Heroes in Disguise

Chapter 5

Mirko's POV

The first few days after bringing Haruka and Daiki home were a blur of new routines and adjustments. The house felt strange with the kids around. Keigo and I had barely gotten used to the idea of pretending to be parents, and now we had two energetic, curious eight-year-olds in our care.

Both kids were still adjusting to their new lives. Haruka was the first to warm up, bouncing around the house with her usual enthusiasm. She had already picked out her favorite spots—the living room couch where she spent hours flipping through picture books, and the backyard swing set, where she insisted I push her higher and higher.

Daiki, on the other hand, had become a little more withdrawn. His eyes were sharp and calculating, always studying our every move. At first, I thought he might be plotting something, but as the days went on, I realized that he was just wary. He wasn't going to trust us easily. He kept to himself most of the time, sticking close to Haruka but never getting too close to Keigo or me.

"Daiki, could you come help me in the kitchen?" I called one afternoon, hoping to get him involved in something.

He looked up from the corner of the room, where he'd been fiddling with a toy car, then shrugged and went back to playing. "I'm fine. I don't need to help."

I sighed, watching him carefully. He was stubborn—too stubborn. But that was nothing new for me. I'd dealt with difficult kids before. I just hoped that with time, he'd come around.

Meanwhile, Keigo was effortlessly falling into the role of a father. His natural warmth and charm were just what the kids needed, and I couldn't help but admire how easily he was able to connect with them. He had this way about him, a gentle side that I hadn't seen much of before. He knew how to make them laugh without being overbearing, and his patience seemed endless when it came to Haruka's endless questions and Daiki's occasional defiance.

One evening, I watched as Keigo crouched down to Daiki's level in the living room, talking to him quietly as they played a board game together. Daiki still wasn't warm toward either of us, but there was something different in the way he looked at Keigo.

"Not bad," Keigo said with a teasing grin as Daiki moved one of his pieces across the board. "You're getting better at this."

Daiki just grunted but didn't push him away like he usually did. Instead, his eyes flicked to Keigo's face, a hesitant curiosity flickering in his gaze.

I couldn't help but smile to myself as I watched them interact. Keigo was great with the kids—better than I had expected, to be honest. I'd always known he had a way with people, but seeing him with Haruka and Daiki made me appreciate him in ways I hadn't before. He wasn't just my partner in this mission—he was becoming a father figure to them, someone they could lean on. And for Daiki, that meant the world.

When I approached them, Keigo looked up from the game, his smile soft but confident. "We'll need to get them used to school routines. You know, all the reading, homework, all that stuff."

I nodded. "It'll take some time. Haruka's more adaptable, but Daiki... he's not exactly the 'school type'."

Keigo chuckled. "It's a good thing I'm great with kids. He'll come around."

---

That evening, while I prepared dinner, Keigo went over the school details with the kids, making sure they understood what was expected of them. He even helped Haruka with her school bag, checking the little pockets to make sure her snacks and supplies were in order.

"You know, Haruka," he said, picking up her tiny lunchbox, "you've got a lot of snacks here. You planning on sharing with the other kids?"

Haruka beamed. "Of course! I've got enough for everyone."

"You're a good kid," Keigo said, ruffling her hair with a warm smile. "You've got a big heart."

Keigo was truly in his element when it came to the kids. His charisma and charm had no trouble making them feel comfortable, and he had this gentle way of handling Daiki's skepticism that left me in awe. I was glad to have him by my side, especially with the pressure of the mission on our shoulders.

While Keigo handled the lighter aspects of our new life, I focused on the more serious matters—the research. We had to keep an eye on the missing children's cases. It was all too easy for things to go sideways if we let our guard down.

---

The next morning, it was time to get down to business. Keigo had taken care of the paperwork and now we needed to focus on the next big step—getting the kids enrolled in school.

We dressed them in their new uniforms—Haruka's skirt just a bit too long, and Daiki's jacket a little too big—but they both looked adorable in their little outfits. Haruka beamed, ready to take on her first day as a 'normal' kid. Daiki, however, was less than thrilled.

"This is dumb," he muttered under his breath, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Daiki," I said gently, "you've got to go. It's part of the plan. You'll be fine."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, his gaze flicking to Keigo, who was tying his shoes. Keigo was bending down, making sure Daiki's laces were tight, his usual playful demeanor replaced with the focused, attentive dad mode.

"You know," Keigo said lightly, "if you want to make it through the day without anyone noticing you're different, you'll need to learn how to tie those shoes properly." He winked as he stood up, straightening his shirt.

Daiki's scowl faltered just a little, and he muttered, "Fine. I'll do it myself later."

I exchanged a look with Keigo, relieved that things were at least moving forward, even if the kids weren't entirely on board. At least Daiki was showing some signs of softening.

After a quick breakfast, we all piled into the car. Haruka was chattering away excitedly in the backseat, and Daiki was still sitting there, sulking, though I could see his eyes darting around, taking everything in.

When we arrived at the school, Haruka practically bounced out of the car, eager to start her new life. Daiki trailed behind, clearly unsure of how this was going to go.

Keigo put a hand on my shoulder as we followed them inside. "We're doing the right thing, Rumi," he said quietly. "We've got this."

And as I looked at Haruka and Daiki, I knew he was right. We had a long way to go, but we were getting there. Together.