Kaidou in Triplicate
By Washumomo
Okay…it's been a really, long time since I've updated this story, but I haven't forgotten about it;…just been really busy and at a loss for words. Gomen, ne? So without further ado, I claim no ownership to POT, but present you with…
Chapter 9: Aiko's Loss
The words she heard couldn't possibly be coming from her Kai-kun's mouth. Aiko blinked a few times and shook her head as if she were trying to clear the cobwebs that were obviously crowding her mind. She looked sullenly at Lin. The foreign man-stealer sat calmly beside Kaidou, holding his hand. She didn't appear threatening or smug, which only made Aiko angry. She couldn't let go of her fury for this woman, no matter how nice she appeared to be. 'I know this has to be her idea….her way of getting me out of the picture. This is what she meant by accepting my child. She will take my baby and raise it with Kaoru as her own, and then I would just be a memory. I would never see Kaoru or my baby again.' She turned back to Kaidou when he spoke again.
"Hatsumi-chan, did you hear me?" he was asking. She had heard him, but she still couldn't believe that woman would go this far. 'To take another woman's child and claim it as her own to keep a man? My baby would never know that I am his or her real mother and Kaoru would give all the praise for raising my child to that bitch'. Kaidou was addressing her yet again.
"We think this would be the best option for everyone, Aiko-chan", Kaidou softened his tone as best he could for her. He turned to Aiko's father. "If it is true that the baby Hatsumi-chan is carrying is mine, my wife and I would be better suited to raise it. Hatsumi-chan could go on with her life, rather than being burdened by being a single mother. She would be free to marry without dragging another man's child into it. She would have the freedom to do as she chooses without any hindrance."
"And your wife is willing make the sacrifice to raise Aiko-chan's child as her own?" Hatsumi's mother asked. "After yesterday's incident, I would think you would be reluctant to show any kindness towards our daughter." Lin answered for herself.
"I am willing, Hatsumi-san. Kaoru told me al' of the details of his and Hatsumi-chan's relationship and it isn't the baby's fault the two of them weren't more careful. In all honesty, our three boys came into existence in a similar manner." Aiko's mother, Hatsumi Momoka, interrupted her.
"You really do have triplet sons?" she asked; Lin nodded as affirmation. "We read an article in The Nikkan this morning that mentioned them. You must be so busy with them. I can imagine it is difficult at times to have so many and they're so young."
"They are a handful most of the time, Hatsumi-san" Lin replied, "but things are much easier now that Kaoru and I have been reunited. Kaoru and I got deeply involved with each other shortly after we met and we weren't as careful as we should have been, but we truly love each other. We were recently married and are now raising them properly, together. Raising a child alone is hard and I know sometimes, society, anywhere in the world, can be cruel. We think our solution would save your family some of the hardships that could arise." Kaoru watched his wife as she spoke and now wore a small smile on his face, giving her hand a little squeeze.
"What about Ai-chan's expenses?" Aiko's father, Hatsumi Souta, asked the couple. "She only works part-time and her personal resources are limited. She won't be able to work for a time after she delivers the baby and hands it over to you. Our household wouldn't suffer, but Ai-chan does attend mostly to her own share. She won't be able to take care of her personal expenses and she will lose the government stipend she would have received for having the baby. Are you and your wife willing to compensate her for those loses?"
Kaidou Lin had avoided saying it directly, but Aiko's father admitted to himself it was true that he didn't want the embarrassment that would come to his family if his only daughter was left to raise a child without a husband. The area they resided in consisted mostly of the older generation and retirees who all still held close to the old traditions. Theirs was one of the few area families who still had children living at home. They had been lucky so far in keeping her pregnancy a secret because like her mother, Aiko's pregnancy didn't show and she probably wouldn't until she was close to the end. He knew once she did, however, there would be questions from their neighbors, their family and friends.
He was concerned also about her financial loss. If there were complications with the birth, such as what his own wife suffered through, his daughter could be left without an income for some time. As he had said, his household wouldn't be greatly affected, complications or not, but though his daughter remained at home, Aiko was rather independent. She was accustomed to making her own spending money. Her expenses could increase greatly after she gave birth and it would be up to his wife and himself to support her and the infant. Kaidou Kaoru's offer would release them from any responsibility, but at a cost. He could very well never know his first grandchild. The aforementioned tennis player's voice broke through his thoughts.
"My wife and I are prepared to meet all of Hatsumi-chan's expenses for the remainder of her pregnancy and for the next three months after. That should be sufficient enough time for her to recover from the birth, barring any complications. If there are any, we'll support her." Lin nodded her agreement.
"Given how Aiko-chan's condition came to be, we are grateful to both of you for not condemning her." He bowed his head to his guests. Kaoru politely waved him off in an attempt to stave off his embarrassment.
Aiko didn't like where the continued conversation was heading and her thoughts were running wild by now. 'My parents are actually thinking of agreeing with this insane proposal. Give up my baby, give up my government stipend, give up.…my Kai-kun. The only one making sacrifices is me! This, woman…this foreigner… snakes her way into Kaoru's life, claiming her three brats are his and now she wants MY baby too…she's taking everything! And my parents…look at them…they're ready to hand him over as soon as I've pushed him from my body.' She glared coldly as her mother served tea to Lin. Then she noticed the papers her Kai-kun was handing to her father. 'I will not let them have my baby.'
"I can't agree to this!" Aiko stood and started to leave the room, knowing Kaoru would call out to her. And he did.
"Ai-chan, matte", her name on his tongue was like honey, "please, don't go." Hatsumi Aiko had waited years to hear those words from Kaidou Kaoru, but for very different reasons. All and still, she couldn't leave. She stood still, keeping her back to the room, to her Kai-kun. He sounded so kind, so sweet, but she knew it wasn't for her. It brought tears to her eyes knowing he only wanted his child….she would be forgotten. 'It's her fault. If that bitch had never forced herself on Kai-kun, she wouldn't be able to claim her brats as his children, they wouldn't have married and Kai-kun would still be mine (well, eventually). But Kaoru believed that woman's children were his and married her. Now, her own little bastards aren't enough for her….that bitch wants my precious child as well! Over my dead body!' She turned around slowly, firm in her resolve. She couldn't let this woman have everything. Her baby was her last tie to Kaoru, her last chance to have him. Kaidou's eyes were pleading with her, causing her insides to melt, but one glance at Lin was like reinforced steel for her spine. She stood firm at her post and crossed her arms over her barely-there belly, focusing all her attention on Kaoru as he spoke again.
"Ai-chan, Lin is willing to raise this child as her own and he or she will want for nothing. The baby will be loved and never neglected. She has already arranged to turn our guest room into a nursery. You would be able to move ahead with your life, without any burden or worry." He had taken a few steps toward her as he spoke. "This would really be best for everyone."
She'd never had to resort to real tears with Kai-kun, but she could see her distress was affecting him. 'This could work….at least well enough for me to keep my baby and have a chance to lure back Kai-kun. I'll make him see that I'm the better choice. She could never love him the way I have. I've known him, loved him and supported him. She isn't right for him, she's not even Japanese! He is mine…he always has been.' Kaidou's approach snapped her out of her mental rant. He was standing right before her now. His face wore a pained look she'd never seen before. Was he changing his mind? She decided to push it and her body trembled more, apparently from excitement.
"Kai-kun, what you are saying is," fat, hot tears slid down her cheeks, "it would be best if my baby not know me, right? I should hand my baby over to this woman and forget that I'd ever given birth? Forget that I ever gave life to this child? 'Our child'!" Her body trembled as she flashed wild, glossy eyes at Lin. Kaidou raked a hand through his hair in frustration and she pushed on, her tension steadily rising. "I have loved you since high school, and you want me to just give my baby, our baby, to this woman! How can you ask me to do this! How could you think that I ever would!
"Enough, Aiko!" Aiko jumped at her father's bellow. "Your behavior is unacceptable! You should show more gratitude to Kaidou-san for his offer to raise this child after how he came to exist."
He turned, bowed low to Kaoru, and apologized; his wife did the same, as their daughter watched on, stricken silent.
"We tried to raise our daughter to be a caring and thoughtful individual, who would find her place in society, without becoming a burden to anyone. It would seem we have failed her." His wife came to his side as he continued, casting a sorrowful look at their daughter who starred back at her as if she were a stranger.
"When Aiko-chan first told us she was dating you, we didn't believe her. When she insisted you were her boyfriend, I asked people about you and was told by everyone that you were a great tennis player from Seigaku, who was quickly becoming a world-wide sensation. I thought there was no way you would be involved with my daughter, until I saw her pictures of the two of you together and chanced that maybe my Aiko-chan had found her future. After time went by, however, her mother and I began to realize Aiko-chan's love was one-sided."
He turned his attention back to said daughter. Fresh tears slid down her cheeks to her quivering chin. She held herself tightly as she tried to fight the tremors pulsing through her tiny body. She stared blankly at her father when he approached her, only focusing when she felt his touch on her cheek. Her mind registered the look in his eyes as sadness.
"Aiko-chan, you have been chasing a dream where this man is concerned." Aiko's shook her head, but she was silenced by her father when she tried to voice her denial. "Ai-chan…...you have spoken many words of love for Kaidou Kaoru-san and insisted he would marry you when you told of us of the baby, yet so many months have passed, and this is the first time this man has come into our home. After your tales of his wife and your embarrassing behavior on yesterday, I am grateful for this young man's consideration towards you and this child. Meeting him now, I believe him to be an honorable young man and you have only deluded yourself. It is time to end this, Ai-chan. Haven't you caused enough trouble for Kaidou-san, his family and yourself?"
More tears fell and Aiko's head was spinning. Aiko's dreams were fading as the room slowly darkened around her. Her parents had turned against her. Kaidou Kaoru, her greatest love, had rejected her. A foreign woman had stolen him away and wanted to do the same with her unborn child. Her child. Her baby. Something….wasn't right….was something wrong with….her baby. 'No….what's happening? It hurts….' A hand went to her head and the other to her stomach. She released an anguished sob as she collapsed to the floor. Her father softened her fall and cradled her in his sprawl. Kaoru and her mother rushed to revive her. She wouldn't rouse, even after her mother tried smelling salts and a cool clothe to her forehead. Blood trickled from Aiko's nose. Lin pulled her cell from her purse and called 119 while the frantic commotion continued on the floor.
Twenty minutes later, as Kaoru, Lin and Hatsumi Souta followed the ambulance that carried Hatsumi Aiko and her mother, Kaoru recalled Aiko's tears. She had cried almost from the time they had arrived. He had noticed the trembling, but thought it was only due to her distress over the situation. What if she were ill? What if something had happened to the baby, because of the distress he had caused her? What if she lost the baby? How could he live with himself if that happened? Kaoru anxiously raked his hand through his hair. Lin noticed and put a calming hand on his shoulder. He was tense and she knew he was worried, probably blaming himself. She knew it would be difficult for him if something happened to this baby and prayed the child was alright. She glanced at Aiko's father who sat rigid as steel in the back seat, staring blankly out of the window.
They let him out at the emergency entrance and found parking close-by. The Kaidous quickly joined the Hatsumis in the emergency room and watched anxiously as Aiko was rushed out of sight. Her parents consulted with a nurse then joined them to wait. Almost two hours went by with no word on Aiko's condition. Lin excused herself, for what seemed to be the hundredth time to check on the triplets and update her in-laws on the lack of information. She had a bad feeling and the heaviness of it was stressing her. Only the sounds of her children's questioning voices calmed her. Their parents had been away most of the day and the boys were eager for their return. She promised them, yet again, that Mama and Papa would be home soon and, returned to her husband's side just as two physicians were approaching their group.
The grave looks on their faces held little promise of good news, and Lin gripped Kaoru's hand to brace him for the worst. The elder of the two doctors stepped closer to the two couples and bowed low, his grim-faced subordinate bowed behind him. As feared, it was not what they wanted to hear. Both mothers' hands went to their chests.
"I am very sorry, but," the older caregiver began, "we were too late. There was nothing we could do."
A bit shorter than the last, but I hope you enjoyed this long awaited chapter and look forward to the next. Please review, thanks!
