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"Who do you think it could be?"The mess hall is buzzing, because of course it is a lunchtime. Everyone in the First Division is here, grabbing their meals, hunting for seats, or already digging into their food. It’s loud, chaotic, but just another normal day.Except today, the vibe is different.Gen is on everyone's lips in the mess hall. Narumi Gen, the First Division commander. The top boss, the one with the most power in the area, an Alpha leading the strongest squad made up of all genders.Yeah, that Gen.“So, he’s married now?” Someone blurts out, catching a few off guard.“Oh, true! If he’s got one of those, then he must be married, right?”“Wait, who’d even want to marry that guy?”“Or, like, maybe he’s not married?”“Well—”The chatter dies instantly when the mess hall doors swing open. There he is. The man of the hour, standing in the doorway like he owns the place. Gen’s got that classic don’t mess with me energy, Kaiju Eyes on full display, daring anyone to push their luck.Gen showing up at the mess hall? Totally normal. The guy’s too lazy to eat anywhere else. But today? Today’s different. He’s carrying a kid.Yep, you heard that right. A kid.On one arm, a tiny human clinging to him like a baby koala. On the other, a kid-sized bag with a cartoon on it. The whole thing is surreal. The room goes dead quiet. Whispers ripple through the crowd, every single person locked on the sight of Gen and the kid heading toward the food stall.“Tell me I’m not crazy, but doesn’t that kid look exactly like him?” someone whispers.The kid’s head rests on Gen’s shoulder, and now that you’re looking closer, it’s like a mini version of him. If someone says Gen married himself, got pregnant, and had a baby, people might actually buy it, seeing how alike they are and let’s be real, Gen loves himself way too much. But yeah, that’s not a thing, Gen’s an Alpha, and there’s no tech for that. Same messy, two-toned hair. Same magenta eyes, though on the kid they’re more adorable than terrifying. His little hand grips Gen’s jacket like it’s the safest place in the world, and the other clutches a stuffed Skitty plushie like it’s a treasure.The kid’s just sitting there, all cute and oblivious to the chaos he’s causing. When they reach the food stall, he perks up, eyes sparkling as he scans the trays.“Papa, I want cake,” he says, voice tiny but clear, with the tiniest pout that could melt steel.Aww, cue collective from the entire mess hall.“No cake right now,” Gen replies, his tone flat but with a hint of exhaustion. You can tell this isn’t the first time he’s dealt with this request. “Later. Let’s eat first.”“Later?”“Yeah, later. But first, food. Okay?” The kid nods.That's when the kid spots the curry and instantly switches gears. "I want that!" he shouts, pointing, completely forgetting about the cake incident. "And that too!" He points again, so hyped up that the chef behind the food stall can’t help but laugh.The chef chuckles as he loads up the tray. “Your kid’s got a healthy appetite, Commander,” he teases, clearly testing his luck.Gen just shrugs and grabs the drink the kid pointed to, heading over to an empty table in the corner. He doesn’t even argue with the chef’s comment, and everyone can’t help but conclude: yep, that kid’s definitely Gen’s.There’s no baby chair, so Gen ends up holding the kid, who’s super into scooping curry rice like it’s the most exciting thing ever. Rice is falling everywhere, all over his clothes, the table, even Gen’s pants, but he couldn’t care less. Every time he chews, his cheeks puff up, and some of the others are ready to pinch his cute little face. It’s honestly wild to see Narumi Gen, the quirky, carefree commander, looking all dad-like and patient.“He eats like a chipmunk!”“Oh my god, look at those cheeks. I wanna squish them so bad.”Gen glares at them like, Shut up and eat your own food, but doesn’t actually say anything. Instead, he focuses on wiping the kid’s face every now and then, looking weirdly patient.“Yummy!” the kid suddenly pipes up, his voice filled with pure joy.And just like that, the entire room collectively dies from cuteness overload.First day on base, and the kid’s already a superstar. Gen, meanwhile, looks like he’s aged ten years, pinching the bridge of his nose like, What have I gotten myself into? One week of this? He might not survive.***The child's name is Rei, Narumi Rei.The name slipped out of Hasegawa’s mouth after getting dragged around by the squad, his arms sore, his patience thinner than rice paper. Someone asked, someone tugged, and boom, the name escaped.Gen? Not even a flinch. He just nodded when Hasegawa mumbled a half-hearted apology.Hasegawa’s one of the few who actually knows where Rei came from and why Gen brought him to the base, which, by the way, pissed off Gen’s partner. A base isn’t a place for a kid, they argued, but Gen had no other options. So, Rei stayed.Rei is too cute for this world. The whole squad is whipped. Every day, someone accidentally strolls past Gen’s office, hoping for a glimpse of the kid. But nope, Gen keeps Rei inside. “Too dangerous,” he says. Dangerous from what? No clue.Then there’s Miyake, the hero or the victim, depending on who you ask. He shows up one day, awkwardly holding a tiny cake. Gen stares at him like he’s grown a second head.“For Rei-chan,” Miyake mumbles.At the mention of his name, Rei looks up from his pile of blocks, curious. He waddles over, and Miyake instantly crouches to meet him at eye level.“Rei-chan, do you like cake? Uncle brought some for you!” Rei blinks up at him, his eyes squinting in thought.“Thanc’, but I like monben’ better.”“Monben?”“Yeah, monben’!”Miyake’s totally lost in baby talk, trying to figure it out, but there’s no cake called "monben'". He frowns, then looks at Gen, who’s just smiling at the kid."It’s Mont Blanc," Gen says, picking up on Miyake’s confusion.And yeah, just like that, a new tradition is born.These days, Rei’s hardly ever in the commander's office because the division members have started taking turns walking the kid around. At first, they came up with “official” excuses like “helping the commander with his kid since he’s buried in paperwork” or “showing Rei around the base since he’ll probably spend his whole life here,” but really, they just wanted to hang out with that adorable angel.Rei, who used to be super shy, has gotten used to the constant attention. He’s usually seen chilling in someone else’s lap every day. Sometimes he’s in the operator’s room pretending to be super serious while checking the monitors like Gen. Other times, he’s walking around the base holding someone’s hand and hugging his precious Skitty plushie, even though Gen’s hunting for him all over the place. His sweet smile makes everyone forget their work and even makes Gen forget his frustrations.“Rei-chan! Want some hot chocolate?” Shinonome calls, handing him a cute cup with a funny design.“Sure! Does it have ‘mellow in it?” Rei asks seriously, making everyone laugh.‘Mellow? Kyaaa, too cute!On the flip side, Gen’s getting a bit overwhelmed with how Rei’s become the unofficial mascot of the First Division. It’s not a big deal since other people are watching him, but he worries about Rei running around the base. He keeps getting strange reports like, “Rei-chan's playing with toy planes in the training room,” or “Rei-chan’s having a picnic on the rooftop,” or “Rei-chan’s sword-fighting,” using the toy sword he’s carried around since day one.“I wanna play this. Like Daddy, shing shing shing!” Rei said one day, and everyone jumps in to be his sparring partners.Daddy who? Isn’t Gen called Papa?But that thought quickly fades as Rei expertly swung the sword, leaving everyone in awe.“I’m giving you guys ten seconds to bring him back to this room,” Gen warns in a low voice, his heart racing when he hears that Rei’s being taught to shoot with a training gun. The problem? If someone finds out, it’s Gen who’ll be in trouble.Also, ever since that Mont Blanc incident, Rei’s requests have turned into some sort of challenge for the division members wanting to win his attention. So every day, someone brings Mont Blanc from some fancy bakery just to impress him.“Commander, can I give Rei-chan this?” Tachibana asks, showing a Mont Blanc topped with strawberries from a high-end bakery in the city. He and a few others pooled their money to get it for Rei.“No,” Gen says bluntly while feeding Rei some spinach. The kid’s eyes light up when he sees the cake, but Gen’s cold tone shuts him down.“But—”“No.”But Gen can’t deny it, Rei’s brought a whole new energy to the base. Even though the constant attention and the worry about surprise Kaiju attacks make him anxious, seeing Rei’s smile just makes everything feel warmer. Even Hasegawa, who’s usually all business, can’t help but smile when talking to Rei.The whole base feels a lot different now. It’s like Rei brought this new light into their lives, and everyone around him.But one day, the question comes up again.If Gen has a kid, does that mean he’s married?It could be an unwed situation, since no omega woman or man has come forward to claim Rei, but it’s odd that Rei’s already three and Gen only brought him to the base now. I mean, how many years has he been a commander? It's been forever, at least.“Rei, Daddy’s calling,” Gen says from the door of the training room.Rei, who’s in the middle of sword-fighting (for some reason, everyone always plays with him because he’s super insistent), tosses the sword aside and grabs Gen’s phone, jumping up excitedly.“Daddy!” he shouts.The voice on the other end laughs, and Gen scoops Rei up and carries him away.At that moment, Rei’s with Shinonome, Tachibana, and Miyake. They’re all frozen, staring at where Gen and Rei just were.'Daddy' must be different from 'Papa', right? So 'Daddy' must be someone else.That means Rei’s ‘mom’ has to be a guy. An omega guy who’s probably still close with Gen, given the smile Gen flashed earlier.“Who?” they ask in unison.But no answer comes that day. At least they have two facts to work with now.Fast forward to another day.It’s early morning, and they’re in the mess hall. Rei’s sitting on Gen’s lap as usual, joining in with the morning training session. He’s busy eating a bowl of curry with his favorite meat. Rei’s been at the base for a week, and there’s this weird thing the whole division’s noticed: every time he takes a bite, he always shuts his eyes.“So cute!” one of the members whispers.“He looks even cuter when his eyes are closed, and his cheeks are so chubby. He looks like his Skitty plushie,” another one laughs.Rei, oblivious to the attention, is just focused on his food, puffing out his cheeks with every bite.“But… Other than looking like his plushie, he kinda looks like someone?” one of them wonders.“Yeah, who does he look like?”“He feels so familiar, but who?”The conversation about who Rei resembles doesn’t go anywhere, and they eventually drop it and head off to training. Of course, Rei tags along, sitting quietly in the corner. He’s so smart. He knows exactly when to join in and when to chill. He gets tons of candy for being so well-behaved.Not long after, the Kaiju attack alarm blares, and the atmosphere inside the base shifts into high alert. The First Division springs into action, moving fast to get ready for the incoming threat. Gen takes charge, directing the troops to the attack location, while Hasegawa dives into strategy discussions with the Kaiju intel from Kurusu, the operator.The battle with the Kaiju is intense, but the First Division works like a well-oiled machine to contain the damage. Everyone’s laser-focused on the mission, and things are going smoothly.It doesn’t take long for them to clear the area and make sure everything’s secure, with Gen leading the charge. But for some reason, something feels off, like they’ve forgotten something in the chaos of the alarm.“Oh crap, Rei-chan!” Tachibana’s voice rings out, and suddenly everyone freezes, realizing what they’d completely overlooked.Rei.“Rei-chan’s still in the training room, Commander. We gotta go back!” Tachibana says urgently.Panic spreads like wildfire. A few team members even call the operator to check on Rei, who’d been left behind in the rush.“Relax,” Gen says, weirdly calm. “Someone’s watching him.”Huh? Someone who?When they rush back, ready to apologize to a traumatized Rei, they find him totally fine. Actually, more than fine. He’s chilling with Hoshina Soshiro. Yeah. That Hoshina. Vice-commander of the Third Division. Gen’s arch-nemesis.“Papa!” Rei calls out, spotting Gen. He tries to run to him, but Soshiro stops him with a hand on his shoulder.“Not yet, sweetheart. Papa smells,” Soshiro says casually.“Smells?” Rei giggles.“Yup.”The little one giggles, covering his nose like he’s teasing Gen, who just shakes his head and sighs. But that smile? Still there. And that calm, almost eerie look he gives bumps the weirdness level to a whole new level.The thing is, the person hanging out with Rei right now? Hoshina Soshiro, the Vice-Commander of the Third Divison. And for Gen, the Commander of the First Division, Soshiro’s basically his arch-nemesis. Like oil and water, cats and dogs, this pairing is just not meant to work.“I’m gonna shower,” Gen says casually, like he’s saying bye to both Soshiro and Rei, throwing a playful yet pointed look that makes Rei squeal, cling to Soshiro like his life depends on it. Gen walks out, leaving everyone frozen in place.It’s weird, though. Why does it feel like Rei and Soshiro are way too chill with each other?“You guys did great today. Get cleaned up,” Soshiro breaks the silence like it’s no big deal.“Y-yeah, thanks, Vice-Commander Hoshina. We’ll head out now,” they mumble, quickly moving toward the door.Some of them are still in shock, seeing Rei and Soshiro together like that. They’re used to seeing Gen be super protective of Rei, so watching him leave Rei with someone else -someone Rei’s just met- throws them off. When Rei was first brought here, Gen didn’t leave his side for days. But now, how did he let go so easily?Hold up... wasn’t this the first time Soshiro and Rei even met?“You’re here, Soshiro?”“Yeah, Hasegawa-san. I’ll take Rei back now—”The door shuts, and that’s the last they hear of it.But something’s definitely off. The Vice-Commander of the Third Division, Hoshina Soshiro, is taking Rei? Narumi Rei, Gen’s kid?How the heck did that happen?***Let’s lay out the facts:
Narumi Gen has a kid named Narumi Rei.
Narumi and his partner are clearly still close.
Rei-chan’s other parent is a male omega, because Rei-chan calls him 'Daddy' and Gen is an alpha.
“What if it’s a woman who just prefers to be called Daddy?” Miyake pipes up, only to get a smack upside the head.“Dumbest idea ever!”
4. Rei-chan loves Mont Blanc.
5. Rei-chan loves playing with toy swords.
6. Rei-chan owns a Skitty plushie.“Why are we listing his hobbies now?” someone asks.“Shut it. I’m trying to connect the dots,” Shinonome snaps, scribbling furiously on a piece of paper like a detective in a crime drama.
7. Rei-chan has this habit of closing his eyes while eating, which oddly reminds everyone of someone familiar.
8. Rei-chan is super comfortable with Hoshina.
9. Narumi seems totally fine with Rei-chan being close to Hoshina.
10. Hoshina wants to take Rei-chan along.“Oh?”“Oh!”The training room goes quiet. They’re all gathered around Shinonome’s notes, eyes darting between the scribbles like it’s the blueprint for the truth. They were supposed to be training, but with everything that just went down, there’s no way anyone’s focusing on drills. Their practice session has turned into a full-blown conspiracy meeting.“Wait,” someone interrupts. “Aren’t Gen and Hoshina supposed to hate each other? Since when do they get along?”“They’re probably just pretending,”Miyake throws out. Cue the death glares from the rest of the group. “You’ve seen them bicker, though, right? It’s totally giving married-couple energy!” Miyake defends himself, raising his hands to block a swing from Tachibana.“…You know what? He’s kinda got a point,” someone murmurs.“And don’t forget, Hoshina-san is an omega,” another chimes in.That statement lands like a bombshell.Hoshina Soshiro. An omega. One of the most powerful in the JAKDF, holding the second-in-command position in the Third Division. The only person who can go toe-to-toe with Narumi Gen, the strongest alpha in Japan, not just in physical strength but in sheer willpower. Soshiro is the only one who can shut Gen down, sometimes with nothing but a cutting remark.Shinonome points at the paper dramatically. “If Hoshina-san really is the other parent, then Rei-chan’s obviously their kid, right?”“Well, duh. Who else would it be?” Tachibana replies, sounding exasperated. “But like… how?”“Yeah, seriously. How does that even happen?”Everyone goes silent, the gears in their heads spinning as they try to make sense of it.“But if Rei-chan is their kid, that means Hoshina-san had to be the one who… y’know, got pregnant,” Miyake says. “Kinda adorable, if you think about it.”The conversation ends with Miyake letting out a sudden, dramatic screech, leaving everyone baffled in the now eerily quiet training room.***Morning training feels weirdly empty without Rei’s sleepy face and his adorable baby scent to cheer everyone up. The energy dips the moment they realize Rei isn’t strapped to Gen’s chest or back like usual.Rei is officially gone.Jogging laps around the field drags painfully slow until Gen starts barking orders, threatening extra laps, which barely lights a fire under anyone. Even then, their pace is a joke.When training ends, they shuffle to the mess hall for breakfast, their spirits still low. But there, at the usual corner table, they spot the missing piece of their day: their sunshine, their mascot, happily shoving food into his mouth with the clumsy confidence only a kid can pull off.“Eat lots of Monben’! Everything here’s so yummy!” Rei beams, cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk.“Oh? Is that so?” replies a calm, familiar voice.It’s Hoshina Soshiro.“Daddy ‘cnot leaving again?”“Yeah. The joint training’s done. I’m not going anywhere now.”Yes, the Hoshina Soshiro, the Third Division’s Vice-Commander and Gen’s rival-slash-whatever-they-are. The same Hoshina who might actually be Rei’s other parent, judging by all the whispers floating around base.He’s sitting comfortably at Gen’s usual table, looking completely at home. Rei, perched on the edge, swings his legs wildly as he chats. The food spilling everywhere doesn’t faze Soshiro, who smiles warmly and listens like Rei’s words are pure gold.“Daddy, look! Swords go shing-shing!” Rei exclaims, brandishing his spoon like a weapon and sending bits of rice flying.Soshiro wipes Rei’s face gently with a wet napkin, cleaning his messy hands with practiced ease. He even tidies up the table between bites. Every movement is efficient but soft, decidedly parental. At that moment, Soshiro doesn’t just look calm. He looks motherly.“What are you all staring at?”The comment makes them all turn toward the door. Standing in the mess hall entrance is Gen, arms crossed, watching Rei and Soshiro with an unreadable expression. His gaze shifts between them, lingering for a moment before a sly grin starts to spread across his face.Without missing a beat, Gen strides over, confidence radiating with every step. Ignoring the wide-eyed stares from his subordinates, he stops right behind Soshiro, leans in, and casually wraps his arms around his waist.Before anyone can process what’s happening, Gen presses a quick kiss to Soshiro’s cheek, a soft but undeniably cheeky move that leaves no room for subtlety. The energy in the room shifts immediately, from shock to absolute chaos.“Papa!” Rei yells, his little fists clenching in outrage. Standing on the table, he nearly slips in a puddle of sauce but still lunges forward, determined to separate Gen from Soshiro. His scrunched-up face is a mix of anger and heartbreak.“Stop it, Papa! Don’t bother Daddy!” Rei’s eyes glisten, his little hands shoving at Gen’s body with all the determination in the world, though it’s no match for Gen’s unmovable build.Gen just laughs, clearly enjoying his son’s meltdown. Instead of letting go, he tightens his hold and sneaks another kiss, grinning mischievously. “Why so mad? Papa missed Daddy,” Gen teases.“Stop it! Waaah! Stop iiiit!” Rei cries, fists pounding against Gen.“Hmm, kiss, kiss,” Gen mocks in Rei’s baby voice and the little one’s crying just gets louder, his wails filling the whole mess hall. The sweet, fatherly vibe from before disappears in a flash, replaced by Gen’s playful, bratty side, one that’s always there, full of teasing and that carefree energy.“Gen, let go,” Soshiro says firmly, his voice calm but decisive. He doesn’t pull away from the hug, though. Maybe he doesn’t mind or maybe he missed Gen, too.“Daddy…” Rei whines, clutching Soshiro’s hand and giving it a little tug, clearly wanting attention. His face is all flushed, lips sticking out in a pout, looking adorably grumpy. His hair’s a mess, just like Gen’s, and his eyes are all red from crying. If Gen were little and crying like this, he’d probably look exactly like this, a mini version of himself from the past“Daddy’s mine!” Rei yells, grabbing Soshiro's free hand like his life depends on it.“Daddy’s Papa’s. Kiss, kiss,” Gen fires back, tightening his grip just to mess with Rei.“Daddy’s MINE!”“Commander, enough.”Shinonome’s stern voice cuts through the chaos. She stands tall, looking every bit like a knight ready to defend his little prince, she puts a stop to what she sees as a never-ending drama caused by Gen’s childlike behavior. To her, it’s more than just antics, it’s almost bullying towards Rei, and for some reason, she feels like she has to step in. Even though she’s still shocked by the truth that Hoshina Soshiro is Gen’s partner and Rei’s other parent, there’s something way more pressing right now.“Yeah, Commander, let go of Hoshina-san,” someone else chimes in.Soshiro and Gen watch in shock as their team gathers, looking like they’re about to protest. They’re all giving Gen that look, like he just did something way out of line, and now they’re ready to hand down the judgment.“You guys do know he’s my husband, right?” Gen asks, baffled, still not letting go of Soshiro but turning his head just enough to face his team, who are clearly not happy with the situation. Gen’s eyebrow twitches in annoyance, ready to snap.“Sure, but look at Rei-chan. He’s bawling,” someone says, arms crossed.Unbelievable."What—?"“Seriously, you should sit down, Narumi. Poor Rei-chan,” someone pulls at Gen’s shirt from behind, making him finally let go of Soshiro. Rei wastes no time. He dives straight into Soshiro’s waist, his tiny arms unable to meet because of the size difference. His face presses into Soshiro’s chest.“Hasegawa? I’m your commander!” Gen grumbles, trying to regain control of the situation.A few of the team members nod in appreciation to Hasegawa, who’s practically dragging Gen away from Rei and Soshiro, who have now made their own little cozy corner.“Go on with your breakfast, Hoshina-san. You too, Rei-chan,” Shinonome says, nodding like a self-appointed mediator.“Thanc’!” Rei chirps, sticking his tongue out at Gen from over Soshiro’s shoulder.“Oi, Shinonome, start calling him Narumi from now on,” Gen grumbles. “Since you all know the deal, might as well make it official. His name’s not Hoshina anymore. It’s Narumi Soshiro. Narumi—”“Shut up and eat,” Hasegawa interrupts, shoving a piece of meat into Gen’s mouth. Gen gives him a dirty look, but Hasegawa’s totally unfazed. Meanwhile, some of the others start quietly talking about how Gen’s acting too childish with Rei, and it’s gonna mess with the little guy’s head if it keeps up.Whatever.Gen’s ears turn bright red from the endless chatter of his subordinates. He looks over at his family across the room, and his gaze locks onto Soshiro. Soshiro gives him a sly little smile, like he’s low-key enjoying the mess Gen's in. His eyes are soft, but there's something more, something that hits Gen right in the chest. That smile, so chill, but it brings back all those feelings Gen’s been holding in. Without saying a word, just that look from Soshiro makes Gen’s heart race, like everything he’s been feeling comes rushing back all at once.Then Gen looks over at Rei, his mini-me. Same eyes, same hair, same expression. Rei’s now giving Soshiro all the kisses, as if he’s trying to show Gen how it’s done.“Daddy’s Rei’s! Kiss, kiss!” Rei giggles, copying Gen’s earlier actions, but with way more energy.Ugh.Gen just sighs, biting into the food Hasegawa shoved into his mouth, while Rei continues to steal the spotlight. Looks like the truce is over.
Alright, Rei. Game on. Let’s see who gets the last laugh this time.