ソラ☁️

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Thank you, Daddy!

He smiled and sat down on the floor, opening the Lego box and spreading the pieces out to build something.

— .. Are you coming?

Kauze called to Sora, separating pieces for her to play with as well. Carla raised an eyebrow, hearing the girl’s compliments.

— Yes. I am, and Kisama should know that there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate with my son.

He said it to Sora, but his tone rose a bit so that Kuron could hear as well. After all, he could see through his familiar’s eyes the scolding Kuron had given Kauze some time ago and Sora’s expression during it.

“Kisama…?”

Sora tilted her head, brows raising in puzzled wonder. She had never heard that word before, not once.

Looking up at the camera with wide, curious eyes, she asked softly—

@kauzebridgerton

—Silence. Complete silence.

Then—with almost a choked voice—

“...I-it means Kiss my as——”

“—Kiss a cat. Mhn.”

A soft clear of throat.

“—Don't bother about it baby. It's not an important word, not something we should care about at all.”

“Daddy's gonna go back to work now, you take care and play with Kau-Kau okay? Love you~”

— ...

Kauze, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the situation. He even found it a little funny the way Kuron had reacted. He then waved his little hand, trying to get Sora’s attention.

— Hello? Hello? Earth to Sora! Our city isn’t going to build itself!

After casting one last cautious glance at the tall, white-haired man, Sora carefully shuffled over to Kauze’s side. She crouched down beside him, leaning close so only he could hear her whisper—

“...Can we go play in my room?”

She paused, her eyes darting nervously back toward the man before adding in a hushed, conspiratorial tone:

He said proudly, puffing out his chest. After all, finally, after years, he had someone to protect him and be scary for him.

— But don’t worry. Daddy won’t do anything to you. He’s just watching.

The little boy pointed at Carla. But then he ran to the kitchen and came back with one of the cookies he had made.

— Daddy! Sora taught me how to make cookies! This one’s for you.

Carla carefully moved his hand. He held the cookie between his fingers, examining it.

— Thank you, little one. But you shouldn’t worry about mundane tasks. One day you’ll be a king. Making cookies will be your last priority.

He gently placed his hand on Kauze’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. The cold hand of the Founder went to Kauze’s blond hair, adjusting the boy’s bangs.

— Now go play with your friend. I’m sure you’ll show her how a true Founder builds with blocks.

Kauze giggled softly and ran to Sora, sitting down beside her. He gathered the pieces and put them back in the little box.

— Okay! Let’s play in your room then!

“Mhn!”

Sora nodded at the blonde boy with a cheerful smile.

Then her eyes traced back to the white haired man.

She then trotted off toward the kitchen, disappearing for a short while before returning—her little arms full. A jar of cookies was balanced carefully in her one hand, a medium pink thermal flask tucked snugly under one arm, and in the other she carried a tiny glittery drawstring pouch, the rough fabric tied neatly at the top. Inside were three duck-shaped cookies she had baked earlier.

“Here, Kau-Kau's daddy, these are the ones I made. You can have some too!”

She beamed as she offered the dainty pouch to the white-haired man, before turning brightly to Kauze, beaming,

“Alright, let’s go! Follow me ☆”

— 25 minutes, Kauze. No more.

The wolf wagged his tail excitedly on the floor, quickly eating the cookie. Carla then slipped Sora’s little pouch of cookies into the pocket of his large coat. He was still unsure if he would eat them himself, but at least his wolves had enjoyed a treat. He then examined Kauze’s cookie and tucked it into his pocket as well. Perhaps he wouldn’t eat that one either, but he would keep it to make his son happy.

— Woof!

In Sora’s room, Kauze sat on the rug, threw the Lego pieces on the floor, and began building.

— You know, Daddy Carla isn’t really my dad. He adopted me!

The little boy said happily.

“Oh, he’s not?”

Sora blinked as she set the jar of cookies down on her desk, carefully pouring a few out onto the lid to serve as a tiny plate.

Reaching for the flask, she unscrewed the top—revealing the cup that came with it—and began to pour out some steaming tea.

“Oh wait! I forgot your cup!”

“Please waaiiit—”

In a flurry, she darted out of the room, only to return moments later clutching a small blue cup. Setting it neatly beside the flask, she filled it with tea before looking up with a bright grin.

“This is little brother Sei’s cup. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind it~”

With that, she carried the makeshift cookie plate and both cups over to where the blonde boy sat.

— Hmm~

He grinned. But soon he began building some little houses with the blocks.

— Yes. He isn’t. My dad and my mom… — he looked away. — They were killed by an evil vampire. But I don’t remember them very well. The evil vampire erased my memory.

He ate a cookie.

— But… then after some time Daddy Carla found me! Now he takes care of me. But he doesn’t talk much about my biological parents. He says they were evil.

— One day, Uncle Shin told me that they would grab children off the streets. Then they made them fight each other just to see who would survive!

“Mhn... hmm.”

Sora gave a little nod to the blonde boy’s words—absentminded, offering hardly any real feedback—as her small hands wandered to the pile of Lego pieces, joining in the construction without much thought.

She wasn’t quite sure if she should believe what he was saying or not, and her polite upbringing kept her from making any judgments aloud either.

So she decided to move on with her own topic—

“…My two papas are super idols—but Papa Sky is the real superstar!”

Her eyes lit up as she said it, voice carrying a note of pride.

“He’s really, really good at dancing and singing—and someday I wanna be just as awesome as him!”

With that, she bounced to her feet, tugged something from the frills of her tutu skirt, and revealed a tiny glittery pink microphone. She raised it high above her head, tilting her chin in the exact pose her super idol papa had once shown her.

Then, with a practiced idol-like twirl—her tutu flaring out in a glittery flutter just the way she’d seen her papa do on stage—she lifted her mic high and declared:

— Duck…? Hmm… Alright then.

He scratched his head again, not wanting to judge too much. He lightly touched the tutu, raising an eyebrow curiously. But soon he pouted, remembering Sora’s other father—his greatest “rival”! The one whose face he always drew with a big “X” and taped to his bedroom door. Kauze lifted his chin proudly.

— Hmph! To me, your other daddy is way cooler than the one you just mentioned.

He decided not to dwell on the subject—after all, it would be foolish to badmouth Kou in front of Sora—but he still furrowed his brows at the mere thought of the blond idol.

Panic and anxiety painted his face as his head whipped from side to side, eyes frantically searching around—

—until at last, they landed on the small figure in the room. Not blonde. Not unfamiliar.

Relief flooded his expression in an instant, his shoulders sagging as a heavy breath escaped him. Without wasting a heartbeat, he rushed forward, scooping little Sora into his arms.

“Oh—my ducky, my princess—!”

“You’re okay..! Thank goodness… I was so worried I rushed out straight after rehearsal just to get to you.”

His voice trembled between frantic devotion and sheer relief as he checked her over, almost rambling.

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did that snake do anything to you? What—”

Then he froze.

Only now did his wide eyes register the other presences in the room.

Blonde. Small. Familiar, and yet—at this moment, he couldn’t quite place them.

His gaze sharpened.

“...Who are you—and what are you doing in my daughter’s room?”

“Papaaaa☆☆”

With a squeal of joy, Sora threw her tiny arms around her beloved super idol papa—her shining Papa Sky.

She buried her face against his chest, rubbing her cheek affectionately against the warmth of her blonde daddy before peppering his face with a flurry of little kisses.

Then she leaned back slightly, blinking up at him in puzzlement, her head tilting like a curious kitten as his words sank in.

“...Snake? What snake—?”

“There’s no snake, Papa. Only this little blonde boy that looks just like you—he’s my new friend!” @kauzebridgerton

“But earlier, his papa came too. He’s got long, silky white hair—very tall too!”

— Hm! She’s the one who called me here! She said my daddy is scary.

The little boy shrugged, not caring much. He wasn’t the type to direct teasing at the vampire—but he felt personally attacked when he was compared to his greatest vampire rival.

— I’m not like him!

The little boy shouted, clutching his hair as if he could hide it that way.

— Hmmm!

He flopped dramatically onto the floor, pretending a slow, painful death. Then calm footsteps were heard. Carla wasn’t foolish—he knew they were talking about him. And he also knew about his son’s dislike for the idol.

— Kauze. Come. — Carla said firmly, leaving no room for discussion. His patience had already run out.

The little boy then got up and ran to Carla, trying to hide inside Carla’s coat.

“...You.”

“What are you doing here—”

Kou's eyes narrowed at the sight of the founder that had arrived, and his face showed an obvious distaste quite clearly, before it quickly shifted a look of wry smile with a raised brow.

“Well no wonder you seemed familiar, your that little kid Kauze~"

“Ahhh, so the stray dog is his papa huh~”

“Did you have fun playing with your new friend my ducky princess? Nobody hurt you did they?~”

He said with a loving smile as he held the little girl, sitting on his arm as he gave all the attention in the world to her.

“No, papa—no one hurt me. Sora’s a big girl and she knows how to protect herself from bad people~”

She giggled softly, catching hold of her papa’s other arm and swinging it back and forth in playful circles.

“Kau-Kau’s super nice to me! He even let me play with his toys and share them with me.” @kauzebridgerton

“Say, Papa...Can I go to his house and play next time?”

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Thank you, Daddy!

He smiled and sat down on the floor, opening the Lego box and spreading the pieces out to build something.

— .. Are you coming?

Kauze called to Sora, separating pieces for her to play with as well. Carla raised an eyebrow, hearing the girl’s compliments.

— Yes. I am, and Kisama should know that there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate with my son.

He said it to Sora, but his tone rose a bit so that Kuron could hear as well. After all, he could see through his familiar’s eyes the scolding Kuron had given Kauze some time ago and Sora’s expression during it.

“Kisama…?”

Sora tilted her head, brows raising in puzzled wonder. She had never heard that word before, not once.

Looking up at the camera with wide, curious eyes, she asked softly—

@kauzebridgerton

—Silence. Complete silence.

Then—with almost a choked voice—

“...I-it means Kiss my as——”

“—Kiss a cat. Mhn.”

A soft clear of throat.

“—Don't bother about it baby. It's not an important word, not something we should care about at all.”

“Daddy's gonna go back to work now, you take care and play with Kau-Kau okay? Love you~”

— ...

Kauze, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the situation. He even found it a little funny the way Kuron had reacted. He then waved his little hand, trying to get Sora’s attention.

— Hello? Hello? Earth to Sora! Our city isn’t going to build itself!

After casting one last cautious glance at the tall, white-haired man, Sora carefully shuffled over to Kauze’s side. She crouched down beside him, leaning close so only he could hear her whisper—

“...Can we go play in my room?”

She paused, her eyes darting nervously back toward the man before adding in a hushed, conspiratorial tone:

He said proudly, puffing out his chest. After all, finally, after years, he had someone to protect him and be scary for him.

— But don’t worry. Daddy won’t do anything to you. He’s just watching.

The little boy pointed at Carla. But then he ran to the kitchen and came back with one of the cookies he had made.

— Daddy! Sora taught me how to make cookies! This one’s for you.

Carla carefully moved his hand. He held the cookie between his fingers, examining it.

— Thank you, little one. But you shouldn’t worry about mundane tasks. One day you’ll be a king. Making cookies will be your last priority.

He gently placed his hand on Kauze’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. The cold hand of the Founder went to Kauze’s blond hair, adjusting the boy’s bangs.

— Now go play with your friend. I’m sure you’ll show her how a true Founder builds with blocks.

Kauze giggled softly and ran to Sora, sitting down beside her. He gathered the pieces and put them back in the little box.

— Okay! Let’s play in your room then!

“Mhn!”

Sora nodded at the blonde boy with a cheerful smile.

Then her eyes traced back to the white haired man.

She then trotted off toward the kitchen, disappearing for a short while before returning—her little arms full. A jar of cookies was balanced carefully in her one hand, a medium pink thermal flask tucked snugly under one arm, and in the other she carried a tiny glittery drawstring pouch, the rough fabric tied neatly at the top. Inside were three duck-shaped cookies she had baked earlier.

“Here, Kau-Kau's daddy, these are the ones I made. You can have some too!”

She beamed as she offered the dainty pouch to the white-haired man, before turning brightly to Kauze, beaming,

“Alright, let’s go! Follow me ☆”

— 25 minutes, Kauze. No more.

The wolf wagged his tail excitedly on the floor, quickly eating the cookie. Carla then slipped Sora’s little pouch of cookies into the pocket of his large coat. He was still unsure if he would eat them himself, but at least his wolves had enjoyed a treat. He then examined Kauze’s cookie and tucked it into his pocket as well. Perhaps he wouldn’t eat that one either, but he would keep it to make his son happy.

— Woof!

In Sora’s room, Kauze sat on the rug, threw the Lego pieces on the floor, and began building.

— You know, Daddy Carla isn’t really my dad. He adopted me!

The little boy said happily.

“Oh, he’s not?”

Sora blinked as she set the jar of cookies down on her desk, carefully pouring a few out onto the lid to serve as a tiny plate.

Reaching for the flask, she unscrewed the top—revealing the cup that came with it—and began to pour out some steaming tea.

“Oh wait! I forgot your cup!”

“Please waaiiit—”

In a flurry, she darted out of the room, only to return moments later clutching a small blue cup. Setting it neatly beside the flask, she filled it with tea before looking up with a bright grin.

“This is little brother Sei’s cup. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind it~”

With that, she carried the makeshift cookie plate and both cups over to where the blonde boy sat.

— Hmm~

He grinned. But soon he began building some little houses with the blocks.

— Yes. He isn’t. My dad and my mom… — he looked away. — They were killed by an evil vampire. But I don’t remember them very well. The evil vampire erased my memory.

He ate a cookie.

— But… then after some time Daddy Carla found me! Now he takes care of me. But he doesn’t talk much about my biological parents. He says they were evil.

— One day, Uncle Shin told me that they would grab children off the streets. Then they made them fight each other just to see who would survive!

“Mhn... hmm.”

Sora gave a little nod to the blonde boy’s words—absentminded, offering hardly any real feedback—as her small hands wandered to the pile of Lego pieces, joining in the construction without much thought.

She wasn’t quite sure if she should believe what he was saying or not, and her polite upbringing kept her from making any judgments aloud either.

So she decided to move on with her own topic—

“…My two papas are super idols—but Papa Sky is the real superstar!”

Her eyes lit up as she said it, voice carrying a note of pride.

“He’s really, really good at dancing and singing—and someday I wanna be just as awesome as him!”

With that, she bounced to her feet, tugged something from the frills of her tutu skirt, and revealed a tiny glittery pink microphone. She raised it high above her head, tilting her chin in the exact pose her super idol papa had once shown her.

Then, with a practiced idol-like twirl—her tutu flaring out in a glittery flutter just the way she’d seen her papa do on stage—she lifted her mic high and declared:

— Duck…? Hmm… Alright then.

He scratched his head again, not wanting to judge too much. He lightly touched the tutu, raising an eyebrow curiously. But soon he pouted, remembering Sora’s other father—his greatest “rival”! The one whose face he always drew with a big “X” and taped to his bedroom door. Kauze lifted his chin proudly.

— Hmph! To me, your other daddy is way cooler than the one you just mentioned.

He decided not to dwell on the subject—after all, it would be foolish to badmouth Kou in front of Sora—but he still furrowed his brows at the mere thought of the blond idol.

Panic and anxiety painted his face as his head whipped from side to side, eyes frantically searching around—

—until at last, they landed on the small figure in the room. Not blonde. Not unfamiliar.

Relief flooded his expression in an instant, his shoulders sagging as a heavy breath escaped him. Without wasting a heartbeat, he rushed forward, scooping little Sora into his arms.

“Oh—my ducky, my princess—!”

“You’re okay..! Thank goodness… I was so worried I rushed out straight after rehearsal just to get to you.”

His voice trembled between frantic devotion and sheer relief as he checked her over, almost rambling.

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did that snake do anything to you? What—”

Then he froze.

Only now did his wide eyes register the other presences in the room.

Blonde. Small. Familiar, and yet—at this moment, he couldn’t quite place them.

His gaze sharpened.

“...Who are you—and what are you doing in my daughter’s room?”

“Papaaaa☆☆”

With a squeal of joy, Sora threw her tiny arms around her beloved super idol papa—her shining Papa Sky.

She buried her face against his chest, rubbing her cheek affectionately against the warmth of her blonde daddy before peppering his face with a flurry of little kisses.

Then she leaned back slightly, blinking up at him in puzzlement, her head tilting like a curious kitten as his words sank in.

“...Snake? What snake—?”

“There’s no snake, Papa. Only this little blonde boy that looks just like you—he’s my new friend!” @kauzebridgerton

“But earlier, his papa came too. He’s got long, silky white hair—very tall too!”

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Thank you, Daddy!

He smiled and sat down on the floor, opening the Lego box and spreading the pieces out to build something.

— .. Are you coming?

Kauze called to Sora, separating pieces for her to play with as well. Carla raised an eyebrow, hearing the girl’s compliments.

— Yes. I am, and Kisama should know that there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate with my son.

He said it to Sora, but his tone rose a bit so that Kuron could hear as well. After all, he could see through his familiar’s eyes the scolding Kuron had given Kauze some time ago and Sora’s expression during it.

“Kisama…?”

Sora tilted her head, brows raising in puzzled wonder. She had never heard that word before, not once.

Looking up at the camera with wide, curious eyes, she asked softly—

@kauzebridgerton

—Silence. Complete silence.

Then—with almost a choked voice—

“...I-it means Kiss my as——”

“—Kiss a cat. Mhn.”

A soft clear of throat.

“—Don't bother about it baby. It's not an important word, not something we should care about at all.”

“Daddy's gonna go back to work now, you take care and play with Kau-Kau okay? Love you~”

— ...

Kauze, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the situation. He even found it a little funny the way Kuron had reacted. He then waved his little hand, trying to get Sora’s attention.

— Hello? Hello? Earth to Sora! Our city isn’t going to build itself!

After casting one last cautious glance at the tall, white-haired man, Sora carefully shuffled over to Kauze’s side. She crouched down beside him, leaning close so only he could hear her whisper—

“...Can we go play in my room?”

She paused, her eyes darting nervously back toward the man before adding in a hushed, conspiratorial tone:

He said proudly, puffing out his chest. After all, finally, after years, he had someone to protect him and be scary for him.

— But don’t worry. Daddy won’t do anything to you. He’s just watching.

The little boy pointed at Carla. But then he ran to the kitchen and came back with one of the cookies he had made.

— Daddy! Sora taught me how to make cookies! This one’s for you.

Carla carefully moved his hand. He held the cookie between his fingers, examining it.

— Thank you, little one. But you shouldn’t worry about mundane tasks. One day you’ll be a king. Making cookies will be your last priority.

He gently placed his hand on Kauze’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. The cold hand of the Founder went to Kauze’s blond hair, adjusting the boy’s bangs.

— Now go play with your friend. I’m sure you’ll show her how a true Founder builds with blocks.

Kauze giggled softly and ran to Sora, sitting down beside her. He gathered the pieces and put them back in the little box.

— Okay! Let’s play in your room then!

“Mhn!”

Sora nodded at the blonde boy with a cheerful smile.

Then her eyes traced back to the white haired man.

She then trotted off toward the kitchen, disappearing for a short while before returning—her little arms full. A jar of cookies was balanced carefully in her one hand, a medium pink thermal flask tucked snugly under one arm, and in the other she carried a tiny glittery drawstring pouch, the rough fabric tied neatly at the top. Inside were three duck-shaped cookies she had baked earlier.

“Here, Kau-Kau's daddy, these are the ones I made. You can have some too!”

She beamed as she offered the dainty pouch to the white-haired man, before turning brightly to Kauze, beaming,

“Alright, let’s go! Follow me ☆”

— 25 minutes, Kauze. No more.

The wolf wagged his tail excitedly on the floor, quickly eating the cookie. Carla then slipped Sora’s little pouch of cookies into the pocket of his large coat. He was still unsure if he would eat them himself, but at least his wolves had enjoyed a treat. He then examined Kauze’s cookie and tucked it into his pocket as well. Perhaps he wouldn’t eat that one either, but he would keep it to make his son happy.

— Woof!

In Sora’s room, Kauze sat on the rug, threw the Lego pieces on the floor, and began building.

— You know, Daddy Carla isn’t really my dad. He adopted me!

The little boy said happily.

“Oh, he’s not?”

Sora blinked as she set the jar of cookies down on her desk, carefully pouring a few out onto the lid to serve as a tiny plate.

Reaching for the flask, she unscrewed the top—revealing the cup that came with it—and began to pour out some steaming tea.

“Oh wait! I forgot your cup!”

“Please waaiiit—”

In a flurry, she darted out of the room, only to return moments later clutching a small blue cup. Setting it neatly beside the flask, she filled it with tea before looking up with a bright grin.

“This is little brother Sei’s cup. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind it~”

With that, she carried the makeshift cookie plate and both cups over to where the blonde boy sat.

— Hmm~

He grinned. But soon he began building some little houses with the blocks.

— Yes. He isn’t. My dad and my mom… — he looked away. — They were killed by an evil vampire. But I don’t remember them very well. The evil vampire erased my memory.

He ate a cookie.

— But… then after some time Daddy Carla found me! Now he takes care of me. But he doesn’t talk much about my biological parents. He says they were evil.

— One day, Uncle Shin told me that they would grab children off the streets. Then they made them fight each other just to see who would survive!

“Mhn... hmm.”

Sora gave a little nod to the blonde boy’s words—absentminded, offering hardly any real feedback—as her small hands wandered to the pile of Lego pieces, joining in the construction without much thought.

She wasn’t quite sure if she should believe what he was saying or not, and her polite upbringing kept her from making any judgments aloud either.

So she decided to move on with her own topic—

“…My two papas are super idols—but Papa Sky is the real superstar!”

Her eyes lit up as she said it, voice carrying a note of pride.

“He’s really, really good at dancing and singing—and someday I wanna be just as awesome as him!”

With that, she bounced to her feet, tugged something from the frills of her tutu skirt, and revealed a tiny glittery pink microphone. She raised it high above her head, tilting her chin in the exact pose her super idol papa had once shown her.

Then, with a practiced idol-like twirl—her tutu flaring out in a glittery flutter just the way she’d seen her papa do on stage—she lifted her mic high and declared:

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Thank you, Daddy!

He smiled and sat down on the floor, opening the Lego box and spreading the pieces out to build something.

— .. Are you coming?

Kauze called to Sora, separating pieces for her to play with as well. Carla raised an eyebrow, hearing the girl’s compliments.

— Yes. I am, and Kisama should know that there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate with my son.

He said it to Sora, but his tone rose a bit so that Kuron could hear as well. After all, he could see through his familiar’s eyes the scolding Kuron had given Kauze some time ago and Sora’s expression during it.

“Kisama…?”

Sora tilted her head, brows raising in puzzled wonder. She had never heard that word before, not once.

Looking up at the camera with wide, curious eyes, she asked softly—

@kauzebridgerton

—Silence. Complete silence.

Then—with almost a choked voice—

“...I-it means Kiss my as——”

“—Kiss a cat. Mhn.”

A soft clear of throat.

“—Don't bother about it baby. It's not an important word, not something we should care about at all.”

“Daddy's gonna go back to work now, you take care and play with Kau-Kau okay? Love you~”

— ...

Kauze, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the situation. He even found it a little funny the way Kuron had reacted. He then waved his little hand, trying to get Sora’s attention.

— Hello? Hello? Earth to Sora! Our city isn’t going to build itself!

After casting one last cautious glance at the tall, white-haired man, Sora carefully shuffled over to Kauze’s side. She crouched down beside him, leaning close so only he could hear her whisper—

“...Can we go play in my room?”

She paused, her eyes darting nervously back toward the man before adding in a hushed, conspiratorial tone:

He said proudly, puffing out his chest. After all, finally, after years, he had someone to protect him and be scary for him.

— But don’t worry. Daddy won’t do anything to you. He’s just watching.

The little boy pointed at Carla. But then he ran to the kitchen and came back with one of the cookies he had made.

— Daddy! Sora taught me how to make cookies! This one’s for you.

Carla carefully moved his hand. He held the cookie between his fingers, examining it.

— Thank you, little one. But you shouldn’t worry about mundane tasks. One day you’ll be a king. Making cookies will be your last priority.

He gently placed his hand on Kauze’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. The cold hand of the Founder went to Kauze’s blond hair, adjusting the boy’s bangs.

— Now go play with your friend. I’m sure you’ll show her how a true Founder builds with blocks.

Kauze giggled softly and ran to Sora, sitting down beside her. He gathered the pieces and put them back in the little box.

— Okay! Let’s play in your room then!

“Mhn!”

Sora nodded at the blonde boy with a cheerful smile.

Then her eyes traced back to the white haired man.

She then trotted off toward the kitchen, disappearing for a short while before returning—her little arms full. A jar of cookies was balanced carefully in her one hand, a medium pink thermal flask tucked snugly under one arm, and in the other she carried a tiny glittery drawstring pouch, the rough fabric tied neatly at the top. Inside were three duck-shaped cookies she had baked earlier.

“Here, Kau-Kau's daddy, these are the ones I made. You can have some too!”

She beamed as she offered the dainty pouch to the white-haired man, before turning brightly to Kauze, beaming,

“Alright, let’s go! Follow me ☆”

— 25 minutes, Kauze. No more.

The wolf wagged his tail excitedly on the floor, quickly eating the cookie. Carla then slipped Sora’s little pouch of cookies into the pocket of his large coat. He was still unsure if he would eat them himself, but at least his wolves had enjoyed a treat. He then examined Kauze’s cookie and tucked it into his pocket as well. Perhaps he wouldn’t eat that one either, but he would keep it to make his son happy.

— Woof!

In Sora’s room, Kauze sat on the rug, threw the Lego pieces on the floor, and began building.

— You know, Daddy Carla isn’t really my dad. He adopted me!

The little boy said happily.

“Oh, he’s not?”

Sora blinked as she set the jar of cookies down on her desk, carefully pouring a few out onto the lid to serve as a tiny plate.

Reaching for the flask, she unscrewed the top—revealing the cup that came with it—and began to pour out some steaming tea.

“Oh wait! I forgot your cup!”

“Please waaiiit—”

In a flurry, she darted out of the room, only to return moments later clutching a small blue cup. Setting it neatly beside the flask, she filled it with tea before looking up with a bright grin.

“This is little brother Sei’s cup. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind it~”

With that, she carried the makeshift cookie plate and both cups over to where the blonde boy sat.

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Thank you, Daddy!

He smiled and sat down on the floor, opening the Lego box and spreading the pieces out to build something.

— .. Are you coming?

Kauze called to Sora, separating pieces for her to play with as well. Carla raised an eyebrow, hearing the girl’s compliments.

— Yes. I am, and Kisama should know that there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate with my son.

He said it to Sora, but his tone rose a bit so that Kuron could hear as well. After all, he could see through his familiar’s eyes the scolding Kuron had given Kauze some time ago and Sora’s expression during it.

“Kisama…?”

Sora tilted her head, brows raising in puzzled wonder. She had never heard that word before, not once.

Looking up at the camera with wide, curious eyes, she asked softly—

@kauzebridgerton

—Silence. Complete silence.

Then—with almost a choked voice—

“...I-it means Kiss my as——”

“—Kiss a cat. Mhn.”

A soft clear of throat.

“—Don't bother about it baby. It's not an important word, not something we should care about at all.”

“Daddy's gonna go back to work now, you take care and play with Kau-Kau okay? Love you~”

— ...

Kauze, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the situation. He even found it a little funny the way Kuron had reacted. He then waved his little hand, trying to get Sora’s attention.

— Hello? Hello? Earth to Sora! Our city isn’t going to build itself!

After casting one last cautious glance at the tall, white-haired man, Sora carefully shuffled over to Kauze’s side. She crouched down beside him, leaning close so only he could hear her whisper—

“...Can we go play in my room?”

She paused, her eyes darting nervously back toward the man before adding in a hushed, conspiratorial tone:

He said proudly, puffing out his chest. After all, finally, after years, he had someone to protect him and be scary for him.

— But don’t worry. Daddy won’t do anything to you. He’s just watching.

The little boy pointed at Carla. But then he ran to the kitchen and came back with one of the cookies he had made.

— Daddy! Sora taught me how to make cookies! This one’s for you.

Carla carefully moved his hand. He held the cookie between his fingers, examining it.

— Thank you, little one. But you shouldn’t worry about mundane tasks. One day you’ll be a king. Making cookies will be your last priority.

He gently placed his hand on Kauze’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. The cold hand of the Founder went to Kauze’s blond hair, adjusting the boy’s bangs.

— Now go play with your friend. I’m sure you’ll show her how a true Founder builds with blocks.

Kauze giggled softly and ran to Sora, sitting down beside her. He gathered the pieces and put them back in the little box.

— Okay! Let’s play in your room then!

“Mhn!”

Sora nodded at the blonde boy with a cheerful smile.

Then her eyes traced back to the white haired man.

She then trotted off toward the kitchen, disappearing for a short while before returning—her little arms full. A jar of cookies was balanced carefully in her one hand, a medium pink thermal flask tucked snugly under one arm, and in the other she carried a tiny glittery drawstring pouch, the rough fabric tied neatly at the top. Inside were three duck-shaped cookies she had baked earlier.

“Here, Kau-Kau's daddy, these are the ones I made. You can have some too!”

She beamed as she offered the dainty pouch to the white-haired man, before turning brightly to Kauze, beaming,

“Alright, let’s go! Follow me ☆”

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Thank you, Daddy!

He smiled and sat down on the floor, opening the Lego box and spreading the pieces out to build something.

— .. Are you coming?

Kauze called to Sora, separating pieces for her to play with as well. Carla raised an eyebrow, hearing the girl’s compliments.

— Yes. I am, and Kisama should know that there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate with my son.

He said it to Sora, but his tone rose a bit so that Kuron could hear as well. After all, he could see through his familiar’s eyes the scolding Kuron had given Kauze some time ago and Sora’s expression during it.

“Kisama…?”

Sora tilted her head, brows raising in puzzled wonder. She had never heard that word before, not once.

Looking up at the camera with wide, curious eyes, she asked softly—

@kauzebridgerton

—Silence. Complete silence.

Then—with almost a choked voice—

“...I-it means Kiss my as——”

“—Kiss a cat. Mhn.”

A soft clear of throat.

“—Don't bother about it baby. It's not an important word, not something we should care about at all.”

“Daddy's gonna go back to work now, you take care and play with Kau-Kau okay? Love you~”

— ...

Kauze, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the situation. He even found it a little funny the way Kuron had reacted. He then waved his little hand, trying to get Sora’s attention.

— Hello? Hello? Earth to Sora! Our city isn’t going to build itself!

After casting one last cautious glance at the tall, white-haired man, Sora carefully shuffled over to Kauze’s side. She crouched down beside him, leaning close so only he could hear her whisper—

“...Can we go play in my room?”

She paused, her eyes darting nervously back toward the man before adding in a hushed, conspiratorial tone:

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Thank you, Daddy!

He smiled and sat down on the floor, opening the Lego box and spreading the pieces out to build something.

— .. Are you coming?

Kauze called to Sora, separating pieces for her to play with as well. Carla raised an eyebrow, hearing the girl’s compliments.

— Yes. I am, and Kisama should know that there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate with my son.

He said it to Sora, but his tone rose a bit so that Kuron could hear as well. After all, he could see through his familiar’s eyes the scolding Kuron had given Kauze some time ago and Sora’s expression during it.

“Kisama…?”

Sora tilted her head, brows raising in puzzled wonder. She had never heard that word before, not once.

Looking up at the camera with wide, curious eyes, she asked softly—

@rainbowsparklecloudsora

@dialoverkuronm-rpbackup

Mister wolf, who had been sleeping peacefully on his back in the living room, suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted toward the kitchen. He positioned himself between Kauze and the voice, hackles raised, teeth bared, and claws scraping loudly against the floor.

— Grrrrrr!

Kauze lunged forward, trying to restrain the wolf, whose low growl vibrated through the air. The little boy wanted to bury himself in the ground out of pure embarrassment. Not only had he been caught in the act, but now his wolf was showing its wild side—and he could see from Sora’s mischievous smile that she was clearly enjoying seeing him so flustered.

— Mister Wolf! Calm down!

The wolf’s ears flicked back, but he still let out a low rumble, sniffing the air and pacing from side to side. The little boy, red with shame, scratched his head awkwardly.

Kauze smiled softly, though a hint of sadness lingered—this wasn’t the warm reunion he had hoped for. The little boy glanced at Sora, frowning at how amused she seemed by the chaos, and ignored the oven timer’s beep.

— Hmm…

“Whoa—whOA there!— Who'd let the dog in?! Get it out— Shujin would be mad seeing that around a kid, geez...”

A beat, then a heavy sigh heaved.

The little boy reached into the wolf’s mouth and opened it, showing off the huge fangs. The wolf, even though he thought it was ridiculous, took the opportunity to display them. But soon he huffed and shook his head.

— I’m also really happy to see you!

He gave a little excited hop. Then he looked at Sora and picked up the box of Legos that had fallen to the floor during the commotion.

— We can build our Legos together if you want! I have some really colorful ones, and even some with glitter.

Then a cold, calm voice echoed through the room. Carla, who was observing everything through the eyes of his familiar—or rather, through the Mister wolf—was somewhat alarmed when he saw the animal get agitated for the second time in a row. This was what made him leave his castle and come to the Mukami mansion in search of his heir.

— Excellent. You’ve seen everyone already, now let’s go, Kauze.

He said in a calm and controlled manner.

— Daddy!

The little boy ran up to Carla and hugged him tightly. But soon he made a sad, puppy-like face.

— Daddy, can I stay a little longer? Please!

Carla squinted his eyes, clearly torn between giving in to his heir’s wishes and leaving this place full of vampires as soon as possible.

— Alright. You can stay a little longer. But after this, we’ll go straight home.

Sora had stayed quiet, simply watching, listening to the conversation with wide, attentive eyes as everything unfolded before her—

Until the tall man appeared. Her eyes widened a little, and she blinked in surprise.

Then, a warm, polite smile bloomed on her face, brightening as she looked up at the white-haired figure.

“Hi, mister—are you Kau-Kau’s daddy?”

— Let’s go, Mr. Wolf!

He said excitedly, hopping as he walked. The large wolf with sleek gray fur and sharp amber eyes grumbled softly, uneasy at being near vampires, but remained loyally by Kauze’s side.

— Woof…

The wolf exhaled warm air through its nose, as if agreeing with its young master. Kauze smiled happily and gave the wolf—a creature nearly his size—a gentle pat on the head. Its ears twitched and tail wagged slightly, showing a mix of curiosity and caution.

But before he could enter the Mukami mansion, the little boy spotted a young girl sitting in the garden, playing with a plush duck.

— Oh…!

He looked on curiously and then approached, since he had never seen any other child in the mansion besides himself. The wolf padded behind him, muscles tense, eyes scanning the girl carefully, trying to decide if this tiny creature, like its master, might be a potential dinner or not.

— Hi!

Kauze waved at the girl.

Looking up from where her fingers lingered against the soil around a half-grown plant, her eyes widened faintly, curiosity flickering like light across their surface. She tilted her head, questioning, gaze settling on the boy with quiet wonder—

—Then her eyes drifted past the boy—falling on the creature trailing faithfully behind him.

“...Wah!”

“That’s a very big doggy...!”

Startled, she scooted back a step, scrambling upright. She brushed the soil and dust from her skirt in a quick fuss, then planted her hands on her hips. Her small frame stiffened into a defensive stance, lips pushing into a stubborn pout as she let out a huff.

— Grrr!

His amber eyes glinted sharply, and his ears flattened slightly, showing his indignation. Kauze quickly stepped forward and gently held the wolf, trying to calm his loyal companion.

— Hey! He’s not a dog, he’s a wolf. Look at his ears.

Kauze stroked the wolf’s thick gray fur and adjusted his ears. The wolf huffed, turning his head slightly, still recovering from such a huge offense.

Then the young founder looked at the girl in front of him. He scratched his head, a bit confused, remembering why he didn’t have many girl friends at school. Girls seemed so strange and complicated in his view! But still, he tried to be polite.

— My name is Kauze! Kauze Tsukinami!

But then his eyes widened again—her house? So she lived here? The little boy wasn’t quite sure, since he had lived with the Sakamakis before moving in with Shin and Carla.

— I came to visit my friends! And you? Who are you?

“I don’t care if it’s a dog or a wolf—it’s a threat!”

“It growls!”

The girl crouched slightly, mimicking the beast’s snarl with a surprisingly sharp rumble. Her small mouth pulled back to reveal actual vampiric fangs, bared at the creature shielding itself behind the boy. With a sharp huff, she snapped her gaze away, arms folding across her chest.

“Humph. Unfriendly things are not welcome here!”

“But—”

Her eyes flicked open again as boldness overtook her. She stepped forward, sky-colored slit-pupil eyes sweeping over the boy with keen curiosity, as though she were measuring him piece by piece.

“You seem harmless. You’re just a little boy… and you look like Sei—”

Her voice softened with realization.

“Are you Sei’s friend?”

A bright smile broke across her face as she thrust out a hand, earnest and inviting, as if to seal a pact.

“I’m Sora. Sora Mukami!”

She blinked again, tilting her head, curiosity spilling over into her voice as she pressed on with eager questions:

— He’s sensitive. But he won’t do anything bad; he obeys me!

He smiled as the wolf sat down, still a little offended, but faithfully obedient to his young master.

Kauze quickly noticed the little girl’s fangs and chuckled softly when she tried to mimic the wolf, deciding not to respond to the playful challenge aimed at his furry friend.

— Hm!

He crossed his arms and pouted slightly, keeping his guard up, trying to figure out if this girl was trustworthy or not.

— Sei? But who is Sei? I don’t…

Before he could finish, he saw Sora extend her hand. Kauze shook it and smiled.

— Papa? Who’s your dad? Oh! Oh! Oh! Yes! I came to see them! I used to live with the Sakamakis. Have you heard of them? When I lived there, I’d sometimes come here to see my friends! But after Papa took me away, I never came back. But today he allowed it! With Mister Wolf, of course.

— Woof!

The wolf puffed out its chest, proud to escort the prince of the founders.

“I have two papas! There’s Papa Moon, and there’s Papa Sky!”

Sora beamed, her whole face lighting up with pride as though she were announcing something wonderfully important. Her eyes sparkled, then softened into a plain, matter-of-fact smile at her brother’s question.

“Sei is my little brother. Papa Moon gave birth to him. They also call him Star.”

She blinked, tilting her head as she tried to process the unfamiliar word the other boy had mentioned.

“Saka…maki?”

Her brows knit together before she shook her head firmly.

“Nu, never heard of them.”

Her gaze drifted past him then, landing on the creature at his side. The animal seemed to watch her with a strange attentiveness, as if it truly understood the boy’s words. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Sora leaned forward a bit, voice dipping into a half-pout.

He spoke in complete confusion, as if the girl weren’t making any sense at all. He scratched his head, trying to understand—especially the part about the younger brother—but decided to leave it aside.

— Oh! So you don’t know them? They’re kinda… sometimes they can be nice. But I think they don’t really like the Mukamis. I’m not so sure though.

He shrugged, as if it didn’t matter much to him. After all, Carla and Shin hated vampires, and yet Kauze still came to visit them. So that was never really an obstacle for him.

— Yes! He’s a good boy. But sometimes he can be a little grumpy with people he doesn’t know. He only got mad because you called him a dog.

He chuckled softly, while the wolf let out a sharp breath through its nose, still indignant about the incident, but soon got up and stepped closer.

— Do you want to pet him? He won’t bite you.

— Waaoo?!

The wolf gave a startled huff, ears flicking back as his tail struck the ground with a heavy thump. His amber eyes fixed on his master, clearly questioning why he would ever allow this little girl to lay her hands on his fur.

She stepped forward with deliberate care, unafraid but gentle in her approach, until she crouched before the wolf. Slowly, she extended her small hand, palm open in a gesture— that mimicked a greeting.

It was as if he were saying: “Stay sharp, little vampire. I won’t devour you… today.”

— Woof!

He raised his neck, chest swelling with pride, and his tail struck the ground in a heavy rhythm. Kauze couldn’t hold back a laugh.

— Hey, Sora, do you want to play with me? — the little boy asked brightly.

“......”

Blinking at the wolf's gesture, not understanding it, she shrugged with a smile and extended a hand to pet it.

“...Good wolfy, nice wolfy~”

She chuckled, feeling its fur under her hand as her fingers gently scratched along the scalp, before lifting her head at the boy’s question, blinking at first in reply.

“...Sure! I don't mind!”

“Papa doesn't let me go to school yet, so it's pretty boring sometimes.”

— Wuuu~

Kauze watched the wolf carefully, then quickly smiled at Sora.

— Your dad doesn’t let you go to school? That’s a little sad. I love school. But I also like staying at home; Papa is teaching me how to control my powers.

The little boy smiled and gave a small, excited hop.

— Hey, do you have toys? We can play with them! You don’t mind sharing, do you?

Kauze asked kindly, though he himself had hidden some of his toys in the Mukami mansion. He had heard one day that Kanato had threatened to break Kauze’s toys. So the boy had stashed them in the Mukami mansion for safekeeping. The question was… were they still there?

“I don’t play with toys, I’m not a little kid.”

Sora huffed, folding her arms firmly across her chest. Then, as if suddenly remembering the one exception to her rule— tucked snugly beneath her armpit all along, was the one exception she couldn’t deny. With a flourish, she drew it out—a pink duck plushie dressed in a tiny tutu, revealed like a secret treasure.

“All I have is Ducky. But I don’t count it as a toy—more like a guard! An assistant! A sparkly duck guardian, on duty every day, every hour ☆”

With that declaration, she balanced Ducky atop her head and struck a dramatic salute, as though the plush itself were her loyal soldier.

Then, lowering both Ducky and her hand, Sora’s expression softened. A gentle smile bloomed across her face as she tilted her head slightly.

He tried to deepen his voice, as if imitating the authoritative tone of a Sakamaki, but ended up letting out a little giggle.

He shrugged, remembering that in the past he probably had at most three toys. It felt strange to think about it now, because in Shin and Carla’s castle he had a few toys he truly liked, and that made him happy.

— Wow!!

Kauze’s little eyes sparkled at the sight of the pink plush duck with its tiny tutu, his fingers itching to hold it. He gave a small, excited hop, barely able to contain his enthusiasm.

She instantly pulled Ducky back against her chest, clutching it protectively as though it were some priceless treasure, far too sacred for careless hands.

“You want to hold my Ducky? No way!”

“At least… not yet. You haven’t earned the privilege of being in Ducky’s circle of trust. Humph.”

Turning briskly on her heel, she strutted toward the house, side ponytail bouncing, her voice sing-song as she called over her shoulder,

He lowered his little hands, fingers fidgeting in front of him, his eyes dimming a little with disappointment at not being able to hold the plush duck. Still, he swallowed the feeling, understanding that he had to respect other people’s belongings—especially something as important as Sora’s “sparkly guardian.”

— Mister Wolf! Come!

He called brightly, stomping his little foot on the floor. The wolf let out a low grumble, clearly displeased at having to leave the cool shade he had been resting in. Yet he obeyed, his heavy steps echoing as he padded over to his small master’s side. Together, they walked into the mansion, and a wave of nostalgia washed over Kauze. Every corner, every detail of the place stirred memories of when he had been here more often.

— Oh! Wait just a second!

With sudden excitement in his eyes, he dashed toward an old bookshelf against the wall. Hidden near the bottom was a tiny door, long left untouched. That was where Kauze had stashed his most precious treasures. A mischievous smile tugged at his lips as he remembered the trick he had played: after locking the toys inside, he had tossed the key into the toilet and flushed, ensuring that no one could ever take them away.

— My toys are in here!

He pointed eagerly, then raised his small hand into the air. His eyes narrowed in concentration, and with a faint metallic click, the lock obeyed him. The little door creaked open slowly, as if bending to his will. Without hesitation, Kauze reached inside and pulled out his hidden treasure: a Batman toy car, with the caped hero seated firmly at the wheel; a small Lego set, carefully tucked in a box; and finally, a tiny plush keychain that could fit in the palm of his hand.

— Now we can really continue!

His smile lit up his whole face. With care, he slipped the keychain into his pocket, as though it were a secret talisman. Then, with all the seriousness of assigning a mission, he handed the Lego box to the wolf, who accepted it with dignity, gripping it gently in his mouth. Kauze himself held on tightly to the Batman car, his eyes sparkling with pure, unfiltered joy.

Sora stood off to the side, quietly watching as the boy went through the whole ritual of retrieving the toy box and fishing out its contents one by one.

Her lips parted, ready to pass a judgmental remark—yet she stopped herself, recalling her papas’ words: personal opinions, when voiced carelessly, can hurt more than help, and the aftermath is always a nuisance to deal with.

So, with a blink, she pressed her lips shut again and turned to continue on her way.

— Woof!

He lay down in the indicated spot and closed his eyes, taking a light nap—though always remaining on alert. The little boy then headed to the kitchen.

— Are we really going to eat cupcakes and drink real tea?

He asked excitedly, leaving Batman seated right beside Sora’s ducky.

“M-hm~☆”

Sora gave a firm nod as she padded over to the fridge. Pulling the door open, she leaned in with purpose before retrieving a medium-sized tray wrapped neatly with premade cookie batter. She set it on the counter with a soft thud, shutting the fridge behind her.

Next, she dragged over the little ladder stool and climbed onto it with practiced ease. Reaching up to the shelf, she carefully pulled down a bag stuffed with baking supplies—an assortment of chocolate chips in all shapes, sizes, and colors, along with molds and a rolling pin. She placed the bag beside the tray of batter, then hopped down and pushed the stool back to its spot before finally turning to face the boy.

“But! We’re having cookies today first,”

“Cupcakes are on a whole other level of kinship. You haven’t earned that privilege yet—humph.”

She let out a tiny huff, then skipped over to the sink. After scrubbing her hands with the seriousness of a little chef preparing for a grand task, she returned to the counter and began arranging everything neatly.

He then brought his hands over and approached Sora like a loyal little soldier, ready to learn how to make cookies like “grown-ups.”

— My dad doesn’t like it when I do this kind of thing, but it looks really fun. We can decorate them afterward! Just like the cookies humans eat at Christmas! What do you think?

— But wait, do you know how to use the stove? Isn’t that… dangerous?

“Papa Moon taught me everything I need to know,”

“He always made sure of it—watching me try things on my own before letting me actually use the oven.”

She reached over to the smaller oven on the counter, plugged it in, and flicked the switch. With a soft hum, the light inside glowed to life. Tilting her head back, she glanced toward the ceiling corner where a tiny CCTV camera blinked faintly. Her lips curled into a smile as she lifted her hand in a quick wave to the unseen watcher before turning back to her station.

On the counter, she transferred a portion of the premade batter onto a wooden board, flattening it evenly with a rolling pin. Setting the pin aside, she pulled out a bag of colorful molds and placed it neatly in the space between herself and Kauze, within easy reach for both of them.

“You can start by cutting shapes with these molds, then decorate them with chocolate chips and sprinkles, like this—”

She pressed a duck-shaped mold into the dough, lifted it carefully, and showed the first little duck shaped cookie. A single chocolate chip became its eye, and she scattered pink sprinkles over it.

— I’m going to give this one to my Daddy.

The little boy sighed a bit foolishly. After all, he loved his father more than anything in the world.

— Now that we’ve decorated, do we put them in the oven? Right?

“About ten minutes.”

She replied simply, shaping another cookie just like before—but this time dotting its eyes with white chocolate chips and showering it with light blue sprinkles.

Shaping a few more duck cookies in different sizes and with varied molds then arranging them neatly on the tray alongside Kauze’s earlier creations.

With steady hands, she carried the tray to the oven, gently pulling open its preheated door. Sliding the tray inside with practiced care, she shut it and tapped the buttons with quick, confident motions before stepping back.

Hands on her hips, a proud smile bloomed as she turned toward Kauze.

“All done ☆”

“Now…”

Dragging the stool over once more, she climbed up and reached for the high shelf, this time pulling down a container. Setting it on the counter, she pushed the stool back to its place, then picked up the smaller pink kettle resting beside the larger one. Filling it with water, she set it on the heater, pressed the button, and waited patiently for it to brew.

She turned back to face Kauze, tilting her head with curiosity.

“So… you said your name is… Kau…Kau——zi?”

“It sounds almost like Papa Sky’s name!”

He said in surprise, watching his heart-shaped cookies covered in sprinkles bake away. His smile grew wide, already eager to devour them all at once.

— Really?! My name sounds like your Papa’s? That’s so cool!

He gave a little hop of excitement.

— And my name is Kauze… with an ‘e’ at the end. It’s kind of strange, I know, but my daddy said my other papa and my mama wanted something unique.

A tender smile spread across his face, his eyes widening before he quickly nodded.

— Kau-Kau? That sounds cute! You can call me that.

Placing his tiny hands on his hips, he puffed out his chest.

— Hey! You should come visit my castle one day. We can play there. Or if you ever do something wrong and have to run away from home, you can hide there too. My daddy doesn’t really like vampires, so he probably won’t let your papas in if they come looking for you.

He said a little mischievously—after all, who had never run away from home to escape a punishment?

Sora blinked a few times, trying to process his words.

—Then with a little huff, she turned her face away briefly, cheeks puffed out.

“...That’s so mean!”

“You can’t do stuff like that to people who love you—they’d get super hurt!”

She stomped a tiny foot, arms crossed, eyes narrowing.

“And anyway, both my papas are the nicest parents ever! They love me so soooo much—”

She wagged a finger firmly, lips in a pout.

He put his little hand on his forehead and pouted, trying to imitate Sora.

— It was just a suggestion! In case one day you need it! You never know, maybe they’ll try to take your little duck.

He tried to explain, but soon gave up. Maybe Sora really had no reason to hide from her parents.

— Hey, how about after the cookies we go ride bikes around? It’ll be fun! If you want, I can take you to my friend’s flower shop. Sometimes a prince shows up there.

He gave a little excited hop, then placed his hands on his hips.

— Or maybe you don’t know how to ride a bike, or live like Rapunzel trapped in the mansion. Then I’ll have to call the prince to come rescue you!

He laughed, holding his hands over his belly, teasing Sora and daring her.

The brief interval of silence was split by a voice seeping through the ceiling camera, a voice Kauze knew all too well.

Cold, clipped, and immovable as steel.

Grounding as stone.

“You're not taking my kid out of this house to wherever you want to go upon the very first meeting.”

“Access denied, shut down, restricted. End of conversation.”

A beat. Lingered in brief silence, as if weighing its own severity. Then, before anyone else could react, it softened into a disarming warmth.

“...Sora, honey~ My precious princess——”

“How about you bring your new friend Kau-Kau to your room.”

“I got an extra set of Lego which you can play with for now.”

Hearing her Papa Moon’s voice spill from the camera, Sora showed no surprise—as though it were the most natural thing in the world. She turned toward it with a proud little smile, watching as the familiar voice began to scold her new friend with calm authority.

But the moment his attention shifted back to her—gentle, warm, brimming with that love meant only for her—Sora’s whole face lit up. A delighted squeal escaped her as she plucked Ducky from the counter and set it atop her head like a crown, then spun in a tiny princess twirl.

“Really? Okay!”

Just then, the oven gave a sharp ding— declaring the cookies ready.

— Let’s go, Mr. Wolf!

He said excitedly, hopping as he walked. The large wolf with sleek gray fur and sharp amber eyes grumbled softly, uneasy at being near vampires, but remained loyally by Kauze’s side.

— Woof…

The wolf exhaled warm air through its nose, as if agreeing with its young master. Kauze smiled happily and gave the wolf—a creature nearly his size—a gentle pat on the head. Its ears twitched and tail wagged slightly, showing a mix of curiosity and caution.

But before he could enter the Mukami mansion, the little boy spotted a young girl sitting in the garden, playing with a plush duck.

— Oh…!

He looked on curiously and then approached, since he had never seen any other child in the mansion besides himself. The wolf padded behind him, muscles tense, eyes scanning the girl carefully, trying to decide if this tiny creature, like its master, might be a potential dinner or not.

— Hi!

Kauze waved at the girl.

Looking up from where her fingers lingered against the soil around a half-grown plant, her eyes widened faintly, curiosity flickering like light across their surface. She tilted her head, questioning, gaze settling on the boy with quiet wonder—

—Then her eyes drifted past the boy—falling on the creature trailing faithfully behind him.

“...Wah!”

“That’s a very big doggy...!”

Startled, she scooted back a step, scrambling upright. She brushed the soil and dust from her skirt in a quick fuss, then planted her hands on her hips. Her small frame stiffened into a defensive stance, lips pushing into a stubborn pout as she let out a huff.

— Grrr!

His amber eyes glinted sharply, and his ears flattened slightly, showing his indignation. Kauze quickly stepped forward and gently held the wolf, trying to calm his loyal companion.

— Hey! He’s not a dog, he’s a wolf. Look at his ears.

Kauze stroked the wolf’s thick gray fur and adjusted his ears. The wolf huffed, turning his head slightly, still recovering from such a huge offense.

Then the young founder looked at the girl in front of him. He scratched his head, a bit confused, remembering why he didn’t have many girl friends at school. Girls seemed so strange and complicated in his view! But still, he tried to be polite.

— My name is Kauze! Kauze Tsukinami!

But then his eyes widened again—her house? So she lived here? The little boy wasn’t quite sure, since he had lived with the Sakamakis before moving in with Shin and Carla.

— I came to visit my friends! And you? Who are you?

“I don’t care if it’s a dog or a wolf—it’s a threat!”

“It growls!”

The girl crouched slightly, mimicking the beast’s snarl with a surprisingly sharp rumble. Her small mouth pulled back to reveal actual vampiric fangs, bared at the creature shielding itself behind the boy. With a sharp huff, she snapped her gaze away, arms folding across her chest.

“Humph. Unfriendly things are not welcome here!”

“But—”

Her eyes flicked open again as boldness overtook her. She stepped forward, sky-colored slit-pupil eyes sweeping over the boy with keen curiosity, as though she were measuring him piece by piece.

“You seem harmless. You’re just a little boy… and you look like Sei—”

Her voice softened with realization.

“Are you Sei’s friend?”

A bright smile broke across her face as she thrust out a hand, earnest and inviting, as if to seal a pact.

“I’m Sora. Sora Mukami!”

She blinked again, tilting her head, curiosity spilling over into her voice as she pressed on with eager questions:

— He’s sensitive. But he won’t do anything bad; he obeys me!

He smiled as the wolf sat down, still a little offended, but faithfully obedient to his young master.

Kauze quickly noticed the little girl’s fangs and chuckled softly when she tried to mimic the wolf, deciding not to respond to the playful challenge aimed at his furry friend.

— Hm!

He crossed his arms and pouted slightly, keeping his guard up, trying to figure out if this girl was trustworthy or not.

— Sei? But who is Sei? I don’t…

Before he could finish, he saw Sora extend her hand. Kauze shook it and smiled.

— Papa? Who’s your dad? Oh! Oh! Oh! Yes! I came to see them! I used to live with the Sakamakis. Have you heard of them? When I lived there, I’d sometimes come here to see my friends! But after Papa took me away, I never came back. But today he allowed it! With Mister Wolf, of course.

— Woof!

The wolf puffed out its chest, proud to escort the prince of the founders.

“I have two papas! There’s Papa Moon, and there’s Papa Sky!”

Sora beamed, her whole face lighting up with pride as though she were announcing something wonderfully important. Her eyes sparkled, then softened into a plain, matter-of-fact smile at her brother’s question.

“Sei is my little brother. Papa Moon gave birth to him. They also call him Star.”

She blinked, tilting her head as she tried to process the unfamiliar word the other boy had mentioned.

“Saka…maki?”

Her brows knit together before she shook her head firmly.

“Nu, never heard of them.”

Her gaze drifted past him then, landing on the creature at his side. The animal seemed to watch her with a strange attentiveness, as if it truly understood the boy’s words. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Sora leaned forward a bit, voice dipping into a half-pout.

He spoke in complete confusion, as if the girl weren’t making any sense at all. He scratched his head, trying to understand—especially the part about the younger brother—but decided to leave it aside.

— Oh! So you don’t know them? They’re kinda… sometimes they can be nice. But I think they don’t really like the Mukamis. I’m not so sure though.

He shrugged, as if it didn’t matter much to him. After all, Carla and Shin hated vampires, and yet Kauze still came to visit them. So that was never really an obstacle for him.

— Yes! He’s a good boy. But sometimes he can be a little grumpy with people he doesn’t know. He only got mad because you called him a dog.

He chuckled softly, while the wolf let out a sharp breath through its nose, still indignant about the incident, but soon got up and stepped closer.

— Do you want to pet him? He won’t bite you.

— Waaoo?!

The wolf gave a startled huff, ears flicking back as his tail struck the ground with a heavy thump. His amber eyes fixed on his master, clearly questioning why he would ever allow this little girl to lay her hands on his fur.

She stepped forward with deliberate care, unafraid but gentle in her approach, until she crouched before the wolf. Slowly, she extended her small hand, palm open in a gesture— that mimicked a greeting.

It was as if he were saying: “Stay sharp, little vampire. I won’t devour you… today.”

— Woof!

He raised his neck, chest swelling with pride, and his tail struck the ground in a heavy rhythm. Kauze couldn’t hold back a laugh.

— Hey, Sora, do you want to play with me? — the little boy asked brightly.

“......”

Blinking at the wolf's gesture, not understanding it, she shrugged with a smile and extended a hand to pet it.