Love and Beasts

Chapter 14

Akito's flashbacks (part 1):

Yukiko was in her last trimester. Since Ren was still at work, he asked Akito to come back to Japan and assist her in some last shopping, before the baby would arrive in case something happened. Akito agreed, since he had a lot of unused, accumulated work leaves and had no idea how to use it.

They were passing through the streets, when suddenly someone firmly bumped into Yukiko's elbow and nearly made her fall. When she was about to have a close proximity with the ground, somebody just in time caught her and stabilized the pregnant lady. "Hey, are you blind or something?! You could at least apologize, since something bad could have happened to her or the baby if she fell!" Akito was about to continue until he heard Yukiko say. "Akito, don't bother. It's better if you pay no mind to him. I'm glad that Ren called for you, since you saved both me and the baby." The woman said that, while gently stroking her visible belly. "Alright. But you should be more careful, since during pregnancy you become more delicate and fragile." "Don't worry about it. I know that compared to you and Ren, I can easier get injured than you. But I've been extra careful and everyone already treats me like a porcelain doll, so it's hard for me be injured." Yukiko said, smiling kindly. Akito was still slightly worried, but decided to trust the woman. After that they turned around and headed in their own direction.

...

After entering a few stores, Akito was carrying all the bags not letting the woman take even the smallest one, which was adorable in woman's eyes. When she turned around to say something, her happy aura suddenly disappeared. Out of nowhere, the woman pushed confused Akito to the side and it happened: you could hear some man's grunts and a woman's screech, which didn't come from Yukiko's lips, but from someone in the crowd. After pulling himself together Akito lifted his head up and saw a horrifying sight.

In front of him lied Yukiko, and some shady man with a knife in his hand was hovering over her. He suddenly deeply stabbed the woman, right over her pregnant belly. With a crazy look in his eyes he looked at Akito, while having a creepy grin on his face. Then Akito lounged at him, knocking him unconscious right on the spot. After that he ran to the suffering woman and took her in his arms. "Yukiko, don't give up! Don't you dare fall asleep! Live, I'm begging you! You have to live for me, Ren and your baby! Someone call an ambulance! Yukiko!" The woman opened her eyes and looked at the man. "Damn it! I was supposed to be the stabbed one, not y-" "If you were stabbed, then everyone would find out. Not only you, but Ren and this baby would be in danger too. That's why I don't want you to blame yourself." the woman quietly whispered and then with her left arm she cupped his face. Then she said "Please... take care of them... for me... " she didn't have a chance to finish because at that time paramedics came in and took her to the hospital.

After the ambulance with the struggling woman left the place, Akito then heard someone laugh behind him. He turned around and started beating up the man, that was laughing hysterically for no reason. When he stopped, the man spitted out a bloody tooth and screamed out madly. "Pfft, ahahahaha! Bwahahaha! I'm so happy! I finally finished the task and actually killed someone! And it wasn't a strong opponent, but a stupid pregnant woman! I wonder what will be next? Maybe I should kill her brat?" Then Akira looked at the man with venom lacing his voice as he snarled at him.

"Lay a single finger on her or the baby, and I swear that I will first cut your tongue off so you would shut up forever. After that, I will torture you so painfully, that you will beg me to kill you. But I won't give you such kind of mercy, since you only deserve to die a long and painful death." Akito didn't have a chance to continue, because at that moment police came in and they had to separate the furious man from the badly beat up attacker. After that he was kept in place and asked questions, due to him being the main witness.

...

Akito was standing in front of the operating room, while waiting anxiously. He already called his brother, mother and Yukiko's family and informed them about everything. Ren told him that he will be there any minute. While waiting for any doctor to exit the operating room, he kept blaming himself for the accident. "I'm a failure. I should have been able to save her from that crazy bastard. And yet here we are: I am sitting here safe and sound, while Yukiko there is fighting for her and the baby's life! I'm sorry Yukiko. I'm so sorry for being such a pathetic loser."

After 5 minutes, Ren finally reached to the hospital and approached the sobbing Akito. "Where is she?! Is she okay? And what about the baby?!" "The surgery is still in progress. No one has updated me about her current condition, since they don't have any news regarding it. The baby's condition is also unknown to me." "Damn it!" The younger one said, kicking the trash bin a little. "Ren, I'm so sorry. I didn't see that crazy bastard coming. Yukiko did it, because she didn't want for the truth about us to be revealed. I know that I  I'm the the greatest coward for not being able to protect her." After hearing it Ren slightly calmed down and looked at his brother. "Nii-san, I know that you would never let her be hurt on your watch, because ever since I was a kid you were always like my own personal bodyguard. I understand the situation and Yukiko's intentions. I don't blame you for the accident and I'm sure she would do it again for any of us."

After this short word exchange the younger male patted the older one's back, in a reassuring gesture. At the same time the doctor came out of the surgery room."Is any of you from Toragami Yukiko's family?" Ren then stood up and spoke. "My name is Toragami Ren. Yukiko is my wife." "And who is this man that was with her during an attack?" "My name is Toragami Akira. I am Ren's older brother and Yukiko's brother-in-law." "Oh, so both of you are from her family." "Yes. Doctor please tell me: how are my wife and my baby?"

"Well, the woman's abdomen muscles were badly damaged but we managed to suture them and save her. Since her abdomen muscles were in bad condition and her water broke, we couldn't let her go in labor the natural way, since the stitches would badly hurt her or even snap, which could put her life in danger again. So we performed a c-section that was successful." "So that means?" "Congratulations, Mr Toragami. You're wife is safe and sound and you just became a father of a boy!" After that Akito sighed with relief while Ren cried out of happiness.

"Can I see my son?" "Of course sir. Follow me." after that both of the men followed the doctor. They entered the room, where Yukiko was sleeping. Next to her in a crib, there lied a little baby, wrapped in a blue blanket like a burrito. "Do you want to hold him?" "Yes, please." When doctor passed the baby to the man, Ren delicately took him in his arms not wanting to accidentally hurt him. When the baby lied in his arms, it woke up and opened its eyes. They were light green, exactly like Yukiko's.

"He's the exact copy of you." a woman's voice said. Both Akito and Ren with baby in his arms turned around and saw the woman was awake and smiling at them. "No, his eyes are actually yours." Akito said, looking at his sister-in-law and the baby boy. Then Ren frowned. "Shouldn't you rest? After everything that happened?" "Honey, after getting anesthesia I didn't have a chance to see my baby. Now I can finally see the most adorable sight in my life, yet you tell me to sleep?" "Haha, you got a point here. Do you want to hold him?" "Of course I do, silly."

After that Ren handed the baby to the woman and she smiled. "How do you want name him?" Akito spoke. Ren and Yukiko were surprised, since they didn't have a chance to choose a name for the baby. "Hmm, I don't know Akito. Why don't you name him? Afterall, if you didn't take care of that attacker then who knows what would happen to me." "Actually it was you who saved me, not the opposite. Hmm, since you were aware about my and Ren's condition and well handled the situation by yourself, I'd advice to call your baby 'Akira'." "Akira?" "Yes. Akira stands for 'wisdom', and by naming the baby that way I want for him to be as clever as his mother in hard situations." "Wow Akito, it's a great idea!" "I know it. Afterall, I was always the brighter one and I hope the kid won't be silly like you sometimes." "Shut up!" The younger one punched his brother at his shoulder. After that everyone laughed wholeheartedly, not knowing what was about to come their way.