Creak~
The door opened once again.
The pink-haired girl in a loose t-shirt shyly looked at him, holding a two-year-old child in her arms.
"Do… do you want to come in?"
That expression, that tone!
It was exactly like a wife welcoming her husband home — she even had the kid!
Shiro's mouth twitched. He was already at the door — what could he do? He couldn't just turn around and leave, right?
Under her hopeful gaze, he muttered: "Excuse me."
Yep.
It was obvious — this guy wasn't too familiar with his own house anymore…
At that moment, Shiro was unbelievably thankful that Iori and the others hadn't come with him.
Otherwise, he'd either be beaten to death or laughed to death.
Creak~
As the door closed, the two stood in awkward silence at the entrance.
One was too dumbfounded. The other — too shy.
Both had imagined what it'd be like to see each other again.
But never like this.
This was beyond awkward!
Fortunately, the silence was soon broken by a soft baby voice.
The Ball of cuteness in the girl's arms looked Shiro up and down, then smiled sweetly and reached out.
"Pw- pwetty unco~ hug hug~"
That baby voice, that chubby little face—
Shiro's heart completely melted~
He immediately took his little sister from the girl's arms. "Rize~!"
Though it was their first meeting, maybe due to blood ties — or maybe Rize was just fearless — she curiously started examining this unfamiliar face.
Tugging his hair, pinching his ears… now she was trying to figure out the mystery behind his squinty eyes.
She had wanted to study her mama's before but got smacked twice for it, so she backed off.
Now seeing someone who looked just like mama, her curiosity reignited!
Feeling her little hands pawing his face, Shiro couldn't help but chuckle.
He couldn't resist anymore — he started raining kisses on her round cheeks.
^3^
"Rize~ eheh~ My little sister~ my little sister~ eheh~"
(′⊙ω⊙`)
The sudden saliva attack stunned Rize mid-investigation. She absentmindedly wiped her cheek and looked at this handsome face in confusion.
Why was he just like daddy?!
"Run… Sis, hug~"
Trying to avoid further abuse, Rize instinctively reached back toward the girl.
The girl took her back and cast a disdainful look at Shiro. "Stop laughing like some creep!"
"Ahem…"
Now that the softness had left his arms, Shiro regained his composure and looked hurt. "This was the first time I saw my sister… being a little emotional is normal…"
"Oh, now you remember she's your sister?"
She rolled her eyes at him. She was already two years old, and this was their first meeting — ridiculous.
But then again, this was Shiro. So maybe not so surprising~
With his sister out of his arms, Shiro finally turned to fully take in the pink-haired girl.
Petite frame, holding an even tinier dumpling.
So cute!
"So, Inui-chan, why are you here?"
Sajuna Inui, Shiro's junior. A cosplay lover. A famous cosplayer in the industry —
Inui!
At the same time, she was one of the girls who had been entangled with Shiro—the pile of cosplay outfits under the bed was all hers.
Inui who had been comforting Rize chan, froze when she heard Shiro's question.
Her face instantly flushed bright red as she finally remembered what kind of situation they were currently in.
"Th-this... It's because I couldn't find you!"
With her mind momentarily crashing and unable to come up with a proper explanation, she opted for a different approach.
She glared 'fiercely' at Shiro.
But from Shiro's perspective, this made her even cuter—so cute it was almost unbearable!
Shiro immediately put his arm around Inui's shoulder and leaned in with a mischievous grin. "Well, I never expected a little white rabbit to come jumping into the wolf's den~"
That's right—after a brief moment of thought, Shiro had figured it out!
Two or more beautiful girls arriving together would've meant a total battlefield—but if it's just one…
She's nothing but a harmless little white rabbit!
And his mom was desperate for him to settle down and have kids anyway. As for marriage?
He was still too young for that. No need to worry about it now. (λ?_??)
"Shiro, I—"
Inui wanted to say she wasn't some helpless little rabbit, but before she could finish, Shiro placed a finger over her lips.
Staring into those smiling eyes, Inui suddenly recalled the moment they first met.
Back then, she was just a junior high school girl who had just bought her first magical girl outfit, and she met a passing… Kamen Rider.
A Kamen Rider who had just returned from a cosplay convention!
A Kamen Rider who flirted with a middle school girl.
"Eh? A magical girl? I bet it would suit you perfectly~"
"You have to help me protect the world when the time comes, okay, my cute magical girl."
Maybe it was just a joke, but that was the first time Inui felt her hobby and childhood dream were truly acknowledged.
Acknowledged by a squinting Kamen Rider who passed her by~
Even though, back then, she hadn't even tried on the costume yet.
She thought that moment was the end of the story—but it turned out to be just the beginning.
At a certain high school, the Kamen Rider and the magical girl met again~
Unfortunately, by graduation, the unreliable Kamen Rider senpai had once again pulled a vanishing act, leaving without a trace.
The only time she heard from him again was during that one time in Tokyo…
But she missed it—she'd been busy preparing a new cosplay and didn't check her phone!
By the time she saw the message, it was already too late.
(*?????)
And now—
The reason she appeared here in the first place was because she'd been hoping to see Shiro again.
Realizing this, Inui quietly closed her eyes, seemingly forgetting that there was still a curious Ball of cuteness watching them from between them~
^3^
Just as their lips were about to meet…
A mature woman's voice rang out.
"Inui chan, who's that~?"
Our beloved Miss Keiko, still in her pajamas and yawning, sleepily wandered over.
She even let out a long yawn mid-step~
But all signs of drowsiness vanished the moment she saw the scene at the entrance.
What did she see?!
A man daring to hold her precious Inui chan in his arms?! Didn't he know that was her future daughter-in-law?!
Wait a second?
That squinty-eyed guy looked a little familiar…
Keiko paused for a few seconds, then remembered—that's her son who's been away for so long!
Her emotions surged.
But…
This wasn't the time to step in, was it?
For the sake of the young couple's relationship, Keiko felt she should do something considerate!
With that, she yawned and walked right up to them, scooping up Rize chan in her arms.
"Haa~ I must've slept too much and started seeing things. I thought I saw you floating in the air, you little. No more using your superpowers next time, okay~"
"..."
At that moment—
Shiro felt like his mom was treating him like an idiot.
What two-year-old has superpowers?! That just made everything even more awkward!
The Living Room of the Kamishiro Family
Shiro and Kenjiro sat facing each other, one smiling with a hidden edge, the other expressionless.
If you didn't look closely, you wouldn't be able to tell they were father and son.
"Dad, I haven't seen your hair in a few years, and it's running away a lot."
Shiro activated his taunt skill first!
You know, for a middle-aged man, hair is a forbidden area!
However, to Shiro's surprise, his tried-and-true tactic failed this time.
Kenjiro simply took a sip of his tea calmly. "It's nothing I can do. My daughter is a bit naughty. It was just a little hair pulling. No big deal~"
Crack
Critical Hit!
This sentence froze the smile on Shiro's face.
Damn Kenjiro, how dare he even bring up his sister!
"I think everyone in the family should know about a big event like a new baby."
Shiro's eyes gleamed with murderous intent. What kind of father wouldn't even tell his son about his child?
"Ah..."
Seeing Shiro's direct attack, Kenjiro sighed, his serious expression tinged with a hint of loneliness.
"My son, you've been smart since childhood. Living alone before you even reach adulthood makes me, as a father, feel guilty.
I haven't given you enough care and fatherly love, so this time, hiding Rize chan was actually to give you a surprise."
Kenjiro wiped his eyes after saying this, and everything seemed so real.
Even Inui, standing beside him, couldn't help but feel a little moved.
Unfortunately,
Kenjiro was facing Shiro!
(???)
Shiro wasn't buying it at all, glaring at his jerk father with a fierce look. "Hiding Rize-chan... that's not a surprise, that's a shock!
And what does this have to do with concern and fatherly love?!"
(′⊙ω⊙`)
Inui, who had been quite touched, blinked blankly at this.
Yeah, is there a necessary connection between guilt and hiding Rize-chan?
Across from him
"Tsk!"
Seeing he hadn't fooled the crowd, Kenjiro tilted his head in displeasure. He hadn't seen this kid in years, and he was still this tough.
"And... you gave him plenty of 'fatherly love, didn't you? And wasn't it you who arranged for me to study in Tokyo?"
Shiro kept recounting Kenjiro's misdeeds. He was truly showered with 'fatherly love' when he was little.
And every now and then, there was Ultraman vs. Monster.
That's right, Shiro is the monster, and Kenjiro is the Ultraman...
He really just ensured his safety (?°?д°?)
And about going to school, it was Kenjiro who thought he was too much of a nuisance at home and sent him away!
"Wait!"
He didn't deny his 'fatherly love,' but Kenjiro had to have a serious conversation about going to school.
"Oh, son, that's wrong. You were such a genius when you were little, so of course I had to send you to a good school in Tokyo."
He was doing this for the child.
Kenjiro sighed as he spoke, "Who knew you wouldn't even get into the University of Tokyo..."
His tone was filled with resentment, as if he had suddenly assumed the moral high ground.
Shiro: (???)
"If I remember correctly, you didn't ask me about my studies in high school, did you?"
"I... I just trust you."
Kenjiro tilted his head guiltily. They were father and son, their head tilting gesture was the same when they said something they didn't mean.
Beside him, Inui's mouth twitched. This... was this really a reunion between father and son after a long separation?
Why did it feel like a meeting between enemies?
Next,
Shiro and Kenjiro argued over a series of issues, including "contacting only through letters," "not knowing electronics but owning a cyberpunk teahouse," and "going to China without telling him."
Kenjiro had successfully proved one thing!
As long as someone is thick-skinned enough, they are invincible...
Faced with these things, Kenjiro chose to play it safe, acting like a scumbag who would never admit his guilt.
Finally, he even hid in the kitchen under the pretext of helping his wife.
This made Shiro's teeth itch. What did it take two people to prepare for afternoon tea?!
Looking at Kenjiro's triumphant figure, Shiro's lips curled into a cruel smile.
He hadn't meant to be so ruthless. This was all Kenjiro's own fault!
Then, under Inui's astonished gaze, he pulled out a transparent jar filled with an unknown liquid as if by magic. Not only was there an unknown liquid, but there was also a bunch of things that looked like herbs.