose, soft sections here and there that gave it an effortlessly chic vibe. It couldn’t have been more different than the first one and matched my stylish school uniform perfectly! “Wow…! Nitori, you’re amazing. Thank you!” “Right? Doesn’t it look just like Eve’s? I nailed it. I’m a total talent!” By “Eve,” she meant Eve Atami from the idol group Swallowtail. Nitori was a big fan of theirs and was always humming one of their songs.