"You're never coming back, are you?" the question seemed out of place at that time. Especially because she was looking at the mirror, looking at herself in a stunning, beautiful white wedding dress. Her hair was loose, her eyes full of tears and her heart, full of sorrow…
But… even if it was a little. Barely a little, Haruka was in there. Somewhere. She knew it. And she loved the man that was waiting for her in the aisle, so…
"Better hurry up before the rumour of a runaway bride becomes the main subject of the conversation…"
Momo was smiling sweetly at her, stunning in her pink dress, rushing her. Takane sighed, somehow happy but sad at the same time, and nodded, determined to do what she was about to do.
"I'd really like if you became my Sister-In-Law, you know. And you can always say no…"
"I told you and I told the NEET I decided to do this, okay? Now, tell me if Kano has stopped laughing so I can go out"
"Kido hit him recently, so I doubt he'd do anything. Now go on before you fiancé eats the cake"
She smiled, grabbed the bouquet and walked to the aisle. Momo and Mary, being the bridesmaids, gave her some reassurance. She kept walking, her eyes glued to the floor until she reached half the aisle. It was useless, she needed to see his face, so she looked up at the white haired lad who was watching her curiously.
He smiled a little, but she wasn't sure if it was because of her or because Hibiya was eating a negima he smuggled.
Anyways…
This was it. No turning back now.
Konoha was a little odd. Sometimes like a little kid. And his antics were something new to her. Of course, he was a lot like Haruka… especially because he ate and slept a lot.
Their first days were spent in a small apartment they bought. Konoha would wake up, do what normal people do when they get up, and then he would proceed to attack her with random and stupid questions.
She had a job, and for those miracles of life, he had one too. She was happy for him, he finally was getting a hold of normal life.
Konoha had picked a small habit that triggered a lot of memories to her. Drawing. He spent most of his free time cuddling with her, doodling something, and falling asleep afterwards. She liked those times, though.
They had weekends free, so they would do what she called 'the Honeymoon routine'. They'd wake up, have breakfast, and then they'd decide what they'd do. Sometimes they went out, sometimes they stayed at home, watching movies and cuddling.
She remembered telling him that she wanted to go further, go beyond simple kissing…
But he was too naive to understand what she wanted. She had her needs, and her dorky husband didn't understand those needs…
"Takane…" usual routine, usual word. Konoha was about to ask something.
"What is it?" they were laying on bed, cuddling. Konoha just woke up from a long nap.
"I was talking to Kano the other day…" he yawned. Shuuya Kano was no good. Shuuya Kano was a little pest he had to avoid; now that he was married, more than ever.
"What did he say this time?" she asked, a mixture of annoyance and worry in her voice.
"How do you 'Make Love'?"
Of course.
Of. Freaking. Course.
"Why asking this so suddenly, love?" she had gotten used to call him 'love'.
"He was asking me if we made love, and when I asked him what was that he told me to ask you. So here am I, asking you…"
"Well… when a couple loves each other…"
"Like us?"
"Yeah, more or less. Well, they kiss and hug and… ugh, this is embarrassing!" Takane hid her face in her pillow.
"We do that…"
"It's not just that!" she continued, her voice muffled by the pillow "they undress each other… and then…"
"What happens?"
"She welcomes him into her womb!"
Alright. That had gotten awkward.
Konoha cocked his head, obviously confused. She was sure he was about to ask her to show him how, because that was the Konoha thing to do.
"Can we do it? I wanna see how it is…"
She looked at him.
"Fine…"
"But just this once…?"
"No. If you like it, we'll do it again, alright?"
He nodded, smiling happily at her. She sighed, gathering strength to do what they were about to do…
And… well. Things got a little awkward that night.
"Morning. You okay, love?"
She was resting on his chest, the sun entering through their window. Konoha was staring at her with his usual blank face, but with a strange shine in his eyes.
"Yeah… I'm happy…"
She smiled at him. She couldn't help it.
"I'm happy too…"
"Did you sleep well?"
That was the first time he asked such a thing in the two months they had been married.
"Me? Like a baby… and you?"
"I'd like a baby…"
She hid her red face in his chest.
"If everything went well last night, we might have one…"
"So… when you make love you make a baby, right?"
"Not always. Sometimes you do it because it feels good and you want to get closer to the person you love…"
Konoha didn't answer after that, but she noticed his hand stroking her hair. That was new. She grinned. She could get used to it.
"Why is she so tiny?"
"Because she is a baby. That's why"
Konoha was staring, surprised and happy, at their small baby girl sleeping in her crib. Obviously, Konoha was fascinated with her, asking a lot of things and touching her a lot.
"But she was inside of you, and now she's here… how does that even work?"
Takane smiled and rested her head in his shoulder.
"Don't ask such things, I'm not a biologist. Aren't you happy?"
He nodded, smiling.
"You're learning fast…"
"I know…"
"She's gonna be Daddy's Little Spoiled Princess, right?" Kano entered the room, followed by the rest of the Dan. He was smirking, as usual, and the rest of the group gathered around the crib to look at it.
"She looks like Konoha…" Mary pointed at the soft white hair of the baby.
"She has Takane's eyes…" Konoha explained "I still don't get genetics…"
"And you never will. None of us does. She just… you know. She just has your hair…" Shintaro tried to explain before Konoha even asked.
Konoha kissed Takane's forehead.
Even if he was not completely Haruka, she still was happy. And he was happy too.
Kido's voice broke her train of thoughts.
"Konoha, don't grab her by her feet! That's not how you're supposed to hold a baby!"