The soft glow of the crimson sky over Hell painted the castle in hues of red and black. The halls of the grand, intimidating fortress were quiet as the day began to wind down. Yumi sat in her room, sprawled on her bed, headphones blasting her usual playlist of dark, emo rock. She was doodling in her sketchbook—skulls, pentagrams, and abstract shapes mixed with stray lyrics she had scrawled in the margins.
Cerberus was curled up at the foot of her bed, lazily chewing on a bone. The tiny, black demon Chihuahua was her constant companion, and Yumi appreciated the little guy's loyalty more than she ever let on. She absently scratched his head with her foot as she continued sketching, trying to push the day's events from her mind.
The door creaked open, and Kikidori stepped in, his towering figure casting a long shadow across the room. His ever-calm, nonchalant demeanor was a sharp contrast to the chaos of Hell. He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed as he looked at his daughter.
"Yumi," he said in his deep, casual tone, "how was your day?"
Yumi didn't look up from her sketchbook. "It was fine," she muttered, the words clipped and unconvincing.
Kikidori raised an eyebrow, stepping farther into the room. "Fine? That's all I get? I didn't raise you to give half-assed answers."
Yumi sighed, finally setting her pencil down and glaring at her father. "It was fine, okay? Nothing special. School was school. Can I go back to my art now?"
Kikidori smirked slightly, sensing the tension she was trying to hide. He walked over and sat on the edge of her bed, his crimson eyes narrowing as he studied her face. "You know," he said casually, "I can tell when you're lying. So why don't you cut the crap and tell me what's actually going on?"
Yumi bristled, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not lying," she snapped. "Nothing happened."
Kikidori leaned back, resting his hands on the bed. "Oh, really? So the fact that someone called you a virgin at school doesn't count as 'something happening?'"
Yumi froze, her jaw dropping as her face turned a deep shade of red. "How the fuck—" she started, then stopped herself, too shocked to even finish the sentence. "How the hell do you know about that?!"
Kikidori shrugged nonchalantly, his smirk widening. "Father's instinct."
"Father's instinct, my ass!" Yumi shot back, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You always know stuff you shouldn't! It's creepy as fuck! Are you spying on me or something?"
Kikidori chuckled, the sound low and amused. "I don't need to spy on you, Yumi. You're my kid. I can just tell when something's up. And today, you reek of irritation and embarrassment. It wasn't hard to figure out."
Yumi groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Ugh, you're the worst sometimes, Dad. I hate how you can do that."
"Do what?" Kikidori asked, feigning innocence. "Be a good father?"
"Be a pain in the ass," Yumi shot back, her voice muffled by her hands.
Kikidori laughed again, shaking his head. "Look, kid, I get it. High school sucks, and people can be assholes. But let me give you some advice: who gives a shit what anyone says about you? You know who you are. Own it. If someone's stupid enough to try to tear you down, just remember—you're stronger than them. You're my kid, after all."
Yumi peeked out from behind her hands, her expression softening just a little. "Thanks, Dad," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kikidori reached over and ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance. "No problem, kid. Now, do you want me to deal with this 'virgin' nonsense? I can always have a little chat with whoever started it."
Yumi's eyes widened in alarm. "No! Oh my Satan, please don't! The last thing I need is you showing up at my school and scaring the shit out of everyone."
Kikidori shrugged. "Your call. Just know the offer stands." He stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "Anyway, dinner's ready. Your mom made something angelic, as usual, so if you're hungry, come down before Cerberus eats everything."
As he turned to leave, Yumi called after him. "Hey, Dad?"
He stopped in the doorway, glancing back at her. "Yeah?"
She hesitated for a moment before smiling slightly. "You're not *that* bad of a dad. Just... stop being so good at reading me, okay?"
Kikidori smirked, his crimson eyes glinting. "No promises. Goodnight, Yumi."
"Night, Dad," she said, shaking her head as he closed the door behind him.
As soon as he was gone, Yumi flopped back onto her bed, her face still flushed from embarrassment. She reached down to pet Cerberus, who was snuggled up beside her.
"Father's instinct, my ass," she muttered under her breath. "He's definitely got some creepy mind-reading powers or something." Cerberus let out a sleepy growl, his tiny body warming her side.
Despite her irritation, Yumi couldn't help but feel a little better. Her dad might be a pain in the ass, but he always knew how to make her feel less shitty. And for that, she was grateful.
The End of Chapter 22