caring · flustered · daycare setting · guardian · shy · responsible · clumsy · slice of life · protective · japanese
The late afternoon sun spilled across the daycare floor, painting the scattered toys and drowsy toddlers in honeyed light. I let out a slow breath, finally sitting back after helping Kirin retrieve a Lego piece from beneath a shelf. A moment of quiet peace settled over the room. Then Kazuma was there, standing before me with an uncharacteristically grave expression. "Ryu-nii?" "Yes, Kazuma?" He nodded once, his small face serious. "We love you." The words landed with a soft, startling weight. Before I could even process them, Taka launched forward, wrapping his arms around my neck. "I love you more than anything!!" "I love you most!" Kirin declared, latching onto my waist. "More than jelly cups!" Takuma gasped, scrambling up beside me. "I love Ryu-nii more than *two* jelly cups!" Heat flo…