ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ - ᴊᴜᴊᴜᴛꜱᴜ ᴋᴀɪꜱᴇɴ

Chapter 32

"Meet Panda!" Akira's face radiated happiness as he enthusiastically pushed the Panda into Megumi and the twins' faces.

The twins' eyes lit up with excitement as they gazed at the adorable creature before them. "A Panda! Can we keep it?" they chimed in unison, their enthusiasm palpable.

Akira's expression briefly turned pensive as he pouted slightly. "Sadly, no," he replied with a hint of regret.

The twins didn't seem discouraged by this response; instead, they eagerly asked, "Can we hold it!?"

"Of course," Akira readily agreed, his warm smile returning as he gently placed the Panda into the arms of the delighted twins. 

Their joy at getting to hold the Panda was evident, making the moment even more heartwarming.

"Please be gentle," Panda spoke, surprising everyone in the room.

The twins were so shocked that they nearly fainted upon hearing Panda's voice, their excitement reaching new heights.

Amused by their reaction, Akira giggled as he observed the twins squeezing Panda into a massive, enthusiastic hug.

Turning his attention to Megumi, Akira noticed the awe in his eyes. "It talks," Megumi marveled, clearly astonished by the unusual Panda.

"Yeah, do you want to hold him?" Akira offered, his warm smile inviting.

Megumi nodded with a blush, his curiosity and interest piqued.

With a gentle handoff from Akira, Panda found himself in Megumi's arms. The young sorcerer held the talking Panda with a mixture of wonder and fascination.

Panda, now comfortably cradled by Megumi, couldn't help but speak up again. "Nice to meet you," he said in his friendly, melodic voice, breaking the ice with Megumi.

Megumi's blush deepened, but he managed a shy smile. "Nice to meet you too," he replied, feeling a sense of connection with the unusual creature.

Meanwhile, the twins continued to shower Panda with affection, unable to contain their excitement at this incredible encounter. 

The room was filled with a joyful atmosphere as they all bonded with their new, talking Panda friend, and Akira couldn't have been happier to see the smiles on their faces. 

As a figure entered the living room, they stood in surprise, their gaze locked onto the unusual scene before them—a talking Panda surrounded by three children and a grown-up child, Akira.

Suguru's smile widened as he observed the joyous expressions on the twins and Akira's face as they played with the Panda. 

The heartwarming sight seemed to bring a genuine sense of happiness to the room.

However, when Suguru's eyes met Megumi's figure, he suddenly stilled in shock. There was something about Megumi's appearance that caught his attention, something that reminded him remarkably of Toji. 

The resemblance left Suguru momentarily speechless, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

"Ah, Suguru, why are you here?" Akira asked with a concerned tone, standing up and walking toward him.

"You know you can't be seen," Akira reminded him, emphasizing the need for discretion.

Suguru nodded in understanding. "I know, I just wanted to see how Nanko and Mimiko are doing," he explained, his concern for the twins evident in his voice.

Before Akira could respond, a loud exclamation of "GETO-SAMA!" rang out in the room. Suguru immediately kneeled down in front of the twins, allowing them to hug him tightly.

Akira couldn't help but smile as he watched the genuine happiness on the twins' faces.

Akira couldn't help but glance at Megumi, who appeared somewhat perplexed as he cradled the talking Panda in his arms. 

The sight of Megumi holding the adorable Panda was absolutely adorable.

"I thought Geto Suguru was dead," Panda unexpectedly spoke, breaking the momentary silence.

The room fell into hushed astonishment as everyone's attention turned to the talking Panda, who appeared slightly terrified by the sudden focus on him.

Suguru exchanged a quick glance with Akira, who seemed nervous and caught off guard. "I didn't know he knew," Akira said in his defense, his voice tinged with worry.

Suguru let out a sigh, clearly concerned about the potential consequences of Panda knowing about his true identity. "What are we supposed to do if the panda tells people?" he pondered aloud, the weight of the situation settling in.

However, Panda quickly attempted to reassure them, though his dishonesty was apparent. "I won't tell anyone. I promise," Panda declared, attempting to put their fears to rest.

Megumi, however, wasn't convinced and tightened his hold on Panda. He gazed at Panda with a disappointed expression and remarked, "You're a bad liar." 

"Are we going to kill the panda, Geto-sama?" Mimiko innocently asked, her question sending shockwaves through the room.

Panda, unable to handle the pressure, promptly passed out at the mention of such a dire fate.

Suguru, with a hint of exasperation, quickly intervened. "No, we're not killing anymore, remember?" he reminded everyone, his tone firm but reassuring.

Panda, now relieved and revived, gradually regained consciousness, seemingly spared from the grim fate that had briefly loomed over him.

"You can't say anything, Panda," Akira cautioned, his voice laced with a hint of concern.

Suguru, however, appeared skeptical. "I don't think that's going to help, Akira," he remarked, observing Panda vigorously nodding his head in agreement with Akira's reassurance.

Akira, ever the optimist, scoffed at Suguru's doubts. "Come on, Panda wouldn't tell a soul," he asserted confidently before turning his gaze toward Panda, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Will you?" he asked, seemingly challenging the talking Panda.

"No, absolutely not," Panda responded adamantly.

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"If I find out you said anything, I will come back for you and rip you open and spill your stuffing out and leave you empty," Akira issued a rather gruesome threat, causing Panda to well up with tears.

Regret washed over Akira as he saw the Panda's emotional response. He quickly pulled the talking Panda into a comforting hug. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry. But seriously, don't tell anyone," Akira urged, his tone filled with genuine concern.

After the brief but heartfelt apology, Akira gently set Panda down in front of Yaga's office, ensuring they understood the gravity of the situation. "Remember," Akira emphasized, patting Panda's head affectionately before making his exit from the building.

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Akira entered Suguru's home, following the customary etiquette of removing his shoes before making his way into the living room. There, he found Satoru and Suguru engrossed in yet another intense conversation.

Satoru, ever the perceptive one, was the first to sense Akira's presence.

"What's going on?" Akira inquired, his curiosity piqued as he looked back and forth between the two.

Satoru and Suguru exchanged a significant glance, and then Satoru delivered the news. "We found Yukihira," he announced, a hint of gravity in his voice.