After finishing his call with Director Takahashi, Nakayama Takuya glanced at the clock. It was just about time to get off work. He picked up his half-finished copy of Jurassic Park and drove home.
The moment he opened the door, the rich aroma of miso drifted from the kitchen.
Takuya hung his coat on the rack and wandered toward the open kitchen. He wrapped his arms around Eri from behind as she worked at the stove.
"So fragrant… what delicious thing is my Eri making today?"
"Don't fool around, it's almost done."
Eri turned her face just enough for him to kiss her cheek, then went back to the sizzling pan.
Grinning like an idiot, Takuya strolled to the sofa, switched on the TV, and landed right on NHK's Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water.
Watching Nadia and Jean's adventure unfold, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Hideaki Anno was probably watching the ratings climb while feeling tortured by the pitiful production budget he had been given.
Just as Takuya was silently mourning all the money GAINA failed to earn, a sharp clang suddenly rang from the kitchen—like a spatula hitting the stove.
The sound wasn't loud, but it snapped his thoughts clean in half.
He rushed over at once. "Eri? What happened?"
Eri was bracing herself against the counter with one hand, the other pressed over her mouth as she dry-heaved into the sink. Her pretty face was flushed bright red.
"What's wrong?" Takuya's heart jumped. He hurried to support her, gently rubbing her back. "Did you eat something bad?"
Eri shook her head weakly. She retched for a long time, but nothing came up—she hadn't eaten dinner yet, her stomach empty.
After a moment, the color in her face slowly returned.
Takuya brought her a glass of warm water, helped her rinse her mouth at the sink, then guided her to the sofa.
"It was just the smell of the miso soup. Suddenly it made me nauseous."
Eri leaned back, still drained, her voice soft and airy. "I didn't eat anything weird today…"
Mid-sentence, she unconsciously lifted her eyes to Takuya. Their gazes met.
She froze.
A flicker of confusion flashed in her eyes—then surprise—then a blooming blush.
Only the sound of the TV filled the quiet room.
Takuya watched her shifting expression, his own heart rising to his throat. "Eri? What is it? You're scaring me."
Her lips moved. She looked away, fingers nervously gripping the hem of her shirt.
After several seconds, she whispered—so softly it was almost inaudible:
"Takuya… my period is… over two months late."
Boom.
Takuya felt as if lightning had split open his skull. His mind went blank.
Just moments ago he'd been racing through possibilities—bad food, stomach flu—his mental CPU now utterly fried.
Two months late?
Dry heaving?
Nauseated by smells?
These words rearranged themselves wildly in his head until—ding—they formed one single, heart-stopping answer.
His eyes widened. His gaze dropped from Eri's shy, glowing face to her still-flat stomach.
A rush of indescribable joy blasted from his feet straight to the top of his skull.
I'm going to be a father?!
He opened his mouth but couldn't get a single sound out.
Seizing Eri's hand, he turned toward the door. "No—we're going to the hospital right now!"
Eri hastily pulled him back, cheeks still pink but her tone half-scolding, half-helpless. "Why are you panicking? Dinner is ready."
"Who can eat at a time like this?! What if—"
He stopped himself just before blurting out something unlucky.
"Exactly because there's a 'what if,' we should eat."
Eri slipped her hand free and touched her still-flat stomach, her gaze soft as water. "Even if I can endure it… the baby needs to eat."
Baby.
The word froze him in place.
That single syllable smoothed away all his anxiety.
He stared at Eri, then at the innocent miso soup simmering in the pot, finally admitting defeat.
They returned to the kitchen together. Takuya hovered like a foreman while she plated the last of the dishes.
Dinner was simple and mild. Takuya took a cautious sip of the miso soup, testing the saltiness. When he confirmed it was very light, he relaxed—only slightly.
"I'll call the hospital."
He hurried to the living room, pulled out his phone, and dialed Sugiyama Obstetrics & Gynecology to book an emergency evening appointment.
At the table, the atmosphere was unlike any previous dinner.
Eri's appetite had recovered; she ate slowly, one bite at a time.
Takuya, on the other hand, could barely taste anything. After a few mouthfuls of rice, he rested his chin in his hand and stared fixedly at Eri's belly, as if he could see through it with sheer will.
"Don't look at me like that—I can't eat," Eri protested, flustered enough to put her chopsticks down.
"I'm thinking about the baby's name already…"
Takuya's mind had begun drifting to distant galaxies.
Eri laughed helplessly and shoved a leaf of greens into his mouth. "Eat. We don't even know for sure yet."
As they chatted and counted days, Takuya's heartbeat grew faster and faster.
Dinner ended in a strange, magical mood.
He couldn't wait another second and drove Eri straight to the hospital.
The one-hour wait for the test results felt like an entire century.
Takuya paced the corridor restlessly while Eri sat quietly on the bench, holding his hand, calming him without a single word.
Finally, the exam room door opened.
The elderly doctor adjusted his glasses, smiling warmly. He looked at the report, then at the anxious young couple.
"Mr. Nakayama, Mrs. Nakayama—congratulations. Your wife is eight weeks pregnant. The baby is very healthy."
Boom.
A surge of heat shot through Takuya from the soles of his feet.
He clenched his fists, then immediately relaxed and wrapped Eri in his arms, too overwhelmed to speak—only able to grin like a fool.
Eri's eyes reddened. Leaning against her husband's chest, listening to his racing heartbeat, she felt happiness overflow within her.
After thanking the doctor repeatedly, they stepped outside. The evening breeze brushed their cheeks, and at last the news felt real.
Takuya pulled out his phone and dialed the Nakayama family estate.
The ringing lasted a long time before someone answered—his mother, Nakayama Miyuki.
"Takuya? It's late—what is it?"
"It's me!"
His voice trembled with excitement. "Mom—you're going to be a grandmother. Eri is pregnant!"
Silence.
Five whole seconds of it.
Then an explosive shriek burst through the receiver:
"What did you say?! Really?!"
"Really! The doctor just confirmed it—eight weeks!"
"Oh my heavens!"
Miyuki's voice was pure joy, followed by a barrage of orders:
"You two—right now—this instant—come back to the main house! That tiny apartment won't do! And you—how could you possibly take proper care of a pregnant woman?! Keiko! KEIKO! Prepare the big sunlit suite on the east side! Yes, that one!"
Takuya could even hear the delighted response of the old housekeeper, Nakayama Keiko.
Before hanging up, Miyuki sternly added:
"And don't forget to inform your in-laws! A matter this big—mind your manners!"
Takuya agreed at once and called the Nakagawa household.
His mother-in-law Nakagawa Takako answered. The moment she understood, joy filled her voice. Takuya quickly handed the phone to Eri.
Mother and daughter spoke for a long while. Upon hearing that Miyuki would personally care for her daughter, Takako was deeply moved. Before hanging up, she gently reminded:
"When you move into the Nakayama house, don't get spoiled. Be even more respectful to your in-laws, understand?"
Blushing, Eri promised again and again, then spoke briefly with her father before ending the call.
When Takuya's car pulled into the brightly lit Nakayama estate, they could already see Miyuki waiting anxiously at the entrance, the kindly housekeeper Keiko at her side.
The moment the car stopped, Miyuki rushed over. She completely ignored her son dragging luggage and immediately took Eri's hand, looking her up and down as she fussed:
"Oh dear, Eri, you're finally home! Quick, come inside—the wind is strong. Are you hungry? Keiko made bird's nest soup to warm you up."
Following behind, Takuya watched Eri being welcomed like a treasured princess. Instead of feeling overshadowed, he couldn't stop grinning.
He knew that from tonight onward, the Nakayama household was entering a brand-new, wonderfully chaotic era.
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