Chapter 67: 67
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After they'd worked out the small details of how to get the younger kids to school, what their current schedules were, and let Kiri know the outline of their eldest son's plans, Kiri's sister and brother in law left.
The eldest sibling was in his last year of highschool, like Hikaru, and had decided to stay home alone. He was too busy with his own classes and activities to take care of his younger siblings during the week. Kiri's brother in law had promised, "but if we're gone that long, he said he'll take care of them on the weekend."
Hikaru had quietly, and with a blush like fire, scooped up the condom wrapper as she'd sat to listen to the arrangements, and she quickly carried it to the trash as soon as they were gone.
After her parents were gone, Chisaki turned to her uncle and Hikaru and asked with disgust, "How could you do that?"
Hikaru returned a neutral expression to her accusing glare.
Her uncle gave a calm reply of, "Do what?"
Chisaki incredulously demanded of Hikaru directly, "How can you have sex with an old man?" And before Hikaru could frame a reply, Chisaki told her uncle, "And you having sex with a high school girl, it is disgusting!"
Hikaru snapped at her, "It's not disgusting!"
"Hikaru," Kiri began, but Hikaru walked over and touched her finger to his lips and then turned back to Chisaki.
"It was so embarrassing that I couldn't breathe, when you and your family walked in on us, but Kiri has never done anything disgusting to me." Hikaru blushed before the stares of all three siblings.
Kiri chuckled and told them, "Hikaru will be your aunt soon, we're getting married this summer, so you may as well get used to it."
The youngest, who was in his first year of school, Yuehe, asked shyly, "Should I call you oba-chan?"
Hikaru rubbed her neck and replied seriously, "Yue-kun you may, but I won't tell you that you have to."
Mizuki, Chisaki's younger brother who had been present when Hikaru had seen the poster of her father, said cheerfully, "You still look more like a nii-san than an onee-san, but I don't mind calling you oba-chan right away."
Chisaki declared, "I am not ever calling you oba-chan!"
Hikaru laughed and replied, "You don't have to."
Chisaki glared and asked, "Are you even any older than I am?"
Hikaru offered her birthday and Chisaki discovered that Hikaru was just a little over a year older, but then discovered she was two grades ahead.
"That's not fair, Chisaki complained.
Kiri asked, "Have you all had supper? Do you still have homework to finish tonight?"
His nephews admitted that they'd eaten out with their parents on the way over.
Kiri cursed his sister silently, when Hikaru looked at him curiously he whispered, "She could have called me to let me know they were coming if they stopped to eat."
She made a face at him, but Chisaki asked mockingly before Hikaru spoke, "Shouldn't you worry about your fiance's homework first?"
Kiri gave Chisaki a measuring look and replied honestly, "No, if I'm interfering in Hikaru's homework too much, she tells me to stop."
"Oji-chan!" exclaimed Chisaki, outraged.
Kiri looked at his niece and a smile quivered at the corners of his mouth as he replied seriously, "I was just asking. Frankly, you're old enough that if you decide you'd rather fail than do your homework on your own, I don't care if you fall another year behind Hikaru."
Chisaki gasped and exclaimed with outrage, "I am old enough! I should have been allowed to stay home with onii-chan!"
Kiri regarded her seriously and asked, "And do you know why you weren't?"
Chisaki grimaced and declared with exasperation, "Because oka-san is over protective!"
Kiri asked mockingly, in much the same tone Chisaki had used earlier, "So you didn't ask me to rescue you a few weeks back, and you didn't need Hikaru to carry you out of a bar?"
"That was one time!" she protested.
Kiri looked at her calmly and replied, "But it scared your mother. She doesn't need to be worrying about how you're behaving while your grandmother is dying."
"Kiri," Hikaru protested. He looked at her and, embarrassed, she said, "It may be true, but, but you don't need to say it like that to her."
He kissed her lightly and ran his hand through his hair and then turned back to his niece and said, "Hikaru is right. I'm sorry. If you feel like homework and school are too much right now, we'll talk about it and I'll see if you can take a day off school."
Chisaki watched them with embarrassment, then bit her lip and replied, "I don't need to, we really have known it was going to happen soon, and I want to save my days off for after it's over."
"OK," Kiri agreed.
--
After Mizuki, Chisaki and Hikaru were settled at the table finishing their various homework, Kiri folded out the couch and brought out two folded foam futons that he'd unearthed from his office.
Hikaru stared and asked, "Where did you have those stored?"
He shrugged and replied, "At the end of the filing cabinets under the stacks of old folders. I really should sort those and throw a bunch of stuff out and file the rest."
When they finished with their work, he moved the table into the office, and laid out the beds.
--
When they curled up in bed after the kids were settled, Kiri kissed her and Hikaru laid her hand against his chest and said uncomfortably, "Kiri."
He sighed and let go of her, though he complained, "I was really looking forward to tonight. It's just one thing after another."
She laughed and replied, "Kiri, that's how my life has always been I think. From one emergency or project to the next. Isn't that normal?"
He sighed and thought about it for a minute, then agreed, "Not always emergencies, but jobs and projects, yeah…"
She grinned and whispered, "Life's not fair, where's our obligatory hot spring episode, where it's all just silly fun for awhile?"
Kiri's eyes brightened and he turned to look at her and said, "I could arrange that!"
Hikaru laughed and asked lightly, "Is that how we'll spend our honeymoon then?"
Kiri took her hand and kissed her fingertips and replied, "I was actually hoping to take you somewhere tropical."
Hikaru whispered, "Kiri… I want to wait to get my passport until after we get married. Can we do that for our one year anniversary instead?"
"Why?" he asked with surprise.
She blushed and replied, "Because it will say that I'm married." After a moment she added, "I know it's silly."
He pulled her close and murmured, "I love you when you're silly." He kissed her. "We can do that." He kissed her again. "Which hotspring should we honeymoon at then?"
She kissed him and replied, "Your favorite?"
He kissed her again and said a little hesitantly, "My favorite is kind of remote and really quiet, you might not enjoy it."
Hikaru wriggled up against him and kissed along his jaw and bit his ear, he groaned and she whispered, "It'll be our honeymoon Kiri, what do you think I'm planning to do besides you?"
He rolled her onto her back and didn't answer with words. But they tried to be quiet.
--
In the morning, which started early in order to have time to get them all ready, Kiri and Hikaru showered together quickly and brushed their teeth together in front of the mirror.
Hikaru laughed and said, "This kind of rush." She asked after she rinsed, "Do you think mornings are always going to be like this when we have kids?"
Kiri kissed her, nodded seriously and whispered, "Let's stick to the waiting awhile plan."
--
At breakfast Yuehe asked, "Can we have cake tonight?"
Kiri looked at him and said, "I don't know, I may have to work too late to make cake."
Hikaru suggested, "We could just buy cakes?"
Kiri grinned at her and teased, "Spoiling them already oba-chan?"
Hikaru blushed and replied, "Maybe, but we haven't had cake since your mother was here, I'd like it too."
Kiri kissed her and agreed, "OK. We can have cake tonight."
Chisaki rolled her eyes and said, "Your nephew asks and you're not sure, but Hikaru asks and you say OK?"
Kiri grinned at her and replied sweetly, "Exactly, so you might want to get Hikaru on your side."
Mizuki laughed and asked, "Hikaru-oba-chan how can I get you on my side for going to see a movie with my friends?"
Kiri frowned at him and Mizuki sighed and said, "Nevermind, I can tell them I have to cancel."
Kiri asked, "Did you have permission to go before… before the news came in?"
Mizuki shook his head and said, "No, but I think they would have let me, I just didn't have time to ask, and then we were coming here."
"What movie?" asked Hikaru.
"Trying to get points with my brother?" Chisaki asked pointedly.
Hikaru just looked at her for a moment and Chisaki looked away.
Mizuki told them and Kiri looked it up quickly. He replied, "The movie looks OK, but will your friends be able to stay with you if I'm late being able to pick you up when it's over?"
Mizuki hesitated, and Hikaru asked practically, "Do you have a phone?"
He nodded and they arranged things so that Mizuki would message both of them if going to the movie was still on, after he asked his friends if being late would be OK with their families.
Kiri told Hikaru, "Assuming that works out, I'll have to bring Yue-kun and Chisaki home, go back to work, and pick up Mizuki on my way home again."
Hikaru said "OK."
Hikaru took the bus and Kiri took his nephews and niece to their schools in his car.
--
After school Hikaru saw that she had a dozen messages from Kiri. She quickly read through them and then changed her course and called a taxi. When it pulled up in front of her a few minutes later, she closed her eyes and then swallowed hard and got in.
She carefully fastened the belt, gave the driver the address of Yue-kun's school, her payment, and asked him to please drive carefully.
She was delivered safely and tumbled out of the cab in front of the grade school. She was shaking with fear, but it actually hadn't been an awful ride and she was able to calm down surprisingly quickly.
Hikaru approached the school and Yue-kun ran out to her, cheerfully calling out, "Oba-chan!"
His teacher followed him and looked Hikaru over dubiously.
Hikaru greeted Yuehe first, "Hi, how was school? Sorry I'm picking you up late."
"It was OK," Yuehe replied seriously and then asked, "is oji-chan still at work?"
"He is, he couldn't get off in time to pick you up, and he warned me he'll be home really late," Hikaru replied both to Yuehe and his teacher.
His teacher said uncertainly, "I don't think you're on the list of people approved to pick Yuehe-kun up from school. I know his parents are away, but…"
Embarrassed, Hikaru nodded and said honestly, "I'm not sure Kiri's sister would have added me to the list even if she'd realized I might be the one available."
Yuehe said helpfully, "Oka-san slapped oba-chan when she came to our house."
The teacher stared at Hikaru with alarm and said, "I really can't let you take him then."
Hikaru gazed back at her worriedly and replied, "But Kiri might not be home before 11. Um..." She looked at Yuehe and then asked the teacher, "Who else is on the list, is there anyone I might contact?"
Yuehe's teacher replied worriedly, "I already tried to contact his two eldest siblings, and none of his other family members live locally."
Hikaru looked up at that, and asked, "If his grandmother would vouch for me too, would that be OK?"
"His grandmother is dying," the teacher snapped, then glanced apologetically at Yuehe.
"His mother's mother," clarified Hikaru.
Reluctantly the teacher agreed that that would serve, and called Kiri's mother who assured her that Hikaru could be trusted to take Yuehe home with her.
After signing a note that said she was taking Yuehe and letting the teacher make a copy of her ID, Hikaru and Yuehe finally set off for the nearest bus stop hand in hand.
Dismally Yuehe asked, "Cake is cancelled isn't it?"
Startled, Hikaru asked, "Why?"
He looked up at her and replied, "Because oji-chan won't be able to buy it."
"So what?" Hikaru asked.
He looked up at her with surprise and she grinned and told him, "We can buy cake, but I think you should be more worried about who's cooking dinner."
Hikaru looked at the time and considered her options. While they were on the bus downtown, Kiri's mother called her and informed her, "I just spoke to my middle daughter, are you doing OK? Do you want me to come and help? I wouldn't be able to arrive until tomorrow at the earliest and it might be over by then."
Hikaru admitted, "In some ways it would be nice to have you come and take over, but I'm OK. And if things get too rough, I can always call my mother for help too."
"That's true," agreed Tokiko. She told Hikaru firmly to let her know if she changed her mind, then ended the call.
Hikaru sent a message to Mizuki, letting him know her plan, he sent back an, "OK." She also sent the same message to Chisaki, though given Kiri's message, she didn't expect a reply.
--
Downtown, Hikaru didn't immediately switch to the bus that went home, but instead took Yuehe to the cake shop she liked. They chose six different single-serving cakes, one extra just in case, to be picked up later. Then they went to another shop and ordered take out for dinner, also to be picked up later.
Hikaru thought that Yuehe seemed surprisingly helpful about what he and his siblings liked or didn't like, but she wasn't really sure what she'd been like at that age.
Then they walked to the theatre Mizuki was watching the movie at, and waited. Eventually Mizuki and his friends came out and Hikaru and Yue met up with them. Hikaru made no mention of the change when Mizuki carefully referred to her as Hikaru-san in front of his friends.
Finally they headed home, picking up the cakes and food on their way back to the bus station.
Embarrassed, Mizuki apologized once they were safely home. "Sorry, I said I would call you oba-chan, but then I got embarrassed when you came in your school uniform."
Hikaru just smiled cheerfully at him and said, "It's fine, I don't mind at all."
"Where is one-chan?" he asked, looking around with surprise.
Hikaru shrugged and replied calmly, "Kiri said she messaged that she wouldn't be back until eight, I don't have any idea."
Mizuki whistled and said, "She's going to get grounded."
Yuehe asked worriedly, "Again?"
Hikaru shrugged again and told them, "Unless she doesn't come home by eight, we don't need to worry about it. If she's breaking some rule you have at home, that's her business."
They all changed clothes, worked on homework for awhile, and then they had supper. They saved the cakes for later, hoping that Kiri and Chisaki would get home in time to share them.
Yuehe and Mizuki asked to watch anime after they'd finished and Hikaru agreed.
--
Chisaki didn't get home by eight, and ironically, Hikaru felt some sympathy for Izumi. It was kind of anxious to feel responsible for someone you had no control over. Hikaru hoped that Chisaki was safe.
Kiri got home at nine, and when he discovered that he was home before Chisaki he got really angry for a moment. Hikaru watched his jaw clench and worried. But Kiri looked up to see her watching him and he smiled and leaned in to kiss her, and relaxed.
He looked at Hikaru for a moment then warned her, "I am going to yell at Chisaki for awhile after she gets home." Then he greeted his nephews and asked what they'd had for dinner, and informed them both that they were taking baths tonight.
Chisaki's eldest brother called them about a quarter of an hour later and informed his uncle that Chisaki was at home. Kiri sighed, then called his sister and calmly let her know the situation. Hikaru could hear her yelling back at him even after he stood up and carried his phone into his office.
When Kiri stepped out of his office a little while later he laughed when Hikaru, Mizuki and Yuehe all looked up at him with worried expressions.
"It's OK, don't worry." Then he added to Mizuki and Yuehe, "Your mom is just stressed, and your sister is just acting like a brat. You should be used to it by now."
Kiri ate supper, then they ate the cakes.
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After they'd worked out the small details of how to get the younger kids to school, what their current schedules were, and let Kiri know the outline of their eldest son's plans, Kiri's sister and brother in law left.
The eldest sibling was in his last year of highschool, like Hikaru, and had decided to stay home alone. He was too busy with his own classes and activities to take care of his younger siblings during the week. Kiri's brother in law had promised, "but if we're gone that long, he said he'll take care of them on the weekend."
Hikaru had quietly, and with a blush like fire, scooped up the condom wrapper as she'd sat to listen to the arrangements, and she quickly carried it to the trash as soon as they were gone.
After her parents were gone, Chisaki turned to her uncle and Hikaru and asked with disgust, "How could you do that?"
Hikaru returned a neutral expression to her accusing glare.
Her uncle gave a calm reply of, "Do what?"
Chisaki incredulously demanded of Hikaru directly, "How can you have sex with an old man?" And before Hikaru could frame a reply, Chisaki told her uncle, "And you having sex with a high school girl, it is disgusting!"
Hikaru snapped at her, "It's not disgusting!"
"Hikaru," Kiri began, but Hikaru walked over and touched her finger to his lips and then turned back to Chisaki.
"It was so embarrassing that I couldn't breathe, when you and your family walked in on us, but Kiri has never done anything disgusting to me." Hikaru blushed before the stares of all three siblings.
Kiri chuckled and told them, "Hikaru will be your aunt soon, we're getting married this summer, so you may as well get used to it."
The youngest, who was in his first year of school, Yuehe, asked shyly, "Should I call you oba-chan?"
Hikaru rubbed her neck and replied seriously, "Yue-kun you may, but I won't tell you that you have to."
Mizuki, Chisaki's younger brother who had been present when Hikaru had seen the poster of her father, said cheerfully, "You still look more like a nii-san than an onee-san, but I don't mind calling you oba-chan right away."
Chisaki declared, "I am not ever calling you oba-chan!"
Hikaru laughed and replied, "You don't have to."
Chisaki glared and asked, "Are you even any older than I am?"
Hikaru offered her birthday and Chisaki discovered that Hikaru was just a little over a year older, but then discovered she was two grades ahead.
"That's not fair, Chisaki complained.
Kiri asked, "Have you all had supper? Do you still have homework to finish tonight?"
His nephews admitted that they'd eaten out with their parents on the way over.
Kiri cursed his sister silently, when Hikaru looked at him curiously he whispered, "She could have called me to let me know they were coming if they stopped to eat."
She made a face at him, but Chisaki asked mockingly before Hikaru spoke, "Shouldn't you worry about your fiance's homework first?"
Kiri gave Chisaki a measuring look and replied honestly, "No, if I'm interfering in Hikaru's homework too much, she tells me to stop."
"Oji-chan!" exclaimed Chisaki, outraged.
Kiri looked at his niece and a smile quivered at the corners of his mouth as he replied seriously, "I was just asking. Frankly, you're old enough that if you decide you'd rather fail than do your homework on your own, I don't care if you fall another year behind Hikaru."
Chisaki gasped and exclaimed with outrage, "I am old enough! I should have been allowed to stay home with onii-chan!"
Kiri regarded her seriously and asked, "And do you know why you weren't?"
Chisaki grimaced and declared with exasperation, "Because oka-san is over protective!"
Kiri asked mockingly, in much the same tone Chisaki had used earlier, "So you didn't ask me to rescue you a few weeks back, and you didn't need Hikaru to carry you out of a bar?"
"That was one time!" she protested.
Kiri looked at her calmly and replied, "But it scared your mother. She doesn't need to be worrying about how you're behaving while your grandmother is dying."
"Kiri," Hikaru protested. He looked at her and, embarrassed, she said, "It may be true, but, but you don't need to say it like that to her."
He kissed her lightly and ran his hand through his hair and then turned back to his niece and said, "Hikaru is right. I'm sorry. If you feel like homework and school are too much right now, we'll talk about it and I'll see if you can take a day off school."
Chisaki watched them with embarrassment, then bit her lip and replied, "I don't need to, we really have known it was going to happen soon, and I want to save my days off for after it's over."
"OK," Kiri agreed.
--
After Mizuki, Chisaki and Hikaru were settled at the table finishing their various homework, Kiri folded out the couch and brought out two folded foam futons that he'd unearthed from his office.
Hikaru stared and asked, "Where did you have those stored?"
He shrugged and replied, "At the end of the filing cabinets under the stacks of old folders. I really should sort those and throw a bunch of stuff out and file the rest."
When they finished with their work, he moved the table into the office, and laid out the beds.
--
When they curled up in bed after the kids were settled, Kiri kissed her and Hikaru laid her hand against his chest and said uncomfortably, "Kiri."
He sighed and let go of her, though he complained, "I was really looking forward to tonight. It's just one thing after another."
She laughed and replied, "Kiri, that's how my life has always been I think. From one emergency or project to the next. Isn't that normal?"
He sighed and thought about it for a minute, then agreed, "Not always emergencies, but jobs and projects, yeah…"
She grinned and whispered, "Life's not fair, where's our obligatory hot spring episode, where it's all just silly fun for awhile?"
Kiri's eyes brightened and he turned to look at her and said, "I could arrange that!"
Hikaru laughed and asked lightly, "Is that how we'll spend our honeymoon then?"
Kiri took her hand and kissed her fingertips and replied, "I was actually hoping to take you somewhere tropical."
Hikaru whispered, "Kiri… I want to wait to get my passport until after we get married. Can we do that for our one year anniversary instead?"
"Why?" he asked with surprise.
She blushed and replied, "Because it will say that I'm married." After a moment she added, "I know it's silly."
He pulled her close and murmured, "I love you when you're silly." He kissed her. "We can do that." He kissed her again. "Which hotspring should we honeymoon at then?"
She kissed him and replied, "Your favorite?"
He kissed her again and said a little hesitantly, "My favorite is kind of remote and really quiet, you might not enjoy it."
Hikaru wriggled up against him and kissed along his jaw and bit his ear, he groaned and she whispered, "It'll be our honeymoon Kiri, what do you think I'm planning to do besides you?"
He rolled her onto her back and didn't answer with words. But they tried to be quiet.
--
In the morning, which started early in order to have time to get them all ready, Kiri and Hikaru showered together quickly and brushed their teeth together in front of the mirror.
Hikaru laughed and said, "This kind of rush." She asked after she rinsed, "Do you think mornings are always going to be like this when we have kids?"
Kiri kissed her, nodded seriously and whispered, "Let's stick to the waiting awhile plan."
--
At breakfast Yuehe asked, "Can we have cake tonight?"
Kiri looked at him and said, "I don't know, I may have to work too late to make cake."
Hikaru suggested, "We could just buy cakes?"
Kiri grinned at her and teased, "Spoiling them already oba-chan?"
Hikaru blushed and replied, "Maybe, but we haven't had cake since your mother was here, I'd like it too."
Kiri kissed her and agreed, "OK. We can have cake tonight."
Chisaki rolled her eyes and said, "Your nephew asks and you're not sure, but Hikaru asks and you say OK?"
Kiri grinned at her and replied sweetly, "Exactly, so you might want to get Hikaru on your side."
Mizuki laughed and asked, "Hikaru-oba-chan how can I get you on my side for going to see a movie with my friends?"
Kiri frowned at him and Mizuki sighed and said, "Nevermind, I can tell them I have to cancel."
Kiri asked, "Did you have permission to go before… before the news came in?"
Mizuki shook his head and said, "No, but I think they would have let me, I just didn't have time to ask, and then we were coming here."
"What movie?" asked Hikaru.
"Trying to get points with my brother?" Chisaki asked pointedly.
Hikaru just looked at her for a moment and Chisaki looked away.
Mizuki told them and Kiri looked it up quickly. He replied, "The movie looks OK, but will your friends be able to stay with you if I'm late being able to pick you up when it's over?"
Mizuki hesitated, and Hikaru asked practically, "Do you have a phone?"
He nodded and they arranged things so that Mizuki would message both of them if going to the movie was still on, after he asked his friends if being late would be OK with their families.
Kiri told Hikaru, "Assuming that works out, I'll have to bring Yue-kun and Chisaki home, go back to work, and pick up Mizuki on my way home again."
Hikaru said "OK."
Hikaru took the bus and Kiri took his nephews and niece to their schools in his car.
--
After school Hikaru saw that she had a dozen messages from Kiri. She quickly read through them and then changed her course and called a taxi. When it pulled up in front of her a few minutes later, she closed her eyes and then swallowed hard and got in.
She carefully fastened the belt, gave the driver the address of Yue-kun's school, her payment, and asked him to please drive carefully.
She was delivered safely and tumbled out of the cab in front of the grade school. She was shaking with fear, but it actually hadn't been an awful ride and she was able to calm down surprisingly quickly.
Hikaru approached the school and Yue-kun ran out to her, cheerfully calling out, "Oba-chan!"
His teacher followed him and looked Hikaru over dubiously.
Hikaru greeted Yuehe first, "Hi, how was school? Sorry I'm picking you up late."
"It was OK," Yuehe replied seriously and then asked, "is oji-chan still at work?"
"He is, he couldn't get off in time to pick you up, and he warned me he'll be home really late," Hikaru replied both to Yuehe and his teacher.
His teacher said uncertainly, "I don't think you're on the list of people approved to pick Yuehe-kun up from school. I know his parents are away, but…"
Embarrassed, Hikaru nodded and said honestly, "I'm not sure Kiri's sister would have added me to the list even if she'd realized I might be the one available."
Yuehe said helpfully, "Oka-san slapped oba-chan when she came to our house."
The teacher stared at Hikaru with alarm and said, "I really can't let you take him then."
Hikaru gazed back at her worriedly and replied, "But Kiri might not be home before 11. Um..." She looked at Yuehe and then asked the teacher, "Who else is on the list, is there anyone I might contact?"
Yuehe's teacher replied worriedly, "I already tried to contact his two eldest siblings, and none of his other family members live locally."
Hikaru looked up at that, and asked, "If his grandmother would vouch for me too, would that be OK?"
"His grandmother is dying," the teacher snapped, then glanced apologetically at Yuehe.
"His mother's mother," clarified Hikaru.
Reluctantly the teacher agreed that that would serve, and called Kiri's mother who assured her that Hikaru could be trusted to take Yuehe home with her.
After signing a note that said she was taking Yuehe and letting the teacher make a copy of her ID, Hikaru and Yuehe finally set off for the nearest bus stop hand in hand.
Dismally Yuehe asked, "Cake is cancelled isn't it?"
Startled, Hikaru asked, "Why?"
He looked up at her and replied, "Because oji-chan won't be able to buy it."
"So what?" Hikaru asked.
He looked up at her with surprise and she grinned and told him, "We can buy cake, but I think you should be more worried about who's cooking dinner."
Hikaru looked at the time and considered her options. While they were on the bus downtown, Kiri's mother called her and informed her, "I just spoke to my middle daughter, are you doing OK? Do you want me to come and help? I wouldn't be able to arrive until tomorrow at the earliest and it might be over by then."
Hikaru admitted, "In some ways it would be nice to have you come and take over, but I'm OK. And if things get too rough, I can always call my mother for help too."
"That's true," agreed Tokiko. She told Hikaru firmly to let her know if she changed her mind, then ended the call.
Hikaru sent a message to Mizuki, letting him know her plan, he sent back an, "OK." She also sent the same message to Chisaki, though given Kiri's message, she didn't expect a reply.
--
Downtown, Hikaru didn't immediately switch to the bus that went home, but instead took Yuehe to the cake shop she liked. They chose six different single-serving cakes, one extra just in case, to be picked up later. Then they went to another shop and ordered take out for dinner, also to be picked up later.
Hikaru thought that Yuehe seemed surprisingly helpful about what he and his siblings liked or didn't like, but she wasn't really sure what she'd been like at that age.
Then they walked to the theatre Mizuki was watching the movie at, and waited. Eventually Mizuki and his friends came out and Hikaru and Yue met up with them. Hikaru made no mention of the change when Mizuki carefully referred to her as Hikaru-san in front of his friends.
Finally they headed home, picking up the cakes and food on their way back to the bus station.
Embarrassed, Mizuki apologized once they were safely home. "Sorry, I said I would call you oba-chan, but then I got embarrassed when you came in your school uniform."
Hikaru just smiled cheerfully at him and said, "It's fine, I don't mind at all."
"Where is one-chan?" he asked, looking around with surprise.
Hikaru shrugged and replied calmly, "Kiri said she messaged that she wouldn't be back until eight, I don't have any idea."
Mizuki whistled and said, "She's going to get grounded."
Yuehe asked worriedly, "Again?"
Hikaru shrugged again and told them, "Unless she doesn't come home by eight, we don't need to worry about it. If she's breaking some rule you have at home, that's her business."
They all changed clothes, worked on homework for awhile, and then they had supper. They saved the cakes for later, hoping that Kiri and Chisaki would get home in time to share them.
Yuehe and Mizuki asked to watch anime after they'd finished and Hikaru agreed.
--
Chisaki didn't get home by eight, and ironically, Hikaru felt some sympathy for Izumi. It was kind of anxious to feel responsible for someone you had no control over. Hikaru hoped that Chisaki was safe.
Kiri got home at nine, and when he discovered that he was home before Chisaki he got really angry for a moment. Hikaru watched his jaw clench and worried. But Kiri looked up to see her watching him and he smiled and leaned in to kiss her, and relaxed.
He looked at Hikaru for a moment then warned her, "I am going to yell at Chisaki for awhile after she gets home." Then he greeted his nephews and asked what they'd had for dinner, and informed them both that they were taking baths tonight.
Chisaki's eldest brother called them about a quarter of an hour later and informed his uncle that Chisaki was at home. Kiri sighed, then called his sister and calmly let her know the situation. Hikaru could hear her yelling back at him even after he stood up and carried his phone into his office.
When Kiri stepped out of his office a little while later he laughed when Hikaru, Mizuki and Yuehe all looked up at him with worried expressions.
"It's OK, don't worry." Then he added to Mizuki and Yuehe, "Your mom is just stressed, and your sister is just acting like a brat. You should be used to it by now."
Kiri ate supper, then they ate the cakes.
After they'd worked out the small details of how to get the younger kids to school, what their current schedules were, and let Kiri know the outline of their eldest son's plans, Kiri's sister and brother in law left.The eldest sibling was in his last year of highschool, like Hikaru, and had decided to stay home alone. He was too busy with his own classes and activities to take care of his younger siblings during the week. Kiri's brother in law had promised, "but if we're gone that long, he said he'll take care of them on the weekend."Hikaru had quietly, and with a blush like fire, scooped up the condom wrapper as she'd sat to listen to the arrangements, and she quickly carried it to the trash as soon as they were gone.After her parents were gone, Chisaki turned to her uncle and Hikaru and asked with disgust, "How could you do that?"Hikaru returned a neutral expression to her accusing glare.Her uncle gave a calm reply of, "Do what?" Chisaki incredulously demanded of Hikaru directly, "How can you have sex with an old man?" And before Hikaru could frame a reply, Chisaki told her uncle, "And you having sex with a high school girl, it is disgusting!"Hikaru snapped at her, "It's not disgusting!""Hikaru," Kiri began, but Hikaru walked over and touched her finger to his lips and then turned back to Chisaki."It was so embarrassing that I couldn't breathe, when you and your family walked in on us, but Kiri has never done anything disgusting to me." Hikaru blushed before the stares of all three siblings.Kiri chuckled and told them, "Hikaru will be your aunt soon, we're getting married this summer, so you may as well get used to it."The youngest, who was in his first year of school, Yuehe, asked shyly, "Should I call you oba-chan?"Hikaru rubbed her neck and replied seriously, "Yue-kun you may, but I won't tell you that you have to."Mizuki, Chisaki's younger brother who had been present when Hikaru had seen the poster of her father, said cheerfully, "You still look more like a nii-san than an onee-san, but I don't mind calling you oba-chan right away."Chisaki declared, "I am not ever calling you oba-chan!" Hikaru laughed and replied, "You don't have to."Chisaki glared and asked, "Are you even any older than I am?"Hikaru offered her birthday and Chisaki discovered that Hikaru was just a little over a year older, but then discovered she was two grades ahead."That's not fair, Chisaki complained.Kiri asked, "Have you all had supper? Do you still have homework to finish tonight?"His nephews admitted that they'd eaten out with their parents on the way over. Kiri cursed his sister silently, when Hikaru looked at him curiously he whispered, "She could have called me to let me know they were coming if they stopped to eat."She made a face at him, but Chisaki asked mockingly before Hikaru spoke, "Shouldn't you worry about your fiance's homework first?"Kiri gave Chisaki a measuring look and replied honestly, "No, if I'm interfering in Hikaru's homework too much, she tells me to stop.""Oji-chan!" exclaimed Chisaki, outraged. Kiri looked at his niece and a smile quivered at the corners of his mouth as he replied seriously, "I was just asking. Frankly, you're old enough that if you decide you'd rather fail than do your homework on your own, I don't care if you fall another year behind Hikaru."Chisaki gasped and exclaimed with outrage, "I am old enough! I should have been allowed to stay home with onii-chan!"Kiri regarded her seriously and asked, "And do you know why you weren't?"Chisaki grimaced and declared with exasperation, "Because oka-san is over protective!"Kiri asked mockingly, in much the same tone Chisaki had used earlier, "So you didn't ask me to rescue you a few weeks back, and you didn't need Hikaru to carry you out of a bar?""That was one time!" she protested. Kiri looked at her calmly and replied, "But it scared your mother. She doesn't need to be worrying about how you're behaving while your grandmother is dying.""Kiri," Hikaru protested. He looked at her and, embarrassed, she said, "It may be true, but, but you don't need to say it like that to her."He kissed her lightly and ran his hand through his hair and then turned back to his niece and said, "Hikaru is right. I'm sorry. If you feel like homework and school are too much right now, we'll talk about it and I'll see if you can take a day off school."Chisaki watched them with embarrassment, then bit her lip and replied, "I don't need to, we really have known it was going to happen soon, and I want to save my days off for after it's over.""OK," Kiri agreed.--After Mizuki, Chisaki and Hikaru were settled at the table finishing their various homework, Kiri folded out the couch and brought out two folded foam futons that he'd unearthed from his office. Hikaru stared and asked, "Where did you have those stored?"He shrugged and replied, "At the end of the filing cabinets under the stacks of old folders. I really should sort those and throw a bunch of stuff out and file the rest."When they finished with their work, he moved the table into the office, and laid out the beds.--When they curled up in bed after the kids were settled, Kiri kissed her and Hikaru laid her hand against his chest and said uncomfortably, "Kiri."He sighed and let go of her, though he complained, "I was really looking forward to tonight. It's just one thing after another."She laughed and replied, "Kiri, that's how my life has always been I think. From one emergency or project to the next. Isn't that normal?"He sighed and thought about it for a minute, then agreed, "Not always emergencies, but jobs and projects, yeah"She grinned and whispered, "Life's not fair, where's our obligatory hot spring episode, where it's all just silly fun for awhile?"Kiri's eyes brightened and he turned to look at her and said, "I could arrange that!"Hikaru laughed and asked lightly, "Is that how we'll spend our honeymoon then?"Kiri took her hand and kissed her fingertips and replied, "I was actually hoping to take you somewhere tropical."Hikaru whispered, "Kiri I want to wait to get my passport until after we get married. Can we do that for our one year anniversary instead?""Why?" he asked with surprise. She blushed and replied, "Because it will say that I'm married." After a moment she added, "I know it's silly."He pulled her close and murmured, "I love you when you're silly." He kissed her. "We can do that." He kissed her again. "Which hotspring should we honeymoon at then?" She kissed him and replied, "Your favorite?"He kissed her again and said a little hesitantly, "My favorite is kind of remote and really quiet, you might not enjoy it."Hikaru wriggled up against him and kissed along his jaw and bit his ear, he groaned and she whispered, "It'll be our honeymoon Kiri, what do you think I'm planning to do besides you?"He rolled her onto her back and didn't answer with words. But they tried to be quiet.--In the morning, which started early in order to have time to get them all ready, Kiri and Hikaru showered together quickly and brushed their teeth together in front of the mirror.Hikaru laughed and said, "This kind of rush." She asked after she rinsed, "Do you think mornings are always going to be like this when we have kids?"Kiri kissed her, nodded seriously and whispered, "Let's stick to the waiting awhile plan."--At breakfast Yuehe asked, "Can we have cake tonight?"Kiri looked at him and said, "I don't know, I may have to work too late to make cake."Hikaru suggested, "We could just buy cakes?"Kiri grinned at her and teased, "Spoiling them already oba-chan?"Hikaru blushed and replied, "Maybe, but we haven't had cake since your mother was here, I'd like it too."Kiri kissed her and agreed, "OK. We can have cake tonight."Chisaki rolled her eyes and said, "Your nephew asks and you're not sure, but Hikaru asks and you say OK?"Kiri grinned at her and replied sweetly, "Exactly, so you might want to get Hikaru on your side."Mizuki laughed and asked, "Hikaru-oba-chan how can I get you on my side for going to see a movie with my friends?"Kiri frowned at him and Mizuki sighed and said, "Nevermind, I can tell them I have to cancel."Kiri asked, "Did you have permission to go before before the news came in?"Mizuki shook his head and said, "No, but I think they would have let me, I just didn't have time to ask, and then we were coming here.""What movie?" asked Hikaru."Trying to get points with my brother?" Chisaki asked pointedly. Hikaru just looked at her for a moment and Chisaki looked away.Mizuki told them and Kiri looked it up quickly. He replied, "The movie looks OK, but will your friends be able to stay with you if I'm late being able to pick you up when it's over?"Mizuki hesitated, and Hikaru asked practically, "Do you have a phone?"He nodded and they arranged things so that Mizuki would message both of them if going to the movie was still on, after he asked his friends if being late would be OK with their families.Kiri told Hikaru, "Assuming that works out, I'll have to bring Yue-kun and Chisaki home, go back to work, and pick up Mizuki on my way home again."Hikaru said "OK."Hikaru took the bus and Kiri took his nephews and niece to their schools in his car.--After school Hikaru saw that she had a dozen messages from Kiri. She quickly read through them and then changed her course and called a taxi. When it pulled up in front of her a few minutes later, she closed her eyes and then swallowed hard and got in.She carefully fastened the belt, gave the driver the address of Yue-kun's school, her payment, and asked him to please drive carefully. She was delivered safely and tumbled out of the cab in front of the grade school. She was shaking with fear, but it actually hadn't been an awful ride and she was able to calm down surprisingly quickly. Hikaru approached the school and Yue-kun ran out to her, cheerfully calling out, "Oba-chan!"His teacher followed him and looked Hikaru over dubiously. Hikaru greeted Yuehe first, "Hi, how was school? Sorry I'm picking you up late.""It was OK," Yuehe replied seriously and then asked, "is oji-chan still at work?""He is, he couldn't get off in time to pick you up, and he warned me he'll be home really late," Hikaru replied both to Yuehe and his teacher. His teacher said uncertainly, "I don't think you're on the list of people approved to pick Yuehe-kun up from school. I know his parents are away, but"Embarrassed, Hikaru nodded and said honestly, "I'm not sure Kiri's sister would have added me to the list even if she'd realized I might be the one available."Yuehe said helpfully, "Oka-san slapped oba-chan when she came to our house."The teacher stared at Hikaru with alarm and said, "I really can't let you take him then."Hikaru gazed back at her worriedly and replied, "But Kiri might not be home before 11. Um..." She looked at Yuehe and then asked the teacher, "Who else is on the list, is there anyone I might contact?"Yuehe's teacher replied worriedly, "I already tried to contact his two eldest siblings, and none of his other family members live locally."Hikaru looked up at that, and asked, "If his grandmother would vouch for me too, would that be OK?""His grandmother is dying," the teacher snapped, then glanced apologetically at Yuehe."His mother's mother," clarified Hikaru.Reluctantly the teacher agreed that that would serve, and called Kiri's mother who assured her that Hikaru could be trusted to take Yuehe home with her. After signing a note that said she was taking Yuehe and letting the teacher make a copy of her ID, Hikaru and Yuehe finally set off for the nearest bus stop hand in hand. Dismally Yuehe asked, "Cake is cancelled isn't it?"Startled, Hikaru asked, "Why?"He looked up at her and replied, "Because oji-chan won't be able to buy it.""So what?" Hikaru asked. He looked up at her with surprise and she grinned and told him, "We can buy cake, but I think you should be more worried about who's cooking dinner."Hikaru looked at the time and considered her options. While they were on the bus downtown, Kiri's mother called her and informed her, "I just spoke to my middle daughter, are you doing OK? Do you want me to come and help? I wouldn't be able to arrive until tomorrow at the earliest and it might be over by then."Hikaru admitted, "In some ways it would be nice to have you come and take over, but I'm OK. And if things get too rough, I can always call my mother for help too.""That's true," agreed Tokiko. She told Hikaru firmly to let her know if she changed her mind, then ended the call.Hikaru sent a message to Mizuki, letting him know her plan, he sent back an, "OK." She also sent the same message to Chisaki, though given Kiri's message, she didn't expect a reply. --Downtown, Hikaru didn't immediately switch to the bus that went home, but instead took Yuehe to the cake shop she liked. They chose six different single-serving cakes, one extra just in case, to be picked up later. Then they went to another shop and ordered take out for dinner, also to be picked up later. Hikaru thought that Yuehe seemed surprisingly helpful about what he and his siblings liked or didn't like, but she wasn't really sure what she'd been like at that age. Then they walked to the theatre Mizuki was watching the movie at, and waited. Eventually Mizuki and his friends came out and Hikaru and Yue met up with them. Hikaru made no mention of the change when Mizuki carefully referred to her as Hikaru-san in front of his friends.Finally they headed home, picking up the cakes and food on their way back to the bus station. Embarrassed, Mizuki apologized once they were safely home. "Sorry, I said I would call you oba-chan, but then I got embarrassed when you came in your school uniform."Hikaru just smiled cheerfully at him and said, "It's fine, I don't mind at all.""Where is one-chan?" he asked, looking around with surprise.Hikaru shrugged and replied calmly, "Kiri said she messaged that she wouldn't be back until eight, I don't have any idea."Mizuki whistled and said, "She's going to get grounded."Yuehe asked worriedly, "Again?"Hikaru shrugged again and told them, "Unless she doesn't come home by eight, we don't need to worry about it. If she's breaking some rule you have at home, that's her business."They all changed clothes, worked on homework for awhile, and then they had supper. They saved the cakes for later, hoping that Kiri and Chisaki would get home in time to share them. Yuehe and Mizuki asked to watch anime after they'd finished and Hikaru agreed. --Chisaki didn't get home by eight, and ironically, Hikaru felt some sympathy for Izumi. It was kind of anxious to feel responsible for someone you had no control over. Hikaru hoped that Chisaki was safe.Kiri got home at nine, and when he discovered that he was home before Chisaki he got really angry for a moment. Hikaru watched his jaw clench and worried. But Kiri looked up to see her watching him and he smiled and leaned in to kiss her, and relaxed.He looked at Hikaru for a moment then warned her, "I am going to yell at Chisaki for awhile after she gets home." Then he greeted his nephews and asked what they'd had for dinner, and informed them both that they were taking baths tonight. Chisaki's eldest brother called them about a quarter of an hour later and informed his uncle that Chisaki was at home. Kiri sighed, then called his sister and calmly let her know the situation. Hikaru could hear her yelling back at him even after he stood up and carried his phone into his office. When Kiri stepped out of his office a little while later he laughed when Hikaru, Mizuki and Yuehe all looked up at him with worried expressions."It's OK, don't worry." Then he added to Mizuki and Yuehe, "Your mom is just stressed, and your sister is just acting like a brat. You should be used to it by now."Kiri ate supper, then they ate the cakes.
