Eita rolled into school just in time, barely making it through the front gates as the bell rang behind him. His best friend, Riku Yamamoto, was leaning against a wall, half-eaten melon bread in one hand and a look of surprise plastered on his face. “Hey, genius! Thought you got abducted by aliens or something!”
“Very funny, Riku,” Eita replied, swatting his friend on the arm as they made their way inside. “I was just busy saving the world from a pancake crisis.”
Riku chuckled, adjusting his messy hair. “Man, you’ve got your priorities all mixed up. Pancakes are only the beginning! You have to focus on solving for X!”
Eita rolled his eyes. “Easier said than done, especially when Ms. Nakamura is our math teacher this year. She’s like a math ninja—fierce and unpredictable!”
As they entered the bustling hallway filled with students chatting and laughing, Eita’s heart sank a little at the sight of Yuki Kobayashi across the room. With a head of bright blue hair and a personality that always seemed to be five steps ahead, she was the embodiment of energy—something Eita had grown both to admire and, at times, dread.
“Hey, Eita!” Yuki called out, bounding over with an energy that seemed to defy the laws of physics.
“Hey, Yuki!” he replied, trying to sound more enthusiastic than he felt. The last thing he needed was an awkward interaction about his mother’s breakfast antics.
As Yuki approached him, her eyes darted to the side where Haruko stood waving goodbye at the entrance, glowing with pride like a beacon. Eita felt that familiar pang of dread. He could practically feel the “Maternal Jealousy” radiating from Yuki.
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“Did you see my latest hairstyle?” Yuki asked proudly, pushing her curly blue locks behind her ear with a flourish.
“Looks cool!” he replied, though he couldn’t help but think that blue hair in middle school was just asking for trouble.
“Maybe you should dye yours too! Maybe green or purple!” she suggested, a mischievous grin on her face.
“Uh, I think I’ll leave the hair experiments to you,” he said, chuckling nervously. The last thing he wanted was to be caught in the middle of a hair color debate that might escalate into an all-out war.
But Yuki wasn’t done. “So, are you coming over for my movie marathon this weekend?”
Eita’s heart raced. On one hand, the idea of a movie marathon with Yuki was enticing. On the other, he pictured Haruko jumping in with her commentary and possibly spoiling one or all of the films.
“Sure! What movie are we watching?” Eita asked, trying to keep his enthusiasm in check.
“Anything but another romance film!” Yuki grumbled. “I can’t take another one of your mom’s choices. Last time, she started crying before the movie even began!”
A wider smile threatened to break through Eita’s amusement. “I think that was just her engaging with the emotions of the plot,” he defended, though he knew his mother’s penchant for melodrama couldn’t be denied.
“Yeah, that or she needs a good dose of popcorn over some action films,” Yuki retorted, laughter bubbling up as they joined their fellow classmates in the crowded hall.
As the day progressed with classes filled with notes, giggles, and daydreams, Eita started to realize that perhaps having Yuki around, with all her unique flair and unpredictability, may not be the worst thing ever. It could mean more laughter and more stories, even if it came with the occasional pang of jealousy.
By the time lunch rolled around, they settled in with their friends at the usual table, and amidst the banter and chaos of middle school life, Eita couldn’t help but feel that, regardless of math tests or movie marathons, he was lucky to have a circus of characters—friends, crazy family, and everything in between—to navigate this wild journey of growing up.