The next hour was chaos wrapped in tulle and lace.
Mafuyu was first. She emerged in a beautiful off-the-shoulder A-line gown. She was glowing, her dark hair and pale skin contrasting perfectly with the dress's soft cream. She stood before the mirror while blushing furiously, her hands resting on her belly, sneaking shy glances at Makoto.
Then came Ayane. She picked a slinky, form-fitting gown with a daring slit up one leg, modified to accommodate her bump. She spun around, striking poses. "Check it out, boss! It's like a beautiful cocoon, and a super-hot butterfly is gonna pop out! What do you think, Makoto? Too hot for the chapel?"
Yuna was a disaster. She hated everything. "This makes my boobs look huge!" (Makoto thought they looked amazing). "This one makes my ass look flat!" (It didn't). "This one looks like a wedding cake someone sat on!"
She finally settled on a sleek, modern sheath dress with delicate lace sleeves. It was elegant and beautiful, and she knew it, but she just stood there with her arms crossed, trying to look unimpressed. "I guess it's not horrible." But her eyes kept flicking to his reflection in the mirror.
Finally, Mika walked out, and the entire room fell silent. Her dress was something else entirely, a simple column of snow-white silk that draped over her pregnant form as if it were painted on. Everything about it was stripped back and confident.
She stood there in full command of the room, looked like a queen, and the expectation that Makoto'd be speechless was written all over her face.
Madame LeBlanc stepped forward, surveying her work. She looked from Mafuyu's maternal glow to Ayane's audacious slit, from Yuna's pouty elegance to Mika's regal composure.
Then she turned to Makoto, sitting in the velvet chair. "'Adequate," she said, her tone brisk and business-like. "I 'ave designed for queens, for movie stars, for heiresses. But I 'ave never designed for… all of zem at once."
She stared at him, her eyes sharp and unrelenting. "So, Monsieur." She pointed her long, thin finger at him. "Which one of zem is ze bride?"
"They're all mine, madam," Makoto said, eyes sparkling with pride and love as he looked at them. "They're beautiful, aren't they?"
Yuna froze, her face flushing deep crimson. She looked away, hiding her smile behind her hand, but he could see her shoulders shaking with a suppressed, happy gasp. She immediately straightened up, puffed out her chest, and shot a smug, triumphant look at Ayane.
"OBVIOUSLY!" Ayane bellowed, striking a victory pose. "HE'S THE KING, AND WE'RE HIS ROYAL HAREM!" She blew him a flurry of dramatic kisses.
Tears welled up in Mafuyu's eyes. She clutched her hands to her chest, her face glowing with joy. "Oh, Makoto-san…" she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. "That's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard."
Madame LeBlanc, however, remained unimpressed. She stared at him for a long, silent moment, her expression unreadable. Then she let out a weary sigh, as if he had just confirmed all her worst suspicions about modern romance.
"A man who cannot choose," she declared flatly. "And four women who will settle for 'alf ze groom. It is a tragedy for ze marriage industry, but a very good business for me."
She clapped her hands together, her tone turning brisk and professional. "Final alterations will be ready in two weeks. Ze balance is due upon delivery. Now, get out of my shop. You are all… far too 'appy. It is unsettling."
"Yes, Madame." Makoto nodded and slowly approached Mika to whisper, "You sure we can afford all this? It looks like even one dress is more expensive than my meager car."
Mika's lips curved into a satisfied smile. She didn't turn to face him, just kept her eyes on her reflection, but her posture relaxed slightly. "Don't worry about it, darling," she murmured back confidently. "The Saionji name still holds some weight."
"And this is a legitimate business expense," she gestured around at the dresses, "Consider it part of my dowry, even though my mom said she won't give us any." She pulled back slightly, her eyes glinting. "And if we happen to go slightly over budget, you can always work it off. One massage at a time, for the rest of your life."
As Makoto led them out of the boutique and back into their street clothes, the mood was high. The sun was bright, the air was crisp, and everyone seemed lighter on their feet somehow.
"Alright!" Mika announced, checking her tablet. "Next stop is the clinic for our ultrasound. We have two hours for lunch. Ayane, try not to tease the technician. Yuna, don't threaten them if they can't tell the gender. Mafuyu, you're in charge of water snacks."
She looked at Makoto with a mischievous glint in her eye. "And you, darling… try not to faint when you see what strong babies you've made."
===
After lunch, they headed to the clinic for their appointment. Dr. Sato watched all five of them squeeze into the small exam room and rubbed her temples with a sigh. The shock from their first visit had mostly worn off by now, settled into a kind of professional resignation.
She knew the drill: Yuna would argue about fetal size. Ayane would make dirty jokes about the gel. Mika would take notes on everything and secretly compare numbers with Yuna's results. Mafuyu would cry tears of joy.
And Makoto would just stand there, looking proud but slightly terrified.
"Alright," she said, her voice flat. "Who's first? Let's just get this over with."
"ME!" Yuna shouted, practically diving onto the exam table. "I need to know if it's a boy or a girl! I need to know if I'm having a daughter to inherit my greatness or a son to bully!" She pulled up her shirt, revealing her growing bump. "And be gentle with the wand! My baby is delicate!"
Dr. Sato applied the gel, ignoring Yuna's hissed complaints about the temperature. The grainy image flickered onto the screen. "Well," the doctor said, squinting. "There's a strong and steady heartbeat." She moved the wand slightly. "And it looks like…"
Yuna held her breath, her hand gripping Makoto's so tight it hurt.
"…It looks like a girl," Dr. Sato announced.
"YES!" Yuna screamed, throwing her arms up in victory. "A DAUGHTER! YUMI IS REAL!" She grabbed Makoto's face and pulled him down for a messy kiss. "Did you hear that, big bro?! We made a girl! A perfect, beautiful girl just like me!"
"Move over, Main Wife!" Ayane nudged Yuna off the table. "My turn! Come on, Asuka, show mommy what you got!"
When her turn came, the screen revealed another active little blob. "Another girl," Dr. Sato confirmed, sounding slightly bemused. "Very active."
"FUCK YEAH!" Ayane cheered, high-fiving Mika. "Gamer Girl Army! We're gonna teach them to co-op before they can walk!"
Mika stepped up next, her face calm and composed, though her hands were trembling slightly. She lay down gracefully.
"Her heart rate is 158 beats per minute," Mika recited before the doctor could even speak. "Development appears to be on track for her gestational age."
When the gender was confirmed as another girl, Mika let out a breath. A triumphant smile touched her lips. "Aiko," she whispered, her hand resting on her stomach. "My little love child. My perfect daughter."
Finally, Mafuyu was shaking like a leaf as she lay down, clutching Makoto's hand with both of hers.
When the doctor announced it was a boy, the room went silent for a second.
"A… a boy?" Mafuyu whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "A son?" She looked up at him, her face bright with a happiness she couldn't contain. "A little boy just like his father. Oh, Makoto-kun," She burst into happy sobs, burying her face in his shoulder.
"Wait a minute!" Yuna screeched, pointing an accusatory finger at Mafuyu. "A BOY?! WHY DOES SHE GET A BOY?! THAT'S UNFAIR! I WANTED A BOY TO BULLY TOO!"
"You just said you wanted a girl to inherit your greatness!" Ayane pointed out, laughing.
"I WANT BOTH!" Yuna wailed.
Dr. Sato cleared her throat loudly. "Congratulations," she said, her voice dry. "Three girls and one boy. It was a very balanced family you're building, sir." She handed Makoto a printout of the four ultrasounds, all labeled and dated. "Now please, get out of my office. I need a drink."
Makoto walked out with them, holding the four ultrasound pictures. "Well, let's hope little Makoto can survive his sisters, Mafuyu-nee."
Mafuyu beamed, wiping the last of her happy tears. "Oh, he will! He'll have three big sisters to protect him! And maybe teach him a few bad habits," she added, glancing nervously at Ayane. "But he'll be loved, so, so loved. I was thinking of naming him Ren (恋 - love), honey."
Mika was already on her phone, tapping away furiously. "I'm adding some boys' toys to our shopping list," she said, her tone all business. " And I'm researching early childhood development programs for him, too. He'll need to be academically competitive to keep up with his sisters."
"Ren sounds cute, Mamafu. He's gonna be a total mama's boy," Ayane grinned, poking Mafuyu's bump gently. "And probably a pervert just like his dad. Imagine the harem potential! He's gonna inherit the family business!"
Yuna was pouting, her arms crossed over her own bump. "Hmph, Whatever! He's just gonna be a servant to my Yumi. She'll be the queen bee, obviously. And he can carry her bags." But her eyes were soft as she looked at Mafuyu's stomach. "Make sure he eats his vegetables, okay? Boys are stupid about vegetables."
As they walked toward the car, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the parking lot. Makoto was exhausted, and his life was still a complete chaos. But holding those four grainy pictures, surrounded by the women carrying his children, he felt strangely settled. Like everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.
"So," he said, unlocking the car. "We have two weeks until the wedding. We have the dresses, the rings are almost done, and the babies are healthy. What's left?"
"The venue, darling," Mika said calmly, sliding into her seat. "We still haven't finalized the location. My mother insists on a traditional shrine wedding, but Ayane wants a beach ceremony with fireworks."
"And I want a castle!" Yuna shouted from the front seat. "A big, European castle! With dragons!"
"Maybe just a nice garden?" Mafuyu suggested timidly. "With lots of flowers?"
Makoto groaned, putting the car in gear. "Alright," he said, a smile spreading across his face. "Let's go home. We can argue about castles and dragons over dinner. I'm making… whatever the hell you want."
A chorus of cheers erupted from the backseat.
"KATSUDON!"
"STEAK!"
"Curry!"