#tw warning

            He had already taken you out on two dates officially. Once was a nice dinner at an expensive restaurant in a private section. The second date was to an opera where it had moved you to tears.

            By the third time going out, it was to lunch, and he said it was okay to bring Sarina. It was at a smaller diner, family owned. Gojo was already sitting in a booth as you and Sarina slid in.

            “Sorry we’re late, Satoru,” you breathed as you settled. “Sometimes getting Sarina ready is a challenge…”

            And a challenge it was.

            First, Sarina didn’t want to get dressed. Then, she wanted to dress herself, which only ended with a hot pink shirt and polka dotted pants that were bright yellow. So, you had to change her, this time, to a light blue shirt with a unicorn and a black skort. She fought with you while you were brushing her hair. She fought while you insisted on brushing her teeth.

            “Oh, it's no issue,” Gojo assures with an easy smile. “Young ones can be a challenge.” He took a sip of his soda before smiling at Sarina. “So, how are you today, Sarina?”

            “I wanna go home,” Sarina huffs.

            “Oh…” Gojo trails off, unsure what to say next. “Um… did you have fun with your daycare today…?”

            “I played with Tsubaki,” she answers, her mouth a small frown. “Then Uncle Hiro with Aunt Machi took us home.”

            Gojo seemed to be a little uneasy. He was trying so hard to connect with her.

            Man, it's almost like trying to get Megumi to like me again…

            You and Gojo then began chatting, Gojo desperately trying to include Sarina in conversation. All Sarina did was move her food around on her plate; she had asked for pizza, and of course it wasn't the one she wanted.

            “Hey, so I’m doing a little get-together this weekend,” Gojo then says. “Like, a house party…? I’m inviting my old high school friends, and I think you know them… Shoko Ieiri and Kento Nanami.”

            “Oh, yeah, I know them, Shoko was a roommate of mine back in college,” you inform with a small smile. “Nanami, I know because of Hiro mainly, Nanami helps me with investing into smaller stocks.”

            Gojo lit up at that. “Small world, eh?” he comments. “Nanamin’s wife is also my distant cousin,” he then adds with a smirk.

            “Machiko is your cousin…!?”

            “Very distant… but yeah,” he shrugs. “I see her like a little sister.”

            Sarina made a huffing sound before she finally crossed her arms and just glared at the pizza like it had personally wronged her. Gojo only took a small glance before just taking the plate away from her and giving her the rest of his milkshake he had ordered, which she took greedily and began drinking.

            “Anyways,” Gojo continued. “Megumi is going to be there, and I figured you all can meet.” He looked suddenly nervous.

            You nod. “Oh, yeah! We can meet him! He should be, what, fifteen now?”

            Gojo groans, “Yes… and I thought he was moody when he was a kid… being a teenager is worse…!”

            You only laugh, “Oh, maybe he can train me on how to deal with Sarina when she is that age…!” you joke. “Sometimes I think she’s a teenager now with all the sass she gives me!”

            All Sarina did was glare at you with that statement. Most of the time she was a very sweet girl, but sometimes she just needed to let her bratty-ness out.

            Which, apparently, the time she chose when you two moved to Tokyo to unleash her attitude.

            “You think if I invited Higuruma he would be okay with coming…?” Gojo then asks lightly. “I don’t want him to feel left out since I know he’s friends with Nanamin and Machi.”

            “Uncle Hiro can come!?” Sarina gasps with stars in her eyes.

            “Yeah, he can if he wants,” Gojo assures her with a smile.

            That seems to have satisfied Sarina, as now she was a little more talkative to Gojo. She told him, on her own accord, how she asked Higuruma to keep an episode of Digimon on when it was on TV while he was watching her at the firm.

            “It’s still stupid,” she declares matter-of-factly.

            Well… can’t win them all…

            Once the meal was complete, Gojo suggested walking through the park. You excitedly accepted the offer and got Sarina out of her booster seat in the dining chair. When you mentioned to her about the park, she gave a happy little hum and obeyed you without a fight.

            The walk through the park was peaceful enough. Sarina ran ahead of you and Gojo while humming herself a little tune as she ran into the grass, trying to chase birds. You smiled as she ran around.

            “I’m sorry she’s being a little cold…” you then say to Gojo sheepishly. “She’s not a huge fan of new people… She spent a lot of her time with my dad and stepmom, and occasionally my mother.”

            Gojo bit back a remark, hiding it with an easygoing smile.

            Yet she liked the attorney day one.

            “Oh, it’s not an issue!” he replies smoothly. “Megumi was a lot like that when he was younger! Hell, he still is!” He then notices your look, a look of worry. “Oh! But he’ll be fine with you two!”

            That wasn’t a good save…!

            “Um… if you say so…” you murmur. Just as you glanced back at Sarina, you noticed she had run up ahead to someone. “S-Sarina…!” Panic struck you, an icy chill, as you didn’t want her to be too far from you. She was still a four-year-old after all.

            As you ran toward her, you realized that it was Higuruma that Sarina had run to. Her arms moving wildly as she was telling him a story. Higuruma looked amused and was listening intently. However, his “friend” wasn’t too thrilled.

            Prosecutor Kenna Araji – one of the toughest prosecutors in the financial legal world. The more money involved with embezzlement, the meaner she got. She has made grown men cry more than once in the courtroom. She has had defendants and defense attorneys almost consider suicide due to how brutal she was.

            And she was glaring at your daughter as if she was just one of those defendants she wanted to tear down.

            “Sarina…! Don’t run off like that!” you scold her as you approached.

            “Oh, hey, Y/N,” Higuruma greeted you warmly. “Out for a walk as well…?” He trailed off as he saw Gojo jogging up from behind you. “Ah. Makes sense…”

            Araji drummed her fingers on her arm, her stoney glare moving from Sarina to you.

            “You might want to keep a better eye on her,” Araji said too casually for your liking. “You don’t want her disappearing.”

            Anger flushes over you as you glared at her with your mouth open slack. “E-Excuse me!?” you managed to sputter. “Clearly you have never dealt with a child before!”

            “I don’t need to when clearly someone has her eyes somewhere el-”

            “Kenna,” Higuruma stressed. “Stop it. Sarina is fine. Y/N is here. Kids run off in a blink of an eye and get into trouble. No one can keep their eyes on a child constantly.”

            Araji only huffed in response, her attitude almost reminding you of your sister a few years ago. “All I’m saying that something could’ve happened-”

            “But it didn’t,” Gojo cuts in curtly. “Sarina knows not to go to strangers - she saw Higuruma, clearly wanting to see him. She’s fine.”

            Araji glared at Gojo. “Aren’t you the CEO of the Gojo Marketing Corporation…?” she then asks lightly.

            “What of it…?” Gojo replies slowly.

            “I love taking men like you down,” she wickedly said, her mouth curved into a disturbing smile, like she was ready to hunt.

            Gojo lowered his sunglasses that he was wearing on the walk, his normally bright blue eyes were dark with anger. “I have no idea what you're implying,” he lowly said to her. “If you are accusing me and my company of any legal wrongdoings, I suggest you take that up with my legal team.”

            Sarina the entire time was glaring at Araji, Higuruma's hand promptly on her head – no patting though! – as she took the information between Araji and Gojo.

            “You're a mean lady,” was all Sarina muttered to her. “Go away.”

            Araji nearly bristled from Sarina’s remark. “It's called being an adult, sweetie,” she tightly says.

            “I'm not your sweetie,” Sarina instantly retorted, her dark eyes narrowed, and her nose scrunched up as if the woman was stinky.

            Higuruma finally cuts in, “Kenna, she's four, lighten up.”

            Araji takes her cell phone out of her pocket and glances at a notification. “Well, I have to head to my office anyways, another case coming up,” she sighs in irritation. For the first time during the entire interaction, she smiled sweetly, but only to Higuruma. “I'll see you later, Hiromi,” her tone sultry as Hiuruma knew what it meant. She walked off away from them, her waving a hand above her,

            “Damn, she's a bitch,” Gojo broke the silence. “Sarina is right, what a mean lady.”

            Sarina nodded, for once agreeing with him. “Yes, yes, she's a very mean lady!” she shouts. She then took Higuruma's hand off her head and began tugging him. “Come on, Uncle Hiro…! We should get pizza!”

            You face palmed. “Sarina, we just had lunch…” you explain.

            “But that pizza was yucky,” Sarina whined. “And Mr. Old Guy only gave me a little bit of his shake!”

            Gojo rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I did drink most of it…” he admits. “And you didn't really eat…” He snaps his fingers with his free hand. “Hey, Mr. Attorney, how about you treat her to some food while Y/N and I do a little stroll!” He then seemed to realize what Sarina had said. “Wait a second… I'm actually the younger one here…!”

            Sarina only points to his head. “White hair. Old.”

            It was like watching Gojo's ego shatter like glass, his mouth hung open is pure distraught.

            Higuruma then decided to save the poor man from more ridicule from a four-year-old and grasped Sarina's hand. “I'll take her for some food, it won't be much to spoil her dinner,” he informs you.

            You breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you, Hiro…”

            As both Higuruma and Sarina walked away, you could hear Sarina talking excitedly to Higuruma about what she did in daycare today, despite her already telling him when he had picked her up at daycare as a favor for you. Higuruma still nodded and smiled at the right points, feigning that he had never heard her story before.

            Gojo then lightly takes your hand and pulls you along the park walkway, giving you a boyish grin. The walk around the park was tranquil, birds were chirping and other children were running around with their parents watching in the distance.

            “So… do you ever think about wanting another baby…?” Gojo asks casually and suddenly. He still had that boyish grin on his face.

            You stop in your tracks, feeling his body tug yours slightly as he keeps moving. When he saw your expression, he stood by your side, gently taking your other hand into his free one.

            “I mean…” you began softly. “If I’m able to, I would love another baby… But I know with my age its more complicated… I’m happy with the little girl I have. I love her with all my heart.” You then felt your face heat up. “And I should be thanking you immensely for letting me have her.”

            Gojo gives a small smile, his dimple showing. “I’m glad to have helped with that, you are a great mom.” He then gave a slight chuckle, “I am happy to offer my services again… maybe a more… organic way?”

            Your face blushed a bright scarlet again, burning with embarrassment. “Oh, stop…!” you chide him, desperate to let your hair cover your face to hide.

            “You’re very cute when you’re blushing,” Gojo remarks with a blissful sigh.

            You tightened your grip around Gojo’s hand. He took that as a sign to tug you gently so that the two of you could continue the walk. Gojo removed his glasses and hung them off the collar of his shirt, his bright blue eyes darting to you as he gives a lovesick expression.

            Maybe you can finally let yourself love someone else…

Both Higuruma and Sarina exited the konbini, each with a slice of pizza in their hands.

            Sarina giggled happily as she sat on the bench, giving him large eyes for him to sit next to her. He obliged and they both began eating.

            Since that day at the toy store, when the owner had assumed Sarina was his daughter, Higuruma kept a watchful eye on the little girl. The way she pouts was almost identical to yours, but the way she carried herself… was not you. But from what he had seen of Gojo… it wasn’t him either.

            He noticed while watching her at the firm that she gravitated toward people who needed help. It didn’t matter if she knew nothing about the law, she saw a little old lady be upset and she was offering herself to help them, offering telling a story or just trying to make them happy. When something didn’t go her way, she immediately frowns and crosses her arms, eyes dark as coal as she glares at whatever pissed her off, as though it would go into submission for her.

            When Higuruma scolded her for certain things, or when you had scolded her, Sarina took it more as a suggestion than an order. The girl could come up with random arguments and defend herself as if they were the bad guys and not her. It was bizarre how clever a four-year-old was to make reason on why she did what she did.

            Sarina seemed to enjoy many of the same things Higuruma did, which he thought was a little odd. The girl liked reading, and she was able to read some of the documents that he accidentally left on his desk. She would ask questions about what it meant and for him to explain. Her comprehension at her age was well beyond four, and if it was something she truly didn't understand or grasp the concept, she'd just pout or frown until someone could give her a different answer.

            Sitting on the bench outside the konbini, Sarina was enjoying her pizza immensely. She hummed as she chewed, and Higuruma paid attention this time as he realized he hums while eating. You had made fun of him multiple times for it, with teasing smiles and giggles, it had made him so self-conscious that he physically had to make himself not hum while eating, mainly in front of you. However, as he heard Sarina hum, he found himself not checking himself, and he was humming too.

            Sarina noticed that Higuruma was watching, noticing that the dual humming had stopped. Her mouth then clenched shut as if she was mentally trying to force herself not to hum. It was such a similar action to himself that he found himself just staring still.

            “Mama always laughs at me when I hum to my food…” Sarina said in a small voice, breaking the silence. “She just says it's weird…” Then her eyes widened with realization. “But you hum too! That means we’re not weirdos!” She flashes a smile that Higuruma knew that was one hundred percent you.

            Higuruma found himself smiling at her. “Well, your mama makes fun of me too,” he admits with a chuckle. “I think it just means we really love our food.”

            Sarina’s dark eyes rounded and shined. “I love my food so much, Uncle Hiro!” she nearly shouts. She then softened as she glanced at her pizza in her hands. “Do… Do you like my mama…?”

            “Huh? Where did that come from?” he asks her. “Of course I like your mama.”

            “Then how come she’s always hanging out with the werido…?” Sarina then asked. “He brings her flowers… she smiles… I think he’s weird.”

            Higuruma only sighs. “I get it… he is weird, but if your mama likes him… give him a chance,” he told her.

            It was so weird how much Sarina acted like himself. They have only been around each other for the past month casually, it wasn’t enough time for his habits to rub off on her.

            Sarina had finished her slice of pizza, her hands covered in grease. “Uncle Hiro, does the store have a sink…?” she asks him.

            “Huh…? Oh, yeah…” Startled, Higuruma got up from the bench with Sarina and led her back inside the konbini.

            There was a restroom at the back of the store, the clerk giving Higuruma a small wave of acknowledgment as he was checking out another customer. Sarina went inside, shutting and locking the door behind her. The sink began running, the water pressure obviously too high for her to wash her hands.

            The running of the sink gave Higuruma a dull ache in his temple. For some reason, he hated it when the water was running for too long, specifically sinks, and he couldn't think of the reason why. He taps his foot, hoping that it drowns the sound out slightly. It didn’t.

            The feeling faded away just as fast as it had arrived, Sarina exited the restroom, a paper towel in her hands as she dried them.

            “Uncle Hiro?” Sarina says to him.

            “Yeah…?”

            “How come you don’t have a wife? Or kids?” she bluntly questions.

            Higuruma only blinks at her. “Um… I don’t know…?” he replies softly. He heard a ding from his phone and checked it, seeing that it was you letting him know that he could drop Sarina off at your apartment. “Oh, your mama wants me to take you home.” He pocketed his phone and held out his hand. “Ready, Sarina?”

            “Uh huh.” She replies as she grasped his hand.

The weekend came quickly, and you were in your bathroom putting the final changes on your makeup.

            You wore a simple black dress that reached your knees. It was for the house party that Gojo was throwing, and you were debating on wearing the cute so-so dress or something more t-shirt and jeans style.

            “Mama, can I wear makeup too?” Sarina popped her head into your bathroom. She wore a cute little lavender colored party dress, the hem a frill of white lace, and she wore white tights with black Mary Jane shoes. Her dark hair was pulled into a princess braid style around her head, but since it was so thin little hair stuck out.  

            “We can put on some lip gloss,” you told her as you patted your knee. Sarina bounded over, heaving herself to your knee as she faced you. “Just a little bit, okay?” Sarina nods as you grabbed a light pink lip gloss. Sarina then puckers her lips like she was going to give a kiss, and as soon as you dabbed some lip gloss on, she began giggling. “There we go! Nice and pretty!”

            Sarina hopped from your knee and bound away, her little dress swaying as she ran.

            You have finished your hair and makeup, you grab your purse and throw your lipstick and the lip gloss for Sarina into it to reapply later. You didn't wear heels but instead put on a pair of black wedges.

            Sarina seemed excited for the little house party – she was told Higuruma was going to be there and Tsubaki as well. Your daughter fully cooperated with you as you led her out of the apartment and headed to your parked car, her running ahead of you to get to it first. You snapped her into her car seat once you were at your car and then made your way to the driver's seat.

            You texted Gojo:

We're ready! Send me your address so I can GPS!

            Gojo instantly sent you the address. He then added:

Just mention to the valet that you’re for me and give code 1222.

            You blinked at the message.

            A valet…?

            You had never been to Gojo’s place before, but he had been over to yours to help with unpacking and building furniture.

            A ding from your phone as Gojo texted again:

I had already tipped the valet driver due to the volume of people coming. You don’t have to worry.

            You knew that Gojo had money since he ran his own business. What you thought was a small startup business was actually a multi-billion-dollar corporation that his entire family did. One relative did real estate, another did restaurants, his father was the head of Gojo Industries with computer tech.

            It really made you wonder why he did the sperm donation anyway. How many times did he do it? Was Sarina the only child he knew that was born from it?

            You shook your head as you punched in Gojo’s address. As you drove through Tokyo, you realized you were driving through the Shibuya district ward and heading to Hiroo. You knew it had a lot of high-class real estate, and you felt your cheeks flush from just how old your car was compared to everyone else you were driving past.

            Soon you arrived at Gojo’s high-rise apartment where apparently, he owned the top two floors as a penthouse suite. As promised, a valet approached you as you got Sarina out of the car. You mentioned the code and handed your key, the valet gave a nod before going to your driver’s seat to park your car.

            When you entered the elevator with Sarina you noticed that there was a keypad to enter a code. You once again entered the “1222” code and the doors closed. The elevator moved quickly, causing Sarina to go off balance and fall on her butt.

            “This elevator hurt my butt…” Sarina complained with a whine as she picked herself up.

            The elevator dinged as the doors opened, leading into a small foyer that had the door open to see the inside of the penthouse apartment. Music played, lively and upbeat. People you recognized were already mingling, chatter colliding with the music. There were others as well, people you weren’t familiar with, but they all knew each other.

            Sarina saw Tsubaki standing by Machiko’s leg, who was talking to Shoko. Tsubaki’s blue eyes widened with glee as she shrieked giddily and ran toward the open door, grasping at Sarina’s hand and dragging her into the home.

            “Well, looks like little Tsubaki is excited for her friend,” Gojo’s smooth voice murmured by you.

            “Oh, Satoru!” you nearly gasped in surprise from his sudden appearance.

            It didn’t matter if it was casual or not, Gojo always dressed like he was ready to walk onto a photoshoot for modelling. Wearing a light blue button up, although looking like a simple looking shirt, you can tell it was worth more than the dress you’re wearing, and black slacks. His stark white hair was tousled in style, his signature black sunglasses covering his bright blue eyes.

            “Glad you made it!” Gojo smiles at you.

            Shoko noticed that you had arrived and walked over to you and Gojo, Machiko following close behind.

            “Oi, Satoru, Y/N just got here and you’re already harassing her,” Shoko said to him, a drink in her hands.

            “What, I can’t greet my guest?” Gojo chuckles.

            “You didn’t greet me,” Shoko points out sourly.

            Gojo rolls his eyes behind his glasses. “I’ve known you for over a decade, I don’t need to greet you,” he retorts.

            “Whatever,” Shoko sighs as she turned her heel, going toward a table filled with drinks. Machiko gives a small sigh before following suit, making sure the older woman didn’t drink too much.

            Gojo pulls you from the doorway and leads you down a small hallway that opened up to a small sitting room with stairs leading to the second floor.

            “Oh, the private part of the party,” you joked.

            “Just wanted you to meet someone is all,” Gojo says as he tugs you up the stairs.

            Upstairs was where the bedrooms were, the hallway decorated with various photos of a younger Gojo, Shoko, Nanami, and a few others you didn’t recognize. There were also photos of the young boy that Gojo had shown pictures of when you first met and a girl that looked similar in age.

            Gojo approached a shut door, sounds of a television on. He knocks on the door and waits patiently. The door slowly opened, an average-sized boy opened the door, dark hair and green eyes, wearing black sweats with no logos.

            “What do you want?” the boy sighs, clearly irritated.

            “Megumi, I want you to meet a friend of mine,” Gojo explains with a smile.

            Megumi looks around Gojo and sees you sheepishly standing there. He gives Gojo a blank expression. “Um, okay…? And…?”

            Gojo frowns. “Dude, c’mon,” he groans. “Introduce yourself!”

            Megumi once again peers around Gojo. “Megumi Fushiguro, hello.” His voice was dull and bored sounding.

            “Um, hello,” you greet with a wave. “I’m Y/N L/N.”

            There was shouting from inside the room, almost a strangled sound of disbelief, as another boy, one with pink hair barged through the doorway, nearly knocking both Megumi and Gojo over.

            “Gojo! You’re introducing a new friend!?” the pink-haired boy shouts. He was almost like an excitable puppy with his wide honeyed eyes and a large smile.

            “Ah, Yuji, I forgot you were over,” Gojo says to him with a chuckle. “Your uncle and grandpa know you’re here?”

            The pink-haired boy, Yuji, shrugs. “I’m either here or at the movie theater with Junpei,” he said honestly.

            “True…” Gojo admits. “But you two should mingle with the rest of the guests.”

            “Is Nanamin and Machi here?” Yuji asks excitedly.

            “They both are, yeah,” Gojo informs. “And they brought Tsubaki as well.”

            Yuji only smiles as he grabs Megumi and begins to drag him toward the stairs. “Dude! Party!”

            “Dude. No.” Megumi groans as he was forced to the stairs.

            You only giggle as you watched the excitable boy force his grumpy friend down the stairs.

            “He’s over a lot?” you ask Gojo.

            “Yuji? Yeah,” Gojo replies nonchalantly. “His uncle and I went to the same college – complete asshat, but Yuji is a fun kid.” He then checks his phone as someone informs him that they have arrived. “Well, at least Megumi is mingling now, so it’s our turn!”

            Back at the party you saw Shoko talking with Nanami and Machiko, little Tsubaki holding Sarina's hand so they wouldn't get lost in the crowd. Yuji seemingly spotted them as now he bounds over to the small group, him excitedly talking to Nanami and Machiko.

            Gojo excused himself when someone asked to speak with him, him looking guilty at leaving you alone. It seems that was the opportunity for Megumi to approach you without Gojo overbearing him.

            “Oh, hello, Megumi,” you say to him with a smile.

            “He talks about you a lot,” the boy comments, his voice dull sounding, as though it took a lot of energy to even speak, the opposite of Gojo.

            You chuckle in embarrassment. “Oh? Well, he talks about you too,” you told him honestly.

            A flush of pink brushed his ears. “You have a daughter, right?” Megumi then asks, trying to ignore your comment.

            You pointed toward Machiko and Nanami, seeing that Tsubaki was still holding Sarina's hand. “The dark-haired one is my daughter, Sarina.”

            Megumi blinks in confusion. “No white hair, huh?” he says.

            You flinch at the mention. “You… know about that?” your voice barely above a whisper.

            Megumi nodded. “Yeah, I do. You were the first one he went through with though.”

            You blink in bewilderment. “I… I am…?”

            The dark-haired teen nodded. “Yeah, he had gotten a lot of calls, but he declined the deals because a lot of the women or couples were…” He then got lost in thought. “I guess unhinged.”

            You could tell that Megumi was trying to be polite. It made sense that there were some odd deals that wanted to be made – probably wanted to get Gojo for his money for child support.

            “You were the only one that offered to pay for everything yourself, you got a lawyer involved with a fair contract, and… you were honest,” Megumi explains, a small smile brushing his face.

            At that moment you felt tugging at your dress, seeing both Tsubaki and Sarina looking up at you with wide eyes.

            “Mama…” Sarina whines.

            “Auntie Y/N…” Tsubaki follows.

            “We’re hungry…” the two then said in unison.

            Megumi gave a small huff of a chuckle. “Hey, I can take you two to get something to eat in the kitchen…” he offers. “Would you like that? We got chicken nuggets and pizza.”

            “PIZZA!” Sarina cheers as she then grabs at Megumi. “Pizza! Pizza!”

            “Sarina…! Don’t grab him like that!” you scold.

            Megumi lightly took Sarina’s hand and then took Tsubaki’s. “Eh, it’s okay,” he shrugs it off before leading the two girls to the kitchen.

            You were worried about the pizza since Sarina was being picky with what pizza she wanted. There was then a tap on your shoulder, and it seemed like you felt him before you saw him.

            Higuruma looks down on you, a smile tugging his lips. He had a few boxes of pizza balancing on one hand, his free hand still hovering from tapping your shoulder.

            “Hiro! You came!” You say excitedly. You then looked at the pizza noticing that they were from the konbini. “Why’d you bring those…?”

            “I asked him to bring them!” Gojo’s voice says as he approached your side. “Thanks, Mr. Attorney! I’ll send you the money for them!” He then took the pizzas from Higuruma and made his way to the kitchen, where you then heard the exciting squeal of Sarina.

            You look over to Higuruma, who was not wearing a suit and tie, but wore a dark gray button up and black slacks.

            “He asked me to bring them because he knows Sarina is picky with her food,” Higuruma explains when he noticed your confused look. “He also knows that not everyone can stand the grease, so he has different pizza for the others.”

            You release a small breath you were holding. “Thank you so much, Hiro,” you thanked. “She'll eat nuggets too, but after being told about pizza that is what she would want.”

            “She knows what she likes,” Higuruma defends. “Can't hate on that.”

            You only sigh as you nodded. Gojo strolled his way back from the kitchen, phone in hand, as he went to an app to send money to Higuruma.

            “Sarina says ‘Thank you, Uncle Hiro!’” the white-haired man chuckles as he lifts the phone toward Higuruma with the app showing. “I’ll send you the money now.”

            A ping from Higuruma’s phone notified that the payment had been received.

            “Uh, thanks…” was all Higuruma replies with. “It wasn’t a big deal…” There was another notification on his phone, and he gave a frown. “Oh, no…”

            “Trouble in paradise?” Gojo then quips sarcastically.

            “You can say that…” Higuruma mutters darkly. “I hate to be a delivery driver and run off, but Kenna has been hounding me to be home at a certain time.”

            You felt a deep pang in your chest. You should feel happy that like yourself, Higuruma was moving on as well.

            Before you could say anything, a squeal came from the entryway to the kitchen and Sarina ran at full speed to Higuruma. She threw her arms around him in a hug and gently Higuruma put a hand on her head, no patting.

            “Thank you, Uncle Hiro, for bringing the pizza!” Sarina says to him with a large smile.

            Her squeal attracted the attention of Nanami and Yuji who approached. Yuji was excited to see another tyke, while Nanami’s hazel eyes darted between Sarina and Higuruma with confusion etched into his sharp features.

            “Hey, kiddo, I gotta head out, but be sure to thank Gojo for the pizza, he asked me to bring it for you,” Higuruma smiles to Sarina.

            If a pout was audible, Sarina’s could be heard from the moon. She looked so disappointed that Higuruma was going to leave. “But…” she whines.

            “Hey! Let’s get more of that pizza!” Yuji then suggests giddily, trying to diffuse a budding tantrum. “If you like it so much, I have to try it!” He held out his hand for Sarina to slowly grab and was led away. With a giggle, you and Gojo followed as well.

            Nanami gestured to Higuruma. “Outside. Now.” It wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order.

Outside on the sidewalk, Higuruma sighs loudly, feeling Nanami’s harsh glare on him.

            “You wanna explain that?” Nanami asks lowly.

            The attorney spun around to face the blonde. “E-Explain what…?” Higuruma sputters in shock.

            Nanami blinked as though he was asked to bring the moon to Earth. “Sarina,” he says simply.

            The attorney raises a brow. “Um… what about Sarina…?” he questions slowly.

            Nanami threw his hands up in the hair in exasperation. “The girl looks just like you!” he states almost angrily. “I’ve known Sarina since she was born, but seeing the two of you together makes it very obvious.”

            Higuruma growls, “I’m not the donor!” It was defense he had stated repeatedly.

            Nanami scoffs. “Are you fucking sure about that…?” he demands. “I’ve known Gojo since high school, that little girl has none of that egotistical man’s traits, thank God. But now that I think about it, that girl has a lot of traits of you. Frankly, I don’t know which is worse.”

            “Fucking how!?” Higuruma shouts in the middle of the sidewalk, getting the attention of strangers. “Explain how I was the donor when Gojo was the one who fucking jerked off into a cup and Y/N self-inseminated herself! Explain!”

            Nanami frowns. “Shoko mentioned you were drunk at that party,” he recalls. “Did you do anything…?”

            He felt the blood drain from his face. “Are you fucking accusing me of jeopardizing the sample or something…!?” Higuruma was shocked and angry that Nanami would even suggest something of the sort. “You’re talking to a damn attorney, and you’re making these accusations without fucking evidence!?”

            Nanami crosses his arms, a sigh escaping him. “You are correct… I am accusing you,” he replies simply. “I don’t think you did it intentionally… as for evidence, that little girl is all the evidence that is needed.”

            “Fuck off, Nanami!” was all Higuruma shouted before turning on his heel and stalking away, hands stuffed into his pockets.

            The more that Higuruma thought about that night, the more his head ached. By the time he reached his firm and headed up to his apartment, just hearing the sink running from Kenna washing a dish, it irked him to no end.

            “Hiromi…?” Kenna’s voice broke his thoughts. “You look like I just kicked your ass in court.”

            “Not now, Kenna,” Higuruma nearly snapped. He was originally agitated that Kenna had demanded him home in the first place, then the conversation with Nanami did not help. Now this.

            There was crash from Kenna throwing the dish in the sink, shattering it into shards. “Okay, what the fuck is your problem!?” she then shouts at him.

            Higuruma sat in the dining room chair, putting his face in his hands.

            “Nothing,” he grumbles in response, voice laced with agitation.

            Kenna pulled the chair that was across from him. The chair scraped against the flooring, her stone eyes glaring.

            “You mentioned you were going to a party…” Kenna starts, her voice low. “Was she there?” That had to be the reason she had demanded him home so early.

            “Y/N? Yeah, she was,” he replies slowly. “It was Gojo's party. I mainly went to deliver the pizza from the konbini so Sarina would eat-"

            “That little brat was there!?” Kenna hisses bitterly. “You really dropped everything to help her!?”

            “She's four, Kenna!” Higuruma spat, him getting up from his seat, knocking the chair down in the process. “Kids are picky at that age!”

            “You're a full-grown adult and still picky!” Kenna retorts, her hands up in exasperation.

            Higuruma narrows his eyes angrily. “You're acting so unhinged right now!” he screams in frustration.

            “I think I should be, considering how my boyfriend is playing house with another woman!” Kenna snarls. “Especially when the little brat looks more like you than her, and she certainly doesn’t look like that white-haired asshole!”

            “We're not even together officially!” he finally shouts, face reddening.

            The silence that followed was loud. Kenna stayed in her seat, just staring ahead.

            “Are you… fucking kidding me!?” she finally screeches, high and shrill. “So, what, we’ve just been fucking all this time with no emotional attachment!?”

            “Sure, whatever you want to call it!” Higuruma argues, throwing a hand in her general direction. “I’ve never stated that we were together, only you did.”

            “Oh, my fucking God, Hiromi!” she shrieks, standing up from her seat. “This isn’t a fucking court case! This is our lives!”

            “Well, fucking case dismissed!” Higuruma lost it, drilling it in that he was comparing their relationship to court, red faced and a vein almost pulsating from his forehead. “Just fucking leave and I’ll see you in court whenever!”

            Kenna looked almost heartbroken, her eyes widening. “Fuck you,” was all she whispered before grabbing her purse and slipped on her heels, slamming the door behind her. Another door slammed as she had exited the firm.

            Higuruma ended up slamming his chair into the table so hard that the chair made an audible crack! sound. His phone dings, and he pulls it out, ready to throw it against the wall if it was Kenna, or Nanami, or just anyone at this point. It was a voice message from you. He clicked on the text notification and tapped the play button for the message, ready to haul it against the wall if necessary.

            “Uncle Hiro! I took mama’s phone! Thank you again for the pizza! Love you!”

            “Sarina! Stop taking my phone!” The message then ended with Sarina’s high pitch giggling.

            Love you! Sarina’s little voice echoed in Higuruma’s heart, anger dissipating. It felt so natural, like it was always there.

Shoko mentioned you were drunk at that party. Did you do anything…? Nanami’s voice haunted him.

“Did I do anything…?” Higuruma murmurs to himself, desperate for answers. He tries to recall that night at your self-insemination party. His head begins to ache and slowly walks to his bathroom, turning on the sink to let it run to get the water cold while he looked for an aspirin for his dull headache.

The water ran, a constant stream. Yet, it sounded so familiar… Higuruma ended up dropping the pill bottle, the plastic clattering into the sink, the sound of the water softening as it plummeted onto it.

Higuruma froze.

Why… am I getting déjà vu?

The bottle in question was an opaque orange, like many prescription bottles and…

Specimen cups.

Higuruma felt his heart drop. “No… No, no, no, no…!” he gasps in realization.

He remembered seeing the specimen cup on the warmer in your bathroom. He remembered stupidly messing with it. His breathing came in gasps, almost hyperventilating, as he recalled how he jerked off to the memory of you showing off your white dress in front of him.

Then he kept comparing himself to Sarina. The dark hair and eyes. The way she argues against everyone and everything. The pizza from the konbini obsession. The humming while eating.

The way that seemed like everyone was saying that she looked just like him – from Kenna and Nanami to the store clerk when Higuruma took Sarina to get Pokémon stuff.

“Sarina’s… my daughter…”

A/N: Megumi finally meets Y/N and Sarina! And yes, Yuji being excited over Nanami and Machiko is heavily influenced from "Cursed Vessel"

Also, I'm sure we know where Gojo got his "code" from :)

TAGLIST: @shibataimushibataimu, @ane5e, @not-anya, @pandabiene5115, @ohhheymessa, @hikariandptakchleb, @jazzyspaceghost

The second image is meant to be like a YTTD situation with Joe- not actually happening, and just Arturo’s guilt manifesting into a “physical” being.