"WHAT?" Taichi lashed out, this time successfully knocking over his chair. A red tint was plastered all around his face.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Yagami," Ms. Nakamura replied calmly. "But there are fourteen girls and sixteen boys in this class. There is going to have to be a pair of boys taking care of a baby, so you and Mr. Izumi are going to be paired up."
The redness across Taichi's cheeks glowed even deeper, and his right eyebrow arched upward. His fingers gripped the desk.
"Mr. Yagami," laughed the teacher. "These pairs don't mean anything. They weren't based off my opinion. They were chosen at random."
Taichi had calmed at this, and he looked back at Koushiro, who had his eyes widened, mouth slightly gaped. Taichi shifted his head towards the front of the room, signaling to come with him to collect their child. Koushiro lifted himself from his seat directly behind his friend's and walked to the last basket sitting on the table.
He peered over the rim of the basket, followed by Taichi, at the tiny baby sleeping inside. He couldn't help but smile.
"This one is named Yumi. It's a girl," Ms. Nakamura beamed. She handed Taichi a packet and handed the basket to Koushiro by the long straps.
"Now, for the next two weeks," began the teacher to the class. "You will be sitting next to your partner, so there will be a change in desk arrangements."
At that moment everyone gathered their things and moved their desks around. "See ya, man," Yamato said to Taichi, moving his desk towards Sora's.
Koushiro placed his desk beside his partner's and sat down quietly, his hand gripping tightly to the basket.
"The packets that I gave to each pair," continued Ms. Nakamura, "Are papers I want each team to fill out daily. I want to tell me what you fed your baby, at what time, their napping hours, how you spend time with your baby, things like that. It will be like your log."
Taichi flipped through the packet. He face faulted at each page, especially at the cover, where it asked to state the child's name and parents. Parents? thought Taichi, his face growing warm, looking sideways towards Koushiro, who was mesmerized by the sleeping child. I guess it can't be that bad, his mind said. At least I didn't end up with some random girl I don't even know. Koushiro's my friend. Maybe it'll make this more bearable.
"The packets are to be completed and turned in at the end of the two weeks," said Ms. Nakamura. "I've told all teachers about the project, so they will be expecting the babies in class."
At that moment little Yumi's eyes fluttered open and began shaking. Koushiro couldn't figure out her expression, but immediately paled and froze when the baby opened her mouth to let out an ear-piercing cry.
"Or not," Taichi sighed quietly to himself.