Introduction (21 mar 2021)

I wonder if the titles of the recently published chapters remind you, as reader of this story, of anything in particular. Chapters 18 and 19 had part of "In sickness and in health" in the title. While chapter 20 and this one has "For better or worse" in it. Maybe these expressions do sound familiar? Please let me know in a review if you got the general idea that somehow connects these chapters.

Note: If you want to comment on this story, or any of my other stories, you're welcome to leave a review, preferably as registered member, as this allows much more interaction between writer and reviewer. If there are parts you felt lacking, or disliked, please let me know this as well. Things can appear amazing in my perception, while others might think very differently. I'm eager to hear such feedback as well, since praise is always nice, and can confirm being on the right track, criticism is often what helps more to improve.

Chapter Prologue:

After Ruka had gone off to college, and Kazuya had just about finished his unexpected phone call with Mami, convinced things would work out just fine between her and Ruka, it was time to attend to the needs of his loyal fish buddy.

For Better, or Worse… - part 2

"Ok, let's get this show on the road already, shall we?" Kazuya started, as he had just about gathered everything that would be needed to clean the fish tank; "Now, looking at those glass panels, it seems like from the both of us, it's you who is the 'dirty boy' around here these days…" he added, with a smirk on his face.

Over an hour later, having finished his cleaning duty, Kazuya let himself drop down on his futon, that he had not put away just yet. 'They really should invent self-cleaning fish tanks, right?' he sighed in his mind. 'Maybe I should invent one. That is, if I knew how to invent something, to begin with. I'd first have to invent how to invent, for me to be able to pull that off…'

In a different place, a young, blond-haired girl was eagerly looking at the numbers being shown at the top section of her smartphone's screen. 14:59… then changing into 15:00 just a few moments later.

"Ok, it's time…" the young girl said, on a low voice, as she pressed the "send message" button with a swift and decisive movement. A few seconds later the conformation popped up, indicating that the text message had been delivered successfully; "And now, all we have to do is wait…"

"Well, I sure hope you really appreciate the glass and everything else now being all clear and shiny again," Kazuya said to his lungfish buddy, as he leaned back against the pillow, ending up staring at the ceiling.

'What would Ruka be thinking right now?' Kazuya wondered, as he closed his eyes for a moment…

"Oh, Kazuya-dear? I think I hear Ruya crying. Can you go to her room and take a quick look to see what's the matter?" Ruka shouted from the smallest bedroom in the house.

"I am in the middle of a sales numbers review, can't you do it this time?" Kazuya shouted back.

"Oh sure, but then you would need to take over from me with this diaper change…" Ruka responded.

"Ehh, never mind, you know I'm not good at that. I'll check on little Ruya instead…" he sighed, while getting up from sitting at the table in the living room.

Kazuya quickly paced towards the other small bedroom, but by the time he got there, his little girl seemed to have already forgotten what she had been so sad about. 'She bounces back just as fast and easily as her mother…' he thought, as he stealthily peeked around the door, and saw little Ruya playing with her toy ponies.

"It was nothing…" Kazuya said to Ruka, as they both entered the living room at the same moment.

"Still, next time you hear Ruya cry, maybe go have a look without me having to ask you first…" Ruka replied, while rolling her eyes, her voice clearly showing signs of annoyance over Kazuya's behavior.

"Hey, don't forget I'm working hard here to support our growing family!" Kazuya spoke, perhaps just a little too loud.

For a brief moment, an eerie silence filled the room, while Ruka's face suddenly turned from being mostly annoyed, to an expression that more matched being in a state of shock.

"Well… if that's how you feel, maybe then you should have married Chizuru-san instead of me!" Ruka snapped at him; "After all, she's a famous actress, and I'm just a simple nurse! And not even making myself very useful at that either these days, anyway…"

"You know that's not true!" Kazuya objected; "That's not how I fe…"

Kazuya stopped talking, as Ruka stared straight into his eyes, with her eyes having a fiery and at the same time sad look over them. 'I've never seen her like this before. Or wait… I have!" Kazuya all of a sudden realized, when he remembered the fierce discussion, he once had experienced with her, that day Ruka had ended up in hospital. The moment that Kazuya had first begun to realize how much she meant to him. That day when he confessed to be willing to give their relationship a serious chance…

"Perhaps… back then, I shouldn't have listened to my heart…" Ruka continued, apparently referring to the same moment Kazuya was just now also thinking of; "And I…"

Ruka's face suddenly turned very pale, and she barely managed to hold onto the dinner table. Kazuya quickly came to her aid, and was able to prevent Ruka from falling over, then made sure she ended up safely on a seat.

"I-I'm ok now…" Ruka whispered, shyly looking away, while still trying to catch her breath.

"No, you're not…" Kazuya objected; "You're being way too hard on yourself. You know, instead of failing as nurse, as you just said, you're doing a great job raising three kids! Even doing too much at times, and not taking the rest you need."

Ruka perked up slightly when hearing the encouragement that Kazuya had just spoken, but she also felt somewhat confused by his choice of words.

"And I'm glad I'm not married to a famous actress or so," Kazuya continued; "If I was, I'd probably be constantly second guessing what she would really mean. That's one of the things I like so much about you, that you are so honest and direct. You just tell me what you think or feel, instead of making me try solve the next 'Ruka riddle' as if I had ended up in some kind of detective movie."

"Well, you do like movies..." Ruka said, wearing on her face what appeared to be like a faint smile.

"For work or entertainment, yes. But not in a relationship, please…" Kazuya chuckled.

For a moment they looked at each other, and then both started to laugh, simultaneously. Ruka's face had gotten some color on it again too, and her eyes had started to shine more brightly.

"Thanks, I guess I needed that…" she commented; "But what do you mean with 'doing a great job raising three kids? You mean you…ehhh?" Ruka added, even slightly blushing now.

"Well, I wouldn't mind 'trying' to go for a third one…" Kazuya replied, his checks suddenly flushing red too; "But I was actually more referring to myself as your third 'kid' in a way. You know they do say that 'boys will be boys', right?"

"True… I guess I have my work cut out for me then," Ruka said, laughing again; "So that means no 'trying' anytime soon. Like you just said, I do need my rest," she added, with a quick wink.

"Awww…" was all Kazuya could utter, with a pouting face, as that wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he suggested to Ruka to take it easy.

"Well, I'll think about it…" the young mother assured him; "But first, you have to pick up that phone that is ringing right now."

Kazuya suddenly heard the sound too, and as if stung by a bee, he rushed to get to his phone, and answer the call…

"Hello? Huh, Ruka? B-But how!?" Kazuya replied, as he looked over his shoulder, expecting to find Ruka still there, and not talking to him on the phone at this very moment.

But instead of seeing the large living room, with the dinner table, he saw the same familiar interior of his trusty apartment. Still somewhat baffled by this sudden change of scenery, he put the phone back to his ear.

"Whoa, hold on! Ruka, slow down please! You saw what!?" Kazuya said, while falling from one surprise into another.

For at least a minute Ruka continued venting her mix of disappointment, anger, and hurt, and Kazuya could not get any word in, even though he tried a few times. Then, she stopped talking for just a few seconds, before repeating her story a second time, but now at a pace at which Kazuya could actually follow it a little bit better.

"Wait, you're telling me you saw a video of me and Mami-chan? Someone sent it to you, while you were walking back home from college?" Kazuya recounted Ruka's words, now even more surprised than when her call had brought him back to the here and now; "But that's impossible, I haven't even left home this afternoon. Though I did talk to Mami-chan but…"

For a moment it seemed like Ruka was about to unleash upon Kazuya for a third time, but then she took a deep breath, and Kazuya grabbed the opportunity.

"Ruka, please hear me out, ok? Yes, had a talk with Mami-chan because she called me, and said she wanted to make up to you. Right after that, I went to clean the fish tank, which took me longer than expected. Then I sat down and, eh… relaxed a little, I guess…" Kazuya continued explaining; "And then you suddenly called me."

"If that is true, then how do you explain this!?" was all Ruka said in return, her voice sounding loud and clear through the phone's loudspeaker.

Kazuya heard a pinging sound, indicating he had received a message. He quickly opened the attached picture and nearly fell down. On the picture was Mami, apparently having a pretty good time with a guy. And there was something very familiar about that person…

"No way! T-That can't be!" Kazuya stuttered; "is that... me?"

(To be continued…)

Chapter 'Outtro' (26 mar 2021)

So, seems like we're falling from one surprise into another, right? Could it be that Kazuya really did mess up this time, or just maybe things are not quite the way they appear right now? What game is being played here? I guess there is only one way to find out….

Disclaimer

Please let me know what you think of this story and leave some feedback in the form of a review. If you are logged in on this fanfiction website, and post a review as registered member, I can even reply to your comments. I'd be happy to have some more interaction with the people who read my stories!

Btw, since I am not a native speaker, there will likely be some silly mistakes in this story. And in punctuation, maybe I made the same mistakes as in previous stories, or even made new mistakes. Hope you can bear with me and see through that. Helpful tips and suggestions are welcome.

Stay safe, and maybe until soon!