Chapter 41
Yaten's facial expression completely unraveled. Overwhelmed, he stared at his blonde sister-in-law. Then he started another video. "Are you really sure that was the voice you spoke to?" he stammered. Usagi nodded. "Yes, without a doubt. That probably means my sister is still alive."
Yaten's face had turned chalky white by now. "What did she say? I mean exactly! Remember, every word could be important!" he suddenly pressed her. Usagi thought for a moment, closed her eyes, and tried to recall the brief phone call. "At first, she wanted to know if I was okay, if Kenji had done anything to me... Then she said she had expected Taiki to be a good man. When I asked her if she was my sister, her response was only that Minako Tsukino was dead... from then on, she was brief. I should give my number to Rei. She would contact me in a few weeks, and then we would meet... Oh, and at some point, she also said that the whole damn old men's group should go to hell."
The last sentence elicited a grin from Yaten. "That's definitely my Mina. Always in battle mode for justice." "But what did she mean by that?" Usagi asked, still not fully understanding all the connections. "The old men are Kenji Tsukino, Hiroshi Chiba, and Kakashi Kou, my father. Until a few years ago, they collectively formed the top of Tokyo. You're probably already familiar with the superficial business, but it goes much deeper than it appears on the surface. Drugs, smuggling, money laundering, forced prostitution, and even human trafficking are part of their daily business, just as endless sessions and negotiations... and precisely this part Mina tried to undermine, sometimes with smaller, sometimes with larger successes. I'll stop my explanations here. I'm sorry, Serena, but let Tai explain the whole mess; it would take too long to explain everything to you. I... I have to go now... Don't do anything stupid and stay in the apartment. I have to attend a meeting for a few hours," said Yaten, suddenly seeming to be in a hurry.
At that moment, Usagi realized that behind Yaten's often cool facade, there must be a softer core. Her gaze followed him as he left the apartment.
Hardly had the door closed behind him when Yaten sank to the floor against the wall, his head resting on his knees. He needed to process all the new information. Minako was alive. This information echoed through his mind over and over. He had been right all along. She was alive, even though she was probably now married to Chiba. It was as if a ton of weight had fallen off his shoulders. He wiped away a few tears with the back of his hand and tried to regain control.
Yaten needed a few minutes to pull himself back up on his feet.
After some consideration, he took out his phone. He scrolled through his contacts, and soon he found the number he needed. Setsuna. She was on-site. It had to be her to create a better picture of Mrs. Chiba; even though he already knew, he needed further confirmation. It rang several times, but eventually, he reached the voicemail. "Suna, I want you to call me back as soon as you hear this. It's important!" His voice sounded urgent, and Yaten hoped that Setsuna would react soon, although he was aware of the time difference. It was the middle of the night for her now.
Taiki sat alone in his spacious office; the walls around him seemed to press in on his thoughts. Despite having several contracts to review, his concentration was gone, and his mind kept drifting back to Amy, whom he hadn't even properly bid farewell. A sense of incompleteness weighed on him, heightened by the fact that he didn't know what she was doing at the moment. He wondered if she had already arrived in Switzerland.
His fingers slid over the display of his phone, where he had pulled up a picture of Amy. The memory of her smile brought both comfort and pain. A pang of longing ran through him, and his heart contracted painfully. The impulse to call her was held back by the clear memory of her words – she needed time for herself, and he respected that, even though it plunged his thoughts into a whirlwind of uncertainty.
A gentle knock interrupted his thoughts. The door opened, and one of his assistants entered, bringing the light of reality into the muted office. "Mr. Kou, you asked me to schedule a gynecologist appointment for your wife. It wasn't easy, especially before the holidays, but I managed to secure an appointment for today at 2 PM. Should I confirm it?" Taiki lifted his head, his gaze appearing disoriented. "Yes, please. Also, make sure to cancel the other appointments for today. I wish you happy holidays." His assistant nodded curtly, left the office, and Taiki remained alone. He decided to call it a day; he couldn't concentrate anymore.
On his way to his car, he reached for his phone and dialed Usagi's number. Now she was the one he needed to focus on – the mother of his child, he reassured himself, listening to the rhythmic ringing. "Um... Yes?" Usagi answered after a while. "Serena, I managed to get a doctor's appointment for you this afternoon. I'll pick you up for lunch, and then we'll go together. Is that okay with you?" "A doctor's appointment? Why... Oh... I see... Alright, see you in a bit."
Taiki waited in the tower's underground parking lot. When Usagi arrived, he once again found himself captivated by her presence. Her outfit carried unmistakable notes of Petzite, making his wife undoubtedly eye-catching. Taiki opened the passenger door, and Usagi joined him. He had chosen an upscale restaurant in the heart of Tokyo.
The waiter led them to a beautiful table by the window, adorned with a subtle touch of Christmas decorations. While studying the menu, Usagi noticed the absence in Taiki's gaze. His usually attentive demeanor seemed to be clouded by something else. "Taiki, is everything okay? You're so quiet today... even quieter than usual," she asked with concern. He shook his head briefly, as if trying to free himself from his thoughts. "Yes, everything is fine, Serena. I just have a lot on my plate right now, both business-wise and... well, the news of the pregnancy honestly caught me off guard." Usagi gave him an encouraging smile. "Not just you. Who could have guessed it would happen so quickly? It still feels somewhat unreal."
Usagi sensed that behind Taiki's smile, there were hidden thoughts he didn't want to share with her. His gaze betrayed deep contemplation, as if he were grappling with inner restlessness. The shadow of Amy still lingered in his thoughts, but it was something he couldn't articulate.
Meanwhile, the waiter came to take their order, and shortly after, they turned their attention to their meals. Amidst the festive atmosphere, they tried to engage in light small talk, discussing everyday things and savoring their food.
After the meal, Taiki suggested walking the short distance back to the clinic. He hoped the wintry cold would bring a breath of fresh air to his thoughts. Usagi agreed, and they walked arm in arm through the bustling city streets, enveloped in the festive lights and adorned shop windows that created a warm atmosphere.
Passing by the colorful stores preparing for the holiday, Usagi suddenly found herself in contemplation. She hadn't organized any Christmas presents yet. But what do you gift someone who already has everything? Taiki and Seiya both had enough money to buy whatever they desired.
Her gaze fell on the lovingly decorated shop windows, and she decided to go shopping with Makoto tomorrow, even if it was a day before Christmas Eve; she was confident she would find something.
Finally, they reached the clinic: Dr. Akiko Tanaka, read a large sign on the door. A modern facility in white and light green colors. The reception area exuded calmness, yet with each step, the two of them became more nervous. The woman behind the reception desk looked up kindly. "How may I assist you?" she asked politely.
"Good day, Kou. My wife has an appointment with you shortly," Taiki took over.
"Oh, yes, right. Kou, it says here you've never been here before, correct?" Usagi shook her head.
"Then please fill out these forms, and afterward, you can proceed to the intake examination," the receptionist explained, handing Usagi a stack of papers. Usagi sat in the waiting area, her thoughts on a rollercoaster as she studied and filled out the forms. Taiki sat beside her, holding her hand to provide support. "It's just a routine check-up, Serena. Everything will be fine; no need to be nervous," he whispered reassuringly.
The woman behind the reception desk looked up and called out, "Mrs. Kou, when you've filled out the forms, you can come for the intake examination." Taiki took the papers from her. "Go ahead, I'll finish the rest and join you shortly. I know the insurance details by heart."
Usagi swallowed and made her way. A friendly nurse guided Usagi to an examination room. There, she was weighed, her blood pressure was measured, and a general inquiry about risk factors followed. As soon as the examinations were completed, Taiki was back by her side.
The doctor greeted them warmly, leafing through Usagi's filled-out documents. "How are you, Mrs. Kou? If I understand correctly, this is your first pregnancy, which must be incredibly exciting for both of you," she said. The words triggered a mix of joy and uncertainty in Usagi. "Yes, that's correct. I still can't quite believe it."
She went through the completed forms. "The documents look good so far," Dr. Tanaka continued, smiling. "Are you interested in having an ultrasound? It's still early, but we could get at least an initial assessment."
Taiki looked at Usagi, and she felt his slight unease. "Is that possible at this stage?" she asked cautiously. The doctor patiently explained, "Yes, as I mentioned, it's still quite early, but we can at least see the gestational sac to determine its position. It won't be much, but it could make the anticipation of the baby a bit more tangible for you."
Usagi nodded and said, "Yes, I would like to have an ultrasound." The doctor instructed Usagi to undress from the waist down. However, she was overwhelmed because, from movies, she knew ultrasounds were done over the abdomen. "Why should I undress now?" she asked with a lump in her throat.
"Since the gestational sac is very small at this early stage, the ultrasound will be done vaginally to detect something. Through the abdominal wall, it will only be possible in a few weeks when the embryo has gained size," Dr. Tanaka explained in detail.
Immediately, a embarrassed blush spread across Usagi's face. Of course, she was married to Taiki, and they had at least once been intimate. He knew her body, and yet she felt a bit ashamed. She went into the makeshift-looking changing area and took a deep breath.
Usagi took off her pants and underwear, then nervously took a seat on the examination table, while Taiki stood behind her head. He sensed her discomfort and kept his gaze on the monitor of the ultrasound machine to give her some privacy.
The doctor began the ultrasound, and Usagi flinched briefly as the device was gently inserted. The nervous fluttering in her stomach intensified, accompanied by an excited pounding in her chest. While the doctor conducted the scan, a contemplative expression appeared on her face. At the beginning, Taiki and Usagi could barely discern anything, just black and white dots on the screen.
The doctor froze the image and began to explain, "Here, you see the uterus. And if we zoom in closer..." She gently maneuvered the device. "There's the gestational sac. At this stage, it's still too early to clearly see the embryo, but you can see this small structure... that's the yolk sac with the corpus luteum." Usagi tried to focus on the screen as the doctor pointed out various areas. Taiki felt her tension and reassuringly placed his hand on her shoulder. The doctor continued, "Everything looks as it should be at this stage. The heartbeat is not visible yet, but that's normal." Again, the doctor's expression shifted, catching Taiki's attention. "Is everything okay?" he asked, slightly concerned.
The doctor froze the image again and explained that it wasn't entirely clear yet. "Here," she pointed to an area on the image, "it seems a second gestational sac has formed." Usagi was completely overwhelmed and asked with a trembling voice, "What does that mean?" The doctor smiled reassuringly, "It's possible that you have a twin pregnancy. In this case, they would be fraternal twins. It's not certain yet, as hardly anything is visible in the second gestational sac. It's possible that it's what we call a blighted ovum – a gestational sac where no embryo forms. We'll only find out at the next examination. It could also be that the second ovulation was delayed – unusual but entirely possible since the gestational sac itself is smaller. In this phase of pregnancy, even a few days make a significant difference; please have some patience, and in a week, we'll know more."
Usagi and Taiki were both shocked. The doctor signaled Usagi to get dressed again. In a daze, she staggered back to the changing area. It was already difficult for her to grasp the idea of having one child, and now the doctor suggested there might be twins.
"Mrs. Kou, please get a follow-up appointment at the front desk; I'd like to take another look in a week to confirm everything," the doctor said calmly.
Meanwhile, Taiki asked, "What happens if it's a blighted ovum? Do we need to consider anything?" "No, the other embryo is developing well for its weeks. There won't be any intervention, just observation, but you can ensure that your wife gets enough rest. I wish you all the best and happy holidays. We'll see each other next week."
When Usagi emerged from the changing room, Taiki forced a smile, which Usagi returned with an uneasy feeling. Suddenly, she longed for Seiya; she wished he were with her in this moment.