Chapter Text
R.K.
I rubbed my eyes with my fists, yawning as the rays from the sun at dawn danced across my face. The rooster’s obnoxious vocalization made me jolt, groaning as I sat up in my bed. I pulled my red, plaid covers off my legs as a couple of floorboards creaked from outside my room, which were followed by footsteps that were getting increasingly louder. Someone lightly knocked on my door, saying something that I couldn’t quite comprehend yet.
I sighed and threw my legs over the side of my bed, sliding my feet into my comfortable and fluffy orange plaid slippers. I stumbled towards the door, opening it slowly to reveal my mom grinning in the hallway.
“Rensuke! Good morning, sweetheart. Get ready for breakfast; your siblings are already eating. I have some great news to tell ya’ll!” My mom said excitedly, basically radiating happiness. I wonder what this ‘news’ could be. Are we getting a new horse? New chicken coop? Maybe we’re finally buying a new tractor. Our current one’s been making awful noises every time we turn it on. A new one would be great if it weren’t for their prices.
I nodded, shutting the door so I could change in peace. I threw on some baggy jeans and a red button-up that was just a size too tight. I tossed my pajamas in my overflowing laundry basket, muttering to myself about how I need to wash them sometime soon.
As I walked down the stairs, I could hear my sisters’ annoying giggles. They were probably making fun of me together. Typical. I sat down next to my mom, filling my plate with strawberries and pancakes. “So, what’s the news you wanted to say, ma?” I smiled before stuffing my face with a bite of the pancake.
My sisters finally wrapped their laughter up and turned their heads toward us, silently saying they wanted to know what was going on too. “Yeah, momma! What’s goin’ on?” Karin said with her mouth full.
“Karin, that’s gross,” my other sister groaned.
Mom laughed and set her fork down, swallowing her last bite of food. “My friend from the city called the other day, and she’s sending her son here for the summer! He’s a sweetpea, so don’t worry about him causing any trouble, alright? I just want ya’ll to treat him with respect.”
Our jaws dropped. That was the last thing we expected. A guest? Staying here for the entire summer? Mom rarely let me have my friends over for more than a day, and a stranger is gonna basically live here?
“Ma, don’t you think that’s kinda weird? Sending her kid here for what, three whole months? What does she expect to get outta this?” I asked, trying not to freak out. What if the kid ends up being a weirdo? We can’t just boot him out— the city is hours away!
“Well,” she shifted in her seat. “She said her son’s been actin’ up and she needs him to be sent somewhere he’ll learn a thing or two. Maybe you can take him ‘round the farm and teach him something useful? Please, kids, she sounded real desperate, and I owe her one!”
I sighed and made eye contact with Orihime, who smiled gently. “Okay, momma. We’ll make sure your guest gets a warm welcome. You can count on us!” She grinned, reassuring her so much that her shoulders rested.
“Thank goodness ‘cause they should be pulling into the driveway any minute now! Go put your dishes in the sink; I’ll handle them later.” Mom dusted her skirt and went out the front door, waiting on the porch swing for her visitors to arrive.
Pulling up? Any minute now? She just told us!
I piled our dishes together, carefully placing them in the sink alongside our dirty glasses and mugs. Karin and Orihime raced out the door the second I turned my back, saying something about how the last one there was a rotten egg. I wiped my hands briefly on a kitchen towel, sprinting after them.
“Hey, that isn’t fair!” I exclaimed, chasing after them and yanking the door open for myself before they could slam it closed on me.
When I shut the front door behind me, a silver car rolled to a stop in front of our porch. Three women stepped out of the vehicle, their pink hair shimmering in the morning sun. The one in the back seat had a stockier build compared to the two in the front. She probably just goes to the gym a lot. I bet the ones in the city have all those weird machines that give you the exact same workout as moving hay bales would. The doors opened, and the woman who was driving ran to my mom, squeezing her tight.
“Riko! It’s been so long!” She exclaimed, hugging my mother like she hadn’t seen her in centuries. “Oh my gosh, are those your kids? They’re so big now!” The woman basically teleported in front of my sisters and me, pinching Karin’s cheeks first.
My mom smiled warmly. “It’s nice to see you again, Neneko. Do you remember their names? I doubt they remember you at all; it’s been a while since you’ve visited!” Ma snickered as she watched her friend poke at her youngest daughter’s face.
“You’re Karin,” Neneko smiled. She pointed at my older sister. “You’re Orihime.” She moved and stood in front of me. I was at least five inches taller than her. “And you’re Rensuke.”
Pretty smart for a lady I don’t remember ever seeing in my sixteen years of life.
The other two people in the car opened their doors, hauling suitcases to my front door. One of them reeked of expensive perfume, but the other… Cologne? Why would these princesses be wearing cologne?
“Koyuki, Hyoma, go talk to Mrs. Kunigami’s kids! Especially you, Hyo!” The woman called out, smiling at us before wrapping an arm around our mother and telling her to sit on the porch swing so they could catch up. Her children awkwardly stepped up, offering us crooked smiles. I don’t blame them. I can’t even imagine how uncomfortable they must be being so far away from their natural environment.
Karin ran up to one of them, pulling on her arm. “Miss, you’re so pretty! How did you get your hair so shiny?” She exclaimed, tugging harder and harder.
“Karin! Don’t be so rude!” Orihime groaned, grabbing her free arm and pulling her back. “I am so sorry! We rarely have visitors that aren’t Ren’s friends, so she gets a little wild,” my older sister apologized.
The woman laughed and crouched down to be eye level with Karin. “No worries! Hi, sweetheart!” She smiled and grabbed her smaller hands, squeezing them kindly. “My hair is so shiny because of this magical shampoo I use every day! My mom gave it to me when I was your age to make my hair as beautiful as hers.” She turned her head and stared at who I assume is her younger sister. “Hyoma, go talk to Rensuke. Mom said you two are the same age, so you’ll get along well,” she reassured.
Hyoma grimaced and took a step closer to me, fidgeting with her hair nervously. “Uh, hey.”
So she works out, and she has a deep voice? Is this what guys from the city are into or what?
I got a better look at her, making out the details from head to toe. She’s way taller than her sister, has a voice almost as deep as mine, wears cologne, and has a stockier, more masculine body.
“Hello?”
Hold up, is Hyoma a guy?