Author's Preface
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
I might’ve tripped and fell in love with you, but you fell harder. Our high school lives was some of the hardest we had survived—with more, and probably worse to come—Now we are home, eager for our latest news, university, and college. We are just lucky enough for both campus to share the one block, which is a joy of a rural city. But our classes, I hate knowing I start before you. But we do get to spend the whole day together after class—that’s what we hope—The day I got the email of my acceptance letter into Alne Rural College for English, I texted you so fast and your text back saying you got in too, was just the cherry on top. Now I sit here, at my computer desk at home, trying to work through the college dorm room application.
Name, easy, Tamara Koyabashi Tsumugi. Phone number, +3526 xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx. Email, done. Birthday, March 5th, 2006. Languages spoken: Olosi, Japanese, and English, marking all but English as fluent. Emergency contacts.
Contact 1: Koyabashi Yuta
Phone number: +3526 xxx-xxx-xxx
Relationship: Father
Contact 2: Aizawa Mei
Phone number: +3526 xxx-xxx-xxx
Relationship: Mother
Contact 3: Lloyd Hyg Duncan
Phone number: +3526 xxx-xxx-xxx
Relationship: Boyfriend
Contact 4: Althea Koyabashi Tsukiko
Phone number: +3526 xxx-xxx-xxx
Relationship: Sister
Now any and all allergies, I think, knowing I have to be honest as we really don’t want me dead: Nothing—That I know of—I tick the box, asking for a shared room and hoping I get to share with Mia and Lexie. After filling out that I fill in my tax file number and my numbers to prove I have rent assistance and on school living allowance, which the system after it loads tells me I will be earning two thousand and five hundred aez and fifty fose. Doing the math, About five hundred goes out in on school living, five hundred is automatically put into my savings both leaving me with one thousand five hundred for food which if done right I can spend anywhere between one hundred to five hundred and extra credit classes which costs five hundred leaving me with Just under one thousand to do what I want. I hit okay and put in my bank details so the money can go in; I watch as the page loads to the next one, more information to fill out. Information that I wonder how is it even related to my course at all. Passports? Do they plan to make us travel to English countries? I select the Jeswabourgism and Japanese passports, anyway.
The web-sight pulling up, telling me that because of country laws I need to send in photo proof of my picture, name, and date of birth in them because, of course, that’s the case, it’s never that easy now is it. Once the photo was taken and uploaded, it told to me to blur out other sensitive information that they don’t really need—Which in. my eyes is good, it gives me some reassurance—Once I blurred out the information they don’t need I sent it in, the pop up giving me a tick with the word complete next to it before loading the next page. Asking if I have a license, which I ticked no, the page took me to an option asking if I want to take lessons with the on campus instructors, which would cost an extra one hundred a session, bring that one thousand down to nine hundred. I tick yes and put in my phone number being told they will call me about booking an appointment when the school year starts. When I hit send on the file form, I sit back and relax. Only now, taking a bite of the food on my plate, which is now cold but still tasty. My phone pinging.
GIRLS’ ZONE GC
MIA JANG EUNSOO
Just finished, how did you go?
LEXIE SHARP
Not that bad for me, but mine asked if my mother still works for the Australian Greens Party.
MIA JANG EUNSOO
What did it say after that?
Mine told me that in order to do Psychology I have to keep up with my health.
LEXIE SHARP
Besides her email and phone number?
I had to fill out a second form and email it to mum confirming her position within the party.
Yours makes sense with the shortage of health care workers.
MIA JANG EUNSOO
Good old Politics courses, they could do a five minute web search, but no, that’s too easy.
It’s not like the entire world knows about you and your older brother for being born on a ‘fake’ island that the Australian government tried to say isn’t real, and that he is clearly from New Zealand in 1999?
LEXIE SHARP
Oh yeah, that, it took a drone live stream and New Zealand themselves to prove this country is a country and not some island owned by either country.
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
Oh yeah that, Mum and dad remember the news here that the government broadcasted.
LEXIE SHARP
Yeah, that made them look more silly.
How did you go, Tamara?
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
Mine asked for passports.
I sure hope that means the class is sent over seas.
MIA JANG EUNSOO
Yeah, when Edith did the course she got the option to travel to Aosa, Phunit, Meswen, Smogau, even and Lethor plus Smeria.
I think even Caewryenne and Athene were options too.
I remember her always texting that the class in Athene worked hard to make her feel welcomed
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
That’s good to know.
That’s nice of the Athene class, I might go there then if we are given the choice.
LEXIE SHARP
Athene is welcoming like that. I suggest studying there if your given the choice.
MIA JANG EUNSOO
Be sure to ask first because Edith went in 2017.
Oh, right how much did you both get with rent assistance?
I got five thousand.
LEXIE SHARP
I got two thousand.
I was hoping you would get five thousand.
I know I don’t need that much; I have a part-time job.
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
Two thousand five hundred for me.
I just hope we all share a room or at least our rooms are nearby.
MIA JANG EUNSOO
I second that.
- 4 unread messages -
I leave a stinky note on my desk, reminding myself to reply to they after dinner, or I will just forget. But I finished the food on my plate, taking it back to the kitchen down stairs, Althea is already on the couch on her phone talking to her friends about university and the acting classes she is going to be taking—She has always been the sibling in the spot light, I'm happy for her—Putting my plates in the dish washer and shutting it dad soon hands me is, I give him a look before placing it in he leaves not without patting my shoulder and saying thanks. He hands me a fresh cup of tea, and I accept it, glad for the jester even though a small one. I put my dirty clothes in the laundry basket and sit back down in the chair. It’s really happening, the one thing I thought would never happen, College … and with you.
I am one of the lucky ones.
Actor and model mother, lawyer father, singer twin, and a future soccer player boyfriend, maybe even husband. it’s a dream life, something of which so many people of wish on getting … And yet it only feels perfect when we live in rural areas. I hope you feel the same way because cities scare me a little, too many people, too loud, too much crime, too high of a chance of some type of politician stepping on your law and ruining the grass you’re trying to grow. Some with noisy neighbours who, as my parents put it, ‘Could hear you fart’. I don’t think I want that or like that.
ALTHEA—SISTER
ALTHEA KOYABASHI TSUKIKO
Can you let the dog in?
His in the back yard.
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
No.
You never do it.
Your closer, you do it.
- 1 unread message -
I hear her tells her friends that she will be a second, walk down the hall and the back door opening and then closing, soon the pita pats of puppy footsteps on the wooden floor make it’s way up the stairs and my bedroom door to be pushed open. Turning around, I am greeted by our brown dachshund, Spencer, who jumped up on my bed with his tail hitting the wall with a thud—He is just happy to be here and clearly happy to see me—I give him pats before texting Mia, telling her that I'll email the school in the morning. The night was a lot of tossing and turning I felt like a chicken being cooked. I opened my phone about four times and fell asleep when I tried the fifth. Am I nervous? Home sick? No, I cannot be home sick when I am still home. I must be nervous, maybe scared too. It has to be the only reason … right? I just hope I'm not the only one feeling like this. I surprisingly woke up on time the next morning, 8:30 am sharp.
Checking my phone, nothing major, emails from the school telling me they got my form and I should hear back soon, same with the driving section who gave me a date they will call. Trying to sit up, to seeing Spencer behind my knees snoring away, making it hard to move, but that’s the whole point of having pets. I only now check my messages to find I didn’t text Mia, and I forgot to message them both back. My heart skips so many beats, I’m pretty sure stopped twice then skipped some more, five from Lexie, fifty-five from Mia, and one hundred and fifty-five from our group chat. I open Lexie’s contact first.
Lexie just talking about how she couldn’t find photos of the dorm on the website and only showing houses being shown, most houses is placed on a road that is a crescent shape. The houses made from red brick and white stone show three floors each with gardens out the front. The sight stating that we will share the house with three other students all the same gender. The photo’s of the inside shown that they have been upgrades, stark white walls in the hallway and kitchen holding a stove and oven that can only cost anywhere from five hundred to six hundred in other countries. The sink that can clean vegetables in one side and able to read the temperature, the fridge fully black with an ice cube dispenser on the right door. The living room having a fire place, the window being one of those bay windows, the curtains you can pull shut around the inside of the window. A wall on the one far having built-in shelves. The TV mounted on the wall just opposite of the shelves, surrounded by a couch and two arm chairs.
The bedroom’s showing the same stark white walls and bay windows, but the desk in each room with light brown wood that has about I counted three shelves plus the top of them. The beds a double bed in each room. Hooks on the wall with writings on the photos saying the plastic hooks are so we can put up own fairy lights, and fake plastic vines so we don’t damage anything. Pressing into Mia’s chats who sent me the same photos and website as Lexie, but also maps of the closet take away shops, how far away the airport is with some twenty-four-hour gas stations, she found five, and the closet super market, The Value Produce Depot.
Thank god, one of the best and cheapest places around … one of the few places around, really.
I open up the maps, typing in my address: House 15, Hynne Street, Alne Village, Nadab Province, Jeswabourg to Alne Rural College, Nena Street, Alne Village, Nadab Province, Jeswabourg. I hit enter and wait for it to load, being on an island and not main land means the internet is some of the slowest. But once it's loaded, it tells me walking to campus is only a nine hour walk, while driving by bus is fifty-five minutes and a car only takes thirty minutes. A bicycle only taking two hours and five minutes. Checking the super market to the school is only a ten-minute walk, five minutes by car, and with the driving lessons she will be taking I feel one route will be to the super market and back, maybe even to the gas stations and just her luck the airport will also be a stop.
I pocket my phone and finally pull myself out of bed, much to Spencer’s whimpers and protests But I gave him pets, snuggles, and a kiss before leaving him to sleep some more. My break fast being two pieces of full grain toast with strawberry jam on it and a bowl of coco-puffs. I put some food in Spencer’s bowl who once he heard the click of the can opening I heard my bed nudge and some footsteps against the floor, quiet happy his food is ready and on time. I look at my phone as it buzzed, the group chat is active again, and this time Mia saying the cue is open and her application is only second in line to be checked. Pressing on the link and typing in my email, I wait, nervous.
POSITION IN QUEUE: 3 / 168
The notification at the top of my screen comes down showing me that Lexie says she is second, so I send in I am third. Now we can only hope we are stored as roommates. I put my bowl and plate in the dish washer and refill Spencer’s water bowl before going back up stairs and to my room to change into track pants, a t-shirt and some hoodie with ducks all over it. I spend most of the day on the couch this time, Althea saw me twice, saw what I was watching and asked me in classic sibling fashion.
“ Go make lunch,”
“ No, make your own,”
And sat down with me to finish my movie, I did ask her where in the queue she is at and she tells me tenth—Thank god, hoping I won’t be sharing a house with her—I just nod before telling her I am third in which she responded with calling me a bitch and ignoring me for the rest of the movie which by then I had gotten the email stating which house I will be in and who I will be with.
House One, Bedroom One—Floor two.
Room-Mates: Mia Jang Eunsoo, Lexie Sharp Alina, Trixie Smith Belle.
We did it, the relief I felt in that moment was something un-describable. I can’t wait to meet Trixie whoever she might be. I text the girls asking if any of Trixie’s contacts was in any of our documents. They both said no, but not long after that Mia sent in saying she did find Trixie’s account and already messaged her. Soon Lexie and I are now in a new group chat with Trixie.
- MIA JANG EUNSOO CHANGED THE NAME TO ROOMMATES -
MIA JANG EUNSOO
We are one!
LEXIE SHARP ALINA
Sorry about that, Trixie, but it’s nice to meet you.
TRIXIE SMITH BELLE
It’s fine, it’s nice to meet you all too, I’m glad I have friendly roommates I was worried I would get some who hate me for no reason.
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
I am in room one, floor two.
Which one did you all get?
TRIXIE SMITH BELLE
Room Two, Floor Two.
LEXIE SHARP ALINA
Room Three, Floor Three.
MIA JANG EUNSOO
Room Four, Floor Three!
Do we want to sort out house jobs, or will the school have that already planned?
LEXIE SHARP ALINA
We need to work it out ourselves.
TRIXIE SMITH BELLE
I’ll take Sunday and Monday dishes, and I’ll wash the floor on Monday too.
MIA JANG EUNSOO
I’ll take Tuesday and Wednesday
TAMARA KOYABASHI TSUMUGI
Thursday and me and Lexie can share on Friday, Lexie that leaves with just Saturday.
Are you fine with that, Lexie?
LEXIE SHARP ALINA
Yep, fine by me
I leave the three of them to chat, walking out of my room I finally see my brother, joey out of his room, which looks a mess, blankets just bunched up on the bed, his bedroom curtains close, the lamp on his desk looking as if it has been on for hours, the ceiling fan still on and his computer on his desk, the casing open as there is a bin full of the dust he has been trying to remove. Pinned to one of his shelves, his own college, and university form he needs to hand in by July. I saw he ticked the IT boxes before he came back up stairs with a car of air to clean out the dust from the hard to reach areas and areas that are sensitive. Althea’s door wide open for everyone in this town house wanting to see trying to go up and down those stairs, pink walls, with dark pink curtains, her bed just an overflow or different colour pillows of yellow, blue, and green the bed sheets an orange and the on top blanket a neon red. Her computer desk painted black, her computer case a bright white with random lights on the inside. The stuff on her desk: fake plants and flowers.
It’s something I expected, with her growing up in the spot light like mum, her childhood was never like mine or Joey’s. Why she stays in it, is something I don’t fully understand or grasp. But that is Althea, she knows why she aspires to be there and that is something I do accept.