Chapter 11
This is Their Life
Honoka and Nozomi are with their seven children at the park this Saturday. The ginger has her day off today, so she is able to spend her time with the girls as much as she wants, especially with Maki, Rin and Hanayo. Umi jumps on Honoka's back for a piggy-back ride while Maki takes the ginger's hand and happily starts running while dragging the ginger along, laughing. Rin and Hanayo follow. Nozomi just sits on the bench, watching the two play around when she hears some footsteps come toward her. A familiar brunette with a long single braid going down her back.
"We meet again~" Mutsumi says.
"Oh, Mu-chan!" Nozomi says. "Nice to see you! We haven't seen you in a while."
"Me neither. I'm just taking a walk while my husband's at work. It gets pretty lonely at the apartment once in a while."
"I know how you feel," Nozomi says as she continues to watch Honoka play with the seven children. Eli, Nico and Kotori are chasing each other while Honoka is still trying to chase down Maki with Umi on top of her, laughing happily. "It feels like time is going by really fast. I mean, my seven children are growing up."
Mutsumi looks at Nozomi's children and then back at her. "They're still small, but someday, they will be on their own. I know my child will one day when I have one."
The violet haired woman turns toward the brunette. "Maki, Rin and Hanayo are happy as well. Ever since we adopted them, their lives are so much better than what they experience before."
"They were adopted?" Mutsumi questions.
Nozomi nods with a frown on her face. "Their parents couldn't afford to raise them, so they practically left them in the orphanage. But…they weren't good parents as I heard. They just decided to just abandon them and leave them at the orphanage."
Mutsumi cups a hand to her mouth in surprise. "That's horrible!"
"I know. But now look at them. Their lives with us improved greatly. And I can't be any happier than this."
"I can tell." Mutsumi says as she sees Maki jumping up and down and then running away while Honoka chases after her while laughing. Rin and Hanayo tackle her to the ground and tickle her on all sides, not giving the ginger a chance to fight back.
"This is their life now," Nozomi says. "And I'm proud of myself for adopting those three."
Mutsumi pats her on the back with a gentle smile on her face. "I'm glad you did the right thing, Nozomi-san. This proves you and Honoka-san are great parents to them."
Nozomi nods while smiling back. Those kind words of Mutsumi's just warms her heart very much. She is also glad she is friends with this woman, even though they barely see her as much. It is then that Maki turns around and waves her arms around happily.
"Mama Zomi! Mama Zomi!" she calls. "Come join us, please! We don't want you to be left out!"
Mutsumi giggles. "Go on. I can watch from here."
"Aw, come on, Mu-chan~!" Nozomi takes the brunette's hand with a giggle. "YOU need to play as well~!"
"Eh!?"
"Yes! Come on, come on! Mama Honoka is about to get up! Rin and Hanayo can't hold her much longer!"
Mutsumi giggles. "Well then, let's play, shall we~?"
"Noooooo!" Honoka whines as Nozomi tackles her to the ground while Rin and Hanayo tickle her from all sides again. "No more!"
"Too bad~!" Nozomi grins as she also tickles the ginger. "We won't let you get up off the ground until you give up~!"
"Neverrrrr~!" Honoka laughs.
Eli, Nico and Kotori take Mutsumi's hands and start to drag her while running.
"Chase us! Chase us!" Eli says. "We need a new person anyways!"
"Yes, see if you can catch me!" Nico declares as she pumps her fist in the air. "The fastest girl in town!"
"Oh, it's on~!" Mutsumi accepts the challenge and starts chasing down the three, starting with Nico.