#tenjiku

Rindou Haitani x Single Mom! Reader

Summary: A fresh start in Roppongi leads to an unexpected connection with the mysterious man living next door.

Warnings: None.

Here is my Masterlist!!

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You never thought you would end up in Roppongi. For most of your life, Tokyo had been something distant. A place you visited occasionally. A place full of bright lights, expensive stores, crowded streets, and people who always seemed like they knew exactly where they were going. If your slow expect to be pushed if your lost don’t think anyone has time to help you.

It was not a place you imagined building a life in. But life had a way of changing plans.

Especially when you became a mother.

At nineteen, you had learned very quickly that growing up and becoming responsible were two different things. You had been forced to become both at once.

Your parents had called it a mistake.

Your old friends slowly stopped answering messages. People in your hometown had opinions about a young woman raising a child alone, and eventually you learned that some people were much kinder when your life looked more like theirs. So you stopped waiting for people to accept you. You built something yourself. For years, it had just been you and your son - Reki.

You worked. You saved. You learned.

You became someone who could handle things because there was someone small depending on you. Your little boy never knew how lonely those years could be.

He only knew that his mother always came home. That there was always dinner. That there were always bedtime stories.

That no matter how tired you were, you always had time for one more dinosaur fact before bed. And that was enough. Until a big opportunity came.

The email had almost looked fake. An international consulting firm based in Roppongi was looking for an executive assistant. The salary was far beyond anything you had earned before. The position offered stability. Benefits. A relocation package. A real chance. You had stared at the screen for nearly ten minutes before finally applying. You expected nothing.

Then they called. A month later, you were standing in your new apartment, surrounded by cardboard boxes and unfamiliar sounds from outside.

Reki sat in the middle of the living room floor, holding his favorite stuffed dinosaur. "Mommy?"

You looked down. "Yes?" He looked around the apartment seriously.

"Is this our new home?" Your heart squeezed slightly. Because technically... it was. But you knew what he was really asking. Are we staying? Are we safe?

You smiled and sat down beside him. "Yes." You gently tapped his dinosaur's head. "This is our new home."

His eyes brightened. "Can Dino have a room?"

You laughed. "Dino can have whatever he wants."

He immediately stood up. "Dino chooses the sofa."

"Of course he does." You watched him run around the apartment, already making it his own. The apartment wasn't luxurious.

Not by Roppongi standards. The kitchen was small. The walls were thin.

The balcony looked directly toward the neighboring apartment. But it was clean. Safe. Close to your new workplace.

And most importantly, it was yours.

A fresh start.

-

The first week disappeared faster than you expected. Your new job was demanding.

Not impossible, but different. Everyone moved quickly in Tokyo.

Emails.Meetings.Schedules.

Everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing while you were still figuring out which train exit was closest to your office.

Your son adjusted faster than you did.

Of course he did. Children were incredible like that. He made friends quickly. Learned the area. Found his favorite convenience store snack within three days.

You were the one who still sometimes stood in the middle of the train station wondering if you were going the right way.

Still... every night you picked him up from daycare and heard tiny footsteps running toward you, an exited "Mommy!" call out to you: it reminded you why you had done this.

You were building something stable for your small family.

All the new changes, the unpacking and getting used to your new life made you barely noticed any neighbors.

The apartment next door had been empty when you moved in. You had seen the nameplate. Haitani, nothing more.

You didn't know who lived there. You didn't know that the two brothers inside were names most people in Roppongi knew.

You didn't know that the younger Haitani brother had spent years building a reputation that made people step aside when he walked past.

To you, he was just a neighbor.

And he had no idea who you were either. Not yet.

-

Six in the evening was strangely peaceful.

Not peaceful in the normal sense. There was always noise around here.

Music and People mostly.

But from his balcony, high above the streets, it was almost tolerable. Rindou leaned against the railing with a canned coffee in his hand.

Ran wasn't home. Which meant the apartment was his own territory for a bit. A rare event. Probably some business or a hair appointment, equally important to his older brother. Rindou didn't care enough to ask about something like that. His eyes moved over the city below.

Then something caught his attention. The balcony next door. The empty apartment. Someone finally lived there. A woman stepped outside carrying a laundry basket.

He watched for a second. Not because he was interested. Just curious. New neighbors were unusual. Especially here. She looked younger than he expected. Not dressed like most people he saw around Roppongi.

No expensive clothes. No obvious attempt to impress anyone. Just comfortable, at home. She started hanging laundry.

Rindou couldn’t help but look at each item she pulled out of the basket.

Tiny clothes. Tiny socks. A small lightning mcqueen t-shirt.

"..."

A kid. Interesting. Before he could think more about it, she looked over. Their eyes met. And then she smiled. "Hi."

Rindou lifted his hand. "Yo."

Rindou wasn't used to conversations starting like that.

Usually, when people noticed him, there was a reaction. A double take and a nervous glance and most definitely a sudden change in attitude. People knew the Haitani name.

They knew enough to be careful. But she didn't. She just looked at him like he was some guy living next door.

"You live next door?" she asked. Rindou took another sip of his coffee. "Nah."

Her eyebrows lifted. "..Really?"

"No." There was a brief silence. Then she laughed. Actually laughed. Not awkwardly. Not because she was nervous. Because she genuinely found him ridiculous. "You could've just said yes."

"I could've."

"Then why didn't you?"

He shrugged. "Didn't feel like it."

She shook her head, still smiling.

"You're strange."

"I hear that a lot." That was the first thing he noticed. She wasn't trying too hard. Most people he met wanted something be it Attention or a favor. Something. But she was standing there with a laundry basket, talking to him because they happened to be neighbors. Nothing more. "You just moved in?" he asked.

"Yeah." She looked around briefly.

"About a week ago."

"Thought so."

"Was it obvious?"

"The apartment wasn't empty anymore." She looked at him for a second before nodding softly. "That's your way of welcoming someone?"

"Pretty much."

"I'll remember that." Another piece of laundry went onto the line. For some reason, Rindou didn't go back inside. He usually would have. A few words were enough.

Conversation over. But something about the silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. It was easy. "You don't sound like you're from Tokyo," he said. You looked back at him. "I'm not."

"Thought so."

"Is my accent that obvious?"

"No."

"Then how did you know?"

He shrugged. "You just seem different."

The word made you pause for a moment. Different. You had heard that before. Sometimes people meant it kindly. Sometimes they didn't.

But the way he said it didn't sound like an insult. It was just an observation. "I grew up somewhere much smaller." you explained.

"Must be a big change." You looked out over the city. "It is." The skyline stretched endlessly in front of you. So many buildings.

So many lives happening all at once. "But it's a good change."

"You moved here for work?" You nodded. "Yeah."

"What do you do?"

"I'm an executive assistant at a consulting firm." Rindou raised his eyebrows slightly. "Sounds serious."

You laughed. "It feels serious."

"Like it?"

You thought about it. About the pressure and the expectations. The fact that you were finally doing something that made you feel like you had a future. Then you smiled.

"Yeah. I do." And for some reason, that answer stayed with him. Because you didn't say it like someone trying to convince themselves. You actually meant it.

The conversation probably would have continued. Maybe. Rindou wasn't sure.

He wasn't the type to stand around talking to strangers. But somehow, he wasn't in a hurry to leave. Then; "MOMMY!" The sound came from inside your apartment. Rindou watched as a little boy appeared at the balcony door, holding a plastic dinosaur.

Messy hair. Sleepy eyes. Pajamas.

A tiny person who clearly had very important business. You immediately smiled. "There you are Reki."

"I finally found him!" He said as he wiggled his blue spiked dinosaur in front of him. You looked at the dinosaur. "You found him?" The boy nodded seriously. "He was hiding."

"Was he?"

"Yeah."

A pause. "He wanted to surprise me." You laughed quietly. "Of course he did."

Only then did the boy notice Rindou. He stared. Then looked back at you.

"Who's that?" Your expression softened slightly.

"Oh." You glanced toward him. "Our neighbor."

Neighbor. Rindou looked at the boy. Then back at you. The tiny clothes suddenly made sense. The socks. The shirt. The little voice calling you Mommy. You had a child.

And for some reason, that realization made something in him stop. Not because it was bad. Not because he judged you. It just changed the situation. You weren't some girl he could casually invite out. You weren't someone with no responsibilities. You had a whole life. A little boy who depended on you.

A world completely separate from his. And suddenly, the distance between those two worlds felt much bigger than the space between your balconies.

"See ya." You blinked. "Huh?"

But he was already stepping backward. The balcony door slid shut.

And just like that: He was gone.

You stared at the closed door. For a few seconds, you didn't move. Was that it? You looked down at your son. Then back at the balcony. The conversation had been nice.

Actually nice. It had been the first time since moving that you had spoken to someone around your age outside of work. You weren't expecting anything. You weren't looking for anything. You were just happy to talk. And then the second he realized you had a child... he left.

“This Mister has Dino hair mommy.” Reki stated with a hand on his chin like it was a serious acknowledgment. Not knowing what to answer to him a small sigh just escaped you. Maybe you had gotten too comfortable. Maybe he was just being polite. You turned back toward the laundry. "..Shit." The word slipped out before you could stop it. "Mommy." Looking at you with a serious expression, as serious as your sweet boy can get.

You froze. Slowly, you looked down.

Your son stood there with his arms crossed.

"You just said a bad word." You closed your eyes. "I know."

"You have to put a coin in the swear Piggy."

You looked at him. Then at your neighbors balcony. Then back at him.

"...You're right." He nodded proudly. "The rules are the rules." You couldn't help laughing. "Yes, they are." And then..a sound. A quiet laugh, more like a snort. You stopped. Your head turned toward the balcony next door again. The curtain moved slightly. Just enough. Your eyes narrowed.

"...Seriously?" Nothing. Silence. You folded your arms. "What is this guy's deal?"

On the other side of the wall, Rindou leaned back against the balcony door. He hadn't meant to laugh. It just happened.

The swear piggy.? That kid enforcing the rules. The way you looked completely offended by the fact that he was secretly listening. It was funny. And worse it kinda was cute. Rindou hated that.

Because he knew himself. He was not someone who did slow. If he wanted something, he went after it. If something became complicated, he walked away.

Simple. Fast. Easy.

That was how he lived. But now there was a woman next door who somehow made him curious. A woman with a kid. A woman who had no idea who he was. A woman who looked at him without fear. And that was inconvenient. Very inconvenient. Because Rindou Haitani had spent years becoming someone dangerous. And somehow the thing that made him hesitate wasn't a fight.

It was a young mother hanging damn laundry on a balcony.

-

The next morning, Rindou told himself he wouldn't think about it. He had more important things to do. Tenjiku had business. Ran was annoying. Life was normal. A neighbor was just a neighbor.

That was all. Except... When he opened his apartment door and saw you standing there with your son waiting for the elevator; He stopped.

And Reki immediately pointed at him.

"Dinosaur guy." Rindou blinked. "What?" Your son held up his toy dinosaur. "Mommy's neighbor." You covered your face slightly, while offering him a small bow of your head. "I'm sorry." Rindou looked between the two of you. Then at your son.

"...Dinosaur guy?"

"He doesn't know your name yet.” you explained. A pause. Then, somehow, the corner of Rindou's mouth lifted. "The names Rindou, tell him that."

Your son looked down at the dinosaur seriously. Then back up. "He can't talk."

Rindou stared. "...Right."

And that was the first time he realized something dangerous. He liked this.

Not the attention. Not the flirting. Not the excitement. Just this. A normal morning. A kid talking about a dinosaur. A woman laughing beside him. Something simple. Something he had never really had. And he had no idea what to do with that.

The most strange thing was… After that morning, it didn't stop. It should have. Rindou knew that. Normally, things stayed simple for him. Someone interesting caught his attention for a moment, then life moved on.

He was busy way too busy. There was always something happening with Tenjiku. Meetings. Problems. People needing answers. People needing reminders of exactly who they were dealing with. His life was loud. Fast. Unpredictable.

There was no space for a quiet neighbor and her five-year-old son. Except somehow... he always found some. It started with small things. Things that shouldn't have mattered. Like seeing you struggle with grocery bags outside the building. Rindou had just gotten back from a meeting when he saw you standing near the entrance, balancing three bags in one hand while trying to stop Reki from running toward the street. "Mommy, look!"

"I see, sweetheart, but please stay close."

"But there's a dog!" Little eyes full of excitement.

"I know, i see him."

"The dog is sooo fluffy looking."

"He really is isn’t he."

Rindou watched for a moment. You looked exhausted. Not unhappy. Just tired. The kind of tired that came from carrying too much for too long.

Before he could stop himself, and he really wanted to, but he just could not, it slipped out: "You need help?" You turned. "Oh." Your face softened when you saw him. "Rindou, hello.” He noticed you remembered his name. For some reason, he liked that. "I can carry those."

"You don't have to."

"I know." He answered and you gave him a small look. "That's your favorite sentence, isn't it?"

"What?"

"You don't have to."

He paused. "...Maybe." You smiled. "Thank you."

He took two bags. Reki mmediately looked up at him. "Dinosaur guy is strong." Rindou looked down. "Still Dinosaur guy?"

"That's what I call you."

"Why?"

The little boy shrugged. "You like dinosaurs."

"I never said that."

"You said hi to Dino, and and and you have dinosaur hair!" Reki pointed out excitedly. Rindou had no response. Because technically... he had and..he..did?

So after that, it became normal. Not really planned by him, or you. And definitely not discussed. It just happened. Sometimes you talked over the balcony. Sometimes you ran into each other in the elevator. Sometimes Rindou came home late and saw your apartment light still on. Sometimes you left early for work and saw him already awake. You slowly learned little things about each other. You learned that he hated mornings.

You learned he drank coffee even though he complained about it. You learned he had a brother. "You and your brother live together?" You had asked one evening while watering your balcony plants. "Unfortunately." You laughed. "That's mean."

"It's accurate."

You smiled. "Are you close?" Rindou was quiet for a moment. Then, "Yeah." Simple. But the way he said it told you enough. Family mattered to him. You didn't know why that surprised you. Maybe because he looked like someone who had never needed anyone. But the more you knew him... the more you realized that wasn't true.

-

The first time Rindou came inside your apartment wasn't planned. Reki had dropped his dinosaur onto the balcony below. You had stared over the railing. "Oh no." Rindou, standing on his balcony in front of you, looked down. "That's not happening."

"I'm sorry?"

"You are not climbing down for a toy dinosaur." You opened your mouth. Closed it. "...I really wasn't going to."

"You were."

"I was just considering it."

"Exactly." Five minutes later, Rindou returned the dinosaur. Your son hugged it immediately. "Thank you Rin!" Rindou awkwardly stood there. "...Yeah."

Then your son looked up. "Do you want cookies?" Rindou blinked. "What?"

"Mommy made cookies." Reki said. You looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. He's very friendly." The boy nodded. "You're our neighbor." As if that explained everything. And somehow... it did. You hesitated. "Would you like one?"

Rindou should have said no. He really had places to be. People waiting. A life completely separate from this. But he looked inside your apartment.

The small dining table. The toys in the corner. The warm light. The normality of it. "...Sure." Just one cookie. That's what he told himself.

It was definitely not just one cookie.

-

Well the first person to notice something was wrong was Ran. Of course it was. Ran noticed everything. They were sitting together after a Tenjiku meeting when Ran looked at him.

"You've been weird." Rindou didn't look up. "No, I haven't."

"You have."

"I'm always weird."

"Not like this." Rindou sighed. "Like what?" Ran smiled. "Content." The silence that followed was immediate. Rindou looked at him. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I did not."

"You did." Ran leaned back. "You've been smiling at your phone."

"I’ve always smiled."

"It’s different now."

"It’s really not Aniki."

"You literally did five seconds ago." Rindou looked away. Annoyed because Ran was right. "The new neighbor." Ran raised an eyebrow. "A neighbor."

"Yes."

"That's your explanation?"

"She's normal."

Ran stared. "...Okay?" Rindou frowned. "Forget it."

"No, no." Ran looked amused now. "Tell me more about this mysterious normal woman."

"She's not mysterious."

"Then why do you sound defensive?"

"I'm not."

"You are." Rindou ignored him. But Ran already knew. Something had changed.

Izana eventually noticed too. And thats when Rindou realized that things mind be more serious than he thought. Izana didn’t notice because Rindou talked about you. He didn't. Rindou wasn't like that. But Izana had always been good at reading people. During a meeting, Rindou checked the time.

Once. Then again. Small. Almost unnoticeable. But Izana noticed. "You have somewhere to be?"

Rindou looked up. "No." A pause. Then: "Yes."

The room went quiet. Ran immediately looked away, already amused. Izana's eyes narrowed slightly. "Interesting." Rindou frowned. "What?"

"You."

"What about me?"

"You're distracted."

"I'm not."

Izana leaned back. "You've never been distracted." Rindou didn't answer. Because he knew exactly what Izana meant. And he hated that he was right. The truth was... he was getting used to you. Used to your voice through the balcony wall. Used to little Reki waving at him thru the window when he came home. Used to the smell of dinner drifting from your apartment.

Used to being someone who was welcomed somewhere. And that was the part that bothered him most. Not the fact that he liked you. That was manageable. The dangerous part was that he liked the life around you. A life that had no place for someone like him. Someone who belonged to Tenjiku. Someone whose hands were not always clean. Someone who disappeared because of things he could never explain.

You had built something peaceful. And Rindou knew exactly how good he was at destroying things. Which meant the closer he got...the more afraid he became of ruining it.

-

After living in Roppongi for a bit and being used to these new changes, you didn't think much of the bank appointment when you booked it.

That was the annoying part. It’s just stuff that nobody likes but needs to be done. It wasn't anything dramatic. No life-changing event, just paperwork. The kind of boring adult responsibility that somehow managed to take up an entire afternoon. The bank needed updated documents connected to your relocation, your salary account, and a few things from your new employer. Simple.

Necessary. Completely exhausting. By the time you stepped outside, the sky had already started turning darker. You looked at your phone. A small sigh escaped you.

Your babysitter had another twenty minutes. Twenty minutes was not a lot. Not enough to stop somewhere. Not enough to relax. Not enough to do anything except walk quickly home. You hated leaving your son with someone else longer than necessary.

It wasn't because you didn't trust the babysitter. You did. She was wonderful and Reki adored her. But a small part of you still struggled with it. You had spent five years being the person who was always there. The person who picked him up. The person who comforted him. The person he looked for first. So every extra minute away felt strange. You adjusted your bag on your shoulder and walked faster. Almost home. Just a few more streets….

…

Rindou hated waiting. It was one of the reasons people either liked him or couldn't stand him. He wasn't patient. If something needed to happen, he wanted it done. If someone wasted his time, they stopped being worth his time. Simple. But today, he was sitting outside a convenience store, staring at his phone, with nothing urgent happening. A rare moment. Just enjoying Roppongi at night, his favorite place.

Tenjiku business was quiet. Ran was busy. Izana hadn't called. For once, he had time. Which meant his thoughts had too much room. And unfortunately, they kept going to the same place. The neighbor. You. He hated that. He didn't even know when it started. Maybe when your son started calling him Dinosaur Guy. Maybe when you started laughing at his stupid comments. Maybe when he realized he automatically looked toward your balcony when he came home.

Ridiculous. He wasn't some lovesick teenager. He was Rindou Haitani. Then his phone buzzed. He ignored it. A few seconds later, he looked up. And saw you. You didn't notice him at first. Your mind was somewhere else. Thinking about dinner. Thinking about tomorrow's schedule. Thinking about whether you had enough milk at home. Normal things. You were halfway through the next street when someone stepped into your path. You stopped. "Excuse me." The man didn't move. Your stomach tightened slightly. Something about the situation felt wrong.

"You got somewhere to be?" You forced yourself to stay calm. "Yes."

A second man appeared beside him.

"That's rude."

You looked around. People were walking by. The city was still alive. But somehow, you suddenly felt very alone. "I need to get home."

The first man smiled. "Relax."

You stepped back. "I said I need to go."

His expression changed. And before you could move, his hand grabbed your wrist.

Your heart dropped. "Let go."

"C'mon."

"I said let go." You hated how small your voice sounded. You hated that you were suddenly thinking about your son waiting at home. About how scared he would be if you didn't come back.

Then: the grip disappeared. Not because he let go. Because someone else made him.

The man stumbled backward. A figure stood between you.

Tall. Calm. Familiar. Your breath caught.

"Rindou?" He didn't look at you. His eyes stayed on the men in front of him. And immediately, you knew. This was not the same person who joked with you over the balcony. This was not the man who awkwardly accepted cookies from your son. This was someone else. Someone colder. "You didn't hear her?"

His voice was quiet. Almost bored. "She told you to let go."

One of the men scoffed. "And who are you?"

Rindou tilted his head slightly. "Nobody important." You almost believed that.

Until the man laughed. "Nobody important?" Then he looked closer. And his expression changed. Recognition. Fear. A whisper was heared from him. "...H-haitani."

The air shifted. Rindou didn't answer. He didn't need to. The name alone was enough. And suddenly, you understood. There was something about him you didn't know. Something much bigger than a sarcastic neighbor.

The man’s expression changed the moment he recognized him. The confidence disappeared. The arrogance. The careless attitude. Gone. Because some names carried weight. And apparently... Haitani was one of them.

Rindou looked almost bored. That was the part that unsettled you the most. Not anger. Not shouting. Just calm. "You've got two choices." His voice stayed low. "You walk away." A pause. "Or i’ll make you." The man swallowed. His friend looked between them.

Neither of them wanted to test him. And honestly? You didn't want to know what would happen if they did.

A few seconds later, they disappeared into the crowd. Just like that. The street continued moving. People continued walking. Cars continued passing. Like nothing had happened. But you were still standing there, trying to process everything. Rindou finally turned toward you. And the coldness disappeared.

Almost immediately. "You okay?" You stared at him. Not because you were scared of him. Because you were confused.

This was the same man who had joked with your son about dinosaurs. The same man who had stood awkwardly in your kitchen eating cookies.

But now... "You knew they would leave." It wasn't a question. Rindou looked away. "They made a smart choice." That wasn't an answer. You noticed.

"You scared them." A small shrug. "Maybe." You looked at him. "Rindou..."

He went quiet. For a second, you thought he might actually explain. But he just looked at you . "You were in a hurry." Your eyes widened. "Oh my gosh yeah." The babysitter. You checked the time. You had completely forgotten. "I'm late." You immediately started walking. "I need to go."

Rindou followed. "I'll walk you home." You stopped. "You don't have to."

"I know." You looked at him. There it was again. That sentence. A tiny laugh escaped you despite everything. "That's your favorite answer isn’t it."

"Probably." You shook your head. "You're strange."

"Yeah." And for some reason... his answer made you feel better. That walk home was quieter than usual. Not uncomfortable. Just different. You kept glancing at him. Trying to understand.

Trying to fit the two versions of Rindou together. The man who protected you.

The man who made your son laugh. The man who apparently had a reputation strong enough that strangers backed away just from hearing his name.

When you reached your apartment building, you turned toward him. "Thank you." He looked away. "It's nothing."

"No." You shook your head. "It isn't." For some reason, that made him pause.

People thanked him before. But usually because they were afraid. Or because they wanted something. You were different. You were just grateful. "Seriously." Your voice softened. "Thank you for helping me." A quiet moment passed. Then, "Come inside."

Rindou looked at you. "What?" You immediately realized how it sounded. "Uh i-i was mean-" You laughed nervously. "Reki is still awake. The babysitter is leaving soon. And..." You hesitated. "I will be making dinner."

He stared. "I don't want you to feel like you owe me anything."

"I don't."

"Then why?" You smiled slightly." Because you helped me." No hidden reason. No expectation. Just kindness. And somehow that was harder for him to deal with. "Alright."

Reki immediately appeared the second you opened the door. "Mommy!" Then he stopped. His eyes widened. "Dinosaur Guy!"

Rindou froze. "You still call me that?" Your son nodded proudly. "Because you like Dino. And you have dinosaur hair! "

"Do i?."

But Reki didn’t respond, he just took off to jump onto the couch and continue reading his little story book.

You covered your mouth, trying not to laugh. Rindou looked betrayed. "This is your fault." You blinked. "My fault?"

"You laughed the first time."

"...I did."

"Exactly."

Your son appears inf front of Rindou again and grabbed his hand. "Come see." Rindou looked down. "See what?"

"My toys."

"You have a lot of those."

"Yes." A pause. Then Rindou looked at you. Almost like he was asking permission. You smiled. "Go go." And he did.

-

Dinner was simple. Nothing fancy.

Just homemade food, your son talking nonstop, and Rindou sitting at your table like it was the most normal thing in the world. Which was strange. Because for him... it wasn't.

After dinner, Reki suddenly stood up. "Movie." He said dragging out the word more than necessary. You looked at him. "Movie?"

"Toy Story." Rindou looked confused. "Toy Story?"

"Did you never watch it?" Your son looked horrified. Rindou frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Everyone has seen Toy Story."

"I haven't." A moment of silence. Your son slowly turned toward you. "Mommy." You immediately knew that tone. "Yes my love?"

"Rindou needs our movie night." You laughed. "Does he now."

So a few minutes later, the three of you were sitting on the couch. Your son in the middle. A blanket covering his legs.

Rindou sitting slightly stiffly, like he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Then the movie started. At first, he acted like he wasn't interested. He leaned back. Arms crossed. Pretending.

But slowly... He got into the movie. Because Toy Story wasn't really about toys. It was about being left behind. About growing up. About people changing. About wondering if you still mattered. And maybe that was why it hit him. Because Rindou knew what it felt like to be replaced.

To belong somewhere but still feel like you didn't. Your son laughed beside him. You smiled whenever he reacted. And somewhere during the movie, without realizing it... Rindou stopped feeling like a guest. He was just there. On your couch. Watching a movie. With you. With your son. A normal evening. Something he had never thought he wanted. When the credits rolled, your son was asleep against your side.

You looked over. Rindou was still watching the screen. "Did you like it?" He was quiet for a moment. Then, "...It was okay." You smiled. "Only okay?"

"Yeah."

"You almost cried."

"I did not."

"You did." Dragging out your words on purpose "I didn't." You laughed softly. And Rindou looked at you. Really looked. At your smile. At the little boy sleeping beside you. At this tiny apartment that somehow felt warmer than anywhere he'd been in years. And that was the moment he realized something.

He didn't just like visiting. He liked being here. And that was..something.. Because he knew exactly what kind of world he came from. And he knew exactly what kind of world you had built.

The question wasn't whether he wanted this. The question was whether someone like him was allowed to keep it.

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A/n: Toy Story 3 made me so so emotional. I will write a Pt.2 where they are mentioned but not in focus because Pt.2 will be about Ran x Reader that’s a Friend of the single Mom Reader yk?

Thanks for reading i hope you enjoyed!!

Izana: He’s too important to drive; he’d definitely hire Kakucho as his chauffeur. Poor guy, he’s a victim of verbal abuse... Izana has zero patience and would start beating up anyone who honks at him. And on the rare occasions he does drive, the others had better keep their mouths shut. He’s the king of overtaking across double yellow lines. He hates parking, which is why he’s got a mountain of fines.

Kakucho: Poor kid—the first time he got on Izana’s motorcycle, he ended up in a ditch. Speaking from experience, it’s really easy to hit the gas instead of letting off when you're starting out... He learned eventually, partly because Izana—despite his lack of patience—actually taught him. As an adult, he’s one of the few responsible drivers: he obeys speed limits and doesn't down three vodkas before getting behind the wheel.

Rindo: Um, well... he definitely drives more than his brother, and sometimes he actually enjoys it, like at night. I see him more as a motorcycle guy than a car guy. The first time he tried the manual transmission in his dad's car, he stalled it 30 times. Ran bullied him about it for a week... His car would be full of CDs and random bags of all kinds... Shion’s brass knuckles would probably be in there somewhere, too. A big problem is ALCOHOL...

Ran: He’s hopeless at driving. TOTALLY. For a few reasons: he can't be bothered, he has no patience, and a charismatic guy like him absolutely has to have a chauffeur! (Rindo or Kakucho). Also Ran has a bad eyesight. He wouldn't stop for anyone, thinking everyone else should be the ones to stop. A public menace. Back in middle school, he used to ride his bike around until he slammed on the front brake right in front of the school entrance... After that, he just dropped out of school entirely.

Mochizuki: Now, let's get back to the world of responsible people. He’s an excellent driver—sometimes a bit rough, but he knows how to handle everything. He’s the type of guy who drives a massive Dodge pickup.

Mucho: Driver Number One!! He’s the best; he’s the one who tried to teach everyone else how to drive. In fact, his car is covered in scratches. He’s very patient and knows how to drive—and park, too.

Heya anon! You don't bother me at all, I really enjoy answering asks 😗 Since you didn't write how much younger the reader is supposed to be, I'll assume in my hc that there's a 2-3 year age difference between them + I write in the usual timeline in which kanto incident took place etc.

🎴 IZANA KUROKAWA

If you were separated when Izana went to orphanage, you'll likely end up like Emma. Izana will order you to be killed (most likely shortly after Emma) so that, for example, when Mikey is already broken in the hospital, he will break down even more after hearing what happened. Sorry not sorry, but for Izana in this case you are literally a stranger.

But if you were sent to a orphanage with him, the situation would be completely different. He would include you in his kingdom's plans, he would be very protective (after all, before Shinichiro you were his only family), the same case as with Kakucho, only he treats you as an equal (and doesn't hit you like Kaku 🥹). He introduced you to the rest of S-62 the same time as Kakucho and told them to keep an eye on you or he'd beat the shit out of them. I think that even though he included you in his kingdom's plan, he wouldn't let you fight even if you were a member of Tenjiku. Oh, and he would never let you meet Mikey and Emma, he's jealous.

💫 RAN HAITANI

Dare I say he treats you the same as Rindou. No special treatment bc you are girl or smth. If you can read him like Rindou does, you've won the lottery, and if not, he simply doesn't like you. I mean, he'd still rip the legs out of the ass of someone who would hurt you.

🪩 RINDOU HAITANI

Honestly ? Because he has a younger sister, I think he would be more responsible. Less drinking to the point of unconsciousness. Less nighttime wandering. He knows that Ran is only a good older brother in terms of providing a roof over their head and a good position, so he decides to be a good older brother in terms of emotional well-being, etc. Of course he'll tease you, of course he'll make fun of you, but he's good at reading people. The type of older brother you can talk to about anything, from the guys you like to some late-night thoughts.

🥋 YASUHIRO MUTO

You're his first friend, no matter how you look at it. Maybe a little forced, but it's something after all. At first, as children, he would just ignore you, but once he got a bit older, his older brother mode would kick in. And since your parents aren't around, he's practically raising you. He helps you with your lessons. He takes you to your favorite cafe. He mends your clothes. He literally acts more like he's your parent than your brother. But he's also chill. The type of older sibling who will buy you cigarettes and beer if you want or get you a fake ID.

🍡 MOCHIZUKI KANJI

It's a pity that I'm writing this post before I finish writing his backstory 😥

But in a nutshell, Mochizuki was always taught by his mother that he should take care of you because one day she and his grandparents would be gone and you two will be left alone. Mochizuki took this very much to heart and always looks out for you. Even though you tease each other and have a chill relationship, he would NEVER let you get involved in gang fights or drink, or smoke until you are an adult. Also the type of person who doesn't let you date any guys unless he knows them in person.

🐕‍🦺 SHION MADARAME