This chapter's kinda mushy, so don't tell me I didn't warn you. Heehee.

This chapter of the said story has been revised.

Mommy's Corner

Baby's Name (optional): ---

Cravings: Crabs, gyoza, spinach rolls, Nori, bentos, clams, lobster, cake, watermelons, chicken, looking at screwdrivers, etc.

Thoughts to ponder: Hmm, strange. Tsubasa says that if I eat the same food that Hotaru likes to eat, Baby might turn out like her, and he seems scared of the fact too. I don't know about that guy, but having Baby grow up to be a future child prodigy is perfectly fine with me.

11 Weeks

"You're late. Tono called today," Misaki greeted her husband as he came through the door.

"Really? What did he say?" Tsubasa took off his raincoat and shook his wet hair.

"They'll be coming over to visit tomorrow, since it is a weekend, then he was asking if we could have time to drop by Kaname at the hospital," Misaki said. She had her eyes meet Tsubasa's in fitful concern.

Tsubasa frowned, worried. "That fellow's at the hospital again?"

"Well, he did have this charity drive for an orphanage last week, so it must've tired him out," she sighed, raking a hand through her hair.

"Why does he have to be so giving? I mean, at this rate, he'll probably burn out…" he said off-handedly, though he was slightly irritated at how selfless his friend was acting.

Misaki gasped. Tsubasa realized he had just said something wrong. Looking down, he muttered, "Sorry, just saying."

One short, awkward and silent moment later, from out of the blue, Misaki snapped, "Could you please not change the subject?"

"Wha - ?"

Misaki's nostrils flared. Her eyes, now narrowed, were smoldering, as her expression was simply angry. "Have you any idea what time it is right now?"

"Erm…" Tsubasa paused to look at his watch, "fifteen minutes after ten." He made a fatal mistake by smiling.

"Exactly! And why did you decide on coming home late tonight may I ask?" Misaki cocked an eyebrow, crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

"To work overtime…?" Tsubasa said, hoping it could get him off the hook. He grinned when Misaki raised another eyebrow and beamed.

"Aww…Tsubasa! You're going to be such a wonderful father to our baby!" Misaki squealed, throwing her arms around Tsubasa.

"Huh?"

…Oh, right. Mood swings.

The day after, as Tsubasa and Misaki were getting ready, a knock came at the door.

"Coming!" Misaki shouted, then she turned to Tsubasa. "Tsubasa get the door."

He whined in protest. "But I thought you were gonna—"

"Get. The. Door. Now," ordered Misaki through gritted teeth. Tsubasa effectively whimpered at that. He clumsily scurried off to answer the door a precarious second before his wife was right about ready to implode.

He was welcomed by two men standing at their doorstep. The older and leaner of the two cried out, "Tsubasa! Look at you!"

"Old man, Megane, look at you," Tsubasa addressed them back sardonically, giving them both a lazy head to toe scan.

"Why you little…"

"No swear words please," Misaki's stern voice rang from somewhere in the kitchen.

"Ah! Misaki! How's married life been with Tsubasa over here?" Megane asked casually as he jabbed his thumb at Tsubasa's direction, walking past him. Tono followed after him, leaving Tsubasa by the doorway.

"All right, all right, come in… Those little…" he grumbled to himself, closing the door behind him. Tono and Megane settled themselves on the couch.

"Haven't I told you? I'm—"

Tono cut Misaki off. "Have you gained weight?" he asked relentlessly, discreetly suppressing a laugh.

"A lot of weight?" Megane joined in, trying to hold back his own laughter.

"I'm gonna kill these little—"

Tsubasa held a fuming Misaki by the arm. "Now, now, my dear. Not such language would be used around Baby, remember?"

Misaki puffed in annoyance. "Yeah, ok I remember."

The odd couple turned just in time to Megane and Tono who both wore shocked expressions on their faces.

"Uhm, there's somesome in there?" Megane coughed, pointing a finger at Misaki's stomach.

"Well, if you're thinking of fat, then no," Misaki replied callously.

"Seems like these two lovebirds got busy…" Tono remarked. A blushing Misaki smacked his head. "Ow."

"You deserved it." Tsubasa pointed out, looking down, his face turning pink.

Megane snickered. "Like wife, like husband, then. So are we leaving soon?"

They quickly left right after that (not that Tsubasa had this feeling Misaki was going to put rat poison in their lunch if they weren't going to stop with the nitwit remarks anytime soon or whatever, anyway).

[At the hospital…]

One bus ride and a round of Misaki-nag silently enjoyed by Tono and Megane later, they reached Oshinaya's Medical Centre with the boys' ears and Misaki's mouth still intact. The hospital smelled of alcohol and sterile bed sheets like any other hospital would. The only differences it had among others were the motivational posters and bright decorations all around; stuffed animal decorations, popping floral arrangements and cozy sofas.

They all walked to the counter where a female nurse sat. Before her was a coffee mug with an all-too familiar bear on it. Below were the words: "Mr. Bear and Co. wishes you a nice day". A smile tugged at the corner of Misaki's lips.

"Excuse me, miss, Would you happen to know where our friend Sonoh Kaname's room is?" Tsubasa asked.

She typed in something on her computer. "Sonoh Kaname, room 427."

"Ah, thank you." Tsubasa grabbed Misaki.

"Thanks, miss." Tono winked at the nurse. The nurse rolled her eyes.

"Let's go, old man." Megane followed after the two with Tono in tow.

They stopped when they reached a room that had the numbers 427 in silver stuck on a door. Misaki softly knocked on the door. A wary looking nurse opened the door and invited them in. All of them were shocked with the sight that was there before their eyes.

Kaname was there alright, but Megane, Tono, Misaki, and Tsubasa didn't recognize the complete stranger that was lying helplessly on the bed. He had several tubes and contraptions connected to him, and he was breathing through an oxygen mask. The person that seemed to be Kaname held a grayish tinge in his skin and a smooth expression on his sleeping face. They also noticed that he grew thinner and his eyes had dark circles around them as they drew closer to him. His breathing was ragged and he was shivering under four thick quilts and a blanket.

"Just press if you need anything," the nurse quietly told them as she silently left the room.

"Kaname?"

The stranger fluttered his eyes open and looked at the new visitors.

"Oh! It's you guys! I'm so glad you came!" He weakly smiled at them. Misaki noticed his eyes and smile still held its same sparkle, but Kaname wasn't what others might call that 'dreamy Prince Charming' anymore. All four of them looked at him sadly.

"What happened?" Megane worriedly asked.

"Well, we had this charity event for an orphanage last week, and I had to make at least sixty-five dolls for the drive. Then, in the middle of stitching a button into doll number forty-four, I sort of collapsed," Kaname said, shrugging like he treated it as the most ordinary thing that could happen to any person. "I mean, I shouldn't have collapsed. Now I blame myself for leaving twenty-one orphans toyless," he sighed.

"Why?" Tono asked, solemn unlike his usual self.

"What do you mean, buddy?"

"Oh cut the happy act, Sonoh. Tell us why."

"What happy—"

"That happy act, Captain Obvious."

"Well if you say so," he breathed dejectedly. Kaname closed his eyes, concentrating. "Lemme think about i— Ah, got it. Here: 'Cause…" The others paused to listen, and he said on, "I want to make other people happy. I have to admit it, I'm dying, but I always knew that my life's purpose was to bring joy to others. This life may have been short, but at least it's been a life filled with sweet accomplishment and fulfillment." He opened his eyes again. They were sparkling with tears, and it was one of the most wonderful things a person could've ever beheld.

Megane suddenly stiffened. He had an unreadable expression on his face. "Could you guys excuse me for a while?"

Kaname turned to look at his friend. "Megane?"

"I'll just head out to… I'll just be heading out for a sec." He walked to the door and left without looking back.

"Kaname…"

"I want, I want to bring joy and not burden, to the people around me."

"But this is just wrong… You're risking your life for this," Tsubasa reproved him, slightly agitated.

"This is what I want. I don't really care about myself and my condition anymore because when I see those happy smiles and hear that gleeful laughter, it just gives me strength, and makes me feel better," Kaname told them, looking at all of them.

He was such a kind spirit, never refusing any requests ever before in his life, even if he was just being used. But Tsubasa, and so did everyone else, knew that underneath that weak and fragile exterior was a strong, fighting spirit that only kept holding on, no matter what.

"If this is what makes you happy…" Misaki started.

"Yes, this is what makes me very happy."

"Then we have no choice but to support you in whatever you do," she said. She looked at the door. "But I really do think I should go to see where Megane headed off to this time first."

"D'you need me to come with you?" Tsubasa offered.

Misaki shook her head. "No it's ok. I'll talk to him for you, Kaname."

"Thank you, Misaki."

—

Finding Megane didn't prove to be as hard. Misaki knew he was very fond of anything drinkable and canned ever since she introduced him to vending machines in the eighth grade. By the time she saw him, he was sitting across the nearest vending machine from down the hallway and staring blankly at the untouched can of fruit juice in his hands.

"Hey."

His head dipped lower and he greeted her back dully. "Hey."

"Mind if I take a seat?" Misaki asked.

"Ok." Megane shifted a bit when she sat beside him. Then he did something Misaki never expected him to do. He held out his drink to her. "You want this?"

"Thanks," she said with a wan smile. Having nothing else to say, she began rocking her feet back and forth like she always did in moments like this.

"How did you feel when you found out Ryosuke-kun died, Misa-chan?" Megane, all of a sudden, asked her in spite of the situation. He rested his arms on his knees and leaned against them.

Misaki didn't cringe at the nickname Megane dubbed her with on occasion. Her friends knew better than to talk about her cousin's sudden death because it made her extremely uncomfortable. Needless to say, it made her heart ache painfully as well. Ryosuke was undeniably the closest person to a brother she ever had.

Staring down at her feet, she figured she would be having a hard time seeing them through a really big stomach in a few months' time. She turned the cold can in her hands and withdrew a shaky breath. "When I lost Ryosuke, I felt like a part of me died along with him too."

"Then you probably know how I'm feeling now, right?"

"Yes, yes I do. You wanna talk about it?"

"Kaname… He – he's like brother to me too. Somehow, losing him is something I know I couldn't bear. It'd be like having a piece of your spirit robbed away from you, a-and it's excruciating even thinking about it," he said poignantly.

"Some months ago," Misaki spoke gently, "Kaname told me that missing someone is ok. That it's a part of life and that we should openly accept it as it is." She turned to Megane with bright compassionate eyes and a sincere, sympathetic expression on her face. "He hates seeing you like this, really. Kaname doesn't need any more pain because all he needs is us to be there for him right now."

An impregnated silence passed over them. Though now Misaki was certain Megane understood; if not for himself, then for Kaname.

A short moment later, Misaki stood up. "You coming?"

"Yeah," Megane answered, his lips curving up to somewhat form a really small smile. "But…"

"What is it?" She raised an eyebrow.

Megane looked at the can of juice in Misaki's hand. "A-are you finishing that?"

Misaki tossed it to him and smiled. "I wasn't hungry for it anyway. Though I could tell this little devil's craving for some heavily-mustarded ribs."

"That kid's a gastronomical genius, I reckon," Megane commented, grinning wickedly. "And one more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks, Misa-chan."

—

"Got any threes?"

"No but—" Tsubasa looked up abruptly to the sound of the door opening. "Oi, you two! S'bout time you got here."

"Hah! A royal flush!" Tono declared proudly as he set down his cards on the bed table.

Tsubasa frowned at the cards. "Stupid old man, that's not even the King of Clovers. And for my love of bursting your bubble, we're actually playing Go Fish."

"What? So no strip tease?"

Misaki cleared her throat angrily and immediately the two stopped with their bickering.

Kaname gazed at Megane directly. "Megane, I—"

Megane held up his hand, a straight face on. Five seconds later, he spread his arms wide before him. "Group hug, anyone?"

For a while they all just looked at him. Then they returned their attention to the ongoing Go Fish/Poker card game.

"Nah."

"No thanks."

"Err…"

"S'cuse me, need to throw up." Misaki walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

"What's with her?" Kaname asked, looking at all three of them. All three of them looked back at him.

"Haven't we told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Tsubasa knocked up our dear Misaki well onto her eleventh week of pregnancy!"

The former shot a glare down Tono's way.

"That—" Kaname struggled for words as he slightly got put-off at the sudden answer—
"that's great! Come to think of it, it's actually been twelve weeks since… Oh." He stopped.

Tsubasa turned pink, again. Tono was holding back his laughter, while Megane was whistling.

The door opened. Misaki came out and saw the scene.

"What'd I miss?" she asked the guys—each with a sly smile in their lips, except for Tsubasa—while wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

"Eww, gross Misaki."

"Hey! I washed!" She hollered defiantly, lunging herself at Tsubasa. He shielded himself.

"Gaah!"

After ten seconds, Misaki stopped clawing. She looked around.

"What a lovely little hospital room!" she said appreciatively as she took in the bright-colored balloons, numerous 'Get Well Soon' cards, stuffed toys, and fruit baskets around them.

Tono and Megane raised an eyebrow at the same time, while Tsubasa mouthed 'Mood swings' to them behind Misaki's back. Kaname stifled a chuckle.

So what now? Was it a touchy-feely tearjerker or not? :D Please do feel free to say so.

2010 self-commentary: I personally thought I did a lame job over there. Still, I added that Megane/Misaki scene just because I thought they aren't given as much time anyway. :) Anyway, I've decided that as of now, I'm simply gonna minimize my revisions and simply work out those grammatical errors and such to preserve the memento of my little thirteen-year-old girl writing style.