The brat didn't let go. Not when Levi signed the papers. Not when they walked out of the orphanage. Not even when he buckled her into the car seat in the back.

Furlan sat up front, casting amused glances at the rearview mirror as Levi settled into the driver's seat. "So... what now? What's the plan?"

Levi didn't answer immediately. His mind was already occupied—thinking about names, about how he was going to explain this to Kuchel and Kenny.

Then, a small voice piped up from the back.

"Me two papas?"

Levi's fingers clenched on the wheel. His eyes flicked up to the mirror. The brat was staring at both of them, head slightly tilted, trying to figure them out.

Furlan coughed, barely holding back laughter.

"No," Levi answered flatly.

The brat blinked. "No?"

Levi exhaled. "I'm Papa."

The kid stared at him for a second, then nodded, like she was logging that information. "Papa."

Levi gave a sharp nod. Good. That's settled.

Then he pointed at Furlan. "That's Uncle Furlan."

Before the brat could repeat it, Furlan cut in with an exaggerated gasp. "No—GODFATHER."

A pause.

Then—

"GODFATHER."

She repeated it in the exact same dramatic tone.

Furlan clutched his chest, beaming. "Oh my god, I love her."

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're an idiot."

Ignoring him, Furlan whipped out his phone, scrolling rapidly. "Right, we need a name. Let me check Google, ChatGPT, Pinterest—"

Levi shot him a glare. "Tch. What the hell are you doing?"

"Finding a name for her."

Levi glanced at the screen. "Those names are ridiculous."

"Shut up, I'm trying to be a good Godfather."

"I didn't make you my child's godfather."

"Too late," Furlan smirked. "She already called me that."

Levi sighed, rubbing his temple. It had barely been an hour,

 and he already felt like he had two brats to handle.

Furlan scrolled through his phone, rattling off names like he was auditioning them.

"Emma?"

"No."

"Aya?"

"No."

"Elise?"

A pause. The brat scrunched up her nose. "No."

Furlan sighed dramatically. "Tough crowd."

Levi glanced at her through the mirror. Arms crossed, eyes sharp. Kid knew what she didn't want, at least.

Furlan tried again. "Okay, what about something cool? Like—Luna?"

The brat blinked. Thought for a second. Then shook her head. "No."

"Damn." Furlan swiped at his phone. "She's rejecting them all—like a little boss."

Levi exhaled. "She's got standards."

Furlan grinned. "Like her old man."

Levi scowled but didn't argue. Instead, he threw a glance at the kid. "You got a name in mind, brat?"

She just blinked at him.

Silence.

Then, finally—she opened her mouth.

"Tch "

Levi blinked.

Furlan choked. "Wait—what?"

The brat stared up at them, completely serious. "Tch."

Levi stared at her. "The hell kinda name is that?"

The kid mimicked him, crossing her tiny arms. "Tch."

Furlan was wheezing. "Oh my god—she got it from you!"

Levi exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face. Great. The kid's first act of independence, and she picks up my damn verbal tic.

Furlan, still laughing, leaned over to the back seat. "Okay, Tch, you got any other names?"

The brat just smirked. Then she clicked her tongue again, as if doubling down.

"Tch."

Levi slumped back into his seat, staring at the ceiling. "I'm in hell."

Furlan wiped at his eyes. "Dude. You just adopted yourself."

Levi drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, deep in thought.

What would his mom name her?

Something soft. Something simple.

"...Yuna," he muttered.

The brat tilted her head. Processing. Then, with the same confidence she had when she named herself Tch, she proudly repeated—

"Tuna."

Furlan wheezed so hard he nearly choked on air. "Bro—she called herself Tuna!"

Levi stared at her. "Yuna."

"Tuna!"

"Yuna."

She beamed. "Tuna!"

Levi shut his eyes. "For fuck's sake."

Furlan was dying in the passenger seat. "This is it. This is your life now. You're a father to a fish!"

The brat clapped her hands. "Fish!"

Levi slammed his head lightly against the steering wheel. He should've just gotten a damn cat.

The brat had been stubbornly clinging to Tuna for the last ten minutes, and Levi, already fed up, shoved the responsibility onto Furlan.

"You fix it," he grumbled. "You wanted to be the damn godfather."

Furlan sighed dramatically. "Alright, kid, listen up. It's Yuna. Not Tuna. Yu-na."

She blinked at him, head tilting. "Tuna."

"Yu."

"Tu."

"Yuuu."

"Tuuu."

Furlan slumped back. "I'm fighting a losing battle, man."

Levi clicked his tongue, gripping the wheel tighter. "Should've left her at the orphanage."

Before Furlan could respond, some rich punk in a flashy sports car sped past them, nearly grazing the front of Levi's car.

"Oi, dumbass!" Levi growled, scowling at the teen. The punk had the audacity to flip him off through the window while shouting, "Move your shitty old car, grandpa!"

Levi clicked his tongue again, but Furlan laughed. "Damn, dude, you got aged just now."

"Tch. Little bastard."

They pulled up to the next red light, and of course, the punk's car was right beside them, idling at Yuna's window.

Then—just as the yellow was about to switch to green—

The brat turned, looked the punk dead in the eye, and repeated, word for word, what he had shouted earlier.

"Move your shitty old car, grandpa!"

Silence.

Levi and Furlan froze. The punk's jaw dropped.

Then—green light.

Levi floored it.

As their car sped off, Furlan was gasping for breath, barely holding back his laughter.

"Bro—BRO." He clutched his stomach. "She's perfect. You got the right kid."

Levi exhaled sharply through his nose, gripping the wheel. "I did not."

"She literally just called that rich brat out like a pro." Furlan wiped a tear from his eye. "She's an Ackerman, man. No DNA test needed."

Levi risked a glance at the rearview mirror. The brat—Yuna, Tuna, whatever—was looking out the window, completely unbothered, tiny hands gripping her car seat like she hadn't just verbally destroyed a teenager.

He clicked his tongue.

...Okay. Maybe she was the right kid.

CHAPTER COMPLETED