一つの大きな家族 (Hitotsu no ōkina kazoku) -- One Big Family

Prologue

"Ryouta-kun, Ryouta-kun, please get up now. You have to eat your breakfast or you'll starve in school."

"Nghh... Papa-cchi, it's too early."

"It is not. Come now, wash your face and meet me in the kitchen. Do not slack off."

Ryouta opens his eyes and soon find himself looking at the ceiling. The birds are chirping, sunlight blinding his gold-ish eyes, and when he hears clanking noises, he knew he has to get up from his bed and begin his daily routine.

"Good morning, Papa-cchi." Ryouta yawns once he steps inside of the kitchen. Rubbing his eyes as he feels very sleepy and his eyelids are really heavy that if he blinks his eyes, he is sure that he will fall asleep.

"Morning, Ryouta-kun. I made your favorite breakfast." His Papa, Tetsuya, smile lovingly at him then steps aside just for Ryouta to see his homemade french toast and hot cocoa. Even though it's only September and it's very hot outside, with hot cocoa, Ryouta wouldn't have his usual day.

"Uwaaah~ Papa-cchi is so great!!" Ryouta screams in delight then pouncing onto Tetsuya.

Tetsuya couldn't get enough of this cuteness.

They had been living together ever since Ryouta is one year old. Ryouta is not actually his own child. He found Ryouta in the street inside of the box. He was really mad at that and he decided to take care of Ryouta and bring happiness in his life.

"Hey, hey, Kurokocchi," And Ryouta has a tendency to call Tetsuya's last name while adding that honorifics he learned somewhere. "Today, can I sit together with Aominecchi?"

"Eh? Daiki-kun? Well, I don't mind. It's your first day in Kindergarten." Tetsuya finally settles down across Ryouta and started to eat his own portion of food.

"Aominecchi is really cool!" Ryouta's chopstick didn't stop moving and his other hand as well.

Tetsuya finds it hard to believe that both Daiki and Ryouta are close friends, considering Daiki's hobbies to Ryouta's hobbies; very large differences.

"Finish your toast first, Ryouta-kun." Tetsuya chuckles when Ryouta couldn't stop eating two dishes at the time.

Ryouta happily nods his head while obediently obeys Tetsuya's words.

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Ryouta looks around when he noticed that Daiki hasn't come to school yet. He pouts while clutching onto Tetsuya's working apron. Tetsuya looks down while patting Ryouta's head. It seems Ryouta is waiting for Daiki.

"I'm sure Daiki-kun is just running late, Ryouta-kun."

Ryouta look up and smile, though in a forceful way, and Tetsuya feels bad because of it. Ryouta is looking forward playing with Daiki today and it seems there's no chance that Daiki will arrive.

"S-Sorry, sensei, we're late!!" Tetsuya flinch when he hears someone shouting across the field. He looks around and notices a red-haired man running towards them while carrying Daiki in his arms.

"Da-Daiki-kun?!" That surprise Tetsuya at how Daiki plasters an enjoyable look while his father is tiredly panting.

"Sorry, sensei, we're late! Both Daiki and I woke up late!" He breathlessly explains then look at Tetsuya directly after that. Their gaze met for a few moments until it was broken by Daiki's shout.

"Ah! Tetsu! You cut your hair!!" Daiki chirps loudly, causing both the red-haired man and Tetsuya to tore their gazes apart.

"Hey now, Daiki-kun, what did I told you about shouting?" Tetsuya lectures softly.

Daiki snickers and pull the excited Ryouta to the classroom without even looking back to say bid his father a goodbye.

"That kid..." The red-haired man mumble against his breath then sighs once he finally catches his breath. He looks at Tetsuya once again and bid him a goodbye.

"Have a nice day, sir." Tetsuya bows then looking up once again, his lips twitch as the guy didn't even respond to his words. How rude.

Later that afternoon, when classes were over, both Daiki and Ryouta are playing in the front gate with Tetsuya, waiting for Daiki's father.

"Are you sure your father is the only one who can pick you up, Daiki-kun?" Tetsuya asks, leaning down to get a better look at Daiki, who is confused yet he answers anyway.

"Yeah! In our house, both Kagami and I are the only one living!" Daiki excitedly answers. Then, he continues playing with Ryouta.

"Kagami?" Tetsuya is puzzle by the way Daiki address his father. That's a bit unpleasing but although, he could've picked up his own son in a right time.

"Hey, hey, Aominecchi, do you have a mama-cchi?" Suddenly, Ryouta asks without even hesitating if he should ask or not.

"Hey now, Ryouta-kun, you don't ask-" Tetsuya is cut off when Daiki speaks a bit louder than Tetsuya.

"Nope, Kagami picked me up in the street caused both my mama and papa left me there. Ah, Kise, you used a lot of energy on it!" Daiki press the button of his controller a bit harder in order to defeat Ryouta.

Tetsuya is taken aback when Daiki said those. So both Ryouta and Daiki were picked up in the street. But how could that person say it to Daiki?

"Daiki-kun, did that person told you?"

Daiki looks up to Tetsuya then shakes his head, "I knew it from the start, Tetsu."

From... the start? How could be? Maybe Daiki was a little big back then and he knew everything that was happening.

"Ah! Kagami!!! You're late!!!" Daiki shouts from the bottom of his lungs and spring towards to the guy from this morning when he dropped off Daiki.

His clothes are very dirty and his face is covered in dirt as well. He looks exhausted and worn out. It's not Tetsuya's business to stick his nose to people's business but this time, he had an urge to do so.

"Um, excuse me... Are you okay?" Tetsuya worriedly asks as he moves closer to the person. He looks at Tetsuya for a brief second and responds.

"Yeah," He says then sigh as he takes Daiki's hand, "Thanks for taking care of Daiki. We'll head first now."

"Ah... yeah, thank you for your hard work." Both of them exchange bows and Tetsuya watch their backs as they retreat to head to their house.

"Ryouta-kun, let's go home as well?" Tetsuya couldn't get any more distracted at how both Daiki and that Kagami guy's life looks like...

Was it similar to them? Or a little bit different.