The castle was eerily quiet for once, save for the soft padding of tiny feet echoing through the hallways. Kael, now a curious toddler with his signature mismatched wings and big, bright eyes, had become increasingly adventurous. His newfound ability to walk — though still wobbly at times — had opened up a world of exploration for him.
This morning, Kael's sights were set on Yumi's room. He adored his big sister, and whenever she was around, she always made him laugh with her silly faces and stories. So naturally, when he found her door slightly ajar, his curiosity got the better of him.
Kael pushed the door open, his small hand gripping the edge as he toddled in. His innocent giggles filled the room as he looked around, clutching a stuffed toy in his arms.
"Yuuu-mi!" he called out in his baby voice.
What Kael saw next was... not meant for his little eyes.
On the bed, Yumi and Akuma were mid-act, tangled in sheets and each other. Akuma's dark hair was disheveled, and Yumi's crimson face froze as she spotted Kael standing in the doorway.
"Oh my fucking—" Yumi gasped, shoving Akuma off of her as she scrambled to cover herself with a blanket.
Akuma, equally flustered, grabbed a pillow and awkwardly tried to shield himself. "Shit, Kael!" he stammered. "What are you doing in here, little guy?"
Kael stood there, wide-eyed and confused. His tiny wings flapped slightly, and he tilted his head. "Yumi… why you wrestling?" he asked in his sweet, innocent voice.
Yumi's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Oh, no. No, no, no!" she groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Kael, sweetie, it's... uh, not what it looks like!"
Kael blinked, his innocent gaze shifting between Yumi and Akuma. "You naked," he stated matter-of-factly, his little voice unwavering.
Akuma slapped a hand over his face, groaning. "We are so screwed," he muttered.
Yumi shot him a glare. "Shut up!" she hissed before turning back to Kael, forcing a nervous smile. "Kael, um... you should go back to Mommy and Daddy, okay? They're probably looking for you."
Kael pouted, clutching his stuffed toy tighter. "But I wanna play with Yumi..."
Yumi sighed, running out of excuses. "I promise we'll play later, okay? Right now, I just... need a minute."
Kael's eyes flicked back to Akuma, who was still awkwardly holding the pillow. "Who's he?" Kael asked curiously.
Akuma cleared his throat, attempting to smile despite the situation. "I'm, uh, your sister's friend," he said awkwardly.
Kael squinted at him, his tiny brows furrowing. "You her boyfriend?"
Yumi groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Oh my God, why is this happening?"
Kael, seemingly unfazed, waddled closer to the bed. "Mommy said no boyfriends in your room," he said, his voice innocent yet accusatory.
Akuma paled. "She... she said that?"
"Kael!" Yumi snapped, her voice a mix of panic and frustration. "Go find Mom or Dad, please!"
Kael frowned, clearly unhappy with being dismissed, but he eventually turned and toddled toward the door. Before leaving, he paused and looked back over his shoulder.
"Yumi?" he said, his voice soft.
Yumi sighed, clutching her blanket. "Yeah, Kael?"
"Don't wrestle anymore. It looks weird," he said, then disappeared down the hallway, leaving Yumi and Akuma in stunned silence.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Akuma let out a nervous laugh. "Well... that was horrifying."
Yumi glared at him, grabbing a pillow and smacking him with it. "You think this is funny? My baby brother just walked in on us! Do you know how traumatizing that could be for him?"
Akuma winced, holding up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! You're right. I'm sorry. But, to be fair, you're the one who didn't lock the door."
Yumi groaned, flopping back onto the bed. "This is a disaster. If Mom finds out about this, I'm dead. And if Dad finds out... well, he probably won't care, but still!"
Akuma chuckled nervously. "Yeah, your dad's pretty chill, but your mom? She scares the hell out of me."
Yumi rolled her eyes, grabbing a pillow and smothering her face with it. "I hate my life."
Meanwhile, Kael toddled into the kitchen, where Ere'ana was preparing breakfast and Kikidori was lounging at the table with his coffee.
"Mommy, Daddy," Kael said, his little voice drawing their attention.
Ere'ana turned, smiling at her son. "Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?"
Kael nodded, climbing onto a chair with some effort. "I saw Yumi."
Ere'ana tilted her head, her angelic glow softening as she brushed Kael's hair. "Oh? What was she doing?"
Kael hesitated for a moment, his little brows furrowing. Then he said innocently, "Wrestling with a boy."
Ere'ana froze, her hand hovering midair. "I'm sorry... what?"
Kikidori choked on his coffee, sputtering as he set the mug down. "Wait, wait, wait. Did you just say Yumi was wrestling... with a boy?"
Kael nodded, completely unaware of the storm he had just unleashed. "Uh-huh. They were naked."
Ere'ana's serene expression shattered, her jaw dropping as her wings flared in shock. Kikidori, meanwhile, burst into laughter, slapping the table as tears streamed down his face.
"I knew she'd slip up eventually!" Kikidori wheezed, struggling to catch his breath.
Ere'ana shot him a glare that could pierce through steel. "This isn't funny, Kikidori!" she snapped, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief.
Kikidori wiped his eyes, still chuckling. "Oh, come on, angel. You've gotta admit, it's a little funny."
Ere'ana ignored him, turning her attention back to Kael. "Sweetheart," she said, her voice gentle yet firm. "Where is your sister now?"
Kael shrugged. "In her room."
Ere'ana straightened, her eyes narrowing. "I'm going to have a word with her."
Kikidori leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Good luck with that. I'll stay here and... supervise breakfast."
As Ere'ana stormed off toward Yumi's room, Kael looked up at his father, his innocent eyes filled with curiosity.
"Daddy, why was Yumi naked?" he asked.
Kikidori grinned, ruffling Kael's hair. "You'll understand when you're older, kid."
The End of Chapter 23