Chapter 43

Seiya sat grumpily on the too-narrow back seat of Taiki's car. The atmosphere was tense, and his brother allowed no objection. For Taiki, everything had been said. Seiya would occupy his guest room until after the holidays, whether he liked it or not. However, Seiya still tried to free himself from the uncomfortable situation.

Haruka, can you pick me up at Taiki's later? Seiya

Where to pick up? Haruka

From his apartment. Seiya

Dude! You just have to take the elevator down 5 floors! No! I'm with Chiru and just took over the bar here. Haruka

Seiya, just let it be. Usagi

Then, Usagi threw a reproachful look backward. Seiya pursed his lips and shook his head slightly. He knew he wouldn't be able to control himself if he had her in front of him all the time.

Haruka, come on, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. There were some incidents, and I need company for the next few days. Seiya

Taiki now glanced at Seiya through the rearview mirror. "If you have something to say, then say it. The buzzing in your pocket is annoying, and I bet it's coming from you." "I just asked Ruka to pick me up at your place," Seiya grumbled to the front.

What incidents? Yaten

Seiya was attacked; he has a severe concussion and broken ribs. Discharged against medical advice. Usagi

Kenji? Yaten

Yes. Seiya

Again, Usagi turned to him. "My father is responsible for your condition?" she asked horrified, her eyes filled with shock and outrage. Seiya snorted. "At least his lackeys. Rubeus was there but stayed in the background. I could have handled him alone, but he had three thugs with him doing the dirty work for him. This coward only strikes when he's clearly in the advantage." "This can't be true. I will have a talk with Father and Kenji tomorrow morning. We need to clarify this urgently or at least put it on a different basis. It must not escalate into a clan war, and that's exactly the direction it's heading," Taiki said with a serious expression.

"Tai, let it go. It won't bring anything. We have to outmaneuver both Kenji and Father to finally have peace," Seiya grumbled. "I know. But until we get there, I have to make sure that you impatient idiots don't get into trouble. And I mean you as much as Yaten," Taiki scolded while skillfully parking the car.

Seiya cast one last glance at his phone.

I'll call you when I'm off work. Haruka.

I'm also soon in the Tower. Yaten

Seiya struggled out of the car and followed Taiki and Usagi to the elevator. He felt the tension surrounding Taiki and decided not to provoke his brother further, to submit to his will. Silently, Seiya barricaded himself in Taiki's guest room. The decision was not only influenced by fatigue but also by the desire to avoid Usagi and not succumb to temptation.

Usagi also bid farewell and exhaustedly went to bed. The strains of the day were still weighing heavily on her. First, there was the exciting appointment with the gynecologist, and then the whole situation with Seiya. Her thoughts circled, and her body demanded rest.

Only Taiki couldn't force himself to rest just yet. He took a stack of documents and decided to work on them at the dining table. If Seiya wanted to leave, he had to pass by him. A little later, Yaten entered the apartment, threw a backpack on the couch, and closed the door behind him. His questioning gaze went to Taiki, who was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. "What happened?" he asked seriously, taking a seat opposite the brown-haired man. Taiki sighed and explained briefly, "Kenji apparently sent Rubeus to him... probably because of the delivery Seiya messed up." "And how is he?" Yaten inquired. "Considering the circumstances. He's behaving like a stubborn child and locked himself in the guest room," Taiki said dryly. Yaten chuckled. "Well, if he comes out, give him the backpack. I brought some of his clothes. Where's Serena?"

Taiki sighed, leaned back, and ran his hands through his hair. "She went to bed. It was a tiring day for her... We were at the doctor's today," he began and then stopped. It still felt unreal to him. Yaten immediately noticed that something was not right. "Was something wrong? Is she sick?" "Just pregnant," Taiki said, drifting off into his thoughts again. "That's not new; we already know that. So what threw you off so much about it now?" the younger one continued curiously. "It might be twins." Yaten's eyes widened in shock, and he stared at his brother. "This has to be a joke, right?" Taiki closed his eyes and rubbed his eyebrows. "Tell me, do I look like I'm joking?"

Suddenly, Yaten burst into uncontrollable laughter. He calmed down a bit, but the laughter started again. "Man, I thought you guys only did it once..." he managed to say between laughs. "You didn't have to exaggerate so much." "As if I could consciously decide that. But it's good that the whole thing amuses you. Don't you have some people to torture?" Taiki retorted, and finally, Yaten became serious again. "Are you kicking me out?" Yaten asked playfully. "If you want to see it that way. Yes. I still have a lot to deal with here," Taiki grumbled somewhat impatiently. He just longed for silence, where he could think about everything. He urgently needed a plan to take down Kenji and his father. But thoughts of Amy kept pushing to the forefront, and when he had just pushed those aside, worries about Usagi and the future, especially now with the surprising prospect of twins, took their place.

"Alright, if anything happens, I'll be downstairs," with these words, Yaten bid farewell, leaving Taiki alone. He lingered over the documents for quite a while before finally going to bed in the middle of the night.

The night was uneventful. When Usagi woke up the next morning, the bed was already empty. She put on her comfortable clothes and went to the living room. "Taiki?" she called, but there was no response. In the kitchen, she only found his empty coffee cup next to the sink. That was a sign for her that she was alone – or maybe not. Because then her eyes fell on the black backpack lying on the couch, and her heart skipped a beat. Seiya was still here, and that backpack was the perfect excuse to check on him.

With nervous anticipation, she reached for the backpack and made her way to the guest room. She knocked gently, but there was no response. On the second attempt, she knocked more intensely and louder, yet there was still no movement from inside the room. Carefully, she pressed the handle down and peered inside. The room was still completely dark, but she could make out the contours of a body in the bed. He was indeed still there.

Her smile grew wider as she approached him. She let the backpack fall next to the door, then sat on the edge of the bed. Her fingers began to explore Seiya's body curiously. He lay with his back turned to her. She gently started to stroke his shoulder. In response, he slowly turned towards her and blinked.

Before he could protest, she had slipped under the covers and snuggled up to him. The warmth of her body promised comfort, and he instinctively enveloped her in his arms. His heart raced as he felt her breath on his skin, and he planted a kiss on her lips. "If I'm dreaming, please don't wake me up," he whispered, his voice trembling. Usagi returned his kiss and whispered back softly, "No, this is not a dream. I'm really here." A sudden pang pierced Seiya's drowsiness, and he was instantly wide awake. "Sweetheart, what are you doing in my bed? What if Tai walks in?"

Usagi gently placed her finger on his lips, her eyes gleaming in the subdued light. "We're alone; Taiki is already at work. And everyone else in this house won't enter this apartment for at least two hours. I've learned that much in the past few weeks. Please, let's just enjoy the moment after that horrible day yesterday. You can't imagine what happened yesterday..."

She fell silent when her fingers touched Seiya's bandage. Worry for him shot through her, and the relief that he was with her was only a small comfort. Seiya sharply inhaled as he struggled into a sitting position. "Sweetheart, what happened yesterday?" "We... I... I went to the gynecologist," she began. A slight panic immediately gripped Seiya. His gaze sought hers, and he felt his heart racing. "Is everything okay with you? And with the baby?"

Soft tears found their way, Usagi didn't know why, but emotions took hold of her again. "Babies... Seiya, there might be two... You can't imagine the terrible fear I have," she sobbed.

Despite his own pain, Seiya pulled Usagi even closer. His heartbeat almost skipped a beat as he realized what she had just revealed to him. Then he gently pushed her away and looked deep into her eyes. "But sweetheart," he began with a gentle, loving voice, and his eyes radiated towards her, "these are wonderful news. You don't have to be afraid. You will surely be the best mother in the world. Even though these two will probably keep you on your toes." With his thumb, he wiped away the tears from her cheek. "Stop crying, this is wonderful."

With these words, he passionately kissed her as a sign of his love and support. The kiss became more intense, and Usagi sat astride his lap, never breaking the kiss. Desire had taken hold of both of them. They wanted to feel each other again, taste each other, and be one. The passion between them flared up, and every touch seemed to electrify the air. For a moment, they forgot the world around them, sinking into their love and the magic of the moment.

With a spirited movement, Seiya tried to lean over Usagi, but then he winced in pain and clutched his side. A stabbing pain shot through his body, and he breathed heavily. "Damn," he cursed, and it was evident that he was trying to suppress the pain.

Usagi, who had just lost herself in passion, suddenly looked at him with concern. She slid off his lap and asked empathetically, "Seiya, what's wrong? Are you in pain?" Seiya struggled with the pain, but a loving smile appeared on his face. "It's nothing, sweetheart, just the ribs. Don't worry. It'll be fine in a moment."

Usagi gave him a tender kiss on the lips, her concern reflected in her eyes. "Maybe we should wait until you feel better. I don't want you to suffer." Even though Seiya didn't like it, he had to agree with her. "You're right. It's better if we wait a bit," he grumbled, irritated by his own pain.

They cuddled together for a while, enjoying each other's affection. Usagi's head rested on Seiya's chest, and his hand gently stroked her back. Neither dared to say anything, not wanting to ruin the moment once again. Suddenly, Usagi's growling stomach broke the silence. She laughed slightly embarrassed. "I think I'm hungry." Seiya chuckled. "Then let's make something to eat. Maybe a little breakfast in bed?" Usagi jumped up. "You stay put. I'll prepare something. Don't even think about leaving the bed." Seiya smiled and relaxed back onto the mattress. "Okay, okay. I'll behave and wait for you."

Usagi hurried out of the room and headed to the kitchen. A hint of anticipation and love lingered in the air. After a short time, she returned with a loaded tray into the bedroom. On the tray were two steaming cups of tea, scrambled eggs with herbs, crispy toast, and a selection of fresh fruit. She placed the tray on a small table next to the bed and looked at her work with satisfaction. "Voilà! Breakfast in bed for the wounded," she proudly announced and sat down next to him. "I hope you like it." Seiya smiled as he looked at the fragrant food. "It looks fantastic... But where's my coffee?" Usagi looked embarrassed at the floor. "I can't stand the smell of coffee, so I made us tea... that way, there's a better chance I won't feel nauseous." Seiya chuckled and took the steaming tea cup. "Tea is absolutely fine then."

The two indulged in a leisurely breakfast, exchanging loving glances and tender touches in between. It was a morning of intimacy and enjoyment, where the outside world seemed forgotten for a moment. Then Seiya suggested watching a movie. Usagi liked the idea and snuggled up to his side. Together, they chose a movie and immersed themselves in the plot. Time passed swiftly.

The movie was about to end when they suddenly heard Makoto yelling loudly through the apartment. "Serena?! Where are you?"

Usagi jumped up in surprise, trying frantically to tame her wild hair. Seiya, on the other hand, remained lying comfortably and watched with a smirk as Usagi rushed through his makeshift room. When she reached the door, she threw a last glance over her shoulder. "I'll quickly sort things out with her. Don't run away," she whispered to him.