"That's so cool!"
"We should go to karaoke next time!"
"Oh, wait a second. I have to ask Nakano-sensei something."
"Isn't it Noboru now?"
"Eh, I've had her since my first year, so I remember her by her original name."
The girls that were walking knocked on Rena's door, hoping for her to help them with some homework, but no one answered.
"Is she out?"
"Maybe she went home early to see her husband?"
"Is Noboru-sensei not here?"
"No, he stayed home sick."
"Maybe the pregnancy is getting to her? She'll need to take her maternal leave pretty soon."
"Oh, the door is unlocked."
The girls opened the door to see that the lights were still on. One of the girls noticed that a chair had fallen down.
"Maybe she left in a hurry…? Girls!"
"What is it?"
"Nakano-sensei passed out!"
…
Rena had been sent to the hospital in a hurry. Once she was given a bed, the staff attempted to call Monogaku, but they could never reach him. As a full day passed, the bearer of five children woke up to a pure white ceiling.
Rena:"...I know this feeling."
Rena was not surprised to see that she was in a hospital bed, as this had happened many times before. But, there was one thing that shocked her this time. Before, she would see Maruo and Monogaku at the side of the bed waiting for her to awaken. After he graduated and vowed to become a doctor, that had been reduced to simply Monogaku. However, this was the first time that she had woken up to see no one there. She looked at the time without noticing the date had changed and simply assumed that he was on his way, or he couldn't respond due to his supposed sickness. After another long nap, she awoke, this time at night to see a figure. She expected to see Monogaku only to see a doctor making his routine.
Rena:"Huh? Excuse me…"
…
Rena:"It's been...how long?"
"Your husband sadly hasn't responded at all."
Rena:"T-That's not normal! Ah! He said he was sick, could you please get him an ambulance!? It must be that!"
Rena tried getting up, but was restrained by the doctor.
"Ma'am, please. We'll send an ambulance, but please stay in your bed! Your condition combined with the number of children you have made this situation quite serious."
With enough time, Rena calmed down, but she begged them to help her husband. That night, Rena passed out once again, this time for two full days.
…
A few minutes upon waking up, once again with no one by her side, a knock could be heard on the door. Excited, she asked for whoever it was to come in, but she was only met with two police officers.
...
Rena:"He...wasn't home?"
"Correct. According to the reports, many belongings were seemingly taken as well. There was no evidence of a male living there."
Rena:"That's not...possible. Could someone have robbed us!? Kidnapped him!?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out. We're already searching for him, so don't worry."
…
The two officers had left Rena alone as she looked out the window.
"Hey, was it the right call to not tell her about that?"
"How could I? You saw how torn she was, and the doctors warned us about her condition. How am I supposed to tell her there was also a sudden warrant for his arrest?"
…
As more days passed, a certain someone stopped by the hospital.
Irigaku:"This should be the place. What kind of client asks for a lawyer while still in the hospital?"
Once he walked in, he asked for the specific room number he had been told about. Upon seeing him, the receptionist was shocked, but she kept her calm and guided him.
Irigaku:"That was a weird reaction. Maybe they already expected me...But to act like she just saw the devil, kind of hurts a man's feelings."
As he walked to the room, a nurse came up to the receptionist.
"Will it be okay? Won't it be dangerous for the patient?"
"Not to worry, she's already been moved to a secure area. He'll only be able to see her through thick glass."
…
Irigaku:"This should be the room."
Irigaku opened the door to see a lady sleeping on a bed, behind some glass.
Irigaku:[What's that for?...Is she my client? She looks pretty hot...What's that lump over there, she weirdly fat or something? No, she's pregnant...Oh, well I guess she's already take-]
He hadn't noticed that Rena had already woken up and looked towards him.
Irigaku:"H-Hello there."
Suddenly, Rena exploded with joy.
Rena:"You're safe! I missed you so much! Where were you!?"
Irigaku:"Uh, yeah, I'm safe...Uh, sorry to ask this of you, but do I know you?"
Rena:"Huh?"
Rena then had a sudden realization. She had been blinded by her happiness of seeing Monogaku safe that she hadn't realized something vital, that wasn't her husband.
Rena:"Who...are you?"
Irigaku:"Eh? That's what I'm trying to ask yo-"
With no delays, a group of officers came in, shocking Irigaku.
Irigaku:"C-Can I help you!?"
"Put your hands up! We have a warrant for your arrest!"
Rena:"Huh!?"
Irigaku:"...I'm sorry?"
…
...
Some time later, Rena Nakano would give birth to five daughters as a lone mother.
…
…
A few years later, a man was walking in the rain. He was carrying groceries in one hand and the umbrella with another. This man was quite pudgy. Not quite obese, but certainly noticeable. He had lost all of his hair as a result of shaving it off and was sporting a bushy black beard that covered his mouth quite well. Once he got home, he set everything down and looked at the new documents he had been given that day. They were sent to one "Seisaku" talking about something that had happened in his district.
"Well, well, what is this?"
He opened the document to see a certain high school being vandalized. The case was about suppressing the incident to save the school's reputation. The culprits were discovered to be...five girls with red hair.
"...This can't be real...Haha, hahaha!"
The man stood up.
"So the wheels of fate have finally begun to turn once again!"
With the noise, a little girl came to see the man laughing.
"What's with all the noise, dad?"
"Oh, Take-chan. I just have wonderful news. My dream is about to come true!"
Takebayashi:"That's great. So, what is it about?"
Monogaku:"Oh, it's a wonderful little thing."
…
A few months later, the man got a confirmation from his private doctor, causing him to laugh once again.
Monogaku:"So the wheels of fate have gone against me as well! And to think it's the same disease, fate truly is the cruelest of mistresses!"
Monogaku would not see that Takebayashi was listening in.
Takebayashi:"Dad has a disease?"
End of Chapter 103