Chapter Text
Inspired by the novels: How to refuse the route and I became the kindergarten friend of the main shou
“Rin?”
“Rin!”
When Rin heard someone call his name, he flinched a little and slowly looked up. His shoulders tensed as if he had been pulled out of deep thought, and his fingers curled slightly into his sleeves. He looked nervous, more than nervous, actually. Like he was waiting for something bad to happen.
Before he could answer, someone taller next to him lightly tapped his head.
“Answer properly,” the older kid said in a lazy but serious way.
Rin stiffened and turned to look. It was his older brother, Sae. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, posture relaxed, expression calm like nothing in the world could bother him.
Sae had come along for no real reason. He just said, “I’ll watch,” and followed them without explaining anything else.
Rin didn’t know if that made things better or worse.
The woman in front of them smiled gently at Rin and lowered her voice, as if speaking softer would calm him down.
“We’re going to meet the young master soon.”
She briefly glanced at Sae, who gave a small nod before looking away again, uninterested.
“Be polite when you see him. If you behave…” she continued kindly, “…mommy will buy you candy later.”
Rin nodded a little, but the tension didn’t leave his body. If anything, it only made him more aware of himself, his hands, his voice, his breathing. Sae looked down at him and clicked his tongue.
“You look like you’re about to be executed.”
Rin stayed quiet, his gaze dropping to the ground.
Their mom, Itoshi Mei, watched the two of them with a faint crease in her brows. Ever since their father left, things had changed.
Back then, she had sent Rin away to live with his grandmother for a while. It was supposed to be temporary, just until things settled down. Sae had stayed with her, taking things in stride, acting far more mature than someone his age should.
When Mei finally went to bring Rin back last week, she expected things to be normal, but they weren’t.
Rin’s grandmother had laughed warmly, patting Mei’s shoulder as she spoke.
“That boy of yours? He’s trouble,” she said jokingly. “Flirting with everyone in the village. One day he says he’ll marry one person, next day someone else. Even the dogs follow him around.”
Sae, leaning lazily against the doorframe, had scoffed. “That description sounds fake.”
Rin hadn’t said anything. He had only lowered his head, hiding his face, because when Mei actually saw him he was nothing like that.
He was quiet, timid, and wrapped in blankets like he was trying to disappear. He avoided eye contact, barely spoke, and flinched at the smallest things.
It didn’t match the image at all.
Mei blamed herself. She thought maybe he had gotten scared of her somehow. That sending him away had done something she couldn’t fix.
From that moment on, she promised herself she would take better care of him.
Rin let out a quiet sigh.
He definitely wasn’t some charming flirt.
Actually…
He had only been in this world for a week.
The original owner of this body was a scumbag seme in a novel, someone who flirted endlessly, chased excitement, and never took anything seriously.
The main uke, Isagi Yoichi, was the complete opposite. Bright, popular, and naturally charming. After years of being teased and pulled along, he eventually fell for him.
But OG! Itoshi Rin ruined everything.
He rushed things. Pushed too hard. Crossed lines he shouldn’t have. And when things got complicated, he fell back into his old habits like nothing mattered.
So Isagi left.
Only then did he realize what he had lost.
But by then, it was already too late.
And now Rin was here, in this body.
At six years old.
And him? He was terrible at talking to people.
Before all this, he had just been a quiet student. The kind who avoided conversations, who struggled to keep eye contact for more than a second, who overthought every word before saying it—and usually chose not to say anything at all.
Now he was supposed to grow up into that kind of person?
No way.
Rin’s eyes darted around nervously, scanning everything except the people near him.
According to the story, when he met Yoichi for the first time, he was supposed to confidently greet him and even call him “wife.”
When Sae heard that earlier, he didn’t even hesitate.
“If you do that, I’m leaving you here.”
Rin had nearly cried on the spot.
It wasn’t just that either. The original story had him acting dramatic like a chuunibyou, over the top, saying embarrassing lines like it was normal.
But he was six !?!?!
He had just finished his exams before waking up in this world. One second he was studying, the next here.
No explanation. No instructions. No way back. Maybe… the only way to return was to follow the story.
But acting like that?
Impossible.
Rin lowered his head, clenching his hands tighter.
Beside him, Sae walked calmly, his pace steady. Every now and then, his sharp gaze would flick toward anyone staring too long at Rin.
“Stop staring,” Sae said coldly once, his voice flat but firm.
The servants nearby immediately looked away. Rin shrank even more, wishing he could disappear entirely.
Up ahead, near a small fountain, stood a kid who looked both cute and slightly grumpy. He was about the same age, maybe a little shorter, with messy dark hair and sharp, observant eyes.
That was Isagi Yoichi.
His mom stood a short distance away, letting out a quiet sigh. Yoichi didn’t like strangers. He didn’t like people touching his things. Didn’t like unfamiliar faces in his space. When his mom told him another kid would be visiting, he complained immediately.
“I don’t want other kids here.”
“What if he breaks my stuff?”
Especially his plushies. Those were off limits.
His mom had only told him to behave.
Now, as Mei approached, she offered a polite smile.
“You’re here.”
Her eyes shifted to Rin and paused.
There was a brief flicker of surprise.
He looked delicate.
Almost like a bunny.
Sae stood out too, in his own way slightly taller, sharper, more composed than a child should be, but Rin drew attention without even trying.
Big, watery teal eyes. Soft, slightly messy hair that framed his face. The way he held onto his mom’s hand like it was the only thing grounding him.
Rin gripped Mei’s hand tightly, his fingers pressing into the fabric of her dress as he looked toward Yoichi.
‘What do I say… I can’t talk…’
His thoughts spiraled, one over the other, too fast to catch.
Then Yoichi looked directly at him.
Rin startled, his whole body reacting instantly as he ducked behind his mom, peeking out just enough to see.
Sae sighed under his breath but didn’t interfere.
But then something strange happened.
Yoichi froze.
Completely still.
He stared at Rin like he had just found a rare gemstone.
Rin’s anxiety spiked immediately.
Eye contact alone was already hard enough.
This was worse.
Mei gently patted his head, her voice soft. “Rin, say hello.”
All eyes turned to him.
Rin felt his throat tighten.
His lips trembled slightly.
“H-hi… wa–wi–”
The word got stuck.
Wife.
He couldn’t say it.
There was no way.
What kind of kid says something like this?!
His hands clenched tighter, his thoughts tangling together as he struggled just to form a proper sentence.
Iyo watched the scene with quiet concern. The two children were complete opposites. One loud and stubborn, the other fragile and withdrawn.
Becoming friends wouldn’t be easy.
But then Yoichi’s expression changed.
His eyes suddenly lit up, like something clicked into place.
He stepped forward without hesitation, pointing straight at Rin.
“I want him to be my wife.”
Everything went silent.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Everyone stared, stunned.
Sae’s expression cracked for the first time. His calm composure shattered just enough for irritation to show, his brow twitching as his gaze locked onto Yoichi.
“You’ve got guts,” he said flatly.
Rin, meanwhile, just stood there, completely confused.
His thoughts came to a full stop.
Wait…
Wasn’t he supposed to be the one who said that?