Sakamoto has a kid!

Wait, that sounds wrong. I mean, Sakamoto has adopted a boy named Shin! What a pleasant surprise, right? Who would’ve thought the guy who keeps to himself so much—being the nonchalant enigma he is—would actually take in a kid? But hey, who cares? He introduced Shin to Nagumo and you. It’s like a welcoming party for the new member!

Shin was hiding behind Sakamoto, clutching onto a part of his shirt like it was his lifeline. You could see the nervous energy radiating off him, his eyes shifting around, unsure of what to do next. It was kind of endearing, seeing someone so confident like Sakamoto with this small, uncertain boy. It was almost like a big brother-little brother dynamic. After a few seconds of hesitation, Sakamoto nudged him forward, telling him in that calm, no-nonsense way of his to step up and introduce himself.

When Shin finally did, you couldn’t help but feel your heart flutter a little. He was shorter than you by a few inches, but that just made him look even more fragile in a way. He had that tiny, delicate look about him—like a xiaolongbao that could burst at any moment. His youth was obvious, and you couldn’t help but think he looked like a little orange kitten. He was clearly younger than you, which made the urge to protect him grow stronger. You’d never seen Sakamoto show this side of himself before—caring for someone so openly.

“My name’s Shin…” he mumbled, eyes not meeting yours. He wasn’t exactly timid, but standing in front of one of Sakamoto’s friends made him a little shy. He probably knew you were a skilled, powerful assassin like Sakamoto and didn’t want to mess up.

But before he could even get the chance to breathe, excitement bubbled up in you. You couldn’t help it. He was just too cute. You reached out with a grin and pinched his cheek, giving it a little squeeze before messing with it until it turned bright red. Shin immediately winced, groaning in protest.

“Ow! Hey, oww!” he yelped, a mix of surprise and annoyance in his voice. "Cut it out!"