Night in Tokyo looked exactly the same as it once did on Earth.
From the outside, there was nothing unusual about it. Tall buildings stood quietly beneath the dark sky, their windows glowing faintly like scattered stars. Streetlights cast long shadows over empty roads, and the distant hum of the city never truly faded, even in the dead of night. It was calm, quiet, and almost eerily familiar.
Inside one of those buildings, a boy with orange-colored hair sat on his bed, his back leaning lightly against the wall. The window beside him was open, letting the cool night air drift into the room.
Curtains swayed gently with the wind, brushing softly against the frame. The air carried a faint chill, refreshing yet unsettling, as if trying to remind him that this moment was real.
Yuki Rito stared out of the window in silence.
His eyes followed the outlines of the neighboring buildings, their shapes barely visible in the dim light. From the outside, he looked no different from any ordinary high school boy awake at an unreasonable hour. But inside, his mind was anything but ordinary.
His name was Yuki Rito. A character from a certain anime. A familiar name, a familiar world—or at least, it was supposed to be.
But deep within him lived the consciousness of someone else.
An old soul.
A man who had already lived one life.
'This is… surreal,' he thought quietly.
Only three hours had passed since the memories of his previous life had returned. Three short hours since his mind had been flooded with experiences that did not belong to a teenager. Office work. Endless routines. The exhaustion of adulthood. Responsibilities that never seemed to end.
And now, he was here.
Reincarnated.
In a world he recognised all too well.
'Sakura Country', he recalled.
That was the name of the country that belonged to this world—or at least, that was what he believed. Unlike the original anime setting, however, this world felt… broader. Different. As if multiple stories had been stitched together into a single reality.
After all, the house next door belonged to Sagiri.
Sagiri Izumi. The shut-in girl is known as Eromanga Sensei.
The fact alone was enough to convince him that this world was not limited to just one series. Characters from different anime coexisted naturally here, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
'Guess I'm really not dreaming,' Rito thought.
The cool wind brushed against his face, grounding him. Every sensation felt vivid—the faint rustle of leaves outside, the distant sound of a passing train, the quiet ticking of the clock on his desk. Everything was real.
And that realisation only made his thoughts more chaotic.
His memories were still settling, overlapping with his current self. On one hand, he remembered growing up as Yuki Rito, an infamously unlucky boy prone to misunderstandings and accidents.
On the other hand, he carried the mindset of a grown man who had already experienced the monotony of adult life.
The contrast was jarring.
Yet beneath the confusion, there was something else.
Excitement.
A subtle, undeniable thrill that made his chest feel lighter.
'After all… I'm the protagonist,' he thought.
The protagonist of a love comedy. A harem story, no less.
For a single man who had spent his previous life buried in work and loneliness, this situation felt almost too good to be true. A second chance at life. Youth. Possibilities. And a setting where romance and chaos practically followed him everywhere.
A small, helpless smile formed on his face.
'Haah… what should I even aim for?'
He leaned his head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling now. The question echoed in his mind. In his past life, his goals had been simple and dull—work, survive, repeat. There had been no room for dreams or freedom.
But now?
Now he had options.
He wasn't a salted fish, content to rot away doing nothing. If this was truly his second chance, then he wanted to live freely. Recklessly, even. Especially if it meant he didn't have to spend his days trapped in an office, staring at spreadsheets until his soul dried up.
The thought alone was enough to make him sigh in relief.
A soft beep broke his train of thought.
Rito turned his head towards his phone resting on the desk besides his bed. The glowing screen displayed the time clearly.
4:00 AM.
'Still that early, huh …'
He rubbed his eyes slowly. His body felt rested, but his mind was wide awake. It made sense. After regaining his memories, he had collapsed into bed unusually early—around seven in the evening. His body, still young and adaptable, had slept deeply until one in the morning.
After that, sleep had completely abandoned him.
No matter how much he lay there, his thoughts refused to settle. Every time he closed his eyes, memories surfaced—both old and new—clashing and intertwining.
Tomorrow, or rather later today, he still had school.
That reality hadn't changed.
Rito let out a quiet breath and stood up briefly, closing the window halfway to block out the cold. The curtains fell still, and the room felt smaller, more enclosed.
He returned to his bed and lay down once more, staring at the ceiling.
'I should at least try to sleep,' he thought.
Pulling the blanket over himself, he closed his eyes, forcing his breathing to slow. Even if his mind remained restless, his body needed rest. Whatever awaited him tomorrow—school, familiar faces, and perhaps unexpected chaos—he would need energy for it.
As the city outside continued its quiet vigil, Yuki Rito lay still, caught between the weight of his past life and the uncertainty of his new one, waiting for morning to arrive.
+
"Ring..."
"Ring..." Rito's eye opened. Looking at the smartphone, he stretched his arm a bit. "Hmm... Good morning." With a yawn, Rito muttered. Standing up from his bed. He found his little brother saluting.
"Hmm. Morning wood." He looked down. Well, it was the sign that he was healthy and all. Plus, in his previous life, working daylight out, he hardly had this kind of energy. While rubbing his nose, he grinned.
When with a knock. Mikan walked in. "Rito, I am coming in..." She walked in, heading straight towards the dustbin. It was after she got the polybag within it. Her eyes turn to look at Rito, who looks startled. And then she turned red.
"Idiot. What are you thinking..." Saying that, Latter rushed out.
Rito was left completely stunned.
Walking down the stairs, Rito felt an odd sense of awkwardness settling in his chest.
It wasn't just embarrassment from earlier. There were layers to it. First, deep down, he still didn't fully feel like Yuki Rito. Not completely. The memories of his previous life hadn't faded, and sometimes they surfaced at the worst possible moments, reminding him that his mindset wasn't entirely that of a normal high school boy anymore.
And second… he had caused Mikan trouble.
Even if it wasn't something he could control, even if it was just a stupid accident, the fact remained the same. He had put her in an awkward position. That alone was enough to make him uncomfortable.
As he stepped into the dining room, his eyes instinctively moved toward her.
Mikan was standing near the table, adjusting the placement of the dishes with her usual calm efficiency. She noticed him almost immediately. For a split second, her sharp gaze locked onto him, sending a clear message.
Then, just as quickly, her expression shifted.
Her cheeks turned faintly red as she looked away.
"Sorry for barging in," she said.
The words were simple, but they hit Rito like a surprise attack. "Huh?"
He blinked, genuinely stunned.
"I barged in suddenly," Mikan continued, her tone composed but softer than usual. Then, after a brief pause, she added, "…And about that earlier… well."
She glanced at him again, this time with a teasing smile forming on her lips. "I see Brother has grown up." Rito froze. For half a second, his brain completely shut down.
"…Don't tease me about it," he said quickly, waving a hand in defeat. "And I'm sorry too. I was just… up at that moment."
As the words left his mouth, he felt something strange.
The way he spoke. The timing. The slight awkward laugh at the end.
It felt natural.
Too natural. 'That's exactly how Rito would say it,' he realised.
Not the old him. The current him.
It was like muscle memory had taken over, his body responding before his mind could interfere. The realisation startled him, but it also made something else bubble up.
Mikan noticed it too.
They exchanged a look, and then, almost at the same time, both of them grinned.
The awkwardness melted away just a little.
"Tch… seriously," Mikan muttered, giving him a light push towards the hallway. "Go shower already. Breakfast will be ready in no time."
"Yeah, yeah," Rito replied, letting himself be pushed.
As he walked away, he felt oddly lighter.
Inside the bathroom, the sound of running water filled the space as steam slowly fogged the mirror. Rito stood there for a moment after changing, staring at his reflection.
'I guess… I'm still Rito, huh.'
The face staring back at him was familiar. The same clumsy-looking boy with unreliable vibes written all over him. And yet, behind those eyes, there was more than before.
Part of it was because he still clearly remembered growing up with Mikan. Those memories were precious, untouched by his previous life. They belonged to Yuki Rito alone.
But there was also the influence of his old memories. The mindset of an adult who had lived alone, worked endlessly, and lost touch with warmth without even realising it.
Those memories didn't erase his feelings.
They blended with them.
And strangely enough, the thought didn't bother him.
'Having a little sister like her…' he thought. 'That's not bad at all.'
Especially knowing her character. Her kindness. Her quiet strength.
A grin crept onto his face as he stared at the mirror.
That was when the door suddenly opened.
"Stop grinning like an idiot."
Rito nearly jumped.
Mikan stood there, arms crossed, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "I called you several times."
He coughed, quickly turning away from the mirror. "Ah—yeah! Sorry! I'm coming out now."
He grabbed his clothes, trying to hide the awkwardness of having been caught red-handed, and hurried out. Without thinking too much, he tossed the clothes into the washing machine, closed the lid, and pressed the start button.
The machine hummed to life.
Only then did he pause.
'…Wait...' He frowned slightly but brushed it off, heading back to the dining table and taking his seat. Mikan followed shortly after, setting the final dishes down. As she did, her eyes drifted briefly towards the washing machine in the corner of the room.
The steady mechanical sound filled the background.
Her brows furrowed just a little.
'Hmm… something's off.'
She stared at it for a moment longer than necessary, as if trying to pinpoint what exactly felt wrong. But she didn't say anything. Instead, she shook her head lightly and returned to her seat.
Rito, meanwhile, picked up his chopsticks, completely unaware.
"Thank you for the food."
Rito said it naturally before picking up his chopsticks. He took a bite of the cooked fish, and the reaction was immediate. His eyes widened just a little, a clear sign of surprise that he didn't even try to hide.
"…Oh."
Mikan noticed at once.
The flavour spread gently across his tongue. It wasn't spicy. Not even close to the kind of food he used to eat back in his previous life. There were no sharp flavours, no burning heat. And yet, the taste was warm, balanced, and strangely comforting.
'This is really nice,' he thought.
The fish was cooked just right—soft, tender, and seasoned with care. There was a nostalgic quality to it, something that reminded him of simpler meals, eaten without rushing or distraction. Piece by piece, he ate slowly, chewing properly, savouring each bite instead of stuffing it down like he used to during busy mornings in his old life.
Without realising it, he relaxed.
Mikan watched him from across the table.
She didn't say anything, but the faint smile on her face said enough. Seeing him enjoy the food so openly clearly pleased her. It always did. Cooking for someone and watching them genuinely like it was a quiet satisfaction she treasured.
Before long, Rito placed his chopsticks down.
"…I'm full," he said honestly, leaning back slightly.
Mikan's smile widened just a little.
"You should get ready," she said, standing up and gathering the dishes. "I'll be leaving early today."
Rito nodded. Since he had woken up early, they had been able to eat together this morning, which wasn't always the case. Usually, she left before he even came downstairs.
"I'll wash the dishes," he said suddenly.
Mikan paused mid-motion.
Rito cracked his neck lightly and stood up, walking towards the sink as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "You should just leave it to me."
She blinked.
"…Okay," she replied after a second, a bit surprised but not refusing.
What she didn't know was that Rito had already prepared everything earlier. His bag was set up in his room, his uniform neatly worn. All that was left for him was to grab his bag and leave the house.
Rito noticed how quickly she accepted.
'She's probably in a hurry,' he thought.
Mikan could be stubborn about household chores, especially when it came to doing things herself. The fact that she agreed so easily told him she really didn't have much time today.
He worked efficiently, rinsing and washing the dishes with practised movements. The sound of running water filled the kitchen as sunlight streamed in through the window, reflecting faintly off the clean plates.
Once everything was done, he wiped his hands dry and headed back upstairs.
As he reached his room, he spotted Mikan stepping out of hers, now changed into her school uniform. Her hair was neatly tied, her expression composed as always.
"I'll be leaving," she said.
Rito smiled. "Alright."
She walked ahead, and as soon as she disappeared down the stairs, Rito rushed into his room, grabbed his bag, and shut the door behind him. He hurried downstairs, only to find that she was still by the entrance, putting on her shoes.
"I'll come with you," he said, stepping besides her. Mikan paused.
She blinked once, then twice. "Oh… okay."
A tiny smile appeared on her lips—so small that it could easily be missed. Rito didn't notice it at all. He was already opening the door, letting the morning air spill into the hallway.
They stepped outside together.
The door closed behind them with a soft click. Rito locked it with his key, the familiar metallic sound echoing briefly before fading away.
The neighborhood was already awake. Birds chirped from somewhere nearby, and the streets were filled with the subtle energy of a weekday morning. A few students walked ahead of them, uniforms rustling as they chatted quietly.
They walked side by side.
'Whatever it is,' Mikan thought quietly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, 'I like his changed self.'
There was something different about him today. Not dramatic. Not obvious. Just… calmer. More present. The kind of change that didn't need words.
Rito, meanwhile, adjusted the strap of his bag and looked ahead, unaware of her thoughts.
The morning sun rose higher as they continued down the street together, their footsteps falling into a comfortable rhythm.