"Huh… this place is quite big," Tsutsumi murmured, tilting his head as he gazed at the large, modern Japanese-style house before him. It was a single-story building surrounded by white marble walls, with an open yard and a small stone path leading to the entrance. The garden was well-kept, though the faint chill in the air gave the place a strangely lonely feel.
"Come on, don't just stand there," Miyabi called, sliding open the front door.
Tsutsumi followed her inside, the faint scent of lavender and dust greeting him. The house was spacious and quiet, too quiet. Despite its clean, elegant appearance, there was a distinct emptiness in the air, the kind that made every footstep echo.
It reminded Tsutsumi of his own place before he took Miyu into his world. Silent and cold. Void of laughter.
"You live all by yourself?" he asked, glancing around the entryway.
"Somewhat," Miyabi replied, her tone calm but distant. "The Hoshimi Family is more focused on politics and business. I'm the only one who chose the path of a warrior, so I live apart from most of them now."
She led him through the quiet hallway and stopped in front of a door. "This will be your room for now. You're free to look around. I'll be in my room for a bit, after I change, we can get dinner."
Before he could reply, she turned on her heel and disappeared down the corridor, leaving Tsutsumi alone.
The room was plain but warm. Tatami flooring, a futon, a low desk, and a set of neatly folded clothes, it was simple, almost traditional, but oddly peaceful. He sat down, running a hand across the tatami.
"Feels… nostalgic," he murmured.
When he stepped back into the hall, Miyabi had already changed from her HSOS 6 uniform into casual wear: a black sweater paired with a white skirt, her hair loosely tied back.
"So, what's for dinner, Miss Miyabi?" Tsutsumi asked, hands in his pockets.
Without looking up, Miyabi pulled out her phone and started tapping rapidly. "Takeout. I don't usually come home often, and my father doesn't either. The fridge's empty, and there's no time to prepare a full meal."
The sound of the front door sliding open interrupted her sentence.
"Dear, I'm home," a deep, calm male voice called.
Both of them turned toward the entryway as a man stepped into view, a tall Fox Thiren with streaks of gray in his brown hair, wearing a black and brown business suit. His sharp, vulpine eyes softened slightly when he saw Miyabi… then widened when he noticed Tsutsumi.
"Oh? I didn't realize we had company."
"This is my father, Hoshimi Souichirou," Miyabi said with her usual composed tone. Then she gestured casually toward Tsutsumi. "And this is my son, Tsutsumi Ryoko."
Souichirou froze mid-step. "...I see. He's your... Wait. HE'S YOUR WHAT!?"
The sound of his voice practically shook the house.
A few minutes later, Miyabi managed to sit him down and explain the situation. Souichirou listened in disbelief, then buried his face in his hands. Tears streamed down his cheeks, not of sadness, but sheer confusion and disbelief. His daughter had never shown the slightest interest in romance, yet now she had brought home a boy and called him her son.
And worse, he looked old enough to be her classmate.
Miyabi awkwardly patted her father's shoulder, unsure how to comfort him. Tsutsumi stood nearby with an amused grin, sipping his water.
He sympathized with the old man's pain, but he wasn't about to give up his new living arrangement. It wasn't every day someone offered him a place to belong, and he wasn't planning on being "unadopted" two hours later.
Unless Miyabi herself threw him out, he wasn't going to abandon her.
After some time, Souichirou finally calmed down, though the look on his face suggested he was still processing his sudden promotion to grandfather.
"Well," he said at last, forcing a smile, "why don't we… cook something together? As a family."
Miyabi hesitated, looking slightly nervous. "That's… not necessary, Father."
"I thought you said the fridge was empty," Tsutsumi added, raising a brow as he opened it, only to find it stocked with meat, eggs, vegetables, and various condiments.
Miyabi froze. "…That wasn't there earlier."
"Sure it wasn't," Tsutsumi replied dryly, shutting the fridge.
Despite her protests, the three ended up in the kitchen together. Miyabi insisted on cooking, claiming she wanted to make something "homemade" for her son, like how her mother used to cook for her.
She handled the knife with the precision of a warrior, slicing vegetables at frightening speed… only for the next moment to fill the air with smoke, flame, and the sharp scent of burnt food.
"...Miyabi," Souichirou said weakly, reaching for the fire extinguisher.
By the time the flames were out, the stovetop was scorched and the meal unsalvageable.
"Huh," Tsutsumi said flatly, staring at the burnt pan. "So you can't cook."
"I can cook," Miyabi replied sharply, ears twitching.
"I don't think adding hot water to instant noodles counts."
Miyabi slowly raised the kitchen knife, then exhaled, setting it down before she did something she'd regret.
Souichirou chuckled nervously. "How about we just eat out tonight?"
And so, the three of them headed to Waterfall Soup, a noodle shop on Sixth Street near Lumina Square.
The atmosphere was… awkward, to say the least. Miyabi sat silently, occasionally sipping her broth. Souichirou kept trying to smile, though every now and then he would glance at Tsutsumi like a man still adjusting to the idea of being a grandparent before fifty.
As for Tsutsumi, he didn't mind the awkwardness. He'd freeloaded plenty of times before, and this felt no different. If anything, it felt almost… peaceful.
The next day, Tsutsumi woke up earlier than both of them, then he fixed the stove and began making breakfast for them early in the morning. This wasn't his first time making breakfast, and it definitely won't be the last.
The morning sun spilled gently through the paper windows, painting the tatami floor in soft gold.
Both Miyabi and Souichirou stirred awake to the faint clatter of dishes and the rich aroma of grilled fish. By the time they made their way to the dining table, they froze at the sight before them.
Tsutsumi stood there, wearing an magenta apron with his usual calm expression, setting down the last dish, steaming white rice, grilled salmon, tofu, miso soup, sea pickles, and tamagoyaki.
"Breakfast is ready," he said simply, wiping his hands with a towel.
The two Fox Thirens sat down, still a little dazed. Then, at the first bite...
"Delicious!"
Both of them thought it at the same time.
"This is… delicious," Souichirou said aloud, his ears flicking lightly as he looked at his "grandson" with a mix of pride and disbelief. "I didn't know you could cook this well."
"I didn't know either," Miyabi added softly, lowering her gaze as she took another bite. Her hand trembled slightly; the flavors reminded her too much of the meals her mother used to make.
Tsutsumi paused, his food halfway to his mouth. He wanted to say "Of course I can, I've been alone for most of my life," but the words got caught in his throat. He forced a small smile instead.
"I… also make lunches."
Miyabi blinked, watching as he take out two neatly packed bentos and handed them to her and Souichirou. "I already made these for you both. You'll need energy for work."
Souichirou chuckled, taking his with a grin. "Ah, now this is nice. Haven't had a homemade bento since Miyabi was a little girl. Maybe I'll brag to my coworkers."
"Don't," Miyabi muttered, but her ears twitched, betraying her embarrassment.
After breakfast, the two prepared to leave for work. Tsutsumi was about to wander off and explore the streets of New Eridu when Miyabi suddenly grabbed him by the back of his neck.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"...To see the city?"
"No. You're coming with me."
Before he could protest, she had already dragged him along, handing him a simple Hollow Special Operations Section 6 jacket.
"Wait, seriously?"
"Yes. Congratulations, you're now a part-time intern."
...
The Section 6 headquarters was advanced to say at least, a little bit more than some worlds he's been to. This place gives off the feeling of a modern, apocalyptic, sci-fi world.
Tsutsumi followed Miyabi from behind. There weren't really many agents here, except for multiple Bangboo handling organizing and delivering files; there were only a few members.
Miyabi's second-in-command, Deputy Chief Tsukishiro Yanagi, approached. Her pink hair gleamed under the fluorescent lights, and her glasses reflected the data screens as she adjusted them slightly.
"So this is the boy causing so much paperwork," she said dryly. "Tsutsumi Ryoko, correct?"
"Correct," he replied, his tone calm and casual.
Yanagi tilted her head, scanning him. "You seem… rather composed for someone who nearly caused an interdepartmental uproar. I'm Tsukishiro Yanagi, Deputy Chief of the Hollow Special Operations Section 6."
Tsutsumi shrugged.
Miyabi sighed, rubbing her temples. "Yanagi, please don't interrogate him. He's here as a trainee under my supervision."
"I'm only observing, Chief," Yanagi replied smoothly. "I must say, though, his background report reads like a bad detective novel. Or maybe a villain origin story."
Tsutsumi smirked faintly, but said nothing. He was half expecting her to suddenly shout "Damn You Decade!" or something similar.
Before the tension could rise further, a cheerful voice cut in.
"Yo, Tsutsumi!"
Soukaku strode over with a wide grin, her tail swaying behind her. "I heard you got hired. Welcome to Hollow Special Operations Section 6."
Behind her, Agent Gulliver gave a polite wave, the combat Bangboo still clearly remembered him from yesterday's incident. "Hello! It's good to have another helping hand."
"Thanks."
Meanwhile, a man with dark blue hair tied with a yellow bandana leaned against a desk, arms crossed. "Asaba Harumasa," he introduced curtly, without moving from his spot. "You look… young. Too young for field work."
"I'm just an intern," Tsutsumi replied smoothly.
Harumasa grunted, clearly disapproving but not daring to say more with Miyabi standing nearby.
Tsutsumi's first day working at the Hollow Special Operations Section 6 was nothing special; he mostly did the same task the other Bangboos was doing, helping deliver files from desk to desk, cleaning, and slacking off with some Bangboos in the corner.
"Got any fives?" Tsutsumi asked, tapping his cards with a smug grin.
"Go fish," the Bangboo named Aiji beeped proudly, shaking its head with a digital chirp, as Tsutsumi drew a card.
From across the room, Yanagi quietly adjusted her glasses as she watched them.Her sharp eyes narrowed, but she ultimately said nothing. Section 6 wasn't exactly the strictest department in New Eridu they were a frontline unit, specialized in Hollow response.
Paperwork wasn't really their forte, and idle moments like this were almost normal between deployments.
At her desk, Yanagi finished signing off a report before glancing at Miyabi, who was reviewing mission data on a tablet.
"Chief Miyabi, what do you want to eat for lunch?" Yanagi asked, her voice calm but carrying that professional tone that never really went away.
Miyabi didn't even look up from her tablet. "No need, Tsutsumi made lunch for me today."
The entire office froze for a second.
Soukaku dropped the pen she was holding and rush over. "Wait, he cooked for you?"
Even Harumasa, who was pretending to check mission logs, raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, and he's quite good at it too," Miyabi said, opening her bento box.
Inside were neatly arranged dishes, seasoned rice with sesame seeds, chicken meatballs glazed in sweet-and-sour sauce, a side of greens, soft-boiled eggs, and a small container of miso soup still steaming faintly.
The aroma quickly filled the office.
"Chief, can I please have a bite!?" Soukaku's voice broke the silence as she leaned halfway over Miyabi's desk, eyes wide with hunger and admiration. Her drool was already threatening to hit the floor.
"Back off, Soukaku," Yanagi said dryly from her seat. "And don't drool, it's unprofessional."
Soukaku pouted, still staring at the meal like a starving puppy. "But it smells so good…"
"This looks… really good," Harumasa admitted, arms crossed, his expression conflicted. He still didn't like the idea of someone with zero training getting into HSOS6 so easily, especially not just because the Chief adopted him, but even he couldn't deny that the kid had skill.
Yanagi leaned slightly to the side, studying the food with interest. "This is surprisingly well-prepared. How come you don't open a food stall or something?" she asked, adjusting her glasses to glance toward Tsutsumi, who was still in the corner with the Bangboos.
Tsutsumi didn't even look up from his cards. "I have my reasons," he said flatly before drawing another card.
Aiji, the Bangboo beside him, beeped proudly. "Got any threes?"
"Go fish!" Tsutsumi muttered.
Soukaku groaned dramatically. "Come on, Chief! Don't be stingy! Just a single bite!"
"No," Miyabi said calmly, taking a bite of her food with elegant precision. "He made this for me. And you all have your own lunches."
"Instant noodles aren't lunch, Chief," Soukaku shot back with mock offense.
Miyabi sighed but smiled faintly, clearly used to Soukaku's antics. "Fine. I'll have him make extras next time."
Soukaku's ears perked up like a fox at feeding time. "Really!?"
Tsutsumi: "Wait what?"
"Maybe," Miyabi said, hiding her smirk behind another bite.