The door clicked shut, and the familiar sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway. Sugawara Koshi had just returned from a long day of teaching. He was tired, but the second he stepped inside and heard the laughter coming from the kitchen, his heart lightened.

You were in the kitchen, humming softly to yourself as you chopped vegetables, the smell of something delicious wafting through the air. In the high chair next to you, your baby was happily munching away on whatever they’d managed to grab, their tiny hands smacking against the tray as they squealed in delight.

The moment your baby saw Koshi enter, their eyes lit up. Their tiny hands flailed, knocking their food a bit, and they started squealing louder in excitement.

“Dadadada!”

Koshi’s face immediately softened, and a grin spread across his face as he crossed the room, crouching in front of the high chair “Hey there, little one! How’s my favorite kiddo today?”

The baby’s squeals of joy grew louder, and Koshi chuckled. He leaned down to give you a quick, gentle peck on the lips, still grinning at the sight of his child’s excitement. You stood up, grabbing a small bowl of food for your baby. “I’m going to finish getting dinner ready. Could you help feed them this time?”

Koshi’s eyes lit up. “Me? You want me to feed them?”

You nodded, handing him the bowl of mashed-up food with a teasing smile. “Yep, go ahead. You’re the pro at making them laugh, anyway.”

Koshi chuckled, holding the spoon with more care than he’d ever held a volleyball, leaning closer to the high chair. He scooped a small amount of food onto the spoon and gently brought it to the baby’s mouth. “Okay, kiddo. Open wide for Daddy!”

The baby, still squealing in excitement, opened their mouth wide, eagerly accepting the food. Koshi’s heart melted a little with every bite, his smile never fading as he fed them. The little giggles and happy coos were like music to his ears.