Chapter 24 — Guilt & understanding

◽13 days later ◽(Tuesday, 3 May 2050) 
◽ At JJ’s House ◽
The front door clicked open.
「I’m back…」 JJ yawned, stepping into the living room.
Small footsteps rushed to him.
「Papa!!」 Shizuko barreled into his arms with a beaming face.JJ smiled softly and ruffled her hair. 「Hey, marshmallow. Were you well-behaved while I was gone?」「I was! Uncle Devon even taught me more about Militia after school.」「That’s good.」 JJ crouched down to meet her eyes, his tone turning gentle. 「Marshmallow, could you give us some privacy for a bit?」「Okay~」 Shizuko chirped, scampering off toward her room.JJ straightened, gaze shifting. 「…Hana?」
Hana didn’t hesitate. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, holding tight.
「…Um…」 JJ stiffened at first.Her voice trembled. 「It’s okay. Detective Idatori already told me what you had to do. Don’t worry—I know how close you were to Detective Fujiwara, so you don’t need to explain.」JJ’s chest ached at her words. 「Even if it was Psyc… I still cheated on you three with another woman.」Hana pressed her cheek to his chest. 「And if you hadn’t, you would’ve lost someone who was like an older brother to you, right?」He buried his face against her shoulder. 「…Yeah. But still, Hana—」Her finger pressed lightly against his lips. 「Miyeon and Jiyeon are taking care of Mei right now. And you want to know something else?」JJ lifted his gaze, puzzled. 「What?」Hana smiled faintly, almost teasing. 「Thanks to the PCP, I found out something about myself. My fertile period lasts longer than other women’s.」JJ blinked. 「…What?」「Mm. Turns out I’m ready for baby-making all year round.」His lips curved into a dry chuckle. 「Are you saying—」「Of course that’s what I’m saying.」 Her voice was low, sultry. 「So… shall we make a baby? & Not a product.」JJ sighed, half reluctant, half amused. 「So while I was made into a weapon…」 He lifted her easily into his arms.Hana looped her legs around his waist, whispering against his ear. 「Yes. I was made to be the perfect wife. Pretending otherwise is exhausting… but you fit all the requirements.」 Her eyes glinted seductively.JJ laughed quietly. 「I see… so this is what Mother meant when she told me to seek you out specifically.」 His hands slid naturally to her curves.「Well then, husband—what are you waiting for?」 She tugged off his hoodie and shirt with a sly grin.
JJ smirked.
◽ The Next Day — Wednesday, 4 May 2050 ◽
The metallic clang of weights echoed in JJ’s private gym.
【So the PCP differs from family to family. Was it based on status… or who was involved in Mother’s death?】He exhaled hard, steadying himself. 【No, JJ. Calm down. You can’t be blinded by revenge again. You have Shizuko—you can’t jeopardize her future.】His gaze lifted toward the ceiling. 「Dad… what would you do in this situation?」「…Papa? Why are you talking alone?」
JJ turned. Shizuko standing next too him, tilting her head.
He chuckled. 「Ah, I didn’t notice you there. Say, let’s take a bath. Then I’ll get you ready for school.」「Okay… um, Papa…」 She fidgeted. 「Can I sleep over at Sora’s house? I know it’s a school day, but—」JJ patted her head gently. 「You already have my approval. But you’ll need Haruka and Emiko’s too.」Her eyes sparkled. 「Thank you, Papa!!」 She threw her arms around him.JJ exhaled in quiet relief. 【That’s right, JJ. This is what you live for. Not war.】
◽ Two Hours Later — Breakfast ◽
The table was covered with steaming plates.
「JJ, this is way too much. You should’ve let us help,」 Miyeon said, astonished.JJ grinned. 「Knowing you, you’d just prefer the milking process.」Her lips curved into a mischievous giggle. 「Good to see you know me so well.」JJ chuckled. 「Then dig in before I clear the table.」
The dining room filled with chatter and clinking utensils.
「Mary!」 Sora’s voice rang out as she entered with Emiko.「Sky!」 Shizuko cried back, the two girls hugging and bouncing together in joy.Emiko smiled warmly. 「If you don’t mind, Haruka let us in—may we join you?」JJ waved them in. 「It’s fine. Have a seat.」As they ate, he asked, 「So, what did I miss these past two weeks?」Emiko laughed lightly. 「Well, these two swore an oath of sisterhood a week before you came back.」JJ gave a soft laugh. 「Really? Isn’t that too early?」「That’s what we thought too, but they didn’t care.」JJ’s expression softened. 「That’s good. Usually, it’s not easy for Shizu to bond with kids her age… so seeing this makes me feel at ease.」「I’m glad,」 Emiko replied.Their lighthearted talk shifted when Hana spoke up. 「That Yong guy bothering Mei seems to have backed off for now.」JJ’s eyes sharpened. 「I see… These past two weeks were strange.」Emiko tilted her head. 「How so?」JJ leaned back, thoughtful. 「First they kidnap Detective Fujiwara but do nothing. Then the attackers turned out to be from the Italian underworld—I’ve got no beef with them. They had bullets that pierced my skin. And their leader… was an attractive woman who anticipated my every move, like someone told her about me beforehand.」Hana frowned. 「What if it was the N.W.O?」JJ shook his head. 「It wasn’t them. If it was, the settlement Militia demanded would’ve bled their reserves dry.」Miyeon giggled. 「Are you guys really that petty?」「Of course,」 JJ smirked. 「Which means… there’s a third source. Only person that comes to mind is Jack. But even he knows not to be that stupid.」Miyeon tapped her lips. 「What if it’s a middleman?」JJ’s hair and pupils suddenly shifted—royal blue. One of his other selfs emerged.「…You have a point,」 Smart Jerry murmured. 「But for what reason?」Hana’s gaze flicked toward Shizuko. 「You don’t think he’s after—」SJ cut her off, shaking his head. 「No. To put it simply—」 He pointed at Shizuko. 「She’s Pandora’s Box.」 Then he pointed at himself. 「And we—JJ, Psyc, and the rest—are the horrors inside. Even the N.W.O. knows that opening the box would be a terrible idea.」Hana let out a long breath. 「That’s… good.」A small voice piped up. 「Hey, Smart Papa, where do babies come from?」
The entire room froze, then erupted in laughter.
Shizuko blinked in confusion. 「Did I say something funny?」SJ smiled warmly. 「No, you didn’t. Babies come from parents praying a lot. Then, for nine months, the baby grows in Mama’s belly. After that, she gives birth.」Shizuko narrowed her eyes, suspicious. 「…You’re not just saying that to hide the truth, are you?」「I’d never.」「Swear?」「Swear.」She studied him, then nodded. 「Okay. I’ll believe you—for now.」SJ exhaled and scratched his cheek with a sheepish chuckle. 「…Right, marshmallow.」 His features shifted back to JJ.「Alright,」 Emiko clapped lightly. 「Sora, Shizuko—once you’re done, we’ll head out.」「Okay!」 The two girls chimed together.「Oh, right.」 JJ handed Sora a small bento box. 「Shizu practically demanded I make this for you.」Sora’s face lit up. 「Thank you, Shizu’s Papa!」 She tucked it carefully into her bag.JJ waved it off with a smile. 「Don’t mention it. I made extra.」