Chapter 3

It'd been a couple of weeks since we visited the Kurokawa family. Since then, things had gotten somewhat hectic at home, and Midori's schedule varied from the leave-at-9-come-back-at-4 that had become the norm.

I tried to find out what was happening, but I only ever caught snippets of conversations, and, even then, I could only partially make out what they were about – a job, apparently.

I often overheard Eiichirou's name in those exchanges, so I assumed either he was being offered a job, or he was the one hiring. Although, from how Midori was behaving, the second seemed more probable. Mother appeared agitated – which wasn't unusual, if I were to be honest – but she also had a glimmer in her eyes that screamed 'Finally!', as if she had been awaiting this moment for far too long.

Maybe she hadn't been a housewife before I was born, as I had imagined, and now that she had an opportunity to jump back into the working force, she was taking it with boundless enthusiasm.

I wondered if she felt as constricted as I did, not being able to do as she wished. If so, I could understand why she had dedicated herself to house chores with such fervour. Midori had probably needed a distraction from the extreme boredom that is inactivity.

I'd expected her to resent me for bestowing motherhood upon her, as she might have lost her previous job because of my birth – this was Japan, after all, the land where women were expected to give up on their entire professional careers as soon as they got pregnant. Still, my apprehension of being perceived as a burden was quenched as I mulled over the matter.

Midori obviously loved me a great deal. That was unquestionable.

Even if I did get in the way of her career, I could see in the way she looked after me that it didn't matter. I was her baby and, to her, I was worth it.

I was definitely wanted.

I was definitely loved.

And that was enough for me to let go of the subject and move on to nicer, lighter ponderings.

Such as solid food – my newly developed obsession.

Today Yuu has some time to spare, so he'll take me to the park later in the afternoon. Also, he just called the Kurokawa matron to arrange a playdate with little Hana.

I'm kind of looking forward to it.

Don't get me wrong, the Giraffe barbarian isn't the most engaging toddler to have around, but she is the most interesting one I can have, at the moment. And, while I am still uncertain about the possibility, she might be a character from what had been my favorite show. You can't blame me for my curiosity.

How does children-hating Hana behave while being an infant herself?

The concept alone seems awfully humorous – too much to pass up.

Additionally, knowing that Hana had remained a side character throughout the whole series is comforting, and it makes being her friend particularly appealing in case my suspicions hold true. If she manages to keep herself uninvolved enough to stay unscathed up to the Future Arc – at the very least – I can do the same by staying around her.

Or so I hope.

If it works, I can watch the plot unravel from the sidelines – avoiding all the hazard and still getting a front seat to the show being the best-case scenario.

It's not much of a plan, but I don't have many options to choose from, do I?

I will try to learn some survival skills in the meantime, though. While avoidance is best, the plot had always been unpredictable, and I do not expect that to change – it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

A few hours had passed when the doorbell startled me, bringing me out of my reverie. As expected, Mei was outside – holding Hana close to her chest – intently ignoring the attempts at biting from the toddler.

How cute.

Dad took a couple more minutes to gather some last-minute necessities, and soon we were on our way to the park. Both parents chattered amicably above our strollers, but Hana and I could only patiently await our arrival – it was no use trying to sit up while we were moving, as we'd only fall back down.

Although, Hana would probably pull it off if she tried – being a few months older than myself – but I guess she found it was too much trouble. I couldn't be sure if what I felt was jealousy or bitterness, but knowing she was more developed than I was, but didn't make the most of it, sure bothered me.

The fact I could be reduced to an envious brat for such a petty reason brought me back to my senses, but even so–

Upper-body strength, how I miss thee.

Feeling embarrassed over my childish feelings would only lead to further chagrin, so I chose to cloud watch instead – too bad I could only see a single cloud in the sky.

A sigh silently made its way out of my lips, but I kept my sight fixed on the lone cotton-like aggregation of water droplets.

I'll make do.

We made it to the destination not long after, and Hana and I were placed on a patch of grass by the adults' spot of choice. The tiny savage, with little prompting from Mei, crawled all the way to me and sat beside my head, looking down at my face. That arrangement left me slightly uncomfortable, as she had seemed more than just a little prone to aggression in our previous meeting.

I didn't make a move to escape, though – never let them know you fear them and they won't hurt you – wasn't that the standard procedure when encountering wild animals… or bullies, perhaps? Beats me.

Hana reached out, eliciting a flinch from me, but my fears were unfounded, as the baby only grasped – softly – at my little tufts of hair, playing with them. I was surprised at her delicate hold of my strands, not expecting anything remotely gentle from the child. The astonishment had me glancing at her face, seeking an explanation for her actions, and I could not help the warmth that bloomed in my chest.

Hana's eyes were sparkling, for once not set in a glare, and she had a grin plastered on her face, proudly showing the world her four front teeth. I guess she never had a chance to play with other kids' hair, because she was having the time of her life. I couldn't help the gurgle that bubbled from my throat, and gave into giggling at the other infant's actions.

If playing with my hair made her so happy, by all means, she could do it all day long. I wouldn't mind having her around if that's how she would behave – blame my poor, melting heart.

A series of 'snaps' caught my attention, and I partially turned my attention to the adults. Both had light blushes on their faces, as they took many shots of Hana playing with my hair, enraptured by our interaction.

Yuu then got up, trying to get a better angle – to best capture his dear Rei-chan, he said – and a small book fell from his lap. Mei took it for him, as he seemed not to care enough to do so himself, brushing off the dirt from the cover.

"Yuu, you need to be more careful! You can't mistreat your own work that way." she reprimanded him, lightly tapping the object to his forehead.

Dad didn't seem to care much, too far gone in his Rei-photographer persona. "No need to fret, Mei." he laughed, exasperating her further "As the author, there is no shortage of copies at home!" He grinned at his phone, admiring his latest picture.

"You're as hopeless as ever- I wonder how Midori handles you, honestly…" Yuu gave a cry of indignation, and both of them descended into light banter. Still, I was too distracted to pay much attention to it – my curiosity had been piqued by the knowledge that the book was his.

Although he had said we kept many copies at home, I had yet to see a single one! This was my chance to have a glimpse at Yuu's work – illiteracy notwithstanding.

I used my hands to grasp at Hana's, silently asking for her cooperation. She seemed none too pleased at having her ministrations interrupted, her glare back full-force, but to my bewilderment, she complied. With her aid, I crawled up to Mei's legs, giving her a slight nudge. She instantly brought me to her arms, leaving Hana on the ground when the baby shrugged off her attempts at carrying.

Yuu seemed disheartened at having me ask her for attention, instead of him, but that soon changed when he noticed me motioning for the booklet in her hands. He looked so proud!

"Little Rei-chan is interested in papa's work? That's my baby!" He took me and the item from Mei, practically shoving it in my face out of excitement "I see my darling wants to support her papa! Mama will be so jealous when she finds out!".

I wasn't able to read the title, but the illustration accompanied by a Hayashi Yuu neatly printed on its lower right was more than enough, and comprehension dawned on me.

So, dad was a mangaka, huh.

While I was distracted by the new piece of information, Yuu decided to twirl me around, still happy from what he thought of as a 'blatant show of interest' – unsurprisingly, he overdid it, and nausea overcame me. Thank goodness Mei was there to stop the man, or I would have emptied the contents of my last meal on poor, unsuspecting Hana.

After the mother placed me by her daughter, she turned her sights to Yuu, lashing out. I felt slight pity at the sight of his cowering form, but my appreciation for Mei overpowered it. He did deserve the scolding.

Looking at the woman, I could finally see some resemblance to her child – it appeared death glares were genetic, after all.

While I became less sick in the stomach, my mind went back to Yuu's profession, and a thought brought a smile to my face.

It would be nice if dad taught me how to draw.

Watching as the massacre took place not far from me, I humorously added – if he manages to survive the day.

A poke to my arm had my attention switching once again to the fellow baby in the vicinity, and, understanding her grabby motions, I rolled around – with some effort – and leant my head against her lap. Her soothing hands, for the second time in that afternoon, were roaming over my short tresses, and I was soon lulled to sleep.

At that moment, all was right in the world.

I only woke up later in the evening, with a little prompting from dad, to eat. We were already at home by then, and I could see Midori was passed out on the couch from my baby chair in the kitchen.

Mom must have had a tiring day. I yawned, and it wasn't long until I was tucked into my crib, staying conscious barely long enough to hear Yuu carrying Midori to their room.

A/N: I hope this chapter catered to your tastes!

Also, do you think the story is moving too slowly or too fast? Does it come off as boring? Do you have suggestions- maybe corrections to make? Feedback would be much appreciated :)

~ Ryohei