Chapter 79 - Blindness

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

 

As I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

  

I’ve finished setting up the Bella Novels Discord server! You can join us using this invite. There, you’ll be able to easily follow chapter updates for the novel(s) of your choice—along with access to many other features and community content.

I’m also introducing something new: the Chapter Boost System! This system lets you accelerate a novel’s releases by one, five, or even ten chapters.

Join the Discord to learn more about how it works and take part in this new feature!

 

If you’re able to provide me with the Raws of the Novels I need, you'll be the first person to receive my translation of them. You’ll also gain instant access to up to 30 advanced chapters for the novel of your choice, OR you can also request a SuperBoost for that novel.

For more details, you can check out the Raw Provider new page. 

 

Here you go, and I wish you a good read. 

Chapter 79

 

 

The next afternoon, as Ren returned to the Kunishiro estate, the first to greet him was Masami Suno, dressed in a soft, traditional kimono.

 

"Ah, welcome home, Mr. Ren."

 

"I-I'm back…"

 

Suno stood in a sunlit hallway, cradling Shion in his arms. His long hair, loosely gathered atop his head, still shone with its usual luster. Though his pregnancy wasn't yet visibly pronounced, the obi* tied gently around his waist was softer than usual, lacking its typical firm knot. Draped in a thick haori*, Suno already carried an unmistakable air of quiet motherhood in his expression as he looked down at the child in his arms.

 

[T/N: An obi (帯) is a belt of varying size and shape worn with both traditional Japanese clothing and uniforms for Japanese martial arts styles. A haori (羽織) is a traditional Japanese jacket worn over a kimono.]

 

As Shion tugged eagerly at his hair with tiny mochi*-like hands, Suno approached Ren.

 

[T/N: Mochi (餅) is a soft, chewy Japanese rice cake.]

 

"I heard you were on leave, but were you working the whole time? You're just as busy as ever, I see."

 

"W-well… not exactly," Ren replied, averting his gaze.

 

The truth was, he'd spent the previous night being thoroughly and passionately loved until late, and had ended up sleeping in that morning.

 

At dawn, Mikado had departed for work full of energy. Ren, left heavy-limbed and aching, had half-dozed in bed while seeing him off. How could someone who'd been so relentless only hours earlier be so lively at daybreak? It had been a humbling reminder of their age gap.

 

"Aah—"

 

Cradled in Suno's arms, baby Shion began to squirm, waving his chubby limbs. With wide, glistening eyes—already reminiscent of Aoi—he stared straight at Ren.

 

"Oh, he's spotted you. Look how happy he is. Here now, go on and hold him."

 

"W-wait, I haven't even washed my hands yet…"

 

Despite the protest, Ren's expression softened, irresistibly charmed by the little one reaching out with soft, pudgy hands. He took Shion from Suno and, with practiced ease, held him upright against his shoulder. The moment he did, Shion let out a contented gurgle and patted Ren's cheek with his tiny hands.

 

Shion had grown remarkably well—already starting to hold his head up. He seemed endlessly curious, always wanting to see or touch something new, and was constantly making his desires known whenever he was awake.

 

As a result, he wasn't a baby who slept much. The ever-energetic Shion kept them all on their toes, and Yuto, still recovering from a difficult birth and heavy blood loss, had ended up completely exhausted. For a time, his frail condition had been truly worrying.

 

And lately, Aoi had become even busier, stepping in for Ren at international conferences and official functions. The inability to support Yuto or spend time with their beloved child weighed heavily on him.

 

Fortunately, the estate was well-staffed. With the household collectively pitching in to help with Shion, Yuto had finally begun to regain his former vitality.

 

And now, during the Christmas holiday, all work had been set aside. Aoi and Yuto were at last able to enjoy some peaceful, unhurried time together.

 

"Aaah—Aaah."

 

"Hm? Missed me that much, did you?"

 

"Daah!"

 

"Haha, I see. Alright, just give me a moment—I'll go get changed."

 

"Ahh—"

 

Those large, expressive eyes were the spitting image of Aoi's as a child. Their color—like blue sky melting into sapphire—sparkled like precious gemstones. His hair, still soft and fine, was too faint to tell the color yet, but his overall features resembled Yuto's, and his ever-changing expressions were irresistibly endearing. Ren could have gazed at him forever.

 

As he soothed the baby in his arms, Suno suddenly let out a long, dramatic sigh.

 

"Ahhh… Mr. Ren doting on a baby… too precious… I must pay homage…"

 

"W-what are you on about now? Stop that—don't bow to me!"

 

"I mean, just a while ago you were so prickly. And now? The moment your nephew's born, you go all soft. Well, not soft… It's more like… holy. You're like the Holy Mother herself…"

 

"...Where are Aoi and Yuto?"

 

"I sent them off for some time alone together. Told them to go enjoy a quiet cup of tea for once."

 

"I see… Kotaro said he'd be arriving this evening, right?"

 

"Yes. He's practically flying here to see Shion."

 

"Heh… The kid's a regular celebrity."

 

As he said this, Ren gently pinched Shion's round cheeks with his fingers, making the baby puff out his little cherry-colored lips in protest. The slightly annoyed look on his face was too cute for words, and Ren couldn't help but laugh—only to pause as he noticed Suno's gaze burning into him.

 

"Mr. Ren… you've changed. It's… sacred, honestly…"

 

"I told you—stop bowing."

 

"You think alphas don't have maternal instincts? You're really proving otherwise. Honestly… you're like a living Madonna*…"

 

[T/N: "Madonna" comes from the Italian "ma donna", meaning "my lady", and traditionally refers to the Virgin Mary in Christian contexts.]

 

"…Geez," Ren sighed, watching Suno practically sparkle as he stared up at him.

 

But then a quiet thought surfaced in his mind.

 

—It's not like it needs to be some big declaration now...

 

"Suno."

 

"Yes?"

 

"There's something I haven't told you yet."

 

"Eh? Oh, you mean… about your pair? Wait—really? You're finally going to tell me who it is?!"

 

Before Ren could even finish, Suno's eyes lit up with excitement.

 

"Yes yes yes! I've been dying to know! You've kept it under wraps for so long. Well, I suppose I haven't exactly had time to visit much either, but Kotaro and I have been speculating for a while now!"

 

"...I see."

 

"So? So? Is it someone I know?"

 

Suno, usually so composed, was practically brimming with curiosity, his elegant eyes alight as he leaned in. Shion, caught in between, squirmed in discomfort, prompting Ren to adjust his hold and cradle the baby more securely.

 

"My pair is Mikado. Haruhito Mikado."

 

"…Eh? Ah—wait… Mikado? You mean that Mikado?"

 

"Yes."

 

"EHHH…?! D-Don't tell me… did he actually get gender reassignment surgery?!"

 

"…What?"

 

Ren blinked in surprise.

 

Suno folded his arms and furrowed his brow, beginning to mutter to himself in a low voice.

 

"There's no way…! And he became Mr. Ren's pair on top of that?! What even happened between those two while I was gone…?"

 

"Suno."

 

"Wait, wait, wait—so does that mean you are the one topping?! What…? Seriously?! Mr. Ren, I mean… that's honestly kind of reassuring… Wait, was that always your type? But still, I've never seen such a brawny Omega in my life. And where in the world did he even get that surgery? I didn't know such technology existed…"

 

"Suno, wait. That's not it."

 

"Huh?"

 

Ren gently patted Suno's shoulder, trying to calm him down. Suno tilted his head in confusion, looking up at Ren for an answer.

 

"I'm the Omega."

 

"…Ah… ahhh… I see. That makes a lot more—wait. What?!"

 

It was the very picture of someone rendered speechless.

 

Suno's usually composed eyes flew wide open in disbelief. He stared at Ren's face for a good few seconds, completely dumbfounded.

 

"I should've told you sooner. Sorry."

 

"Ah… Uh, yeah. Sure. Wait—Mr. Ren, since when do you make jokes like that? Ahaha… You nearly gave me a heart attack. So that means the part about Mikado being your pair was a joke too, right…?"

 

"No. I'm not joking. We haven't made it public yet, but I'm a genuine Omega, and Haruhito is my bonded pair."

 

"…W-Wait… are you serious…?"

 

Suno blinked rapidly, clearly flustered, staring up at Ren with disbelief. It seemed even his usual respectful speech had been knocked right out of him.

 

It was clear—Suno was shaken to the core. He looked from Ren's face, to his body, to Shion tugging at the lapel of Ren's jacket, and then back again before folding his arms once more, letting out a groan as if trying to work through a complex puzzle.

 

"…So that's why I never felt anything around you! I thought maybe it was just my instincts giving up, since you felt so out of reach. But no—it was because you're an Omega, and I couldn't pick up your pheromones?"

 

"That's probably it."

 

"Wait, wait—seriously? But you're Mr. Ren—the Ren Kunishiro. And you're telling me this world actually has this kind of Omega in it…? What the hell…?!"

 

This time, he looked up at Ren with a kind of reverent fear, as though seeing some unapproachable being. Watching Suno go through such a wild range of expressions was starting to amuse Ren, and he let out a soft chuckle.

 

"You're reacting way more dramatically than I expected."

 

"What?! No—hold on. Then… how did you even manage all this until now?"

 

"Why don't we sit down for a bit? My suit's soaked in drool, and I'd really like to change."

 

"Huh?! Oh—yeah, it is! C'mon here, Shion—"

 

"Aaah aaah—!"

 

Though Shion let himself be passed to Suno, he clearly wasn't thrilled about it and immediately began tugging on Suno's long hair. Not that Suno noticed—he was too busy giving Ren a once-over, still reeling.

 

"Mr. Ren… an Omega…? No way…"

 

"Give me a moment. I'll be right back."

 

"Y-yeah…"

 

Ren gave the now-fussy Shion a soft smile, then quickly retreated to his room to change.

Last Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter
⥼ Bonus Discord Chapter ⤴

 

❧ Join Bella Novels' Newsletter by clicking here ↫ and
receive an email for each New Update -͙✧˖*°࿐