Arc-3 SS-10

"Even though it's the new year..."

"Moo..."

The one that answered my muttered complaint was a single cow left behind in the barn because of an injured leg. To be precise it's a dairy cow but that hardly matters.

(They could at least let me go home for New Year's and the holidays...)

I'd been hoping for that but reality kept me stuck at the edge of the world taking care of cows every single day.

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How much time has passed since I arrived on the largest southern island of New Zealand?

In this absurdly rural place where time seems to stand still and the same routine repeats day after day it's hard to keep track anymore.

After all there are more cows than people here and spotting another human feels rare. The few faces I see are always the same and every cow looks identical to me.

"Even for the countryside this goes too far..."

"Moo..."

"Moo moo moo moo shut up!"

I grumbled my complaints while cleaning the barn. It's the countryside all right. Too much countryside with absolutely no entertainment to speak of. The worst part is the complete lack of internet.

They took my smartphone too so now I'm basically a castaway cut off from the world.

There's barely any TV but this is New Zealand.

The official language is English and of course everything on TV is in English. For someone who hated studying like me it's completely incomprehensible.

Out of pure boredom taking care of the cows has become my way to kill time. Without even that the twenty four hours in a day would feel endlessly long and would drive me insane.

(Phew. At least it isn't too hot yet so that's something.)

January in New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere is peak summer. The humidity is low and the heat isn't sticky so that's one small mercy. If it were scorching hot like in some places I'd probably lose my mind.

"...Kae are you done cleaning?"

"Ah. J-just a little more."

"Okay. The cows will be coming back soon so hurry up."

"Got it."

While my thoughts slowed my hands the farm owner who had apparently arrived without me noticing spoke to me.

He's a man about the same age as my father and apparently he's my second cousin once removed or something like that.

I supposedly met him once when I was very little but of course I don't remember it so he might as well be a total stranger.

Sending their daughter to a place like this. My parents really are cold hearted. Well I do regret not handling things a little better back then. At the time I was so panicked about being forced to quit being an idol that my head wasn't working properly.

If I'd just calmed down a bit more I could've at least avoided being sent to a place like this.

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We bring the herd back from grazing to the barn and get them ready for tomorrow's milking. By the time the farm owner and I finish the work it's almost dinner time.

"...All right. That's it for today. Let's head back."

"Yeah."

Honestly I don't really want to get too close to a man around my father's age but he's the only person here I can actually talk to.

His wife is a white New Zealander so her native language is naturally English.

They have three kids around my age but their native language is also English.

The youngest son is kind of an anime otaku so we can communicate a little but honestly his otaku vibes are way too strong.

The eldest son is a handsome half Japanese guy but since I don't understand English we didn't get any closer. I have even less contact with the eldest daughter and I have no intention of trying.

How long is this life going to continue?

I just want to go home already.

If I can go back I'll behave and live quietly.

Even when I occasionally talk with my parents on the phone they never bring up the subject.

If I bring it up myself they'll think I haven't reflected enough so I'm desperately holding back.

Is this unchanging boring routine going to keep going forever?

Lately I've honestly started to fear the nightmare of spending the rest of my life in this time frozen countryside.

I'm only twenty three.

Wasting my youth in a place like this is honestly something I can't accept.