~Chapter 1~

O Lord in the heavens above, if you can hear me, I know I have not been the most faithful to you nor was I pure and innocent, I know I made a lot of mistakes in my past life...

"Ryo-chan~!"

A young ten-year old with shining onyx-black hair and chilling ember-colored eyes (The hairstyle is the same as Mio-Kyoko) turned in annoyance at the caller who looked a younger version of herself except with her hair in twin pigtails, eyes filled with overflowing glee and a giant stupid smile on her face.

...So which one did I do for you to resent me so much that I get reborn in this crazy love/comedy drama?!

"Hey, Ryo-chan! Didn't you hear me?"

'Ryo-chan' sighed as she ruffled her hair a bit, "I heard you loud and clear." '"It's hard not to since your shouting could be heard all across the continent." was what I wanted to say but that would be rude and mean.' She glanced at her younger charge as she babbled on about her day. 'This girl has suffered enough... Or is going to in the future. Although I didn't think those stories about 'being reborn into an anime world' were true.'

To make the story less confusing, I was once an average young woman who died in a tragic accident and was suddenly transported here. I say 'transported' instead because I didn't start as a newborn (reborn) baby but as an eight-year old who was found in a forest by a couple who ran a ryokan not far from there. Needless to say, I majorly freaked out.

So since I 'somehow lost my memory', the couple took me in. What that means is...

'Fuwa Shoutaro...' She inwardly scowled. 'The first time I met him, I had to resist the urge to punch the *Beep* out of that guy's face. At least, as a kid, he's a lot nicer... Of course, my first impression was not as welcoming as I had first thought since he looked like he had seen a ghost or something...'

"Nee, Ryo-chan?" The younger girl called.

"Kyoko, how many times have I said to call me either 'Ryo-nee' or 'Ryoko-san'?" She said with a sigh. "I'm older than you, not younger or at the same age as you."

"Eh? 'Ryo-chan' sounds cuter~" Was the sparkling reply.

Ryoko ducked her head down, "Nevermind then." 'Well, this is Kyoko. Even as a kid, she's as stubborn as a mule.'

"Am I not supposed to?" Ryoko turned when the question was asked and her heart broke a little at the sad expression to the little girl's face. "Did I do something wrong..."

"Again." was the silent word that Ryoko heard perfectly even though it was not voiced. Ryoko had never watched the anime; she did read the manga but she didn't go very far so she was out of the loop in the storyline. From what she had remembered, Kyoko had a strained relationship with her mother who had denied her every existence. Even to go as far as dumped her own daughter in the care of a ryokan.

It made her so mad when she read that; why would you hate your own child?! So much that you would deny any speck of her existence?! So much that said child would torture herself daily just to be acknowledged by you?! Unless it was for a damn good reason, that woman should rot in the deepest depth of hell.

"Ryoko-san?" She snapped out of her trance and looked down to see Kyoko shivering in fear.

'Ah, I must have let my 'Ryo' self out a little.' She thought when she noticed she had been leaking a bit of KI before reigning it all in. "Sorry about that, Kyoko."

The younger girl shook her head but that frightful look lingered. She sighed and patted her head. The younger looked up with such soulful eyes that it made her cringe; no child should ever look at someone with such eyes as if they were in the wrong when they weren't.

"And to answer your question: No, you didn't do anything wrong, Little One." She said, using that nickname she always reserved for this one child. She smiled when the Little One beamed with sparkles. "Come on, we should head back."

"Ah, Ryo-ch-" Kyoko caught herself since she wasn't supposed to call her that.

"It's fine." Ryoko sighed before smiling. "You can call me 'Ryo-chan'." If anything, the smile just increased in watts. "Want a lift?"

"Un~" Kyoko nodded before being piggybacked by Ryoko. "Then Ryo-chan can call me Kyo-chan!"

"I refuse."

"Eh?! Why?!"

God, if you could see me now, I wonder what you'll think. In just a short span of time, this one little girl had wriggled her way into my heart. No matter what happens, I'll protect this treasure of mine. I won't let her be tarnish by anything, or my name isn't Ryoko!

OMAKE:

"Say, Kyoko."

"Yes?"

"Is there a reason why Shoutaro always flinch whenever I'm around?"

"Um... I remember Okami-san said it started when you two first met. But she never went into detail."

"When we first met?"

'That should be when I finally recovered from my freak-out and I had told Yayoi-san I have no memory so I don't know my name or where I'm from. Of course, I knew my name and how I got here but they wouldn't believe me. So they took me in; albeit Yayoi-san was more ecstatic of having a daughter like she had always dreamed about, and wanted to introduce me to their only son. It should be around there...'

Fuwa Yayoi went out of the room to get snacks for us so we could get acquainted in peace. We sat there in silence since Shoutaro wasn't as rebellious as he was as a teen but I kept being reminded of THAT Fuwa Shoutaro the longer I stared at him and I couldn't helped but resent the fact that he would do such a heinous deed to a young girl who answered your every beck and call.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got...

'Wait... What kind of expression did I wear during that time? I couldn't possibly have let that seep out. No matter how much I hate the guy, the child in front of me is not him... Not yet anyways... But still...'

"But Shou-chan said something about a 'dragon coming to eat him' or something. Hence why Okami-san named Ryo-chan 'Ryoko'!"

"Ah, I see..."

'In other words, I've induced trauma on him...'