Then Akane replied to her dad, leaning against the cool marble kitchen counter as she spoke.

Her voice carried a mix of tiredness from the long school day and quiet, firm determination.

"I’m not really into all that hero stuff. I’m just in the club for personal reasons, nothing more."

She avoided meeting her father’s eyes for too long, her fingers tracing idle, nervous patterns on the smooth surface.

The words felt heavy on her tongue.

Becoming a full-time hero — chasing monsters, joining large operations, living a life of constant danger and public attention — held no appeal for her.

Her real dream was clear and steady: becoming a successful doctor, helping people through medicine, science, and dedicated study.

The occult club and its hidden connections to the Hero Association felt like a distraction she tolerated mostly because of Rin.

Her complicated, growing feelings for him kept pulling her back into that world, even when she would rather focus on her textbooks and future plans.

Her dad smiled softly, the kind of knowing, gentle smile that only a parent who had watched their child grow up could give.

He leaned back in his chair at the dining table, crossing his strong arms over his chest as he studied her with warm.

"Yeah... but I know later on your perspectives would change into being a hero like the others," he said, his tone light yet carrying quiet confidence, as if he could already picture a future where she embraced that path with the same passion she showed in her studies.

Akane shook her head immediately, a small, stubborn frown creasing her brow.

"I don’t see that happening," she replied firmly, though her voice softened with affection for her father. She couldn’t picture herself charging into battles or joining large-scale monster hunts.

The idea felt distant and unappealing compared to the steady, meaningful work she envisioned in a hospital or clinic.

She wanted to save lives through skill and knowledge, not through supernatural power and combat.

Her father chuckled lightly, the warm, rumbling sound filling the spacious living room.

He asked casually, tilting his head with genuine curiosity, "So what’s happening in your club tonight?"

Akane hesitated for a split second, her fingers pausing on the counter.

She didn’t want her dad knowing the full truth about Jorogumo — the dangerous spider monster queen they planned to investigate near Seishin Academy.

If he learned the real details, the high risks involved with such a powerful creature might make him try to stop her from going.

Instead, she kept her answer vague and reassuring. "There’s a monster sneaking around Seishin Academy. We’re just going to look into it, like investigate.

Nothing too serious."

She tried to sound casual, forcing a small, relaxed smile as she spoke, hoping it would ease any parental concern. Her father’s expression grew slightly more serious, his brows furrowing as he processed her words.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Hope you guys have made proper findings on this monster, lest it could be a threat," he said, his voice carrying the protective weight of a parent who understood the hidden dangers of the supernatural world far better than most.

Akane nodded quickly, trying to project confidence. "Even if it was, we have capable members who can handle it."

She continued, her voice gaining a bit more warmth and sincerity as she added, "And there is also Kiyoshi Rin, and he’s very smart."

The moment Rin’s name left her mouth, Akane’s mother jumped into the discussion with a playful glint in her shining white hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Ohh, Kiyoshi Rin..." she said, her voice turning teasing and light as a soft blush colored her cheeks.

She was clearly just poking fun at her daughter, though it was obvious she had seen or heard about him before — probably during one of her occasional visits to the school.

"Isn’t he that boy you keep mentioning? He sounds quite charming from what I’ve heard." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Akane’s father joined in with a thoughtful hum, leaning forward slightly with a small, protective smile. "Hmmm... you should bring him home sometime so I can see him."

His tone was calm but carried clear fatherly interest — the kind that wanted to evaluate whether this Kiyoshi Rin was a well-behaved, responsible young man worthy of spending time with his daughter.

Akane’s face turned bright red almost instantly.

She blushed furiously, her cheeks burning hot as she waved her hands in front of her in embarrassment.

"You guys, stop!" she protested, her voice a mix of laughter and genuine fluster as she tried to hide her face behind her hands.

The teasing from both parents made her shift uncomfortably on her feet, her usual fiery and confident personality momentarily replaced by shy, embarrassed protests.

"It’s not like that! You’re all making it weird!"

Then Akane’s brother, Reito, lounging comfortably on the large sofa with his striking white hair falling softly around his face and icy blue eyes glinting with mischief, chimed in with a lazy smirk.

"Hmm... this Kiyoshi Rin must have some issues too for him to be close to someone like you." His words were teasing and playful, clearly implying that for Rin to willingly stay close to his sister — who could be rude, sharp-tongued, and mean at times with her fiery temper — he must also be a bit crazy or unusual himself.

Reito’s blue flame flickered lazily between his fingers as he spoke, casting soft azure light across the living room and adding to the lighthearted family banter.

The living room filled with warm, familial laughter and teasing as Akane continued protesting half-heartedly, her blush refusing to fade even as she laughed along with them.

The conversation flowed comfortably around her, mixing light concern for her safety with playful curiosity about the boy who seemed to occupy more and more of her thoughts lately.

Even as the evening settled in, the mention of Rin lingered warmly in the air, tying her school life to her peaceful, luxurious home in ways she hadn’t fully expected.