The bell rang, and just like that, another school day was over. The usual chaos followed: books slammed shut, chairs scraped across the floor, and everyone was in a mad rush to get out of the classroom.
Everyone, except for me, of course.
I wasn't in any particular hurry. Packing my bag was more like a ritual. Slowly, deliberately, I folded the edges of my notes and stacked them carefully, sliding them into the side pocket of my bag. No matter how rushed the world around me seemed to be, I always made sure I took my time. It gave me a moment of peace, something I didn't get much of once I left these school walls.
"Miyuki-chan!"
A voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up to see my best friend, Yuka, bouncing over to me with her usual energy. She always had this way of brightening up any room she entered, like she was the sun and everyone else was just basking in her glow.
"We're going shopping this afternoon! You have to come with us!"
she said, her eyes wide with excitement, almost as if the entire universe depended on me saying yes.
I gave her a soft smile, shaking my head.
"I wish I could, Yuka. But I've got some errands to run today. Maybe next time?"
Yuka made a face, her lips puckering into a pout, but she wasn't upset.
"You always have something to do, huh?" she teased.
"Alright, I get it. You're no fun."
I chuckled lightly. "I promise I'll make it up to you next time."
She sighed dramatically but didn't press further. Instead, she just waved her hand and skipped off to join the others.
"See you later, Miyuki-chan!" she called over her shoulder.
With Yuka gone, I made my way toward the door. It wasn't until I stepped into the hallway that I almost walked straight into Haruto. Of course, it would be Haruto.
"Ah! Miyuki Takahashi!" he exclaimed, his voice booming in the otherwise empty hallway. Haruto's energy was always so... extra. I couldn't help but roll my eyes, even though I knew this would be entertaining.
"Why don't you join me for karaoke? You know, blow off some steam?" he continued,
practically throwing his arms wide as if he was about to make a grand announcement.
"It'll be just the two of us! I'll even let you pick the songs. What do you say?"
Haruto was always like this... over-the-top, dramatic, and always throwing out random invitations. I couldn't help but laugh a little, but I also appreciated his attempt at cheering me up. I wasn't in the mood for karaoke, though.
I shook my head, the smile still tugging at my lips. "Thanks for the offer, Haruto, but I really have to pass today. Got stuff to take care of."
Haruto's face fell instantly, and he took an exaggerated step back, clutching his chest as if I had delivered a fatal blow.
"Nooooo!" he moaned dramatically, his voice high-pitched as if he were mourning the loss of his one true love.
"Miyuki-chan, why? Why must you break my heart like this?"
I couldn't help but snicker. Haruto's theatrics were on a whole other level.
"You're such a drama queen," I said, trying to contain my laughter.
"Hey!" Haruto put a hand on his chest, acting wounded.
"This is serious business! Karaoke is a bonding experience, you know? You've ruined my soul, Miyuki-chan."
I shook my head, laughing. "You'll live, I'm sure."
"Fine, fine," he sighed in defeat, wiping a fake tear from his eye as he turned to leave.
"But just remember, I'll be waiting for you next time. Don't make me wait too long!"
As he walked off in his usual exaggerated manner, I found myself shaking my head with a small smile. Haruto might have been the class clown, but he had a way of lightening up even the dullest days.
But before I could head down the hallway, I found myself face-to-face with the student council. Shirozaki, the president, stood before me, looking unusually flustered, flanked by Akiyama, the vice president, and Hino, the secretary. They all looked a bit… overwhelmed.
"Miyuki-san!" Shirozaki said, his voice warm, but there was an edge of urgency.
"We need your help. We're swamped with paperwork for the council, and we just can't get it all done on our own. Do you think you could help us out?"
I glanced at the pile of papers in their hands. It looked like they were struggling to keep everything together. I had my own errands, but I couldn't just ignore them. I sighed softly, trying to push aside the growing list of things I had to do.
"Are you sure you can't get anyone else to help?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. They were clearly in a bind.
Akiyama, who always had a serious air about him, adjusted his glasses and nodded. "We really don't have anyone else available right now. You're the most dependable person we know, Miyuki-san."
I didn't have the heart to turn them down. "Alright, I'll help. But I can't promise I'll finish everything by today. I'll make sure to pass it all to you by tomorrow morning."
"Thank you so much, Miyuki!" Hino said with a bright smile. "We owe you one."
I waved them off. "It's no problem. I'll do what I can."
After that, I finally made my way out of the school building. The day was far from over, but I still had one more thing to do: pick up my little brother from his school. He was in elementary school, still young, but he was always so excited to see me when I picked him up. It was one of the few moments in the day where I could just forget about everything and be a big sister.
When I arrived at his school, he was already waiting at the gate, waving excitedly.
"Big Sis!"
he called, running up to me as soon as I stepped onto the grounds. His face was lit up with happiness, and it made everything feel a little less overwhelming.
We walked home together, chatting about his day and his assignments.
Once we got home, I got straight to work. The house wasn't going to clean itself, and dinner wouldn't magically appear on the table. I scrubbed down the kitchen, washed the dishes, and started preparing the meal. After that, I helped my brother with his homework, answering his questions and making sure he understood everything.
Just as I finished setting the table, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Mom.
"I'm sorry, Miyuki. I won't be home for dinner again. Another overtime at work. I'll call you later. Please take care of your brother."
I read it over a few times, the familiar ache in my chest returning. Mom had been working overtime so much lately, I had almost forgotten what it felt like when she was home for dinner. Still, I wasn't angry. I knew she was doing her best.
"Don't overwork yourself, okay?" I typed back. "We're fine here."
My phone buzzed again almost immediately with a quick response.
"I'll try not to. Be careful, okay? And thank you."
I put the phone down and looked at my little brother, who was already halfway through his dinner. I couldn't help but smile. Even though it wasn't easy, we were managing. I was managing.
I'd always been independent. I learned it early, when Dad wasn't around, and Mom was always working late into the night. She had her reasons, but I understood. I'd been the one to take care of things at home from a young age. Cooking, cleaning, making sure my little brother didn't feel the absence of our parents—it had all been on me. I didn't have the luxury of hanging out with friends or going to school events. But I didn't mind. It was my reality.
There were times when it got tough, when I wished things could be different. But for the most part, I was okay with it. My childhood wasn't filled with memories of carefree days spent playing or traveling. But it was filled with the quiet satisfaction of knowing that I was doing my best for the ones I loved. Even when I was sick, I pushed through. Even when I was exhausted, I made sure everything was in place.
Maybe it wasn't the life I dreamed of, but it was the life I had, and I was strong enough to carry it.