Kazuki immediately shut his mouth.
Reciting the multiplication table was harder for him than defeating the final boss.
He decided to change the subject.
"Grandpa, has the snowman in the yard melted?"
Nakayama Hayao took over, his tone gentle, like a completely different person.
"It hasn't melted. Grandpa had it covered with a tarp. When we go back this afternoon, Grandpa will help you put a carrot nose on the snowman."
The atmosphere in the hospital room was warm and relaxed.
Outside the window, the winter sunlight streamed through the glass, casting mottled shadows on the floor.
Nakayama Miyuki helped Eri tidy up her bedding and gave her a few more instructions regarding postpartum recovery.
"Takuya, your parents-in-law are busy at the station these two days, so they said they would come to see you in a couple of days. You need to be extra attentive here. If you need anything, call home at any time."
"I know, Mom. Aunt Keiko brings clean clothes every day; we aren't short of anything here."
Nakayama Hayao glanced at his watch.
"Alright, we won't disturb you anymore. Eri needs to rest. Kazuki, let's go home with Grandpa. We'll go build a snowman in the yard this afternoon."
Hearing about building a snowman, Kazuki's eyes lit up.
He ran to the bedside, stood on tiptoe, and planted a kiss on Eri's cheek.
"Goodbye, Mommy. Goodbye, baby."
Eri smiled and stroked his face.
"Be good when you go home with Grandma and Grandpa. No mischief."
Takuya Nakayama saw his parents and son out of the hospital room, all the way to the elevator.
Watching the elevator doors close, he let out a long sigh and turned back toward the room.
Eri had already finished the bowl of chicken soup and was wiping her mouth with a tissue.
"Did they leave?"
"Yeah. That kid Kazuki, his head is just full of games." Takuya Nakayama set the empty bowl aside.
"That's just because he inherited it from you," Eri rolled her eyes at him. "You were probably even worse at four."
Takuya Nakayama smiled, not bothering to argue.
He couldn't exactly tell his wife that when he was four, PONG hadn't even been invented yet.
December 29th.
Eri had already been in the maternity ward at Sugiyama Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital for three full days.
Outside the window, fine snowflakes were drifting in the night sky over Tokyo.
The heater was on full blast, and a layer of condensation had formed on the glass.
Takuya Nakayama was sitting on the companion chair.
Spread out on his lap were several sales reports from the North American market.
The year-end shopping season was drawing to a close.
He knew the movements of Sony and Nintendo like the back of his hand.
But right now, these figures were far less important than his wife in the hospital bed.
He shifted his gaze away from the papers.
Eri was leaning against the pillows, holding a parenting magazine in her hands.
The edema from her late-stage pregnancy had made her cheeks a bit rounder than usual.
The two of them were chatting.
The second hand of the quartz clock on the wall was ticking along, tick by tick.
The time reached 9:30 PM.
Eri was just getting ready to lie down and rest.
She braced herself against the edge of the bed and had just moved her body slightly when she stopped.
"Takuya."
She called out.
There was no panic in her tone, but it carried an unusual tension.
Takuya Nakayama put down the reports in his hands and stood up. "Where are you uncomfortable?"
"Something's wrong—" Eri looked down, "My water broke."
Takuya Nakayama didn't waste any words.
He turned and walked to the head of the bed, pressing the red call button.
Footsteps could be heard in the hallway.
The nurse on duty pushed open the door and entered.
After assessing the situation, the nurse efficiently lifted the quilt to check.
"Her water has indeed broken," the nurse said, turning to Takuya Nakayama. "Mr. Nakayama, please pack up the expectant mother's personal belongings. We need to move her to the delivery ward now."
There was no heart-wrenching screaming or chaotic panic like in the television dramas.
Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.
Takuya Nakayama picked up the maternity bag that had been prepared well in advance.
Two nurses pushed the gurney over, and Eri was moved onto it.
The hallway lights were bright. The wheels of the gurney rolled over the linoleum floor, making a monotonous rumbling sound.
Takuya Nakayama walked beside the bed, holding Eri's hand.
Her palms were a little cold and sweaty.
"Nervous?" Takuya Nakayama asked, looking down at her.
"When I had Kazuki, it started with spotting, then contractions," Eri said, watching the ceiling lights pass by overhead. "This time, the water broke right away. It's a different process."
"Second babies never follow the rules," Takuya Nakayama comforted her. "It just means this little one is impatient."
The delivery ward was at the end of the hall.
The door opened, and there were already two other pregnant women inside, waiting to give birth.
The nurse settled Eri into a bed by the window and drew the privacy curtain.
The on-duty doctor arrived.
She was a doctor in her forties, wearing black-rimmed glasses.
After a quick examination, the doctor took off her gloves and washed her hands at the sink.
"The cervix hasn't dilated yet," the doctor said, drying her hands as she briefed Takuya Nakayama on the condition. "The membranes have ruptured prematurely, and amniotic fluid is leaking. We can't wait too long in this situation due to the risk of intrauterine infection. We'll observe for a few hours. If there are no regular contractions by dawn, we'll need to administer an intravenous oxytocin drip."
Takuya Nakayama nodded to show he understood.
"The mother needs to stay in bed at all times; she cannot get up and walk around," the doctor added. "Family should stay with her to help ease her anxiety."
After the doctor left, only Takuya Nakayama and Eri were left in the space behind the curtain.
The monitors ticked and beeped. A fetal heart rate monitor was strapped to Eri's belly, printing out a long strip of paper.
Takuya Nakayama pulled over a round stool and sat down.
"You should call home," Eri said softly. "Mom and Dad won't be asleep yet."
Takuya Nakayama glanced at his watch—quarter past ten.
He walked outside the delivery ward, took out his phone, and dialed the number for the family estate.
The maid, Keiko, answered the phone.
"Aunt Keiko, it's me. Eri is going into labor; we're in the delivery ward now."
Awakened in the middle of the night, this veteran housekeeper, who had served the Nakayama family for decades, spoke half a beat slower than usual.
After clearly understanding the information Takuya conveyed, her tone rose, filled with concern.
"Young Master, I'll go inform the Master and Madam right away. Did you bring the maternity bag for the Mistress, along with the baby clothes we prepared earlier? Should I check the household supplies one more time?"
"They're all packed. I checked everything before coming to the hospital. Tell Mom and Dad not to rush; the doctor said her water broke, but she's not fully dilated yet and will need to be observed for a few hours. It's snowing outside and the roads are slippery, so tell the driver to drive slowly."
Hanging up the phone, Takuya Nakayama leaned against the corridor wall.
The cool-toned fluorescent lights shone onto the linoleum floor, reflecting cold patches of light.
The maternity ward area was sparsely populated late at night.
Occasionally, a nurse on duty would pass by pushing a medical cart, the rubber wheels creating a faint rustling sound against the floor.
Outside the glass window, fine snowflakes drifted in the Tokyo night sky, gathering in a thin layer on the windowsill.
On the other side, at the Nakayama mansion in Ōta Ward.
Keiko threw on a thick wool coat, walked quickly through the hallway, and stopped outside the master bedroom on the second floor, raising her hand to knock.
She used moderate force—enough to wake the people inside without appearing panicked.
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