25.) From Love

Saturday February 13th, 2021

Kaya took a deep breath as she looked at herself in the mirror trying to calm her nerves. She and Toru agreed to celebrate Valentine's day today rather than tomorrow so as not to need to worry about getting up for work the next morning, allowing them to stay up late if they wanted to. More than that though, Kaya decided tonight was the night she was finally ready to have sex.

It took her four days after Kenji's arrest before she felt safe to go sleep at her place, and each night Toru did all that he could to make sure she was as comfortable as possible. He always offered to sleep on the couch, or in the guest room after Takeru left, never assuming that just because she wanted him next to her the night before meant she would want the same again that night.

Every night she asked him to stay by her side, and each time he obliged and made sure not to initiate touching her. He never once tried to get her to have sex with him, kept his hands in appropriate places, like her shoulder or arm as they cuddled, and let her come to him for any kisses. He would announce himself before entering a room after he saw her jump a little her first morning at his place when he came into the kitchen with her.

Toru had been nothing but kind and caring to her. She'd already trusted him so much with her physical wellbeing and as a friend, but even despite how much she liked him, she was still terrified to trust him with her heart. That fear was brutally murdered by his considerate actions. Now was the perfect time to open the relationship to sex, but it still didn't make her any less nervous.

She couldn't help but laugh a little at her reflection. Her red 50's style dress with white polka dots, side waist bow, short sleeves, and black buttons on the bodice fit her perfectly. The white tights you could see from her knee down and plain black heels gave her the look of pure innocence.

It was knowing she was wearing a black thong with red shoestring bows on each side, a matching bra with the bow at her cleavage, and a matching black garter belt holding utp the knee highs she wore that she was most eager for Toru to see.

Hearing the knock Toru started using to let her know when it's him, she quickly picks up her perfume and sprays it on herself before heading to the door to meet him. "Oh wow, you're prettier than a pin up model." He tells her, eyeing her slowly from head to toe.

"Thank you, you look dashing as always." Kaya complimented, loving that he asked what color her dress was and wore a red button down shirt to match her. His black pants were freshly pressed and he wore a white rose pinned to his shirt.

"These are for you." He smiles, handing over a dozen white roses. "I only have one vase, what am I supposed to do with these when you sent daisies this morning?" Kaya chuckles at him, smelling the flowers. "Ok, then let's get them into one of your tea pitcher's for now and we can buy you some new vases tomorrow." He suggests with a mischievous grin. Kaya laughs and motions for him to follow her in as she goes to the kitchen to take up his suggestion.

After getting the roses settled, the couple walked out to the car, the usual routine of Toru helping Kaya into the car. Kaya didn't bother asking where they were going, starting to get used to him liking to surprise her with it. Instead she turned it into a game, watching where he would turn and making guesses as to where they were headed.

As they started down Milledge Avenue and drove more away from town, Kaya scrunched up her nose trying to figure out where they were headed, until it suddenly came to her. "Did you get tickets to the Botanical Garden Dinner?" She asks excitedly. "Maybe." Toru responds.

"Are you serious? Didn't they sell those out at the end of December?" Kaya asks. "I was going to ask you to go as friends, figured since it was the 13th instead of the 14th I might stand a chance, but this is a lot better I have to admit." He grins, sparing her a quick glance.

Kaya let out a happy little squeal. She always wanted to go to one of the functions they have at the State Botanical Gardens, but she usually either didn't get a ticket in time or Kenji would refuse to go and she couldn't find someone else willing to accompany her. She considered going alone, but Kenji would complain that she shouldn't be going to fancy parties without him.

The pair pulled up into the parking lot out front of the conservatory and made their way to the front entrance hand in hand. Kaya looked around in amazement, the February sun already nearly out of the sky cast a beautiful glow on the large fountain and lily pads out front. "Name?" The man admitting people asks. "Oikawa." Toru replies with a smile and a light squeeze to Kaya's hand.

"Welcome to the Conservatory at the Botanical Garden." He told them with a smile, allowing them to enter. As they walked in Kaya gasped at the white fairy lights that seemingly floated over the tables that were set out in the atrium of the conservatory. "Champagne?" A waiter asked, holding a tray with the beverage on it. "Kaya?" Toru asks. "Yes please." She responds, accepting one from the waiter as Toru says he'll have one too.

"You know, I've never actually been here." Toru admits. Kaya feels a little guilty when she realizes she never did bring him out here for the tour. "Sorry, I was actually out here not long after you came to Date Tech to see the fall leaves and clear my head. Haven't been all winter though. We'll have to come and look at the gardens sometime. Oh, and the chapel, there's an amazing chapel that you wouldn't believe." She beams.

Toru smiles lightly at her and takes her free hand. "Looks like there's some stuff we can see in here too, will you show me?" He asks gently. Kaya looks around and sees that others are still arriving or mingling, no one having taken their seats yet. "Yeah ok." Kaya agrees, walking with Toru over to the trail that takes them down and into the tropical plant exhibit.

Just as they reach the first of the plants, Toru's phone rings and he makes a guilty face and pulls it from his pocket to place it on silent. "Hajime, I'm sure he forgot we were going out tonight instead of tomorrow." He tells her, placing the phone back in his pocket. "Oh ok." She smiles back at him, taking his hand again and walking down into the trail to look at the trees.

Halfway through the exhibit, Toru stops and takes his phone from his pocket. "I'm sorry Kaya, Hajime keeps calling so it must be important." He tells her gently, gaining an understanding nod from her. "Hey man, everything ok?" He asks before listening for a minute. His expression goes from concern to shock within seconds. "What when?" He asks loud enough that several others look over at him.

Kaya gives the others an apologetic wave and tries not to get mad at the older couple near them when the wife says how rude he is to his date to be on the phone. "Shit, I'm with Kaya right now, I'll have to take her home first. Unless she wants to come and you're ok with it." Toru speaks into the phone, causing Kaya to look at him quizzically. "Yeah ok, I'll see you soon Haji." Toru says before quickly ending the call.

"Hikari's water just broke not even 10 minutes ago!" Toru tells Kaya excitedly, her confused expression becoming one of amazement. "Oh wow, time to go then." She tells him sweetly. He pulls her into him and kisses her lightly on the head and holds her close as he speaks. "I'm sorry Kaya. I promise I'll make this up to you. You're welcome to come with me to Atlanta if you'd like. Or I can take you home. I have to go by my place anyway." Toru tells her.

Kaya thinks it over for a moment, she had met Hikari a few times and they'd become friends on Facebook and Twitter. She knew Toru was being named godfather so it made sense for him to be there, but she didn't want to feel like she was intruding, but Hajime had said it was ok and Toru said it like he wanted her to come along. "I wouldn't be in the way?" She asks. "Not at all." He soothes.

Kaya thinks for another moment and looks up at Toru. "I'll come with you." She tells him with a smile and finds his lips quickly pressing against hers in happiness. "Thank you beautiful, let's go." He enthuses, grabbing her hand and making his way back out the way they'd come.

"Excuse us." and "Pardon." We're all the couple said as they made their way out. They stopped at the front and let the wait staff know an emergency had come up and they would be leaving then they made their way to the car quickly.

They didn't talk to one another as Toru sped his way back to his apartment, other than Toru asking Kaya if she'd like to stop by her place to change. Deciding that might add too much time since she declined and told him that she was comfortable enough in her dress. Toru asked her if she was sure, even if it was just to get shoes that weren't heels and she insisted she was fine and used to wearing heels as a short woman who works in an office.

Toru asked Kaya to come in and use the restroom at least so they wouldn't have to worry about any stops or anything and she obliged. Toru quickly grabbed a backpack he had sitting in his room, opened it up, added a pair of pajama bottoms, a tee shirt, socks, and a pair of slippers then zipped it back up. He then grabbed three gift bags and took them out to the car then headed back in and used the restroom instead.

Now being ready to go the couple made their way back out to the car. Toru helped Kaya into the car as always then got in and headed for the highway. Kaya looked in the backseat and smiled at the gifts sitting there before turning around. "One for Hajime, one for Hikari, and one for the baby." Toru told her happily, picking up speed after successfully merging into traffic.

Not wanting to distract Toru from the road, especially since he was speeding, Kaya decided to remain silent on the ride there, after a few minutes Toru turned on his Spotify account and bopped his head to the music, eyes glued to the road ahead of him. The drive that should have taken little more than an hour with the traffic took them only 50 minutes with how quickly Toru drove and use of the HOV lane.

Toru placed the backpack over his left shoulder, held the gifts in the left hand, then helped Kaya out of the car before taking her hand and walking into the hospital with her. They approached the information desk and a woman of about 30 looked up at them. "Toru Oikawa, what do we owe for displeasure?" She asks, somewhat annoyed by his presence. "Hikari Iwaizumi. She's in L&D, which number?" He asks gruffly, not caring about the woman's attitude.

The woman let out a sigh and shook her head. "I can tell you how to get to L&D, but they have their own security measures up there, it'll be up to them if they tell you which one she's in." She looks over at Kaya then back to Toru. "So what, you get some poor girl pregnant then drag your new flavor of the week with you for the birth?" She asks flippantly. "She's our friend. And I'm his girlfriend, not some flavor of the week." Kaya tells her pointily.

The woman sucks her teeth and shakes her head at Kaya, "Don't get too attached honey, this one's the type to tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to open your legs then when he's bored you just never hear from him again." She tells her. "We'll find it on our own, thanks for your lack of help." Toru seethes, leading Kaya away. "Man what a bitch." He complains as they walk away.

Kaya looks back at the woman at the desk and then to Toru. "Past conquest?" She asks. "No, a well-meaning best friend of one who rightfully hates me. Remember how I told you I avoided women then hooked up with one when I was really drunk and didn't feel so lonely?" He asks her, reading signs and making turns as he speaks. "Yeah." Kaya replies.

"Well her best friend was that girl. At first I tried to not let it be a cheap one night stand, I tried, like really hard to get more started with this girl. But I hated being near her unless we were drunk and naked. She could sense my unhappiness, but not wanting to be alone again I kept insisting it was in her head. Three weeks later she told me she really liked me and I just kind of snapped and told her she could never be enough for me and left." He confesses, getting onto an elevator.

Kaya nodded slowly and looked at the other five people on the elevator unsure if she should respond right now. "I told you I was horrible." Toru told her in a broken voice. "I seem to recall telling you that you're not the monster you think you are. Maybe one day you can find the woman and apologize." Kaya suggests, causing Toru to look at her. "I don't deserve you." He told her with a broken yet sincere smile.

Kaya pulled herself into his side and slipped a hand around his waist. "Oh but you do. And I'm learning I deserve you as well." She replies, hearing an aww behind her. "I love you." Toru whispers. Kaya looked up at him and gave him a chaste kiss, her typical reaction to him telling her he loved her since she still wasn't ready to say it yet. The elevator finally reached the floor they needed and they stepped off.

The couple followed the signs to the L&D entrance and pressed the buzzer outside the door. "How can we help you?" A voice spoke. "We're here for the Iwaizumi's." Toru responded. "May I have your names please?" The voice responds. "Toru Oikawa and Kaya Moniwa." He responds. The door makes a buzzing sound and Toru quickly opens it stepping inside. "Mr. Iwaizumi said you would be here, I need to see ID to verify please." The security guard informed them.

Toru quickly pulled out his wallet while Kaya got into her purse, both producing their ID to the security guard. "You can have a seat in waiting room 3 and someone will let the Iwaizumi's know you're here in a moment." He told them, giving back their ID cards. Toru thanked him and the couple made their way down the hall looking for the waiting room they were told to use.

After sitting in the waiting room for about 15 minutes, a nurse came in and told Toru to follow her. Kaya gave him a wave and reassuring smile and Toru disappeared behind the nurse. 5 minutes later Hajime came out and sat in the chair next to Kaya's. He places his elbows on his knees and puts his head between his legs with his hands covering his dark brown hair.

Kaya reaches over and rubs his back soothingly. "You ok Hajime?" She asks. "It's really happening." He says in a shocked tone. "I'm going to be a dad." He adds with fear in his voice. "Hey, come on. You've kept Toru in line for years. This whole dad thing will be a breeze after that." Kaya jokes, pulling a laugh from Hajime. "Thanks Kaya. I really needed a laugh. It's hard to watch the woman you love screaming in pain like that." He confesses.

Kaya shifts in her seat uncomfortably when she hears Hikari's voice yelling at someone, but she's unable to make it out. "Oh good, she's pissed at someone who isn't me this time. Probably Toru." Hajime says amused. Kaya chuckles and moves her hand as he sits up. "I came out to get something to drink and to thank you for coming. I'd imagine Toru will be in and out of the room, but he's kind of my support while I support my lovely wife." He tells her.

"That's ok. He can stay in there the whole time. I don't mind. I wasn't really sure if I should come, but I thought Hikari and I have been becoming good friends and I would love to see the baby. Since you said it was ok I figured, why not." She confesses. Hajime just gives her a gentle smile. "Hikari actually wanted to ask you if you would come a few days ago, but I told her she might scare you off." He laughs.

Kaya looks at him in surprise, not having realized she was actually wanted by her new friend. "Anyway, my parents and the Sugawara's are on their way here as well, you won't be alone out here the whole time. After the baby is born and we get moved to the maternity side you can come in and see her." Hajime beams.

"Have y'all decided on a name yet?" Kaya asks. "No, we still haven't agreed on anything yet." He tells her, standing from his seat. He walks over to the vending machine and gets a Coke. "Want something?" He asks. "No thanks, I'm good." She tells him.

"I'm glad you're here Kaya. Hikari doesn't have many friends, most everyone she works with is much older than her and since she's not from around here she and her old friends drifted from the distance. Plus, you've been really good for Toru. He's been a kinder person in general since meeting you. You must really love him." He tells her calmly.

Kaya's face turns strawberry red at his last statement. "I don't… I mean, he's really precious to me and I." "Sorry, sorry! Didn't mean to make you nervous. Maybe you're not there yet, but you have to be getting there. No way would you just easily leave your Valentine's date and sit in a hospital for who knows how long if you didn't." He tells her as he heads back out. "Anyway, thanks for being here. See you later." He says, before turning and going.

Another thirty minutes passed when a man and woman in their late 50's to early 60's came into the room, stopping when they saw Kaya. "Aunt Shira and Uncle Haru! So good to see you." Toru beamed from behind the couple, making them turn. Kaya smiles at them as they all hug one another, the couple telling Toru how nice he looks and it's good to see him before they turn their attention back on Kaya.

Toru makes his way over to her and offers his hand for her to stand, holding her hand he approaches the couple and then puts his arm around her happily. "This is Kaya, I've told you all about her on the phone. Kaya, this is Shira and Haru Iwaizumi, Hajime's parents." He introduces with enthusiasm. "Oh, it's very lovely to meet you." Kaya tells them with a smile, holding her hand out.

They both smile widely at her. "You're cute as a button." Haru tells her with a friendly smile. "Oh stop it, she's a woman not a child. She's gorgeous." His wife intercedes, with Toru immediately agreeing with her. "You've always had a good eye aunt Shira." He tells her, kissing Kaya on top of the head. "You're all too kind. Thank you." Kaya speaks up, her cheeks still pink.

Toru catches Hajime's parents up on what's going on in the delivery room, telling them that Hikari is four centimeters and hasn't gotten an epidural since she didn't want to be stuck in the bed. Shira asks if she's allowed in the delivery room and Toru takes her to show her the way before coming back in and sitting with Kaya and Haru for a bit, having a bottle of water.

About 20 minutes later Shira came back out and Toru told Kaya he'd come check on her again in a bit, kissing her cheek before he took off. Kaya talked with the Iwaizumi's about what they thought the baby's name should be and how excited they were for a grandchild. The Iwaizumis told Kaya how they weren't able to have Hajime until their mid 30's after years of trying, so for him to have a child before thirty was very exciting for them.

Kaya excused herself to go to the restroom. On her way back to the waiting room she heard several voices speaking to one another, Haru's voice saying something about liking someone. Coming around the corner, Haru looked at her and gave a smile. "Speaking of the devil, welcome back dear." He tells her with a smile, gesturing for her to come over to him.

"This is Asa and Miki Sugawara, Hikari's parents. And this is her older brother Koushi!" Haru introduces. "Hello again Koushi, nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Sugawara." Kaya tells them kindly. "Just Miki is fine, Asa and I divorced years ago, but we still get along well enough, which is great for times like these." Hikari's mother tells her. "So you've met our Koushi then?" She adds.

Koushi gives Kaya a sad smile. "Yes ma'am, we met at Toru's Christmas Eve dinner." He tells them. "Oh, of course, I forgot you went to that this year. Of course you would have met his girlfriend then." Miki chuckles, shaking her head at her own forgetfulness. "We were just friends then actually. We started dating on January 16th." She informs them.

"Oh, I see. Well you two make a really cute couple." Koushi smiles, rubbing the back of his head and giving a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, thanks." Kaya says, feeling a little bad seeing for certain now that her mom was right about him trying to flirt with her at the dinner. Sensing the slight tension between the two Asa cleared his throat. "It's nice to meet you Kaya." He tells her, holding his hand out to shake.

Kaya shakes his hand and Shira takes Miki to the delivery room. Kaya takes her seat again and looks around at the small waiting room. There will now be five to six people in the room with 10 seats. She picks up the gift bags from the seat next to her, moves the backpack into it, then puts the gifts on top of it. Koushi seems to take this as an invitation to take a seat next to her and gives her an awkward smile.

Kaya smiles back at him and tries to think of something to say but he speaks first. "Take it your Valentine's day plans got cancelled?" He asks, looking at her dress. Kaya laughs nervously, realizing that Haru and Asa are listening in on their conversation. "Well yeah, but it's not a big deal. Babies are only born once and when they are good and ready, Toru and I can have other dates." She tells him with a genuine smile

Koushi nods his head, a small smile on his face. "Toru sure is lucky to have you." He says in a soft voice. "So he says." Kaya responds, rubbing her arm. "You cold?" Koushi asks. "A little, but I'll be ok." She tells him. "Where's your jacket?" He asks. "I kinda got vomited on in the bathroom so I had to take it off. A nurse said she'd put it in a bag and bring it to me, but it was an older one so I just tossed it." She tells him.

Koushi stands and removes his jacket then offers it to Kaya. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly. I'll be fine." She tells him. "You're cold." He states plainly. "Well yeah, but you'll get cold, plus…" She falls short and looks away.

"Plus what?" He asks. "Plus I won't like it." Toru says entering the room. Kaya looks at him in surprise and gives a pleading look for him not to get angry with Koushi. "It's just a coat. You'd rather her be cold?" Koushi asks angrily.

Toru walks over and crouches in front of her, moving his hand up to her face and caressing her cheek. "Of course not. But I know that's what she was thinking. Come on beautiful, I told you I'm not like that." He flashes her a smile.

"But now that I know you're cold, I'll go grab my coat real quick and come right back. You're right, it's cold out here and he'll get cold without his jacket. There's a lot of bodies in the other room so it isn't as cold." He tells her gently, leaving a kiss on her forehead before standing and walking back out.

Koushi puts his coat back on and sits back down next to Kaya. "You look relieved. I have to say, I thought he might be an asshole about it, but I guess not." Koushi tells her. "I have to remind myself sometimes that he isn't a jealous asshole who can't handle me being friendly towards another man. It's my fault you thought he would actually get pissed." Kaya tells him in a low voice.

"Nah, I thought he wouldn't like it even before I asked you, but I figured he'd like you being cold less. Trust me, he still wouldn't have liked it. If he's anything like he was with his wife with you then it's not really that he gets jealous, just upset if the guy tries anything. He knows me well enough to know I'd never hit on his girlfriend." Koushi finishes as Toru comes back in.

Toru makes his way over and kisses Kaya's forehead. "Happy Valentine's day, beautiful." He tells her. Kaya just looks at him like he's weird and he chuckles. "It's 12:02. That's why I took the break now. Won't be much longer either, she's nearly ready to push so I do have to get going. I'll see you soon, ok." Kaya smiles at him and nods. "Happy Valentine's Day Toru." She tells him as he kisses her cheek and walks away.

Koushi lets out a single chuckle and leans back in his chair. "Guess it's for the best that you never did call. I was going to try to find out if you had feelings for him and if you didn't ask you out, but that nauseatingly adorable display tells me that you two were destined to be together eventually." He sighs. Kaya looks at him and starts laughing really loudly, holding her sides and trying to gain her composure.

"Believe it or not, like a week before we started dating I went shopping with my mom and Mina, Toru's mom, and Mina asked me about dinner that night. That led to my mom pointing out that you were trying to flirt with me. The fact I didn't realize it on my own was one of the first things that clicked in my mind that I liked him as more than a friend." She tells him, still laughing a little. "Well, I'm glad I could be of some help then." Koushi tells her genuinely, favoring her with a large smile.

Kaya, the two Sugawara men, and Haru sat in silence for the next half an hour until they heard the sound of a lullaby play and excitedly started chatting saying they wondered if that was Hikari and Hajime's baby. Two minutes later Toru came back into the waiting room and wrapped Kaya into a big hug. "She's here! She's so tiny too." He tells everyone in the waiting room gleefully.

Everyone started chatting happily, asking when they could go in and see the baby. Shira and Mika walked in and smiled at everyone, explaining they were cleaning up Hikari and the baby before moving them to their recovery room and they could go in then. Everyone excitedly talked and started taking turns to go to the bathroom ahead of being able to go into the room.

Hajime came out beaming and held up his phone, hitting play on "Isn't she Lovely." By Stevie Wonder with tears in his eyes. "His father pulled him into a hug and patted his back as Hajime sobbed gently into him a moment before pulling away and wiping his eyes. "Come on and meet Ikigai everyone." He tells them with a smile that lights up the room. Everyone starts happily talking about the baby's name and following him down the hall.

Opening the door, Kaya decided to hang back and let everyone else go in, not wanting to intrude on family time. "You ok?" Toru asked, noticing she wasn't coming in. "Just giving everyone a second." She tells him. Toru nods and leans against the door frame opposite her, the couple listening to the happy chatter about how cute and tiny Ikigai is.

"I thought Kaya was here with Toru." Hikari said, looking around the room with confusion. "We're here. Kaya just didn't want to intrude on family time." Toru called in from the door. "Don't be silly, get in here." She replies, Toru smiling at her and gesturing for her to enter, gripping the gift bags tighter and securing his backpack more onto his shoulder as she walks into the room.

"Hey Hikari." Kaya whispers, not wanting to startle the tiny pink bundle sleeping peacefully in Koushi's arms. "Oh you look so cute. Sorry about your big Valentine's day date." She responds. "You look really nice though." Hikari tells her. "Missing our date was worth it for this, so don't be sorry. I love her name. Who picked it?" Kaya asks.

Hikari smiles at her husband, still listening to Stevie Wonder on repeat. "I did. She's my whole world. I never knew I could love someone so much until I looked into her tiny face." He told her, beaming. Kaya smiles back at him, then looks back at Hikari. "It's a beautiful name." She tells them. "Yeah well, beautiful girls need beautiful names. And she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Koushi gushes before planting a kiss on her forehead.

Kaya smiles at the happy uncle while everyone else nods their agreement. Toru hands both Hajime and Hikari a gift bag each and watches them open it. Hajime got two shirts, one with a space meant to place Ikigai into and walk around and another with a white bear that said 'papa' in the middle of it in black.

Hikari's bag held a silver bell, an eye mask, and earplugs. There was also a card that he wrote in it explaining it as her 'mommy break kit.' Saying to ring the bell to put Hajime on baby duty and she could cut our light and noise and relax for a bit. He then held up the third bag and pulled out a soft pink blanket with a soft pink blanket he'd had customized to read 'I love Uncle Toru' and draped it over the bassinet.

They all spend the next hour in the room talking with the new parents and taking turns holding Ikigai. When Kaya held her, Toru watched her and told himself not to mess things up, and one day maybe he could see her holding a baby of their own. Kaya suppressed a laugh at seeing Toru holding her, his height and broad shoulders a sharp contrast to how tiny Ikigai is.

As people started to leave, Toru approached Kaya and asked if she was ok with getting a room nearby for the night and coming back over to see the Iwaizumi family tomorrow. He told her he'd brought an extra set of pajamas for her and they could stop and get her some day time clothes if she wanted. She agreed and Toru let the family know he'd be back the next day before kissing Ikigai goodbye.

An hour later Toru and Kaya were entering a room, this time no complaint from Kaya that there was only one bed. Exhausted, she decided to hide her lingerie from Toru and change into the clothes he'd brought her and not mention it. They lay in bed together, both letting out a few yawns before Toru could no longer stop himself from asking Kaya the question that had been on his mind the last several hours.

"Do you think you want to have any kids one day?" He asks softly. "I always thought I'd like to have three." She tells him honestly. "What about you?" She asks. "I love kids. When Tama had Takeru I always said I wanted to have 20." He laughs. "Growing older I thought maybe five, Aimi only wanted one. I did ask her to consider at least two. I have no idea if she would have agreed though." He tells her.

"Five is kind of a lot, Toru." She laughs, "but I bet she really thought about it since you wanted more and she loved you. It's only natural to rethink some things when it comes to what might make the person you love happy. I mean, she was likely never going to agree to five, but maybe two." She concludes.

Toru grows quiet, thinking about what all she said, and realizing it had become easy for him to talk to her about Aimi. She never made him feel bad for his past or like it wasn't ok to talk about her, it only made him love her more. "That's sound logic. Would you consider five?" He asks, expecting her to laugh. "I'd think about yeah." She replies, sending Toru's heart into overdrive.

"Goodnight Toru." She tells him with a yawn. "Goodnight Kaya." He tells her, trying to even his breathing and heart rate at the near love confession from her.