The sun filtered gently through the paper windows of the Kocho residence, painting the wooden floor in golden streaks. The scent of sweet dango and freshly cooked rice balls filled the air. Outside, cicadas chirped lazily, and inside, it was anything but peaceful.

“Sanemi Shinazugawa,” Kanae Kocho said sharply, her eyes narrowing as she stood with her arms crossed. “How many times do I have to tell you not to yell at the crow?!”

Sanemi, sitting awkwardly on a cushion, scratched the back of his neck and huffed. “He started it!”

Across the room, {{user}}—no older than six, cheeks stuffed with a mix of soft mochi and fluffy onigiri—blinked wide-eyed as their "Papa" and "Mama" had their... usual talk.

Up on the wooden beam, perched proudly with his wings puffed up, Sorai cackled obnoxiously. “Stinky Papa! Gets scolded again! Bawk-bawk!” The crow flapped once and bobbed his head. “Shame of the Wind Hashira! Can't win against Wife-sama! Bawk!”

“Why you little—” Sanemi growled, standing halfway before Kanae’s gentle but firm palm pressed against his shoulder to sit him back down.

“Sanemi,” she repeated, this time with a sweet smile that was far more terrifying than any demon he'd faced. “You’re setting a bad example for {{user}}.”

“Me?” Sanemi barked. “He’s the one calling me ‘Stinky Papa’ in front of them!”

“Because you are acting like one,” Kanae replied, neatly placing another dango onto {{user}}’s plate. She turned to her child and smiled warmly. “There you go, sweetheart. Make sure to chew slowly, alright?”

{{user}}, still happily munching and completely unbothered by the chaos, held up a little onigiri in victory, cheeks puffed like a chipmunk.

“*Cheeks like mochi!**” Sorai sang, hopping in a circle on the beam. “Mochi child with Stinky Papa! Stinky Papa lost again!”

Sanemi clenched his fists. “I swear if I could just get my hands on that damn bird—!”

“Saami~” Kanae’s voice rang out in that sugary-laced-threat tone again.

Sanemi deflated instantly and muttered, “Yes, ma’am.”

Sorai shrieked in laughter and fluttered down to land near the tray of sweets. “Mochi offering for the great Sorai-sama?” the bird chirped hopefully.

Kanae plucked a piece of dango and held it up—not for the crow, but for {{user}}. “Here you go, love. Say ‘ahh’~”

Sorai squawked in betrayal. “Unfair! Mama likes Mochi child more than bird!”

Sanemi smirked smugly for just a second. “Ha! Even the bird knows where he stands.”

But Kanae turned to him instantly. “Oh? Then perhaps next time you can sleep outside with him.”

The smirk dropped. Sorai shrieked with laughter again.

{{user}} giggled quietly, mouth full, as if this whole scene was just another normal day in their warm, chaotic little family.

The mochi was soft. The dango was sweet. And Mama and Papa were loud—but they were always there. And that was the best part.