Anya dashed toward her father, who caught her and lifted her with a smile.
"Anya, how's school?" he inquired.
"It's great! And I met the boss man!" Anya exclaimed.
"'Boss man?'"
Her father's eyebrow arched in curiosity as Anya pointed at Minoru, who was still crouched down.
"Ahaha, please pardon my daughter's impolite behavior," he chuckled, extending an apologetic smile to Minoru.
But inwardly, he tensed, feeling a strong sense of pressure emanating from Minoru.
What did he want?
Minoru chuckled in response, rising to his feet.
"Don't worry, I'm enjoying seeing my niece and nephew make adorable friends," he stated with a grin that didn't quite match his true feelings.
He found it annoying to observe normal people like Anya's father being cheerfully addressed as "dad" while their children rushed to them.
'Waku-waku!'
Anya exchanged glances between Minoru and her dad, sensing that something was about to happen.
[Should I k*** him? Tch...]
Anya flinched, her mouth agape, as she caught a glimpse of Minoru's inner thoughts.
[It's frustrating to witness people like him and his daughter treating him as 'dad~!' and running to him so happily when he calls. Sigh, even Ruby doesn't call me dad—she gives me that weird nickname, 'Yanagin.']
Minoru observed them as he picked up Ruby, cradling her in his left arm, a wave of competition vibes hit him!
"Woah~ You almost scared me there, Yanagin! Hmmph!"
Ruby pouted and pinched his cheek.
'Uwa! Boss-man wants to harm Chichi because of Ruby!'
Anya freaked out, quickly looking at Ruby nestled in Minoru's arms, wondering if Ruby could be the cause of Minoru turning into a villain.
And so, the two handsome dads stood across from each other, each holding their precious daughters in their arms!
"Thank you, sir. Oh, where are my manners... I'm Loid Forger, a psychiatrist. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Loid nodded politely and flashed a disarming smile, extending his gloved right hand for a handshake.
Loid Forger, 27 years old, handsome man with slicked-back blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and a well-built physique. He was dressed in a friendly-looking light-colored suit.
"Heh..." Anya grinned while looking at him.
'Chichi, you're a liar...' she thought.
Indeed, his identity as Loid Forger was a facade, concealing his true role as a spy from Luxemburg.
After the new queen ascended the throne, he had been dispatched on a covert mission to protect a crucial figure, his true purpose known only to the queen, Loid, and Anya.
Anya, his adopted daughter, had been a victim of the recent civil war. In the aftermath of the conflict, Loid had taken it upon himself to raise her, driven by guilt.
Minoru reached out, his gloved hand meeting Loid's in a light handshake.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Yanagi Minoru, a teacher."
Ruby appeared perplexed at Minoru's claim to be a teacher.
Her expression seemed to question why someone wealthy would choose such a profession.
Was he making up a random lie, or was there more to it?
Aqua also shared the same confusion, joining Minoru's side with a quizzical look.
Anya's smile broadened as she found herself in the unique position of being the only one who truly understood what was happening.
'Spy...!' she looked at Loid, then shifting her gaze to Minoru, 'Hitman...!'
Having watched too much anime and feeling a bit bored, Anya was suddenly exhilarated by this unfolding moment.
"Ah, you must be related to Aqua and Ruby," he remarked, referring to earlier conversations. "Anya has told me so much about them, how brilliant they are."
Loid observed them, marveling at their radiant appearances.
To him, they looked as if they had just come from a photoshoot rather than returning from school.
However, his instincts were tingling with suspicion.
Minoru surprised Loid.
He had sensed that there was something extraordinary about Minoru, perhaps a significant role in society, but he was taken aback when Minoru revealed himself to be a simple teacher.
Loid initially had doubts, but Minoru's unflinching expression conveyed a deep seriousness about his teaching role.
Loid's thoughts raced, [There has been unusual activity in the underworld that poses a threat to Her Highness. Claiming to be a teacher could be a fake. I should investigate this further.]
Without asking Minoru where he taught, Loid refrained from sounding impolite. He was confident that he would eventually learn the truth.
Anya nodded knowingly, comprehending the situation.
She, however, chose not to disclose to Loid that Minoru was also a hitman.
"Thank you," Minoru reciprocated, genuinely meaning it, "Mr. Forger also has an adorable daughter."
Minoru's compliment was met with a cheerful response.
"Hahaha, thank you."
Internally, Minoru was ecstatic, yearning for Ruby to address him as "Dad," just as Anya referred to Loid.
By this point, Ruby had taken to calling Ai "Mama", while she addressed him as "Yanagin" to maintain some distance, as they weren't particularly close. While Aqua, using the honorific "-san," addressed him as "Minoru-san," which felt more formal than Yanagin's approach.
This made Minoru envious of Loid's situation.
As Loid and Minoru engaged in a laughter-filled exchange— albeit somewhat scripted for this scenario. Loid suddenly shifted his gaze towards Aqua, standing by Minoru's side, and was taken aback.
[What!? That boy's reading a mystery novel? Quite advanced for his age. And his gaze... It's remarkably intelligent.]
Loid glanced at Anya, seeming to compare the two.
'Anya is being compared to the first son! This isn't good!' Anya's thoughts reflected her unease.
Observing Aqua, Anya accurately deciphered his thoughts.
[Is her father a psychiatrist?] Aqua's gaze met Anya's, [Hmm... but she doesn't seem too smart.]
Anya's annoyance was palpable, and a vein throbbed on her forehead.
'The first son is annoying, and his thoughts are dizzying. Anya doesn't like him, but he's Anya's source for taking school tests. As Chichi's daughter, Anya uses every means to succeed.'
"Kekekekek..." An evil laugh escaped her lips.
Anya's sly expression prompted a sigh from Loid and a puzzled look from Minoru, who wondered about her behavior.
On the other hand, Miyako, who watched from the sidelines, was shocked, thinking, 'Why do all ikemen have kids?'
---
Ai was panting as she danced energetically in the penthouse gym room. The sound of a bell interrupted her, prompting her to stop and greet Minoru.
"Oh~ I forgot to tell Miyako-san," Ai said, her hand covering her mouth as the realization hit her.
Despite that, a smile brightened her face.
She knew Minoru had picked up Aqua and Ruby from school, which made her happy, but also a bit melancholic as she couldn't join them.
After all, Ai was an idol, and someone like her should never have had children in the first place.
However, Ai longed for the happiness of being a mother while pursuing her career as an idol.
She acknowledged herself as a greedy and hypocritical person for wanting both.
"We're back," Minoru announced as he, Aqua, and Ruby emerged from the elevator.
"Welcome home~!" Ai cheerfully greeted them.
She was aware that what she had just done might anger her fans, but she did it with genuine happiness, unburdened by any sense of deception.
She hugged her children tightly and affectionately patted their heads.
"Aqua, Ruby, go change your clothes before we dig into the pizza," Minoru instructed, his hands full of bags and pizza boxes.
"Sure thing!" Ruby dashed off excitedly, while Aqua simply nodded and walked off calmly.
Ai, feeling her stomach growl in hunger, playfully crossed her arms.
"Minoru-kun, my weight has been a challenge since we started living together, you know!" she exclaimed, wiping sweat from her neck with a towel.
Minoru chuckled, "Your stomach seems to be more honest," he glancing at Ai, "Did we interrupt your practice?"
Ai shook her head, wiping sweat from her face with a towel.
"I was taking a break. Then, how did the interview go?"
"Smooth. I'm a teacher now."
Ai clapped her hands and chuckled.
"Minoru-sensei! I'm starving~~!"
She playfully snatched the pizza from his grasp, then playfully wrinkled her nose as she caught a whiff of a woman's scent on him.
"Hey," Ai said, deadpanning as she scrutinized him, "why do you smell like you're surrounded by a bunch of women?"
Her expression carried a suspicion as if asking if his new teaching job had turned him into a magnet for high school girls.
Minoru understood her concerns and explained, "I met another candidate, a woman. Plus, some of the interviewers was a woman. Oh, and I ran into Miyako because someone forgot to tell her not to come." His gaze was steady, meeting hers.
His eyes locked onto Ai's, she burst into laughter.
"Oops~~~! Minoru-sensei! please forgive me!" She batted her eyelashes innocently.
"But aren't you lucky to have an idol waiting for you at home?"
Ai followed Minoru into the living room, nibbling on the pizza.
"I should be, shouldn't I? Well, maybe you're right," he admitted a hint of insincerity in his tone that made Ai pout.
Her pride as a top idol had been slightly bruised!
Meanwhile, Minoru flopped onto the sofa, leaning back with a sigh.
Ai savored the pizza while watching Minoru from the kitchen, which was all open to the living room.
She wasn't the brightest, but her ability to perceive people was sharp. She sensed Minoru's focus wasn't entirely on her, despite sharing the same roof. A mask seemed to shroud his emotions, a realization that prompted her self-reflection.
"Mmm, I'm a hypocrite, aren't I?" she mumbled, her words as introspective as her bites of pizza.
---
Sorry, maybe I won't be uploading as usual.
Thanks!