∘◦ ❈ Daikonella ❈ ◦∘

1: A Letter

Once upon a time, there was a radish-legged girl named Nene Yashiro.

When Nene was young, her father died. Her mother soon remarried a kind-yet-aloof man named Tsuchigomori. Tsuchigomori already had two sons-- twins, named Akane and Lemon.

Relatively soon after, Nene's mother died. The family mourned, but Nene didn't. She knew her mother was a happy person, and that she wouldn't want Nene to mourn.

Nene grew up being close friends with Akane, but for some reason, Lemon seemed to resent her. He forced her to do his chores, like cleaning and cooking.

"Daikon-onee-san!" Lemon chanted. Despite being a year older than her, he still used the honorific for 'older sister'. 

"I'm not a daikon," Nene sighed. He still won't let go of this? Really?

"Can you clean up my room for me? I won't have enough time, with my test coming up."

"Yes, Nene, you should. Your brother's asking you nicely." Tsuchigomori told her, not looking up from the book he was reading

"B-but!" Nene started. "I also have tes--"

"Nene, I'm serious." Tsuchigomori shook his head before returning to reading. He sighed. "Kids, you're sticky and you don't know when to shut up."

"O-okay." Nene trudged off to clean.

"I'll help you, Onee-san!" Akane volunteered (she didn't mind it when Akane called her that). Nene smiled, thankful for her redheaded brother.

"Thank you!"

And that was how it went. Lemon getting Nene to do his chores, Tshuchigomori agreeing, and Akane helping her with them. Nene didn't have many friends (or any), but she was okay with that. Akane was enough.

One day, the family received a letter.

"From the royal palace!" Lemon announced, reading the address. The rest of the family, who had been in the living room, reading and finishing homework, raced into the kitchen.

"The palace?" Akane gasped. "Has my dear Ao-chan finally realized her love for me?" Lemon rolled his eyes as Nene suppressed a giggle.

"Akane-kun, you've never met her? How can you be in love?" Nene asked him. He sighed.

"When we do meet, it'll be love at first sight! You'll see!" He looked at his sister. "You're not one to talk, either. Aren't you head over heels for Teru?" His sister blushed.

"N-no," she tried to say. "W-what makes you say that?"

"I'm opening it!" Lemon did so. He read the letter out loud:

To The House of Yashiro,

This Saturday, On the 30th, there will be a ball held in the royal palace. The Crown Prince of Minamoto Kingdom, Prince Teru, is in search of a bride.

Nene let out a shriek. "He is?!?" The rest of the family covered their ears.

"Nene, don't do that!" Her stepfather said. Nene blushed.

"Keep reading!"

Please bring any females, ages 14-21, and their respective families. Thank you, and have a nice day.

KING SUGOI

"So it's not about Ao-chan and me?" Akane asked, depressed. Lemon looked at his stepsister.

"They want you to come so Teru has the option of marrying you?" he asked.

Nene was frozen in shock. "W-what? H-he--"

"No." Tsuchigomori had never raised his voice at his stepdaughter before. Sure, he had gotten angry, but he had never yelled.

"Why?" Nene cried. "Why--"

"You're not going. No daughter of mine--"

"I'M NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" Nene screamed, panting. "YOU'RE NOT MY DAD AND YOU'LL NEVER REPLACE HIM!"

"Nene . . ." Akane whispered.

She froze, breathing heavily. "W-wait, that's not--"

"I'm sorry you feel that way." His voice was cold. "You're not going, and that's final." Nene, sobbing, raced off to her room.

Tsuchigomori walked off to the small garden he tended, wanting to be alone.

Akane and Lemon exchanged glances. They had known each other long enough to nod and know exactly what the other meant. Akane hurried off to find his sister, and Lemon raced for his father.

This was going to be a long day.

A/N:

Wow, what tension! I can't wait to keep posting the story, and I hope you're as excited as I am!

~~ Author-chan ~~

(672 words? That's {kinda/sorta/not really} long!)