・2nd pov
"And here I thought most isekai mangas had leveling systems and mage towers."
"Y/N, stop mumbling nonsense over the corner and help me dress Luna to the park," Takashi demanded, buttoning up his baby sister's onesie.
You groaned, still listening to the boy as you walked around the room to clip the little girl's silvery lilac bangs and fitted denim skirt. As the breezy air lifted your [h/c] locks, you stole a glance at the boy next to you who was popping a pacifier in Mana's mouth.
Passing him the baby carrier, you dusted your clothes and watched Luna grasped her hands within yours as a way to indicate that she was ready.
This was a normal occurrence in the Mitsuya household: Wake up, brush teeth, make breakfast, take care of Luna and Mana, make more food, take care of Luna and Mana, more food, take care of Luna and Mana, brush teeth, shower, and sleep.
You were actually not a Mitsuya, but a L/N— you still kept your last name even after getting taken in by Takashi's mother, who was apparently your parent's close friend.
Well, I guess you weren't even sure if you should call them your parents if you haven't even met them yet.
To you, you were just an orphan in this new world.
Yes, new world.
That's correct.
You, Y/N L/N, has mentally lived passed the age of 17 back at your previous life where you were unanimously killed by an incoming truck from a drunk driver.
Cliche, right?
Ever since you woke up a few years ago, you were expecting some crazy shit like kingdoms and floating islands, but here was just... unexpectedly normal. I mean if you ignored the variety of vibrant hair colors, this world was a bit too normal.
But that's probably just you overthinking it.
"You two ready?" Takashi asked, snugging the carrier onto his chest.
Two voices chorused over one another, one saying 'yup' as they popped the 'p' as the other beamed in excitement.
"Don't get lose your way Y/N, the last time you got lost I literally found you at the forest besides our neighborhood," he added in, to which you on elbowed his abdomen in response.
"Not my fault I was hungry."
"Who goes to the forest when their hungry?"
"Me," you talk back, "Berries from forests could be healthy, y'know?"
The boy arched his brows as he locked the front door behind him, "And the berries from the forests can also be poisonous."
"I claim that as false information."
"Who told you that?"
"Me!" Luna exclaimed, both of her fists landing her hips as she looked proud of her remark.
"Yeah," you agreed, pointing to the little girl, "What she says is law, and she told me that the berries in the forests aren't poisonous, so she's right."
He deadpanned, "I don't get your rationality."
"Of course you don't, Luna for president."
"Yeahh!" Luna yelled, throwing her hands up on the sky. You, being the person you were, also threw your hands up in the sky to follow in sync with the young girl— trying your best to muster up the same energy as she was.
Takashi rolled his eyes as he playfully punched your shoulder, the three of you all walking down the road to your descended destination.
"A crepe stand," you awed, your attention completely averting away from Takashi and the others.
You just stood there, your usual bored eyes now sparkled with pure delight— oh how much you wanted to take a big bite of a warm and soft crepe with the tender, tart juiciness of the strawberry substituting the sweet cream.
Just the thought of it made you feel as if you were on cloud nine.
Feeling a small tug on your sleeve, you broke out of your small trance to see Luna looking up at you with a confused expression, "Did you want a crepe?"
You only nodded and tapped on Takashi's shoulder, "You need anything?"
"Crepes," you spoke out.
Ah, straightforward as ever.
"Mmm," he hummed, pocketing his wallet, "I think my mom gave me some money this week, we have enough to buy some," he turned to the eldest sister, "Luna, do you want crepes?"
She shook her head, wringing your hands, "No, Y/N. Not me, Y/N."
He only ever ruffled his sister's hair with a cheesy grin as she tried her best to forcefully push him off, "Don't mess my hair up! Y/N did it for me!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"Get me the creme brûlée with caramel sauce, get me the creme brûlée with caramel sauce," you chanted, poking his shoulder.
"No," he gave you the change, "I want you to pay it for yourself, you need to learn how to talk to other people and not cower behind me."
"Whaaaa??"
"I said what I said."
You groaned once again and stomped up to the stand, scowling at the poor cashier who was just doing their job.
You cleared your throat and squinted at the menu plastered onto the wall, "I would like uhhh— the strawberry, wait no, not the strawberry. I meant the uhh... chocolate, uh no, I mean the—"
Takashi face palmed.
In the end, the cashier didn't even realize you were in front of them and Takashi had to take over to order the crepe for you— a point for you and none for him.
Current score?
You: 1
Takashi: 0
L
Happily licking the crepe in one hand and the other protectively holding onto Luna's, you followed Takashi who carried baby Mana on his chest all the way to the park of their destination.
"Oh," you stared at the view of two boys around your age on the ground of the playground, one harshly punching the other without an ounce of remorse, "A fight."
"More like a one-sided one," the boy next to you muttered.
Before you were able to answer, you watched as he fearlessly walked towards the crew cut boy, his sequence of punches cut short as it was halted by Takashi holding him by the wrist,
"You're goin' too far," he spoke out.
You felt Luna clutching you closely behind the tree next to the scene, yet you still rendered motionless— standing awkwardly as you always do.
The boy, however, was baffled at the lavendernette.
"Violence..." he smiled, "Should be used to protect."
Due to intimidating stature, it resulted in Mana bawling out in fear.
"There, there," Takashi cooed childishly, lighting bouncing the carrier, "He's big and scawy, huh?"
After a few words were sent and received with Takashi and the 'bald boy' (or so you named him yourself), the former started to introduce himself, "My name is Takashi Mitsuya, you?"
"... Hakkai Shiba," the latter muttered quietly.
Noticing how the tense atmosphere relatively calmed, you walked towards the duo in mind that the time was appropriate enough for you to introduce yourself as well.
And so, you held up your hand, "My name is Y/N L-"
Hakkai screamed, accidentally slapping you in the face.
"AHHHHHHH!!" Luna screamed while chasing her little sister around the wooden table.
"Luna! Stop chasing Mana around!" Takashi scolded, "She get's all worked up!"
Everyone was currently residing in the Mitsuya household with Hakkai fidgeting nervously around the seat of the table, Takashi prepping up dinner, and you laying on the ground lifelessly, rubbing the icepack on your cheek.
After the whole ordeal with Hakkai accidentally slapping you on the face and apologizing you endlessly, Takashi thought it was a good idea to invite him over for dinner (you had no idea how he thought it was a good idea but you agreed nonetheless).
"Sorry for the noise," Takashi sheepishly grinned.
"No... it's fine," Hakkai sweat dropped, then he turned around to face you, "I also apologize for hitting you on the face..."
"Another apology?" You mumbled, "I said it's fine."
"But your crepe...—"
"Dinner's ready!" The lilac-eyed boy announced, preparing the table, "Here, have some food."
You shuffled out of your half-dead position and got up from the floor, grabbing the bowl filled with a large scoop of rice from Takashi's hands. Hakkai and the others did the same as the second youngest started to gobble up the food in an instant.
The clinking of tableware and sounds of the children munching filled silent room, until it was broken by Hakkai himself.
"... Got any parents?"
"Just mom!" Takashi answered, "She works late, so I look after those two with Y/N."
Hakkai then looked over to you, "Then what about you?"
"Me?" You pointed to yourself. He nodded, making you look up at the ceiling in thought, "I dunno... I kinda forgot. I think my parents died so Taka-chi's mom decided to take me in, I guess I'm an orphan in that way."
He paused to look at you wordlessly while Luna shoved an empty bowl in front of her brother, "Seconds!"
"Oh?" Takashi hummed, "You ate that up fast, Luna."
"Hey," Hakkai called out the no one in particular, "Isn't it hard to deal with all of this?"
"I guess so, but you know..." you turned your head to face his,
"You shouldn't hate the situation you're born into, Hakkai."