Chapter 2: A Mother's Surprise

Haruto sat on the floor of his small apartment, surrounded by an array of colorful toys, as he played with Akira and Akiko. "Come on, say 'Da Da'," he coaxed, a wide grin spreading across his face as he watched the twins babble incoherently and reach out to playfully smack him.

"You two are such troublemakers," he chuckled, scooping them up in his arms and showering them with kisses. The twins squealed with delight, their laughter filling the room with infectious joy.

As the twins slowly dozed off to sleep, Haruto's thoughts drifted to the looming specter of his impending return to school. Classes would start soon, and he couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that gnawed at the edges of his mind.

"What am I going to do?" he murmured, his brow furrowing in worry as he glanced over at his calendar. Dropping out of school seemed like the easiest solution, but he couldn't bear the thought of sacrificing his dreams for the sake of the twins.

Lost in thought, Haruto was jolted back to reality by the ringing of his phone. With a sigh, he grabbed the device and answered, his heart pounding in his chest as he heard the voice on the other end.

"Haruto, dear, how are you?" his mother's voice greeted him warmly, her concern evident even through the crackling of the phone line.

"I'm doing okay, Mom," Haruto replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he struggled to find the right words. "Just... trying to figure things out, you know?"

His mother's gentle laughter echoed through the receiver, a comforting sound amidst the chaos of his thoughts. "I know, sweetheart. But remember, you don't have to do it all alone. Your father and I are always here for you, no matter what."

Tears welled up in Haruto's eyes at his mother's words, her unwavering support a lifeline in the storm of his uncertainty. "Thanks, Mom," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I really needed to hear that."

His mother's voice softened, her tone filled with love and pride. "I'm proud of you, Haruto. You've grown into such a wonderful young man, and I know you'll find a way to make things work."

Taking a deep breath, Haruto felt a surge of courage welling up inside him. "Mom, there's something I need to tell you," he began, his heart pounding in his chest as he braced himself for her reaction.

His mother's voice was filled with curiosity as she listened intently, her silence hanging heavy in the air as Haruto spilled his confession. "I... I have twins, Mom," he confessed, the words tumbling out in a rush as he struggled to find the right way to explain.

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line before his mother's voice erupted in disbelief. "You have twins?!" she exclaimed, her tone a mixture of shock and excitement. "Why didn't you tell me sooner, you little brat!"

Haruto couldn't help but laugh at his mother's outburst, her words a soothing balm to his troubled soul. "I'm sorry, Mom," he chuckled, the tension melting away as he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. "I wasn't sure how you would react."

His mother's laughter echoed through the phone, her voice filled with love and affection. "Well, I'm a grandma now, Haruto," she declared proudly. "And you better believe I'm going to spoil those babies rotten!"

Tears of relief streamed down Haruto's cheeks as he listened to his mother's words, her unwavering support a beacon of hope in the darkness. "Thank you, Mom," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I don't know what I would do without you."

His mother's voice softened, her love and pride evident even through the crackling of the phone line. "You'll never have to find out, sweetheart," she assured him. "I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

And as they said their goodbyes, Haruto felt a sense of peace settle over him, his mother's love a guiding light in the storm of uncertainty. For better or for worse, one thing was certain:

With his mother by his side, he could face anything that life threw his way.

And as Haruto ended the call with his mother, a sense of relief washed over him, leaving him with a wide smile on his face. Turning to the sleeping twins, he couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth in his heart. They were his world now, and he would do anything to protect them.

But before he could dwell too long on his newfound sense of contentment, Haruto's heart skipped a beat as his phone rang again, this time from an unknown number. With a hint of apprehension, he answered, unsure of who could be on the other end.

"Hello?" he ventured cautiously, his voice tinged with curiosity and anticipation.

"Hello, Haruto. It's me, Tomiko."

The sound of her voice sent a shiver down Haruto's spine, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions that he had long since buried. Memories of their one night together flooded his mind, mingling with a sense of longing and regret.

"Tomiko," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper as he struggled to find the right words. "It's been so long."

And so began a conversation that stretched into the depths of the night, as Tomiko and Haruto caught up on lost time. They reminisced about the past, sharing stories and laughter as if no time had passed at all.

"How are you, Haruto?" Tomiko asked, her voice soft and gentle over the crackling of the phone line.

"I'm doing okay," Haruto replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he thought of the twins sleeping peacefully in the other room. "Just trying to figure things out, you know?"

Tomiko listened intently as Haruto poured out his heart, sharing his hopes and fears with a vulnerability that surprised even himself. And as they talked, a sense of warmth spread through him, filling the empty spaces that had long lain dormant.

But as the conversation turned to more serious matters, Haruto couldn't shake the nagging feeling of unease that gnawed at the edges of his mind. "Why did you disappear that night, Tomiko?" he asked, his voice filled with a mixture of confusion and hurt.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Tomiko finally spoke, her voice hesitant and filled with regret. "I was scared," she admitted softly. "And I couldn't... I couldn't bring myself to face you, not after everything that had happened."

Haruto's heart ached at her words, the pain of her absence echoing through the years that had passed since that night. "Who are the debt collectors, Tomiko?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he braced himself for her answer.

Again, there was silence on the other end of the line, broken only by the sound of Tomiko's ragged breathing. "My father passed away soon after that night," she finally confessed, her voice trembling with emotion. "He was addicted to gambling, and now that he's gone, his debts have fallen on me."

Haruto felt a surge of anger and frustration rising within him, but as he listened to the tears in Tomiko's voice, his resolve hardened like steel. "It'll be okay, Tomiko," he reassured her, his voice filled with determination. "We'll figure this out together."

"Thank you, Haruto," Tomiko whispered, her voice barely audible over the line. "For everything."

And with that, the call ended, leaving Haruto filled with a sense of worry and determination. As he looked down at the sleeping twins, he felt a surge of love and protectiveness wash over him.

"I promise," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper as he gazed at their peaceful faces. "We'll all be together one day, no matter what."

And with that promise weighing heavy on his heart, Haruto settled in for the night, knowing that whatever challenges lay ahead, he would face them head-on, with the twins by his side every step of the way.

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ℜ𝔞𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔢~°

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2024-04-08

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