The Winners Take It All | Chishiya

And they lived happily ever after...

3 years later...

"Try to push, Chishiya-san!"

It was the worst pain I had ever felt.

My whole body hurt, I was slowly reaching my limit...

"W-Where... is Shuntaro?" I pressed out and the nurse came into view.

"Your husband has already been notified, he will be here shortly," she tried to calm me down and I screamed as a new wave of pain shot through my body.

At the same moment the door to the room opened.

"Ayu?" Shu sounded stressed as he disinfected his hands and then came to my bed. He was wearing scrubs, which made me think he had just had a surgery on a patient.

"Sh-Shuntaro," I squeaked as he took my hand.

"You're doing great, Ayu..." he whispered and I narrowed my eyes as the next wave came.

"Keep it up! The little head is visible now!", the midwife stroked my knee, "You're doing very well!"

I smiled slightly despite the pain.

Yes, it was time.

I still remember exactly what the day had been like when I announced it...

I held the test in my hand, trembling. Another two strokes... and the father sat in the kitchen and enjoyed his breakfast. What did I do now?

Did he even want to have children?

How would he react?

A whimper that had been building up since yesterday slipped from my lips.

I was pregnant... damn, how was that possible?! I took the pill; we had always been careful!

There was a knock on the door, Shu had damn good ears, I kept forgetting that he could hear everything that was going on in the next rooms.

"Hey, are you okay, Ayu? I just heard a strange noise," he asked neutrally, and the guilty conscience hit me with full force. I couldn't do that to him... He was only twenty-five, I was twenty-four... He was still in the middle of developing his career, and so was I.

A child... it didn't fit the mold! I was afraid that it would have to experience exactly what I had...

"AYU! If you don't open the door right away, I'll break it down! What's going on? Are you hurt?", my boyfriend slowly became hectic, he didn't seem to like the fact that I didn't answer. If I were him, I would have done the same.

I had to tell him; he would find out anyway... So, I opened the door. He stood right in front of me and looked me in the eyes. He had the typical worry line on his forehead and searched for words but couldn't find any. Then his attention shifted to my hand.

He saw the test.

"P-Pregnant?" he gasped quietly, and I nodded slightly, trying to hold back the tears. He seemed to process the information as I tapped my foot nervously.

His reaction was hard to read, I didn't know what he thought about it...

"I-I... If you don't want a child, then I won't-" he interrupted me by pulling me into his arms. He was shaking, just like me.

"No," his answer took my breath away, I froze, "I'm so happy, Ayu... Yes, maybe it's a little unexpected and I'm scared, just like you. I'm scared that I won't be good enough that I'm not ready, just like you... But we can do it, we've already done so much together..." He hugged me tighter again and I sobbed.

"You're almost there!" the nurse shouted and I gathered all my strength again...

... then there was a loud scream.

"Congratulations!" the midwife shouted over the crying, "you have given birth to a small, healthy daughter!"

Now tears came to me too.

The midwife came to us and placed the small bundle on my upper body.

It was so warm...

"Do you have a name yet?" she asked and I looked at Shuntaro.

He seemed a little emotional, although he didn't show it too much. But since I had known him for a while, I could see it - he was swallowing more often, his eyes were a little glassy.

He carefully placed his hand on her back.

"My wife has chosen a name," he whispered.

"Sayumi," I murmured quietly, "Our little Yumi ..."

Shuntaro stroked my hair. "Chishiya Sayumi," he tested the name, then nodded.

She was happiness, hope... An angel sent from above.

"We will always love you, Sayumi," I murmured in her ear, "Your dad and I are always here for you. No matter what it is, you are always welcome..."

I now had my own little family. I would do anything for her, no matter what it was.

My life couldn't be more beautiful...

And so I looked out the window.

The sky was bright blue, the sun was shining.

Then I saw their faces.

"We are proud of you," they seemed to say.

I nodded to the sky.

"Thank you, Nana, Ayumi," I whispered quietly, enjoying the warmth that my little daughter and husband offered me.

Yes, life really was perfect.

Fate might sometimes be a mean traitor, but in the end it always led you to your goal.

And I was sure: I had achieved it.

I looked into a future full of joy, love and hope.

It was such a damn exciting feeling.