Chapter 12: The Not So Briefest of Interludes
Yes, this is part of the story, but it's one of those interlude chapters where Shig and Mayu's parents are panicking and wondering where their children are. Don't worry,
it gets super good in the next chapter. Enjoy guys! *And yes this part is important.*
"Sakutaro Morishige, answer your phone this instant!" Kumiko and her husband had been on edge for the last few hours. Their son hadn't come home after the
school's cultural festival. Mayu had also gone missing. "Damn it! He's not answering!" Shig's mom threw the house phone across the living room and fell to her knees.
Shoichirio came to her aid. "It's alright, honey. Sakutaro's fine. He'll be back before we know it." "HOW DO YOU KNOW IF EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE?! What if he's hurt?
What if he ran away with Mayu? What if he killed himself?" she screamed. He held the sobbing mother tightly and let her cry in his shoulder. "Ssshhh...Everything will
be fine. He'll come back safe and sound just like he always has." Mr. Morishige knew he had to come up with something different to console her. "Remember when we
found out you were pregnant?" Kumiko sniffled and joined his conversation. "I do. We had tried for three years and nothing but failure and then I took that pregnancy
test after I missed my period and it came back positive. I nearly broke the windows, I screamed so loud." "And you were crying and calling me and your parents." The
couple had been laughing at these beautiful memories they had of him, but Mayu's parents were not in the same boat. "I bet that fucker ran off with her so he could
sleep with her! Piece of shit!" Ken'ichi yelled. "I wouldn't blame Mayu for running away. You made her leave her friends! You made her angry and sad! She even
considered committing suicide with her boyfriend because you forced her to leave everyone she loves!" Yukie had been fed up with her husband's gross accusations
that Morishige was some kind of lowlife. "Shut up! You're lying!" He ran up to her and slapped her face in an impulsive and sudden movement. Yukie felt the reddened
mark on her face. It felt warm from his hand and her shock but it also stung like a bee going after you when you try to mess with it. "No! No! Yukie, I'm sorry! I didn't
mean it! Really! Please don't cry! Please!" Ken'ichi cried with his face into the carpeted floor. "Did she really say that stuff to you?" "Yes she did. I had to talk her out of
it yesterday while she was on the phone with Morishige." Yukie was still angry her husband had hit her, but she knew he was truly remorseful for his actions and he
had never struck anyone before.
*A wild flashback appeared!*
"Congratulations! It's a boy!" the doctor announced as he entered the proud mother's room. The baby was wrapped up in sky blue blankets with a little hat to match.
He had been sleeping soundly after the birth and Kumiko insisted that she only know his gender until she could hold him for as long as she wanted. The boy was
placed in her loving arms and the new parents looked in amazement of this child. "He's perfect. He looks just like you." she smiled looking up at Shoichirio. "He's so
quiet. He must be really happy, having some nice dreams." The baby boy yawned and rubbed his fingers all over his face while wiggling a little bit and then woke up.
He could see something in front of him, smiling. What's this? He stretched his arms out at the figure and he got quite a surprise as something brought him closer to the
face. Much better. "Hi there! You're so cute! Yes you are!" his mother said to him. He furrowed his tiny eyebrows in confusion. "I'm your mommy and this is your
daddy!" Dad held the brand new baby in his arms and tickled his cheek. The little bundle of joy latched onto his father's finger and tried to snack on it. "Someone must
be hungry." he chuckled. "Have you decided on a name?" the doctor wondered. "Sakutaro. I love that name. It's sweet and gentle but sturdy and masculine at the
same time." Kumiko insisted. "Dahhh!" Sakutaro waved his small arms in approval. "Alright then. Please allow us to take him to the nursery." Kumiko felt hesitant to
hand her baby over because she wanted to spend every minute with him but she knew Sakutaro had to be kept there for about a week as with herself in the
maternity ward.
Almost two months before, down the hall another woman also just gave birth but this baby was a girl. Much like the Morishiges, the Suzumotos were new parents.
Unlike them, however, they were originally expecting a boy to be born along with their daughter, but the boy died in the womb. Yukie and her husband felt sullen
about the lost child, even after their daughter was born, but they knew they had to move on as much as possible in order to properly care for her. "Mayu's the perfect
name for her! Wouldn't you agree dear?" Ken'ichi looked at his beautiful little girl. He could tell she was going to make a lot of people happy and that she was going to
be a very caring and gentle girl. His wife was right; Mayu is the perfect name. "You and her are the most beautiful things I've seen. I'm so proud of you, Yukie." Yukie
held little Mayu in one arm and leaned in to hug and kiss Ken'ichi. "I love you. You are the best father in the world and I'm so lucky to be married to him." "I'm blessed
with the most beautiful girls in the world and they are the best things to happen to me." He glided his fingers through his wife's hair and smiled at Mayu. "It's safe to
say this is the best day of my life." he told both of them.
"Thank you honey. I feel a little bit better now, but...I just hope he's ok. If something were to happen to him, I don't know what I would do." Kumiko sniffled and dried
her eyes. Naturally as a mother, she was very worried about her child, but she had to be confident enough to know her son was fine and that she would see him grow
up successful and happy. Mayu's parents tried to have the same outlook for their daughter. Ken'ichi felt intense guilt at his little revenge plan against Shig. "Honey..."
His voice was shaky and slightly raspy. "What is it?" "I'm not taking a new job. I just said that because I was so enraged when Mayu was at the hospital a little while
ago. I realize I royally fucked up and that I had no intention of hurting my baby. I don't deserve to be her father." Ken'ichi didn't care if his wife gave him the lecture of
a lifetime. He didn't care if his wife resented him for unintentionally causing his family so much emotional pain. All he cared about right then and there was Mayu coming
home like she's suppose to. Yukie couldn't stay angry at him. She was naturally a very forgiving person, much like Mayu was and there was enough drama going on
that creating anymore of it would cause her to fall apart. "Whatever happens, they WILL come back no matter what." both families assured one another as the
glimmer of hope shone in them like the starry sky.
