Masanori continues to be a hellion well into his teenage years. He breaks curfew constantly – not out of malice, but out of sheer forgetfulness.

Tonight is no different.

Eventually, Hairu falls asleep. But Ui can’t. He stays up, waiting nervously for his son’s return.

Around 2 am, the door bursts open. 

“Dad! I’m sorry!” Masanori’s voice cracks. “I stayed out late watching Harry Potter with Furuta.”

Of course, my son’s the only person who stays out late to spend time in prison. Ui sighs.

“Did you finish the eighth movie? That one’s my favorite.” Hairu blinks back sleep. She stands in the doorway to their bedroom.

“Furuta’s favorite character is Lucius. I think he wants a bad dad who would give up everything for his son.” Masanori looks sad.

“Oh.” Ui can’t help but pity Uncle Fruit. “Well, who is yours?”

“Since Sirius is dead, Ginny. She reminds me of Mom.” Masanori smiles at Hairu, who grins back.

“You’re like Bill, Ui.” Hairu winks. 

“That would make me your brother!” He sticks out his tongue.

“Uh.” Masanori pales. “I’ll be off to sleep now. Sorry for the wait!”

“We’ve gotta bite the bullet sometime,” Hairu mutters to Ui.

He gulps. “I guess.”

“Whoa. So pretty.” Masanori gazes at the vaulted ceiling and beautiful arabesque walls. “I want to climb them.”

Ui sends Hairu a panicked look. He still hasn’t recovered from Disneyland Tokyo. They only just released the bird back into the wild.

“Mommy, can I try your wine?” Masanori asks. “If I whine enough.”

Hairu has to giggle at the pun. “Did Kaneki tell you to say that?”

“Uh-huh.” Masanori sucks down his soda. “I want to taste it please.”

Ui sighs and holds out his glass. He doesn’t trust Masanori enough to hold it on his own. “Just one sip.”

Masanori puckers his lips. “It’s bitter.”

Ui nods. 

“Why do adults like icky food?” Masanori eyes the menu. 

“Because when you’re an adult, icky food tastes good,” says Hairu.

“That sounds sad.” Masanori pauses. 

“They have shrimp tempura,” Hairu teases.

Masanori’s eyes widen. “I like the crunchies.”

Ui breathes a sigh of relief. 

In fact, they make it almost the entire way through the meal before disaster strikes. Sure, Masanori has crumbs all over his face, but he’s happy.

And then.

And then.

He reaches for his soda. It falls onto the white tablecloth. 

“Oh no!” Masanori clutches the tablecloth, accidentally yanking all their dishes along with it. “Ah!”

Plates, glasses, and silverware crash to the floor. Masanori is covered in tempura remains and sake.

Waiters rush over, and Hairu has to laugh. Ui has to refrain from crying as they apologize.

“I’m sorry,” Masanori whispers.

“It’s okay.” Hairu wipes her eyes and grabs Masanori to carry him to the restroom to wash off. She had expected nothing less this entire night. But she just wanted Masanori the chance to experience a fancy restaurant, the kind she never got to visit as a kid. 

Ui nods as he helps the waiters. It’s embarrassing, every day with Masanori is adventurous and embarrassing. And he loves it.

Why thank you, Nonny-Mouse!

“Of course. Of course, we’ve lost Masanori again,” Ui mutters.

“Where could he be?” Hairu cranes her neck. “I don’t see him anywhere!”

They push their way through the crowd.

“Maybe he’s in the swings,” Hairu says desperately. She can’t help but fear that someone kidnapped a quarter-ghoul child for vengeance.

“Let’s check his favorite characters,” Ui suggests.

“I have a better idea,” Hairu says weakly. She lifts a shaking finger behind them.

“Huh?” Ui turns around. He shrieks.

Because Masanori is scaling the castle roof. 

“Who taught him to climb?” Ui cries.

“Eto is his aunt and Shio and Furuta his uncles; how are you surprised?” Hairu shoots back. 

They race towards the castle base, where security is already trying to coax him down.

But, naturally, he doesn’t listen. He just climbs higher.

“Masanori!” Hairu wails.

“You know this kid?” demands a guard. 

“He’s our son,” Ui says weakly. Parents walk by, shaking their heads at them.

If they found out he’s part ghoul, they’ll hate him even more. Would the guards even try to rescue him? Ui’s anger ignites. It isn’t fair.

“Do you think you can talk him down? He’s awfully high.” The man is sweating, and Ui kinda hates him.

“What’s he looking at?” Hairu notices a speck on the roof as Masanori hoists himself onto the ledge. Her heart pounds.

He cradles it in his palm and totters back towards the edge of the roof.

“Be careful!” Hairu yells. 

“Well, careful for being on the roof of a castle surrounded by security,” Ui says.

Security rushes through with a ladder, and Ui breathes easier. “Hang on, Masanori!”

When Masanori finally reaches the ground again, Hairu and Ui rush over. “What were you doing?”

Masanori holds up a bird with a broken wing. “I saw a birdy fall and I wanted to save it, Mommy.”

Ui sags against Hairu. His boy is truly the best.

“MOMMY! DADDY!” Masanori races into their room. “Santa came!”

“Oh, did he?” Hairu smiles sleepily. She checks her phone. It’s 5 am. Hell. 

“He did!” Masanori bounces up and down. “I was scared he wouldn’t like ghouls, but apparently he still thinks I’m nice.”

“I’d be more afraid of the naughty part than the ghoul part,” Ui teases, tickling his son.

Masanori shrieks. “Come help me open my presents!”

“Sure.” Hairu had planned to bake melon buns before the child awakened, but she clearly overestimated his excitement. She never got to celebrate Christmas in the Garden, though, so she’s secretly happy he woke up so early.

“Here you go.” Ui plops a Santa hat on Hairu’s head and a stocking on Masanori’s. 

“What about you?” Hairu shivers with glee.

Ui shoves a bright red nose on himself. “I’m Rudolph.”

Their family dances downstairs to the Christmas tree.

“Masanori, we have some news for you.” Hairu watches their child stuff his face with a “ginormous” ice-cream sundae. Topped with his – and her – favorite strawberries. Ui prefers hot fudge.

“Hmm? What?” He looks up, sticky pink smeared across his cheeks to match his hair. 

Ui squeezes her hand. “You’re going to be a big brother.” 

They hold their breaths. This could go either way.

Masanori squeals with glee. “REALLY?!” He tilts his head back to smile at the ceiling. “Me, a big bro! I’ll get to teach him all the things.”

“Could be a she,” Hairu jokes.

Masanori makes a face. “I don’t care. I want my little person.”

Someone else to play with! To spy on the adults! To help him sneak cookies from the cabinet! This is awesome!

He quivers with excitement. “When?”

“In a few months. It’s growing in my tummy.” Hairu pats herself.

“Oh.” Masanori frowns, and then he asks the dreaded question. “How?”

“Masanori, put on your coat.” Hairu holds out the bright yellow jacket he typically loves.

“No!” Masanori stomps his foot. 

“Masanori, what’s wrong?” Ui notices large tears pooling in his child’s eyes.

“I don’t wanna go!” he wails, falling to the floor. “I don’t wanna! Don’t make me!”

Hairu shoots Ui a worried look and kneels besides him. “Why don’t you wanna, Masanori?”

“Because.” He hiccups. 

Ui raises his eyebrows. “Are you tired?”

“No!” 

“Do you feel sick?” Hairu asks.

“No!” Masanori scrunches up his face like he’s going to cry again.

“Then why?” Ui asks, yanking out several strands of his own hair.

“IT’S WET!” Masanori points the the rain outside. “I don’t wanna get wet!”

Hairu sputters with laughter. “Oh, Masanori, I’m sorry.”

“Are you sure?” Ui smiles. “We can go splash in puddles.”

“Puddles’re wet!”

“Yes, but they also have mud. And worms. Maybe you can get a worm pet,” Ui suggests, even though his stomach roils at the idea of worms.

Masanori stops crying. “A pet?”

“Yes.”

“Can I name it Squirmy the Wormy?”

“I think that’s perfect,” says Hairu.

Masanori clamors to his feet. “Put my jacket on, Mommy! Daddy and I are gonna find the biggest worm ever.”