|"Good morning, good morning, our dear listeners from the beloved capital city Sideria"|
It was a fluffy, corrupted sound, not clear but understandable. That was to be expected from such an old instrument.
Lapsus thought so while he observed the scenery around him quietly. It was early in the morning, around 8 a.m. Lapsus could tell from the cold yet warm morning breeze
|"Today, as requested by an anonymous fan of the show... wow, I can't believe we have fans, Weird?... You shouldn't have such low self-esteem, Dave... You are right, Sally! And as requested, we will play a known song, which is Clumsy by the prodigy Laura of Cape... such an upbeat melody to start the day with... Dave, you might get too excited... oh Sally, quit the jokes haha... haha."|
The more I observed throughout the hundreds of days I spent around this house, the more it looked odd... also this radio show sucks.
Sigh... it seems that I've reincarnated... huh?
Lapsus asked an obvious question where his current state was a definite answer. He was just a baby being held by a maid-like dressed little girl sitting on a lawn while listening to the radio. Given his current cognitive abilities, which did not match those of an infant his age, it was obvious. However, it would be an understatement to leave his question at that, for his question held another meaning—
Is this the same world I used to live in? The surroundings look pretty old-fashioned...
It was as clear as it sounded. The many days he kept observing his surroundings, whether inside the house he currently lived in or its vicinity, the more he grew skeptical of that statement. The brick houses put next to each other were European to his eyes. As far as his eyes could see, every house was organized with little alleyways between every couple of houses. Not many had lawns—well, except for his house.
The white-stoned pavements and the lack of cars or such advanced tech—only carts dragged by horses were to pass from time to time.
Is it another period of time then? Did I time travel...?
"Ughh... uwaa."
He asked, but his thoughts were cut by the cries of the baby held with him.
She is supposed to be my twin, Luna... was it?
"Oh no no, Luna... what is it? What is it?"
The maid—Qian Qian, who was holding both of the twins, stood up panicked and quickly entered the house.
"Are you hungry? Say, Luna, scream louder if you are..."
"Ugwaaa!!!" She did indeed scream louder, prompting Qian Qian to hurriedly walk inside the living room and try to put both of the twins in their designated beds.
"Now, mama is not here and I am still too young for it, so no breast milk. Wait a little bit as I try to make some hot milk upstairs, okay?"
She said with quite a soothing voice, trying to calm Luna as she put her down on her bed. Then she tried to put Lapsus—
"Aha, you're clinging so hard to me?"
She couldn't, as he refused to leave her embrace, clutching with his tiny fingers into her maid dress.
"That is so bellus."
Bellus, she was referring to me with a smile. Does she mean by that cute?
For Lapsus, every day was an opportunity to learn about the current state of his world. Yet he faced a great obstacle—that was the language. It was true that his still-developing brain helped make progress faster, yet he still needed to learn more.
Who cares? For some reason, being with her makes me at ease. Is it that smell? That fragrance lingering around her that draws me to her? What was it called again? Daisy, was it?
"Alright, Lapu... hang on tightly..."
With those words, Qian Qian walked to the stairs so that she could climb to the kitchen. She took steps so that Luna wouldn't wait long, but she was cautious as she held onto Lapsus so she wouldn't drop him.
Lapu... huh? Is it a nickname or a new word? While Lapsus was thinking about trivial matters to pass the time, he noticed something. At the first step of the stairs hung a small mirror.
Finally, I can see myself... it was an opportunity, a rare one he considered needed to be seized, for he thought that the thing that made this house—his new house—odd was their persistence and refusal in letting him or Luna see their reflection in the mirror.
I just want to know how I look. I want to know whether I have a chance for picking girls in the future...
His reasons weren't those of a noble man, but they were enough to drive him to the edge. Every possible way was blocked—even the window glasses were painted black.
He had no solution but to stick with just his sister, for he believed that twins are similar. With hair painted by the night sky and eyes shaped like a well-crafted emerald, he thought those features were stunning and had great potential, adding to them the little mole under her left eye.
Having such features was equal to winning a jackpot, but...
He had doubts. It is not rare for twins to not look alike—no, it is actually the common case. Which left him in need to make sure, in need to know whether he is ugly or not. And the chance is right now, getting closer—no, it is just right beside him. He needed just a quick glance—
"Oops, that was close... hehe."
Nooo!! He cried from the inside and lamented his powerlessness. Qian Qian quickly covered his eyes, preventing him from answering his deep desires.
"..!!."
She started taking quick steps before a sudden headache left her balance in disarray, thus causing her to fall down the long stairs.
She covered Lapsus with her body so that he wouldn't be hurt, which was quite fascinating for a girl her age to think of this quickly.
"You seem alright..."
Lying on the floor with Lapsus safe and sound over her chest, Qian Qian sighed in relief before she scratched her head.
"Sigh... I totally forgot. Going upstairs with you leaves me vulnerable to a 9 out of 10 chance of falling... hehe."
She let out a little laugh.
"It seems that fate is refusing you."
This is my fault. For my selfish desire, she is hurt now...
"Argh..."
At that moment, and for some reason, Lapsus was overwhelmed and couldn't help but let out a cry befitting his age.
"Shh, shh... don't cry, the powerful Qian Qian is here to save the day..."
"Arghh..."
She tried to comfort him, but his cries didn't stop. It even triggered Luna to cry louder.
"Sigh..." Qian Qian sighed helplessly.
----
----
"Now, who is this big boy? Who is this big boy?"
It is me, it is me...
"Aurel..."
"Who is this big boy?"
"Aurel."
"What is it, Clara? Can't you see I'm connecting with my nephew here?"
"Aurel, he's gonna vomit."
Clara, who was holding Luna, warned her big brother Aurel, a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties, not that much older than her.
"What?"
Aurel was too late to react, for the vomit had already soaked his white shirt. Lapsus didn't even hold back—he just let out all, every drop, to the last one. Aurel wasn't disgusted or anything, he was just stunned.
"Qrghahahhahah..." It was a sound akin to the creak of a metal fork on a plate, a laugh not desirable by anybody—well, except for her.
"That's my boy, way to go Lapsus... arhahhaa!" Neither did Lunavayne hold his laugh.
"Hehe..." Qian Qian held her laugh and only showed a little smile.
"Could you stop with that laugh? You're gonna make the kids cry." Aurel, who for some reason was still holding Lapsus up to the sky, was annoyed more about Lunavayne's laugh than the vomit spat on him.
"Clara, please light the candles..."
Days passed by quickly and I didn't realize it. A whole year had passed since I reincarnated... a year since I was gifted a new father, mother, uncle, and sister—not to forget Qian Qian. The way they acted and lived together in warm harmony.
I was their kid, his nephew, her twin brother, and also the boy she took care of. I wasn't left or even felt lack of love from them, but...
"Lll... ll... la."
"Wait wait, Lunav!!"
"What is it, Clara?"
"She's gonna say her first word..."
"Really!!??" They were excited to hear Luna spell her first words. They all wondered... was it gonna be mama? Papa? Nevertheless...
"La... lab... labs."
It was just four letters that couldn't mean anything for an outsider, but for them it was clear.
But why...
"Is she trying to say Lapsus?"
"Yes."
"This is not the usual? Don't babies usually say mama or papa first?" Aurel questioned.
"Not really. He is her twin and it is the name she hears the most. It was to be expected," Qian Qian answered.
"I see, such a mature answer. You're gonna grow to be a fine wife, Qian Qian," Aurel joked.
"K... kh..."
"Hmm... is Lapsus trying to say his first too?" Aurel lifted him high in the sky as he waited.
Even though this warm fragrance of pink carnation was drawing the picture of such a lovable family...
"Blegh..."
"Arghqahahhaa, he vomited again ahahghaa!"
Why is it this stench—the irritating smell of the blue hyacinth—won't leave me?
----- Later, after my uncle cleaned me and himself, we enjoyed some cake... I was fed by both Mother and Qian Qian... the cake wasn't my favorite, I always hated strawberry, but it seems that Luna enjoyed it a lot... then, I sat there next to Luna in our mother's lap and watched the adults talk... smiles and jokes we aren't supposed to understand yet, teasing from time to time, especially my poor uncle, who until now is apparently still a single virgin... so this is my new family, those are my parents and I am their son, this is my big sister and I am her little brother, this is my uncle and I am his nephew, and this is Qian Qian and I am her little master... somehow, it doesn't feel right... they don't feel real... maybe I just don't belong... ----