It was a quiet night. The stars filled the night sky, glowing like jewels over Tokyo. A fancy, silver, car zoomed by a park toward the highway. The driver, was clutching the steering wheel tightly, his mind racing over one single thought and the urgency to get to his destination. It was no other than Mastumi Hayami at the wheel. He glance at the time, it read 11:30pm, 2 hours since his long time friend and spy, Hijiri called that it was time and they are at the house. Hijiri told him, the doctor was with her and everything was fine. He could clearly hear her cries of pain in the background, making his heart clench.
The doctor told him she could die when the time comes. He couldn't afford to lose her. He just couldn't, not after all these years they been through together.
"I'm coming, just hang in there," he whispered.
The highway soon went through a small suburban area, he pass a bunch of houses until he reach a dirt path. It lead to a big house, alone in the forest. The trees around it were cherry blossoms and on the front yard, it was filled with purple roses. He burst through the front door, kicking his shoes off in a hurry.
"Matsumi," Hijiri came down the stairs, rubbing his hands against a towel.
"Is she…?" Matsumi grabbed his friend's shoulders, his eyes searching for answers.
"It was a miracle she survived. She refused to go to the hospital and made a point about her being there might leak out to the public."
Matsumi let out a sigh of relief. Hijiri began to walk in the direction of the kitchen and turn around to give him a smirk.
"Oh by the way, congrats. You're a new father to twins." Matsumi simply stared at his retreating back before forcing his numb body to move up the stairs.
He finally reach the door. He could hear the doctor's voice on the other side of the door. The murmuring died down until the door open to reveal an old man wearing a simple trench coat over his clothes and carrying a doctor bag in his left hand.
"Mr. Hayami," the doctor greeted with a slight bow of his head "you can go see them now."
"Send the bill to my assistant, I'll see to it, that you are paid," Masumi greeted, sternly, before closing the door softly behind him. His eyes were trained on the beautiful figure, lying in the king size bed. It looks like she's being swallow up by it due to her small size. She turn her head over and gave a watery smile when she saw him.
"Masumi, you came," her voice was weary but her eyes were filled with joy.
"Maya," Masumi walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, taking her hand into his while pushing a strand of her bangs out of her vision.
"I'll be ok," she smiled softly, "and so are they."
"Twins, I hear."
Maya giggle before turning her head to her other side and pull her other hand out from under the covers. Her fingers lightly touch two small swaddle blankets; Masumi watch as a small hand appear and a soft cry was emitted from them.
"They won'y bite," Maya teased, glancing at him.
"They're small," he said as he picked one of them up.
"Of course they are! Did you expected them to be a lot bigger?" Maya huffed in annoyance before smiling at scene before her. "The one you are holding is a boy, and this little one is a girl."
Masumi sat down on the bed as he finally let his emotions out.
"I thought I would lose you. When the doctor said it would be risky and you would experience so much pain throughout the pregnancy that it would be better to abort them. I knew if you did went through it and survive would they survive? You would have been crush. Then there was a question of….If…if I came too late, I don't know what I would do. I couldn't look at them and be reminded that you're there," he cried. Maya gingerly lift herself up into a sitting position and took their son out of his arms before he could suffocate the poor thing. She gently place the baby next to his sister before turning her attention to her lover.
"Aren't I here? Do you see me here, in front of you, in the flesh? Masumi, look at me. Grabs his hand and place it over her heart. Do you feel it? I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. They're here too. Yes, I would have been crush, but we would always try for another. They're alive and healthy, be thankful for that," Maya cupped his face and lean her forehead against his. "It was true, I was dying earlier and was praying to see you one last time."
She could feel his hands clenching her forearms.
"When I was dying, I wanted you to take care of them. I wanted you to tell them 'I love you' every night and say how precious they are. I don't want you to hate them. I want you to cherish them and tell them about me. That was and will be my dying wish to you. I don't want you to disappear from their lives. I want them to have a good life to grow into, Masumi." Masumi pull her into a hug as they both cry and cling to each other. When they finally stop, they both turn their gazes toward the baby twins.
"What are we going to name them?" Maya asked, as one of the babies began to squirm, the baby girl. She pick the baby up and gently began to rock her.
"Our son can be name…Kazuto?" Masumi looked at her for conformation.
"Kazuto, I like it. Sounds very manly and proud. Now, we need a name for this little one," Maya smile at their baby in her arms. Then her mouth open in an O as an idea came to her. "Her name will be Aya."
"Aya…" The realization dawned on him as he stroke their baby son's cheek. "Aya is perfect."
"Then, hello Kazuto and Aya. I'm your mother and this is your father. Welcome to our family," Maya kissed their daughter as Masumi pick up their son.
"Now our family is complete."
Masumi pull his wife and daughter closer to him as he held his son close to his chest.
2 years later…
"Mama?" a little hand reach out from its crib. "Papa no. Want Mama, want Mama."
"Mama is sleeping, Aya. She's very tire. Wake up, Kazuto," Masumi gently rubbed his son awake. The little boy look up with bleary, tire, eyes. The little girl, Aya, pouted.
"Tire," Kazuto stated, rubbing his little chubby hands over his eyes.
"Uncle Hijiri is downstairs, do you want to see him?" He asked the twins. Both twins gave their father cute smiles raising their arms up to be carry.
"Up, up!" They clenched and unclenched their fingers in the air as their father pick them up in his arms earning him giggles. One thing besides Maya's acting out stories for them that they love is Hijiri. He started giving them sweets to them behind their parents' backs. So far, no one has gotten caught.
"Come on, lets go say hi," Masumi went down the stairs and into the kitchen where Hijiri was sipping his coffee. Matsumi was surprise to see his wife down there to, making breakfast.
"Maya? Shouldn't you be in bed?" Masumi asked as he place both of their children down by the table.
"Sit," he told them as they obediently sat down.
"Mama," they said, clapping their little hands together as Maya turn around to give them a kiss on their foreheads.
"Morning you two. Masumi, I'm not going to stay in bed all day today. I want to make these two their birthday breakfast," Maya kissed her husband on the lips before turning her attention back to making breakfast.
"Masumi, you should know that it's tradition for her to make breakfast for them after a successful performance, especially last night," Hijiri commented.
"See?" Maya waved the wooden spoon at Masumi, playfully.
"That doesn't give you the excuse to be up early. You got-"
"WE got back late. You're the one who drove but you wanted to stop and take a detour,' Maya gave him a sly smile. "You do realize the children are watching us bicker."
"That doesn't change the fact-"
"How about I'll take over breakfast before you two cause a fire," Hijiri took the spoon out of Maya's hand and began to finish making breakfast. Maya and Masumi look at each other and couldn't help but laugh before kissing each other. Aya and Kirito giggle at the display in from of them and clap at the affection before them.
"I love you," Masumi whispered to her, wrapping his arms around her little frame.
"I love you too, Mr. Purple Roses," she whispered back.