surrogate labor

chapter six

While grocery shopping at the supermarket, Misaki passed by the baby aisle and could not resist the urge to pop in and take a look. While surveying the shelves of milk formulas and diapers, to his surprise he spotted someone familiar in the same aisle - it was Sumi-senpai again. His lanky bespectacled senior threw a big smile at him when their eyes met. Misaki had a strange feeling that something was not right, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it. "Hey Misaki, What are you doing here?" Sumi asked cheerfully. "Oh just looking," he replied, trying to keep his voice casual. "You don't need these things do you? Those babies aren't even yours," Sumi sneered pointing a finger at Misaki's midsection. "Isn't it great that you don't have to worry about feeding them or changing their diapers after they are born?" Misaki could not believe his ears. What his senior said stung him to the core and he felt his temper rising like steam in a pressure cooker. "It's none of your business!" he snapped. "What are YOU doing here anyway?"
"Me?" Sumi smiled, a smug look plastered on his face. "I'm here because I'm expecting a child."
"Huh? With who?"
"With Akihiko," Sumi smiled blissfully. "I slept with your man two weeks ago and now I'm pregnant."
"NO!" Misaki cried, trembling all over with rage and disbelief. "I'm sorry. Akihiko will definitely choose me now. We're meant to be together."
"No! It can't be! NOOOOO!" Misaki screamed as his world came crashing down on him.

"I would like all of you to turn to chapter nine. Natsuko, please read the first paragraph for us." Kamijou sensei's voice penetrated Misaki's dream and the teenager awoke with a jerk. He exhaled with relief when he found himself in class, but his heart was still beating rapidly from the emotions he had felt from the very vivid nightmare. Raking a hand through his hair, he sat up straight and looked around. "Chapter nine. Kaoruko, who was beside him, whispered. "Thanks." Misaki whispered back. As he glanced around he found himself briefly meeting Kamijou's brown eyes, but his sensei said nothing and continued teaching. Remembering their conversation earlier on, he felt a twinge of guilt for lying to his sensei about his condition, although he technically wasn't the one who had lied. Through that conversation he'd realized that Kamijou was actually a kind man, Although he was gruff and hot-tempered. Not wanting to take advantage of his sensei's kindness, Misaki resolved to put all his efforts into concentrating on the lesson. When class was over, Kaoruko was packing up when she noticed Misaki tugging at the waistband of his jeans, which were specially tailor made for him, but were getting too tight and uncomfortable nowadays. She leaned towards him and asked in a concerned tone. "Are you alright Misaki-kun?"
"Yes I'm just feeling a little bloated. I've been down with gastric flu."
"Gastric flu for a few months? That sounds really bad. Have you gone to see a doctor?" Misaki nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm taking some medicine now. Don't worry about me."
"I see," Kaoruko said, her dark, perceptive eyes still fixed on Misaki. There was something different about him, and she was trying to figure out what it was. For a sick person he didn't look sick. In fact his face had a radiant glow to it, and she noticed that his pretty boy features looked somewhat...prettier than usual? The more she thought about it, the more her instincts told her something was up. Misaki  noticed himself being scrutinized and felt like a specimen under a microscope. blushing, he quickly pulled his coat tighter around him trying to conceal his bump. "Hey Misaki-kun..."Kaoruko asked again, carefully. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"Um? What do you mean?" Misaki backed away nervously, trying to keep her at arm's length. Lying was definitely not his forte, and anyone who knew him could read him like a open bok. "Never mind," she said. She was recalled reading something in the papers a few years ago, but she wasn't sure. 'Time will tell.' she thought. It was a tricky question and she decided not to ask him till her suspicions were confirmed. "Take care, Misaki-kun!"
"You take care too!" Relieved that she had let him off. Misaki flashed a smile as big as he could manage and waved goodbye. After they parted, Kaoruko headed straight for the library. After doing a search she found a book titled 'Male pregnancy', published only about a year ago. She brought the book to the couch where she made herself comfortable, flipped to the first page and started reading. "In recent years advancement in science had made it possible for men to incubate babies inside their bodies with high survival rates..."