The Brown home door opened before they even knocked.
Melissa stood there with her apron still on, wiping her hands anxiously on it.
Behind her, Grandma Viola held a bowl of peeled fruit like someone preparing for a ceremonial welcome.
"There he is!" Melissa said warmly, crouching to his height. "My little scholar!"
Tyler's chest softened at the sight. "Hi, Mama."
Melissa kissed his forehead. "Tell me everything. How was school? Did you eat well? Did you drink water? Were the other kids polite? Did your teacher like you? Did you like her?"
Viola added, "Did anyone trouble you? If so, I will personally visit the school."
"Mother, please don't threaten the education system," Richard murmured.
Viola gave him a sharp side-eye. "Don't test me."
Then she turned to her two grown sons.
"You two go back to work."
Steven's shoulders sagged. "But Mot..."
"Work."
Richard sighed. "Let's go before she throws the fruit bowl at us."
"I WOULD NEVER," Viola snapped. "The bowl is ceramic."
"See?" Richard whispered to Steven. "Even scarier."
The two brothers waved.
"Bye, Tyler! We'll pick you up tomorrow again!"
"Be good! And don't let anyone steal your crayons!"
Tyler waved back as they walked off, still arguing about bubble tea versus coffee as if it were a philosophical debate.
Melissa set Tyler's bag aside and guided him to sit at the table. Viola placed the fruit bowl in front of him as if it were an offering to welcome him back from battle.
"So," Melissa began, leaning forward with glowing eyes, "tell us… how was it?"
Tyler quietly picked a slice of apple. "Good. Busy. Loud."
Melissa's laughter was soft. "Schools are always loud, sweetheart."
Viola added, "And loudness is not a sign of bad upbringing. Usually."
Tyler continued, "My teacher is… expressive."
Melissa clapped. "Oh, she looked so sweet this morning! Did she treat you well?"
"Yes."
"What about friends?" Viola asked.
"Many," Tyler said. "They were kind."
Melissa's smile reached her eyes. "See? I told you. Kids will love you."
Tyler lowered his gaze, feeling a warmth he rarely let surface fully.
"I liked being there."
Melissa touched his cheek. "We're proud of you."
Viola nodded approvingly. "Study well. Make friends. And don't shout in class like your Uncle Steven."
"I won't."
"Good boy."
The late afternoon light pooled through the window, warming the room. Melissa prepared tea, Viola hummed an old tune, and Tyler sat between them a quiet center of their small world, surrounded by gentle love that his first life never had in this form.
It was a simple end to his first day.
And a perfect one.
Next day start with the same energy.
Tyler barely took three steps inside the school gate before a blur of limbs and backpack straps launched at him.
"TYLEEEER!!"
Noah came sprinting like he'd trained for a 100m dash. A teacher nearby shouted, "NO RUNNING!", which Noah expertly ignored.
He skidded to a stop, breathing like he'd outrun death.
"I SAW A DOG ON THE WAY HERE! IT LOOKED AT ME!! It probably wanted to be my friend!"
Tyler blinked. "Oh."
Noah nodded dramatically. "Yeah, it was HUGE. Like this."
He stretched his arms so wide he almost hit Chris walking by.
Chris ducked. "Dude, that's not a dog, that's a bear."
"It was a big dog!"
"It was a normal dog, Noah," Klein said, adjusting his glasses as if delivering an academic verdict. "Your sense of size is broken."
Noah gasped. "TAKE IT BACK!"
Before Klein could reply, another voice chimed in softly.
"Um… good morning, Tyler."
Amaya stood there holding something in both hands, like a tiny offering.
He unfolded it a paper frog.
"It doesn't jump," Amaya admitted, "but it has a smile."
The frog's face was extremely lopsided.
Tyler nodded politely. "Thank you. I like it."
Amaya instantly brightened.
Behind them, the girls' group arrived: a cluster of laughter, hair ribbons, and small dramatic gestures.
Aria waved shyly. "Morning, Tyler."
Layla grinned. "You walk soooo slow. Did you get old overnight?"
She wasn't being rude just an enthusiastic gremlin.
Luna stared at the clouds. "The sky is round today."
Eris poked Tyler's shoulder once. "You're late. We were taking bets."
Tyler raised a brow. "On what?"
Layla: "On if you'd come walking or floating."
Klein: "Floating is not possible."
Layla: "I SAID BETTING, NOT SCIENCE!"
Eris shrugged. "I guessed walking."
Tyler sighed internally.
This was going to be a day.
At the classroom door stood Ms. Hana, clutching her coffee cup like her life depended on it.
"Good morning, Class 1—AH!"
She nearly spilled the cup as Noah zoomed past her.
Her inner thoughts flared into Tyler's mind like a loud radio:
Please don't spill please don't spill oh thank goodness I didn't wear the waterproof foundation today
"Good… morning, Ms. Rivers," Tyler said politely.
She brightened. "Tyler! You're so punctual!"
Why does he sound like a tiny office worker? No, Hana, don't say that out loud
She didn't.
Barely.
The moment they entered the classroom, chaos bloomed like a firecracker.
"Tyler sits here!" Noah announced, dragging a chair with the confidence of someone claiming a throne.
"No. He sat HERE yesterday." Toby pointed at the seat near him, arms crossed.
"That was YESTERDAY," Noah countered.
"It STILL COUNTS!"
Layla crossed her arms. "Boys are dumb. Tyler can sit anywhere."
Chris raised his hand like he was in court. "I call first claim!"
"You can't call people," Klein deadpanned.
Eris walked up and placed her bag on the window seat.
"I'm sitting here. I like windows."
Everyone froze.
Noah dramatically pointed. "YOU STOLE TYLER'S SPOT!"
Eris blinked. "…He didn't say it was his."
Toby nodded. "Yeah! She's right!"
Eris smirked at him. "I wasn't agreeing with you."
Toby deflated.
Tyler finally sat beside the window but one seat forward the only place not part of a warzone.
He placed the paper frog on his desk.
Noah gasped. "TYLER MADE A FROG!"
Amaya blushed. "I… made it…"
"YOU MADE A FROG?!"
Hana clapped loudly. "Okay!! SETTLE DOWN, LITTLE TURTLES! We are NOT starting the day by fighting over desks!"
Why are they fighting for him?! Is he a magnet?! Is this how class rivalries start?! I need help
Tyler stared at his desk.
Just another morning surrounded by tiny emotional bombshells.
While Hana struggled to get attendance started, Tyler quietly observed:
Noah & Chris → inseparable chaos duo
Klein & Amaya → calm pair, often collecting things
Girls → giggling squad with rotating drama points
Toby → watches Tyler too much
Eris → floats around doing whatever she wants
And then… there was him.
Somehow the center of attention.
Not by choice.
By pure childhood nonsense.
I miss adult conversations, Tyler thought.
A pencil flew across the room and hit the board.
Hana's scream echoed through the hallway.
The instant the bell rang, the classroom transformed into a wildlife documentary.
Noah shot out the door screaming, "RECESS! RECESS! RECESSSSSSS!!"
Chris followed shouting, "LAST ONE OUT IS A STINKY SOCK!"
Layla: "NOT FAIR, I'M WEARING A SKIRT!"
Klein: "That has nothing to do with it!"
Eris didn't even wait she sprinted past all of them.
"Tyler! Race!" she yelled without looking back.
Tyler blinked. "…To where?"
She was gone.
Amaya tugged his sleeve gently. "We… don't have to run. We can just walk."
Tyler nodded. "Yes. Let's walk."
Amaya smiled in relief.
They stepped outside into the schoolyard, where:
Chris was climbing something he should NOT climb
Noah was yelling at a butterfly
Girls were arguing over whose hair clip sparkled the most
Toby was kicking gravel with the intensity of someone planning to start a rebellion
Eris ran back, breathless but triumphant.
"I won!"
Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Against who?"
"My imagination."
…Alright.
That was the most childlike statement she'd ever made.
Noah ran over panting. "TYLER, PLAY TAG WITH US!"
Amaya: "He doesn't like running…"
Layla hopped in front of Tyler. "Let's play house!"
Noah recoiled. "NO! House is boring!"
Layla gasped. "YOU TAKE THAT BACK! HOUSE IS AMAZING!"
Klein stepped in like a tiny judge. "Statistically speaking, both games are equally unnecessary."
Everyone stared at him.
Layla: "…Klein, sweetie, no one asked."
Klein pouted and walked away to collect leaves.
That left Tyler in the center of several children arguing about who gets him for what game, when all he wanted was a consistent wifi connection and eight hours of silence.
Toby watched everything from near the swings, arms crossed so tightly he looked like a pretzel.
He muttered loudly enough for people to hear:
"Why does everyone follow him? He doesn't even TALK that much."
One of the boys with him shrugged. "He's cool."
"He's QUIET."
"That's… cool."
Toby groaned like his entire worldview broke.
Back in class, Hana stood with a math workbook, huge smile plastered on her face.
"Alright, sugar beans! Time for some numbers!"
Okay Hana, stay calm, today will be better than yesterday— you definitely won't drop your chalk again—
She pointed at the board.
"Two plus three equals…?"
Noah shouted, "FISH!"
Hana: "No, Noah, fish is not"
But then
She thought the real answer in her head:
Five.
Tyler reflexively answered out loud.
"Five."
The room froze.
Hana's eyes widened. "Ah did I… already say that?"
"Nope!" Noah shouted triumphantly. "HE READ YOUR BRAIN!"
Layla gasped. "IS TYLER MAGIC?!"
Klein squinted. "Maybe he calculated"
"No I didn't," Tyler said bluntly before realizing that didn't help.
Hana stared at him, face confused.
Her inner monologue blasted into Tyler's head:
HANA. DID YOU THINK OUT LOUD? AGAIN?? Did I?? Oh my god what if these kids think I'm weird— though I AM weird oh no....
Tyler felt a bead of sweat.
This was the FIRST time he genuinely slipped.
So he nudged carefully, gently pushing a suggestion into Hana's mind:
You probably said it softly without noticing.
Her eyes softened.
Her confusion melted.
She nodded slowly.
"Oh! Yes! Yes, yes, I must have said it already. My bad!"
She laughed nervously.
The kids didn't care about any of that anymore because Noah suddenly shouted:
"THERE'S A LADYBUG ON MY ARM!!"
Instant distraction.
Crisis averted.
Tyler exhaled, quietly shaken.
I have to be more careful.
When school let out, Tyler walked toward the gate only to find two grown men arguing like toddlers.
"You're LATE," Steven complained.
"I am four minutes late," Richard replied calmly.
"THAT'S A WHOLE SONG!"
"What kind of songs do you listen to?"
"THE LONG ONES!"
Tyler approached. "…Hello."
They instantly straightened.
"TYLER!" Steven knelt dramatically. "Your uncle is PUNCTUAL."
Richard shot him a look. "No, he isn't."
Steven whispered loudly, "Don't listen to him, he's jealous."
Richard sighed. "Let's go home."
As they walked, Steven leaned over. "So… how many friends do you have now? Five? Ten? Twenty? Don't tell me you're the class leader already."
Tyler shook his head. "They… just talk a lot."
Richard chuckled. "That's called childhood."
Tyler silently disagreed.
This was called chaos.
By the time they reached the Brown household, Steven had told Tyler three dramatic stories about "the time he saved a cat," and Richard had corrected all three versions twice.
Before they even knocked, the door swung open.
Melissa gasped. "There he is!"
Tyler barely stepped in before being scooped gently into her arms.
"Oh honey, how was school? Did you eat? Did you make friends? Did you sit properly? Did anyone push you? Are you tired? Do you need juice?"
Tyler blinked. "…I'm fine, Mama."
Viola appeared behind her like a general stepping into a battlefield.
"Move, Melissa, let me see him."
She shuffled forward and squinted at Tyler's face like inspecting a delicate artifact.
"You look fine."
She nodded. "Good. If anyone bothers you tomorrow, tell me. I'll scare them."
Steven grinned. "How? By telling ghost stories?"
Viola glared at him. "By existing."
Steven shrank back.
Richard coughed into his fist.
Melissa ushered Tyler inside, closing the door behind the noisy uncles.
"Thank you, both of you," she said to them politely. "Go back to work. Don't loiter around."
Viola reinforced immediately, "Yes. Don't to be useless."
Steven: "Useless? I literally picked him up!"
Richard: "We both did."
Viola: "And now you both go."
Steven muttered something under his breath as they left.
Richard waved at Tyler. "See you later, champ."
The door shut.
And then there were three.
Melissa set Tyler at the dining table with a plate of fresh-cut apple slices.
"Alright," she said, sitting across from him with soft, bright eyes, "tell us everything about today. Every little thing."
Viola sat beside her, folding her arms.
"Yes. Start from when you stepped foot inside the gate."
Tyler quietly picked up an apple slice.
"…Noah ran at me."
Melissa covered her mouth, laughing. "That boy has too much energy."
"He is… very fast," Tyler admitted.
Viola nodded sagely. "Fast children grow slower later. I've seen it."
Tyler decided not to ask what that meant.
Melissa leaned in. "And your teacher? Ms. Rivers, right? Is she nice?"
Tyler paused, recalling chaotic internal monologues.
"Yes. She is… expressive."
Melissa giggled. Viola raised an eyebrow. "Does she shout?"
"No," Tyler said quickly. "She just… talks a lot."
And panics mentally every five minutes, he did not add.
Melissa smiled warmly. "She seemed very sweet in the morning."
Viola nodded once. "Good. Teachers should be sweet, but firm. If she isn't firm, you tell me."
Tyler blinked. "Grandma… please don't fight my teacher."
"I didn't say fight. I said… talk strongly."
Which meant fight.
Melissa rested her chin on her hand. "Did you make friends today?"
Tyler nodded. "Many."
"Oh! That's wonderful!" Melissa clasped her hands. "Who are they?"
He listed them.
"Noah… Chris… Klein… Amaya… Aria… Layla… Luna… Eris…"
Melissa smiled at every name.
Viola nodded approvingly at the boys.
But when she heard "Layla," she squinted.
"Is she the loud girl?"
"Yes."
"Hm. Loud girls cause trouble."
Melissa elbowed her gently. "Ma…"
"I'm just saying."
Tyler ate another apple slice.
Melissa leaned forward again. "Anything strange happen today?"
Tyler froze internally for a split-second.
Did he tell them about accidentally answering Hana's thoughts?
…No.
No, of course not.
"It was noisy."
"That's normal," Melissa laughed. "Children are loud."
But Tyler meant the thoughts, not the voices.
He nodded anyway.
"It's okay," Melissa said softly, brushing his hair aside. "You'll get used to it."
Maybe.
Maybe he'd get used to it.
Maybe he wouldn't.
But this time around… he had people who cared.
As the evening settled and Melissa began preparing dinner, Viola brought a small blanket and wrapped it around Tyler's shoulders without asking.
"Children grow fast when they feel warm," she said.
Tyler looked up at her.
She didn't know how correct she was — in more ways than she realized.
Melissa kissed his head lightly as she passed by.
"Tomorrow will be another good day, sweetheart."
Tyler nodded slowly.
He looked around the small home.
The warmth.
The voices.
The ordinary peace.
The innocence that had never existed in his first life.
I'll protect this.
Whatever chaos awaited at school, in the world, in the future this warmth was worth everything.