Disclaimer: I don't own Hot Gimmick, Miki Aihara does, and for that I shall forever be thankful to her genius work.

At the sound of her beloved's voice, Hatsumi jumped and gasped as she clutched onto baby Kazuki. "Ryoki, why are you being so unreasonable!" Hatsumi asked.

"I don't want you to associate yourself with him." He said simply.

"But he's my brother!" Hatsumi said. "I can't just forget about him in the blink of an eye."

"Are you willing to throw everything we've had away? Hatsumi you need to think properly." Ryoki said as she gently shook his head in dismay.

"I can't believe you're asking me this after all that has happened within the past 24 hours!" Hatsumi had to make sure that she neither gripped too hard or too little on the baby. She just couldn't believe the nerve he had.

"I don't know what you mean." Ryoki said as she ran his hand through is slightly oily hair.

"First I give birth, then I have to put on a polite mug to greet friends and family, and then when I wake up from a nap, my mother comes in and causes a ruckus, and then when I try and have just a split second of peaceful conversation with someone who isn't 2 days old, you come in and bombard me with false accusations!"

"I don't want you to speak to him ever again."

"Excuse me, but I really don't see what interference I could cause in your relationship with my sister. All I did was come and see how she is doing, and to meet nephew."

"I don't really feel comfortable with that."

"Ryoki, he's my brother. Since my father is rarely around, he's here to take his place and protect me and make sure that I'm doing okay. It's not like he's some kind of criminal with ulterior motives."

"I guess… you're right." Ryoki said, hiding his real suspicion behind a sigh. "I'm just stubborn and don't want you to get hurt Hatsumi." He said as he smiled down at her and his newly born son.

"Okay, so please don't panic when I'm around him." Hatsumi said as she looked seriously into her lovers eyes. "I want you to feel that you can trust me." She said as she reached out to grasp his hand in her small one.

"I'll try and relax." He said, thinking that it wasn't her that he didn't trust, it was her brother. "Well I've got to stop by my house and make sure the nursery is prepared. You'll be released tomorrow, so Mother want's to make sure everything is perfect." He said before kissing Hatsumi on top of her head, followed by his son. "I'll see you guys later." He said, absently nodding to Shinogu.

Once Ryoki was gone, Shinogu took baby Kazuki into his arms and smiled at the baby. When he looked up, he saw a worried expression on Hatsumi's face. "What's bugging you?" he asked.

"God where do I begin?" Hatsumi said, as she hid her face in her lap.

"C'mon, it's just a stressful time for you." He said. "Things look up for you." He said as he carefully got up and placed the baby into his cradle.

"I guess I can only hope for that kind of peace." Hatsumi said as she sighed out her tension before peering back at her brother sheepishly.

"This is just a really rough time for you now Hatsumi. I mean you've just had a baby, and your emotions are all crazed at the moment."

"Thanks Shinogu! I really do appreciate your kindness." She said before settling down for the evening.

A few days later, Hatsumi was back at the Tachibana household, settled down with Kazuki and the new nursery. Maiko was more than happy to assist with the baby. Everyone in the complex that had stopped by to congratulate her on the new borne commented that they wouldn't mind watching Kazuki at all if they needed someone to watch him.

Those days were crazy, smiling and being cordial to all the tenants. And talk about all the pies and casseroles people brought by. It was about to drive Hatsumi crazy. The only thing she was happy to have was Pocky and the Onigiri with salmon umeboshi. It was simple and easy, which is just what she liked. Except that recently, things hadn't been the simple and clean way that she enjoyed living life. Instead it had the strains of motherhood tugging at her equilibrium along with school and family issues and let's not forget the Tachibana's. It was all such a dramatic change in such a short period of time that Hatsumi didn't know what to do.

After only three months of having baby Kazuki alive and well in the world, Hatsumi came down with some odd illness. She was suffering from unpleasant stomach cramps, headaches, burning, fatigue, frequent mood swings. She finally decided to go to the doctor, with much thanks to Maiko nagging.

When she got the doctors office, Hatsumi filled out some forms. When she was called back, she was weighed (she was 118), had her temperature checked, along with her blood pressure. She then was lead into a room and was told that the doctor would be along in a moment.

When the doctor came in, Hatsumi told her all the symptoms that she was experiencing.

"Hmm…" the doctor said. "I believe you're suffering from stress and acute depression." Hatsumi watched the doctor jot down several short things on several sheets of paper. When she looked at Hatsumi she explained what she was doing. "I'm prescribing you with an antacid for the cramps, and a heavy duty headache medicine. I'm also going to refer you to a psychiatrist whom will evaluate you and then prescribe some anti-depressants to help stabilize your moods."

"Thank you doctor." Hatsumi said as she took the prescriptions and headed out to leave, but was stopped by the doctor.

"I strongly advise you to see a therapist for all those pent up emotions." She then smiled and left the room, leaving her free to go and relax and take in all this new information.

That evening when Ryoki came home, she was already starting her new medicine.

"What is this for?" he asked.

"My stomach cramps, and headaches which are all caused by stress." She said as she tossed the pills under her tongue before she took several sips of juice.

"You're not stressed." He said. "This is a bunch of shit." He said as he towered over Hatsumi. "There's nothing for you to be stressed out about."

"Excuse me, please don't talk about my body and emotions like they're yours." She said blandly, not at all in the mood to deal with him.

"Don't talk back to me." He yelled.

"Well I wouldn't if you weren't such a control freak." She said as she walked towards the nursery.

"You have nothing to be stressed about is all I'm saying."

She turned around, her eyes blazing. "Excuse me." She said slowly, making sure that every consonate and vowel were enunciated. "I'm a 16 year old mother, who is taking care of our son, and earning an education over the internet, but I also have to deal with all of your nonsense!" she then turned around and locked herself away in the nursery where she knew Ryoki wouldn't come and bother her. Since Kazuki had been born, he'd shown very little interest in him. He seemed to prefer school and sex over their own child.

She walked over to the crib and leaned against the sides, gazing down at her beautiful baby boy. "Kazu what am I going to do?" she asked.

Run away…?

A/N: Okay, so I'm finally updating. You guys should be so happy! I've been really sick lately, and recently had my knee drained of fluid… I fell and landed on it… rather tripped over a bag in class, but moving on. I've been really sick, and can't seem to build my immune system back up so I keep coming down with colds and shit. It's quite draining, so I hope you'll forgive me for not updating. But I did put some time in this when I was feeling operationable. Please read and review!

Love you!

Teri Baumer