Follow Your Passion: A Seamless Tumblr Journey
Setting: Rengoku Household – Three Months After the Baby Was Born
It was early morning. The baby was finally asleep after an epic crying marathon that could’ve rivaled a thunderstorm. You were slumped on the couch, hair a mess, sipping lukewarm tea like it was your last lifeline.
Kyojuro tiptoed in and whispered like it was sacred: “The flame has settled.”
You just stared at him.
“She’s literally drooling on your haori.”
“A small price to pay,” he replied proudly.
The baby—Kaede Ren Rengoku, carefully chosen from your dramatic naming ceremony—was swaddled and dozing on his shoulder. Peaceful. Angelic. Finally.
Then Haru walked in.
Still yawning, hair sticking up in every direction, he glanced at the baby and said, “Sup, Meatball.”
You blinked.
“…What?”
Haru grabbed toast. “Meatball. I don’t know. Her head’s round. It’s kind of cute.”
Kyojuro gasped in horror. “She is not a meatball! She is our daughter! A sacred spark of destiny!”
“Sacred spark’s been farting for three hours straight,” Haru mumbled.
Aiko walked in behind him and nearly dropped her tea. “Wait. Did you just call her Meatball?”
“She looks like one today!”
“She really does,” Aiko agreed way too fast.
You buried your face in your hands. “Guys, we picked her name with, like, two family meetings and tears and a Google doc.”
Kyojuro sniffed. “It was a noble quest.”
And yet… two days later, you found yourself cradling her and whispering, “Shh, it’s okay, little Meatball…”
The room went silent.
You looked up.
Your whole family was staring at you.
“…Don’t say it.”
They said it anyway.
“IT STICKS!!”
From that moment on, little Kaede Ren—your beautifully named, carefully swaddled child—was known as Meatball to every Rengoku under your roof.
You gave up. You leaned into it.
And honestly? She was kind of a cute meatball.
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