It was a rare, quiet evening in the Oga household. No fights, no screaming baby jolts, no neighbors banging on the wall complaining of the racket. Just the faint hum of cicadas outside, and Beel snoring lightly on the tatami mat, Jagua curled protectively around him like a shadow.
Oga sat slouched against the wall, arms crossed, glaring at the ceiling. Hilda had retreated to the kitchen with her usual disdainful mutters about "idiots," and Misaki had gone out with friends, leaving the house unusually calm.
That was when Kogen, who had been lounging silently in the corner, finally sat forward. His movements were always deliberate, graceful but heavy with presence. His golden eyes caught Oga in their sharp gaze.
"Darling," he began, voice calm but edged with amusement. "I've been meaning to ask you something."
Oga groaned, already suspicious. "What?"
Kogen tilted his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Why are you so insistent on dumping Beel?"
The room went still. Oga blinked, caught off guard. "The hell kind of question is that? Isn't it obvious? I didn't ask for this! He—" he jabbed a finger toward the sleeping baby—"got dumped on me! I'm just trying to hand him off to someone more... suitable."
"Suitable," Kogen repeated softly, his smile widening. "You mean someone stronger. Someone more ruthless. Someone who could raise the Demon Lord's son without hesitation."
Oga shrugged, pretending not to care. "Exactly. That's the whole point, isn't it? I'm not the right guy for this crap."
But Kogen didn't let it drop. He leaned closer, resting his chin against his hand like a patient predator circling its prey. "Funny," he said. "If it were anyone else, they would have shoved Beel onto the first unlucky soul they saw. Dumped him, no questions asked. But you didn't."
Oga scowled. "Tch. Don't twist it. I tried, didn't I? Kanzaki, Himekawa, that Kunieda girl—"
"Yes," Kogen interrupted smoothly. "You tried. But each time, you didn't go through with it. With Kanzaki, you had the perfect chance. You even beat him half-dead. You could have left Beel crying on his chest. But you didn't."
"That's because you and Hilda said he wasn't good enough!" Oga shot back, defensive.
Kogen chuckled lightly. "Ah, yes. You did use us as excuses. But what about Himekawa? You saw how spineless he was. You knew instantly Beel wouldn't fit there. Did you really need us to tell you that?"
Oga clenched his fists, jaw tightening.
"And Kunieda," Kogen continued, eyes glinting with mischief. "You had the perfect opportunity at the park. She even believed you were some kind father. But you pulled away. You didn't want her to know the truth. You didn't want to actually force Beel on her. Why is that, I wonder?"
Oga's face heated, though whether from anger or embarrassment, he couldn't tell. "Oi! Don't go making it sound like I wanted to keep him! You two kept shooting down my options! What the hell else was I supposed to do?!"
Kogen gave a low laugh, rich with amusement but carrying a quiet edge of truth. "You can't lie to me, darling. You had plenty of chances. You just didn't take them."
For a moment, the weight of Kogen's words hung heavy in the air. Oga wanted to snap back, to deny it all, but... the arguments stuck in his throat. He remembered each time clearly: Kanzaki, groaning on the ground. Himekawa, cowering. Kunieda, her eyes filled with expectation. Each time, he could have walked away. Each time, he hadn't.
"Che... tch..." Oga clicked his tongue, glaring away, as though the tatami mat suddenly needed all his focus. "You're twisting things."
"I'm not twisting anything," Kogen said gently, but firmly. "I'm pointing out the truth you refuse to admit."
Silence. Only Beel's quiet snores and Jagua's faint purrs filled the space.
Oga clenched his jaw. "...Then what the hell am I supposed to admit, huh?"
Kogen's smile softened, losing its edge, becoming almost tender. "Admit it, darling. You've already accepted Beel. You love him like any father would."
The words struck like a lightning bolt. Oga's chest tightened, his fists trembling at his sides. Love? Father? Him? He wanted to reject it instantly, to shout it down, to punch Kogen just for saying it—but his throat closed up. Because deep inside, buried under irritation and denial, there was truth.
Oga stood up abruptly, shoulders tense. "Tch. Idiot. You don't know what you're talking about." He turned his back and started toward the hallway. "I'm not some damn doting parent. I just don't want to deal with his crying."
But Kogen only leaned back, chuckling quietly. "Run away if you like, darling. My words will still follow you. You can't deny them forever."
Oga stopped for half a second at the doorway, but didn't turn back. His face was hidden in shadow, but his clenched fists betrayed him. He muttered, "...Shut up," before walking off.
Behind him, Kogen smiled faintly, his crimson eyes glowing with amusement and quiet certainty. Beel stirred in his sleep, as if sensing the tension, and Jagua draped a protective paw over him.
Kogen whispered softly to himself, "You'll realize it soon enough, darling. You already have."