A NEW ROUTINE

 A New Routine

The next morning, Max woke up to the sound of gentle cooing. Blinking his eyes open, he found Kota sitting up in his crib, babbling to himself. It was a sound that had quickly become one of Max's favorite ways to wake up. There was something peaceful about it, especially after the stress of the previous day.

Kota's fever had broken in the middle of the night, and he was back to his usual happy self. Max felt an overwhelming sense of relief as he scooped his son up and held him close. "Morning, little guy," Max whispered, rubbing his hand over Kota's head. "You gave me quite the scare yesterday."

Kota giggled, his tiny hands grabbing at Max's shirt as if to say, "Don't worry, Dad. I'm tougher than I look."

Max smiled, carrying Kota into the kitchen to start their morning routine. As he brewed himself a much-needed cup of coffee, he found his mind drifting back to the previous evening. Specifically, to Noriko.

There was something about the way she had handled everything—so calm, so capable. He admired that about her. But more than that, he felt grateful for her presence, especially after seeing her step in when he was at his wit's end. Max chuckled to himself. It wasn't like he was suddenly head-over-heels for her or anything, but there was a growing sense of… something between them. Something he couldn't quite define yet.

Before he could dwell on it any further, his phone buzzed on the counter. He picked it up to see a message from Kenji.

**Kenji:** "Yo, sorry about yesterday! I was totally stuck in a meeting. What's up? Need anything?"

Max snorted, shaking his head as he typed a response.

**Max:** "Oh, you know, just a minor freakout with Kota's fever. No big deal. But thanks for being *so* available."

Kenji's response came almost instantly.

**Kenji:** "Wait, what?? Kota was sick? Why didn't you blow up my phone?!"

**Max:** "I did. You didn't answer."

**Kenji:** "Crap, sorry, man. You good now?"

**Max:** "Yeah, Noriko came over. She helped me figure things out. Kota's feeling better today."

**Kenji:** "Ah, I see… Noriko to the rescue, huh?"

Max rolled his eyes at the winking emoji Kenji had tacked onto his message.

**Max:** "Don't even start."

**Kenji:** "I'm just saying… you two seem to be spending a lot of time together. Maybe it's fate?"

**Max:** "Not everything is a rom-com, dude. We're just friends."

Kenji's response was a barrage of emojis, mostly hearts and winking faces, with one particularly suggestive eggplant emoji thrown in for good measure. Max groaned and put the phone down before he could be tempted to send a snarky reply. The last thing he needed was Kenji playing matchmaker.

Just as Max was about to turn back to his coffee, the doorbell rang. He glanced at Kota, who was happily gnawing on a teething ring, and sighed. "Who could that be this early?"

He opened the door to find Noriko standing there, holding a paper bag and smiling brightly.

"Good morning!" she greeted, stepping inside as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I thought I'd stop by and bring some breakfast. I figured after yesterday, you might need a little pick-me-up."

Max blinked in surprise but quickly recovered. "You really didn't have to do that. But, uh, thanks. Come in."

Noriko set the bag on the kitchen counter and began unpacking an array of breakfast foods: pastries, fresh fruit, and even a thermos of what smelled like homemade soup.

"I wanted to make sure Kota was doing better," Noriko explained as she peeked over at the baby. Kota, seeing her, waved his arms excitedly and made a happy gurgling sound. "And it looks like he's back to his usual self."

"Yeah, he's doing great. Thanks to you." Max grabbed two mugs from the cabinet, pouring them both some coffee. "I'm still not sure how I would've managed without your help."

Noriko shrugged it off with a smile. "You would've figured it out. You care about him too much not to."

They sat down at the small kitchen table, eating breakfast and chatting easily. The conversation flowed naturally between them, with Max finding himself more and more at ease in her presence. It wasn't just the way she helped with Kota—it was the way she seemed to understand the unspoken pressure he was under. The weight of suddenly being a father without any preparation.

Max leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee. "You know, you don't have to keep swooping in like this. I mean, I appreciate it, but I don't want to be a burden."

Noriko tilted her head, her eyes softening as she looked at him. "You're not a burden, Max. Friends help each other out. That's all this is."

"Yeah," Max muttered, scratching the back of his head, "but it's not like we've known each other that long. You've already done so much."

Noriko smiled gently. "Sometimes it doesn't take that long to feel connected to someone. Besides, I enjoy being around you and Kota. It's nice to be a part of your life—even if it's just in small ways."

Max didn't know how to respond to that. There was something about her words that struck a chord, something that made him realize how much he had started to rely on her presence in his life. He wasn't ready to admit it out loud, but he was beginning to wonder what it would feel like if she were a bigger part of his and Kota's world.

As if sensing the weight of the moment, Noriko changed the subject, glancing down at Kota, who had finished his teething ring and was now reaching for a piece of fruit from her plate. She laughed, offering him a small bite. "He's got quite the appetite, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, he's a little food monster," Max agreed, relieved by the shift in tone. "I have no idea where he puts it all."

They spent the rest of the morning together, playing with Kota, who seemed to be in an especially cheerful mood now that he was feeling better. It was one of those quiet mornings that felt so normal, so comfortable, that Max almost forgot that just a few weeks ago, he had been facing this journey of fatherhood alone. 

By midday, Noriko stood up, grabbing her bag. "I should get going. I've got work later this afternoon."

Max felt a strange pang of reluctance at the thought of her leaving, but he pushed it down, not wanting to make things awkward. "Thanks again for breakfast. And, well, for everything."

Noriko smiled at him, pausing by the door. "Anytime, Max. Really. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call. Even if it's just to talk."

Max nodded, feeling like there was more he wanted to say, but unsure of how to say it. "I'll… I'll see you soon, then."

"Yeah. See you soon."

As Noriko walked out the door, Max stood there for a moment, staring after her. He couldn't help but feel that something was shifting between them. It wasn't anything dramatic—no grand gestures, no sudden confessions—but it was there, slowly building. 

For now, though, he was content to let things unfold at their own pace. There was no rush, and Kota was his priority. But as he glanced down at his son, who was now happily playing with his toys on the floor, Max c

ouldn't help but wonder where this new path might lead them.

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*End of Chapter 13.*