イタズラな KISS ~3 ✔

One Shot-6

One Shot: Lapses

(This one shot is not related to covid cases. I hope this short one shot will make you happy while in quarantine. And of course, you can suggest me what would be the next one shot I will make.)

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Entering the stage of parenthood is not that easy as I think. It is hard and tough. Kotoko needs to quit being a nurse for the meantime until the children are old enough. It will take a few years. I mentioned that if she really wants to continue working as nurse in the hospital, we have no choice but to hire a nanny. She strongly stated that she wanted us to supervise in their growth and I think that would be better. We are both in tied to this idea so we have to do anything we can.

But due to that... we rarely have a time to be alone together like we always did back then. That's the obvious change that makes me to think this hard. I work my ass off as a doctor and the schedule is very unpredictable. There are days that I won't come home from work. There are days that I can't talk to her on the phone. There are days that I can't ask her how she's doing. Especially these past weeks... the hospital is loaded of patients. I haven't had a proper time to check up on my four children. I always got home in the middle of the night, feeling so tired and drained... seeing them in their deep sleep. A part of me got panicked if one day they won't recognize me as their father. I should start to free up my schedule and make time for them. Next week, I want to get their attention to me. I want to spend my time to them.

It's two am in the morning. I had finished three surgeries for the entire night. I almost didn't feel my muscles moving. My colleague wanted me to stay for another night but I was really determined to get home. I want to see her sleeping until it falls me to sleep. I just want to do the things that I used to do. I missed being with her. After checking up my four little angels sleeping so soundly, I entered our room and was surprised to see my wife, Irie Kotoko, being awake at this time.

"Kotoko, why are you still awake? It's two am." I asked her when she came running to me but she kept her distance trying not to press her body to me. "Irie-kun! You are home!" she said in her usual cheery voice. I answered. "I had three surgeries for the night and I haven't been home for a while. I miss sleeping in our bed." Of course that's the only kind of pretext to hide that I just missed her so much that I need to get home by any means.

She answered, "I'm glad that you are home! Do you want to take a bath? I can prepare it for you!" when she was about to leave I grabbed her. "No, I think I just have to change clothes. You should sleep now." I said and moved my body to grab some pyjamas. I looked at her, "Go to bed now." She just nodded, "Okay..."

After a few moments, I got out of the bathroom. Coming to our bed after I cleaned myself, Kotoko is sitting up like she was waiting for me. "Oh, I told you to sleep, didn't I?" I sat beside her, leaning my face into her neck. My eyes start to drop occasionally, my body is feeling exhausted. I bet I could sleep anytime soon but I wanted to talk to her even a little conversation. "These past weeks... we rarely see each other because we were really busy." she started. "I miss you, Irie-kun." she said that made me to pause and think. "I don't want us to grow apart. You may kind of hate this but I will try my best to chase you until I can." she smiled mischievously.

"Ah. So you were really waiting for me to come home?" I asked. She eventually agreed. "I know you will get lonely when you get home in times like this. It's dark and silence... you can feel it was lonely. I just want to welcome you with warm... telling you that I am still here, rooting for you, thinking of you and loving you tremendously. I always have been doing that... and I don't want you forget about that." she pulled me into a hug. And I was surprised to that extent that my heart was filled with her overflowing love. I hugged her tightly as I could. "Thank you for doing this to me. You never failed to surprise me in a good way..." I sniffed her neck. Damn, it feels like home to be wrapped inside her arms. It seems like she gave another fill of energy. She is really the source of my power.

We stayed for a few minutes being like that until she broke off the hug. She giggled while she was looking up to me. I brushed a little of her hair as I leaned and kissed her lips. If it's Kotoko, I feel like I can do more. And I kissed her forehead. "I will do anything I can. Let's hang on, Kotoko. We can do it." and she snaked her hands around my arm and answered with a positive response, "Of course."