Me and My Manager!

Chapter 23: Nen Chan is here

Natsu returned home, a shopping bag clutched in his hand. A sense of satisfaction washed over him as he unlocked the apartment door.

"I'm home!" he announced, his voice echoing through the empty space.

A small figure emerged from the kitchen, a five-year-old boy with a curious expression and a finger in his mouth.

"Pa Chan!" the boy exclaimed, his face lighting up as he rushed towards Natsu, throwing his arms around Natsu's leg.

Natsu crouched down, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "Pa Chan brought a gift for Nen," he said, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

Nen's eyes widened in excitement. "Ah, yea, gift!" he squealed, jumping up and down with anticipation.

Natsu picked up Nen and carried him into the kitchen. "Go wash your hands, Nen," he instructed softly.

Nen nodded enthusiastically, a wide grin spreading across his face. He scampered off to the bathroom, his tiny feet padding against the floor.

Natsu placed the shopping bag on the old chabudai table, a simple wooden table that had been in the family for generations.

Nen returned, his hands clean and his face sparkling with excitement. "Pa Chan, Nen washed his hands," he announced proudly.

Natsu chuckled. "Very good, Nen," he praised. "Now come here to Pa Chan," he said, opening his arms for a hug.

Nen eagerly climbed onto Natsu's lap, his small body snuggling into Natsu's embrace.

Natsu opened the box, revealing a small, strawberry-topped cake. Nen's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Cake! Nen loves cake!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Natsu in a tight hug.

Natsu chuckled, ruffling Nen's hair. "Pa Chan loves Nen," he replied, his voice filled with affection. He took a spoon and scooped out a bite of cake, feeding it to Nen.

Nen's eyes closed in delight as he savored the sweet treat. "Mm... delicious," he murmured, his mouth full.

With a playful grin, Nen took a spoon and fed Natsu a bite of cake. "Say aa," he demanded, imitating Natsu.

Natsu opened his mouth obediently, allowing Nen to feed him the cake. "Is it good?" Nen asked, his face full of anticipation.

Natsu nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. "Hai," he replied.

As they finished their cake, Nen went to wash his little hands while Natsu placed the empty plates in the sink.

Returning from the bathroom, Nen yawned, his cute eyes heavy with sleep. He stumbled towards Natsu and grabbed his legs for support.

Natsu scooped Nen up in his arms, the little boy immediately snuggling into his father's chest. Natsu began to gently pat Nen's back, a soothing rhythm that lulled the child to sleep.

Once Nen was fast asleep, Natsu carried him to another room. A blanket was already laid out on the floor, a simple yet comfortable sleeping arrangement. Gently, Natsu placed Nen on the blanket, tucking him in with a soft blanket. He kissed Nen's forehead before turning off the lights and leaving the room, a sense of peace washing over him.

Natsu sat on the chabudai, his mind focused on managing his newfound income. He carefully removed the money from the envelope, separating it into different stacks for various expenses. A significant portion was set aside for Nen, placed in a small envelope labelled "Nen." He then took a smaller amount for himself.

Natsu carefully placed the envelopes containing the money underneath the chabudai table, ensuring their safety.

He then retrieved a small ice pack from the shopping bag and headed to the bathroom. Standing in front of the cracked mirror, he took off the glove he wore to hide his injury and applied the ice pack to his injured hand.

As he looked at his reflection, his mind wandered back to the earlier encounter with Lara. He couldn't deny that her actions had affected him, albeit subtly. Somewhere, he realized he was being a little wrong.

With a sigh, he removed the ice pack.

As Natsu turned to leave, his mind still preoccupied with the events of the day, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. Remembering Lara's teasing comment about his angry face, he couldn't resist the urge to experiment.

He made a series of exaggerated angry faces, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips pursed in a determined frown.

Just as he was about to give up, he heard a small voice. "Mm," it said, breaking the silence.

Looking down, Natsu saw Nen standing in the doorway, imitating Natsu's angry expression with surprising accuracy.

Natsu couldn't hold back his laughter. "Why aren't you asleep yet? You have school tomorrow, Nen," he said, his voice filled with amusement.

Nen, oblivious to his father's amusement, hugged Natsu's legs tightly.

"I am scared," he said, his voice filled with childlike innocence.

Natsu scooped Nen up in his arms, offering comfort and reassurance. "Let's go, Nen-Chan," he said, his voice filled with warmth.

As Natsu turned to leave the bathroom, he couldn't resist one last glance at his reflection in the mirror. He made another exaggerated angry face.

He felt a tug on his shirt. Looking down, he saw Nen, staring up at him with wide, curious eyes.

"Pa-Chan, let's go," Nen said, his voice filled with childlike impatience.

Natsu scooped Nen up in his arms and left the bathroom, a warm feeling spreading through him.