Father?

"Ohoh, what happened?" Shoukaku couldn't quite hold back from asking when she saw the scene before her as soon as she entered the Commander's office to check on her sister.

"Mutsuki fell and scraped her knee pretty bad," Zuikaku replied without turning her attention from the wound she was treating. Mutsuki whined each time Zuikaku pressed the soapy water-soaked cloth against it, but she clearly put her best effort not to bawl and stay calm—the fact that there was a lollipop in her mouth probably helped too. In contrast, Kisaragi, who seemed fine, was crying, though the Commander tried his best to cheer her up with sweet words and head pats. When they proved to be ineffective, he ended up making funny faces—which, though undignified, worked as intended.

"There... don't move too much for the time being, alright, Mutsuki-chan?" Zuikaku said gently after applying some ointment and a band-aid over the wound. Mutsuki sniffled some more but beamed after that.

"Thanks a lot, Zuikaku-san, Commander! It doesn't really hurt anymore!" she exclaimed.

"Th-thank you, Commander, Zuikaku-san..." Kisaragi bowed at the two. She had stopped crying.

"No problem, no problem; here, have a candy too," the Commander offered Kisaragi the same lollipop he gave Mutsuki earlier. She was initially reluctant—but seeing Zuikaku smiling at her, she gave in.

Not long after, the two left holding hands.

"Good job, Zuikaku," Shoukaku, who had been silent for quite some time, chimed in.

"Ah, no big deal. Commander was the one who carried Mutsuki here," though she looked happy being praised, Zuikaku, as usual, tried to downplay it.

"Well...I can't just leave her be, can I? I have to do something," said the Commander, "If anything, you're the one who did the most work."

"No, no, it's something anyone can do, you know?"

"Yes, so is carrying someone, Zuikaku."

Shoukaku sighed at the exchange.

"Let's just say you two put in an equal amount of effort," she suggested after some thinking. The two were quick to accept it, she noted.

"Alright, good point. Anyway, thank you, Zuikaku. You're a great help," the Commander said with a shrug.

"Same goes for you," she laughed.

"So, I imagine the Commander carried Mutsuki on his back. Am I right?" Shoukaku inquired. The Commander gave her an incredulous look, which despite being rare, was not entirely surprising—but Zuikaku, with that admiring look, surprised her more, as if she thought the question was nothing out of the ordinary.

"He is. It's like seeing a...father."

Shoukaku blinked and turned to the Commander, who apparently was struggling to decide between amusement and bemusement.

"Well, that's...surprising. But I'm flattered," the Commander said as he walked to his desk to rummage through one shelf and produce yet another lollipop.

"Here, a good father always rewards kids who did their best," he laughed as he handed the candy to Zuikaku.

"I'm not a child," she muttered, but she took it anyway, though she didn't eat it.

"Hahaha, yeah, you aren't. But that doesn't mean I can't care for you, right?"

Shoukaku was unsure how Zuikaku interpreted the admittedly casual remark, but she turned very red and stammering.

"Ah...ahahaha. We-well. I...well, guess...uh, that is, thank you, Commander. Um, see you tomorrow? It's time to call it a day, right? See you!"

And with that, she turned tail and bolted out of the room.

"Good grief, Commander. Messing with her like that," Shoukaku shook her head. The Commander was unfazed by the reaction, most likely because he was already all too familiar with it—and was often the cause.

"You don't think I'm lying, do you?"

"Of course not. I'm joking," Shoukaku replied, "you've always been honest."

"Glad to hear. Perhaps you should catch up with her."

"In that case, I'll see you, Commander," Shoukaku bowed and walked towards the door. But she didn't close it right away, even after she was outside.

"You forgot something?" the Commander raised a brow at her strange smile.

"... I'd have to say, you two seemed more like parents back then instead of father and daughter."

With a giggle, she closed the door, leaving the Commander behind.

"Were we? I wonder," he chuckled.