"Rito, what are you doing…?"
Mikan's voice rang out across the park, firm but tinged with worry.
Rito, who had been swaying on his feet like a dying soldier, snapped back to attention at the familiar sound. He turned, forcing a grin despite his pale face. "Ah, Mikan… and—" his eyes shifted to the two girls standing beside her, "—your friends?"
Sachie and Mami stepped forward before Mikan could cut him off.
"I'm Sachie," one of them said with a polite smile.
"And I'm Mami," the other followed, her eyes curious as they scanned Rito up and down.
Rito exhaled a little in relief. "It's nice to meet you both… I'm really glad Mikan has good friends around her." His tone was gentle, sincere—so much so that even Sachie blinked in surprise.
Mikan's cheeks warmed, and she quickly grabbed his sleeve. "Stop embarrassing me, idiot…" she muttered under her breath, tugging him away from the scene.
"Eh—wait, Mikan!" Rito stumbled a little, barely managing to wave at the two girls with an awkward smile before being dragged off.
Left behind, Sachie and Mami exchanged a glance. Both had wide eyes, but it was Mami who spoke first, a knowing smirk playing at her lips.
"…After all, she had Onii-chan, huh?"
Sachie chuckled, shaking her head with a sigh. "No wonder she never really opened up much before. That bond is… something else."
The two of them watched the siblings disappear into the crowd, their bafflement slowly turning into quiet amusement. Whatever they had just witnessed wasn't simply family—it felt far deeper, almost unspoken, yet undeniably there.
Mikan returned from the food stall with a paper box of steaming yakisoba, holding it out with that calm, matter-of-fact expression she always wore when she was being considerate without wanting to admit it.
"Here," she said, setting it in front of him. "You probably spent everything you had on those kids earlier. Don't try to deny it."
Rito chuckled weakly, scratching his cheek. "You saw that, huh… Thanks, Mikan." He took the chopsticks and started eating, the warmth of the noodles filling not just his stomach but also something softer inside him.
Yet, as he chewed, his reincarnator's mind began to wander. 'This can't keep going. If I'm going to live like this—helping others, getting caught in… weird anime accidents, surviving school—I need money. Pocket money from home won't cut it.'
He glanced at Mikan, who was scrolling idly through her phone beside him, and then back at his food. His thoughts sharpened. There's one thing every reincarnator thinks of at some point: cashing in on the knowledge of another world.
His chopsticks paused mid-air. 'A light novel. Or even better—a manga. This world doesn't have the hits from my old life. I could recreate them, piece by piece. Shounen blockbusters, tear-jerking romances, timeless slice-of-life stories…'
The system screen flickered faintly in his vision, as if echoing the thought. The [Writing] skill pulsed at Level 2 (30/100). He smirked inwardly. 'Yeah. It's dirty, but survival always is. If I play my cards right, this could become my foothold—money, influence, even recognition.'
Rito slurped up the last of the noodles, determination setting in his chest. Outwardly, he only sighed and muttered, "Guess I'll need to work harder from now on…"
Mikan glanced at him from the corner of her eye, almost suspicious, but said nothing. For her, it was just Rito being Rito again.
Skills
High School Study [Lv. 2] (21/100)
Football [Lv. 2] (26/100)
Cleaning [Lv. 2] (7/100)
Cooking [Lv. 2] (5/100)
Writing [Lv. 2] (39/100)
Drawing [Lv. 1] (4/10)
Identification [Lv. 1] (1/10)
Charm [Lv. 0] (—)
That night, Rito sat cross-legged on his bed, the dim glow of the desk lamp barely pushing back the shadows in his room. Mikan had already retreated to her own room, leaving him in silence. With a slow breath, he whispered, "Status."
The familiar blue window unfolded before him, a cascade of numbers and words hanging in the air only he could see.
Rito's eyes lingered on the last one, his thoughts sharpening. 'If I'm going to write something that actually works, something publishable, I need to raise this skill. At least to Level 3. Otherwise, it'll just be gibberish and childish plots.'
His gaze shifted toward the faintly glowing [Shop] tab. For the first time since he got the system, it wasn't sealed. His heart thumped as he tapped it open.
The menu unfolded like an ancient marketplace, rows of items flickering in and out of view. Most were grayed out, impossibly expensive, or just strange trinkets he didn't understand. But on the very first page, highlighted faintly in gold, was something that caught his breath.
[Skill Upgrade Card – Low Tier]
Instantly increases selected skill mastery by 100 points (only applicable for skills below Lv 5).
Cost: 300 Shop Points
Rito's eyes widened. The exact number he had. Almost like the system wanted me to see this.
He didn't hesitate long. Clicking the purchase button, his points dropped to zero, and a bright card of shimmering light floated into his palm before dissolving into his chest. The Writing skill window flickered:
Writing: Lv 2 (30/100) → Lv 3 (0/100)
Remark updated: "Capable of constructing coherent and engaging drafts."
Rito exhaled, tension leaving his shoulders. "Level 3… That's more like it."
He pulled out his notebook and pen from the drawer. For a while, he just sat there, staring at the blank page, mind swirling with the greatest stories he'd once read in his previous life.
'Which one first? Should I start small? Or go straight for a masterpiece?' Rito had a lot to think about, but even so, he had a great idea in his mind. A great story of a guy who reincarnated into slime.
The silence of the night pressed in, broken only by the scratch of his pen as he began to scribble the opening lines of a story that could change his future.
The doorbell chimed faintly, breaking the rhythm of Rito's pen against paper. He blinked, glancing at the clock.
'This late? We're not expecting anyone…'
With Mikan still busy in the kitchen—he could smell the faint aroma of miso soup and grilled fish—Rito set the notebook aside and padded to the door.
When he slid it open, a familiar yet almost distant figure stood there. A woman with soft brown hair that brushed past her shoulders and gentle eyes that carried both warmth and a hint of tiredness from travel. She smiled before he could even react, her voice warm and lilting.
"It's good to see you, okay! Sweetheart."
Before he knew it, his mother's arms were around him, pulling him into a tender embrace. For a moment, Rito froze, caught between surprise and something deeper. Then, like a dam breaking, a rush of emotions flooded him—nostalgia, comfort, and a strange longing.
'It's been so long since I felt this kind of warmth…'
He slowly hugged her back, his lips curving into a small, almost childish smile.
"M-Mom…" he muttered under his breath.
From the kitchen, the clatter of utensils stopped. Mikan's voice called out, a little uncertain:
"Onii-chan, who is it?"
But when she peeked from the hallway and saw who stood at the door, her eyes widened.
"Mom…?"
Their mother turned with the same affectionate smile and opened her arms again. Mikan couldn't stop herself; she darted forward, letting herself be pulled into that familiar warmth.
"Ah, my Mikan has grown so much," their mother cooed, squeezing her gently. "Both of you… you've been doing so well while I was away."
Rito stood there, watching the two of them.
The evening settled into a cozy warmth. The hallroom lights glowed softly, and the faint clatter from the kitchen echoed every now and then—Mikan humming quietly as she busied herself. The smell of simmering broth mixed with soy sauce filled the air, wrapping the house in a nostalgic sense of home.
Rito sat with his mother, Yuki Ringo, across from him on the sofa. She looked the same as ever—cheerful and elegant in her casual way, as though she hadn't been gone for months. Rito stole a glance toward the kitchen, where Mikan had firmly banned him from helping. His little sister's cheeks had been tinged with a subtle blush as she chopped vegetables, and her smile was unusually bright.
"She looks happy," Ringo said, following his gaze with a gentle smile. "I can tell she's enjoying this… having everyone together again."
"Yeah…" Rito muttered, leaning back slightly, his tone softer than usual.
'She really does look happy. Guess… this is the kind of warmth I didn't notice before.'
Then, as if she suddenly remembered something important, Ringo clapped her hands together.
"Ahh, right! Rito, I almost forgot to tell you." She leaned closer, lowering her voice in a conspiratorial tone. "I had a friend's daughter—sweet girl—who might be coming here to live with us for a while. I'll need you to look after her, alright?"
The words hit Rito like a thunderclap. His body stiffened, and his mind scrambled.
'What the hell? That's… that's not in the original series at all!'
He forced a crooked smile, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "Eh… someone moving in…? Uh, sure, I guess."
But inside, his thoughts were spinning wildly.
'Another anime character? Or someone completely new? Damn, this world really is a mix. First Mahiru, then Itsuki, then the quintuplets… and now this?'
Across from him, Ringo's smile softened. "I knew I could count on you. You've grown, Rito."
Her casual trust made his chest tighten a little. He looked down, pretending to adjust the edge of the tablecloth to hide his expression.