Shidou, Miku and marriage 2

One night at the Izayoi mansion, the young manager couple and the country's most famous and successful idol were about to go to sleep; although, only Miku was already in the extravagant bed; full of pillows and a thin, purple quilt. She was waiting for Shidou to return to bed, being so big-bellied, there was little she could do and doing something daring would not be funny in this state.

However, it was true that Shidou was taking his time on those calls; it was suspicious, but not too much.

"Miku Izayoi" had retired from the stage until further notice, and it was still news to fans and the media —even months after it was announced— that the idol was married to an unknown man named Shidou Itsuka, better known as Darling; although years ago it was said that this was the nickname of one of Miku's dogs... the truth was now more than clear.

Shidou, as his wife's manager, had a lot to do, he had to keep working and answering for Miku as his manager, as well as endure the whole crisis of mood swings, demands that bordered on the irrational and the dramatization of not having a girl inside, but a boy.

A boy who would become a man one of these days.

And this, precisely, was the reason for his delay, he was talking about this with his little sister, looking for understanding and a means to vent.

"...as I was saying, Mana, every time we talk about it, Miku behaves as if everything were wrong... she couldn't accept that our baby is a boy, I don't think it's going to be long before he's born and she hasn't thought of any names, it's crazy..." he explained with a certain desperation, but he controlled his volume. "Ahh... her mood swings are a bit weird, it can't be normal, I think it's something else..."

"Isn't that normal?" she asked, a little confused. "No, no, Nii-sama, mood swings are very normal during pregnancy, although I think more must be Miku-san's tantrums, for all that has happened, I'm really sorry... How's work?"

"And what about the pink room? Have they changed it yet?" quickly asked another voice that Shidou heard quite distantly. "Hey, Mana!"

"Right! Ah, excuse me, Kotori is asking about your baby's room, were you able to rearrange it? It was for a girl, I think they were too hasty with that, hehe..."

"Ahh..." Shidou smiled bitterly and leaned against the wall with a defeatist attitude. "No, we leave it like this and use another room to decorate it for the baby."

"Huh? It was just a matter of changing a few things and repainting the room, why start from scratch?"

"Because Miku, even if she doesn't want to admit it, she knows it's going to be a boy, but that doesn't mean... that she won't try again, well, we're going to try again..."

"Wh-What...? Wait, wait a minute, Nii-sama, but Miku-san's retirement is only a year long, right? That's what you told me, how come there's another one?" she asked between surprised and concerned; but just a little.

"'Another one' of what, Mana?"

"Um, well... I think your predictions were right, Kotori-san, oh my, I'll have to pay you."

"Huh!?" That shout could be heard by Shidou, even if Kotori wasn't near the phone.

"Wait, you were betting on whether Miku would decide that?!" The blue-haired, brown-eyed man got a little upset, but sighed to calm down. "I can't believe..."

While Shidou thought her sisters were using his life as cheap entertainment, Kotori was shocked by the phone, creating a mess of voices, until she calmed down and now both were taking the call.

"She decided, didn't she?!"

"You changed your ribbons, didn't you?" asked Shidou, somewhat accustomed to his little sister's habits.

"That's not important, Shidou, just tell me if she even asked you!"

"Ahh..."

"Nii-sama, this time, I agree with her...!"

"Even if you could ask for more time, it's your head that's going to roll, Shidou! She should know! And she should understand her position and your position!"

"Kotori is right, but what I can't believe is that she decided on her own! I think that's what's really wrong here!" Mana was more outraged than upset; Kotori was.

"I know, I know... that's why I told them that..."

"Don't defend her, Shidou! I know it's your way, but not this time! Can you be angry with her, just once, please?"

"I'm not defending her, I was just telling Mana, Miku is..."

"Nii-sama, if you can't do it, I will!"

"What?!" Shidou opened his eyes a little more.

"Talk to her!" replied Mana, very sure of herself. "I know you are spoiling her because of her current state and her phobia of men, but it's been years since Miku-san can no longer play the role of Drama Queen."

"If only they'd let me talk..." Shidou put his cell phone away and put it to his mouth, so they'd hear him clearly.

"It's not about that, you were asking me about work and it's not going well at all; the retreat was for Miku, not for me, it's a really long story and I can't tell it now, but that's why I say her mood swings are not normal."

"What do you mean?" they both asked, more curious than excited. He sighed and decided to sit down on the floor, leaning his back against the wall.

"I think she's jealous because while she's resting, I have to keep working and I've been assigned a new idol all this year, so when I'm a few minutes late or there's an event and I have to be there all day... she..."

"Really? Miku, jealous...?" asked Mana, incredulous.

"If not, then she is going crazy; I prefer the topic of jealousy, honestly," he answered with some sarcasm, but then he sighed.

"Well... I think that makes more sense, but if you know, why haven't you... No, wait, you already did."

"Yes, I..."

"...I understand you, Nii-sama..."

"Shidou, I think it's a normal thing, although coming from her, I'm surprised... Anyway, I think Miku is a little right, she needs you and I know that work won't wait for you, but there must be some way to make her understand that it's only temporary, because it is, right?"

"I hope so, I don't want to stop being Miku's manager."

"Then you must tell her so!" said Mana, more cheerful. "That's the only way she'll understand that there's nobody else and you don't want to be with that new girl, just find a way to say it without having to mention her at all."

"Or you cannot let her the opportunity to talk, Onii-chan."

"Hmm..."

"But there's something I don't understand, doesn't Miku consider this new idol 'cute'?"

"I don't know; she's never seen her. But since I told her, she got upset, maybe she thought I'd always be her manager... I don't know, I just know she doesn't like her..."

"Darling, what are you doing here in the hallway?"

Shidou then saw that she looked at him from the door of the room, she was a little worried, but her question more heard her suspiciously.

"I'll call you another time, Kotori, Mana..." Shidou hung up and stood up to go with Miku. "I'm sorry, we were talking a lot, but you didn't have to pick me up, Miku."

"You were taking a long time and I thought I heard you scream, did something bad happen? Are you upset?" she asked in a sad tone as she squeezed his arm, as she was leaning on it to walk back to bed.

"No, I'm not upset either," he said with a small smile. "It's all right, I was just telling them my problems, that's all."

"'Our' problems...?" Shidou blinked a couple of times, nodded his head.

They met in silence for a few seconds that made Shidou sweat, but it didn't change his seriousness. On the other hand, Miku only nodded slightly and retired to the bed. He did so a moment later, wondering why when he sealed Miku, despite the shame and his false identity as Shiori, everything was easier than it is now.

These were real problems, and there was no evil organization that captured spirits for selfish purposes to blame for the obstacles in his life and those of his loved ones.

Even being Shiori-san did not sound so far-fetched now...

"No... what am I thinking? I'm not that bad either!" Shidou got a little embarrassed and closed his eyes to fall asleep.