Okay last time we saw The Kim Klan (4the smart asses out there yes I no clan is spelt wif a 'c' but 'k' goes wif Kim) Ray and Mariam had Kai. But what Ray didn't know was that Mariam was keeping an itsy bitsy secret from him…or make that 2 itsy bitsy secrets. 9 months later she gave birth to two beautiful twin girls Mia and Mina. Kai is (7) and Mia and Mina are (4).
Kai and Kari also have another addition to their family; Gou (5) now has a little sister Chiasa (4).
Takao and Makoto (5) are happy to have Nami (Takao's now named wife) at home with them as she prepares for the arrival of her second child.
Note: When the word adoration is used it is to express anything but a crush or pos future pairing
Italics- thoughts
… … … - new scene
The Future Continues
The girls watched admiringly as Daichi threw Makoto in the air catching him again before swinging him upside down. Nami laughed at Makoto's bright face; he always loved playing games with uncle Daichi, but it worried her, after all Daichi was known as the king of butterfingers. Her fretting was soon interrupted by her husband who clunked down the stairs looking very unhappy. He stopped at the doorway with a bandaged hand gripping onto Makoto's baba that had collected so much dust from being left as an ornament that it stung Takao's eyes to even look at it.
I thought he loved this….stupid Daichi and his stupid presents… He swung his head backwards a little too carelessly and smacked it painfully off of the door frame. Nami gave a wince and shuffled over as quickly as her eight month old bump would let her.
"You ok?" She said pulling him closer so she could inspect his head for any bumps. She gave a friendly laugh after finding nothing, "You know sometimes it feels like I'm looking after three babies and not just two." She gave her stomach a light pat which made Takao smile; but it soon faded as Makoto and Daichi's laughter soared through the sky haunting Takao as it had a father-son ring to it. Nami tutted. "Stop being in such a bad mood." She rubbed his arm trying to cheer him up but Takao crossed his arms so tightly Nami could feel the veins in his forearms bulging out through his shirt. She nudged him and he looked down at her. "What's wrong?" Takao shook his head narrowing his eyes at Daichi who was now holding Makoto proudly as the girls crowded around stroking Makoto's small shiny cheeks or Daichi's muscle bound arms. Nami laughed in disbelief after watching the same scene he had just witnessed. "You're jealous of Daichi??"
"Ptsh!!!!! No!!" Takao uncrossed his arms heatedly making a stubborn expression as he began to roll his shoulders to try relieve some of the tension from his back. "How could I be jealous of that??" He spat looking over at his old friend who seemed to have it all now; the cars, the money, the girls and the admiration of his son. Takao sighed looking down at the ground. "You know he's not played with his baba in a while…just that damn contraption Sumeragi bought him…" Nami tilted her head to the side smiling before hugging her husband as best she could going on her tip toes to kiss his neck.
"He's not played with it because he ripped it." Nami took the stuffed toy and pulled at its arm so the cloud like cotton gently oozed out from its joints. "I'm going to sew it up for him tonight." She explained looking up at him fondly. "You're still just as silly as you were when I first met you!" Nami stroked his cheek easing his heart.
"So you don't like him either?" Takao felt dumb, but he couldn't really control it, they'd been married seven years now and he was worried the novelty of having him as a husband was wearing incredibly thin especially when he had to compete with Daichi and his lavish gifts that seemed to come left, right and centre.
"How could I? I'm married to you! Plus we're gonna have two sons." She placed Takao's hand on the bump. Takao smiled giving it a gentle pat.
"A daughter and a son." Nami tutted and playfully hit his hand off of her stomach.
"He's a boy."
"How do you know?"
"Motherly instincts." Takao laughed at Nami.
"You said Makoto was gonna be a girl."
"Can't I make a mistake?" She reddened.
"Yeah someone can make just one mistake," He smirked, "But you're always making them."
"Marrying you being the biggest one." She pinched his nose and walked off.
"I'm the best thing that's ever happened to you!" Takao assured her as he flared his nostrils free of the prolonging tight grip his wife possessed.
"You know I'd say it was my first boyfriend that was the best thing ever." Nami stopped and smiled back at her husband. "He always opened doors for me and let me borrow his money."
"I always open doors for you!! And I pull seats out for you!!! Hey wait!" Takao raced over to his wife. "I thought I was your first boyfriend??" Nami laughed at the shock in his voice. "So I wasn't?" He asked walking beside her as she started to continue making her way over to Makoto and Daichi. "You're just making this up aren't you? To make me jealous." Takao smirked at the thought of Nami wanting that much attention from him.
"D'you remember Michael?" Takao's eyes became ridiculously wide at the familiarity of the name. "Go get Makoto before the wind changes and your face stays that way." She laughed looking down at her stomach giving it a small hug as she felt the baby move. Takao smiled to himself as he watched her cherish the little movements that made her eyes light up and her skin shimmer with youth. Nami caught his gaze and pulled a confused and slightly uncomfortable face. "What?"
"Nothing." Takao shook himself out of his daze giving a small skip as he went to go through the mass of girls to get to his son. " 'Scuse. " He said squeezing past them to get to Daichi who seemed reluctant to hand Makoto over.
"Daddy," Makoto exaggeratedly rubbed his cheeks which had been over pinched and over 'aw'ed. "My cheeks are tingly."
"Some ice cream'll fix them, yeah?" Makoto nodded happily at his dad's suggestion.
Did I hear Takao offering ice cream? Daichi beamed at Takao who instantly knew he was going to have to feed another person that night. Daichi clapped his hands together as he began to announce his departure.
"Sorry ladies but I must take my leave." He gave a small bow walking over to the passenger seat of his Ferrari and taking out a small cardboard box which had suspicious holes in the lid. Takao rolled his eyes wandering over to his wife with Makoto fidgeting about in his arms as the girls gave hurt reactions at Daichi's departure. "Don't worry - I'll be here all week." Nami's breath caught in her throat as Takao fell over wrapping his arms around Makoto's head just as they hit the ground.
"All week???" He snapped after Daichi rushed forward dumping him off of Makoto who he lifted up with one arm and handed to his mother who scuttled over to check on him.
"Nami invited me." He smiled sweetly at Nami who looked nervously at Takao while Makoto grabbed the edge of the box and dug his little fingers around the edges of the nearest hole in the lid of the box. Takao got to his feet dusting himself off agitatedly before looking at his son whose big wondering eyes had snuck a look at the present that made him gasp and clap his hands with glee.
… … …
Ray stroked his little girl's jet black hair as she snuggled up on his lap impressing him with what a deep sleeper she was; it had been almost two hours but Takao still found the breath to snap at Daichi every now and then as Makoto ran in and out of the room getting food and water for the new and unexpected addition to the family.
"You knew I was getting him a puppy for his birthday!!"
"Nami said you wouldn't get him it!" Daichi glared over at Nami who stomped her foot off the ground crossly snapping at Daichi in a tone that taught him to never mess with a pregnant woman.
"No! I said Takao was thinking of not getting him one until we moved, not that he wasn't getting it at all!" She accidentally let the needle she was using slip into her finger. "Tsh!!" She pulled away checking her thumb that had went a ruby red before deciding she couldn't handle the arguing anymore. After cutting off the spare ends of thread Nami's footsteps echoed on the kitchen tiles as she took herself and Makoto's baba away from the noise Daichi and Takao created and to the serene innocence that surrounded her son as he played with his new puppy.
"Hey Toto, look at baba!" Nami carefully kneeled by her son's side holding out his cuddly toy and smiling at him. "The toy elves must have fixed him last night."
"BABA!!!" Makoto grabbed hold of him hugging him tightly. "Oh!" He looked over at the small Alsatian he'd left unattended and pulled him in close with the other arm trying to make sure no one was left out. Nami smile grew,
"You'll have to grow another arm for when your baby brother comes." She reminded him giving her bump the usual motherly stroke. Makoto nodded excitedly before looking down at his puppy's short legs and feeling a great injustice.
"Can't I have four? Diego has four."
"Diego? Is that what you're calling him?"
"I asked Uncle Daichi. He said that it was a good name, but…I'm confused - he said another name to dad…" Makoto put his finger on his chin squinting his eyes pensively. "I think it was wan-." Nami covered her son's mouth laughing angrily at the thought of Daichi being so reckless with his language in front of Makoto who adored everything his uncle said and done.
"Eh lets pinkie promise to never say that word, ok?" Nami took her hand form her son's mouth and held out her pinkie which Makoto hooked his tiny finger around and grinned at his mum.
"Pinkie promise!!" He said proudly watching his mum stretch over to pet the puppy's small head after he found his way to her.
"So his name's Diego?" Makoto nodded energetically as Diego licked Nami's hand pleased with his new name and new home.
"Mind if we join you?" Ray's voice came from behind as his now alert and amber eyed daughter led him into the kitchen suddenly stopping at the sight of the puppy.
"….Daddy…" Mina backed off wrapping her arms around her dad's leg refusing to move any closer despite the reassurance that it was safe. "He won't hurt you honey." Ray bent down trying to pry his daughter's nails from his leg. Mina shook her head and clung on even tighter rubbing her head on the denim of his jeans. Ray patted her head making her look up and bent down to her eye level giving the most tender smile he could give. "I'll tell you a secret;" His voice went softer as his daughter stepped closer to listen to the secret. "I'm scared too. But if I'm with you I know I'll be ok. So will you come with me?" Nami smiled at the fatherly gesture Ray gave to Mina whose face seemed to brighten with a little more confidence as she took her dad's hand. Mina bit down on her finger nail as her dad took her forward to the newly formed energetic duo. Diego gave a small bark and bounded over to a possible friend but Mina gave a scared sigh and pulled her hand away from Ray's to run beneath the kitchen table. "Sh, it's ok, I'm here." Ray put his hand out towards her trying to get her out so she wouldn't bang her head but she scrunched face up and cried harder than she ever had as Diego padded closer to her. "Ssshh. It's ok, we'll try again tomorrow." Ray kindly pulled Diego away from Mina by the tail allowing her to scramble up into his arms and cry a little more. "It's ok." He comforted her rubbing her back as she sucked her thumb to help numb the mild sadness that felt so strong to her small heart. Mina gulped away the tears and took her saliva filled thumb out of her mouth and tightly gripped onto the safety that was her dad.
"I want mummy!" Ray smiled at his daughter's request and pulled his neck back so he could look down at his beautiful baby girl.
"Anything you want princess."
… … …
Mia toddled over to the small play table in the living room under the watchful eye of her big brother. She traced her fingers around the small triangle cut into the centre before picking up a green square block and trying to force it through. Kai watched waiting for his sister to notice her mistake but her temper got the better of her as she flung it to the floor.
"Meh!!!" Kai smiled and walked over to his little sister picking up the blue triangle that fitted into the missing hole in the table.
"Maybe this one will fit." Mia glared at the block and then looked up a little less sternly at Kai.
"I don't care!" She said in a huff crossing her arms.
"Why don't you just try?" Kai held the plastic triangle out for his little sister who swayed indecisively before taking the infamous block with the tips of her fingers and placing it upside down on the triangular hole. She stomped her foot at another unsuccessful attempt and Kai stepped in. "Try turning it the other way." He took her hand and helped her put it the right way about. The small chunk of the block falling through the table felt like a cool breeze to his wee sister who smiled and clapped her hands beaming. "Well done!" He put his arm around her shoulder as she hugged him tightly bringing a huge smile to his mother's face who had been secretly watching them from the door with their auntie Kari and an anxious Gou who looked behind himself to look out for his dad and baby sister. Kari laughed gently,
"They'll be here soon son." She stroked his hair as he continued to gaze off into the distance in wait for his dad.
"Gou!!" Mia caught sight of her big cousin and ran a bit too quickly over to him tripping on her shoe laces as she went. Much to Mariam's relief, Gou's reflexes were as sharp as his father's and he caught her just as her face fell into threat of smacking off the ground. Gou smiled at her as she looked up at him beaming with a gratitude that itched away at Kai.
I coulda caught her…she's my sister… Kai went over to Mia pulling her over to him as if inspecting her for a possible injury when he really just wanted her to think of him as her only big brother and protector.
"I'm ok." Mia insisted trying to get out of Kai's tight grip but wound up being suffocated by a huge hug. Gou shook his head and walked over to the sofa where his dad's suit jacket lay. Mariam and Kari watched in amusement at Gou's cuteness as he slipped on the huge jacket and crossed his arms looking the double his of dad. Mia grinned.
"I wanna play dress up!!" She dashed over to the radiator pulling a white sheet down.
"Sweety auntie Kari just washed that." Mariam reached over to put it back but Kari patted her shoulder kindly and shook her head.
"It's ok, she can play with it." She knelt down beside Mia pulling the sheet over her head. "Wow! What a scary ghost you are!" Mariam smiled as her daughter marched over to Kai roaring. Gou smirked as Kai stepped aside leaving his little sister growling at the empty air before unleashing one of his perfected snarls in her ear. She squealed as the front door clicked shut and ran blindly behind her mum.
"DAD!!" Gou slipped out of the jacket running out into the hall only to come traipsing back in with a face full of disappointment.
"Never knew I had that effect." Ray smiled making his entrance as his two other children swarmed at his feet.
"It's about time, the foods been ready for ages!" Kari held her hand out for Gou to take so she could lead him into the kitchen.
"Uh…we can't stay, Mina threw up on the way here." Mariam took her daughter from Ray putting her hand on Mina's small forehead to feel her burning up.
"How'd she get like that?" Mariam gently rubbed Mina's back feeling her weak grip as she held onto her mum's top in a small plea to feel better. Ray shrugged looking at Mina's frail figure with worry.
"I think she got a bit too upset by Makoto's new dog."
"Makoto has a dog?" Mariam shook her head not really caring as she heard her daughter give a small whinge of ache. "I'm sorry Kari but we should get her home."
"That's fine." Kari let go of Gou's hand as he ran off into the kitchen "Kai should be home soon anyway."
… … …
Kai smiled secretively as his baby girl giggled holding on tight to the chains that lowered from the metal frame of the swing. The cold weather didn't bother him much thanks to his black scarf and coat which hung casually against him; his face was the only part of him that felt a little tingly from the chill that had painted itself on the evening but he was more concerned about Chiasa. If she caught a cold she'd be bed bound for at least a week. Just at that thought Chiasa leaned back to look at her daddy and let him see her shining eyes and rosy red cheeks. Kai smiled openly realising she couldn't possibly feel cold after her mother had wrapped her up in her cream coat and covered her ears and neck with the most expensive and adorable matching hat, glove and scarf set money could buy. He checked his watch missing a few pushes that made the altitude of the swing lower.
"Mou!!" Chiasa kicked her small boots out in front of her trying to push herself back up. Kai shook his head giving a small puff of a laugh from the depths of his throat. Chiasa twisted her body to look up at her dad. "More?" She began to bounce up and down hoping it would change her dad's mind.
"Tomorrow. Mum'll have dinner ready by now."
"Not hungry." Chiasa's voice came out with a stubborn authority that made Kai think he was talking to Kari for a few seconds. Kai shrugged hiding a smirk,
"Ok, I'll just leave you here." He teased taking a step away as he put his hands into his pockets giving a tilt of the head, "I guess I'll force myself to eat your koroke for you." He turned away imagining Chiasa's eyes widen at her father leaving her so he could eat her favourite food.
"No daddy!!! Mine! My food!"
"But your not hungry." He smiled turning back to look at her.
"Bh...nh...mm…daddy!!!" She kicked the air to wiggle off the seat of the swing which hovered a foot or two above the ground. Kai laughed as he watched the small bobble attached to her hat bob to and fro just as energetically as her tiny feet before taking his hands out of his pockets as he went over to lift his daughter up.
"That better?" He asked lifting her onto his shoulders. Chiasa nodded holding onto the collar of her dad's coat as he began to walk to the shiny black gate that led out to the open street lined with bare trees and mild curling oceans of brown leaves. Kai's echoing footsteps and the small pats Chiasa's feet made as she unconsciously tapped them against her dad were soon overcome by laughs and calls from, what Kai instantly recognised as, the Kim family. Chiasa leaned forward as her brown eyes caught the flickering figure of Kai Kim as he raced forward in his white karate suit.
"Kai!!!" Chiasa squealed waving at him. He stopped and waved back enthusiastically leaving himself vulnerable to another fighting fit martial arts enthusiast who jumped on him putting him into spasms of laughter as she gave him one half of what Ray called Twin Tickle Torture. "Mia!!! Daddy looky!!!" Chiasa pulled at her dad's face in excitement.
"I see her." He told her gently feeling her young but tight grip on his jawbone. "Bet I can run faster than Kai."
"Daddy," Chiasa looked down at her father with a face full of innocent sincerity, "You're great, but no one can ever beat Kai - even aunty Mariam says he's the best."
"Really?" Kai smirked at the slight mix up of identity but chose not to correct her.
"Uh huh!!!" She nodded grinning and clasping her hands in adoration. "He's so so so so so so so so cool!!!!!!" Kai's eyes glinted with mischief as he shrugged and made his way down the street.
"Can't argue with that."
… … …
Ray set Mina's sleeping head down on her pillow that was surrounded by the teddies of her rapidly growing kingdom of Care Bear toys. The fever and chill from outside had left her cheeks letting the familiar cheeriness that always shone in her spirit return to her face. Ray smiled gently as his daughter instinctively clutched onto the biggest of her teddies and continued to sleep with her star filled dreams as the only company she needed.
"Night night princess." He whispered to her kissing her forehead as he tucked her snugly into bed before taking one last look at her and leaving her to sleep. The floorboards creaked beneath his weight as he took two steps across the hall and looked into his son's bedroom to see his bed empty. Ray narrowed his eyebrows wondering where Kai had got to when he heard hushed laughs echo from down stairs. He smiled and shook his head; Mariam always did let the kids stay up past their bedtime.
"Daddy?" Ray turned on his heel to see his youngest twin daughter Mia peak around the corner of her bedroom door in search of her dad. She smiled contently at Ray who was the solution to her problem and stepped out into the hall pulling at the oversized men's t-shirt that she used as a nightdress. "I can't sleep again." Ray smiled kindly and walked over to her.
"Will I tell you a story that'll help you sleep?" He asked guiding her back into her room. Mia nodded a bit disappointed; she wanted to stay up. Ray sat on the edge of Mia's bed waiting for her to jump into bed so he could tell her one of the made up bedtime stories that always sent her to sleep. He laughed as she tidied up the mess on her floor to deliberately avoid going straight into bed. "It'll be here for you to clean in the morning." Mia furrowed her brow at her dad and let go of all the toys she had picked up so she could cross her arms dramatically,
"Hmph!!" Ray laughed as her amber eyes done their best to look sad and huffy to change his mind.
"Come on you know you want to sleep." He patted the bed trying to reason with her. Her pout became more emphatic as she crossed her legs and sat down.
"Gou doesn't go to bed until the big hand's at sish!!" Mia pointed up to the Disney clock on her bedroom wall which read nine o'clock.
"But going to bed earlier makes you prettier than Gou." Ray said forgetting he was talking to Mia and not Mina. Mia shovelled her toys on her knees and began to play with them as she told her dad what she thought.
"I don't wanna be pretty! I wanna stay up late!!"
"Ok." Ray rubbed the palms of his hands on his trousers thinking of a way to negotiate with one of his three stubborn little madams. "How about we stay up late telling each other stories?" Mia seriously considered the offer as she looked at one of her dolls which had undergone numerous felt tip tattooing sessions and punk rocker hair cuts. She looked up at her dad letting her eyes glimmer and nodded her head merrily as she scampered away from her cocoon of toys and under her blankets. "Alrighty then." Ray watched with a charming bewilderment while Mia wrapped herself up in the blankets so she looked like some sort of stuffing in a dark purple blanket pastry. "Which story should I start off with?"
"The one with you and uncle Kai. That's the coolest!"
"I thought the one with your uncle Kai against Takao was the coolest?" Ray asked standing up to get rid of a random plastic toy that had suddenly started jagging into his spine. Mia narrowed her eyes.
"He broked my guitar!!!!" She said angrily looking over at a toy electric guitar that was only kept together by one or two strings that had been lucky enough to be missed out by Takao's foot. "Me no like him anymore! He didn't say soszay!!" She tried to put her hands on her hips but found the blankets were too tightly wound around her. "Uh…" Mia blushed. "Daddy I'm stuck!" Ray shook his head laughing as he put his hands into small openings of the blanket and pulled her out.
"He might buy you a new guitar." Ray tried to restore her liking for Takao as he remembered the time he and Takao had trying to wrap up the replacement guitar for her fifth birthday in two weeks. "Would you like him again if he did get you it?" He sat her down on her bed after fixing her pillows straight for her.
"No." Mia pulled her blankets up to her chin and threw herself back blissfully unaware that she was an inch away from a nasty bang on the head. "Mum told us not to." Ray tried not to grin; it was wrong that Mariam done that - funny - but very wrong.
"Eh well, fair enough." He rubbed his nose watching Mia get herself comfortable.
"Daddy can you bring Drigger so you can show me how it happened again?" She asked sweetly. Ray nodded and patted her black head of hair.
"Sure thing short stuff."
"I'm not short!!!!" Mia jumped up and bounced on her bed trying to get higher than her dad. "See??"
"Watch you don't fall ok?" Ray saw Mia give him a thumbs up as he anxiously looked back at her before leaving to get Drigger from his room. He grumbled as he stubbed his toe on the mountains of birthday presents that had piled up in front of the chair where his old trousers lay. Ray smirked as he retrieved his old friend that had a few dents on the attack ring after a friendly match against Kai a couple of days ago.
Gotta get that fixed. He reminded himself as he weaved his way out of the room and back across the hall to Mia.
"Ok here-" He started before noticing his small bundle of joy lying flat out on her bed sucking her thumb as she slept. Ray shook his head smiling as he put Drigger in his pocket. "You little rascal." He murmured cradling Mia in his arms so he could lie her down properly. When her head nestled on the pillow Ray jumped as his wife's arms went around his waist.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you." Mariam rested her head on his back as she waited for him to finish putting Mia to bed. He turned around holding her waist gently before kissing the tip of her nose.
"Kai in bed?" He asked as Mariam yawned and placed her hands on his.
"Yup, out like a light bulb. Mia couldn't sleep again?" Mariam gave a warm motherly gaze to one of her sleeping beauties.
"Yeah. She didn't even need a bed time story tonight. She must be growing out of it."
"Shame." Ray watched his wife walk over to Mia's bedroom door. "I was kinda enjoying making up stories for her…" She rested her head on the door looking at the small black head of hair that was barley visible beneath the thick quilt.
"Well you can tell me stories anytime!" He smiled crossing his arms and going into deep spoken thoughts of what the stories could entail. "One with a handsome young man who is, coincidently, called Ray." Mariam smirked shaking her head.
"And what would this young man do that makes him worthy of a story?"
"Well he's done many a thing." Ray explained cockily striding over to Mariam and putting his arm around her neck slowly guiding her out of the room and down the hallway. "He's got a dazzling smile that's captured the hearts of many. Stunning eyes that outshine the stars, a body worthy of a God." Mariam sniggered but Ray continued as his mind started to go into full throttle. "One of his most story noble tales is one when he goes against a big goblin named Ka-ow!!" Ray held the side of his stomach after Mariam's sharp elbow jabbed into him.
"If you're going against anything slightly goblin-like, it's the guitar breaking goblin named Takao you're facing!"
"You know that goblin bought you're daughter a new guitar." Ray stopped feeling slightly sorry for Takao as he watched Mariam walk down the stairs to the quiet chatter echoing from the TV.
"He wouldn't've had to buy a new one if he'd watched it in the first place." She called up as she sat herself down on the sofa as the phone rang. Mariam yawned picking it up, "Hello?" She half listened to Ray making his way down the stairs and plopping himself down beside her as the voice on the other end of the receiver got straight to the point. "Yeah he's here." Mariam glanced at her husband who felt her eyes tingle his skin.
"Can I talk to him?" Takao's voice asked impatiently.
"No-it's past your bed time." She teased. "Nighty nighty." An angry mutter came from the phone as she put it down before looking at Ray with a small happy face that made him laugh.
"You really should stop being so hard on him!" He put his arm around her shoulder pulling her in so she could rest her head on his chest.
"At least I told him you were in this time." Mariam grinned closing her eyes waiting to fall asleep in her husband's arms after another successful attempt of winding Takao up.
