The Forced Confession

The door, this time, was slammed shut so loudly that there was no doubt the neighbors five doors down heard it.

Kaoru gripped the door knob tightly and leaned against the door's frame. His other hand cupped his side. He had slammed the door right on her face as a flowing feeling washed over him, filling his chest with heat and hatred. Slamming the door was the least he could have done, and he was glad he had done it before he started contemplating.

He gasped as he felt an electrifying pain struck behind his ribs. He nearly collapsed had it not been for the wall, and an arm that suddenly grabbed his. He felt warm fingers rest against the torso of his shirt and press against him.

"Kaoru. Get. Back. In. Bed... Now."

He winced, gripping his wife's hand against the pain. "Ow... Sorry, I was-"

"What are you trying to do? Pop your stiches? Go back to the hospital?" Mokoto grabbed both his hands and gently pulled him back into the living area. "I take my eye off you for one second, and- oh, I don't know, I just thought my husband would be smart enough not to get up, but no. He isn't."

Kaoru inhaled sharply as she let go of him and let him sit back down on the couch. "I'm right here, and I know. Walking isn't going to kill me."

"No. But it'll pop your stiches. Seriously, am I talking to myself?"

"Moko, I-... There was knocking at the door and I-"

"One, we're not expecting anyone, two, you should have got me. You're not the man of the house right now, you're the injured one!"

"But it was Kagami..."

"So? You don't like her anyway." Mokoto threw her hands up, but soon she gave up her lecture and grabbed a hot cookie off the platter that was in front of her and leaned back into the couch next to her husband.

Then, she turned to him, arching her eyebrow. "Wait... You told her where we live?"

"No, apparently, Hikaru did." He frowned, feeling Mokoto's soft fingers on the back of his hand. "Not that he has any right to tell my arch nemesis where my apartment is though."

"It doesn't matter." She gave his leg a light pat. "But what did she want?"

"She wants, Hikaru."

"Oh please, Kaoru. Enough. You're a grown man, you need to start giving people the benefit of the doubt."

"Not with her. It doesn't apply." He took a deep breath, biting the inside of his cheek. "And she was. She came over looking for Hikaru. Claiming she was worried about him. Bitch."

"Hey. Knock it off. She's a nice friend."

"She's a floozy."

Kaoru stuffed his hands into his hair, leaning his head back against the head rest of the couch. His voice hitched with sarcasm. "But it's okay, isn't it? Cause Haruhi's back and I don't have to worry about her."

Mokoto nodded, petting his hair. "Exactly."

"Except for the fact that she's having my brother's baby! Oh god damn... My side hurts so bad but I'm so mad right now."

Mokoto gasped. "Oh my... Kagami- She's uh..."

Kaoru took a deep breath and looked away, hiding the pain that was behind his eyes. "I'd cry but my face is too heated with rage that my tears would evaporate."

She sighed, leaning into his side, rubbing his stomach. "Wow I uh... I didn't know that they-... more than once. And she told you?"

"She did it to mock me. She knows it would have effected me the most."

"Effected you the most? Does she know that Haruhi's back? Hikaru knows doesn't he? What about them?" She stared at the floor, her lips parted in half shock. "I'd uh... Oh my god. Ew. That's... that is so gross. Was he in his right mind? They can't have babies together, he's with Haruhi and she just got back!"

"I know!" He flinched, hissing through his teeth as he clutched his side again. "She looked surprised but... she looked mad when she told me she was.. pregnant." He could barely say it. Kaoru rubbed his face, massaging his fingertips into his forehead. "I don't now what to do. I can't fix this."

"You don't have to fix this, Kaoru. This is what I was telling you earlier." Mokoto swiped his bangs to one side of his face. "This isn't your problem. Look at yourself. You're on bed rest because you got hurt. No one is expecting you to fix anything anyway."

"Just because of the accident doesn't mean I'm going to distance myself from Hikaru. He's a halfwit, he can't fix things on his own. He just makes them worse."

"You use that excuse for everything. That Hikaru's too stupid to help himself. You know he isn't. He's capable of some things." She gave him a firm expression, gripping his free hand. "This isn't your fault. Hikaru got himself into this mess, and he has to fix it. You don't. You're not his big brother, he's yours."

"...Sometimes it doesn't feel that way."

Mokoto sighed, taking his hand. Placing it over her blossoming stomach. "You don't owe him anything. If anything, he owes you. You're not going to interfere with this. We're not going to do anything. This is drama that we don't need right now. Okay?"

"But I really want to." His head rolled, and his eyes met with her instantly. "I wish she was a guy, so I could punch her. But I'm a gentleman."

She rubbed his arm comfortingly. "You need to stop babying your brother, and baby your own baby. They'll work it out. It might not even be his."

He was about to reply, but he cut himself short of words as she cupped his cheek, tilting his face a little more towards her. He was frowning as she sat up slightly, laying a soft, tender but quick kiss on his lips.

When they pulled away his frown faded, but only slightly.

"Yeah..." He muttered, moving his hand from his stomach to play with the tips of her hair. "You're probably right."

She nodding, knowing that she was. "...I kinda wanna punch her, too."

He grinned, grabbing her face. "Have I mentioned that I love you?"

"Hey! Don't peak."

"I'm not peaking, my cheek was itchy."

"Keep your eyes closed. We're almost there."

"Is it a new washing machine?"

"No."

"Is it a new blender?"

"No."

"Is it something I'll use?"

"I'm not telling you. Watch out, don't trip. "

Haruhi cringed. "Is it a dress?"

Hikaru chuckled, laying his face near her ear. "No, Haruhi."

"It's a dress isn't it?"

"It's not a dress, I promise."

"...Is it sparkly?"

"I dunno. Maybe slightly in some places."

"Is there ruffles?"

"Maybe."

"It's a pink sparkly ruffled knee high dress, huh? You know I only would wear dresses on special occasions."

He rolled his eyes, holding his hands to his wife's eyes, looking towards the floor making sure she wouldn't trip over the last step of the long staircase they had just escalated from. "It is a special occasion. It's not every day my wife is missing for two years and suddenly comes back."

She snickered, feeling his fingers against her forehead. "I've been here a week. Haven't you gotten used to me yet?"

He shrugged, letting out a breath. "It's going to take a while, but we'll figure it out. It's been hard to warm a king size bed all by myself though."

"I've missed you, too."

Smirking, with his hands still on her eyes, he leaned over and placed a small peck on her cheek. "I'm kidding, but you know it has been."

"You're lucky. I would have preferred having my bed cold rather than sharing it with people I don't like."

His smirk dropped immediately and was replaced with a discouraged raise of his upper lip. "We'll talk about that stuff later, I also have to tell you something, but after I show you the surprise."

"You really didn't have to, Hikaru. I already feel guilty for what's happened. I know it hasn't exactly been peachy keen for you either."

His expression softened, but surprisingly he didn't let his hands fall. "It has nothing to do with that. Don't feel guilty, nothing was your fault either. And who's to say it was your fault, I think you've paid your price. You still don't have to feel like anything that has happened was because of something you did."

Haruhi hesitated, her voice almost cracking from pressure. "I dunno. I think I-"

"I still feel guilty about you having to raise our baby by yourself with a bunch of assholes always around you, but are you going to hold it against me?"

"...No."

"Then I'm not holding anything against you either."

"But... I was gone for a really long time and I don't..."

"Alright stop." He exclaimed, making her flinch. He chewed his lip, stopping her in front of one of the many doors in their house. His hands were still over her so she could tell that they were still inside, but didn't know where. "Okay Haruhi, I'm telling you to go against everything you believe in, and actually be excited. At least fake it if you have to."

"...Is it a dress?"

"No. It is not a dress."

"Is it lots of dresses? Cause you've done this to me before."

"No dresses. Not a single one. Meaning, not at all."

She stay silent, hearing him open the door. It made no sound as it was pushed, having been professionally oiled. She was greeted with the sweet smell of lavender and a hint of what smelt like baby powder. Her face wrinkled in thought as his hands fell from her face. She blinked a few times against the new light and stood there, surrounded by a nice warm inviting aroma.

It was a lot brighter than she thought it would be as the light from a large chandelier that hung up on the high ceiling. It didn't look familiar to her, and she wondered if that was just because she had been gone for so long, or if it was new.

Obviously it was new. Her breath suddenly left her as she looked around the room. In fact, the whole room was new. It was one of the guest rooms but everything inside was new. The walls were painted a new fresh color of powder blue and the floor was replaced with lighter boards and were polished to the point they shined.

The floor wasn't patched with Tatami mats, but with soft blue floor rugs in every corner. In the middle of the room, pressed against the wall, was a bright white caged crib, lined with matching blue pads. In another corner, there was a tall floor to ceiling wardrobe, accessorized with diamond doorknobs.

In the other corner, near the large window that was draped with heavy ruffled curtains there was a white chair with blue buttoned cushions, on the other side, there was a changing table, a nightstand, another table that was a little larger with two tall chairs, and near that, was a large chest that just so happened to be open and over filled with toys.

Haruhi just stood in the doorway, looking at the whole room in speechless awe, but also utter confusion.

"Oh... wow."

Curious, Hikaru leaned over her shoulder, looking at her face.

Her eyes were wide with her lips slightly parted. "It's... It's a... nursery."

"A real one." He corrected her, laying his chin on her shoulder, smirking pompously. "...It took all day. Well... All yesterday afternoon and half of today. I'm surprised you didn't notice."

She still stood there, not moving but her head to take anther long look around the room, taking in every detail. "... This is... wow."

"Beautiful, fantastic, absolutely the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen, but yeah... wow will work."

Haruhi turned to look at her husband, but didn't look at him long before she looked back at it all again. "It is. It's... it's so cute. It's perfect."

He narrowed his brow at the uncertainty in her tone. "...But?"

"But it's... it looks so expensive."

He blinked, still confused. He threw his arm out towards it all as he spoke with a higher pitch. "Expensive? Haruhi this is the cheapest set online that fit both standards."

"Hikaru, that's a diamond chandelier." She turned, pointing at the crib. "And that looks silver. It's so... extravagant. Is it... necessary?"

He sighed. "I swear, this is how all our arguments used to start. The stuff you picked out at the store looked exactly what that old stuff looked like in that guy's house. In other words... it looks like it was for poor people. And it's not diamond. It's crystal."

Haruhi pouted. "No it didn't. And I didn't pick out that crib, Katsu built it. But it's not like I hate it. It's so pretty and clean but... you must have spent so much money on it."

He bit his lip, holding in what would be an obnoxious snort. "You think this looks expensive. I could show you the bill I was sent for all those private detectives I hired to find you. It'd give you're poor heart a it's own little commoner heart attack."

Horrified as to how much that cost, Haruhi cringed and turned back around, giving the nursery another look. "...Sorry. I love it, Hikaru. Hiroshi will be so happy with this. The last house wasn't really safe for him to play in. I wouldn't let him on the floor a lot. It really is perfect."

Hikaru still heard the uneasy tone in her voice, but he had learned to live with it. Even if they had a fairly well steady income (him being co-management of a billion-yen company) they still managed to get into arguments that involved money, because she hated to spend gob amounts of it in such a short period, and he really couldn't care less. She seemed to buckle under quickly this time though, most likely because she knew he was right for buying it, but didn't want to admit it.

Before he could reply to her with some witty comeback, she turned around and flung her arms around his waist, bringing herself closer to him in a tight hug. He nearly stumbled back from the force but in return he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, feeling her hot breath against his collarbone.

His fingers sneaked into her hair, gripping her locks securely. "...I guess I went sort of over the top with the gold trimmed crib and the crystal chandelier."

She snickered, gripping his shirt. "I don't think the baby would care about an inch thick line of shiny paint. I'll make sure he appreciates it though."

He grumbled, petting her hair lightly tugging and pulling at the tips. "I just-... I saw the room he was in before and I didn't like it. I went over the top but I wanted to buy the best. I figured he deserved it. I wasn't going to buy that table but it was a suggestion."

"A suggestion?"

"Yes. Woman are very persuasive. I think she said something about having coffee at 'Three AM' while waiting for babies to wake up, or something like that."

"I see..."

Haruhi leaned into his warm shirt, pressing her temple under his chin. "Did you do this yourself?"

"I hired people to do the dirty work."

"Ah."

"Meaning no. I didn't lift a finger."

She laughed, standing on her tiptoes. "Since it's for Hiro, I won't complain. You went through a lot of trouble... And he did need a room. But... you do know you can't buy a baby's love, don't you?"

He shrugged, his lips curving upwards. "I could try."

She turned to look at the expensive light piece before turning to him, smiling. "He's a good baby. He deserves everything in here. But... where did all those toys come from?"

He snorted, tipping his brow. "More peace offerings."

Her smirk faded from her face as she fell back to her feet. She looked down at her hoodie and played with the zipper awkwardly before looking back at the room. She knew Hiroshi was with the maids, but she had this aching feeling in her stomach that told her she needed him. She shook it off as simply being 'over protective and looked back at her husband.

"Hikaru... This stuff was sort of necessary, but you do know that you don't have to feel the need to buy him a bunch of things just because you couldn't earlier." She looked up, studying the strange expression he gave her. "He's ten months old. He doesn't care about shiny new toys that cost hundreds of yen, it's nice, but at this age all he needs is a good dad who knows how to warm up a bottle at nap time."

Hikaru's arm loosened from around her. His voice lowered. "...I guess not, but-"

"It doesn't matter about all those days that you've missed. Later on, we won't even remember them. What does matter is that you're going to be there for him for all the other days, right? I told you I wasn't going to hold it against you."

His frown tightened. "You know... It's always bugged me how you were always able to read my mind so easily."

"It's your eyebrows. That's the same look you gave me back in college when I tripped down the stairs and sprained my ankle. You were making yourself feel guilty the whole time I was recovering."

"Uh yeah, cause I'm the one who accidentally tripped you."

"It doesn't matter. You get my point." She placed her finger on his lower lip. "If you want to, take him out on a father son outing. He likes yogurt. But he's a baby and he doesn't have all his teeth, make sure he doesn't get hard fruit in his."

"Of course dough boy likes yogurt. Does he like ice-cream, too?"

She glared. "Not if his daddy makes fun of him for it."

Hikaru, having a long lost feeling spring through his chest, laughed lightheartedly and pulled her close, smelling her shampoo that still lingered. He hugged her tightly and so close to his chest that she was raised up to her toes.

With one hand, he cupped her cheek and tilted her face, allowing himself to give her other cheek a light, careless kiss before releasing her completely, dropping her down back to her own height.

She sighed, having that been the most affection he had showed her all week. Though she didn't think she was in the place to complain about that, too.

"Mister Hitachiin." A voice of one of their maids came up from behind his shoulder. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Misses Shimizu is downstairs."

Hikaru pulled himself away from Haruhi, making a face at her, but noticing that she was holding Hiroshi he stopped. "What is she doing here?"

"She said she wanted to see you."

"Alright," he groaned, reaching for the baby in her arms. "tell her I'm busy. We can talk tomorrow."

Their elder maid appeared, her hands around over chest. "I already tried making her leave. She slipped right out of my hands. Literally."

Hiroshi squeaked, throwing his hands up, tossing himself back, almost sending himself out of his father's arms.

Haruhi rolled her eyes and took the baby from them before they both fell over.

"Hikaru! There you are. I've been worried sick all week."

As Hikaru's feet fell from the last step of the staircase, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared at the brunette who had her hands balled up to her chest.

He pinched his eyes shut, tight as he heard his wife follow him, listening to Hiroshi babble complaints behind him.

"Kagami," he exhaled, staring at her bright smile she gave him. "what're you doing here?"

"I was worried about you, that's what I said." she stuck her bottom lip out, stepping closer to him. "And... I also needed to talk to you. I tried to tell you earlier, but you were never home when I'd visit and you weren't answering my calls."

He shrugged, licking his lip. "I've been busy."

She blinked, tensing her shoulders. "Doing what?"

He looked over his shoulder, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He hesitated with an awkward silence. "...Haruhi's back."

"Oh, I know. You're brother told me." She smiled, her fingers reached for his hand and lightly touched his palm before he pulled away. She frowned suspiciously. "He said you were... out shopping a lot."

Hikaru nodded, clenching his jaw. "Yeah, shopping. Turns out Haruh had-... Wait, Kaoru? He's at his apartment. How did you talk to him?"

Kagami fluttered her eyelashes as she tipped her head to the side, looking over her shoulder where she saw a blonde standing, holding a chubby, complaining baby to her chest. "Oh... I know, I was at his place. He told me he was injured, and I felt bad about all those things I said about him so I went to apologize and to see if he needed help around the house being... injured an all."

"He's married..."

"I know! But Makoto-"

"Mokoto."

"Mokoto. She's pregnant, she can hardly get off the couch herself." She grumbled, but her tone immediately lightened. "Anyway, it's not about them. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Haruhi, who had been standing behind Hikaru the whole time, stepped on her tiptoes when Hiroshi reached to pull his father's hair. "Hika, who is this?"

Hikaru, grabbing Haruhi's hand in almost a rush of urgency, pulled her to his side and touched Hiroshi's hair softly, and just barely with his fingertips. "Haru, this is... Kagami."

Haruhi tilted her head, looking at him oddly after hearing a strange creak in his throat. "The acquain-"

"Yep."

Kagami stared at Haruhi, her lips slowly tightening into a forced smile. Even Hikaru could see she was struggling. "I know... Kaoru told me you came back. That's nice. Hikaru's really been... a wreck."

"Why has everyone been saying that?"

Haruhi chuckled despite her husband's annoyance, switching the heavy baby to her other arm. "The maids talk a lot about you. I'm glad he had someone to keep him company for the time I was gone."

"Yeah," Kagami nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear. Her voice cracked. "It took him awhile to get over it. I'm glad you're back. Hikaru wouldn't stop looking for you until insanity kind of took him."

Hikaru glared. "It's wasn't insanity."

"I don't think we've met before," Haruhi extended her hand out to her, politely smiling. Obviously not seeing the same thing Hikaru did. "Would you like to come into the living room for-"

"I didn't come to stay for cookies and tea." The brunette cut her off. Her face was tightened and her forehead creased with a scowl, but she hurriedly lightened her expression. "Hikaru, I have to talk to you. In private."

Haruhi looked up at Hikaru for just a second before turning on her heel. Before she could get far though, he grabbed her wrist and kept her from leaving. He pulled her back and shoved her into his side again, yet more secure.

"Stay." He whispered, gripping her hands, fitting his fingers between hers. "Kagami, look, I know these past few... months have been hellish, but about... that thing." He looked down at Hiroshi then back at her. "Acquaintance thing we had... Mmm."

"I know, it's about that." Kagami gave Hiroshi a look when he looked at her. Her sneer made him roll his head away from her. "Hikaru, I don't know if Kaoru told you, but... after that little... moment, Um... It's uh- it's really awkward."

She stared at Hikaru's raised eyebrow look and sighed, chewing the thin skin off her lip. "...I'm pregnant."

Haruhi looked at Hikaru again, without a moment to think. Hikaru still just looked as confused as ever.

"Oh... I didn't know you were with someone." He said, swallowing. "But I don't think that's my business."

"...It's your baby, Hikaru."

Haruhi's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She turned to Kagami, watching her hand move to her flat stomach. Hikaru narrowed his brow and stood there absolutely speechless.

After everything, after going through so much pain and trouble. After finally getting Haruhi back, and growing to forgive and forget, and to be forgiven, this is what life throws back in his face for karma. He though karma was his brother getting hurt. He thought that everything he had done, all the bad things he had thought of good people was met and were eased by his brother getting shot right in front of him.

Having his twin's blood on his hands apparently wasn't enough.

An accidental fling had to tell him, right in front of his wife, that she was pregnant with his child.

Hikaru's lips slowly parted, stunned to the point he was nearly in a daze.

When was this all going to end?

Was it ever?

The silence that had fallen between the three of them was long and awkward. Hikaru's arm fell from her hand as Haruhi's fingers loosened, letting him go. Hiroshi made a sound that snapped him out of an envisioned trance.

Haruhi stepped back. Her eyes baring into the polished floorboards. "I... I think I hear the baby crying."

Hikaru stood there, letting her untangle herself from him completely. He made no attempt to stop her any longer. His hands merely slipped themselves into his hoodie. He hadn't taken a breath since Kagami said those last few words, and he wasn't totally sure whether he had forgotten how to or not.

Kagami looked up, giving Haruhi a questionable look as she walked away. "She does know she's holding the baby, right?"

Hikaru's attention snapped back into place. He looked up, staring at her with the muscles in his jaw twitching, struggling to keep his mouth shut. "She's upset now."

"Oh... Look, Hikaru. I know-"

"I know. Kagami, what happened between us wasn't supposed to happen. It was a drunken mistake." He couldn't bring himself to take his eyes away from her flat non-existent baby bump. "But... please tell me you're lying."

Kagami sucked in her bottom lip, staring at the floor with glazed over eyes.

She shook her head. "...No. I know it was a mistake, but I'm not lying. Hikaru, I'm-"

"Right." He took a unsteady breath as he turned away. "...Well then you sure the hell picked a great time to tell me this. Damn it."

Then, he remembered something and looked at her again. "...You were at Kaoru's weren't you?"

"...For a minute before he slammed the door on my face."

"You told him this?"

"...He practically pried it out of me. Then he got mad and told me to leave."

Hikaru tried to think of an excuse, but nothing but the truth was coming to him. He had to tell Haruhi, and reality was going to force him, even if it already seemed obvious.

"...Kagami?"

"Yes?"

"I think you should leave here, too."

She looked up, her hand still on her stomach. "But, Hikaru..."

"I know, come back later, we'll talk about this but... not right now."

Then, she watched Hikaru walk away. Following in Haruhi's invisible footsteps in a haste. She was left their in their wake, still with her fingers tugging at the fabric of her shirt.

With her throat closing in, causing it to be harder to swallow, Kagami turned her face and clenched her fist, balling her shirt in her fist. She noticed her own tension and eased her hand back to normal, rubbing her stomach lightly with gentle feather-like finger touches.

She looked up, listening to heavy footsteps up the stairs.

It was crashing down.

But she was determined to fix it.

With that thought in mind, she then turned and made her way to the front door where a car was parked outside, running, waiting for her.

'You can't ignore me forever, Hikaru...'

'I love you.'

'And I have to have you.'

'...I need you.'