The morning started as usual in Hell—fire crackling in the distance, the faint hum of tortured souls, and the occasional growl of Cerberus wandering through the castle halls. Kikidori sat in the kitchen, his wings lazily folded as he scrolled through his phone. Ere'ana was nearby, sipping her tea, her angelic aura a stark contrast to the dim, fiery light of Hell.
The peace, however, was abruptly shattered by a piercing scream that echoed through the castle.
"AAAHHHHHHH!"
Kikidori nearly dropped his phone. "What the hell?" he muttered, looking toward the hallway where the sound had come from.
Ere'ana put her cup down, already standing. "That was Yumi," she said, her voice tinged with concern.
Kikidori sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You go," he said nonchalantly, waving her off. "I'm not equipped to deal with... whatever teenage drama that was."
Ere'ana glared at him. "She's your daughter too, you know."
"Yeah, but this sounds like one of those things," Kikidori replied, gesturing vaguely. "The kind of thing only moms are supposed to deal with."
Rolling her eyes, Ere'ana turned and made her way toward the restroom, muttering under her breath about Kikidori's unhelpfulness. She knocked on the door gently. "Yumi? Sweetheart, are you okay?"
From inside came a muffled, embarrassed, "MOM, COME IN! I NEED YOU!"
Ere'ana opened the door cautiously, stepping inside to find Yumi standing in front of the mirror, her face a mix of shock and mortification. Her dark, goth-inspired attire was slightly askew, and her usually confident demeanor was nowhere to be found.
"What's wrong, Yumi?" Ere'ana asked, closing the door behind her.
Yumi turned to her mom, her cheeks flushed a deep red. "Mom," she said, her voice hushed but frantic. "I'm... I'm growing."
Ere'ana tilted her head, confused. "Growing what?"
Yumi's face turned an even deeper shade of crimson as she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "You know... hair."
Ere'ana blinked. "Hair?"
"YES, HAIR!" Yumi practically shouted, covering her face with her hands. "You know... there."
It took Ere'ana a moment to process what Yumi was saying, but when she did, her expression softened. "Oh," she said simply. "Really?"
Yumi nodded, her hands still covering her face. "Yeah."
Ere'ana chuckled softly, trying to ease the tension. "Sweetheart, that's perfectly normal. It's just part of growing up."
Yumi peeked through her fingers, still blushing furiously. "I know, but... it's so weird. And I don't know if it's supposed to look like this."
Ere'ana's protective mom instincts kicked in. She placed a reassuring hand on Yumi's shoulder. "Do you want me to take a look? Just to make sure everything's okay?"
Yumi hesitated, biting her lip. "You're not going to, like, make fun of me or anything, right?"
Ere'ana smiled warmly. "Of course not, sweetie. I'm your mom. I just want to make sure you're healthy."
After a moment of internal debate, Yumi nodded. "Okay. Just... don't make it weird."
Ere'ana laughed softly. "I won't."
Yumi turned slightly and gestured toward the general area, still visibly embarrassed. Ere'ana knelt down and took a quick look, keeping her expression neutral and professional. After a moment, she stood back up and placed a hand on Yumi's shoulder.
"Everything looks perfectly normal," Ere'ana said reassuringly. "You're just growing up, Yumi. It happens to everyone."
Yumi let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "So I'm not, like, dying or anything?"
Ere'ana chuckled. "No, you're not dying. You're just maturing. Your body's going through changes—it's nothing to be ashamed of."
Yumi nodded, still feeling a little awkward but relieved. "Thanks, Mom."
"Anytime," Ere'ana said with a smile. She paused for a moment, then added, "Do you have any questions about, well, this kind of stuff? It's important to understand what's happening to your body."
Yumi shook her head quickly. "Nope. I'm good. Really. Can we just... not talk about this anymore?"
Ere'ana laughed. "Okay, okay. But if you ever have questions, I'm here. And, you know, so is your dad."
Yumi snorted. "Yeah, like I'm going to talk to him about this."
Ere'ana couldn't help but laugh as well. "Fair enough."
As Yumi started to relax, Ere'ana gave her a quick hug. "You're doing just fine, Yumi. Growing up isn't easy, but you've got this."
Yumi rolled her eyes playfully but hugged her mom back. "Thanks, Mom. And, uh... don't tell Dad about this, okay?"
"My lips are sealed," Ere'ana promised, winking.
With that, Ere'ana left the restroom, closing the door behind her. As she walked back to the kitchen, she couldn't help but shake her head and smile. Raising a teenage daughter in Hell was certainly an adventure, but moments like these reminded her how much she loved being a mom.
When she returned to the kitchen, Kikidori was still sitting in the same spot, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up as she entered.
"So?" he asked casually. "What was it?"
Ere'ana gave him a pointed look. "Nothing you need to worry about."
Kikidori shrugged. "Fine by me."
Ere'ana sat down and picked up her tea, taking a sip as she thought about the conversation she'd just had with Yumi. It wasn't easy being the parent of a teenager—especially one as fiery and independent as Yumi—but she wouldn't trade it for anything.
In the restroom, Yumi stared at herself in the mirror, still feeling a little embarrassed but also strangely empowered. Growing up in Hell wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world, but she had a supportive mom and a dad who, while distant at times, still cared in his own way.
"Guess I'm not a little kid anymore," she muttered to herself, a small smile creeping onto her lips.
The End of Chapter 5