It was five in the morning when the troubled boy woke up. Yamada blinked his eyes several times to see everything. There's a small box in front of him. He just ate the cake from Fuyumi last night. It was delicious, but he was getting sleepy after that.

Fuyumi-san, you promised to send me an email

where is it?

How is Chou?

It's weird that the first thing he did was to sent Fuyumi an email. Yamada pressed the green button on his cellphone, then closed the lid. There's a concert rehearsal for today, he got to get up and get ready. It's for this year's summary.

Beep.

An email reply.

Here it is. Hello.

Chou is alright. He's still sleeping now.

What are you going to do today?

Yamada looked at his cellphone's screen for a while, then typed the reply.

"Oi Fuyumi~"

Fuyumi, who's working her shift on the cafe felt extremely shocked at the view. It's Yamada, coming to her workplace.

"W-what!? What are you doing here!? And what's with that manner of saying my nam-"

"Ck ck, you're not a really good employee, huh"

"Na—nani!? Quick, come here" Fuyumi dragged Yamada to the last table in the cafe, it's in the corner, so people outside couldn't see that far. "what are you doing here?" Fuyumi sighed, putting down the menu on the table. "What? Am I not allowed to go to a cafe?"

"But people might saw you, or what if people saw you talking to me?" Fuyumi is pretty worried about that. "Look who's talking. I thought you're the one who wanted to ruin my career a month ago" The charming guy smirked at her. "You're really annoying, you know that?" She sighed and took a seat in front of him.

"Lucky, the boss is out. Are you still thinking about that? I told you I wouldn't do that"

Yamada took off his glasses and grinned. "Nah, I just want to come. That's all"

"You could tell me first, if you wanted to come here" Fuyumi sighed again.

"I'm on a break. So it wouldn't be too long. Just make me a coffe and sit there". Fuyumi frowned in shock. "Wait, what? Are you-ordering me around? Wh-what's this?". "Well, technically—i"m your customer. So I would like one cup of coffe please" Yamada smiled innocently.

"Okay"

"How Is the rehearsal?" fuyumi asked while putting a cup of coffe in front of his annoying 'customer'. "It's fine, we're having fun on doing the trapeze part". Fuyumi sighed as soon as she took a seat. "Can I ask a question?" The boy in front of him asked.

"You.. never thought of marrying someone? You know..."

"No" She answered.

"Well, i'm sorry. I just want to know.. maybe your friends at work know about Chou?"

"Some of them, some guys tried to get close to me.. but what matters to me is Chou. They didn't seemed to like it when they found out I already had a son"

Yamada nodded knowingly. "What? You hope i'd find a guy to be my husband so you could be free from me?" The girl frowned. "Whoa~ you know what, you have to learn to chill out" He replied at the stressed girl. "I want to give you this" He took a small box from his pocket and slide it to Fuyumi's hand. She looked at yamada first, then opened the box.

It's a heart-shaped locket.

"Gosh, it's so cute" She smiled touching the small container on the locket, it seemed like a place to put a photo in it. "But why are you giving me this?" Fuyumi asked, her expression changed. "Well, uh- I think it'd be nice if you can carry a photo of Chou everywhere, right? I didn't buy it for you, I found it in my drawer, and i-"

"Okay" Fuyumi giggled, her smile is contangious, it made Yamada smiled too. "I like it" She said, lowering her face. "Think of it as a thank you for the cake". "Huh? But it's just a cheap cake" The girl giggled again. "If you want, I can bake a really really delicious cake! It's been a while though I don't know if I still remember how, when I was in highsc-"

Fuyumi stopped looking at Yamada's stare.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" She looked away, blushed. Maybe she get a little too excited. "You looked better when you're happy, that's why" He sipped his coffe. "Don't get too stressed, I didn't hate you. I think you're a good person to care about Chou so much" He know that all the sharp words, atittudes, was all because she got so many things to think of.

Fuyumi smiled once again looking at the kind idol there. "So? Another cake for me, maybe?". "Now now, don't get too excited. You have to go now~ shoo" the pretty waitress stood up, asking him to go. "Fine, fine~ see you later Fuyumi" Yamada waved.

Fuyumi saw him left through the rear door, putting on his hoodie and glasses again. She kept looking until he's gone. She suddenly forgot something! She haven't thanked him for the locket. She quickly ran, opening the entrance door..

Yamada wasn't there. She looked to the right and searched for someone with an army hoodie. "Ah~ there he is!" She tried to run, catching up to him. "Yamada-kun! I forgot to say-"

She stopped.

Fuyumi stopped, and stood there watching a girl came from Yamada's right side. Greeting him, with a hug. He doesn't seemed to have a problem with it. The girl was in a heavy cover-up too. Wearing a shade as well. Maybe she's a celebrity? "Well... He couldn't hear me anyway" She smiled to cheer herself, watching at yamada walking away with that girl.

"Maybe I did.. got a little too excited."

"Oi Yamada~"

Yamada turned to his right side, still with a bitter expression. "What" He replied. It's hikaru-kun! "What are you doing, looking at your cellphone screen all day?" Hikaru grinned. "Maybe it's that girl again! Where Is she? I missed little Chou" Inoo said, passing those two on the couch.

"Shut up.. I don't know. She never reply since I came to her workplace"
It's been 3 days since that day.

"AAAA! guys, listen! This guy. This guy fell to a woman's trap" Hikaru shouted, making everybody laugh. "Urusai, you guys! I thought you are all worried about this 3 months ago. But now it's a laughing matter, huh" Yamada pouted. "Just kidding yama-chan. Why don't you try to meet her when we got a day off?" Daiki tapped his shoulder from behind.

"I.. i'll try"

He didn't even know what makes him think about that girl, and that baby everyday. Waiting for a mail. They didn't have a busy day today, Yamada even arrived at his place at 6 in the evening. He hurriedly lie on his couch as usual.

He opened and closed the lid of his cellphone as usual, waiting for something—he didn't even know what.

BEEP.

A mail.

Yamada hurriedly opened his cellphone. It's from Fuyumi!

From : Fuyumi

Subject : Please...

Hi. Sorry.

I'm sorry, but..

Can you help me?

I don't know anybody else who could help.

Please...

-end-

What!? What? What is this? Yamada tried to re-read the email. "What should I do?" He became worried sick, typing the reply to his 'special' acquintance. But there was no reply. He looked at the clock. She must be at her apartement. Yamada still remember the station they got off to, that time. And he could just look up the number of her room from the people there.

He quickly put on his shoes. He ran to the nearest train station from his place.

He can't ignore it.

The door to the 438 room bursted open. It's not even locked. It's Yamada has arrived. Calling for the girl's name. "Oi Fuyumi!" He looked around, it's a small apartement—she's right. But it's not that bad. But it's just so messy, there's stuff everywhere. He could hear a baby's cry. It must be Chou.

"In here..."

He quickly responded by opening the door to his right, which lead him to a small bedroom for one. Beside the bed, there's a cute pink crib. Chou's there, crying loudly. And on the bed, there's the girl he's been waiting to see for a while. Fuyumi were lying there, covered in a brown thin blanket. She looked so pale. "Gosh. What happened!?" Yamada said standing beside her single bed.

"I have.. a fever. Didn't expect it to be this bad..."

Fuyumi talked slowly. She sounded terrible. Maybe she didn't have enough time to rest.

"You're so stupid, aren't you!? Why didn't you tell me earlier? And you can't take care of Chou right? That's why he's crying" Before Fuyumi had enough time to reply, Yamada sat beside her, touched her forehead with his palm. "Gosh, this is so bad, you know. You had a really high fever" He said, touching her cheeks aswell. She's sweating, but looked like freezing. He stood up. "Where did you keep the milk?" He asked.

"It's—on... on the second cupboard.. in the kitchen. Just take care of Chou for me, please"

Fuyumi pleaded with a weak voice. Yamada ran to the kitchen, which is very small. But he managed to find the milk and Chou;s bottle. He's not that skilled, but at least understood how to make the milk with the right temperature. He must be so hungry.

After Yamada took care of Chou, he started to calm down. "Hngggggg" Chou's still crying altough it's a little more quieter than before. "Where did you keep the diaper, Fuyumi?" He shouted from the living room. "It's here, inside the drawers. Wait.. you're okay with changing..."

"Just shut up, okay. I can do it" Yamada said, entering the bedroom with Chou leaning on his shoulder. "Yosh, yosh—we'll change diaper just in a minute okay? Don't worry Chou-chan" He tapped the crying baby's back. It's the first time Yamada show his affection towards this child in front of Fuyumi. He hurriedly changed the diaper, even though it took a while until he get it right.

"Yosh! yosh—who's a good boy? It's comfy now, right?" He lifted the little boy.

"M-mamaaaa~" He spoke. That could be the first word yamada heard from him. "Chou... mama's sick..." Fuyumi looked at him from her bed. "I'm scared if he could get the fever from me.." She said. "It's fine, i'll put him to sleep, just in a minute! Daijobou yo!" why yamada could be so cheerful in this kind of time, nobody knew. "You are indeed, a true idol..." Fuyumi said looking at the back of That idol guy, putting her son in the crib.

"Eh? What are you saying?" He laughed while trying to put a blanket over Chou.

"You can do everything.. Even for somebody you don't know" Fuyumi said.

"Man... you're so pessimistic, you could even make the sun cry..." Yamada said. Chou is getting sleepy. "Hng... * sob * Thank you so much"

"EH!?" Yamada quickly turned to see Fuyumi. She sobbed, she put her arms over her eyes, covering the tears falling. "WHAT!? Are you crying!? Why are you crying!?" Yamada panicked. It's like taking care of two child now. "Thanks a lot. I don't even have any family to call for help... I..." she sobbed again. He can't say anything though.

"Please don't cry... wait here, okay"

Yamada quickly dipped a towel in a cold water in the kitchen, then put it on Fuyumi's forehead. She removed her arms that covered her face, and looked at Yamada. He's so close, sitting on the floor beside the bed. His face, looked genuinely worried—and confused as well. A tear fell from her eyes again. "Mo... yamero yo. Why are you crying again? I don't understand..." Yamada made that confused look again, covering his forehead with his hand.

"Ah, I know—maybe it's because of the fever. Hang in there, okay?" He said, patting her softly.

"Chou is already sleeping!" He said, making Fuyumi turned his head to Chou's crib. He already stopped crying, and now sleeping peacefuly. "Yokatta" She smiled weakly." Yamada sighed. "I would help, if you need any help—you know" He said in a soft tone. He's doesn't have that rude tone in his statement anymore.

"Thank you. I really mean it"

"You're welcome" He pats the girl's head again, and then he fixed her bangs—giving her a warm smile. If fuyumi weren't sick, she would turn red now. Fuyumi smiled back. "Now you just have to drink this medicine and go to sleep" He said, giving her a cup of warm water and a small tablet. "Okay.. you can go home now, i'm sorry for troub—"

"Drink it and go to sleep. I'll wait until you really sleep." Yamada said.

"But—"

"I'm not going anywhere miss arimura" He said firmly.

"Sheesh. You don't have to be so pushy. Fine, fine"

Fuyumi sat up, swallowed the tablet and drank the water. "Done" She nodded. "Now, sleep" He commanded. "But—you.." Yamada shooked his head. "I'm not going anywhere until you do" Fuyumi frowned, and go back lying on her back. Yamada rested his chin on the bed's edge, beside Fuyumi. Facing her. "So tired... You made me so worried, you know" He sighed, closing his eyes. "You should rest... for.. a while, Yamada-kun..."

"Yes. I'd like that..."

He closed his eyes. The two of them slowly drifting to sleep.