Chapter one: misery

Chapter 1: Misery

"Big brother, please… come out of the rain!" Kalino said, but his words faded away as Shinzu stood lost in thought.

"Mother, why!" he cried silently, tears streaming down his face as he stood before her grave. Memories of her final words echoed in his mind.

"Shinzu, you're the oldest. Please take care of your younger brothers. You are all my treasure. I will always love you. Be strong, my dear Shinzu."

"Big brother… brother…" Kalino's voice broke through Shinzu's thoughts.

Shinzu turned to his brother and replied, "Yes, Kalino. Let's go home. Where's Ganix?"

A voice came from behind a tree. "I'm right here… It seems like Father didn't show up today," Ganix said bitterly.

Shinzu tried to defend him. "Father probably got caught up with work, that's all."

"Work, you say?" Ganix's voice turned harsh. "Mother is dead, Shinzu. Dead! Are you kidding me? Father could've taken a day off, but he didn't. He doesn't care about us, and I've had enough of it. Let's just go home."

With a heavy heart, Shinzu replied, "Fine."

---

One Month Later – July 1, 2023

Knock, knock.

"Shinzu, someone's at the door. Hurry up and get it," said Ganix.

"Fine. It's probably Father," Shinzu muttered as he unlocked the door. Standing before him was a tall man with glasses.

"Good evening. My name is Ichiro Hotaka from the Board of Social Development. May I come in?"

Shinzu stepped aside. "Sure."

Once inside, Ichiro introduced himself again. "As I mentioned, I'm from the Board of Social Development. I was informed by your neighbors that three children are living here without a guardian. Additionally, your electricity bill is overdue—"

"Wait. Those old hags sold us out?" Ganix interrupted angrily. "I thought they liked us! They were probably just pretending. They didn't have to snitch to the feds!"

Ichiro adjusted his glasses. "I am not with the feds. I'm here to help you."

Ganix shot back, "So what happens now?"

Ichiro sighed. "You will all be taken to an orphanage until you reach adulthood. This is non-negotiable. Please start packing."

Ganix clenched his fists. "And what happens to our house? Are you planning to sell it?"

"No," Ichiro replied calmly. "Your mother thought ahead. She signed the house over to the three of you, so the government can't sell it. Stop treating me like a villain."

Shinzu, trying to mediate, suggested, "We should go. It's for the best. Kalino can make friends there too."

Ganix snapped, "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

Ichiro, visibly exasperated, muttered to himself, "What a pushy brat."

Later That Day

"Finally, we've arrived at your new home," Ichiro said as the car stopped in front of a large building.

"It's fine," Shinzu and Kalino said quietly, but Ganix looked around with disdain.

"This place looks like a crime scene. Do kids actually live he—"

Before he could finish, Ichiro clamped a hand over his mouth as a woman walked out to greet them.

"Hello! My name is Miss Inko," she said warmly. "Nice to meet you all. From today onward, I'll be taking care of you. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."

The three boys introduced themselves awkwardly. Miss Inko gave Ichiro a farewell, and for a moment, he seemed flustered.

Ganix noticed and smirked. "Hey, Mr. Ichiro, are you into the caretaker type?"

Ichiro knocked Ganix lightly on the head. "See you later, brat." He walked off, leaving the boys with Miss Inko.

As they entered the orphanage, Miss Inko called out to the other children. "Everyone, come meet our new family members!"

A group of kids approached, and Miss Inko introduced them. "This is Nobu, Raidon, Miya, Jiro, and Shibori. They're your new family now."

Shinzu's heart sank as the name Shibori triggered a distant memory. He fell into deep thought, trying to recall where he had heard it before.

High-School Deathmatch

Chapter 1: Misery (Continued)

As Shinzu stared at the children gathered before him, his thoughts spiraled back to the name Shibori. Where had he heard it before? It gnawed at his mind, but he couldn't place it.

"Shinzu, are you okay?" Kalino's voice snapped him back to reality.

"Yes… I'm fine," Shinzu lied, forcing a small smile.

Ganix, however, was unimpressed. He crossed his arms and scoffed. "This place is a dump, and I don't need a 'new family.' We're fine on our own."

Miss Inko's calm expression didn't waver. "I understand that this is a big change, Ganix, but I promise you'll settle in. Why don't you all take some time to get to know each other?"

"Not interested," Ganix muttered, walking past her and into the building.

Miss Inko sighed softly, but she didn't push. Instead, she turned to Kalino and Shinzu. "What about you two? Would you like to join the others in the common room?"

Kalino hesitated, looking up at his older brother for guidance. Shinzu placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Go ahead, Kalino. I'll join you in a bit."

Kalino nodded and ran off with the other children, who welcomed him warmly.

Shinzu lingered by the doorway, glancing around the orphanage. The paint was peeling in places, and the furniture was worn, but it felt strangely… alive. Children's laughter echoed faintly from the common room, a sound that had been absent from his life for far too long.

Miss Inko noticed his hesitation. "It's not much, but we do our best to make it a home. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you," Shinzu said quietly. He started to head inside but stopped. "Miss Inko… Shibori. That name. Is it common around here?"

Miss Inko tilted her head, puzzled by the question. "Not particularly. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Shinzu said quickly, brushing past her.

---

Later That Night

The first night at the orphanage was restless. Shinzu lay awake on the creaky bunk bed, staring at the ceiling. Kalino was fast asleep on the lower bunk, his soft snores a small comfort. Ganix, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Shinzu sighed and sat up, his thoughts drifting back to the graveyard, his mother's words, and now this strange new chapter in their lives.

Suddenly, the faint creak of a door opening caught his attention. He got up quietly and followed the sound. It led him down the dimly lit hallway and into the common room, where Ganix was sitting alone by the window.

"You're still up?" Shinzu asked, approaching cautiously.

Ganix didn't turn to face him. "Couldn't sleep. Too quiet here. It's… weird."

Shinzu sat down beside him. "You'll get used to it."

Ganix let out a bitter laugh. "You really think so? This place feels wrong. These kids, this setup—it's all too perfect. Don't you think it's weird how everything is just handed to us like this?"

"You're overthinking it," Shinzu replied, though part of him couldn't shake the unease Ganix's " well whatever shinzu I going to sleep".