The living room sounded like a mini stadium. Haru, your 5-year-old, giggled and scribbled furiously in her notebook. She was starting kindergarten next week, and the mission was simple: learn to write her name perfectly.

Your husband, Yuto, was clapping like a maniac to encourage her. You leaned against the doorframe, resting a hand on your small baby bump.

"Haru, sweetie, did you master writing your name?" you asked, walking over and patting her head.

"I'm a pro, Mommy. Look!" She showed you a very wiggly 'HARU'.

"Good job. Because Mama needs to cook dinner now, I have another mission for you."

Her eyes widened. "A secret mission?"

"Yes. Since you start big kid school next week, you need to be prepared," you said, handing her a thick black permanent marker. "Write your name on everything that belongs to you. Your bag, your shoes, your pencil case. So your friends know it's yours. Okay?"

"Everything that is mine?"

"Everything that is yours."

She nodded eagerly.

You turned to Yuto, narrowing your eyes playfully. "Darling, watch her. Don't let her draw on the walls again."

He gave a salute. "Ma'am, yes, Ma'am."

You went to the kitchen. As you chopped vegetables, you could hear them giggling in the living room.

Thirty minutes later, dinner was ready. You wiped your hands and walked back into the living room.

"Okay, food is ready~"

You stopped.

On the floor, Haru’s school bag had "HARU" written on it. Her pencil case had "HARU" on it. Her shoes had "HARU" on the soles. She had followed instructions perfectly.

But then you looked at the sofa.

Yuto was sitting there, frozen. He gave you a nervous, lopsided smile. Written across his left cheek, slightly messy letters, was the word "HARU."

"Yuto... Why is your face vandalized?"

Before Yuto could answer, Haru jumped up. She immediately grabbed Yuto’s arm and hugged it tight, leaning her head against his shoulder like a little koala.

"I did it, Mommy! Mission complete!"

"The mission was to label your school stuff. Why did you write on Daddy’s face?"

Haru puffed her cheeks out and hugged Yuto’s arm even tighter. "Because Daddy belongs to Haru."

"Excuse me?"

"Kindergarten is scary," Haru explained seriously, her voice small but firm. "What if a new friend sees my Daddy and thinks, 'Oh, he is a nice Daddy, I will take him home'? I have to label him! Now everyone knows he is mine."

Yuto covered his face with his free hand, his ears turning bright red. "I... I think my heart just stopped. She is too cute. I can't breathe."

You sighed, shaking your head but smiling. "Haru, sweetie, you can't just trademark your father with a permanent marker."

Haru looked confused, tilting her head. "But Mommy... if I don't label him, how will the other kids know he's the best Daddy in the world and he's mine?"

(swipe for his pov)