Mikan's cooking always carried a certain warmth—a nostalgic flavour that wrapped around Rito each time he tasted it. It wasn't just food; it was a quiet message. Every dish held the subtle care she poured into it, the unspoken tenderness she never voiced but always expressed through her actions. The recipe she made today was one she had fine-tuned over years of living with Rito, adjusting it every so often just because he liked it that way.
Sometimes, he wondered what he had done to deserve this kind of blessing in his new life.
"It was delicious," he said gently as he finished the last bite. "Thank you."
Mikan paused, chopsticks midway to her mouth, and looked at him. For a moment, her stern mask slipped, replaced by a soft, almost shy expression. Rito stood, collected the dishes, and brought them to the sink. By the time Mikan returned her attention to her own food, he had already washed and dried everything, disappearing toward his room.
After finishing her meal, she went to check the dishes out of habit. Spotless. Her lips curved upward, barely noticeable, but there.
'This cheeky-looking girl', Rito thought with a small chuckle as he headed upstairs.
+
After changing into his school uniform, he returned to the bathroom to make sure his hairstyle hadn't fallen apart. Once satisfied, he tossed his old clothes into the washing machine, grabbed a tied-up garbage bag, and headed outside. The morning breeze was cool, brushing against his cheeks as he approached the garbage area.
Just then, Mikan stepped out behind him.
She glanced at the bag, then at him, and her expression softened.
"Thank you," she said simply as she walked past.
Rito shook his head lightly. "How did she end up so mature…?" he mumbled to himself. But honestly, her responsible, slightly motherly nature only made her cuter in his eyes. He couldn't complain.
The morning sun began stretching across the city, casting golden reflections along the road. Rito walked with a relaxed pace, watching students from different schools pass by—chattering, laughing, yawning, living their peaceful everyday lives.
This world was familiar yet unfamiliar. Though inspired by the Earth he once knew, there were differences: the country here was called the Sakura Country, and the currency was simply Sakura. Small changes, but enough to remind him that he truly wasn't back home, nor was he in the exact setting of the anime he remembered.
Still, the overall atmosphere of the city thrilled him.
It was one thing to watch a world through a screen.
It was another to walk through it, breathing in its air, feeling its pulse.
He silently thanked whatever cosmic force—or mischievous god—had thrown him into this world. He hadn't visited a shrine yet, but he remembered there was one not too far away. Maybe he'd head there sometime soon.
After all, this was his first actual day going to school here. For the past three days, he'd taken time to adjust to his new body, new home, and new life. Now he was finally experiencing something every isekai fan secretly dreamed of:
Walking to school in another world.
With the faint excitement of an otaku fulfilling a lifelong fantasy, Rito tightened the grip on his schoolbag and continued toward Sainan High, where the real story was about to begin.
The school gates were already lively by the time Rito arrived. Students crowded the entrance in groups—laughing, shouting, gossiping—creating a familiar morning chaos. What caught his eye first, however, were the hair colours.
Pink, blue, silver—an entire spectrum casually walking to homeroom.
Rito couldn't help the small chuckle that slipped out. 'Anime world logic truly knows no limits,' he thought, glancing at his own orange-brown hair. He wasn't exactly one to judge, considering his colour made him stand out just as much. And then there was his name—Rito, "pear"… Yeah, he really fit right in.
He stepped through the gate—only to freeze.
There she was.
Haruna Sairenji.
One of the central heroines of To Love-Ru. The original Rito's first and purest crush. And when Rito's gaze fell on her fair face and gentle expression, something warm surged up in his chest—a fluttering emotion he instantly recognised.
'Ah… so even with reincarnation, the old feelings remain.'
He didn't dislike it. In fact, he welcomed the nostalgia. Haruna was adorable—soft-spoken, kind-hearted, and a little shy. She had always held a special place in the story and within Rito's heart. And with his current knowledge, if he played his cards right… well, Lala and Haruna's close friendship might very well make the idea of sharing a husband far from impossible.
He even remembered an episode where Haruna got drunk and admitted she wasn't entirely against the idea of a harem with Rito, especially if Lala was involved.
'Two wives…?' Rito mentally laughed. 'Only in anime worlds does luck strike like that.'
With a composed smile, he forced his gaze away from her, trying to appear normal. But that faint, involuntary warmth lingered in his eyes nevertheless.
"Rito! Yo!"
Before he could turn, a hand smacked his back hard enough to jolt him upright.
"Gah—!" He stumbled a step, then blinked when he recognised the culprit. Saruyama Haruyama—his loudmouth friend, annoying in a kind way, and very much a side character he remembered from the anime.
"S-Saruyama! Don't scare me like that!" Rito laughed it off, patting his friend's arm.
Saruyama raised an eyebrow and followed Rito's earlier line of sight. "Hmm… looking at Haruna Sairenji again, huh?"
Haruna was chatting with another girl by the window, sunlight hitting her hair just right. She really did have that soft, comforting presence that made you want to look twice.
"Well, she's beautiful," Rito replied calmly. "I don't think there's anything wrong with admiring something beautiful."
Saruyama turned to stare at him as if he had grown a second head.
"… Did you eat something weird this morning?"
"Huh?"
"It's just… You said that with confidence. You don't usually sound like that." The boy scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Feels like you've changed a bit."
Rito smiled lightly. "Maybe." Letting out a big grin.
Saruyama shrugged thinking his friend was just acting a bit weird, and deciding not to question it too deeply, and the two fell into casual chatter as they entered their classroom.
[Sainan High School of Art College.]
Not the most academically elite school, but one famous for its well-equipped facilities, diverse clubs, and high-quality teachers. A solid, reputable school—popular among the city's youth.
The original Rito had always struggled with academics here. Not because he was stupid, but because the school's tests were surprisingly high-level. Even with his reincarnated intellect, Rito knew he'd have to put in some effort not to fall behind.
Still… a challenge was better than boredom.
Taking his seat near the window, he exhaled softly and glanced around the familiar room—familiar from anime, yet entirely new in reality.
Class went on as usual—the teacher droning, papers rustling, students whispering behind raised textbooks. Rito rested his chin in his hand, listening half-heartedly while his mind wandered. A part of him considered approaching Haruna during break, maybe even greeting Kotegawa Yui, another major heroine of this world. Both girls were important pieces of the original story, after all.
But he ultimately dismissed the idea.
There was no rush. He had time—plenty of time. And right now, his attention needed to stay fixed on the brightest point of the plot: Lala Satalin Deviluke. If anyone could influence his life, future, and survival in this world, it was her.
Without cheats or systems like other reincarnators, he needed to lean on something else.
His wits.
His knowledge of the story.
And Lala—the chaotic key to everything.
The bell rang, snapping him from his thoughts as students immediately began packing their bags.
Rito slung his own over his shoulder and glanced around. Haruna was leaving the classroom with a friend, chatting with her usual gentle smile. Kotegawa Yui, meanwhile, was dutifully helping the teacher carry a stack of printed worksheets to the staff room—her sense of responsibility shining through even in something so mundane.
Just like in the anime.
"Yo, Rito! Arcade today?" Saruyama called out, waving a hand.
Rito shook his head with an apologetic smile. "Not today. I've got… some planning to do."
"Oh? Planning for what?" Rito leaned closer and answered in a low, almost conspiratorial tone, "I'm thinking of confessing to Haruna. Maybe tomorrow."
Saruyama blinked, then burst into a short laugh. "Hah! Seriously? Man, I didn't expect that from you! Good luck, though!"
He didn't question it. Didn't comment on Rito's shift in tone or confidence. To him, this was just Rito being Rito—only slightly braver than usual.
Rito gave a relaxed sigh.
Good. If Saruyama didn't notice any major difference, it meant he could still be himself around him—without being suspected or questioned.