Mysteries in the Jungle (Junjou Romantica)

[21]

Walking through the entrance of his home, Hiroki tossed his long braided hair over his shoulder. His skirt extended down to his ankles, a shirt covered his chest, a variety of necklaces adorned his neck, and earrings became a recent body modification. Right beside him, a little boy with shaggy brown hair tagged along, one of their adopted children who they renamed Nobuyuki. He wore a short skirt which reached his knees and sandals.

Looking behind him, Nowaki and their oldest child with long braided black hair, who they renamed Hikari, held onto his hand. Hikari wore a long dress, sandals, and flowers braided into her hair. Nowaki wore a long skirt, a flower crown, made by their daughter, and his short hair grew to the middle of his back. Hiroki couldn't help his smirk at seeing Nowaki's long hair.

So much for keeping it short.

He suspected his passing comment on loving to grip Nowaki's hair during certain activities, prompted his husband to leave his hair alone. They tended to trim each other's hair and brush out knots as a new element of intimacy between the both of them. Nowaki, who somehow kept his hair tangle-free, didn't hold his hair back a majority of the time.

This change happened before their children came along.

Nowaki beamed at their daughter, who tried pulling him toward the entrance. Despite the headaches that happened at times with their beloved children, he held no regrets when they adopted Hikari and Nobuyuki. Having grown up as an orphan, he understood the impact of parents to an undesirable child. They yearned for the same experience as other children and wanted nothing more than to have a parent.

His own personal experience came to mind when their children's biological mother appeared on their doorstep.

When their daughter was a toddler, and their son, a newborn baby, their true blood mother died of heartbreak.

The woman's husband died from a sudden sickness during the final hurdle of her pregnancy. Once the husband was buried, she wandered around in a catatonic state. Her daughter's crying broke her out of her spells of shock for brief moments, but not enough to function well. The villagers helped her with food in order to lessen the stress load of the death of her husband and the oncoming aftermath of raising a newborn and a toddler.

Hiroki and himself visited her, wanting to see the newest addition to their fold. The woman appeared worn and tired, not even smiling at the comment of health when the Shaman inspected her new son. Everyone brushed it aside as tiredness from giving birth. Fuyumi tossed this theory out since many of the women tended to have little energy after going through such an experience.

She didn't recover after the birth of her son. Physically, she healed well, but her mental state deteriorated once left alone with her children. No one noticed any different or chose to not bother her in her grief, thinking it would pass due to busying herself with multiple aspects of her life.

One morning, appearing dead on the outside to match her interior, the young mother bowed to Hiroki and Nowaki, pleading them to adopt her children. Stunned, Hiroki and the woman exchanged words, Nowaki tried distracting their future daughter through speaking to her. The woman broke down into tears, admitting her faults and lack of ability in taking care of her children on her own.

In a way, Hiroki judged her for having given up fast when she had two little kids to raise. After thinking about it, he understood that grief overtook this woman, consuming her to the point where it masked her love for her children. Sharing a brief look, Nowaki collected the children in his arms, careful in handling the newborn in one arm, and holding the infant by her hand.

Hikari and Nobuyuki became the new inclusions to their family that afternoon.

The best additions they never thought they needed.