I Am Big Brother (I Am Big Brother 1) ✅

Prologue

November 5th, 2028

Night had fallen, but the neighborhood was buzzing with excited chatter. But today was the national day for school Culture Festivals, most of the schools had their festivals that day. Tomorrow was another day of school, but at the moment it seemed like a light-year away.

"I can't believe it! Our homeroom got first place!"

Masato Ohkawa was happy, but he was more exhausted than happy. He bent his head forward he trudged along the road beside his best friend. "I can't believe the Archery Club ranked seventh..."

"But at least you won something," Koji Nishio said, smiling toothily at him. Unlike Masato he didn't appear exhausted at all. "Our homeroom got first place! We're going to meet celebrities, Sa-kun!"

There was usually prizes given out at the end of Culture Festivals for the best themes, and as an elite private school Yukinaga Boys Academy didn't skimp on the prizes. Their homeroom won for their tea shoppe, and their prize was a meet and greet with a group of actresses from a very popular J-Drama miniseries Phantoms. They didn't know when the meet and greet would happen, but they knew they would be told in due time.

Masato was a member of the Archery Club, and their theme had been a host club. For Masato the host club had been more difficult to participate in than the tea shoppe, thus why he was disheartened that it didn't place well. Along with other matters.

"Koji, do you think I'll be expelled?" Masato wondered aloud, lifting his head a little.

"Expelled? Why would you be expelled, Sa-kun?"

"Suzuhara. And that girl—"

"You passed along a love letter for Su-kun! There's nothing wrong with that!"

Masato smiled briefly. One of Koji's more unique "quirks" was giving nicknames to people he was fond of. For as long they'd known each other Masato was "Sa-kun", the shortened version of his first name. And Wataru Suzuhara, the boy he had delivered a love letter for, was now apparently "Su-kun", no doubt taken from his last name. But his smile faded as the embarrassing memory flooded his brain. "Koji, I shot an arrow at the poor girl!"

"I know!" Koji laughed. "Just like Cupid! You're the best, Sa-kun!"

"But what if she reports me?!"

"Our homeroom teacher didn't say anything to you, did she?"

Masato shook his head. He spotted his apartment and straightened his posture. It was a two-story building that resembled a house. His apartment took up the second floor, and a different family lived on the first floor. "No, thankfully..." his voice trailed off and he stopped dead in his tracks as shock filled his body.

"Sa-kun, what's wrong?" Koji asked, hurrying back to him. He followed Masato's gaze, which was on the building where Masato's apartment was. His smile quickly faded and he grabbed Masato's arm. "That—The lights are on in your place!"

The lights were on, which they shouldn't be as Masato had turned them off when he left for school hours earlier. Joy suddenly erupted inside of him and he quickly gave Koji a hug. "Koji! She's back!"

"She is?!" Koji asked, his eyes widening. "Did she tell you she was—"

"I have to go!" Masato said, releasing him. "I'll talk to you tomorrow! Bye!" He raced towards his home, his schoolbag and gear bag swinging at his side.

Koji remained frozen where he stood, waving feebly after him. "Bye," he said quietly.

Masato raced up the outdoor stairwell to his apartment door. He didn't bother getting his key out, as he knew she would have left it unlocked. He burst into his apartment. "Haha!"