Chapter II: Key

"I admit, it's April, but no, this is not April Fool's day. If you're hoping it is, sorry. This is real, Tsuchiura. Well, surprise."

THUD!

An explosion of pain welcomed Ryotaro after leaving the world of unconsciousness. Now that he was in reality, the pain got worse even more as his face recoiled in every hurting throb of his head. Why didn't the aspirin work?

"It's about time, Tsuchiura."

Wrong!

It wasn't just because of his hangover…the aspirin did work but it was only effective in physical pain and nothing related to mental and, somehow, emotional pain that came rushing like waves. "What just happened?"

He tried to sit up but only falling back to his bed, body heavy and spent.

"I didn't know you could be that weak, Tsuchiura. Where's the man I know before?" the woman muttered with a lace of sarcasm.

"Amou."

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Worse than that."

"Anyway, let's not stall anymore. I'm here only for one thing and that is about our son."

"Yours." Ryotaro leaned up and looked at her.

"Us, Tsuchiura. To be honest, I didn't want it to end to this, but it can't be helped, I have to. I need you to support my…our child."

"Why now?"

Nami gave a long sigh before she continued on talking. Somehow, she felt that she was hesitating, now that her son was involved. She didn't want either the father of her son to get included to their lives, however, it was one of the inevitable she couldn't escape. "I look for you before. But you were busy with your career. I am not some kind of a woman who would just ruin your life, Tsuchiura. I had decided to keep my pregnancy secret for your own sake. I planned it to be discreet. I and my son will live far from you, unknown to you, but I didn't expect that someday I have to need your help."

She wouldn't be there if she got a stable job, nonetheless, after she found out about her condition, she resigned in her former job and prepared for the birth of her son. Her mother had become a good support to her, but it wasn't enough. She could still manage the early years of her son, but how about next time?

Her mother had talked to her. The father of her son must know about it.

"This is very sudden…" Ryotaro shook his head. "This is really. I don't know what to say."

"We won't bother you. I'm just here to ask for financial support."

"How can you be sure he's mine?" Ryotaro suddenly blurted out without thinking. He didn't mean to say it, nor offend the woman in front of him. However, it was just a onetime experience. It was not really a planned rendezvous, unexpected, as they were consumed with alcohol and shattered emotion.

Nami glared at his direction.

"What I meant…" Ryotaro took back. "It was really impossible, to think that we ah… done it once. Let alone by accident."

"I am not a gold-digger, Tsuchiura, if you're suggesting that idea. If it isn't because of my son, I won't be here enduring your face."

Ryotaro winced. "I need a proof, Amou."

"If you need a proof, I can give you one." Nami fished out something from her bag and dropped it on Ryotaro's lap. She frowned and looked away. "Read it for yourself."

"What's this?"

"DNA Test. Miss Nakamura helped me with this."

"And she didn't even tell me about this?"

"I asked her to keep it a secret until I talk to you in person."

Ryoutaro shook his head and sighed heavily. It seemed like the throb of his head was too much it numbed his feeling. He couldn't feel anything but the growing tension in his guts. "I'll read it."

He scanned the page with his careful eyes.

"So… do you believe me now?"

Ryotaro remained silent for a long while. He heaved another deep inhale before he released it in slow agonizing way. It seemed that breathing wasn't enough, he gulped hard. This can't be happening. He mentally choked. "This…"

"I assume you've seen it already."

"I…"

"I have to go now, Tsuchiura. I hope you could attend our son's first birthday. And please, do think about my request. Thank you." Nami turned around and left his room, leaving the greenhead white in shock.

In a while, Ryotaro kept a distant look over the window. The files on his hand were crumpled within his grip. I'm only dreaming. This can't be happening. I'm just drunk, that's all. This is a nightmare!

How could he possibly accept a son he didn't know existed only just now? How could he support an unknown child he hasn't seen yet? The magnitude of the obligation that had suddenly fell upon him was too heavy to take, to process in his mind, Ryotaro could only do was to shake his head in disbelief.

There he was, suddenly a father of a soon to be a one-year old boy. There he was, going to support the child in financial wise. Would financial be enough? It was easy to give it, but was that the kid needed?

In that whole day, Ryotaro's mind only revolve about this 'son'

~NeKo Meow~

"It was a surprise you come. I though you would cower like the other men who found out about their unexpected child," Nami said with dry humor.

"I'm not that kind of a man, Amou. I don't escape from my obligation."

"Really? You looked different when I visited you last time."

"I was surprised, okay." Ryotaro grunted and invited himself inside the house.

The place wasn't what he expected it to be. It was well-furnished. It must not be with expensive furniture but Ryotaro mentally commented the woman has a good taste with things. It felt warm and comfortable living in that place.

"Ah, my brother…"

Ryotaro stopped from his track and looked ahead of him with wide eyes. "Oneesan!"

"Well, didn't Nami-chan tell you?" Ryouko, Ryotaro's older sister looked at him, arms akimbo. "I'm here for my nephew's first birthday."

"How…?"

"I told her long time ago…she knows about Ryouta since the time he was born."

"Touché. I'm very fond of my little nephew here. He looks so like you, Ryou, only that he's cuter."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Ryotaro squinted his eyes at his sister.

"It's for you to know, duh. And Nami-chan wants it to be a secret. At first, I want to tell you about it, but it's better if she tells it on herself."

"That's enough. You know about it already." Nami cut the two as she glanced at Ryotaro. "If you don't mind, I have so many things to do first. You could make yourself at home while waiting for me."

"Or you could visit Youta-chan. He's in his room with—" Ryouko interjected but was cut off by her brother.

"Don't tell me…"

"Oi, hey bro!"

"Ryousuke, even you!"

"Ousu-kun is being a kind uncle and doing your job."

Ryotaro simply gawked at the sight before him. His sister and brother knew about his son prior to him. This is insane. Why does it look like he was the only one who doesn't know about it? Frustrated seemed understated compared to what he was feeling by that time. He was mad. How could they hide this secret from him?

"This is outrageous. I feel like I've been betrayed by my own siblings." Ryotaro blurted.

"Come on, bro. enough with your emotional moment and meet your son." Ryousuke approached him, baby in his hold.

Ryotaro looked at the child with wreck emotion. He didn't give any emotion as he was confused of what to express—there was the quiver of excitement course through him when the child blinked his blue eyes in wonder. There was a tangible anxiety in his gut when he touched and felt the weight of the kid within his arms. There was a sweet feeling of happiness swelling in his heart when the child tilted his head and smiled, revealing two teeth growing in his gum. With all those emotion, Ryotaro felt the latter was quite overwhelming he needed to release it. He looked at the kid and softened his eyes.

A mini him.

He would like to laugh like a crazy proud papa.

Then suddenly, the baby cried…

"Oh man, bro." Ryousuke grabbed the kid from his brother's hold and cooed. "Oh… here's uncle."

Ryotaro blinked and stared when the child stopped crying and continued his sobs into a small baby laugh. His lips tugged into a smile. But something inside him prevented it to linger long. He frowned without his notice, looking how the child was so fond of his brother. The vile of bitterness scattered in his system like a poison. Why was he feeling this…frustration again?

Jealousy.

He was jealous to his brother. Afraid of being replaced as a father

Envy.

He was envious to his brother. Envious to the attention the child was giving to him.

In the deepest part of him, he had realized. It was him who cannot be satisfied merely by giving the child his material needs. He wanted to be a part of the child's life. He wanted to be a father…

"Amou, I need to talk to you now."

"Wait, Tsuchiura, I can't right now. I have to finish—"

He didn't give her another time as he pulled her away from the guests and dragged her inside the kitchen.

"What's your problem?" Nami asked, annoyed.

"About the thing you've requested…" Ryotaro inhaled. "I won't do it anymore."

"What?" Nami gasped. "No, you can't. I-it's your responsibility to support him."

"No, what I meant. I want to spend more time with him."

"You can… you can visit us."

Ryotaro shook his head, making Nami's heart leaped in apprehension. "I don't mean that kind of time. I want to take him in my custody."

"No." Nami burst out

Ryotaro silenced at the scene in front of him. He never thought of the strong woman he knew would suddenly burst out, panic evident and clear in the depth of her blue eyes. "Please, Ryotaro, you can't do this to me. Not my son. No. If you can't…"

"Amou…"

"If you don't want to support him, it's okay. I could find new ways to support him."

"Amou…"

"I shouldn't have told you about him. That was wrong. This is wrong. I'm so sorry. Please don't take him away from me."

"Nami…marry me!"

Ryotaro just blurted out without even thinking. Somehow, he knew it was the right choice to venture.


Authoress Corner:

As a promise, I updated. Sorry about the roughness of the flow of the scenes. O_O I don't know how to write anymore. I hope there are still people reading this, and I hope so much you still review. Thank you for reading.

Next Chapter Preview: Betrayal

"They betrayed me. Both of them."

"It can happen to anyone."

"My boyfriend and best friend..."

"Hush now."