𝑻𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐇𝐔𝐒𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞 + 𝕿𝖜𝖔

'•.¸¸.•´´¯'••._.• . •._.••'¯´´•.¸¸.•'

"Everyone, this is my friend Kokichi Oma. Please be patient with him and don't overwhelm him with questions, okay?"

That's how Rantaro introduced the new addition to the home the following morning. The previous night he had worked hard on cleaning up and wrapping up the injuries of the boy who got caught in the animal net. Apprently his name was Kokichi Oma and he didn't talk until Rantaro took him inside. However, as scrawny as little Kokichi looked, he barely would eat a nibble of anything. It was almost as if putting any food in his mouth made him sick and he refused to do it. But even still, Rantaro was determined to help him in any way he could. Starting with letting Kokichi know he was part of the family now.

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[The previous night after Rantaro took Kokichi to his house]
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"Here.. I'll go get you some hot tea.." Rantaro mentioned, setting Kokichi, who was still in a bundle in Rantaro's coat, on the floor by the inori* in the center of the room. In the corner was Rantaro's sleeping mother and sisters, so he tried his best not to wake them as he lit the fire to warm both him and his new company, and to also make something warm to drink. This guy must've been freezing. Rantaro couldn't imagine what he was doing alone in the woods in the middle of winter.

So after getting some onigiri and hot tea, Rantaro set them aside while wrapping any spare blankets he could find around the little boy. And after that, Rantaro managed to coax him into drinking some of the tea, yet the boy spit it out and choked, which Rantaro assumed the suddenly hot was too much at once for him.

"I'm Rantaro Amami." Rantaro introduced himself quietly as he watched the boy, who was probably a couple years younger than him, hold the tea cup, but refuse to drink anymore. "Can you speak..?"

"...."

Rantaro started to sigh under his breath, thinking perhaps this person couldn't talk, and that would make things more difficult to help him find his way home– if he even had one, at that. But..

"Ko.. Kokichi.. Oma.."

Rantaro lifted his head up hearing that, and slowly a relived smile spread across his face. "Kokichi Oma.. It's nice to meet you, Oma-kun," he replied, but blinked and frowned when he saw Kokichi start to tremble.

"..it burns.. " Kokichi clutched his chest where his heart was and shook like a leaf. His eyes were wide, as if in shock. " they.. they're going to hurt me–"

But he stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Rantaro looked at him with reassurance.

"You're safe here," he promised with a smile. "We're way up in the mountains. Do you have any family?" He asked rather gently, to which Kokichi shook his head.

"Well then.." Rantaro looked around, glancing at his resting sisters and mother before back at Oma.

"We can be your family. I'll be your big brother.. How does that sound, Kokichi-kun?"

Kokichi's eyes sparkled, a light invaded the dark purple irises he possessed, and like a spell being casted, Kokichi was seeing through an entire new vision and ideal; he had a family? A big brother?