Chapter Text
You were five years old when your parents decided to move to a house closer to your father’s office. The warm summer sun bathed everything in a golden glow, and your sparkling eyes eagerly took in the new neighborhood through the opened car’s window. The gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers, adding to the homely feel of this new place. As you spotted a playground, a surge of excitement rushed through your tiny body. You bounced up and down in the car seat, pointing at the playground as the car passed it. Your mom turned her head from the driver’s seat, her smile as warm and bright as the morning itself. “You can play there tomorrow, honey. Today, we’ll tidy up our house and greet the neighbors.” You nodded enthusiastically.
The new house was bigger than your previous one. A small garden immediately caught your eye. The shrubs were neatly trimmed, the flowers came in different colors, and there was a small pond with fish. Your mother held your hand as you entered the house. Most of the stuff was already organized, with only a few boxes left to unpack. Your father picked them up from the car, which thankfully wasn't much.
Delighted, you ran around excitedly, exploring each room. But then, your mother called you over to the kitchen. You huffed as you walked to her, slouching and stomping your feet deliberately.
She was wrapping the daifuku your family would give to the neighbors as an introduction. She moved to a lower table in the living room so you could sit next to her and help. “Be nice and make new friends here, okay?” You frowned. “Why?” She smiled and pinched your cheek.
“Well, I think we will be here for a long time.”
“And when you have new friends, you can introduce them to your baby sis too!” said your mother, placing her hand on her round belly.
She was nearing the end of her second trimester, and you were amazed at how her belly grew bigger each day. The idea of a little human coming out of your mother’s body fascinated you. She had explained that you were once in her belly too, which you found hard to believe. But how else could you be here? You couldn’t wait for your ‘baby sis’ to come out and prove it.
You clapped your hands. “Okay, Mama! I will invite baby sis to play with my new friends! Does that mean baby sis will come out soon?”
Your mother laughed, “Yes, honey.”
As your father finished organizing the last box, you and your mother also finished wrapping up the gift. You all rested and warmed up to the new house. When the sun was set, you dressed up to introduce yourselves to the neighborhood. Your mother reminded you again to behave just before you left. Frowning, you replied, “But I always behave, Mama!”
“Sure you do, and I want you to keep it up,” she said with a smile.
This was the third house you visited, located directly in front of your own. The two previous houses were the ones directly to your left and right. The night air had turned chilly, making you pull your jacket tighter around you. This house also had a garden, with a pond slightly larger than yours, though adorned with fewer flowers. The building was painted a muted brown, blending into the shadows of the evening. You were still observing your surroundings when a lady opened the door after your father rang the bell, the warm light from inside spilling out and casting a welcoming glow on the doorstep.
She smiled warmly at your family, and you noticed her belly was rounded like your mother’s. “Mama, she has a belly like you!” you exclaimed excitedly, pointing at her.
Your mother was about to scold you for being rude but was interrupted by the lady. “Oh my, you’re the new neighbors right in front of us! Please come in!” she beamed.
Inside, your family was greeted by the lady’s husband. As your mother placed the gift on the coffee table, they invited you to stay for a chat.
They introduced themselves to your family. The lady's name was Yuuko and her husband’s name was Makoto, with Suna as their surname. It turned out that Yuuko was indeed pregnant like your mother, and they had close due dates, which made them bond instantly. Makoto then announced he wanted to introduce someone to you. Your ears perked up. Who could it be? You looked at your parents, who smiled back at you. “Looks like you’ll have a new friend,” your mother said. You jumped to your feet, excited. Finally, a friend! The other two houses didn’t have kids your age, only older ones. The prospect of having a friend your age made you brighten up instantly.
As Makoto returned to the living room, he held a boy by his shoulders. He looked about your age, his expression stoic but his eyes beautiful and narrow. Looks like his mother, you thought. They stopped in front of you, who grinned happily. Usually, you weren’t confident with your peers, but the excitement of moving into a new house and your mother’s earlier encouragement made you feel braver. You stretched out your hand to introduce yourself. He looked at your hand for a while, unsure of what to do. His father was about to guide him when you abruptly took his hand and shook it enthusiastically. “This is how you introduce yourself to a friend!” you exclaimed.
Confused, he stared at your joined hands. “A friend?” he asked.
“Yes! I’m ___ and I will be your new friend!” you sang, still shaking his hand.
He looked at his father, then back at you. “Okay. I’m Suna Rintarou. I’ve never had a friend,” he mumbled.
You made an O with your mouth. “I’m so happy to be your first friend, then!”
After that, all of you gathered in the living room, chatting about the preschool you would soon attend. You bounced on your seat when you learned that Suna Rintarou went there too. He would be your school friend! You glanced at him happily. It seemed your mother was right; this place would be your home for a long time. Perhaps, this stoic boy would become more than just a schoolmate—maybe, just maybe, he would become your best friend. Your heart swelled with anticipation, and a smile spread across your face.
It's been around two months since you moved in, and you found yourself adapting seamlessly to the new environment. Every morning, your mother would wake you up around 7 to take a shower and get dressed for preschool. You'd see your father briefly in the genkan, waving at him before he left for work. Then, you’d have breakfast at the kitchen table while your mother prepared your lunchbox.
An arrangement had been made between your mother and Yuuko. Yuuko would take you and Rintarou to preschool in the morning, while your mother would pick you both up afterward. Yuuko, like her husband, was an office worker, but her workday started later than usual, making her perfectly suited to drop you both off before heading to work. Your mother, a housewife, stayed at home most of the time, making it easy for her to pick you both up from preschool before the typical workday ended. The two women had grown close, their personalities clicking effortlessly. They were around the same age, had kids the same age (you and Rintarou, and also the soon-to-be-born children in their bellies).
Today was like any other day. Your mother took you to the Suna house, crossing the street. As you walked, the cooler temperatures of late autumn greeted you with a refreshing chill. Your mother had you wear a scarf to keep warm.
After ringing the bell once, the door opened quickly, revealing little Rintarou, already dressed to go. “Hello, Rin!” your mother cheered at him. “Where is your mother?”
“She’s upstairs, picking something,” he said, pointing inside the house.
“Well, I’ll leave ___ here then. Thank you!” Rintarou nodded at her.
Your mother kissed you on the cheek and walked back to your house. Rintarou took your hand and pulled you inside.
“Your hand is cold,” he commented.
You made a freezing noise and whined, “Well, of course! You’ll see, it’s gettin’ colder outside!”
He left you in the living room and went to his room. You were confused until he reappeared with two pairs of gloves. “That for me?” you asked, surprised.
“Yeah, you can wear these. But give them back to me after school,” he said, handing you a pair.
“Woah! Thanks, Rin!” you beamed, putting on the gloves.
“Whatever,” Rintarou huffed.
From the moment you got to know Rintarou, you thought he seemed more mature than you, even though you were the same age. Little did you know, his mother was always reminding him to be more thoughtful towards you. Both his mother and father wanted him to grow up to be a gentleman. His father taught him how to respect women. With a baby sister on the way, he needed to learn how to be a good little man in the family. Rintarou sometimes frowned at these instructions. You? You seemed like a normal kid, kind of rowdy, even. You often yelled at boys in the preschool, picked fights, and followed your favorite teacher around annoyingly. You were no different from the boys and definitely wilder than him. He sighed but obeyed his parents nonetheless.
Not long after, Yuuko came down from upstairs.
“Hello, ___! Are you ready?” She greeted you warmly. You nodded, clutching the strap of your bag.
She put Rintarou’s lunch box in his bag and helped him put it on. Then, you walked to the car and took a seat in the back.
After some sensory play in the playground, the kids were given free time to play by themselves. You were eager to try the yellow double slide with a bridge between them. Then, you saw Rintarou sitting in the sandbox and decided to invite him to join you.
“Rin! Let’s try that cool slide,” you said, grabbing his hand and pointing to the slide.
He contemplated for a second but then got up. “Okay.”
As you walked to the slide, you heard a commotion behind you. Turning around, you saw a group of boys from your class, laughing and pointing at you and Rintarou.
“Look at ‘em! Holding hands and all!”
“I bet they kiss when no one’s around!”
“Hey!” You moved forward, your face flushed with anger. “Stop it!”
“What? It’s true! You both always come together and hold hands,” one of them said while the others laughed.
“He’s my friend!” you said firmly.
While you argued, Rintarou stood behind you, puzzled and unsure how to respond. He knew for sure that you both never kissed. Isn’t that like an adult thing? Kids aren’t allowed to do that. He remembered how his parents always covered his eyes during kissing scenes of lovers on TV. He sometimes secretly caught his parents kissing, too. So, when adults like each other, they kiss? The thought of kissing you felt strange to him.
“Shut your damn mouth!”
Rintarou snapped out of his thoughts when he heard you say that.
“Bad word! She’s saying a bad word!”
You looked terrifying as you ran to chase the boys. Some girls cheered for you from the side, “Go, ___! Catch ‘em!”
The playground filled with noise—your annoyed screams, the boys' laughter, and the girls' cheering. Rintarou watched the whole debacle with raised eyebrows. You were something else. Why didn’t you just ignore those stupid boys? You’d been here for only two months, and his once tranquil life was already changing. He wondered how his life would be with you in the years to come.