This Side of Paradise - Tsukishima Kei x OC

Chapter 14: Matching

Chapter 14:

A few weeks later

Mizuki was currently in Tokyo at Bokuto and Akaashi's apartment. She had just finished practice with her volleyball team when they invited her over for dinner. She accepted their invitation in a heartbeat.

"Do you want red wine, Mizuki-chan?" Akaashi asked from the kitchen.

Mizuki liked how Akaashi called her by her first name. Thanks to her work being at Tokyo, she developed a closeness with them and considered them her wise, older brothers.

"Sure," She responded as she played with Kaito and Kenji on the living room floor, "I'd drink the whole bottle if I could."

"Why's that?" Bokuto laughed, joining her and his twin sons.

"I've been feeling off lately," Mizuki admitted shyly, "You should've seen me at practice earlier... I missed half of Kojima-san's sets..."

"Is it because you're over-exerting yourself again?" Akaashi shook his head as he made his way to them.

He placed the glass of red wine on the coffee table and sat down beside them. Kaito crawled to him and he affectionately hugged his son. Mizuki felt pangs of sorrow but decided to ignore it. She didn't think that she wanted a baby that badly but seeing Bokuto and Akaashi laughing with their sons only further strengthened it.

"No... I don't think so..." She murmured, "I guess I just miss Kei."

"Yeah..." Bokuto pouted, "It can't be easy being away from him for weeks at a time."

"We usually take turns driving and visiting each other on the weekends but we've both been so busy that we haven't had the time to do that lately..." Mizuki mumbled softly.

They stared at her sympathetically and that was when she panicked - she didn't want to unload all her problems on them. They were supposed to be having a nice dinner after all.

"Ah! Sorry..." She exclaimed in a panic, "I didn't mean to be all negative!"

"Don't be sorry!" Bokuto frowned as he crossed his arms, "I can't even imagine being away from Keiji!"

"Stop..." Akaashi blushed, clearly flustered.

Mizuki laughed softly as Bokuto leaned over to swiftly kiss his husband's cheek. After gently pushing him away in embarrassment, Akaashi cleared his throat.

"How is Tsukishima?" He asked, "He sent me a copy of his dissertation and wanted me to read it for suggestions. I don't think he knows that I know nothing about what he's researching and studying."

"He's alright," She answered, "A little stressed but good."

"Why's he stressed?" Bokuto raised an eyebrow curiously.

She paused, unsure of how she should answer him. She didn't want to lie to them as they were her good friends. She knew that Kei was stressed because of their baby situation, as well as his studies, work, and family issues.

"Uh..."

Before she could say anything else or even drink her wine, an unsettling sensation bubbled at the pit of her stomach. She suddenly felt lightheaded and clammy, and she felt sick.

"Excuse me..." She managed to say, jolting up to sprint to the bathroom.

Mizuki refused to throw up on Bokuto and Akaashi's living room floor - that would be so humiliating. She flung the door open and stumbled onto the cold tiles. Mizuki faced the toilet and prepared herself for the unexpected disturbance in her stomach.