CHAPTER XII. HAPPINESS

She suddenly starts floating again, drags him along in her flight. "It's up here," she smiles, "in the ceiling. It's so beautiful…" She takes him higher and higher, points at one of the stars. "You see that star, Riko-chan? Shining brighter than the others?"
"I see it," he says, "It seems blue."
"It doesn't only seem blue, it is blue," she chuckles. "Just a bit higher, then you can touch it." Riko looks down as they reach the star: the persocoms down look as small as ants.
"It's higher than I thought," he says. She nods.
"Yes… Fear of heights?"
"A bit," he confesses. She smiles.
"Yeah, me too." He looks astonished at her.
"And then you dare to float this high?"
"You forget your fear when see it… Ah, we've arrived." The 'star' is as big as a football, beaming and deep blue. "You can catch it, too," Mizumi says, taking the ball in her hands. "Come on, touch it if you dare!" He smiles, lays his hands on it.
"Warm," he says, "gentle warm…"
"I know… there's a story that belongs with it, do you want to hear it?" He nods.
"I'm hanging on your lips." She chuckles.
"Heehee, okay… well, you see, Nepuchun-sama didn't have his odd name for nothing, and he didn't create this space for nothing, either. He loved astronomy… He changed his name himself and made this room with the entire universe, starting with the same
'star': Nepuchun. Neptune, the Blue Planet. His favourite." She smiles. "He also loved maths… That's how I got my numbers. He created me as seventh one: seven, known as the number of luck. He gave me my second number for development: thirteen, known as the number of bad luck. Together they're harmony… Thirteen, seven, together twenty. The amount of moons he himself spotted around Neptune. Two and zero makes two: Neptune is the second planet counted from the outside of our solar system. Plus, of course, he created twins for me to be my daughters. And…" She lays his hands on his, which are still lying around the ball. "He wanted me to be with someone, someone just as precious for me as astronomy and maths were to him… He wanted me to be with that person, just the two of us… Two…" It's silent for a while; both Riko and Mizumi let the little planet go, and it floats just a bit above their heads.
"Well, not a full moon, but it's still romantic," she giggles.
"Yeah… ehm… Mizi?"
"Yes?" He lays his hands against her cheeks.
"May… May I ki…"
"Allow me." She lays her hands against his cheeks, and suddenly, she kisses his lips. From far beneath them, he hears applause and cheers; then, he's completely absorbed by Mizumi and his love for her…

"Oh, come on!" She calls. "Why not!"
"Because this is my apartment maybe, in case you never noticed before!"
"Yeah, and they're my daughters!" Riko sighs deeply.
"So what?"
"I want to have them close to me!"
"You still work together at "Crystal Dragon", for heaven's sake!"
"I want to have them with me after work, too!" she calls. She puts his arms around his neck. "Please, Riko-chan! They're my baby-girls! I've seen them developing from the beginning of their creation!"
"If they're your baby-girls, then who's their father! … Oh, never mind," he sighs, "you want the four of us to be a happy family, don't you?" She nods merrily. "Oh, fine! I'll see what I'm gonna do tomorrow, when I've brought you to your work."
"Thank you thank you thank you!" she cheers, kissing his cheek.
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," he grins, "as long as you don't want to adopt the other 'coms as well!"
"Maybe Herindera…"
"NO WAY!"
"Just kidding!"

"Haven't seen you for quite a while," Hideto grins as he sees Riko.
"Yeah, last time was yesterday, so long ago," Riko smiles. "How are you doing, Hideto-san? Still happily married?"
"Hey, what would you expect?" Neko chuckles, appearing from behind her husband. "I'll be right back, Hideto, they need me in the kitchen." As she walks off, Hideto looks at Riko.
"Honestly, I'm surprised by those 'coms," he says, "that all of them – and you, of course – were able to forgive us… and they even got friends with Neko! Anyway, are you just dropping Mizumi here or is there a special reason you're here?"
"She wants to take the twins into my apartment," Riko sighs. Hideto chuckles.
"You may have them… Neko and I hardly have any space upstairs with eleven 'coms walking around."
"Ah, well, without the twins it will make eight, you can survive that," Herindera grins, passing them.
"Who taught you how to count? A toddler?" Hideto says, furrowing his eyebrow. "Eleven minus two is still nine, y'know."
"I know," Herindera shines, "but eleven minus three is not!" She looks at Riko. "After Mizumi and Kiria, I will be the third one to move out here and find luck elsewhere… to go live with the guy who loves me enough to turn me into a human. Have I already thanked you for introducing me to your brother, Riko-kun?"
"Eh… Any time," Riko mutters astonished. It's silent for a while, then, Hideto suddenly says:
"hey, why don't you guys just get married? I mean, how long have you loved each other now? Two, three years?" Riko looks up.
"Who? Mizumi and me?" Hideto sighs.
"No, Santa Clause and you," he says, "of course Mizumi and you, who else!" Riko blushes.
"I…. haven't thought about that yet."
"Maybe you should, then."
"Yeah…" That moment, Mizumi runs to them.
"Great news! Saka and Jira would love to move in with us," she yells, "and have I heard it well? Is Herindera truly gonna become my sister-in-law?"
"Then the two of you should get married first, Mizumi," Hideto smiles, pointing at her and Riko. Mizumi chuckles.
"Oh, we eventually will of course," she shines, "won't we, Riko-chan?" He looks at her, merrily puts an arm around her.
"Yes," he says, "yes, we will…"

END