LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 7
Chapter 7. Troublesome Family
My first solo camping trip was probably half fun and half hassle. Above all, I couldn’t stand that dream. Just that alone wore me out.
But strangely enough, I started to feel like I wanted to go again. Last time, I went out on a whim, and there were also issues with the tools I had and a lack of information. So, I thought I’d do a bit more research before going next time.
Partly because of that, I spent my days studying by visiting camping gear stores and watching videos when suddenly, my mother contacted me.
How many years had it been since I last heard from my mother? It had been so long that I almost thought it was a scam call.
My mother contacted me to say that my stepsister was coming to visit and that I should let her stay.
……And she did this while I was at work, no less.
My mother remarried when I was in high school. ‘Less than a year after my father passed away.’ It’s only natural to wonder how long they had been together.
Her new husband had a daughter from a previous relationship, who was about ten years younger than me, in elementary school at the time. That’s my current stepsister.
Perhaps out of consideration for her new husband, my mother doted on his daughter and mostly ignored me. Maybe it was because I was already in high school and lacked cuteness. Plus, I never really had a proper conversation with my stepfather either.
From the outside, we might have looked like a happy family, but the reality was quite cold.
So, I asked my late father’s parents for help and chose a university I could commute to from their house. My grandparents lent me the tuition fees. They called it a living gift, but I’ve been paying them back every month.
After graduating, I joined a company in the city and started living alone. I kept the rent low, so my place isn’t very big or new, but I’m satisfied with it. That’s my current apartment.
I hid in the break room and listened to my mother.
“When is this happening?”
I had no intention of letting her stay, but I asked about the schedule anyway.
[School’s spring break is almost over, so she wants to come before that.]
“I’d be in trouble if she came on a weekday.”
[You could just give her a spare key.]
There’s no way I’d give a key to a stepsister I’ve barely even talked to. I probably wouldn’t even recognize her if I saw her.
“Either way, it’s a busy time at work, so it’d be a problem if she came.”
[Come on, you’re her big sister.]
“Ah, sorry. I have a meeting after this. Bye.”
[Wait, wait—]
Click
I set my phone to silent and stuffed it into my bag as I returned to my seat.
“Mochizuki, are you okay?”
The senior woman next to me called out.
“Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
——Please don’t ever call me again!
I prayed for that inwardly, but reality wasn’t so kind.
The next day, my stepsister called me. This time, it was at home before work.
[Big sis, I’m coming tomorrow.]
“Huh?”
[Mom said she talked to you.]
“I told her it’d be a problem.”
[Eh, but she said to go.]
“Sorry, but I’m about to leave for work.”
[Ah, sorry.]
Click
Tomorrow’s Saturday. It’s not a weekday, but still, forcing her to come? What’s up with that?
——Ah, I’ll go camping.
To escape my stepsister, I started searching for campgrounds on my phone, even though I was about to leave for work.
In the end, I managed to go camping without meeting my stepsister.
This time, I chose a place within train distance. It was a bit of a walk from the station, but there were convenience stores and shops along the way, which was very convenient.
Around the rented site, there were several other solo campers, which was really helpful. The experienced ones were definitely cool.
The women camping alone had stylish garlands and fancy folding chairs. They were on a different level.
As usual, I used my old tent, and it took me nearly 30 minutes to set up.
“I should buy a new one.”
I thought strongly to myself as I wiped off my sweat.
Still, unlike last time, it wasn’t pitch dark at night. There were small lights here and there from campfires, so I didn’t feel too lonely.
Best of all, there was a bath here, which was a lifesaver. Although it was a bit warmer than last time, coming back all cozy and jumping straight into my sleeping bag meant I was asleep in no time.
This time, I didn’t have any strange dreams and woke up feeling refreshed.
As for my phone during that time?
……Of course, I turned it off. Why do you ask?