(-- --)
Chapter 15
One, Two, Three
-June 8, 2007, Friday
Arisato Residence
Early Morning
Everything seemed normal this morning. Minato and Minako were eating chocolate covered pancakes, which smelled amazing. There was a perfectly good cheesecake inside the refrigerator, which made Mr. Arisato very happy. With such a quiet, peaceful morning, nothing could go…
Upstairs, the sound of the toilet being flushed could be heard. Mrs. Arisato slowly made her way down the stairs, her belly reaching its peak with the baby inside. "That's like the tenth time I've had to pee since I got up this morning," she snapped.
"You told us already," said her husband. He turned the page of his newspaper and took a bite of his cheesecake.
"Oh, I'm sorry; it's very easy to be pregnant with a baby who thinks your bladder is a squeeze toy! I'd like to see you try this for nine damn months."
"No thanks honey."
"You…As if you haven't done enough…"
"Uh-huh…" Looking up from his newspaper, he smiled at his wife. He picked up his plate of half-eaten cheesecake and offered it to her. "Cheesecake, darling?"
His wife's scowl disappeared and tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, thank you so much."
Minato and Minako looked at each other with eyebrows raised. "So, uh, mom, how are those mood swings of yours?" asked Minato.
His mother raised an eyebrow. "Hm? Mood swings? What on earth are you talk about, Minato?"
He gave another incredulous look to his sister but didn't say anything.
Minako clapped her hands and said, "Gochisosama!" She rose from the table and added, "I'm going to school. Bye Mommy! Bye Daddy!"
Minato also rose from the table with his own "gochisosama" and grabbed his bag. He and his sister were almost out of the door when they heard their mother yell, "Minato, Minako get your asses back in here, NOW!!" They complied with wide eyes. Their mother's scowl disappeared again and was replaced with a small smile. "You forgot your lunches on the counter."
The kids grabbed their bento boxes and quickly left.
(-- --)
-June 16, 2007, Saturday
Adachi Middle School, Classroom 9-C
Early Morning
"What wrong? You look like you're about to die," asked Junpei. Minato had dragged his feet into the classroom and collapsed onto his desk. Junpei poked his friend in the forehead.
"I'm sick of my mom being pregnant," he said.
"What?"
"You, Yukari, and Fuuka are so lucky to be the only child." Minato looked up at his best friend and added, "My mom is going through these mood swings that scare the crap out of me. The last time I was so scared was when my Aunt Sayomi was pregnant with her second child."
"Is it really that bad?"
He glared at Junpei. "Yeah. First my mom starts yelling and complaining about why she has to pee so many times a day. She gets irritated by the slightest things. Then if you do something nice, she starts sobbing uncontrollably. If you ask her about her mood swings, then she doesn't know what you're talking about." He groaned and added, "You know what she said to me yesterday? I made a joke about the baby and then she asked me if I wanted her to sit on me."
Junpei laughed. "Sounds rough, man."
"I'm scared to go home. I don't wanna have my mom sit on me!"
"Then don't make any cracks about her pregnancy," said Yukari as she approached Minato's desk.
"I was just trying to lighten up the situation!"
"Sounds like pregnancy isn't something to be lightened up at all, dude."
(-- --)
-June 16, 2007, Saturday
Adachi Middle School, Classroom 9-C
Afternoon
Minato listened intently to his teacher's lecture, taking down notes once in a while. He sighed and looked next to him. Junpei was asleep, his baseball cap covering his face. In front of him, he could tell Yukari was texting on her phone. She was right in front of the teacher's podium. How did she always get away with it?
The door of the classroom slid open, and Minato watched the principal of the school walk inside. Everyone's heads snapped up from their desks, their eyes fixed. He spoke a few words to the teacher.
"Arisato, please go with Principal Shouhei to the Faculty Office," said his teacher.
"Ooooooh…" murmured his classmates.
Yukari turned around with a frown on her face. "What did you do?" she whispered.
Minato shrugged.
"Now Arisato."
Minato got up and followed the principal out the room, shutting the classroom door behind him. He could hear the whispering of his classmates inside and his teacher trying to quiet them down. He followed after his principal down the hallway.
"Am I in trouble, sir?" he asked.
"No. There's a phone call for you."
"From who?"
"Your father."
Minato stepped inside the Faculty Office and the principal handed him the phone. "Hello, dad? Is something wrong?"
"Your mother's gone into labor."
"What?!"
He heard his mother scream and curse in the background. "Goddammit, this is the last time I'm ever having a kid!!"
"Yeah, that's nice, honey. You said the same thing when you were in labor with Minato. And Minako."
"Shut up!"
"Sorry about that. We're heading to the hospital right now. I want you and your sister to have dinner at Yukari's house tonight. I don't kno--"
"Why the hell aren't we at the hospital yet?! I have a kid coming out of me! Drive faster!"
"Hotaru, I don't think the baby wants to hear your screaming when it enters the world."
"I'm not screaming!"
Minato took the phone away from his ear and sighed. He had to give props to his dad for being so calm and witty in a time like this. It's rare for his mom to get riled up. His dad was acting like such a pro.
"Sorry, Minato. Your mom is a fire breathing dragon right now."
"Do you want to die before you see your third child?"
"Cute, darling. So as I was saying, I don't know how long it will take to get this baby out."
"But since this is her third kid, it shouldn't take too long right? So why can't Minako and I just go directly to the hospital after school?"
"I'm anticipating that the baby will here sometime late in the night. I don't want both of you to wait with nothing to do. The Takebas will take you to the hospital sometime after dinner."
"All right, dad. See you tonight."
"Bye son."
Minato could hear his mother screaming in the background as he hung up the phone. He sighed again before heading off back to class.
(-- --)
-June 16, 2007, Saturday
Adachi Middle School, Class 9-C
After School
"Yukari, I'm going home with you today," said Minato.
"What?"
"Wow. Don'tcha think you're being pretty forward?" asked Junpei. He laughed until Yukari took one of her books and slapped him with it. "Ow!"
"What do you mean you're going home with me?"
"My mom's in labor."
"OH…" Yukari raised and eyebrow and added, "You jinxed it."
"Yeah, I know. She's hanging on to those mood swings though. She was screaming at my dad while I was on the phone with him."
"So that's what Principal Shouhei wanted?" asked Junpei.
"Yeah…"
"Man, that's no fun! I was hoping for something more interesting!"
"I know I have no right to say this, but a new baby will always make things more interesting," said Yukari.
"By the way Minato, did you ever notice how you and your siblings are all seven years apart?"
(-- --)
-June 16, 2007, Saturday
Tatsumi Memorial Hospital
Evening
"Damn, I hate hospitals…" murmured Minato as he and his sister followed after the Takebas towards the front desk.
"Hi! We're looking for Arisato Hotaru's room number," said Takeba Keiko to the lady at the front desk.
"Are you her sister?"
"No, I'm her best friend."
"Then I'm afraid that I cannot give you Mrs. Arisato's room number. Blood relatives only."
Echiiro gently pushed Minato and Minako towards the desk.
"We're Arisato Hotaru's kids. I'm Minato and my sister is Minako," replied Minato.
The nurse nodded. "Oh yes, your father told me that you would be here. Okay, then. Your mother is in Room 324."
"Has she had the baby yet?" asked Minako.
"No, not yet. It should be soon though."
Echiiro and Keiko linked arms as they walked towards a pair of unoccupied chairs. "I think she should have told us where Hotaru's room is. After all, we are Minato's in-laws."
He laughed. "Honey, you mean future in-laws."
"I know. But still!"
"Mom, Dad, stop talking…" said Yukari. She rolled her eyes. She looked at Minato and said, "Why is it that everyone has to make jokes about the two of us."
Minato laughed. "Why not?"
"What do you mean, 'why not'? We're not dating, or anything," explained Yukari. (Yet, thought Minako.) "We're just friends."
"If you say so."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing much…but it just kind of proves everyone's idea that we belong together when you vehemently deny us being together."
"But it's the truth!"
"I know. But it doesn't really matter. Rumors are rumors."
"Sometimes rumors eventually come true," said Minako. She looked up at her brother and then at Yukari. A smirk appeared on her face, but she quickly hid it behind the pages of her book.
Yukari opened her mouth to comment, but she was interrupted by the sound of the elevator doors opening. Minato's father ran out. He breathed heavily for a moment before excitedly saying, "It's a boy!"
(-- --)
-June 16, 2007, Saturday
Tatsumi Memorial Hospital
Evening
"He's sooooooo adorable!" cooed Minako as she stared at the face of her new baby brother.
"He looks like his father…" said Mrs. Arisato.
"Really?" Minako looked at her father and then at the baby. "Isn't it too soon to tell?"
Minato clamped a hand over his sister's mouth. "So what's his name?"
"We discussed what we wanted his name to be already, and we've settled on Ichirou," said Mr. Arisato.
"'Ichirou?' But that means 'first son.' I'm your first son!" said Minato.
"I know. But when we decided to name you, your father wanted to name you Ichirou. I wanted to name you Minato because he proposed to me on a port during the fireworks of the summer festival," explained his mother. "I won, of course."
"Well, name him Jirou instead! Naming him Ichirou makes it sound like I'm a failure as a son!" protested Minato.
"I think Ichirou is a nice name. There's nothing wrong with going against the flow of the traffic and naming him that even if he is the second son," said Minako.
"Minato," cooed Mrs. Arisato, "is it really such a problem that we name your brother Ichirou?"
The boy ran a hand through his hair. "No…but I feel like he will always be confronted with the question that his older brother was a failure or something…"
"You're not a failure," said Mr. Arisato.
"I'll tell you what. We'll name him Ichirou. And Minato, you will pick out a suitable nickname for him," proposed his mother.
"Okay. Okay, fine. I'll go with that."
"So what'll it be, Minato?"
"Hmm…" Minato looked up at the ceiling and then at the floor. He could feel the eyes of his parents and his sister on him. "I got it! I'll nickname him Shoji!"
"As in 'proper peace'?" asked his father.
"Or 'one who lives near a small road'?" added Minako.
"Nah, as in the 'soaring second son.'"
Mrs. Arisato smiled and nodded. "Yes. I like it. Arisato Ichirou, also known as Shoji."
(-- --)
-June 17, 2007, Sunday
Naganaki Shrine
Daytime
"Damn, it's starting to get hot," cursed Shinjiro.
Sundays and holidays usually meant for the group to go somewhere and relax and have fun. But during the summer months made that hard sometimes whether it be from the constant rain or from the heat and humidity.
Shinjiro laid down on the bench of the playground while Akihiko, Fuuka, and Junpei took the other bench. Minato sat down on the slide. The cool steel was comforting against his skin.
"Hey, Shinjiro! Some other people would like to sit on the bench, too!" said Yukari. She tried pulling him off the bench, but he relaxed his body. There was no way Yukari's petite stature could handle his size and weight.
"Yeah, well, those people can go piss off."
Yukari scoffed and settled herself on the other bench.
"It would be better if we were in Game Panic right now," said Junpei.
"We don't have any money!" yelled Minato. "Especially after we spent it all on that "movie marathon" day at the theater."
"Do we have to spend today outside?" snapped Shinjiro. "I would rather be at Palownia Mall or back at the dorm. They have air conditioning."
Fuuka sighed. "It's been a while since we've had a clear day. It would be a waste to spend it inside."
"I think we should crash in on Mitsuru at her mansion. I bet she's got air conditioning and something fun we could do," suggested Yukari.
"Tough luck," said Akihiko. "Mitsuru's in Tokyo with her father."
"Crap."
"Ugh, complaining aside how's your little brother, Minato?"
"Shoji's doing well. My mom is bringing him home tomorrow."
"You sounded so happy in your text last night," laughed Fuuka. "'It's a boy! I have a baby brother!'"
Junpei whistled and said, "I still can't believe your mom had a baby."
"You still are a baby, Junpei," joked Yukari.
"Shut up!" he yelled as everyone laughed.
"How're your mom's mood swings?" asked Shinjiro.
"They've subsided. Although after naming the baby, she started crying uncontrollably. My dad said that it was part of the pregnancy. It should go away soon."
Yukari smiled. "Looks like you'll have to work twice as hard to be a good brother now."
"I know. I'm up for it though."
Another chapter to add to the record. I have some free time now that I am out of high school and registered for classes for college. I can try to get in as many chapters as possible before I start the never ending studying for college, but I can't make any guarantees.
So, notes. I do realize that Ichirou does mean "first son," but that has always been a favorite name of mine. I named my P3 MC Ishikawa Ichirou even though I knew that his manga name was Arisato Minato. I'm sticking to Ichirou. The nickname I originally wanted to give Ichirou was Shinji because it means, "true second son." But then I realized that Shinjiro's nickname is Shinji, and thought it would be too confusing so I changed it to Shoji. Although, if I kept Shinji as the nickname, I would have had fun with Shinjiro's dialogue. ("You nicknamed your brother after my nickname? Oh yeah, mistaken identity sounds delicious.")
I was stuck on what nickname to give because I wanted it to be good and have the meaning fit. Of course, depending on how you write the name, it can have multiple meanings. For example, Shoji means "proper peace," "one who lives near a small road," or "soaring second son." I'll use Shinji as another example. It can mean "child of god," "true ruler," or "true second son." I had to do some research to find the perfect name.
And as something interesting to add, Minato generally means "port". I couldn't find another meaning for it. I guess the engagment of Minato's parents was so memorable that they named their first child after a port. Minako means "beautiful child". From where I got the name, "mina-" means beautiful and "-ko" meaning child or youth. I chose her name because as the family's first daughter (and taking after the looks of her mother) she would be beautiful.
Now, I'm the youngest child in my family so I have no idea of how pregnant women act in their third trimester. I was sure my mom wouldn't give me a straight answer so I had to resort to "Friends" to get a comical idea of what it was like. I picture Minato's mom as being very light-hearted but sometimes sly with her words. She's a stern mother when she needs to be. So to turn into a fire breathing dragon while pregnant sounded like fun. I modeled her attitude after when Rachel was pregnant so that really was fun.
So next chapter...I don't know how long it will take. I know what it is going to be about, but I have no clue as to how I'm going to write it. It might be long depending on what I have to write and add in. I will see you until then!