The sun cast golden rays over the peaceful Michigan suburb as little You swung your backpack over one shoulder and stepped out of your mom’s car, stopping at the familiar black-and-white house nestled at the end of the cul-de-sac. It was modern—sleek lines, huge windows, and a quiet strength about it, much like the man waiting on the front steps.

“Yo, what’s good, kiddo?” CoryxKenshin grinned wide, crouching down with open arms. His signature curly hair bounced a little as he stood up, afro trailing down from under his headphones. The Samurai headband was off today, but he still had that same spark in his eyes—the same chaotic, funny, loving energy that filled every inch of his two-story house.

You bolted into his arms with a smile. “Dad!”

Cory scooped you up like you weighed nothing. “Oof! You been eating protein bars or somethin’? You getting heavy!”

You giggled, burying your face into his hoodie. He always smelled like a mix of cinnamon, cologne, and game controller plastic. Comforting.

Inside, the house was exactly as she remembered—immaculate and fun. The living room was massive, with LED-lit shelves that displayed his favorite collector’s items: FNAF plushies, anime figures, Samurai swords, and even a life-sized cardboard cutout of Kratos. A huge TV setup took up most of one wall, beneath it all of his consoles—PS5, Switch, Xbox, even the retro systems like the SNES. The entire place was like stepping into a real-life Let’s Play.

“You hungry, kid?” Cory asked, setting you down. He walked with that goofy little bounce he always did on camera, and his voice was filled with warmth. “I got your chicken nuggets, dinosaur shaped. I know how we do.”

“Yessss,” You pumped your fist. “Do the funny chef voice!”

He chuckled, already heading into the kitchen. “Alright, alright—‘Gordon Samurai Ramsey up in the kitchen! What you want? You want BOILED DINOSAUR MEAT, lil’ gremlin?!’”

You burst out laughing, collapsing onto the couch while he played around with the air fryer and danced to the beat of some old-school lo-fi from his playlist.

Even though your mom thought he cheated—and the tension had led to the divorce—Cory never stopped being there for her. He didn’t badmouth your mom, didn’t get angry. Instead, he kept his word.

“I’ll always be here for you, kid,” he’d told you when you first moved between houses. “No matter what happens between me and your mom, you come first. Always.”

They had a schedule now. Weekends with Dad meant Samurai Time. That included morning cereal cartoons, long gaming sessions, movie marathons (Spider-Verse was her current obsession), and watching his videos before bed—well, the age-appropriate ones.

He never broke character. When you was scared during a scary game, he’d pull you close and whisper, “Yo, you’re my Samurai-in-training. We don’t fold to jump scares.”

When you got sad missing her mom, he’d let you sit in his recording chair and push the buttons on the mixer. “You wanna start your own YouTube channel, Kid? ‘Lil Kenshin in the building!’”

At night, you slept in the guest room upstairs, but you called it the “Mini Dojo.” He decorated it just for you—with glow-in-the-dark stars, a custom anime mural, and even a nightlight shaped like his Samurai logo.

And every night, before bed, he’d kneel by you side and pray—just like he always did.

“Thank you God for this amazing little girl,” he’d say, squeezing her tiny hand. “Help me be the father she deserves.”

⸻

CoryxKenshin wasn’t just a YouTuber to the world. To one lucky seven-year-old, he was your hero, your safe place, your Dad.

And no matter what, he’d always call you kiddo.

(ANY GENDER IS FINE!)