BALANCE UNLIMITED ONE-SHOTS

ALWAYS HERE ❀ HARU X READER

The brunette slumped into his office chair while letting out a loud yawn as his vision slowly began to get clearer by the second. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms out a little before reaching for the file folder set on top of his work area. Groaning, his eyes scanned through the content of the documents until meeting eye to eye with the inspector on the other side of his cubicle, who was minding his own business on his laptop. "Kambe," he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Already on it," the younger male admitted, briefly glancing up from his laptop to see the tired, thirty-two-year-old man with a dead look on his face. "I've already sorted out a few things about the case with the help of Suzue. It was her idea, not mine."

"Of course it is," Haru sarcastically let out, shaking his head in disapproval. The older detective had already confronted Daisuke about the danger behind dragging family matters into cases, especially Suzue, a woman of such high-class. The last thing the brunette wanted was to put someone in danger or at risk because of their carelessness with a sensitive case. "Do I have to explain it to you again?"

"No, you don't. I know exactly what I'm doing," the wealthy man scoffed with a glare aimed at the single father. "Enough talk about this. How's your daughter? I haven't heard much about her since Suzue babysat her that one time."

Haru spun in his chair as he tried to space out completely by staring at the moving fan that hung above his cubicle. He was fine with talking about his daughter, but he disliked the possibility of anyone mentioning his late wife, y/n. The single father was still trying to move on from the tragic end of his marriage alongside his two-year-old daughter, who he loved and cherished deeply. His purpose in life completely changed the day he witnessed the birth of his baby girl. "She's okay. Lately, her aunt has been doing me a favor by watching over her as I try to look for a new sitter in town."

"Suzue loves her. I'm sure she wouldn't mind watching over mini Kato," the man in the suit admitted, crossing his arms as his eyes met with the golden pair on the other side. Daisuke tried his best to form a friendship with his co-worker, but there was still a form of distance between the two when it came down to finding the solution to a case. His sister had consistently urged the reserved man to be more aware and considerate of his choice of words around the brunette.

Shrugging, Haru rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to think the idea over in his head numerous times. It had only been a couple of months since his wife passed away, and he felt that it wasn't the best idea for strangers to care for her in the meantime. "I don't want my daughter to get too attached. With her mother gone, she hasn't quite coped with the idea yet, so I'm really trying my best to surround her with family at the moment."

The inspector nodded, returning his gaze back to the laptop in front of him. Peace and quiet filled the entire room as everyone worked on a case—attempting to find any evidence on the Internet—before writing a report based on their searches and findings. Meanwhile, the single father furrowed his eyebrows as he browsed through several articles on a case he was working on his own to find the killer of his wife. The gruesome blurred images ripped his heart apart. It only reminded him of the day he had to come face to face with the stiff body of the love of his life.

His luck was not on his side that day.

Staring at the clock in the dark room from a corner of his eye, the detective stood up from his seat and bid farewell to everyone. So far, he wasn't feeling his best. Haru felt the need to revisit a special place that held a soft spot in his heart. Making a quick turn into an alley, he parked his vehicle on the far side before hopping out and making his way towards the beach side. Slowly, he sat down on the warm sand, allowing the breeze to blow his long bangs back. The aroma of the ocean made its way to his nose. With a whiff of the area, tears began to well in his eyes. Silently, he watched the waves crash and the ocean water tickle his hands.

"Y/n," he whispered, gazing at his feet. For a brief second, he fluttered his eyelids closed to pay respect to his wife as he tried to remember their last moment on the beach as a family with their daughter. It was all so clear in his head as he was reminded of their passionate kiss before their daughter interrupted with a small cry and pout. He remembered the tender expression she had on her face upon the sight of their daughter. She truly did love their little family, despite the fact that he would occasionally go on long business trips across the globe. Every text, every kiss, every breath...was all evidence that she truly did love him for who he was.

With his risky job, Haru regrets prioritizing his belief for justice over his own family. Y/n did not want to ruin his dream or get in the way of his job because she knew how much it meant to him. However, their daughter would soon change their lives forever upon her arrival into the world. "We miss you a lot, y/n. I'm trying my best to protect her. After all, she's the last piece of you that I have left in my life..."

The wind made a stifling nose that snapped him out from his daze. He looked down at his watch and pulled his phone out to contact a familiar number— just to hear her voice once again.

Hey, it's me. Kato, y/n. I can't be reached by phone right now, but please leave a message.

The beeping noise after the voicemail sent a warm shiver throughout his body. Her lovely voice was almost etched permanently into his mind. Nothing was more beautiful than the sound of his wife giggling or cooing at their daughter. "Day thirty-seven without you in my life, I feel that as days pass...she's slowly starting to take after you. Nothing makes me happier than seeing her smile because it reminds me of you, my love. I hope to see you sometime. Please look after us," he breathed, ending the message he had for her for that day.

It was a routine he had created, ever since she passed away, of always ensuring to call her number to leave a message in hopes that it would reach her from millions of miles away in heaven. Their souls were still connected in a way, and he felt that nothing would ever come close to the bond he had with y/n. Hoisting himself up, he returned to his vehicle and started it back up before heading to his small home. Taking his shoes off, he was greeted with an excited toddler hugging him around his feet. "Sweetie, I hope you've been a good girl for your mommy and daddy," he cooed, lifting her up in his arms and spinning her around, which made her burst into a fit of laughter.

Haru noted his sister-in-law appear from the kitchen with a smile written across her face as she spotted her niece happy in the arms of her father. "She was on her best behavior today," the young aunt informed, picking up her belongings.

"I really appreciate you for watching over her," Haru said, kissing the top of his daughter's brown hair as she comfortably rested her head against his shoulder. A small little snore emitting from the toddler as she quickly fell asleep.

"Anything for my adorable niece. I'll be on my way then. See you next week," the young female quietly whispered, waving at the detective before making her leave out the door. Haru nodded, carrying his daughter in his arms and rocking her slowly. Settling onto the sofa, he laid her down carefully and proceeded with wrapping a blanket around her while he got comfortable and turned the tv on to watch the news. Soon enough, the toddler woke up with a small cry.

"M-Mama..."

Haru had grown accustomed to deal with these situations, but it ached him deep down to see his daughter struggling through the death of y/n too. "It's okay, baby. Daddy is here," he hummed, opening his arms up for the toddler to crawl into his arms once more. His disheveled hair covered his face, which only made his daughter cry because she couldn't recognize her own father for a split second until he brushed it back with his free hand. "See, sweetheart. It's okay."

The little girl with brown hair looked up into his eyes before snuggling against his chest— begging to be held and carried again. Haru gave in and instead, played with her hair and pressed kisses against her button nose. His daughter giggled and poked his face while he tickled her little belly.

"Dada will always be here for you, cutie, and so will mama."

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[ a/n: i don't even know what i just wrote! :"0 anyways, i'm really trying my best to publish my one-shots as fast as i can because i have a lot in my drafts! also, i've been splitting my time with INEFFABLE, a daisuke fanfic, which i should be publishing a prologue and the first chapter by the end of the day :> ]