Chapter Forty-Four: More Birthday Surprises

"Does everybody have everything they need?" I asked my two favorite girls-er, women as I double-checked my pant's back pocket for my wallet; I really needed to get a jacket with an inside pocket.

"Yes, sir!" Ushio chirped with a salute; in her free hand she held the bag containing the birthday gifts for Kyou, Ryou, and Mika.

"I think I'm as ready as I'm going to be," Mika replied with her purse in her grip and a nervous tremor to her voice that matched her smile.

I responded with a more stable smile, giving my bride a peck on the cheek as I stepped past to unlock and open the front door, letting the women go on ahead so I could lock it behind us. "You sound nervous, Mika," I noted over my shoulder as I fought with the door lock. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," she sighed. "I'm not sure why, but I think it's because I'm going back to…no, I mean because I'm going to my old home."

"Do you still miss it?" Ushio asked, and I noticed her expression of curiosity as I turned from locking the door.

"A little," she admitted as we headed away from the apartment. "Not as much as I thought I would, but a little."

"It took me a while to get used to living on my own," I remarked, thinking back on my first years of adult independence…well, with Nagisa. "I realize that it's not the same, but I think I understand."

My wife flashed me a grateful smile as she took hold of my arm and carefully leaned against me.

The trip to Mika's old home was unusually quiet, which surprised me; usually, Ushio and Mika were pretty chatty. Maybe they'd lived together long enough that they had more chances to talk when I wasn't around, so I wasn't hearing those conversations.

"Could we stop for a second?' Mika suddenly requested as the Hiiragi residence came into view.

I blinked in surprise at her request but complied. "Sure."

"Is something wrong?" Ushio asked.

Mika stared at her old home for a moment before she spoke again. "Tomoya, would it be okay for Ushio to go on ahead? I'd like to talk with you for just a minute. In private."

I wasn't sure how the logistics would work, sending Ushio on ahead.

"I can go wait just outside their gate," my daughter offered with a sweet smile.

I considered her words, then nodded my approval. "We'll try to be quick." As Ushio skipped happily toward the Hiiragi's front gate I turned to my bride. "Is everything okay, Mika?"

Her mouth opened and closed several times as a blush started to appear. "I was worried that this might happen, and now that I've seen my old home…"

"That what would happen?"

She took a deep breath before looking me square in the eye. "Tomoya? Would you remind me that I'm yours?"

I'm sure my confusion showed on my face. "Well… Aren't you already 'mine'? I mean, we had that surprise wedding and all that sex, and-"

"I-I-I know…" she stammered, laying her hands on my chest. "But the minute I saw Mom and Dad's house I started feeling like their daughter again, so I need you to remind me that I'm yours."

I blinked several times as I tried to make sense of her words. "But… Well… Okay, then… What do you need me to do?"

She swallowed hard as her blush deepened. "I need you to…take me, make me remember that I'm yours."

"How?"

"Kiss me," she squeaked. "Right on the m-mouth, like you're…like you're claiming me."

My brow furrowed at her words; they sounded like something out of an old manga, one of the more…colorful ones. "So you want me to kiss you."

She nodded, apparently unable to say anything more.

I sighed with a series of thoughtful blinks; the simple act of kissing her wouldn't be a problem, it was the 'claiming her' aspect that had me stumped. I blinked again, a smile starting to spread as a thought occurred to me, a way that I could kiss her that would hopefully address her concern. "All right, Mika; I'll do my best." With that, I suddenly stepped toward her, my right arm encircling her waist to draw her close while a touch with my left hand tilted her face upward. Once her shocked gaze met mine I ducked my head down to capture her lips. As she gasped in surprise I ran my hand to the back of her head as my grip around her waist tightened, pulling her even closer to me, leaving no space between our bodies and no way for her to escape, and she pushed at me but I didn't let up, allowing myself to consciously feel all the love and affection I felt toward the girl in my arms as I released her lips just long enough to give them a couple of playful nips before diving in again, and she stopped pushing at me, instead sliding her arms around me, and I could faintly feel her nails digging into my back, and I could hear a moan from what I was sure had to have been her soul, and I parted my lips to gently yet insistently push my tongue into her mouth, which she easily and greedily accepted, and we caressed each other's tongues and mouths, and I could feel her nails dig even further into my back as she whimpered, and I could feel one of her legs wrap around one of mine…

I slowly, carefully, and finally released her from the kiss, leaving her panting, and I found myself feeling winded as well, not to mention light-headed from all the passion I had tried to pour into my kiss. "Was that okay?" I asked as I held her trembling form.

"Yes, master…" she breathed in a husky voice, her eyes locked on mine though unfocused as she held the front of my shirt with what felt like a death grip. "I'm your woman… I'm really yours…"

"You sure are," I managed to reply, still feeling the tingle from the experience. "And I'm your man."

"Oh god, you are…" she murmured as she snuggled into my chest.

It took a couple of minutes for our faces to regain their normal color and complexion after our intense (and impromptu) make-out session, and we quickly joined Ushio by the gate to Kappei's and Ryou's home. "Sorry to keep you waiting," I told her as I smoothed out the last couple of wrinkles from the front of my shirt.

"It's okay," she replied sweetly. "I hope everything's okay."

"I'm much better now," Mika blurted before I could reply; then, she blushed nearly to her hairline. "I mean… Everything's okay! We're okay."

"We're fine, Ushio; thank you," I chuckled sympathetically as I gestured to the Hiiragi's front door with my free hand. "Let's just move on."

A gentle squeeze from me was apparently enough to calm my bride, for her color had faded to normal by the time Kappei opened the front door. "Okazaki!" he exclaimed in his usual exuberant fashion. "Er, Okazakis!"

"Hey, Kappei," I greeted, exchanging a smile with Mika as the three of us entered his home. "Good to see you again."

"Yeah, you too!" he replied as we shook hands. "Glad you're here, man; the natives have started to get restless."

My eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Everyone else is here already, then?"

"Yup!" he said over his shoulder as he led us into the living room. "Wanna join me and Jeff in the kitchen for dinner prep?"

My mouth repeatedly opened and closed on its own; I honestly hadn't considered the possibility that we men would be responsible for dinner, even though most of the women were the guests of honor. "Um, sure. What are we making?"

His mouth twitched before he burst into laughter, startling me. "Just kidding, man! No way Kyou would let me anywhere near a kitchen!" He shifted his gaze to my wife. "Hey, Princess; your mom, aunt, and both of your grandmas are in the kitchen. You don't have to help if you don't want to, but…" He trailed off with an awkward shrug.

I looked over to my wife to find her with a smile and glimmering eyes. "I'd…" she croaked before clearing her throat. "I'd like that, but…could I use your bathroom first?"

"Of course!" He gestured to the staircase, and I found myself wondering if she was okay as I watched her head upstairs to the washroom. "Seriously, the other guys are in the study right now," he continued, reclaiming my attention. "How about joining us for some alcohol and conversation?"

"Sounds good," I replied, chuckling at his choice of words; direct and to-the-point.

"Hey, that's right; you haven't met my parents yet, have you?" he asked as we headed down the familiar hallway. "Well, Mom's in the kitchen, so you'll be seeing her at dinner, but Dad's in the study right now."

I suddenly felt a little nervous, so I tried distracting myself. "He… They weren't at the wedding, were they? Mika's and mine, that is."

He glanced over his shoulder at me with a grin. "That situation was…kinda unique, so Dad and Mom didn't have enough time to get there."

"Were they mad about it?"

"Ask him yourself!" he replied with an impish grin as we arrived at the door to the study.

I paused and eyed the door warily.

"Don't worry, man," he said, resting a hand on my shoulder accompanied by an unusually serious expression. "I've already told him about it, and he's cool with it. Of course, he wished he could have been there – Mom, too – but he understands what happened."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "All right, Kappei; I trust you."

He gave me a smile and a wink before opening the door and heading in, I cautiously followed him into the familiar room to find some familiar faces; Dad Fujibayashi, Tadashi, Jeff, and an unfamiliar face that I assumed was Kappei's dad.

"Ah, Tomoya!" came the warm friendly voice of Pastor Jeff, and I shifted my gaze to find him on his feet, headed toward me with one hand extended and a glass in the other. "Good to see you again, as always."

"Likewise," I said with a smile as we shook hands, and I breathed an internal sigh of relief as I remembered that I'd have allies with me when I would finally meet my wife's other granddad. "Thanks." I looked over to Dad Fujibayashi and bowed politely. "Hi, Dad; it's been a while."

"Indeed it has," he replied, inclining his head as he spoke. "It is good to see you again."

"Thank you, sir."

A movement from my periphery caught my attention, and I saw Tadashi hurrying to his feet to bow. "Okazaki-sama; it's an honor to see you again."

"Thank you very much," I replied with a bow as well. "I hope life is treating you well."

"It is," he said as he straightened. "School is going well, and I have made some new friends; in fact, we recently had a study session, which went quite well."

"Glad to hear it," I said with a genuine smile.

An unfamiliar voice suddenly intruded: "Hey! Am I being ignored here?"

"No way, Dad!" Kappei exclaimed while waving his hands defensively. Then he gestured more formally toward the older, silver-haired man. "Okazaki, this is this is my dad; Hiiragi Kiyoshi."

I bowed as deeply as I could without losing my footing. "It is an honor to meet you, Hiiragi-sama."

Dad Hiiragi slowly rose to his feet and approached me just as slowly, examining me with a serious expression, his lips pursed. Once he got close enough, his face lit up in a broad smile and he grabbed me up into a rough hug. "HA! Welcome to the family, Okazaki!"

It took me several seconds to realize what had just happened; at least his behavior explained where Kappei's gregariousness came from. "Th-Thank you, sir," I managed while awkwardly patting the man's sides in an approximation of a hug.

He cackled again as he released me and reclaimed his seat. "Have a seat, Okazaki! Sit, sit!" He waved at the chair next to him. "Let's talk."

I accepted the proffered seat. "Thank you, sir."

His grin remained firmly planted in place as he looked over at Dad Fujibayashi. "Is he always like this, Ryu?"

"Like what?" Dad asked with a puzzled look.

Dad Hiiragi's grin faltered at the reply, and he returned his attention to me. "So, Okazaki; what caused you to pursue one of my granddaughters?"

"I-" The phrasing of his question caught me off-guard, and I looked to Kappei, hoping he could-

"Dad, I already told you; Mika pursued him!" my bestest friend in the whole wide world chimed in. "Good grief, old man! At least let him get to know you before you start poking fun at him!"

"All right, sorry, sorry," Dad Hiiragi laughed. "And don't call me 'old', you young punk!"

I looked over to Dad Fujibayashi with a puzzled grin, to which he simply shrugged.

Any further discussion was interrupted by a knock at the door, and a beautiful older woman stuck her head into the room; I noticed that her wavy silver hair had hints of gold in it. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. And Kiyoshi, are you giving Mika's husband a hard time already?"

"Just finished," he replied with a broad smile and a wink in my direction. "Okazaki, this is my wife, Vemi."

"A pleasure to meet you," she greeted as I hurried to my feet. "Oh, please don't bow; I look forward to talking with you at dinner."

"L-Likewise, ma'am," I replied, bowing before I could stop myself.

"Do you need any help, Grandma?" Tadashi offered; as usual, I somehow lost track of the young man.

"We're fine, sweetheart, but thank you," she replied with a giggle that caused my heart to skip a beat, oddly enough. "We'll call you if we need anything."

As she closed the door I could feel a burning on the side of my face. "Well, now you know where Sonny Boy gets his hair color, huh?" Kiyoshi said, and I could hear a smirk in his voice.

"I'll admit that I've wondered sometimes," I chuckled as I glanced at Kappei out of the corner of my eye.

"You could have just asked, Okazaki!" my good friend laughed as he clapped me on the shoulder.

"I suppose." Truth was, I wasn't sure if it would have been rude to ask him something so personal. There was something I could help but be curious about, though. "Hiiragi-sama? I was-"

"Kiyoshi." He interrupted, though not rudely. "You can call me 'Kiyoshi', Okazaki; we're all family here. Do you mind if I call you 'Tomoya'?"

It took several seconds to change tracks before I could answer his question. "Um, sure; that's fine. I'll need a little time to get comfortable with it, though."

"Of course," he replied with an easy smile. "Now I'm sorry for interrupting; you had a question for me?"

"Huh? Oh! Right." I gave myself a moment to remember what it was I wanted to ask. "I was just wondering how you met your wife."

He nodded approvingly, which calmed me considerably. "A reasonable question." He steepled his fingers. "I met her while I was overseas on business in Finland. She was working at a restaurant I frequented while I was over there, and the two of us hit it off. I visited her one last time before coming back here, hoping to get her contact info." He spread his hands with a broad smile. "As you can probably guess, she gave it to me."

"Of course," I acknowledged with a smile of my own.

"About six months after I left, I returned to Finland on business again and made a point of seeking her out." He ran his fingers through his hair as he looked up toward the ceiling. "We got together several times, I met her parents, and a few years later Kappei was born."

"That's really neat," I told him. "For what it's worth, I'm happy for you."

"So am I," he replied with a wink. "So, Tomoya; what's your story? Kappei's told me what he knows about you – which is why I'm smiling instead of frowning – but I want to hear the story from the man himself."

My face fell in spite of the lighthearted tone of the older man's words; at least I had a pretty good idea where my friend's joviality came from. "I…" A quick glance at a smiling Kappei told me I was on my own… It was to be expected, at least. "Well, how far back do you want me to go?"

He spread his hands in a gesture indicating openness. "I just want to know more about the man who managed to win the heart of one of my granddaughters."

I chuckled dryly. "To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out how that happened, sir."

"'Kiyoshi'."

"To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out how that happened, Kiyoshi," I repeated, figuring the practice would do me good.

"Much better."

I realized – based on his earlier statement – that he wanted to know my history with Mika, which made sense. "Well, we basically met for the first time a few months ago, when she caught me 'sneaking' onto the high school grounds to have lunch with my daughter."

"That's right," Kiyoshi said, looking over at his son. "You did mention a daughter, didn't you?"

"Ushio's a neat kid," Kappei replied with a smile and a glance my way.

"A few months then, huh?" Kiyoshi said, returning his attention to me. "You two must have really hit it off. Anyway, I'm sorry; go on."

"I'll admit that my memory is kinda hazy after that, but she started to take care of me after my shoulder was reinjured." I paused, expecting him to ask about my shoulder, but he said nothing so I continued. "While I was recovering from the surgery I couldn't use my right arm, so she offered to prepare my meals for me. Well, dinners mainly." He smiled and nodded in what I assumed was understanding, but still said nothing. "Over time, we got closer without me even realizing it, and she confessed to me at the last Founder's Festival."

"That was when Jeff proposed to Kyou, wasn't it?" Kiyoshi asked Dad Fujibayashi, who simply grunted in response. Satisfied with the reply, he returned his attention to me again. "So did you two go on any dates or anything like that?"

"Just one, at the park," I told him. "Most of our interactions were while she was making my meals or…" I trailed off as I remembered our card game that had gone…interesting directions, and I could feel my face heat up; I really hoped that I wasn't blushing.

Ironically, Dad Hiiragi saved me himself. "So you have a daughter, right?"

"Yeah, Ushio; she just started at Hikarizaka this year."

He glanced over at Dad Fujibayashi, and I had a feeling that I knew what he was thinking about: the age difference – or lack thereof – between Ushio and her new stepmother. "What happened with her mother?" he finally asked.

Surprisingly, the question didn't hurt anywhere near as much as it would have just months ago. "She died giving birth to Ushio."

His posture relaxed, and I could see an expression of compassion cross his face. "Aw, I'm so sorry, son; that must have been really hard on you."

"Not what I would have chosen," I admitted. "Nagisa had some kind of condition where she'd get these really bad fevers all of a sudden, and she'd be bedridden for days, if not weeks. She developed one right before giving birth to Ushio, and we think that's what…well, took her."

"Does Ushio have this same condition?" he asked softly; I could tell he was trying to ask the question while still respecting my space.

"Not from what I can tell," I replied. "She's had fevers, sure, but they've all been due to normal illnesses, colds and the like."

"That good to hear…if you get my meaning," he said with an awkward grin.

"I understand," I replied with a chuckle. "Thank you."

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Mom Hiiragi stuck her head in a moment later. "Dinner's ready, gentlemen."

"Does that include me?" Dad Hiiragi asked while sending a wink my way. "Am I a gentleman now, too?"

She half-chuckled, half-sighed. "Just come to the table, please."

He beamed before getting to his feet, the rest of us following suit. Then we all filed into the hall and headed to the dining room, where we were told where to sit. The Hiiragi's dining room table could only seat ten, so a smaller table had been brought in, where Ushio and Tadashi sat. The light blush on my daughter's face reminded me of her former crush on the Hiiragi boy; I hoped that she'd be able to carry on a conversation with him.

"So you're a priest, Ashton-san," Kiyoshi declared before we'd even settled into our seats; that man knew how to take charge of a situation, it seemed.

"I'm a pastor, Hiiragi-san," Jeff replied politely, though he seemed guarded; how had their conversation gone before my arrival? "I serve a Christian congregation."

"Right, right, I've heard of them," Dad Hiiragi said with a lift of his hands. "Sorry, after a while they all start to sound the same. I didn't get a chance to ask this earlier, but which god do you serve?" For some reason, I got a sense of hostility from Kappei's dad with this question.

"Maybe we should get started," Mom Hiiragi said in what sounded like an embarrassed tone. "And maybe we could remember whose day this is?"

"Right, then," Dad Fujibayashi intoned. "Jeff, would you like to…?" He trailed off, presumably due to the recent exchange.

"It's fine," Dad Hiiragi said with a wave of his hand. "I'm not so thin-skinned as to be bothered by something like this; go ahead."

Jeff still looked a little apprehensive but bowed his head, and most of us followed suit; I felt Mika slide her hand into mine. "Lord Jesus, thank You for this time where we can come together and celebrate the births of Kyou, Ryou, and Mika. Thank You for the many ways in which You have used them to bless those around them, and I ask that You bless them with knowledge and wisdom – as well as discernment – in the coming year. Bless this food to the health of our bodies. May Your will be done."

"May Your will be done," I repeated, along with several of the others.

"My, my…" Dad Hiiragi said as we started to fill our plates and bowls. "Thirty-seven, huh? And nineteen," he added, nodding toward my wife. "Where does the time go?"

"I don't know where it goes, but I'd sure like it to go more slowly," Mom Fujibayashi giggled, and I figured that she was referring to the aging process. Kappei and I shared a grin, but as members of the 'between' generation I figured we didn't have much to say…yet.

"You've always been lovely, dear," Dad Fujibayashi grunted before taking a bite of his meal.

"Oh, goodness…" Mom chuckled lightly, and I thought I saw a blush starting to form. "Thank you."

"Hey, my wife's lovely, too," Dad Hiiragi chimed in, wrapping an arm around the beauty next to him. "Ryu, I think I could give you some serious competition for 'luckiest man in the world'.

Apparently something in the food was making us more inclined toward being forthcoming because Jeff chimed in as well. "No disrespect intended, gentlemen, but I think I could give you a run for your money as well, though I would consider myself blessed rather than lucky to be Kyou's husband."

We then jumped at a sudden clatter and looked to find Kyou staring up at her husband with tears in her eyes, her chopsticks having fallen from her hands. "J-Jeff…?"

"Kyou?" he said, quickly becoming concerned. "I'm sorry; was that a bad thing to say?"

"No," she sniffed. "Just…prepare yourself."

Those of us who knew about that particular phrase chuckled appreciatively as Jeff kissed his wife's knuckles while gazing into her eyes; it was a beautiful sight.

"Ah, young love…" Mom Hiiragi murmured, and I saw her exchange a loving gaze with her husband.

"What about you, Kappei?" Dad Hiiragi asked, apparently in the mood to tease his son. "You up for a friendly competition?"

"I wouldn't want to be unfair to the rest of you," he declared with a wink at his wife, who started to blush furiously. "See, Ryou's in a class all her own, so it wouldn't be fair to compare."

"Ouch," Dad Hiiragi chuckled. "I asked for that."

I chuckled as well and returned my attention to my dinner until I felt a tingling sensation on the side of my face, and found myself as his next target.

"What about you, Tomoya?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye as he deliberately glanced at my wife. "You consider yourself lucky to be married to my granddaughter?"

I looked over at Mika, into her deep blue eyes, and had to fight to keep from being sucked in as I remembered our kiss from earlier. "I think…" I managed before I had to lick my suddenly-dry lips. "…I… No. No, I think it's like what Jeff said; I feel blessed to have her in my life let alone as my bride."

Said bride's mouth fell open, and she reached for her napkin as her eyes started to fill with tears. "T-Tomoya…"

"Thanks, man," Kappei said, sounding unusually subdued. "That was awesome."

"Mika, I'm so happy for you," I barely heard Ryou say, as fixated on my wife as I was.

"Wow, Daddy; that was beautiful," Ushio breathed. "I'm happy for the both of you."

I blinked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "Sorry about that," I said, mentally returning to the gathering.

"Don't worry about it," Dad Hiiragi said, his joviality sounding a bit sobered. "I…really liked hearing that. Thank you."

"Tomoya is a great man," Mika said with a squeeze of my hand. "I think of myself as very blessed, too."

A quick glance showed the men smiling our way, while the women all appeared to be dabbing at slightly puffy eyes, and I found myself amazed at the effect that simple honesty could have.

"That is a very big cake," Dad Hiiragi remarked as Jeff placed the first of three cakes on the table, this one for Kyou. At the same time, I was carefully setting one in front of my wife, and Kappei was setting one before his; all three of us men thought the arrangement appropriate.

"Quite impressive," Dad Fujibayashi grunted at the sight. "Well done, Rinko; you've outdone yourself."

Mom's hands immediately flew to her lightly blushing face. "Ryu, you know I didn't do it all by myself! Vemi and I worked together."

"True, but I was more of an assistant," Mom Hiiragi countered with a grin to her fellow mother, and I noticed that she had a charming accent that was quite pleasing to the ears. "You did most of the work, Rinko."

Mom Fujibayashi said nothing, but plopped into her seat. "Let's… Could we just sing now?"

We all chuckled before singing the familiar tune to our loved ones, and Dad Fujibayashi produced a knife and started cutting the cakes while Kappei scooped the ice cream.

"Cherry filling, eh?" Jeff remarked after taking a bite, looking quite pleased.

"You like cherries?" Mom Fujibayashi asked.

"He likes all kinds of fruit and berry flavors," Kyou replied while patting her man's arm. "When I pack his lunches, I make sure to give him some kind of berry." We all then chuckled at her husband's embarrassed look.

"So, you have any plans for the next year, sweetie?" Dad Hiiragi asked Mika. "Anything you want to accomplish before the big 2-0?"

I smiled as my wife blushed attractively. "Well, I'm already going to-" She cut herself off with a hand over her mouth and a look of surprise; she recovered nicely, though I wondered why she had to stop herself in the first place. "I'm just going to spend the next year working on being a good homemaker and wife. And finish high school, of course," she added with a giggle.

"Sounds like a great plan," Kyou remarked, and I noticed that she eyed her niece with a knowing smile. Curious; she'd been the first to pick up on Mika's attraction toward me. Was she on to something this time as well? "Well, do your best."

"I w-will," Mika replied, still looking a little evasive.

"Well, since you have our attention; what about you?" Dad Hiiragi asked with an impish smile.

Kyou didn't take the bait, though. "I'd like to finish catching up on what I've missed and be ready to start teaching at the start of the next year."

"Kindergarten again?"

"For now, yes," she replied as she carefully flipped her hair; I assumed she was accounting for the food. "My original plan before…back then was to start with kindergarten and maybe work my way up to teaching high school."

"You could definitely handle high-schoolers," I quipped.

"I seem to recall handling a couple of them quite well, yes," she replied with a smirk as she flipped her hair again.

I noticed some puzzled looks from the others, so I decided to explain. "I and Sunohara – one of my classmates – He and I were troublemakers back in high school. Not too bad, but enough. Anyway, Kyou's just referring to us."

"I see," Dad Fujibayashi grunted, though his expression remained neutral. "Well, I'm glad to see that you straightened out."

"Well, being a husband and previous soon-to-be father tends to-" I cut myself off at the realization that I had just referred to Nagisa in front of my new bride again. Not to mention her family, extended or otherwise. "Um, thank you."

I felt a touch to my arm and looked down into Mika's gently smiling face. "It's okay, Tomoya; nobody's going to judge you here."

"I might," chuckled Dad Hiiragi, who promptly received a swat on the arm from his wife for his effort. "Sorry."

"Anyway," Kyou continued, thankfully drawing everyone's attention from me, "I'd like to start from kindergarten and see where I can go from there."

"A laudable plan, Aunt Kyou," Tadashi remarked.

"What about you, Ryou?" Mom Fujibayashi asked. "Your father mentioned that the head nurse is supposed to be retiring soon. Are you going to apply for the position?"

"I-" Ryou was clearly surprised by the question. "I d-don't know."

"You don't know?" Kappei half-echoed. "Didn't you tell me that the position would mean a reduction in your hours? I mean, at the hospital?"

"I…I did, but…" It was interesting seeing a bit of the old Ryou, as she ducked her head. "I'd still be on-call, but most of my work would be done on the computer."

"You've been working your ass off for the last, what, fifteen years?" her husband followed up. "Don't you think you deserve some kind of break, slow down a little?"

"I don't…" she trailed off again, this time with a glance at her father.

"Nobody's thinking that I would be exerting undue influence on your behalf, if that's your concern," Dad Fujibayashi replied. "From what I hear, everyone thinks highly of your competence as well as your compassion when it comes to our clients." I assumed that by 'clients' he was referring to his hospital's patients.

"I…"

"Perhaps we should back off a bit," Jeff suggested, surprising me in that I hadn't heard his voice in a while. "Ryou, do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dad Hiiragi roll his eyes ever so slightly, but I decided to keep it to myself.

"Um…I suppose…"

"Do you like the idea of working from home?" Jeff asked. "Would you like the idea of being able to spend more time with Tadashi?"

"Oh, yes!" she replied, her eyes bright as she clapped once. "I've missed out on so much of his and Mika's childhood that…that…"

I glanced over at my wife to find her starting to open her mouth; figuring that I knew what Jeff was trying to do, I covertly lifted a hand to stop her. When she looked up at me, I shook my head slightly.

"If it helps, I think I understand," Jeff told Ryou with an understanding smile. "I've talked to a lot of working parents, so I have some understanding of what it's like."

"It's not the same as actually having been a present," Dad Hiiragi remarked; I couldn't put my finger on exactly how I knew, but it seemed like he was deliberately trying to undercut my friend. "If you ever have kids of your own, then you'll understand."

"S-Sir?" Kyou's expression was a combination of concern and shock. "Why are you talking to my husband that way?"

"I'll admit that I'd like to understand as well," Ryu grunted as he crossed his arms over his massive chest; I'd always been intimidated by his size. "Kiyoshi, has Jeff offended you in some way?"

"Nah, sorry," Dad Hiiragi replied. "Go on with your interview."

I thought I saw Jeff's jaw tighten for a very brief moment; had I not been basically studying him I wouldn't have noticed. "Thank you. Anyway, Ryou; for what it's worth, I think it's wonderful that you want to spend more time with your children…well, Tadashi now, I suppose," he added with an apologetic look. "Though it's never too late to have lunches with your daughter."

"I suppose that's true," Ryou replied, smiling over at Mika. "That sounds wonderful."

"And as far as any favoritism," Jeff continued, "I think your dad addressed it quite succinctly, and I would have to agree; I've heard nothing but good things about you in the time that I've had the privilege of being your chaplain."

Another eye-roll from Dad Hiiragi for some reason, though I seemed to be the only one who noticed. Fortunately.

"Besides, I'm not part of that particular decision-making process," Dad Fujibayashi added. "That's generally decided by the outgoing Head Nurse based with recommendations from the staff." He leveled his gaze at his daughter. "And from what I hear, you've been highly recommended."

"That's…good to know."

"It's kinda rude to keep the head honcho waiting, don'cha think?" I asked with a mischievous grin.

Fortunately, she took my words with good humor and a giggle. "You're right."

"So if the schedule isn't a problem, and the favoritism isn't a problem," Jeff said, counting on his fingers, "then it must be something else." He paused, I assumed for effect. "Would you agree with that assessment, Ryou?"

She seemed hesitant. "I…I suppose."

"We could talk about this later," Kyou offered. "You could come to the church, or Jeff and I can-"

"No."

The word wasn't spoken very loudly but it still managed to bring the conversation to a halt as we all looked to Dad Hiiragi, who had crossed his arms and was…glaring at Jeff? "S-Sir?" Kyou stammered, and from her expression it appeared that she wasn't accustomed to her sister's father-in-law acting that way.

Dad Hiiragi uncrossed one arm to gesture at the couple. "I understand that I'm not related to the two of you other than through my son's marriage, so if you want to get into some religious nonsense then that's your business."

"Kiyoshi!" Mom Hiiragi exclaimed.

"No, Vemi," he said, cutting her off with a raised hand. "Kyou chose to marry some guy who follows some sky-fairy or whatever, and I'll respect that. But when that crap starts creeping into my son's home…"

"She's my daughter, Kiyoshi," Dad Fujibayashi rumbled, and I could see a vein starting to pulsate from his temple; not a good sign. "And she and her family already attend Jeff's church."

"The hell?!" Dad Hiiragi bolted to his feet and pointed an accusing finger at Kappei. "You know what that shit did to my family, Kappei, and now you're taking my grandchildren to…to…marinate in it?"

"Jeff isn't like that, Dad!" Kappei returned, getting to his feet as well. "He's a Christian, and-"

"Oh, yes; I know about Christians," Kiyoshi interrupted with a snort. "I've met quite a few of them in my travels. They think they're better than everyone else, they think they have all the answers and they love to rub your nose in that belief."

"Jeff's not like that!" Kyou protested as she shot from her chair; it was starting to look like standing-room-only. "He's the most humble man I've ever met, and he guides his flock to be the same!"

"Sure," he scoffed, then directed his venomous gaze at his prey. "You'll get Ryou in your office – or whatever it is you use – and try to get her to join your crackpot religion that worships some dead god, right?"

My eyes widened as Jeff visibly trembled. "Please excuse me," he said, his voice remarkably calmer than his demeanor as he rose from his chair and quickly and quietly departed the room, his wife following him close behind.

No sooner had they left the room than Kappei turned angry eyes on his father. "What the hell, Dad?!" Kappei exclaimed. "And on Ryou's birthday? Are you serious?"

For his part, Kiyoshi said nothing as he lowered himself into his seat, a glare clear in his expression.

I had heard enough. "With all due respect, sir…" I said as I got up to follow my friend, my anger having reached its boiling point, "…you're an asshole." I then left the room to the sound of multiple female-sounding gasps. I didn't care, though, as I went to where I thought Jeff would be the most likely to go.

"He asked me to leave him alone for a bit," Kyou said as we stood on the Hiiragi's front porch and watched the pastor from a respectful distance as he looked up at the sky. "I've never seen him act like this before."

"I haven't either," I remarked as he sighed heavily. "Can't say I blame him, though."

"Yeah…"

"Is that Tomoya?"

We both flinched in surprise at Jeff's question. "Yeah, he's here with me," Kyou answered.

He looked over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, love; could Tomoya and I talk for a bit?"

We exchanged a puzzled look, then a shrug, followed by a chuckle. "He's coming," she replied as she gave me a nudge.

I jerked at the sudden contact, then headed over to stand next to my counselor-turned-friend. "You okay, Jeff?"

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "Sorry about the spectacle back there."

I snorted. "Don't worry about it; I'm not going to blame you for Dad Hiiragi's temper tantrum."

"Huh?"

"Huh?' I turned to face him. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

He half-turned toward me with a puzzled look. "I'm talking about the way I left; it wasn't very mature of me to act like that."

I snorted. "I don't think anyone's upset at you." I thought for a moment. "I think they're more upset for you."

"I see." A brief pause. "Maybe I am being needlessly hard on myself."

I clapped a hand on his shoulder, smiling at him when he looked over to me again. "For what it's worth, I agree wholeheartedly."

He chuckled, and I could feel him relax under my hand.

"So what bothered you so much about what he said anyway?" I asked. "I'm sure you've heard worse."

"That's true, I have," he chuckled. Then he sighed heavily again. "What was hard about hearing his words was that they were from someone close to my family about someone I hold very dear to my heart."

"I think I understand."

"But that's not all," he said. "You see, a large part of my relationship with Him is due to how He helped me through Jessica's death."

"How so?"

His brow furrowed slightly. "Well, I think I've told you that I read C.S. Lewis' A Grief Observed after she died, right?"

"Yeah, you did."

"Well…how do I explain this…?" His mouth puckered as he thought. "The best way I can explain it is that Jesus spoke to me in my grief, using Professor Lewis' words to help comfort me."

I remembered Jeff telling me about his ability to 'hear' his god, so what he was saying made sense…sort of. I believed I understood why he had reacted so strongly earlier, in any case. "So Dad Hiiragi basically insulted the guy who helped you out during a really bad time, so you feel kinda…protective?"

"More like he hit me in a tender spot," Jeff admitted. "I've experienced God as a real being, and I've just heard Him referred to as…well, in less-than-glowing terms."

"Well, if it helps; I called him an 'asshole' before I came looking for you," I said nonchalantly.

"T-Tomoya!" he exclaimed, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. "Wh-While I appreciate you trying to stand up for me, I still-"

"I know, I know…" I said with a raised hand and a properly apologetic expression. "But I was pretty ticked off at him for the way he treated you and your religion-no, I mean your god."

"In any case, thank you for being angry for us," he replied, still trying to hide his smile.

"You're welcome."

We looked up at the stars for a while longer, occasionally exchanging glances along with chuckles and head-shakes. Eventually, he rubbed his hands together. "Well, we'd better get back inside; I think I've cooled off enough, and I feel bad for leaving the festivities the way I did."

"I'm sure things'll be fine," I tried to reassure him as we headed back to the house, where Kyou stood waiting on the front porch. "From what I've seen of Mom Hiiragi, she probably gave him an earful after I left."

"I just wish that I knew his specific problem with Christianity," he lamented as he wrapped an arm around Kyou, who promptly snuggled into him. "I know that new Christians can be pretty hot-headed, but I'd like to be able to address his concerns if I can."

I snorted as I opened the door for the couple. "You know, I'm amazed at how you can do that; someone tells you off, and you want to understand him." I shook my head. "Me, I'd tell 'em to piss off."

He chuckled but said nothing as we made our way back to the dining room, where we took our seats. Well, Kyou and I did. "I apologize for leaving the way that I did," Jeff announced to the group as he rested his hands on the back of his chair as he stood behind it. "I hope that you all can forgive me and not allow my behavior to taint this occasion."

"No, this is on me," Dad Hiiragi said as he quickly rose from his seat to extend his hand across the table toward my pastor friend. "I let my bias get the better of me, and I'm sorry about that."

I couldn't help but grin as Jeff blinked in surprise at the proffered hand. "F-Forgiven," he managed as he shook the older man's hand. "And I don't know how this is going to sound, but I regret if you've had less than edifying interactions with any of my brethren."

Had I not been watching, I would have missed seeing Dad Hiiragi's expression soften. "Thank you," he murmured as he released Jeff's hand. "It seems this old dog might need to learn a new trick or two."

"If you have any questions regarding my faith," Jeff said as the two men reclaimed their seats, "I am at your disposal…except, perhaps, on Sundays from 10 AM to noon."

"Eh?"

"That's when the church's service runs," Kyou explained, though she looked a little dodgy.

"But we don't have to meet at the church," Jeff added quickly.

"Okay, okay; I get it," Dad Hiiragi laughed. "Well, shall we get back to celebrating? This cake isn't going to eat itself!"

"That would be rather…unsettling," Tadashi noted, and Ushio giggled at his observation.

The cake was eaten without further incident and we made our way to the living room for the gift-opening.

The minute I passed through the doorway, however, I suddenly found myself with an armful of Mika. "Thank you for the wonderful gift, Daddy!" she crooned as she lay across my curled arms in an impromptu princess-carry. "He's perfect!"

"M-Mika!" My face immediately heated up, and I could swear I was blushing clear to my hairline. "What are you doing?!"

"Just enjoying your strength." With a fake pout followed by a giggle, my bride allowed herself to be lowered gently to the floor before patting my arm. "You're really strong, dear husband."

"N-Not really," I replied as I tried to reassemble my nerves. "You're just really light."

"Hah!" Kappei laughed. "Yup, Princess; he's a keeper!"

I looked over to Jeff for support, only to find him receiving a gentle elbow from his wife. "I could see myself doing that when I was her age," she told him.

"I appreciate your restraint," he replied with an awkward smile.

We all chuckled as we settled into the various chairs and couches spread around the living room; I noticed that Mika made a point of pressing herself against my side, linking her fingers with mine.

"Jeez, I don't think we could slide a thin book between you two," Kyou quipped as her husband smiled at us.

I looked over at my wife. "I'm glad you're happy, but… What brought this on?"

She shrugged her shoulders, a twinkle in her eye. "I don't know; just feeling snuggly, I guess."

I couldn't ask her to move, so I just chuckled. "Well, as long as you're happy."

"I am," she giggled with another shrug of her shoulders.

"Since you two are glued together," Kappei teased, "why don't you start by giving your gift to my daughter, Okazaki?"

I chuckled awkwardly as I reached into my jacket pocket. "Sure, why not? Happy birthday, Mika."

Mika released my arm and squealed softly as I handed her the small wrapped box. She eagerly tore into the package and held up her gift. "Woooowwww…" she breathed as she held up a ring; we'd only been married for a couple of months so I wasn't able to afford a ring worth two months of salary, but I hoped she'd like a ring with her birthstone mounted on it. "It's so pretty…"

"You're okay with it, then?" I asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I love it!" she gushed, throwing her arms around my neck. "Thank you so much!"

I blushed at the appreciative chuckles that sounded all around us.

She started to slide it on but stopped herself. "Would you put it on me, Tomoya?"

My face heated up even more as I took hold of her hand and slid the ring onto her delicate finger. "With this ring, I thee wed," I quipped, though deep in my heart I meant it. Then, a sudden gasp drew my attention to her face, where tears had started to form. "Mika, are you okay? I'm sorry; did I hurt you?"

"N-No," she hiccupped as she dabbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "I guess I've needed to hear that. Sorry."

I wasn't sure what else to say, so I wrapped an arm across her shoulders and drew her to me.

"You're the man, Okazaki," I heard Kappei say. "Good job."

Things finally settled down, and Kappei gave his wife her gift. "Here you go," Kappei said as he handed her a small box. "Happy birthday, babe."

"Kappei!" she squeaked, presumably at the pet name. "Th-Thank you." She carefully unwrapped it to find… "Woooowwww…" she breathed, her free hand going to her chest as she held up a sparkly ring, with a decent-sized gem in the center almost the same shade of blue as her eyes. I internally cringed at how nice her gift seemed; I'd never been able to afford something so nice and probably never would.

"I saw that and knew I had to get it for you," he explained as he took the ring from her to slip it onto one of her fingers. "I don't claim to understand this kind of thing, but I thought it was pretty."

"It's beautiful…" she sighed as she continued to study her gift.

"Good call, Kappei," Kiyoshi said approvingly.

I tried to pay attention as the rest of the gifts were given, but I couldn't stop thinking about my financial situation, and I noticed that even Jeff was able to give Kyou a gift much nicer than the one I'd been able to get for Mika.

"You okay there, Okazaki?" I snapped from my musings to find Kappei studying me with a concerned expression, and I noticed similar expressions on everyone else as well.

"I'm-" I chuckled awkwardly. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to be a killjoy or anything."

"Hey man, it's not the size of the rock that counts; it's the size of the heart behind it," Kappei declared with an understanding smile, showing a perceptiveness I never would have thought him capable of.

"And I think we all know that you have a huge heart, with plenty to spare," Kyou added with a smile of her own; next to her, Jeff nodded in apparent agreement.

All I could do was chuckle awkwardly in response. "Thanks."

"That was so much fun," Ushio gushed as we headed for the train station. "Everyone seemed to have a good time."

"Did you enjoy talking with my brother?" Mika asked. "It sure seemed like you two enjoyed each others' company."

"I-" My daughter cut herself off with a glance at me, and I didn't have to guess to figure that it was due to her previous crush on Tadashi. "I…I did. He's so smart – so much smarter than I am – and it seems like he can make any subject interesting."

"I'm just glad you two get along," Mika giggled, releasing my arm to give her a squeeze.

I smiled at the exchange, though my smile felt heavy due to a mild despair that had wormed its way into my heart.

"Daddy, are you worrying about money again?" Ushio asked, and I glanced over to find my favorite girls studying me, still arm-in-arm. "I can get an after-school job, if that'd help."

I gave Mika a puzzled expression. "The high school allows students to work now?"

She gave me an equally puzzled look. "Yeah, they do. Why, didn't they allow it when you went there?"

"Not as far as I remember."

"Huh."

"Anyway, you don't need to get a job, either of you," I told them. "It's my job to provide for the family, and…I'll just figure something out."

"We'll figure something out," Mika corrected, taking hold of my arm again. "I'm your wife, and it's my job to assist and support you in your decisions."

I chuckled in resignation as I patted her on the hand. "Yes, beautiful; I didn't mean to leave you out."

We arrived home, and I worked on arguing with the lock. "Does anyone mind if I take a bath first?" Ushio asked as I worked. "It's been kind of an exciting day, and I'd like to go to bed a little earlier than usual."

Mika and I exchanged a glance. "I don't mind," I said.

"Me neither," she added.

I finally wrestled my way through the front door and quickly grabbed my indoor shoes so I could be out of the girls' way as I changed. After we all switched our shoes Ushio headed to the washroom and Mika and I settled down at the kotatsu with mugs of tea.

I was drawn to the *clack* as she set her mug down on the table. "Tomoya? I need to tell you something after Ushio goes to bed, okay?"

I blinked, a little puzzled by her request. "Okay. I'm a little confused why you had to tell me about it now, though; couldn't you just have…" I shrugged. "…told me then?"

She averted her gaze to the tabletop with a giggle. "Yes, I could have; I guess I'm a little scared."

"Scared?" Red flags started to rise. "What's…? Why are you scared?"

"I'm sorry, Tomoya," she said with a slight whimper to her tone. "I'll tell you about it later, and I think it'll make sense then. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's fine," I told her reaching out to pat the back of her hand; her skin felt nice and soft. "Whatever it is, I'm not going to get mad or anything. We'll deal with it or work it out or whatever needs to be done."

She gave me a teary smile of gratitude before raising her mug to her kips again.

I caught myself wondering over Mika's situation when Ushio came into the living room, wearing her fluffy white robe and rubbing at her still-damp hair with a towel. "Washroom's free."

"Did you want to bathe?" I asked my wife.

"I'm not sure…" She looked past me. "Ushio, are you going to bed soon?"

"Right after I'm done here," my daughter replied as she headed over to me, presumably for our good-night kiss.

I glanced at Mika out of the corner of my eye as I exchanged kisses with Ushio; she appeared to be deep in thought. After her own good-night routine with Ushio she got up from the kotatsu. "I'll…just take a quick wash," she told me as she followed Ushio to the hallway. "I'll be back shortly."

"All right." While I waited for Mika I let my mind wander back to the party. Fortunately, Jeff and Dad Hiiragi were able to make amends of some kind and they ended up chatting happily about their respective jobs, though I noticed that Jeff made sure to let Dad Hiiragi do most of the talking; I wasn't sure if it was due to the latter's original reaction to Jeff's faith, or if that was just Jeff being Jeff.

I closed my eyes as I leaned back on my hands and let my mind think about nothing, and it must have been a few minutes later when I heard the washroom door open; I opened my eyes, but instead of seeing Mika entering the living room I heard our bedroom door open, then shut. My eyebrows jumped, but I wasn't concerned enough to see what was going on so I closed my eyes again and continued to think about nothing. It was a refreshing change, really.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed when Mika came out into the living room, wearing her favorite purple robe and a cautious expression; in her hands she held a small rectangular box, about the size that would hold a scarf. "Tomoya?"

"What's up?" I figured she was scared like she had mentioned earlier, so I deliberately tried to present as calm a front as I could. Not that I really had to force myself or anything.

She moved to the kotatsu and sat in her usual spot, then placed the box on the table before me. "I…have a gift for you. Sort of."

"Sort of?" I pushed myself upright and examined the box; it wasn't wrapped or anything, though it did have a light-blue ribbon wrapped around it, holding it shut. "Well, thank you." I carefully undid the ribbon and took the lid off to find a…thermometer? "Huh?" I looked over at her, but she wouldn't – or couldn't – meet my gaze, so I looked back into the box as my 'gift'. "Well, uh… Thank you." Something about the thermometer looked…odd, though, so I turned it over to discover that it didn't have the usual digital display; instead there was a 'window' of sorts, with a pink line…waitaminute…

"C-Congratulations, Tomoya," she hiccupped.

"Con…gratu…?"I gasped as my vision suddenly distorted, and my chest tightened at the realization that I was looking at a pregnancy test…showing 'positive'. "Oh my god…we're gonna…" I could barely push the words through a rapidly-constricting throat. "…we're gonna…"

"Yes, Tomoya…" she shuddered, and I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders, which I realized were trembling. "You're g-going to be a d-daddy again."

"Oh my god…" A daddy! I was going to be a daddy again! After missing out on Ushio's first years of life I'd given up the idea of being a father, but I'd just handed me another chance. A chance to snuggle a tiny baby, a chance to feed and burp and change diapers and…and… "Thank you, Mika…" I sobbed as I held my precious wife. "Thank you so much…"

I found myself walking down a long path that stretched into the distance, seemingly to infinity. The sky was a deep, rich blue, though it would turn cloudy and gray every so often. There were no buildings or road signs to be seen anywhere. I was forced to walk at the same pace, neither speeding up or slowing down, and I recognized it as the way my life had been going prior to meeting Mika, moving on whether I was ready for it or not. I walked alone and, unsurprisingly, I was missing my right arm.

After walking for a really long time another path intersected with mine, and Nagisa started walking beside me, and the path widened just enough for the two of us. She was exactly as I remembered her: a warm, calming, and timid presence, and I felt happy and safe, though now a bit distant.

We hadn't walked for long before baby Ushio appeared in my arms, but Nagisa vanished from my side at almost the same time, and then Ushio disappeared from my arms, and I felt the old feeling of emptiness and I stopped walking, though I continued to move forward, as though on a conveyor belt. The path stayed the same width as I moved alone.

I moved without walking for a long time before Ushio appeared again, only this time she was a little girl, with short brown hair under a blue and white hat, and even though I felt that familiar discomfort I started to walk slowly and felt my heart start beating again; I still moved forward at the same speed as before, though. As we walked she got taller and taller, becoming more and more beautiful, more full of life, and she started to glow, like the sun on a spring day. As she grew, her hair got longer and longer until it reached the small of her back. She was my life.

Another path intersected with ours, and Mika came from that path and walked with us, on the other side of my daughter. She had a warm, calming yet bubbly presence about her, and I felt happy and safe. In a way she looked like several girls to me, and I recognized elements of Nagisa, Ryou, Kyou, and Kotomi within her. While we continued to walk she somehow gave me nourishment, and I felt a twitch in my shoulder and held up my right hand and smiled at the sight of my restored arm.

Eventually Mika stopped us and held out her hand toward me, and I easily took it, and we started to walk together with Ushio on her other side, as I expected. The three of us moved forward on the conveyor, which had stopped at some point without my knowledge; all three of us moved under our own power.

As we walked, a baby appeared in my arms, and I looked over at Mika and Ushio to find them with babies in their arms as well, and I knew that they were all my children with Mika, and that Ushio was holding her baby sibling.

I felt a pressure on the palm of my hand and looked down to find a small computer, out of which money flowed, and I gave the money to Mika and Ushio. I put some of the money back into the computer and even more came back.

Eventually a small child appeared, and I was compelled to hand her some money. As I handed her the money it turned into food, which she gratefully accepted. As I handed out more money it turned into various things: a set of house keys to a young couple, food and toys to children, medicine…

It was then that I realized that we were far from alone; in addition to my family and friends there were many other people of all different nationalities, walking with us and thanking us for helping them when they needed it most. I opened my mouth to tell them that I didn't know what we'd done for them, but what came out of my mouth was 'I'm just glad that we could be there for you'.

We continued to walk under our own power, and I could see in the far-off distance a bright glow up in the sky, with the road arcing upward toward it…

My eyes flickered open to a dark room, feeling a little disoriented. I also felt really happy, which was probably the reason I felt disoriented; I didn't usually wake to any strong emotions. I looked over at my bride, and her peaceful expression as she slept looked even more beautiful than before, something I would never have thought possible. I smiled as my chest swelled and my eyes moistened yet again at the thought of the small life forming within her. Our baby.

I groaned quietly as I carefully sat up in bed, trying to not wake my wife as I got up and headed to the kitchen with the intent of wetting my very-dry throat. When I got there I poured a glass of water and headed to the kotatsu, placing the glass down before plopping into my usual spot with a sigh. "The dream again…" It had been a while since the last time I'd had 'The Dream', but I noticed it was slightly different this time. "Why was the computer spitting out money...?" More importantly; how was I going to make enough to support a baby as well? And what did the computer have to do with it? I was making enough for Ushio and me to live somewhat comfortably, but with Mika added to the family, finances were starting to become tighter.

Then, Takeshi's words came back to me: "All of the Tomoyas went to Hikarizaka Private High School, but they had different lives after that. Most of them ended up in a relationship with Kyou-sama or Kotomi-hakase, or one of the other girls that he went to school with. Some were bums and some became big-shots. So I guess what I'm askin' is - what have you done with your life?" "What have I done with mine…?" I lamented, burying my face in my hands.

As I worried over the question, my eyes settled on a piece of paper on the tabletop. Curious, I picked it up to discover that it was the pamphlet that Jeff had given me a while back, the one talking about online…trading…

I opened the pamphlet and began to read…