Evening had finally arrived, and a soft, velvety silence had draped itself over the house . Inside their room, Naea had drifted off to sleep while humming a lullaby to Naria. Seeing them like that—mother and daughter sharing their first nap together—felt like looking at a masterpiece. The room was filled with a sense of peace so profound, it seemed as if the entire world's happiness had gathered right there on that bed.
On the other side of the room, Akira was back in her element as a professional editor. Seated at her desk, she was meticulously working through today's book editing tasks. Her focus was sharp, her eyes scanning every line with precision, yet she pressed the keys on her laptop with extreme care. She moved with a practiced silence, ensuring that not even a faint click would disturb the precious sleep of Naea or Naria.
Every few minutes, Akira's gaze would drift away from the screen to steal a glance at the bed. Every time she saw the sleeping figures of Naea and her "little strength," Naria, a smile would touch her lips—a rare, soft expression reserved only for them. She was a strict, formidable editor to the outside world, but here, in the dim evening light, she was simply a protector watching over her heart.
This wasn't just a normal working evening for Akira anymore. For the first time, she wasn't alone with her thoughts and her manuscripts. Her entire universe was right there in the room with her, safe and sound.
Akira's room was dimly lit, the only strong light coming from her laptop screen as she dove deep into Wei Jian's latest manuscript. She was currently on Chapter 5, and as an editor, she could feel the tension building in the plot.
The story focused on two main leads: Fen Tao, a 22-year-old bright and wealthy college student, and Ruoxi, a 24-year-old independent, equally wealthy Computer Science professor. The dynamic was interesting—Fen was brilliant in almost every subject, but when it came to Computer Science, she was surprisingly dull.
To fix this, Fen's parents had arranged for private tuitions with none other than Professor Ruoxi herself.
As Akira scrolled through the lines, she realized the underlying conflict: Fen had zero interest in Computer Science. She was only in that department because she couldn't decide on a path for herself, and her parents had made the choice for her. She was a girl living a life designed by others, sitting in a classroom taught by a woman who was the definition of independent success.
Akira leaned back, her eyes briefly shifting from the screen to where Naea and Naria were sleeping. She couldn't help but draw parallels—life often forces people into roles they didn't choose, until someone comes along and changes the script.
"Wei Jian, you really know how to pull at the heartstrings," Akira thought, her fingers returning to the keys. She began making sharp, precise edits, ensuring that the friction between the rebellious student and the disciplined professor felt as real as the silence in her own mansion.
In the deep silence of the house , Akira's phone suddenly vibrated. The dots symbol ... on the screen sent a familiar chill through her veins. Moving like a shadow, she slipped out of the room, ensuring not a single floorboard creaked to wake Naea or Naria. She reached the drawing area before answering.
"Good evening, Agent CY," a heavy, calculated voice spoke from the other end.
"Evening," Akira replied, her tone as cold as stone.
"Well, I called to discuss a few things..." the Head of the Agency began.
Akira cut him off instantly. "And did I answer just to listen to your nonsense? If you have something to say, get to the point."
A dry chuckle came through the line. "Still as rude as ever. Tell me... how are your days passing lately?"
"Fine," she said, her voice devoid of emotion.
"Well, Akira, you've earned quite a fortune by occupying the Agency's most important missions..." the Head remarked, almost as if reminding her of her debt.
Akira's grip on the phone tightened. 'If we're talking about work, I should just blow the entire Agency sky-high,' she thought bitterly. But aloud, she simply asked, "Is there any issue?"
"No, no issue. I just wanted to see if your life is moving in the right direction."
Akira reminded him firmly that when she commits to a mission, she sees it through to the end—there was never any room for doubt.
"Well, good. That is exactly what I wanted to hear," the Head replied.
Before he could say another word, Akira delivered her final ultimatum. "And from now on, do not call me. If I need the Agency, I will be the one making the call. Understood?"
The Head gave a short affirmation, and Akira ended the call immediately. She stood in the dim light of the drawing room for a moment, pushing the ghost of Agent CY back into the darkness so she could return to being the "Akki" her family deserved.
After ending the call, Akira stood in the silence for a long moment. She glanced at her phone to check her bank balance—a staggering amount accumulated from the Agency's most critical missions and successful approvals. It was more than enough to ensure a life of ultimate luxury or comfortable life for Naea and Naria .
Yet, there was no pride in Akira's mind regarding the money, only a newfound sense of serenity. She made a silent vow to herself: 'Akira, cherish these days of peace while you have them. Make every single moment special for Naea or Naria . In this world, these two are the only ones who bring me actual happiness.' She had officially decided—her real world was now comprised solely of Naea and Naria.
Checking the time, she saw it was already 6 PM. Moving with the discipline of a professional editor, Akira went back into the room, gathered her laptop and Wei Jian's manuscript, and shifted them into her study. She didn't want work to stand between her and her family for the rest of the evening.
As she stepped out of the study, a soft, genuine smile lit up her face. She headed to the kitchen and began preparing dinner. To break the stillness of the mansion, she played some soft, aesthetic music, and to the rhythm of the melody, she began cooking their very first 'home-cooked' meal as a family.
Akira moved through the kitchen with fluid grace, preparing Naea's favorite gourmet dish while carefully making the milk for Naria. Once everything was perfectly plated, she carried the tray into the bedroom, setting it down silently on the side table.
She walked over to the bed, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss on Naea's forehead. "Wake up, Miss," Akira whispered, her voice like velvet. "Evening has arrived while you were dreaming."
Naea blinked her eyes open, glancing at the clock. A look of pure shock crossed her face when she realized she had been out for three hours. "Three hours? How did I sleep that long?" she muttered, still half-lost in sleep.
She sat up and looked beside her. Naria was wide awake, her dark eyes tracking Akira's movements. In fact, she had woken up the moment the scent of warm food and milk entered the room. Naea immediately pulled the little one into her lap, but her motherly instincts flared as she felt a familiar dampness.
"Oh, looks like someone needs a fresh start," Naea said with a soft chuckle.
With the practiced ease of a natural mother, Naea laid Naria back down on the side of the bed and began the delicate process of changing her diaper. Akira stood there, frozen, watching the scene with a look of pure, unadulterated bewilderment. For someone who handled missions and complex manuscripts, this raw, messy side of reality felt incredibly weird. It was the first time she looked truly out of her element.
Naea, completely unfazed, wrapped the soiled diaper into a packet and held it out toward Akira. "Here, take this to the garbage, please. Make sure it's wrapped tight."
Akira stared at the packet in Naea's hand as if it were a ticking time bomb. Her eyes widened in genuine horror. "Me? You want me to throw... that away?"
Naea looked up at Akira with a playful arch of her brow. "Well," she remarked casually, "is there anyone else here I should ask?"
Akira didn't have a comeback for that. With a look of utter defeat, she reached out and pinched the diaper packet with just two fingers, holding it as far away from her body as possible. She turned and marched out of the room like she was carrying a hazardous chemical, making sure her "Hunter" pride stayed intact until she crossed the doorway.
Once she was safely in the hallway and out of Naea's sight, Akira's cool composure crumbled. She immediately used her free hand to pinch her nose shut, muttering to herself about the unexpected "perils" of parenthood. She knew if she did this in front of Naea, she'd never hear the end of it. After disposing of the "evidence" in the garbage and scrubbing her hands with intense focus, she headed back to the room.
Meanwhile, back in the bedroom, Naea had finished changing Naria. She carefully placed the little one in the very middle of the bed, ensuring that even if she tried to roll over, she would be safe. Naea then headed to the washroom, freshening up and drying her hands with a soft towel.
As she stepped back into the room, her eyes fell on the tray Akira had brought. There was her favorite dish, perfectly prepared, and a warm bottle of milk for Naria. A soft, knowing smile spread across Naea's face.
"And she's the one who claims she doesn't like babies..." Naea whispered to herself, her heart melting at Akira's silent care.
She picked up the bottle, settled Naria comfortably in her lap, and began to feed her with a look of pure devotion. Just as Naria began to drink, Akira walked back into the room, her hands clean and her expression reset to its usual calm, as if the "diaper incident" had never happened.
Akira walked back into the room, her hands clean and her composure fully restored. As she approached the bed, Naea looked up from the bottle she was holding for Naria.
"You should eat, Akira," Naea said softly, gesturing toward the tray. "I'll finish feeding Naria first, then I'll have mine."
But Akira didn't pick up her own fork. Instead, she lifted the tray and settled it gracefully on the bed, right in front of Naea. A playful, tender smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Well, Miss," Akira whispered, her voice dropping to that intimate, velvet tone. "If you are busy feeding our little one her food, then it's only fair that I feed my Miss, too."
Before Naea could protest, Akira picked up the chopsticks. With expert precision, she lifted a perfect bite of the Japanese dish and held it out toward Naea's lips.
Naea looked from the chopsticks to Akira's charcoal eyes, which were now glowing with nothing but pure devotion. She couldn't help but smile at the lovely gesture. Without saying a word, she leaned forward and accepted the bite, her heart feeling just as full as the room was with the soft, aesthetic music playing in the background.
The room was filled with a quiet, rhythmic harmony. Naea was focused on feeding Naria, while Akira seamlessly balanced feeding Naea and taking bites of her own meal. It was a synchronized dance of care, a perfect "Circle of Care" that made the grand mansion feel like a cozy home.
Akira watched Naea's effortless movements—the way she cradled the baby, the patience in her eyes—and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
"Naea," Akira said softly, after a quiet moment. "You are honestly amazing at this parenthood thing. You handle her with so much grace... like an experienced mother who has done this for years."
Naea looked up, a gentle, nostalgic smile touching her lips. "It's not always about being a parent, Akira. You don't have to be a mother or a father to know how to care for a soul."
She paused, her gaze drifting for a second as if she were looking back in time. "When Hikari was born, I was the one who cared for her the most out of all the siblings. I used to watch so closely... I observed how Mom and Iyuzi-san looked after her. I learned the language of a baby's needs long ago."
Akira listened, her expression softening. She realized then that Naea's heart had been preparing for Naria for a very long time.
"Hmm," Akira replied with a genuine smile. "That makes a lot of sense. Your heart has always been a sanctuary, Naea."
By the time their quiet dinner conversation drifted to a close, Naria had finished her milk. With a practiced hand, Naea set the empty bottle aside on the nightstand. She moved with a gentle, fluid motion, lifting the infant and settling her small, fragile head against her shoulder.
Naea began to rhythmically pat the baby's back, performing the essential task of burping her. To anyone else, it might have seemed like a small, insignificant gesture, but Akira watched with focused intensity. She knew that in the world of a newborn, this minute action was the key to a comfortable sleep and proper digestion.
"You make even the smallest things look like a ritual, Naea," Akira remarked, her eyes never leaving the two of them.
Naea just smiled, the soft 'thump-thump' of her hand against Naria's back echoing the heartbeat of the room. She was completely in tune with the baby's needs, waiting patiently for that tiny sound that signaled Naria was satisfied .
Naea looked at Akira, a playful glint in her eyes. "Here," she said, carefully handing over the reigns. "Take care of her. Her tummy is full now, and she's perfectly relaxed. Play with her for a bit while I go wash the dishes."
Akira took her place beside Naria, but she looked genuinely bewildered. She stared at the infant as if trying to solve a complex puzzle. "Play? But how? She doesn't even understand anything yet..."
Naea leaned over and gave Akira's forehead a gentle, affectionate flick. Akira blinked in surprise as Naea picked up the dinner tray, a mischievous smirk dancing on her lips.
"Well, Akira," Naea chuckled, "I don't know about other things, but when it comes to babies, you really are a bit of a clueless."
Before Akira could defend her "elite" reputation, Naea continued as she headed toward the door. "Playing doesn't mean a game of chess, Akira. Just talk to her, or use her toys to keep her engaged. Good luck!"
With that, Naea slipped out of the room, leaving the formidable "Agent CY" alone with her smallest and most unpredictable mission yet.
For a moment, the room was silent. Akira shifted closer to Naria, peering down at her tiny features. The second their eyes met, Naria broke into a wide, toothless, and incredibly pure smile. It was so spontaneous and sweet that Akira felt her "tough" exterior melt away instantly.
A genuine smile finally broke across Akira's face. She reached out a finger, letting the baby track her movement. "Alright then," Akira whispered softly. "Since your mom said so, I guess we'll do exactly that, Little Miss."