New World with Four Husbands

"Be careful." Coco grumbled, catching Jacques.

Konoha had jumped off her arms just in time for Jacques' body to crash into her arms, her pupils dilating in annoyance as she whisked her head away from Coco's direction.

"Surprise!" Jacques smiled and laughed quietly, "Renaldo can't come to see you off, unfortunately, but it's okay because I'm here. I don't want to stay at the shop knowing that I didn't see you off."

Coco's expression softened, a small smile creeping to her lips. "How thoughtful."

"No, I'm just loving you." Jacques hummed out and tightened her arms around Coco a little before she let go, "Anyway, Joachim and I took it upon ourselves to pack some food for you and your husbands. I hope you don't mind."

Coco's heart skipped a beat, swelling and racing in her chest from how grateful and loveable she felt.

I'm so lucky to have her. Coco thought, her hand squeezing Jacques' hand as she got yanked towards the crowd of guards a meter away from them.

Coco caught the sight of Joachim pointing his fingers on particular crates, telling orders to the guards as they scrambled to get the tasks done— afraid that they will make the pink haired mediator mad.

"Jo, give them a break." Jacques chastised her twin brother, sighing heavily.

The two of them approached the mediator and almost immediately, Joachim turned around and brightened up, his eyes landing on Coco.

"Coco!" Joachim exclaimed and lunged forward, throwing himself on Coco's arms.

Coco was quick to let go of Jacques' hand and spread her arms just in time for Joachim to fall, catching him before he could slide off her arms.

Coco let out a sigh, tired of the twins' antics.

"The two of you need to stop jumping on me. What would you two do if I didn't catch you?" Coco grumbled, her eyebrows furrowing as she gave a pointed stare at the mediator in her arms.

"But you wouldn't let us fall, would you?" Jacques asked, tilting her head.

Coco's lips pursed into a straight line before she let out a sigh, nodding her head solemnly, as if she had no choice, but to forfeit. "Unfortunately. I don't want any one of you to get hurt."

The twins shared a glance, knowing smiles growing wider as they giggled to themselves.

"Well, it was nice to know that you wouldn't let us get hurt so in return, we won't let you starve." Joachim hummed out, pulling away from Coco's arms.

"I'm sure that no one would let me starve." Coco retorted playfully, "I have my husbands with me. Heiren can cook and Zaque bakes the most delicious loaf of bread I have ever tasted."

Jacques and Joachim stared at her, their eyebrows raising to their hairlines.

"Look at you." Joachim scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Just because you have your husbands with you doesn't mean you won't starve."

"We won't let her get starved or whatever you were talking about." Zaque cut through the conversation, his voice sharp and blunt, his red eyes narrowing into a glare as he placed a hand on Coco's shoulder.

"I was just joking around." Joachim blinked, raising both of his hands in the air.

"Yeah, right." Zaque grumbled, turning his head away with a frown on his face, but that frown was quick to melt away when he felt Coco's hand slide up to his arm, squeezing him lightly.

"He didn't mean it." Coco said, smiling softly.

Zaque's cheeks immediately felt warm, his mouth falling agape, and then he nodded his head in understanding.

"Okay.. If you say so." He murmured.

Coco turned away from him, her eyes landing on Jacques who busied herself with Joachim, checking the food on the crates.

"Stay here." Coco told Zaque, "I have something to say to Jacques. In private."

"Okay." Zaque nodded his head and averted his gaze, letting Coco pull her hand away from his arm.

Coco walked away from the mediators and approached the pink haired twins, their heads turning to her in an instant, their faces bright.

"You done?" Jacques asked.

"Kind of, but I have something to tell you." Coco reached out and held Jacques' hand, her eyes shifting from Jacques to Joachim, "I don't know if I'm ready to tell you about it just yet."

Joachim nodded his head, smiling. "It's okay, Coco. You don't have to force yourself, you can just tell me once you're ready."

Coco only reached out and grabbed Joachim's hand, giving it a squeeze.

She held his hand for a good a moment before she pulled away and whisked Jacques away, dragging her towards the spot where the horses were placed, their footsteps light and quick.

"What's wrong, Coco—" Jacques asked, but she was cut off when she heard a yell coming from the gate.

"Ride your horses! We will be leaving in five!" A masculine voice screamed, barking orders towards the guards, alarming both Jacques and Coco— making them come into an abrupt halt.

"Oh, it looks like you have to go." Jacques stated, snapping her attention back to Coco.

"Okay, I'll just say it here then." Coco squeezed Jacques' hand and scratched the back of her head using her free hand, her eyes caught the sight of the guards going their way, probably to obey whoever screamed the order.

"Say what—"

"I'm Coco Coison." Coco introduced herself, her heart racing and pounding against her ears, "I'm not Coco Hughes. I'm a different person from her. She died, and I took over."

Jacques' eyes went round in confusion and concern, "What do you mean?"

"It means that I'm not Coco Hughes. I had to pretend to be her." Coco said, dropping Jacques' hand and taking a step back.

"I.. I don't understand—"

"Coco, you'll be riding on the carriage with your husbands!" The masculine voice from earlier called out.

"You'll understand if you think back to how I acted for the past few weeks." Coco stated, looking away as a carriage stopped beside her.