Strawberry Fields Forever After (Takumi's Dead! A Nana FanFiction)

Chapter 7

Hachi stepped quietly into Nana's hospital room, her eyes immediately drawn to the peaceful figure asleep in the bed. But today, there was someone else sitting at Nana's side—Nobu. She hadn't seen him since that day, the day they rushed Nana here. They hadn't spoken since their breakup.

Their lives had taken such different paths. Hachi, now engaged and visibly pregnant, living in the shadows of Takumi's world. Nobu, still fighting to keep Blast alive without Nana, his passion for the band a constant in his life.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other, a quiet acknowledgment passing between them. A small smile tugged at their lips, but the sadness in their eyes betrayed the weight of all that had gone unsaid between them.

Nobu noticed the bags of food Hachi was holding, a simple act of care she brought every day for Nana. He rose to help her, always the gentleman.

They sat in silence as Hachi prepared Nana's meal, the quiet stretching on like a bridge between their two worlds.

"How's she been doing?" Nobu finally asked, breaking the stillness.

Hachi sighed deeply, her hands resting on the tray. "She's... managing, I guess. It's hard to tell."

Nobu nodded, the unspoken worry hanging in the air. Another pause. "And you?" he asked, his voice softer.

Hachi forced her usual smile, the one she wore so often now that it felt like second nature. "I'm fine," she said, though it never quite reached her eyes. It was the same smile she gave everyone, the one that reassured them she was okay, even when she wasn't.

But Nobu could see through her facade, the cracks in her carefully constructed mask.

The truth was, she felt isolated, even in the life she had chosen. Takumi had given her everything she thought she wanted—a home, a ring, the promise of a family. Yet those things felt fragile, like they could slip away at any moment. She was trying so hard to be the perfect wife, the perfect mother-to-be, someone worthy of Takumi's love. But doubts gnawed at her every day. Had she made a mistake? She wanted to tell Nobu that she missed him, that sometimes she wished she had chosen differently. But it was too late for that now.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a sharp cramp tore through her belly, nearly bringing her to her knees.

Nobu jumped up, his hands steadying her. "Nana, what's wrong?"

She gripped his arm, her voice strained. "I think... the baby's coming."

Hachi stood frozen for a moment, her breath catching in her throat as the cramp tightened around her belly. The realization hit her like a wave—it was too soon.

—

The fluorescent lights of the hospital room flickered above as Hachi gripped the edge of the bed, sweat beading on her forehead. She had been in labor for hours, and each contraction felt like a wave pulling her deeper into exhaustion. By her side, Nobu stood, his fingers intertwined with hers. The hospital staff bustled around them, prepping for the delivery, oblivious to the weight of the moment between the two old friends.

"Mr. Terashima, you're doing great, just stay calm," one of the nurses said, addressing Nobu as though he were the father. He opened his mouth to correct them for what felt like the hundredth time, but Hachi's grip tightened, and he stopped. He could see the fear in her eyes, the terror of facing this moment alone. Nobu couldn't bring himself to pull away, not when she needed someone—anyone—by her side.

So he stayed, ignoring the nagging truth that this wasn't his place.

Meanwhile, the hospital had been trying to contact Takumi, but with no success. Call after call went unanswered, each one causing a knot to form in Hachi's chest, but she pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the pain, on the life about to come into the world.

The labor was long, grueling. Each push felt like it would tear her apart, but Hachi was stronger than she knew. With Nobu's hand in hers, she fought through the pain, gritting her teeth, her heart pounding as the sound of her child's first cries filled the room.

A baby boy.

Nobu felt his heart clench as he caught sight of the newborn in the nurse's arms. His breath hitched, and for a split second, he allowed himself to imagine it—this moment, this life, this family. But then, as they laid the baby in Hachi's arms, the truth became undeniable. The baby's face—those eyes, the unmistakable dark hair—it was Takumi's child.

Hachi held her son close, tears spilling from her eyes as she whispered, "Ren." She would name him after their friend, the one they had all loved and lost.

Nobu's chest tightened. He felt like an intruder in a dream that wasn't his. This wasn't his family, his child, his life. It was Takumi's.

Just then, the door burst open, and Takumi rushed in, his eyes wild with panic. He shoved his way past the doctors and nurses, not even noticing Nobu standing there, covered in scrubs and trying to fade into the background.

"I'm so sorry," Takumi said, breathless as he reached Hachi's side. His face softened, his eyes filling with something that looked like regret—or maybe love. In moments like this, when he softened, when he let his guard down, Takumi had a way of melting her defenses. Hachi's doubts, her loneliness, all seemed to dissipate in the warmth of his gaze.

In that fleeting moment, they were a family. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't what she'd imagined, but it was enough. It was something to hold onto.

Takumi reached down and gently lifted the baby from her arms, cradling his son as though he were something fragile and precious. The scene was perfect, idyllic.

Hachi turned her head, looking for Nobu, but the chair beside her was empty. He had already gone, slipping away without a word. She hadn't even noticed.

A heaviness settled in her chest, but she swallowed it down, watching as Takumi held their son, the three of them together for the first time.