Chapter 63
Usagi stood in the small open kitchen by the window, gazing longingly into the distance. Setsuna had given clear instructions: she was to wait inside until Shingo's training was over. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon, where the last rays of sunlight were fading away. Restlessness and anticipation continued to gnaw at her – soon she would finally be able to embrace her brother again. Her thoughts drifted back to their last farewell when he got into the car with Chibiusa and was driven away from her. Back then, it was before her engagement to Taiki, and suddenly she realized how much she had to tell him.
An unexpected touch made her jolt. Two hands gently wrapped around her shoulders, and Seiya nestled up behind her. The familiarity of his touch eased some of her tension. He rested his head on her shoulder, and his hands slowly moved forward, coming to rest on her lower abdomen. A precious silence enveloped them as they simply enjoyed each other's closeness. Then Seiya's voice broke the silence: "He's here. If you want, you can go to the garden to meet him now."
With a swift movement, Usagi turned to Seiya, her hands resting on his chest, and her eyes gleaming with joy. "Is it true?" she asked, still somewhat incredulous. Seiya's nod was an invitation she couldn't ignore. Quickly, she freed herself from the embrace, ran through the kitchen, the narrow hallway, into the living room, and stopped in front of the terrace door that led to the garden. Her trembling hand rested on the doorknob, and she needed a moment to gather herself before she was ready to open it.
The cold evening breeze brushed over her face as she entered the garden, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the figure of a young man. He stood with his back to her, but she knew it could only be Shingo. Even though he generally seemed a bit more toned and his hair was a bit longer than in their last encounter. Setsuna was crouched in front of him on the lawn, gathering some things. Hesitant, Usagi approached.
"Your speed still leaves something to be desired. The limit was sunset; I expect you to meet that tomorrow. At least you've improved in evasion," Setsuna criticized his performance. But when she lifted her head and saw Usagi, a slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Strength training is canceled for today, regeneration is also important. In your room, I've left you some books on close combat techniques, and target exercises are scheduled for tomorrow morning... I think you can allow yourself a free evening today. After all, it's New Year's Eve," Setsuna explained her plans for the next day to her protege.
Then Usagi reached out her hand to him. Somewhat uncertain, she touched her brother, and he turned around abruptly. His hand closed around her wrist, and with a single movement, he had twisted her arm behind her back, rendering Usagi immobile. A sound of pain escaped her lips. He blinked several times and, startled, let go of his sister. "Usa? Is it you?" he asked, puzzled. The blonde rubbed her twisted wrist and then looked at her brother.
Even though it had been only three short months of separation, Shingo looked noticeably changed. His features were more pronounced, and he seemed much more mature than she remembered. On closer inspection, she suddenly noticed numerous injuries that adorned his body. His right eye was swollen and surrounded by a bruise, his chin was significantly swollen on one side, his nose gave the impression of being broken, and on his upper arm, a similar scratch was visible as the one she knew from Seiya. But she ignored all of this for the moment. She simply pulled him into her arms, unable to say a word, and hugged him tightly. Tears of joy streamed down her face.
"Usa, I can't breathe if you squeeze any tighter," Shingo gasped after a while, causing the older one to reluctantly release him. Although she let go of the embrace, her hands still held Shingo firmly. Her gaze penetrated his, and her eyes reflected a mixture of joy, concern, and love. Her hand moved upwards, gently stroking his battered face as if wanting to inspect every scar, every bruise. "Shingo, what happened? Who did this to you?" she whispered with a broken voice.
A hesitant smile crossed Shingo's face, and he glanced briefly at Setsuna. "Usa, I'm okay. This is part of the training. Setsuna is strict, but she has a good reason for it." He tried to reassure his sister, but Usagi felt the uneasy sensation in her stomach again and looked accusingly from her brother to Setsuna. The latter innocently raised her hands.
Setsuna then spotted Seiya in the shadow on the terrace, leaning against the door with his hands in his pockets, observing everything. Setsuna joined him silently; neither of them wanted to disturb the moment between the siblings. The two were already embracing again, and Seiya found it extremely difficult not to be the one by her side. Yet, he knew he would only be a disturbance in this situation.
It was only when Amy poked her head through the door that the raven-haired man stirred. "What's up?" he asked quietly. "The table is set, the tapas delivery has arrived. We could have dinner now if you're ready," she replied kindly, then noticed the siblings in their intimate embrace. "Just come in when you're ready. Taiki is still working... so much for a relaxing vacation."
Seiya remained in his spot in the shadow, keeping a watchful eye on his beloved. It felt like an eternity for him, but he patiently waited in the shade until Usagi, along with Shingo, finally approached. Her eyes were reddened from tears, but a loving smile adorned her face. She gently reached her hand out to Seiya and pulled him to her side. "Shingo, I'd like to introduce you to someone. This is Seiya... Seiya, meet my younger brother, Shingo," she introduced the two. Seiya extended his hand to Shingo, who shook it without hesitation. "Pleasure to meet you. Usagi has told me a lot about you," Seiya said and winked at Usagi. "Oh dear... I hope only good things," joked the younger one. "Of course. What do you think of me?" complained his sister with mock indignation.
"In that case, come inside. Amy was already here earlier; the food has been delivered. After Setsuna's training, you must be quite hungry, right, Shingo?" Seiya suggested, opening the terrace door. His warm gaze rested on Shingo as he spoke, and a slight smile played on his lips. "And how! She only gives you a small lunch pack in the morning, and then you're out of luck for the rest of the day..." joked Shingo. However, as he entered the living room and met Setsuna's sharp gaze, he fell silent abruptly. A hint of discomfort lingered in the air when Setsuna addressed him directly. "Did you want to question my training methods, Shorty?" she inquired, sipping her drink calmly, her voice calm but assertive, and her eyes sparkled challengingly. "No, no. Not at all. Your training is truly unique," Shingo tried to appease his trainer, casting an apologetic glance her way.
At that moment, Amy entered the living room, carrying a large tray of aromatic food. An enticing smell of freshly prepared dishes filled the room, and the atmosphere became even cozier. Her smile widened a bit as she noticed Shingo. "Ah, you must be Shingo, Serena's brother, right?" Amy beamed at him, extending her hand. "I'm Amy." Shingo returned the smile and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Amy." "Would you like to sit? The food is ready," Amy suggested, pointing to the large dining table adorned with various delicacies. Her warm smile invited everyone to take a seat. The food smelled delicious, and the atmosphere in the room was illuminated by a warm glow. The siblings, Seiya, and Setsuna took their places at the festively set table, while Amy cheerfully served the food. Shingo could hardly contain himself and already explored the culinary delights with his eyes. "Thank you, Amy. It looks really delicious," Shingo said as his eyes analyzed the dishes on the table. Amy blushed slightly, modestly waving off the compliment. "Thank you, but I don't deserve any special praise for this. It's all ordered from catering. I just arranged it."
The feeling of togetherness slowly developed as they enjoyed the meal and got lost in light conversations. The mood was relaxed, and gradually, the tensions eased. "Where is Taiki, by the way?" Seiya eventually asked, noticing that his brother was still absent. As if waiting for his cue, Taiki finally entered the room. The laptop was tucked under his arm, and he wore a slightly embarrassed smile as he placed it on the counter. "Apologies for my delay. Work had me tightly in its grip again," he mumbled and sat down next to Amy, who smiled affectionately at him.
He served some of the dishes onto his plate and then began to speak. His voice was calm, but anyone who knew him could clearly hear his concerns. "By the way, Yaten won't be gracing us here anymore. There were some complications; he didn't want to go into details... I genuinely hope it's nothing serious and that he can handle it on his own," Taiki began reporting on the recent events. His gaze wandered lovingly to Usagi. "I've already forwarded the pictures to our spokesperson, and everything should go according to plan. Tomorrow, in the New Year's edition, the greetings from the honeymoon will be published, and the announcement that Seiya is now off the market as well... Serena, I'd like to take a few more pictures with you tomorrow or the day after to make the whole thing more believable. Perhaps even one where we announce the pregnancy, or is it too early for that?" Taiki continued with his monologue.
Shingo, who had just taken a sip of his drink, suddenly sprayed the contents over the table, and all eyes were on him. However, he only focused on his sister. "Usa? What is he talking about?" Shingo asked, a bit overwhelmed. He clearly believed he had misheard and hoped that his sister would logically explain everything to him. Usagi noticed that she was blushing and fidgeted awkwardly with her napkin. "Um... Well... How do I start," she stammered, pondering how to explain all these chaotic situations to her brother. She sighed tensely. "Okay, little brother... I've already introduced you to Seiya," she began, and Shingo nodded. "And this," she gestured to Taiki, "is Taiki, my husband, Seiya's brother." Shingo looked completely confused now. "Wait a moment. So, just to make sure I understand: He's your husband, but you're kissing his brother?"
Usagi visibly struggled to maintain her composure. "Yes... Well, it's really not easy to explain, but yes. Taiki and I are officially married, but I'm with Seiya, and he's with Amy... I know, it all sounds very complicated, but I'll explain it to you calmly someday." Shingo furrowed his brow, and Usagi immediately recognized that he was contemplating. "And what did he mean by pregnancy?" The blonde looked embarrassedly from Seiya to Taiki and then to Shingo. "Yes, I actually wanted to tell you differently, but congratulations. You're going to be an uncle."
Abruptly, Shingo pushed his chair back and stood up. Shaking his head, he walked several laps from the dining area to the living room and back. "And who is the father?" "That would be me," Taiki's voice sounded. He, too, had now risen and was observing his brother-in-law. "And now please sit back at the table. I'm sure Serena will explain everything to you calmly in the next few days."
Before anyone could further engage in the discussion, a loud bang echoed through the air. It was fireworks exploding in the darkness, and the sparkling lights illuminated the night sky. It was midnight. The new year had begun. Amy's gaze shifted to the clock. "Oh, damn, it's already midnight. Why don't we go outside and watch the fireworks?" she suggested. "What a fantastic idea!" exclaimed Usagi, jumping up, grabbing Seiya's hand, and pulling him along. The others followed them with amused smiles. They gathered on the terrace together and watched the distant fireworks lighting up the sky. Usagi stood in Seiya's arms, their gazes fixed on the colorful spectacle. Taiki stood next to Amy, and Setsuna and Shingo stood a bit apart from each other.