Reincarnated as a Tsubaki sister from COTE

Vol 0.2

"Take your seat and state your name."

I did as I was told "Sakurako."

There was Yuki that looked exactly like me except she didn't really do anything noteworthy, she just behaved like the rest...

All of us White Room students were taught names as one of the ways to identify individuals. I already knew mine because I overheard a woman saying that, my mother? Well I'll probably never know unless I see the face with the same voice.

They didn't tell us our surnames so only I knew mine, Kiyotaka's and Yuki's the instructors did call us by our first names so at least they had that?

Although I had no way of knowing it at the time, the inconvenience of teaching us our surnames would soon become apparent. It seems this rule was rooted in fear—fear that our identities might be uncovered someday. This decision was likely aimed at keeping us as dehumanized as possible.

We are four years old now, and new curriculums have begun to roll out one after another.

"Now then, let's commence the test."

The most important of these was the written test. All the students straightened their posture and turned their focus to the test papers before them. The test covered five writing systems: hiragana, katakana, the alphabet, numbers, English, Italian orthography, and simple kanji. By this age, we had already spent an entire year mastering reading and writing, beginning at the age of three.

There was no hesitation in our movements as we held our pens, our small fingers gliding over the paper with mechanical precision. The test was not just about knowledge but speed and accuracy. Students who failed to meet a specific standard within the time limit were penalized. Beyond accuracy, even handwriting was scrutinized.

A correct answer with poor penmanship could cost you points, and rushing through your answers led to deductions. We had to perform with precision and care—always aware that mistakes could not be tolerated.

At this facility, no one questioned whether we could solve the challenges presented to us. The unspoken truth was that the only children left were those who could. Those who couldn't keep up had been removed from the program by the time they turned three.

During that one year of rigorous training, I also tried to stay close to Kiyotaka, often hugging him whenever the opportunity arose. My efforts even drew the attention of another boy, Shiro, who began joining in.

While Kiyotaka never smiled, Shiro's warmth made up for it. His smiles were enough for me. Still, my ultimate goal was to remain by Kiyotaka's side—to ensure he didn't have to face his father's crushing expectations and toxic mentality alone.

Though I admit, I might have been a bit mischievous. I've made it my mission to ensure he fumbles his introductions once we reach ANHS. I'm determined to stay by his side no matter what.

We'd only managed to hold one proper conversation that year, mostly just the three of us—me, Kiyotaka, and Shiro. Even then, it was more like I was talking while Kiyotaka silently listened and Shiro occasionally chimed in.

"Kiyotaka, why do you never smile?" I asked, breaking the silence with a question that had been bugging me for a while.

My voice echoed in the room, met with no reply. Please, I begged internally, someone say something.

"He doesn't want to answer you, Sakurako," Shiro finally said, tilting his head with a grin.

"I know, Shiro, but it's so weird! He's always got that serious look on his face—like he's planning something."

"What do you mean?" Kiyotaka's voice suddenly cut in, quiet but unexpectedly direct.

My eyes widened. "You finally decided to talk! Do it again!"

"Do what again?" he asked, blinking in mild confusion. "What are we even supposed to talk about?"

"I don't know, just... anything! Here, Shiro—what do you think of us?" I said, desperate to keep the conversation going.

Shiro grinned mischievously taking a very loud sniff before commenting. "Eww I think... Sakurako, you're stinky."

"That's the most brainless thing I've heard all day!" I snapped, flustered.

"Wait—what?!" I gasped, my face burning as Shiro burst into laughter.

Kiyotaka, with a completely straight face, added, "Yes, Shiro's right. Did you mess yourself again, Tsubaki?"

"Excuse me?!" I snapped, mortified. "Who taught you to talk like that, Kiyotaka?!"

He deadpanned, "You did."

My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. I couldn't even argue, he was right.

Muttering in defeat, I shuffled to the bathroom, feeling utterly humiliated. We already knew how to use them, of course, but that didn't make the situation any less embarrassing. I cleaned myself up quickly, ending what had been our longest conversation that entire year.

Wonder how long we would be sharing the same bathroom. Maybe I could get a peak at his developments...