Chapter 10

All was quiet in the Hizuri household on the early morning of September 6th. At least as quiet as it could be with Kyoko bustling around the house and scouring everything with a bucket of soapy water and a toothbrush. In the 3 hours she had been awake, she had washed all of the laundry, reorganized Nobuyuki's room for the 8th time in the past two days, vacuumed all of the carpets save for their bedroom, scrubbed both bathrooms, washed all of the windows, cooked up a hearty breakfast that was waiting, warm in the oven to be consumed, and dusted and polished every surface, nook and cranny.

As wonderful as Kyoko was at keeping house, Kuon certainly didn't expect to awaken to a house clean enough to use as an operating room in a hospital. What on Earth was going on? She had never been so compulsive in cleaning, as far as he knew. As he exited the bathroom after waking up he noticed, what could only be described as a tornado of cleanliness had stormed through their bedroom, vacuumed, changed the bedding, cleaned the mirrors and polished the furniture in that short time. He chuckled when his mind saw his wife as the Tasmanian Devil, cleaning the bedroom then leaving as quickly as she had come in, leaving no traces behind other than a perfectly made bed and sparkly clean furniture and glass surfaces. As he exited the bedroom, to his shock the rest of the apartment was in the same pristine condition. What was going on?

"Kyoko?" He called out to her.

"Breakfast is ready." She told him with a smile as she breezed past him from the bathroom and bedroom he had just come from.

He startled and she giggled. "Just wanted to finish up the bathroom she announced as he puzzled in his mind how on Earth she snuck past him to clean the bathroom he had come from only minutes before. He shook his head. It was best not to try and figure it out with her or, he'd be standing there all day. He went to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee while she pulled the plates piled with breakfast foods from the oven and sat them on the dining room table. "Kuon, do you mind grabbing the plates while I pour the drinks?"

He nodded still in a daze, sipping his coffee and pulling two plates from the cupboards. She took the plates from him and tippy-toed to give him a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you Sweetie." She smiled brilliantly and full of the energy that she hadn't shown in at least a couple of weeks.

"Fuwa Ryokan, this is Aimi. How may I help you?" A cute female voice answered through the phone.

"Yeah... I want to speak to Kyoko." He answered with a sinisterly smug smirk on his lips. Preparing himself for the gloat of a lifetime.

"I'm sorry sir... What is the guest's last name?" The girl asked with a bit of irritation. Wondering how the person on the other end could possibly expect to find anyone without their full name in a ryokan.

"Kyoko Mogami... She's not a guest. She's a maid." He ground out.

"I'm sorry sir. We have no one here by that name." She informed him. "Are you sure you have the correct establishment?"

His brow furrowed in confusion. Where the hell is she then? "Yes, I'm sure. Let me speak to Yayoi Fuwa." His voice was starting to show his anger that was steadily growing.

"One moment sir." She placed him on hold.

"Yayoi Fuwa speaking, how may I help you sir?" His mother asked in a very professional tone, wondering why a man would be calling for Kyoko-chan at the ryokan.

"Mom... Where's Kyoko? She's supposed to be there working." Sho asked with anger in his voice.

Yayoi pulled the phone from her ear and just stared at it, then answered. "Shotaro? Why on Earth would Tsuruga-chan be working at the inn? She's almost 9 months pregnant and married? Did something happen since they visited last?" She asked in a worried voice remembering their little incognito visit months ago.

"..." THUNK...

"Shotaro?" Yayoi called out his name only to be answered by a female voice.

"Fuwa-sama?" Aki Shoko responded.

"Yes? Where is Shotaro? It sounded like something fell." She asked worriedly.

"Ah... Yes, can I have him call you back? It seems as though he swallowed something that didn't agree with him. No worry though, he'll be fine. It was nice speaking to you." Aki quickly hung up the phone and stared at her unconscious charge laying on the hotel lounge floor. She shook her head. "I guess he found out." She chuckled then sighed at all of the damage control she was going to have to do for the next few months to go smoothly.

She breathed deeply and tried to think happy thoughts as the little cramp rippled around her midsection and back. These false contractions were getting very uncomfortable. She winced.

Kuon looked up from his book and noticed his wife's discomfort. "Kyoko? Are you alright?"

She sighed in relief from the 5 minute break she had between them and nodded. "I think everything's okay." She winced again and he noticed a little pattern to her squirming in her seat.

"Do you need a back rub?" He asked thinking maybe it would help, it had many other times before.

She looked up at him and shook her head, then finally announced. "Kuon... I think I might be in labor."

Kuon's eyes went wide and he went into panic mode. "Shit!" He ran to the bedroom and grabbed her overnight bag, grabbed his wallet and keys, then quickly slipped on his shoes. He grabbed her shoes and helped her put them on then helped her to the door. She nearly buckled under the pain when they got to the elevator and he held her up while they waited for the elevator to take them down to the parking garage.

"Remember how we practiced breathing. Remember how they said it would ease the pain, Love." He murmured to her as the elevator took them down.

She nodded and breathed with him, concentrating on his beautiful green eyes.

He was able to safely buckle her into the car between contractions and made his call to the doctor before starting up and leaving.

"Kuon... I think my water broke." She whimpered between contractions as they stopped at the red light before the hospital.

He took her small hand and gently squeezed it. "It's alright Baby... We're almost there. Just keep breathing." He told her in a soft voice, hoping they didn't hit heavy traffic before the hospital.

At last they made it. He quickly parked near the emergency room, leapt from the car and scooped her into his arms, then carried her in after kicking the door shut and locking it with his key fob. Finally as they made it through the large, glass double doors they were met by Dr. Yoshida and her staff.

"This way Hizuri-san." She told him as he placed Kyoko in the wheelchair and a nurse wheeled her away. "You can change into the proper attire in here." She told him as they got off the elevator and stepped into the Labor and Delivery ward. "She'll be waiting for you in room 4."

Kuon nodded and slipped in. He quickly changed and stored his street clothes in a locker, placed his wallet, keys and phone in his pockets and hurried to room 4 where his wife was now experiencing contractions every 2 minutes. He kissed her forehead and took her hand. "It's alright Sweetheart, I'm back." He murmured.

"Kuon... It hurts..." She squeezed his hand tightly and tried to breath through the pain.

She screamed out in pain. "I don't think I can stand much more of this." She cried after about an hour of intense contractions.

Kuon looked up at the doctor with worry.

"It's alright Hizuri-san. She's in transition. This is perfectly normal." Dr. Yoshida assured him. She turned to the intern and called out after checking Kyoko's progress again. "She's at nine centimeters and fully effaced." With that announcement the room became a flurry of activity. The pediatrician arrived, then washed his hands. Two more nurses arrived and began scrubbing up and organizing equipment. New lights were turned on and little blankets were laid in the hospital bassinet. "Alright Kyoko-san, it's almost time." She told her in a gentle motherly tone. "When I tell you to push, you push. Okay?"

"I don't know how..." Kyoko whined.

Dr. Yoshida smiled. "It's okay. Just use your lower stomach muscles and the rest will come naturally."

Kyoko nodded a little in fear.

"It's okay, Love. Just remember what we learned." Kuon comforted her.

She nodded and braced for another strong contraction.

"Okay... Now push!" Dr. Yoshida commanded and Kyoko pushed with all her might, letting nature take its course. "Wonderful job. Now rest between the contractions and push when you feel a new one. Okay?"

Kyoko nodded and looked to Kuon with a weak smile. Another contraction came and she sat up and pushed with all her might as Kuon rubbed tiny soothing circles on her back to encourage her. "Almost there Babe. You can do this."

"I can see the head." Dr. Yoshida smiled as she announced.

Kuon leaned forward to see beautiful dark hair and the top of his son's head. He smiled brightly. "He's almost here Baby... You're almost done." He kissed the back of her hand.

One more contraction and one more very forceful push and the strong cries of Nobuyuki Hizuri filled the room. Kyoko laughed tiredly and Kuon showered her in kisses. "That was incredible Baby!" He laughed as he pulled out his phone to take a picture of their son as he was placed on her bare breast.

"Kuon... He's beautiful." She whispered as she stroked the raven-haired, green-eyed infant.

Kuon took another picture, stored his phone and stroked his beautiful son's head. "He's perfect. Just like you Love." He stood, leaned in kissed his wife's forehead and his tiny son's crown.

"Hizuri-san, we're going to be moving your wife to her room in a few moments if you'd like to go change and get something to eat, perhaps call family and friends." Dr. Yoshida suggested.

Kyoko smiled at him as they took Nobuyuki from the room to the nursery for his check-up. "Go. Let everyone know. I'll be alright." She assured him, leaned back into the bed and snuggled tiredly onto the soft pillow. "I'll be okay. Now go." She shooed him off. He kissed her again and smiled.

"We're moving your wife to room 12 on the 3rd floor. You can see her in about 30 minutes. Congratulations Hizuri-san." The doctor told him.

Kuon smiled widely and pulled the doctor in for a quick hug. "Thank you so much Yoshida-sensei."

She laughed. "You're very welcome."