As Aoto and Lani continued to chat, enjoying the bakery's delicious treats, the conversation flowed easily between them. Aoto felt a sense of camaraderie building—he realized that Lani wasn't just beautiful and fun to be around; she was also someone who shared a common experience of constantly getting caught in strange situations. They both seemed to attract chaos in their lives, and maybe that was why he felt so at ease with her.

He was already beginning to imagine the two of them hanging out more in the future, maybe grabbing more baked goods or even causing some harmless trouble around the academy. But just as he was about to say something, a short, chubby boy waddled out from the back of the bakery, his apron tied a bit too tight around his round belly. He looked like he belonged in the Softy Class, with his cheerful demeanor and chubby cheeks.

"Lani, are the free samples out?" the boy asked, his voice full of fatherly authority but with a warm, affectionate tone.

Lani smiled at the boy and nodded. "Yes, Father."

Aoto blinked, doing a double-take. Wait, Father? That's her dad?!

He turned to look at Lani, then back at the short, chubby man. "Wait. That's your dad?" Aoto asked, still processing the family dynamic.

Lani chuckled, clearly amused by Aoto's reaction. "Yep. He's a Softy Class. My mother, on the other hand, is a Giant Class."

Just as she said that, a loud thunk echoed from the back of the bakery, followed by a deep, feminine groan. Aoto turned to see a towering woman—clearly Lani's mother—emerging from the back, rubbing her head where she had bumped into the doorway. She was every bit as tall and curvy as Lani, with the same warm, soft features and long hair, though her figure was even more imposing.

The father immediately rushed to her side, standing on his tiptoes to comfort her. "Oh dear, not again," he muttered, patting her gently. "Are you alright, darling?"

The towering woman nodded, smiling sheepishly. "I'm fine, just... forgot to duck again."

Aoto couldn't help but smile at the scene. It was almost comical how the family seemed to mirror one another—Lani with her mother's height and occasional clumsiness, and her father, well... being the Softy Class support that kept the family balanced.

He glanced at Lani, then back at her mother, who was still rubbing her head, and then back at Lani once more. The resemblance was undeniable, and it all made sense now.

Aoto grinned, leaning back with a chuckle. "Like mother, like daughter, huh?"

Lani laughed softly, her eyes sparkling with humor. "Yeah, we tend to bump into things a lot."

The family dynamic felt so genuine and warm, and Aoto found himself feeling more at ease around Lani. She wasn't just a student at CherryWood, or a beautiful girl with a knack for causing him a nosebleed—she was someone with a family who shared the same quirks and charm that she did.

The moment was a little surreal, but comforting. It was nice to see a family like this—so different from his own experiences, yet so relatable in its own way.

Lani's mother, finally recovering from her mishap, smiled at Aoto. "You must be a friend of Lani's?" she asked, her voice warm and welcoming despite the recent bump to her head.

Aoto nodded, smiling back. "Yeah, we just met, actually. But I'm sure we'll be hanging out more often."

Lani grinned beside him, her cheeks turning a bit pink. "Yeah, Aoto's a good guy. I think we'll get along just fine."

As they stood there, surrounded by the warmth of the bakery and the friendly chatter, Aoto couldn't help but feel like he had found another person he could count on in this strange new world of Planet Comoros. It wasn't just the academy that was turning into an adventure—life itself had become one, and Aoto was more than ready to enjoy the journey.

And with people like Lani by his side, he knew it would be a memorable ride.

As Aoto stood there, still enjoying the warm atmosphere of the bakery, Lani's father, the short and jolly Hibiki, came over, followed closely by his towering wife, Sayuri, who was still rubbing her head from the earlier bump. They both bowed in polite greeting, and Hibiki introduced them both with a cheerful smile.

"Please excuse my wife and daughter," Hibiki said, his voice full of warmth and humor. "They tend to forget their own size sometimes."

Sayuri chuckled softly, though her head was still throbbing a bit. "Owww... I swear, those doorways seem to get shorter every year," she muttered before turning her attention to Aoto, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took a deeper breath. Her nostrils flared, as if she was trying to confirm something. "By the way, Aoto," she said, her voice suddenly more curious.

Aoto looked up, his brow raised slightly. "Yes?"

Sayuri blinked a few times, still sniffing the air as if trying to puzzle something out. "Are you... a Human?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "Because your scent has a bit of a human smell to it."

Aoto smiled casually, though he was slightly caught off guard by the question. "Yeah, I am. I'm a Human from Earth."

That statement hung in the air for a moment, and as soon as Aoto said it, all three members of the family—Hibiki, Sayuri, and Lani—froze. Their eyes widened, their jaws practically dropping in disbelief. The room was filled with a stunned silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

The two reasons for their shock were clear:

Aoto being a Human.Aoto being from Earth, not Planet Comoros.

Hibiki, who had been so warm and jovial moments before, looked as though he had just heard the most unbelievable thing in the world. Sayuri's hand slowly lowered from her head, and she stared at Aoto as if seeing him for the first time. Lani's indigo eyes widened, her lips parting slightly in shock.

Aoto blinked, feeling the weight of their stunned silence. "Um... Is something wrong?"

Lani was the first to break the silence, her voice shaky with surprise. "You're... you're from Earth? Like, the actual Earth?"

Aoto nodded, still not quite understanding the gravity of the situation. "Yeah, I transferred here to CherryWood Academy from Earth."

Hibiki exchanged a look with Sayuri, the two of them clearly trying to process this bombshell. Hibiki rubbed his chin thoughtfully, looking at Aoto with newfound curiosity. "A Human from Earth... You don't see that every day," he muttered, almost to himself.

Sayuri stepped forward, still towering over Aoto, but her expression softened, filled with awe and a hint of confusion. "We've met some Humans before, but most of them were born here, on Comoros. It's rare to meet someone who actually came from Earth."

Lani, her earlier confidence now replaced by wide-eyed amazement, stepped closer to Aoto, her voice barely above a whisper. "Aoto... That's incredible. I didn't even know Earthlings could still come here. I thought the ships between our worlds are mostly expensive."

Aoto scratched the back of his head, feeling a little sheepish with all the attention. "Well, I guess I got lucky. I had to go through some pretty complicated processes to transfer to CherryWood, but yeah... here I am."

Hibiki's jovial demeanor returned, though there was still an air of awe in his voice. "That's incredible, young man! Earth... the birthplace of all Humans. It's been years since Earthlings visited our world, and now to have you here—well, it's a rare and wonderful thing."

Sayuri nodded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You must have an interesting story to tell, Aoto. Coming all the way from Earth to Comoros... it's not something we hear about often."

Aoto smiled, still trying to make sense of their reactions. He hadn't realized how significant his presence was until now. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal," he admitted. "I mean, I'm just a student. But I guess being from Earth makes things a little different, huh?"

Lani, still staring at him with a mixture of awe and newfound respect, nodded. "Yeah... it really does. I mean, I've met people from all over Comoros, but I've never met someone who actually lived on Earth before."

Aoto felt a strange mix of pride and humility. He had never thought of himself as special, but seeing the way Lani and her parents looked at him now, he realized just how rare his situation was. For the first time since arriving on Planet Comoros, he felt like he truly stood out in a way that mattered.

Hibiki clapped him on the back, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Well, Aoto, you're not just any student to us. You're a special guest from Earth. If you ever need anything, you're welcome here at our bakery anytime. Consider yourself part of the family!"

Sayuri nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. We'd love to hear more about Earth, whenever you're comfortable sharing."

Lani's eyes sparkled as she grinned at Aoto. "I think you've just become the most interesting person I know, Aoto."

Aoto chuckled, feeling a little overwhelmed but also grateful. "Thanks. I guess I'll have to live up to the hype, huh?"

The warm and inviting atmosphere of the bakery only grew as the family welcomed Aoto with open arms. And as they continued to chat, Aoto realized that his time on Planet Comoros was going to be even more unique than he had originally thought.

Perhaps this was just the beginning of something bigger—a chance to forge deeper connections, make new friends, and maybe, just maybe, find a sense of belonging in this strange and wonderful world.

As Aoto scrubbed the school nameplate, the soapy water dripping down the letters, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. It was a simple task, but there was something relaxing about working with his hands, especially in the company of the Giant Class students. They were friendly and easygoing, their towering figures and strength making the work feel almost effortless for them.

He had just finished reading the English name aloud—CherryWood Academy—when the Giant Class girl beside him chuckled.

"You said it right," she said with a smile, her hands busy wiping down the nearby windows. "Though it sounds kind of cute when you say it like that."

Aoto glanced over at her, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Cute, huh? Well, I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

The Giant Class guy working nearby chuckled, his deep voice rumbling. "You've got it easy, Aoto. Try reading the full name in Como script—it's way more complicated."

Aoto nodded, still fascinated by the fact that the school nameplate had inscriptions in three languages: Como, Japanese, and English. It made the place feel even more unique. "I didn't even know the school taught over 120 languages," he said, shaking his head in awe.

The Giant Class girl paused her scrubbing and looked at him with a grin. "Yup! We get students from all over the galaxy here. But one thing we all have in common is that we're required to learn the Como language. It's pretty much the universal language here."

"Yeah, I've been picking up on that," Aoto said, thinking back to his first few days at the academy. "It's definitely different from what I'm used to, but I'm getting the hang of it."

The Giant Class guy wiped his brow and leaned on his mop for a moment, looking thoughtful. "So, how's the academy treating you so far? You've had quite the experience, from what I've heard."

Aoto smiled, continuing to scrub the nameplate. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. It's been... eventful, to say the least. But it's not bad. I'm starting to settle in."

"I'm glad to hear that," the Giant Class girl chimed in, her voice warm. "It's not always easy being the new student, especially when you're from Earth. But you seem to be handling things pretty well."

Aoto shrugged modestly. "I'm just taking it one day at a time. This place is definitely different from what I'm used to, but I'm starting to enjoy it."

The group worked quietly for a few more minutes, the sound of scrubbing and water sloshing filling the air. Aoto could feel the camaraderie among the students as they worked together to make the entrance shine. It was simple, but there was something fulfilling about it.

Just then, Akia appeared, carrying two large buckets filled with soapy water. Her small, curvy figure seemed to be struggling under the weight of the buckets, but she approached with a big smile on her face. "Who wants a bucket?" she called cheerfully.

Aoto raised his hand without hesitation. "I'll take one."

Akia grinned and handed him a bucket. "Here you go! Fresh soap and water to keep things squeaky clean."

"Thanks, Akia," Aoto said, taking the bucket from her and setting it down beside him. He dipped his sponge into the soapy water and resumed scrubbing the entrance, determined to make the nameplate gleam.

As they continued working, Aoto glanced around at the group of students cleaning alongside him. He felt more at home here than he had when he first arrived. He wasn't just the new Earthling anymore—he was a part of something bigger, part of a community.

The Giant Class guy looked up at the nameplate and smiled. "You know, it's kind of nice doing something like this. We spend so much time studying and training, but it's good to take a break and just clean up the place every now and then."

Aoto nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's actually pretty relaxing."

The Giant Class girl wiped down the windows one last time, standing back to admire their work. "I think we've done a pretty good job so far," she said with a satisfied smile.

Aoto looked up at the now sparkling nameplate, the bold letters of CherryWood Academy shining brightly in the morning light. He felt a sense of pride in their work, and as he stood back to take it all in, he couldn't help but feel like he was truly becoming a part of this unique and diverse school.

"Not bad at all," Aoto said with a grin.

Akia, always full of energy, bounced over to them with another bucket in hand. "Great job, everyone! This place is looking amazing!"

The group laughed and exchanged high-fives, the sense of accomplishment settling in.

Aoto stood there, looking around at his new friends and the school he was starting to call home. No matter how eventful or chaotic things got, he knew he was in for a one-of-a-kind journey at CherryWood Academy. And, for the first time in a long while, he was looking forward to whatever came next.