WILDFLOWER [Ryunosuke Tanaka x OC]

Chapter 29 - The Courtyard

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Exhausted, Nagisa didn't return home until the next morning.

Her numb fingers fumbled with her sister's keys until they finally slid into the lock, and smiled softly at the sight she found in front of her: the triplets laid across the living room floor, all tangled in each others' blankets and ignoring all personal boundaries; meanwhile, Kano and Ryu slept on the couch — Ryu snored, mouth open, propped up in the corner... and Kano rested her cheek on his chest, peaceful.

With every blink threatening to lull her to sleep, Nagisa toed off her sneakers and found some house slippers, sighing as she rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the task ahead. Her sister wouldn't be coming home... not for at least a few days, which meant Nagisa was in charge until then, and nothing terrified her more. She could handle helping here and there, driving Yasuo to soccer practice or going to parent-teacher conferences in Namiko's stead... but full-time? With four kids?

How did Namiko manage with no help, no husband, and no reprieve?

Kano mumbled in her sleep and rolled over, sending a thrum of panic through Nagisa for some unknown reason, but both Kano and Ryu remained asleep even as his arm looped around Kano's shoulders and held her close. Nagisa's racing heart slowed when she was sure that everyone was still asleep, and she retreated to her room to shower before facing the rest of the day; she needed to mentally reset before anything else could go wrong.

She needed another half an hour before reality set in and she became a mother, temporary or otherwise.

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When everyone finally awoke that morning, Nagisa had already set out breakfast—which she ordered on a delivery app after her shower—and brewed a fresh pot of coffee. "I've got updates," she said rather seriously as the kids came into the room, "So let's eat and talk."

Ryu hovered awkwardly at the periphery of the room, despite Kano's urges to just sit down. Nagisa looked up from serving the triplets, who were already wolfing down their portions of rice, salmon, and soup; she jerked her head toward the table and said, "Get over here, kid. You're a part of this family too, now."

"Y-yes ma'am," Ryu said, flushed from tip to toe. He bowed before joining Kano and company, digging in and feeling a little bit important.

Nagisa talked, Kano and the boys listened.

And, together, they made a game plan for the week ahead.

Namiko remained in the hospital for the time being with an estimated discharge date of the following Sunday, which meant Nagisa and Kano were running the house, trying to get the three boys to their activities and school and appointments on time, all while cooking and cleaning and trying to keep ahold of their sanities on top of visiting Mrs. Abe. Nagisa was the head of the household for the time being... and Kano was second-in-command.

Unsurprisingly, Ryu stepped in to help. Every morning at school, he waited at the front gate for Kano with breakfast and coffee in hand, killing time until she came rushing around the corner. Every single morning, without fail, her sleepy face lit up with appreciation, which, in Ryu's opinion, made the early morning bike ride to the convenience store completely worth it.

With Kano's volleyball season cut short by the girls' losses at the Spring Interhigh Qualifiers, Kano had nothing to do after school except for infrequent art club meetings, which she'd been neglecting, if she was honest with herself; it was nice to show up to the meeting and not have as much pressure as she typically did on the court. In the middle of her week from hell, Kano found a bit of solace in making art again.