There are lapses in my story, and I'm thankful to those who point them out. As of now, I'll try to make up with those lapses with the next chapters, but once this story ends, I'll be fixing them now and then, depending on my schedule. Also, if I wasn't able to post tomorrow, I'm sorry. My internet connection is bad nowadays. :D

Chapter 20-Promises

"Okay, so now tell me again, how did Mikan know that man's whereabouts?" Tsubasa asked, as he walked to and fro across the room. Misaki, meanwhile, was sitting, but impatient taps from her foot can be heard throughout the room. The couple had been informed about the situation when the twins arrived at the doorstep.

"Can we not refer to him as just 'that man'? He has a name, Kuonji," Koko said. He was the calmest among them all, and yet he was fiddling with a ballpen. He continued, "And as for your question, like what we've told you, Kuonji also has Mikan's number. So he decided to contact her, and play with the mother in her. If you want proof, there's her phone on the table."

Tsubasa glanced at the table, then he said, "I don't need to. I still can't believe everything yet, after all. My baby sister…"

"Already has twins and is right now held hostage, as she was years ago," Misaki continued. That made her husband stop from his tracks, and sink into one of the couches, with his hands covering his face.

Natsume entered the dimly-lit room as quietly as he could. He didn't want to wake the two kids, who had only calmed down an hour ago, and who were in a deep slumber on the king-sized bed. But he learned, as he gently closed the door with a soft click, that one of them was still awake.

"You are our daddy, aren't you?" a soft voice asked. Natsume stopped midway towards the bed. Then he saw Sora open his eyes and slowly sit up.

The boy was almost an exact replica of Mikan, with brown hair and chocolate eyes. But whereas his mother's eyes, when she was a child, were full of naivety, this little boy's eyes were inquisitive and smart. He asked once again, "You are our daddy, aren't you? Mommy said that Sakura looks like our daddy and both of you have the same color of hair and eyes."

Natsume gave him a small smile, as he continued his way to the bed. He used the time to think of his answer. When he was already sitting on the foot of the bed, he replied, "Yes, I am your daddy."

He did not dare touch his children. In fact, he did not know what to do with them around. He was never good with children. When the two were still crying, it was mainly Koko who comforted them, with some help from the married couple. Even Hotaru, Ice queen though she was, didn't just stand there and watch.

His eyes traveled on the small girl beside Sora. She was breathing evenly, her small pink lips slightly open. Her eyelids hid the crimson eyes they both shared, while her waist-length raven hair spread across the bed, contrasting sharply with its white covers. She had a peaceful look on her features, a very big contrast to the wailing little girl at the living room an hour before.

"She always falls asleep after crying. And then, when she wakes up, she'll be crying again," Sora suddenly said. Natsume looked back at his son, and saw that they were both watching Sakura sleep. The little boy looked back at him, and continued, "Until Mommy doesn't hug her, she won't stop."

"Oh, I see," Natsume murmured. Then silence filled the room, until the child broke it, saying, "Should I call you daddy?"

Natsume's eyes widened. He was very much taken aback by the question. No, not only with that question. Everything that Sora had said so far had surprised him. He never expected either of the twins to ask anything like that; in fact, he was still contemplating on how to tell them the truth. Koko was right; Sora did inherit his father's intellect.

He decided to play it safe, as he didn't know what Mikan had told them. He replied, "Do you want to call me daddy?"

The child's expression changed from that of a sober one, into a look of pure delight. He answered, "Yes, I want to! Mommy said that we should not call anybody 'papa', 'father', or 'daddy', unless it's our true father. That's what she told us when we asked her if we can call Uncle Koko 'daddy'."

Despite the situation, Natsume couldn't stop from feeling warm the moment he heard his son's words. Without really thinking, he patted Sora on the head gently, and said, "Very well then. Call me daddy."

That warm moment between the father and his son didn't last long, though. Sora wasn't finished asking questions. He inquired, "Daddy, are those guys who got us and mommy bad? What's going to happen to Mommy? Will they bring her back?"

Natsume froze. The warmth he felt had disappeared, and the knot in his stomach came back. He slowly lowered his hand, until it rested on his son's shoulder. He looked straight into the eyes of the child, and saw the tears forming.

"Sora, I…I promise you that I'll bring your mommy back. Believe me."

The child shook his head, surprising Natsume more. Then he said, "Daddy, please don't promise. Mommy said that it's more difficult if we promise. She said it's better to do things, rather than just say them. She said that actions speak louder than words."

Natsume brought his hand to his face, trying to hide the tears that suddenly formed. He could still remember the promise he gave Mikan once.

He will never touch us, nor hurt us. I promise you that, Mikan. We will never be apart.

His son was right. Mikan was right. He shouldn't promise, especially to his children. So he composed himself once again, and looked back at his son. He said, "Well, that is true. We'll see what we can do about it. In the meantime, I want you to rest. You've been through a lot, and I'm sure you're tired."

"Okay," Sora said obediently. He once again lay down; letting his father tuck him in. then Natsume leaned to kiss his children's foreheads, and stood up slowly, trying not to disturb Sakura from her sleep. As he was about to get out of the room, he heard his son's voice call out to him.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"I'm happy that we finally met."

Natsume looked back at Sora. The child had already closed his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. He smiled too. Then he got out of the room, and slowly closed the door.

"Me too, Sora. And I hope we can share this happiness with your mother."

I don't know how to feel with the twins. I imagine them one way, they turn out another way when I write the chapter. But oh well.

Please review!