A Little Twist

Epilogue

I can't believe it! Shu grabbed a bag. 'Daiki!' 

'Daddy, where is my brother?' The toddler runs to his father. 'And mommy says to get you. Why is she in pain?' 

Oh no, it's starting already. 'I'll take you to your uncle Reiji. Promise me you will behave?' 

Daiki nods. 'I don't know what hurts mommy. I wanna help.' 

'Not with this, sweety. Come on.' He lifts the toddler with the bag on his shoulder. 'I'll pick you up later.' He teleports straight back to his old house. 

'Why can't I stay with you and mommy?!'  

'Daiki, please, remember your promise. What do you do if you promise something?' Shu goes through his knees and wants to hear it from his son. 

Daiki folds his hands together. 'Never break it.' 

Shu kisses his cheek. 'Your mother and I made a few promises to each other.' He gets up. 'Reiji?' 

'Not here at the moment, why?' Laito shows up in the living room. 'I didn't think we would see you here.' 

'I just got home.' Reiji hurried up. 

'Listen to uncle Reiji, alright. I promise to pick you up later.' He gives the bag to his brother. 

Reiji takes it. 'Go, she wants you there.' She needs you. 

Laito is confused. 'Wait, you know what's going on?' For once, he was out of the loop. 

*** 

Shu teleports straight back and rushes to Risa. 'I'm back, I'm back. Daiki is with Reiji.' He nods to the obstetrician. 'He wanted to help you because you're in pain.' 

Risa is happy that Daiki is in good hands and smiles a bit. 'I know.' 

He puts his hand on her belly. You have changed your mind and I won't ever forget this. Thank you for giving me another child. Then he hears a cry. 

'I'm sorry, you just missed it.' She feels his head on her chest. 'But guess what.' 

'What?' His eyebrows turn upside down. I missed it! Damn it! It's not his fault, he doesn't even know what is going on. Daiki, you need at least another eight to ten years before I tell you that. 

The nurse goes to him. 'It's a healthy...' 

'Baby boy,' finishes Risa quickly. You don't get to say that. He's our son and not yours. 

Shu gets to hold his son and, again, notices a couple of light eyes. 'I don't know if he has your eyes or mine,' he chuckles and gives him to her. 'I love you, darling.' He kisses her and sees their son moving his arms. 'Just because we didn't know, doesn't stop us from thinking about a name.' 

Having her son in her arms, she glances at him. 'How does Hikaru sound?' 

He smiles. 'Now, you won't get offended. Welcome, Hikaru Sakamaki.' He pets his cheek. 'He has a few light hairs. Maybe he'll be blond like me.' 

'Daiki had dark hair when he was born.' Laughing, she kisses him. 'Why not get Daiki back? Along with Reiji?' 

He pulls a grimace. 'Do you want to ask him again?' 

'Is there anyone better? I'm all ears, otherwise.' She loses her son to the obstetrician, who weighs and measures the baby. 'I'll have to feed Hikaru soon, anyway.' 

'I'll be right back.' He kisses her with a hug. Another son. I wonder if she would want a daughter. She is the only woman. He chuckles to himself while leaving the room. 

*** 

'I give up.' Laito holds Daiki. 'You really want to go back to your mother.' 

'Mommy is in pain, and I don't like it. I wanna help. She always kisses me and hugs me to make the pain go away.' 

Shu teleports in the living room. 

Making Daiki jump off Laito's lap and run to him. 'Daddy, how's mommy?' 

He catches his son. 'Easy, your mother is doing fine. She's asking for you.' 

'Do I keep the bag or not?' Reiji heard the toddler yelling daddy. 'How is she doing?' 

'Good now,' answers Shu. 

Laito is still looking back and forth. 'What's with the secrecy? Since when do we talk in code?' I wanna know too. 

Shu kneels in front of his son. 'I will take you back to your mother, Daiki, but no loud noises, okay? You also need to be careful with your mother.' 

'Oh. Oh.' Laito raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened. 

'I promise, daddy.' Daiki is lifted in his father's arms. 

'Thank you.' With a kiss on his cheek, Shu looks at Reiji. 'Risa wanted to ask you something.' 

Reiji feels his glass slipping but pushes it back up. Again? 'If you are both sure, I would like to.' Daiki can be quite energetic but quiet too at times. 

Shu lays his hand on his brother's shoulder and goes back home. 'In that case, you can meet Hikaru.' He puts his son down. 'You have a little brother, Daiki. His name is Hikaru, but quiet, he might be asleep. Let me check first.' 

'Congratulations.' Reiji stays with Daiki in the hall. 'How do you like it to have a baby brother?' 

'I wanna play with him.' Daiki looks at his uncle. 

Reiji shakes his head. 'Not yet, your little brother will sleep a lot. It will take several months before he can play with you. Maybe even a year, you took your time when you were a baby.' 

*** 

Risa just fed her son when she saw him coming inside. 

'How are you feeling?' He kisses her and notices his son asleep in her arms. 

'Better than an hour ago but still tired.' She looks down at the baby. 

Shu knows that she's cleaned up. 'Daiki loves to see you and guess who's here too?' 

Reiji. She smiles. 'What's next? The others, one by one?' 

'No, just him.' Shu gets up and opens the door after she fixes her shirt. 'You can come in now, Daiki. You too.' He holds the door for them. 

Reiji comes inside. 'I remember vividly that you said never again.' He sees the baby in her arms. 'Is there a third coming in the future? Otherwise, I would decline.' 

She shakes no. 'Two children is enough for me.' 

'He's so little.' Daiki climbed up the bed to get closer. 

Reiji smiles. 'Congratulations, a healthy baby boy. I heard his name is Hikaru.' 

'It is.' She moves up and gives her son to him. 'I know the others are half-brothers but not you, Reiji. You really are my brother-in-law and the godfather to Daiki. Will you be Hikaru's godfather too?' 

'I will, Risa.' Reiji looks at his nephew. 'Did it take long?' 

'No, I remembered some of the tips I got from my other pregnancy. And I started earlier drinking the tea you gave me back then.' She tells him. 'Even if you don't want the others here, they will find out because Reiji is their godfather.' 

'I know.' Shu turns his head. 'You can tell the others. Just don't give them our address.' 

'I won't, Shu,' promises Reiji while feeling a little jealous. My time will come. 

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