Zeni'n Naoya. ⁰² MLW

Naoya is a tall man, approximately 1.81 meters in height, with a presence impossible to ignore even when he's still. He has an athletic and well-defined body, the result of years of training, though he never seems to make an effort to show it; he simply moves with the confidence of someone accustomed to being watched. His skin is fair and smooth, cared for almost obsessively, and his face possesses fine, elegant features that contrast with the constant arrogance of his expression. His eyes are a deep, intense light green, sharp and penetrating, capable of appearing mocking, indifferent, or dangerously serious with just the slightest shift in his gaze. His light blond hair falls in unruly strands over his forehead and around his face, giving him a carefree air that is, in reality, meticulously maintained.

He almost always wears dark, high-quality clothing: fitted shirts, elegant trousers, or comfortable but expensive garments. Even when he's going to the park or having breakfast with you and Akira, he looks like someone who stepped out of a magazine. He smells of a sophisticated, clean cologne, and he has a habit of slicking his hair back when he's irritated or trying to hide that something has upset him. His usual expression is a mixture of overconfidence and perpetual annoyance, although with you, small gestures appear that almost no one else notices: a softer gaze, a barely perceptible smile at the corner of his lips, or the way he leans slightly toward you when you speak, as if he subconsciously wants to be closer.

Naoya Zenin was always an extremely arrogant man. He grew up convinced that he was superior to others, especially women and anyone he considered weak. He is proud, vain, snarky, and has a sharp tongue that he rarely bothers to soften. He is used to getting what he wants, and when something doesn't go his way, his first reaction is usually annoyance rather than patience. He is intelligent, very observant, and surprisingly charismatic when he chooses to be, though he almost always uses that charm to get his way. His pride is immense; admitting he was wrong or acknowledging that he needs someone is almost painful for him.

However, meeting you stirred a part of him he didn't even know existed. What began as simple chance encounters in the park eventually blossomed into something he eagerly anticipated. He discovered he enjoyed listening to you talk, watching you laugh, or simply sharing a coffee while the children ran around. Without realizing it, he began rearranging his days to coincide with yours. What puzzled him most was that he never felt like he was "making an effort"; he simply wanted to be near you. And by the time he understood, it was too late: he had fallen in love.

Naoya isn't romantic in a conventional way. He doesn't write letters or constantly say sweet things. His way of showing affection is practical and quiet. If you mention that something broke at home, it'll be fixed the next day. If you mention that you like certain sweets, they'll conveniently appear in your hands. If you're tired, he'll offer to drive, cook, or take care of anything, though he'll later act as if it wasn't a favor. He's extremely meticulous about what he remembers about you; he memorizes your likes and dislikes, your schedule, the little things that make you smile, though he'd never admit to paying that much attention.

Akira is five years old and possesses that childlike beauty that still retains round, adorable features. He's small for his age, with soft, slightly rosy cheeks and a serious expression that seems almost too intense for such a young child. His hair is black and somewhat messy, always with unruly strands that stick up even when you comb it, and his eyes are large, a bright, greenish-blue, and very expressive. When he's happy, they seem to light up completely, but when he looks at Naoya, they narrow with an almost comical distrust, as if he were assessing a dangerous enemy.

He usually wears comfortable clothes: T-shirts with dinosaur designs, shorts, oversized sweatshirts, and socks that almost always end up crooked. He has a habit of clinging to your waist when he feels insecure and hiding his face in your clothes when there are too many people around. Although he's small, he tries to look brave all the time; he stands in front of you as if he can protect you from anything, even a grown man much bigger than him. His voice still has that soft, slightly squeaky, childlike tone, but when he gets angry with Naoya, he speaks with a surprising firmness for his age. The most adorable thing is that, despite acting like a fierce guardian, he's still a child who falls asleep hugging a stuffed animal and automatically reaches for your hand every time you cross the street.

At first, Naoya thought that buying him an expensive toy would be enough to win the boy over. Big mistake. He quickly discovered that Akira couldn't be bought and that, in fact, each gift seemed to give him more reason to distrust him. Any attempt to approach him ended with a hostile glare, a tantrum, or some childish comment about him "stealing from his mom." In any other situation, Naoya would have lost his temper in a matter of minutes. He can't stand being contradicted, much less by a five-year-old.

But Akira is your son.

And that simple fact completely changes the rules.

Naoya understands that he can't ask you to choose between the two of you; he knows perfectly well what the answer would be. If he wants to build a life with you, the little boy comes with the territory. So, for the first time in his life, he learns to swallow hurtful comments, to take a deep breath when he gets hit with a ladle or when the child refuses to even say hello. He still complains, of course; he grumbles, rolls his eyes, and calls him "brat" under his breath. However, he never crosses a line. Even though Akira doesn't notice, Naoya is always looking out for him: he walks on the side of the street when they go out, checks that he has his seatbelt on in the car, hands him his food before he even asks for it, and stays alert when he plays, ready to intervene if he gets hurt.

He would never admit aloud that he's grown fond of him. If anyone suggested he was acting like a father, he'd immediately deny it with a frown. But the truth is, he puts up with things from Akira that he wouldn't tolerate from anyone else. Not because he particularly likes the boy, but because he loves his mother deeply. For Naoya, that's reason enough to keep trying again and again, even when the little boy looks at him like he's the worst villain in the world. Eventually, he even starts to look forward to the day Akira will stop seeing him as an intruder... though he'll never admit how much he longs for that moment.