"Dad, Mom..."
"Help!"
"What's happening? Someone, help!"
Her eyes listlessly watched the world engulfed in flames. She wanted to cry out, but her throat was too choked with smoke to make a sound.
Panicked, she tried to find her younger sister, but couldn't locate her no matter what.
"Kotori! Mana!"
Bolting upright in bed, looking at the familiar surroundings, Shiori knew she had had that nightmare again.
The nightmare originated from a gas explosion four years ago. Although officially declared an accident, Shiori always felt it wasn't just an accident, but rather...
In the dream, a fiery red figure emitting flames was vaguely visible, and another figure was doing something. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember what exactly happened that day.
The blue-haired, brown-eyed Shiori got up, took a shower, changed into her school uniform, went downstairs, and started making today's school lunches for her two younger sisters.
"Shiori-nee, morning."
Just as Shiori was almost done with the lunches, the first one downstairs was a girl who also had blue hair and brown eyes. Her face was very similar to Shiori's, with a slender figure looking about fifteen or sixteen, her hair tied up in a high ponytail.
"Shiori-nee, is today's lunch sushi?"
Looking at the delicious food Shiori had prepared, Mana, though appearing thin, actually had well-developed athletic abilities and was a top athlete at her school.
"Yes. You have a competition today, right, Mana?"
"Mhm, I'm going to the sports center downtown for the middle school athletic competition. I plan to take Kotori with me."
As she spoke, a third girl came downstairs. Unlike the blue-haired, brown-eyed Shiori and Mana, this red-haired, crimson-eyed girl looked noticeably younger.
"Shiori-nee, Mana-nee."
With features as exquisite as a doll's, the white hair accessory and cute school uniform added a lolita, doll-like quality to the girl.
Bouncing down the stairs, the three Itsuka Sisters were: 17-year-old Itsuka Shiori, 16-year-old Itsuka Mana, and 14-year-old Itsuka Kotori.
Because their parents, working as researchers in high-tech fields abroad, were constantly on business trips, the three sisters were largely self-reliant.
Among them, Shiori was the perfect older sister, admired by her two younger siblings.
"Alright, breakfast is ready. Let's eat first."
Having prepared breakfast and the lunch boxes, Shiori called her sisters to eat before heading to school.
"Warning: Suspected Spacequake fluctuations detected in the northern district of Tengu City this morning. This is the third Spacequake incident in the last half-month. While no casualties have been detected so far, damage to public property is being assessed..."
On the TV, the morning news was reporting on the recent Spacequakes.
"Spacequakes? Again? But having three in a row with no civilian casualties is pretty lucky, I guess."
Her impression of Spacequakes came only from books and TV. Shiori didn't notice the slightly strange expressions on her sisters' faces when she spoke.
"Speaking of which, Mana, Kotori, what would you like for dinner tonight?"
Always caring meticulously for her two younger sisters, Shiori helped adjust Kotori's slightly messy hair accessory and asked softly.
"Anything is fine. Everything Shiori-nee makes is delicious."
That was Mana.
"I want the Deluxe Kids' Meal!"
After pondering deeply for a moment, Kotori announced her decision.
"Silly Kotori, don't make things harder for Shiori-nee!"
Tapping her younger sister on the head, Mana objected because the Deluxe Kids' Meal was a signature set from a nearby restaurant. It wasn't about the cost, as their parents overseas sent them a substantial monthly allowance… She just felt that Shiori already worked hard enough taking care of them and shouldn't be burdened further.
"Hmm, then no Deluxe Kids' Meal. Anything is fine, I guess."
Sucking on her lollipop while eating, Kotori voiced her displeasure.
"Sigh, you're really something, Kotori. Well, if that's the case, let's just eat at that restaurant tonight then."
Her obvious pampering of her younger sister led Shiori to make the saving declaration. Hearing her sister agree, a happy Kotori got up and hugged Shiori, "Shiori-nee is the best! Sister hug!"
"You... stop acting spoiled."
"Hehe."
Sticking her tongue out at Mana, Kotori continued, "It's settled then! I'll be waiting at the restaurant for Shiori-nee tonight!"
"Whether it's windy or rainy, monsters invade the world, even if Ultraman or Transformers show up, even if a Spacequake hits, we're still having the Kids' Meal together!"
"Hey now, that's way too exaggerated."
A bit exasperated by Kotori's words, Shiori could only finally pat her willful sister's head and nod in agreement.
"Alright, it's decided. We'll meet at the restaurant tonight."
After setting the evening plans, the three sisters headed off to school.
Raizen High School, a combined junior and senior high school. Coinciding with the new school year's opening ceremony, on the first day, Shiori and her two sisters parted ways at the school gate.
Entering the school, Shiori should have been a second-year high school student.
However, due to the deep psychological trauma from the gas explosion four years ago, she had taken a year off. So, in reality, she was now a first-year high school student alongside her younger sister, Mana.
"Let's see, Class 3 is mine, right?"
Entering the new classroom, Shiori didn't see many familiar faces… it seemed most students had transferred from other schools.
But that was normal. After all, Tengu City had been a key development city in Japan in recent years, and Raizen High was the best school in Tengu City.
It had quite advanced teaching facilities, dorms, and cafeterias. Because the school was relatively new, the campus environment and decor were top-notch.
It even had an underground shelter to deal with Spacequakes. Given these conditions, many new students transferred to Raizen High every year.
Thinking about whether she might see any old friends, Shiori's eyes were suddenly drawn to a particular figure.
That girl is...