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9:52AM
Kisa got more than she bargained for when she went looking for extra toothpaste in one of the beach house’s bathrooms. In the back of the top drawer, a plastic bag poked out from behind the toothbrushes, mini deodorants, and sunscreen bottles that were kept stocked. She dragged it out and unraveled it to look inside.
What she found was far from toothpaste.
A plastic stick with a blue cap on the end. She reached in, her curiosity getting the best of her, and turned it around.
Kisa, though now a first-year university student, thankfully had little experience with these kinds of tests. This one, however, was very clear. Extremely clear. It made her heart jump in her throat. Someone in this vacation house had a secret, and the single word on the little digital screen just gave it away.
She could feel her heart rate increasing as she took in what this meant. Whoever it was hadn’t shared their news with the group, which meant that Kisa was not supposed to know. The weight of the situation settled onto her shoulders at the same time that excitement bubbled in her chest.
Someone was pregnant.
Someone who was downstairs this very minute.
It must have only been a moment since she found it, but she was so wrapped up in her thoughts that when a knock sounded on the bathroom door, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Uh, one moment!” In her sudden panic, she thrust the test back in the bag and shoved it into the waistband of her skirt at her back in a decision she would soon regret.
When she swung the door open, Momiji stood in front of her, his eyes slightly wide as he took her in. “We just finished cleaning up breakfast and were going to start the movie. Are you okay?”
“Who, me?”
“Yes. You look…frazzled.”
“Oh, I’m okay!” Kisa stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door behind her, keeping her back to it. “I’ll be down in just a moment! You can go ahead and start without me!”
With a look that let her know he was unconvinced, he conceded. “Okay then. Let me know if I can help with anything.”
“I will!”
She waited until Momiji was fully out of sight before bolting to her room. The moment she closed the door behind her, the weight of what she had just done seemed to hit her all at once.
One hand reached for the waistband at her back and the other went to her mouth. Not only did she accidentally violate someone’s privacy, now she had on purpose stolen something that they would likely go looking for very shortly. She had to put it back. Not now, but soon. The last thing she needed was to run into someone in the hall and fail to keep it hidden. Perhaps tonight, after everyone had gone to bed, she could sneak the item back down the hall and tuck it away in the drawer where she found it. Yes, that was it, that was how she could fix this. She would just have to be patient - and temporarily hide the test in her room where no one could find it. In the meantime, she had to keep her cool and keep her mouth shut.
And perhaps, though this would be the most daunting task of all, try not to figure out who of her friends was having a baby.
10:06AM
As Kisa left her room - the test successfully hidden away - and made her way back downstairs into the common area, she tried her best to forget about it. Whoever it was clearly didn’t want it to be known yet. Still, she couldn’t help the small piece of her mind that ran through the possibilities.
First was Rin. She and Hatsuharu weren’t technically married yet but they still lived together and were impressively frank about the more intimate parts of their relationship. They definitely could have been trying - or at least, may have been doing the deed enough that a slip up would be more likely.
Next was Machi, Yuki’s newlywed bride. They had only recently gotten married, as they had been waiting for Yuki to graduate from university. Although Machi still had one year left, Yuki had already started to establish himself in his career. Kisa thought them practical enough that they likely wouldn’t have wanted to start trying for babies at least until Machi was finished with school, but who knows? Different decisions are right for different families. And as always, accidents can happen.
The final option was Tohru. That thought almost made Kisa put a little bounce in her step as she continued to the kitchen. Tohru and Kyo had been married for nearly four years, having tied the knot shortly after graduating high school. They were clearly still deeply in love and well-established their little town up north. It’s possible they had decided to try for a baby. And as far as accidents went, as much as she loved and respected them both, it was clear that out of everyone, they were probably the most likely to space out and slip up.
But no! She should not be thinking about this. Whoever it was would tell people eventually. Kisa had a responsibility to leave the matter alone.
After grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, she leaned over the island and looked out towards the living room. As her gaze landed on each couple, her resolve began to slip further and further from her grip.
Machi sat on the couch, Yuki’s arm around her as they watched the latest Mogeta movie. She was hugging a pillow to her chest. Most likely that was simply for extra comfort - perhaps even emotional comfort as they enjoyed the stressful action of the movie. Or could it be that she was trying to keep people from seeing too much of her stomach? Yuki gazed at the TV in what looked to be slight boredom, but was it possible that he was distracted by thoughts of a more…paternal variety?
Tohru sat between Momiji and Kyo on the floor. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary with her, her hands resting naturally on her lap - or, could it be, they rested slightly on her belly? Kyo didn’t seem very interested in the movie as his eyes kept glancing over at Tohru, sometimes scanning the length of her torso with a stony expression. Was he irritated about something? Or perhaps taking great pains to make his expression look as neutral as possible, to keep people from noticing his worry for the soon-to-be mother of his child?
Then there was Rin, on the other end of the couch, Haru sandwiched between her and Yuki. Her expression was completely neutral, if a little bored. Her hand rested on Haru’s leg, her fingers interlaced with his own. There was nothing out of the ordinary as the two of them were often affectionate. But could this particular touch be meant more as reassurance than affection? A slight comfort to have her love, the father of her baby, at her side during this trying time?
Kisa berated herself for that last thought in particular. If no one could even hold hands around her without her trying to read hidden meaning into it, then how would she possibly make it through this trip? And more importantly, what kind of friend would that make her?
“You look like you’re thinking hard.”
She jumped at Hiro's voice appearing beside her. “Oh! Hiro-chan! I didn’t hear you walk up.”
“Sorry for scaring you. What’s on your mind?”
Kisa felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment at having been caught, especially since she shouldn’t have been thinking about all that in the first place. “Oh, nothing! Just zoned out, I suppose.”
Hiro gave her a scrutinizing look but let it slide. She really would have to work harder to keep it together. Hiro might have let it go this time, but she wouldn’t get many chances before he would get worried and make her talk.
This would certainly be a very long vacation.
2:03PM
“Alright, Kisa, what’s up?” Hiro said from beside her on their shared beach towel.
Kisa had once again been deep in thought as she watched their friends engage in various beach activities. Haru and Rin were sunbathing on their own towel a few yards to her right, while Yuki, Machi, and Momiji swam in the ocean. Tohru and Kyo had been building a sandcastle a short distance down to the left until Tohru had gotten up and headed back to the house.
“Oh, um, nothing in particular. Just distracted.”
“Distracted by what? You’ve been kind of off since this morning. Is everything okay?”
So much for keeping Hiro off her trail. “Um…” She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His gaze was zeroed in on her completely, concerned but also determined. “I just… I don’t think I should talk about it.”
Hiro narrowed his eyes at that. “You don’t think you should? Or don’t want to?”
God, did she want to. The relief of being able to share the weight on her shoulders was tempting. But she couldn't do that to…well, whoever it was. Kisa sighed. “I don’t think I should. It’s not really my situation to talk about.”
“Huh. So you’re worried about someone else? That’s so like you.” When she looked at him, his smile was one of such adoration that Kisa couldn’t help tearing up. Hiro really thought highly of her, didn’t he? She wanted so badly to live up to that.
“I’m…trying. But,” Kisa lowered her voice to a whisper, “I don’t even know who it is I should be worried about. So I guess I’ve just been worrying about everyone.”
Hiro’s brows knit together in confusion. His voice matched her volume. “What do you mean?”
“I, um…I found something. It’s proof that someone’s life is going to change drastically, someone who is here with us. Well, two people, I suppose. But no one has shared that information with the group, so I’m trying to keep it to myself, but…” She glanced at Hiro, his expression open and totally focused on her. Her voice shook with her next words. “It’s hard, Hiro-chan.”
Hiro slid one arm over her shoulders in a gesture that she appreciated. “Look, you don’t have to tell me what you found. But if it would help you feel better, you can. I won’t tell anyone else. I promise.”
Kisa took a deep breath, considering his offer, and looked around their group again. Haru and Rin hadn’t moved. The three in the ocean were treading water and talking casually. Turning to Kyo, though, she saw that Tohru was back and…something was wrong. Kyo’s brows were scrunched together in concern and Tohru seemed to be quietly having a breakdown. Her back was to the rest of the group but her shoulders were shaking and she was gesturing wildly with her hands. Kyo reached for her cheek and reassured her with words that Kisa couldn’t hear. His expression became determined as he spoke to her. Tohru nodded and Kyo pulled her into his chest.
“Huh,” Hiro said, “What do you think that’s about?”
“I don’t know. But I hope everything is okay. Should I go check on her?”
“Hm. It looks like Kyo’s got it. I don’t know that they would want a bunch of attention drawn to them right now anyway. You know how this group gets when Tohru is even a little bit sad.”
“Tohru! Are you okay?” Momiji’s shout and subsequent frantic splashing to get to her made every head turn their way.
“So much for that, I guess,” Hiro muttered as Kisa got up to join the small group forming around them.
Tohru was wiping her eyes as they approached. “Oh, um, I’m okay! Really! It’s nothing!”
“Kyo didn’t pinch you, did he?”
Kyo glared halfheartedly at Momiji before turning his attention back to his wife.
Tohru giggled a little through her tears. “No, of course not. I’m sorry for worrying all of you!”
“Don’t be,” Yuki reassured her. “We just want to make sure you’re okay. Are you sure there’s nothing you want to talk about?”
Kisa couldn’t be sure, but Tohru’s eyes seemed to fash in panic, just for a moment. “No! I mean, yes! Yes, I’m sure there’s nothing. Please, don’t worry!” Her rambling was punctuated by a sniffle that implied otherwise.
Momiji dropped to his knees and leaned toward Tohru. His voice was quiet as he said, “If you change your mind, please let us know. Whatever it is, we’ll listen.”
At his kind words, Tohru’s face crumpled as a new onslaught of tears overtook her. “Thank you, Momiji-kun.” Her voice was thick as she quickly wiped her eyes.
“Give her some air, would ya?” Kyo muttered as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, seemingly for both comfort and protection.
“Would you like me to walk with you back to the house? I’m kind of tired anyway,” Kisa offered. “We could watch a movie and eat ice cream!”
Tohru giggled. “That sounds very nice, actually. Especially the ice cream part!”
“I’ll go with you guys,” Kyo added. “I’ve got some things I need to do back at the house anyway.”
Tohru gave him a questioning look. He stared at her pointedly and she seemed to understand.
“I’ll come too!” Momiji announced. “I’ll go wake up Haru and Rin and see if either of them want to join!”
As he bounded toward the other couple, Yuki muttered, “You shouldn’t fall asleep sunbathing anyway.”
In the end, everyone ended up back at the house, with every reassurance given to Tohru that it was about time to come in anyway and she absolutely didn’t cut the fun short. Kyo disappeared upstairs almost as soon as they entered the door while those who had been swimming took turns showering.
Rin let Tohru know that she wasn’t feeling well and may not be down in time for dinner before she and Haru went to their room to continue their nap. When Tohru asked her if everything was okay, Rin only said that she’d gotten too much sun. But still, Kisa couldn’t help wondering if that was all there was to the story - before berating herself once again.
3:14PM
Seriously, what was going on with this group today? Tohru had a breakdown at the beach, Rin was sick, and something was off with Kisa. At least Hiro had gotten to talk to her a little about it before she had to go be a friend to Tohru. He wondered now who could have been so stupid as to leave their stuff lying around for anyone to find. If it was so important and such a secret, then they should have taken better care of it instead of making Kisa worry for nothing. Of course he wondered what it was too. Proof that someone’s life is going to change, Kisa had said. What did that even mean? Part of him wished she would just tell him and get it over with but if it made her feel better to keep it to herself, then far be it from Hiro to force her.
Thankfully, she seemed to be doing better since she started hanging out with Tohru. Hiro tried not to let that get to him. He’d come a long way since he was a kid but he couldn’t help the jealousy that cropped up in him every once in a while.
So in an effort to give them some time together, he sauntered up the stairs and stopped in front of one of the bedroom doors before knocking.
After a moment, Haru cracked it open just enough to show himself.
“Hey.”
“Hey, Haru. Don’t you think you should put on a shirt?”
Haru glanced down at himself, wearing a pair of black sweatpants and nothing else, before looking back at Hiro. “No. I don’t tell you how to dress when you’re hanging out alone with Kisa.”
Hiro bristled as a hot flush rose up his neck. “That’s none of your business!”
“Yeah, exactly, that’s what I’m saying. Can I help you with something?”
Hiro pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. “I just wanted to see how RIn was doing. Tohru said she was sick.”
“Well, ‘sick’ might be a stretch, but she’s not really feeling well. She’ll probably be resting up here for a while.”
“What’s wrong with her? Want me to bring you guys anything?”
Haru gazed into the distance as he thought. “Maybe tea? Don’t worry, though, it’s basically just woman troubles.”
“Haru!” came Rin’s protest from inside at the same time that Hiro blushed once again.
“Oh, uh, okay, no worries, I’ll just bring some tea then, I guess.”
“Thanks,” Haru said briefly before shutting the door.
3:18PM
Hiro only got two steps past the bathroom on his way back from Haru and Rin’s room before he stopped and backed up. The door was cracked enough for him to see all the drawers from the counter were pulled out and emptied and he could hear someone rummaging around. Slowly, Hiro pushed the door open with his foot to reveal Kyo on his hands and knees, his head and shoulders completely under the sink. Surrounding him was what Hiro could only describe as a disaster. Cleaning supplies, rolls of toilet paper, hair products, and a pharmacy’s worth of travel-sized toiletries surrounded him on the floor in a haphazard mess.
So Hiro asked the only sensible question. “What are you doing?”
“Ow!” Kyo bonked his head on a pipe at the sound of Hiro’s voice. He carefully removed himself from under the sink and turned his glare on Hiro. “What!”
“What are you doing?” Hiro repeated, growing more confused and a little irate at Kyo’s attitude.
“None of your business!”
“Damn, I haven’t seen this side of you in years.”
“Tch.” Kyo sat back on the only spot on the floor that wasn’t covered and shoved a hand through his hair.
“What, was there a leak or something?”
“No, there wasn’t a -" Kyo stopped abruptly and suddenly looked at Hiro, his eyes wide. “I mean - yes! Yeah, there was a leak and I was just fixing it!”
Hiro scanned the mess quickly. “I don’t see any tools. Don’t you at least need a wrench?”
“Uh, yeah, I was just, um, assessing the damage first!”
“Shouldn’t we just call the main house to send someone out?”
“No! I got it. It’s fine. Don’t call them.”
“Okay, whatever. Just clean up when you’re done” Hiro turned and left the disaster behind. If Kyo wanted to be weird, that was his prerogative. Hiro could just add it to the running list of weird shit happening today.
4:35PM
“Kisa-san?”
Kisa looked up from the meat and cracker spread that she was putting together to see Machi leaning against the counter beside her.
“Ah, Machi-san! What can I help you with?”
“Do you know anything about babies?”
Kisa froze, her pleasant smile plastered to her face as the color drained from her cheeks. After an excruciating moment, she finally regained her voice.
“NO!” Machi jumped. Kisa tried to lower her voice. “I mean, I don’t know anything! Nothing at all, I promise!”
“Oh…okay. Hiro-san has a younger sister, right? I was just wondering if you learned anything from being around her.”
“Oh, yes! Um, I’m sorry, yes, I did learn quite a bit! Of course, Hiro-chan is the real expert!” Kisa laughed, hoping it sounded normal but fearing it was strained.
Machi nodded and looked down in thought. Despite herself, Kisa couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask?” Did her voice sound natural enough?
“Oh, no reason. It’s just…” Machi glanced at Kisa as if deciding how much to share. Kisa hoped she looked normal and not like her heart was beating so fast it might actually burst from her chest. “Well, Yuki and I have been talking…about whether or not we want kids eventually. And my track record with babies is…well, I just don’t have a lot of experience.”
As Kisa looked at her, she realized that Machi looked…lost. So even though the word PREGNANT! was bouncing around inside her head, she decided that this was a moment that she needed to be there for her friend.
“Machi-san, I’m sure that…whatever you decide,” Kisa took stock of Machi’s expression but registered no change, “will be right for you two. Babies can be a handful but they’re also really fun! And anything you need to know, you can learn. You’d be surprised just how many books are out there! Of course it can be a lot - life-changing even - but I know for a fact that you and Yuki-nii make a great team. You can do anything if you’re together!” Kisa finished her speech with a grin, genuine this time.
Machi quirked her mouth in a half-smile. “Thank you, Kisa-san. That really means a lot.”
Kisa smiled wider.
“I’m back!” Tohru called as she entered the kitchen. “What can I help with!”
Kisa turned her attention back to their snack but half her mind ran through her conversation with Machi about a hundred more times. That couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?
6:18PM
Hiro was happy for some alone time with Kisa before she was to help Tohru cook dinner. On the small front porch of the house was a bench swing that gave a beautiful view of the ocean and as dusk approached, the sunlight hit the waves in a way that felt a little romantic.
“This is nice, isn’t it?” she asked as she rested her head on his shoulder.
“Yeah, it really is. It’s nice to get out of the house for sure. It feels like everyone is going crazy today.”
Kisa giggled. “That sounds about right for this group. I certainly feel like I’m going crazy.”
“How are you, by the way? With that secret or whatever.”
“I’m…better. It’s still killing me not knowing who it belongs to but I’ve been able to distract myself some.”
“That’s good to hear. Hey, if you want another distraction, you wanna hear something weird?”
Kisa lifted her head to look at him. “Sure!”
“So, get this. I’m walking down the hall, minding my business, when I look into the bathroom and Kyo is on the floor, under the sink, and everything - I mean everything - that was in that counter is on the floor. The drawers are empty, the cabinet under the sink is cleared out, and it’s like it all just threw up all over the place. And then he tries to tell me that he was fixing a leak or whatever but he was definitely lying. Crazy, right?”
Kisa was staring at the ground, her brows scrunched together in thought. “Which bathroom was it?”
“The one upstairs, across from Yuki and Machi’s room. Why?”
Kisa’s hand rose to cover her mouth and stared at him as she whispered, “Do you think he could have been looking for something?”
Hiro shrugged. “It’s possible.”
Kisa grabbed the sleeve of his shirt in excitement, and maybe a little desperation. “Hiro-chan! That’s where I found it! That’s where I found the - the thing!”
“Oh. So you think he could have been looking for it?”
“Kisa?" Yuki poked his head out the door to the porch. “Tohru is starting to cook if you’d like to help.”
She looked past Hiro and put on a smile. “Coming!”
Once Yuki was back inside, Hiro turned to her. “Kisa, it’s okay. Really. Just focus on spending time with everyone. Try not to worry too much about whatever is going on.”
Kisa took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right, Hiro-chan. I should go help now, especially if Tohru-nii really is…” she glanced at him briefly. “Well, I should just go help.”
As she got up and went inside, Hiro reassured himself that she would tell him when she was ready. But a large part of him wanted to figure it out for himself just so he could tell Kisa who it is and she could stop worrying - and possibly so he could berate the people who put her in that situation in the first place.
7:07PM
Hiro made a point of sitting next to Kyo at dinner. Everyone was squished around the low table of the living room, including RIn, who seemed to be feeling better. The conversation was light and teasing, as per usual, but Hiro noticed that Kyo seemed a bit distracted. He didn’t even react when Haru made a lewd comment or when Momiji teased him about something stupid. Tohru seemed fine, although Hiro didn’t have the best track record when it came to pinpointing her emotions.
When the conversation seemed to split off into smaller groups, Hiro took his opportunity.
“Hey, Kyo,” he whispered.
Kyo didn’t look up from the grilled fish he was shoveling into his mouth. “Yeah?”
“Earlier, when you were in the bathroom…” At this, he finally stopped chewing and looked at Hiro. “Were you looking for something?”
Kyo swallowed. He leaned in, a bit closer than necessary in Hiro’s opinion. “What do you know.” It was more of a command than a question.
Hiro shrugged, nonchalant. “Not much.”
“But you do know something.”
Hiro kept his gaze. “I may know a little.”
After a moment that felt more like a standoff than Hiro had expected, Kyo grabbed his arm. “Come with me.”
Kyo pulled him up off the floor and began dragging him out the front door to the porch, ignoring the calls from the group behind them.
Once they were outside, Kyo whirled on him. “What do you know. ”
Hiro glanced through the long window beside the door at Kisa who was watching in concern.
“I’m not sure I should say.”
Kyo’s eyes bore into Hiro’s with an intense mixture of anger, desperation, and pleading. His voice was hard. “Hiro, you cannot imagine the day that I have had. I am begging you. What do you know.”
Hiro narrowed his eyes at him. “What’s so important anyway? All I know is that someone found something they shouldn’t have. I don’t even know if it’s what you’re looking for.”
Kyo grabbed him by the shoulders, his grip tight. “Who?! Who found it?!”
“I’m not telling you until you calm down, jeez.”
At that, Kyo’s pleading became pure rage as his hands went from Hiro’s shoulders to fist the front of his shirt. He pulled him up towards his face, but Hiro was so tall now that his heels didn’t even leave the wood of the porch. “You tell me who found it right now and maybe I won’t jump kick into the FUCKING SUN, you little twerp!”
“Oh, that’s real nice. I’m eighteen, you know.” Hardly a twerp.
“Hiro-chan!” Kisa’s voice and rushing footsteps sounded from the front door behind him.
“Kyo-kun!” And apparently Tohru too. Hiro glanced through the window again. Everyone at the dinner table had eyes on their little show.
Kyo continued glaring down at Hiro until Tohru appeared at his side and placed a hand on his arm. “Kyo-kun, what‘s going on?”
Kyo finally glanced her way. “He knows who found it, Tohru! He knows who took it!” He rounded his glare back to Hiro. “And he won’t fucking tell me!”
“It’s okay. Let go.”
Kyo didn’t look away from Hiro as he slowly released his grip until he was free. Hiro smoothed his shirt as he glared back.
“Um.” Kisa’s voice was small beside Tohru. “I might, um…I might have been the one to find it.” Kyo and Tohru looked at her, both of them with wide eyes.
Kyo glanced at Hiro before turning back to Kisa and giving her a hard look. “Do you know?”
Kisa shrank under the intensity of his gaze.
“I, um…”
Kyo leaned toward her, his expression desperate, and asked with more emphasis, “Do you know ?”
At Kisa’s obvious fear, something she hadn’t felt towards Kyo in a very long time, Hiro reached his arm out and pressed it against Kyo’s chest, pushing him back a bit. “Hey, lay off.”
Tohru looked to Kisa. “Kisa-chan, do you?” Her voice was quiet and a little shaky.
Kisa’s gaze met hers. After a moment, her face crumpled and she nodded. “Yes! Yes, I know! I didn’t know who it belonged to but -” she hiccuped through her tears “- but I guess I do now!”
“Oh, Kisa-chan!” Tohru wrapped her in a tight embrace. “I’m so sorry, that must have been so hard for you!”
“No, I’m sorry! It must have been so hard for you ! I didn’t mean to take it, but I just panicked, I’m so sorry! I didn’t tell anyone what I found!”
Behind their group, the window opened. Hiro turned at the sound but it seemed like he was the only one who noticed. The rest of their dinner companions were crowded on the couch, watching and listening through the now open window.
“It’s okay, Kisa-chan! Yes, it was a stressful day but if anyone found it, I’m glad it was you!”
“Oh, Tohru-nii, I’m just so excited!” She pulled back from their embrace and looked at Tohru straight on. “I can’t believe you’re pregnant!”
Tohru didn’t even have time to react before the shouting from inside brought their audience to their attention.