Chapter Text
“Mom?” A small, freckled black haired girl asked, standing next to a table.
“Yes, sweetie?”
“Where do babies come from?”
“...Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-”
Yup, that’s me.
You're probably wondering how I got into this situation.
* Baba O'Riley starts playing *
Well… it all started five years ago when I adopted this cutie and her sister.
She.
* a red circle is drawn around the black girl’s head. *
Is my ‘eldest’ daughter, Mukuro!
We met at christmas eve, my husband and I went for a medical check of my pregnancy to the hospital.
And it was there when I met her, as just a little baby, it happened by accident!
It all happened so fast, I can barely believe what I did myself.
I can’t imagine what would’ve happened had I not opened that door…
But I digress. That’s not important.
What was important was that this beautiful girl, along with her beautiful sister, had become my daughters.
My husband and I had some… altercations with our families at first…
My family…
It was understandable… I was seven months pregnant already…
But you had to be there to understand it!
You had to see what I saw.
Their mother was… she wanted to… she said…
…It really doesn’t matter anymore. Because I decided that I would love these two precious souls with all my being, no matter how hard it’d be.
In the end, it mostly worked out. Sure, there were sleepless nights for me… and for my husband as well.
But, once my mom met them and after she… she passed away… my father had grown softer on them.
And from then on, we’ve been a mostly normal family.
As normal as a family with three kids, two parents and two grandparents could be.
My dad and Oba, my mother-in-law, didn’t live with us, but they did come by often than not.
Oba has been visiting us constantly ever since Makoto, my son, was born.
I can’t wait to tell you about him!
Wait, where was I?
Oh yeah. Me giving ‘the talk’ to Mukuro… hoo boy.
I should probably start from the beginning though, right?
Right. So….
I think it all started when we learned that Junko was a little genius…
What? You didn’t know? Oh, I have to talk about that now!
We were so happy when Junko spoke for the first time.
Even though… Well, her first words weren’t very happy ones.
“Denkiu.”
Thank you
We all understood her.
I couldn’t help but tear and break down right there.
I’ve always heard how babies aren’t fully conscious of what’s going on around them. At least before the first year, so usually, they would eventually forget what they went through.
I know myself that I don’t remember how I was at Junko’s age.
But her… just thanking us. Especially considering that she wasn’t even a year old…
In cold, when we weren’t crying or constantly taking care of her, I wondered for a very long time.
Was she aware of what happened to her? That her mother didn’t… want her? But that I did? Was she aware that I wasn’t her real mother?
Being fully honest, neither Ken (my husband) or me were planning to keep it a secret.
But neither did we believe to outright tell them at a certain point in life.
We thought it’d be best to let them… be.
If they were happy as is, we would continue to love them as we do.
And if they were curious about it and asked… well, we’d tell them.
But with Junko specifically… well. The matter really never came into mind.
Because… well, just as we suspected once she spoke for the first time, Junko was learning very fast.
Ken, for some reason, knows more about this than I do, but kids are supposed to start saying words between 12-18 months of birth. Once age two kick around, they try speaking more and around three, they are already capable of full dialect, but lack most understanding or even proper speech.
Well, Junko broke all that.
Her first words were at eight months old, and to top it off, unlike most babies that say “mama” or “dada”, Junko downright tried to talk to us. To thank us… She understood what thanking is… that was… huge!
After that, when she did birth a year, she did manage to speak one-worded sentences, but was much clearer compared to both Mukuro and Makoto.
By the way! Mukuro’s first words were “daddy” and Makoto’s were “mama”. Surprisingly, Makoto spoke first around his first year, while Mukuro… probably even more surprisingly, spoke right after Makoto did…
Crazy, I know. But they both spoke on the same day! I barely gave it a thought at the time… ooptie doo…
After that, When they were all two, both Mukuro and Makoto were doing just how Ken had said. Again, Makoto seemed a little bit faster than Mukuro, but I honestly liked to see it as Mukuro just wanting to copy what Makoto did.
But Junko…? Oh, sir, you wouldn’t believe me… At age two she was… speaking.
Not by any means like an adult, that would be crazy! but she was already understanding words so much better than we could have ever been prepared for. If it wasn’t clear by then, we were sure now that Junko had something special going for her.
Age three is when they would all be supposed to be talkers. Simple stuff, but exponentially more compared to the previous years.
Well, that was the case again for Makoto and Mukuro but…
Junko was just… that smart!
After she birthed three she started asking so many questions. ‘What was that?’ ‘If this did what?’ ‘If who was this?’ or ‘if this and that, then thee and thou, then these were there and they’re theirs?’ I lost myself on that last one, but she questioned everything she came across with.
And as they grew, not only in mind, but in size as well. Mukuro grew that beautiful raven hair you saw, Makoto has the same hair color as my dad and I do, and Junko had stunning red hair, the same her mother did.
And, even if she had beautiful hair (not as beautiful as mind, no, I’m not coping!) I was worried that, with how many questions she was doing, she would eventually ask why she had red hair, unlike us.
Mukuro had dark hair, just like Ken, so we weren’t expecting her to ask sudden questions, and Makoto was our son. But Junko was… honestly, a wild card.
But, as much as I dreaded, she never did ask about her hair. Making me have the same questions I did back when she spoke for the first time. But I concluded that, whether she asked or not, I loved her all the same, and I would be there to support her in any way I could. So, I relaxed on that front and, honestly, ended up accepting the idea that Junko probably already knew we weren’t her real parents.
But even with that thought in line, she still acted so lively, so happy, so lovingly I questioned myself again. Did she know? Did she not?.
But I just ended up asking the same question.
Did it matter if she knew or not?
Of course not. Because we love her. I don’t care what anyone says, Junko is my daughter! And so was Mukuro’s. They were my daughters, not anyone else’s.
…And Ken’s too, sure.
Haaa… such a beautiful trip down memory lane…
Although, I feel that I’ve been forgetting something…
“Where do babies come from?”
Oh.
Oh…
Ohhhhhh…. ffffuuuu-
“Hey, you look just like your dad!”
“I know! Everyone keeps telling me that I’m a mini-him! A mini-dad!”
“That’s so cool! Everyone says that I have my mother’s eyes, but I don’t understand what that means.”
“It means you look like a girl!”
“I do not!”
“You do!”
“Do not!”
In a classroom, a black haired girl with freckles stared at two other kids in her class, they were bickering loudly without a care in the world. The black haired girl stared at them motionless.
“Are you forgetting anything Mukuro?” A voice beside her asked.
The girl turned around as she heard her name, spotting a brown haired kid. “We have to get changed for P.E. and after this we go home. You have your clothes?”
The black haired girl nodded. “I do. Thank you Makoto.”
The brown haired kid beamed at her. They both left together to get changed until they separated themselves to go to their respective gendered-locker rooms.
My name is Mukuro Naegi. That was my brother… Makoto. I’m five years old and I started going to school this year. I don’t like it, but at least I spent time with my siblings. I’m getting changed to have P.E. class. It’s been the only thing that’s been fun for me here. I hope I don’t have to go to school for a long time, we will surely stop coming after a couple of weeks, right?
I don’t know, but I don’t really care about learning that much.
“Everyone! I want you to run circles around the field! We are warming up now, so go!” Once we had fully dressed and got to class, the teacher ordered us to run.
And so we did.
I like running. I like how the wind feels running through my face as I run fast. But I think I can still be faster.
The teacher always asks us to do ten full laps around the field to start the day. It’s good for ‘warming up’, he says. I don’t really understand it though.
As we finish, we are allowed for a small water break. Mom prepares bottles for both Makoto and me.
I pulled mine out of our bags, taking a quick sip. I also grabbed Makoto’s to hand it to him when he finishes running, like I always do.
“Mukuro! You are so good at this!” A girl I don’t know says excitedly.
“...I am?”
“Yeah, you always finish first!” Another girl appeared. Both seem to be twins of some sort.
“Your brother however… he gets tired so easily though… is he really your brother?” The first twin asked in a genuine tone.
It was then that I noticed that Makoto had been coming to get his bottle. He had managed to hear them. “H-Hey!” He made himself present, in front of both of them. ”O-Of course I am!”
“Then why are you so weak? And so slow!” Twin two mocked.
“Yeah. You are a guy, but you look more like a girl! Are you even her brother?” Twin one followed up…
“We didn’t know you had a second sister, Mukuro!”
Both girls laughed in unison, like it was the funniest joke ever.
It wasn’t.
Makoto however looked a little hurt. He was constantly being called a girl by some of the mean guys, and now the girls were joining as well.
I didn’t like that.
“Please, don’t talk to him like that.” I coldly said.
“H-Huh? N-No, I-I w-was.”
I didn’t spare a single glance at them as I left her in the dust, grabbing Makoto and walking in tow.
“H-Hey, Mukuro. It’s not that serious. She… kind of had a point, right? I’m just not too good with sports like you are… or the other guys…”
I frowned. “But it’s not a reason for them to treat you like that.”
“I mean… yeah… but… They are just… joking, right?”
“Jokes are meant to be funny, right?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you find it funny? Being called a girl?”
“...No?”
“They saying that you aren’t my brother?””
“No…”
“It’s not funny.”
“B-But I-”
“Then they aren’t jokes. They are being mean to you.”
My brother avoided my eyes at that.
“We’ll tell mom about this.”
“N-No! D-Don’t tell mom! She’ll talk with the principal or something!”
“Yeah, and?”
“Don’t you remember what happened to that Sato kid?”
“No.”
“He was isolated! Everyone avoided him, saying that he was a snitch and that. I don’t want to be alone.”
“You won’t be alone.”
“...You don’t know that.”
“I know, because I’ll always be for you.”
Makoto then looked up again, in slight wonder at my words.
He seemed hesitant to speak again, but eventually dared.
“...You promise?”
“Promise.”
I handed him his bottle of water, we had gotten far enough from those… harlots .
I gotta ask Junko what that word meant.
Or mom, Junko laughed at me last time I did.
Once P.E. finished, we got our already packed stuff and waited at the front door of the school, like we usually do.
Makoto and I share a bunch of classes in the later hours, specifically history, math and P.E.
And because of P.E. We finish a little early compared to Junko’s classes. With her, I only share Biology, the only class the three of us are together.
Makoto said he also has English with her, while I’m on my own. After that, we don’t share more classes.
Once school is over, the three of us take the bus to our home and just do… whatever.
Right now, we were waiting for Junko to appear.
“So…” Makoto tired to break the ice.
“Yeah?”
“Uhm. I noticed that you are pretty good at sports, Mukuro.”
“Am I?”
“I… can’t tell if you are being sarcastic or not…”
“I’m not.”
“Oh. Uhm, yeah. You are very good.”
“Is… that good? Bad?”
“How would it be a bad thing?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think that it’s cool.
“...You do?” I… felt some heat coming to my face?
Why?
“You are better than all of the kids in our class. It’s funny seeing them complain how a ‘girl’ beats them… and…”
I looked at my brother head on.
“You look happy. Like you truly enjoy it.”
“...I-I do?” What was this heat I was feeling! Why do I feel embarrassed?
“Yeah. You don’t smile much, but everytime you run, or kick the ball it’s just like… I don’t know. That you’re happy.”
“But I am happy.”
“You are? You… I think at times that you don’t like being with us… with me.”
I widened my eyes a little. “Why is that?” My chest ached a little.
“Well, you look so…bored? uninterested? I just think that I’m doing something wrong. That I bore you or something.”
“N-No! Makoto, that’s not right. Makoto I lo-”
“H-Hey?” A voice interrupted us.
The both of us turn to see… twin one and twin two
Great…
“What do you two want?” I frowned at these harlots .
I like how that sounds.
“I…” Twin two was trying to speak.
“Come on, say it!” Twin one order to her twin, even if she hiding behind her.
“I-I-I…. W- We… wanted to apologize.”
I stopped frowning there.
“Apologize?” Makoto asked behind me?
“T-To you Makoto!” Twin two bowed.
“W-We didn’t mean t-to make you make your sister mad…” Twin one added
“O-Or hurt your feelings!” Twin two quickly added and bowed even more to Makoto.
“O-Oh… it’s… alright. There’s nothing to worry about, right Mukuro?”
I just kept staring at the two.
I could tell they were being genuine about their apology.
But it didn’t feel right just yet.
They were hiding something.
From my lack of a reply, Makoto had to call my name again. “Mukuro?”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Eh?”
“E-Eh?”
Both twins were surprised.
But I pressed on. “What changed?”
“I-I-I… W-We hurt Makoto’s feelings, k-knowing that it was wrong, s-so…”
“We thought we should apologize. We were just joking but,”
“You guys knew how Makoto was treated. Why did you specifically call him a girl if it was just a joke?”
“Nnggg Alright!” Twin one yelled. “We wanted to be friends with you and your stupid brother but didn’t know how! But if you are going to be like that, then can it!” With a slither of tears on the corner of her eyes, she promptly ran away.
“Kaene!” Twin two exclaimed her sister’s name. She was about to run after her, but quickly turned to the two siblings. “Please forgive her. She’s not all that bad. I’m sorry!” She bowed and quickly gave chase to her sister.
I wasn’t the slightest but surprised.
Makoto however…
“You didn’t have to…”
“Hmm?”
“You didn’t have to… press them on like that for me. They were apologizing, that was enough!”
“Not if they were faking it. I wanted to make sure.”
Makoto looked like he wanted to say more.
But he sighed in defeat.
“You don’t have to protect me...” He lowly murmured.
I was going to ask about that, but we both noticed another pair of voices coming in.
“...and after that, Dad fell with everything they shopped for.”
“Oh, you mom sure was excited that day, wasn’t she?”
Junko was walking in tow with our math teacher towards us. Once they arrived, Junko thanked our teacher.
“Thank you for walking me here, teacher.”
“No worries, Junko dear.” She waved her hand. “They were here, just like you told me they would.”
“Y-Yeah.” Makoto joined in. “We go home together. So we wait for her here.”
“I’m glad you do, sweetie.”
“T-Thank you for accompanying my sister.” Makoto bowed.
“Ooh… such a gentleman.” The teacher laughed. “It was my pleasure, cutie.”
She then stared at me. I nodded at her to greet her,
Yet she didn’t seem too impressed.
At least at first.
“Wait… you three were siblings, right?”
“T-This again…?”
“What again?”
“We are.” I replied to our teacher.
To which she brought her hand fingers to her chin. “Interesting.”
However, as soon as she asked, as soon as she shook her head and waved her goodbyes. “Make sure you three get home safely.”
“We will! Thank you teacher!” Makoto and Junko thanked in tow while I bowed.
“So, how was school for you, Junko?”
“It was meh. Like always. Oh! Today I taked with this kid, that-”
I tuned out the conversation the two of them were having as I started to recollect what our teacher had asked.
“You three were siblings, right?”
Why did she ask that? They were full-on siblings, right?
As we walked, we came across the two kids from class earlier.
“Hey, you look just like your dad!”
“Everyone says that I have my mother’s eyes.”
Like… dad?
‘Well… I kinda look like dad.’
Then I looked to my brother. ‘And Makoto does look like mom.’
But then I turned to my sister.
Vivid bright red hair.
And red eyes.
She didn't look like mom.
Neither dad.
Could it be that she wasn't their sister?
But… she's been always there.
And, if anything, with a closer look…
She then looked down her own arm. Her skin.
She compared it to their siblings.
Junko was akin to hers.
But Makoto…
Makoto had darker skin.
Darker compared to her white snow skin at least.
But… neither mom or dad had that white snow skin…
Could…
Was she…
‘No! I'm their sister! And they are my brother and sister! And I'm mom and dad’s daughter. There has to be an explanation right?
R-Right…?
I feel the vibrations.
I hear all the noises.
I see all the people filling in.
But even as we got onto the bus, I still couldn't get my mind off of it.
I thought that with all the noise I wouldn't be able to think, but I would be surprisingly mistaken, if anything, it made me dive deeper into my thoughts.
‘We are siblings right?’
I keep comparing myself to Makoto.
The more I look the more I notice.
But… how?
Brothers and sisters are babies born from the same parents, taking looks from them. Not copies but, features that resemble them…
Was this always the case?
But we have the same parents.
How come I'm only similar to dad in hair?
That alone wouldn't mind me much, but Junko has my same skin, but she's nothing alike mom and dad.
It made no sense!
Can babies be born looking completely different from their parents?
…
Now that I think about it…
How are babies born?
How come I never asked?
I turn to the smartest person I know.
“Junko? How are babies born?”
My red-haired sister turned to me, she wasn't surprised with my sudden question thankfully.
“Oh, that? It's a process that takes a while. A baby forms in mom’s belly and after nine months they are born!”
“How do you know? Did mom tell you?”
“Nope.” She said, quickly turning to Makoto again.
“Oh… ok.”
Then I decided to ask Makoto.
“What about you? Do you know?
He blinked. I seemingly burst his bubble of thought. “Ah? S-Sorry, I wasn't paying attention.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“N-No worries, what did you ask?”
“...Nothing…”
I turn my head towards the window again.
‘I don't want to worry Makoto about this.’
‘After all its just on my head.’
‘Right?’
My eyes land on a couple with a baby cart. Their kid looks like a combination of the two…
“...”
I close my eyes to try to get some sleep for a little.
Once we finally return home, mom opens the door for us.
“Mua, Mua, mmmmmuaaaaa!”
She always kissed us when we returned. I can't help but smile a little with her affection.
‘I love mom.’ I innocently said in my mind.
…
Until a dark thought passed my mind.
‘She… was my mom right?’
I shook my head. Of course she is.
“What did you kids do today?!”
“Around our usual, mama.” Junko was the first to reply. “Ms. Sūji congratulated me today!”
“Why of course.” Mom cockily said while cleaning her nose with her index finger. “My daughter is a genius after all, how could she not?”
Then she dropped her act and asked. “What did you guys see today?”
I… didn't hear the rest of the conversation. My mind immediately went to what she had just said.
“Why of course, my daughter is a genius…”
…
‘Mama said Junko was her daughter…’
‘But she… she's so different from her.’
‘Is she?’
‘And what about me?’
‘I look nothing like Mom…’
“Mukuro?” I heard a voice beside me.
I bursted out of my concentration and turned. Makoto was calling out for me.
“You okay? You are a bit… silent. Even more than normal.”
He was getting close to my face.
Too close.
“I-I-I-I-I-I-I’m fine!” I quickly stepped back.
I feel my face getting even more red. Why?!
“M-Mukuro?” He looked hurt. Did I do something to him?
I stood at him for a bit until I felt another pair of eyes on me. I turned and saw both Junko and Mom looking at me too.
I…
I-I!
“I-Im going to my room!” I escaped.
And as soon as I said that, I ran. Mom and Makoto calling my name out didn't stop me.
Once I got to the door, I quickly opened it and shut it as quickly as I could.
I ended up sitting at the opposite end of the door. I started to ponder now.
‘What did I do?’
“I-Im going to my room!” Mukuro quickly shouted, desperately so.
“M-Mukuro?” I called her name out before she got away, but she didn't stop.
She got to her shared room and quickly slammed the door close.
I was left worried and confused…
“D-Did I do something wrong?” Poor Makoto asked without understanding well. I could see tears on the corner of his eyes.
Seeing my son like that hurt me. “No, Makoto, You didn't. I don't think she’s mad at you “
“T-Then what happened mom?”
“I… don't know…”
I quickly thought out our options, this was the first time Mukuro… acted out. It was the first time I saw her like this. Whatever happens for her to react like that?
“Did something happen at school?”
“W- Well…” Makoto looked away for a second.
“Makoto…?” I used that voice.
“I-I didn't do anything, I promise! Some girls were picking on me and Mukuro blew them off. I told her it was nothing but… I-I don't know?”
“What did you tell her just now?”
“I-I asked if she was fine! That sh-she was more silent than normal. Then she got all red snd… ran…”
“Okay…” I murmured.
“I didn't do anything wrong, right?”
“No, son. You didn't. Now I'm sure of that?”
“Th-Then what do we do?”
I looked at the door again, I had a feeling surging through me to go kick it down and ask her what was going on.
But it felt wrong… so I…
“Let her be for now… she maybe needs some rest.”
“You think ma?”
“Yeah… we’ll talk with her when she feels better.”
“O-Okay…”
Like that, I dismissed my poor son, he was still looking towards the door when I did, poor soul still blamed himself… Walking away slowly towards the living room.
“What do you think, Junko dear?”
“Oh… Don’t worry mama. Mukuro is just being silly, I’m sure she’ll be fine!”
She smiled at me… A bit too brightly.
…not gonna lie, that felt a little weird.
But… Junko is Junko, if she’s that sure about that…
“Ok… I’ll try sweetie, but I think I should talk with her later.”
My daughter then nodded and dismissed herself, probably going after her brother.
My eyes ended up on that forsaken door, again, the intrusive thoughts of breaking it down surging in.
But I digress, I don’t want to overwhelm her when she’s like that…
Oh! I know!
A good meal will surely calm her down!
I head back to the kitchen, in order to prepare a sweet meal for the kids.
I know they will love it!
Some time passed, and I ended up doing some rice balls!
I’m… not that confident in them, honestly…
So! I decided to go on a quick shopping spree to get some desserts I know the kids like!
Once I returned, I snatched everything together and placed them neatly for presentation.
“Kids! Come here!” I called out to them.
And as said, they did. At least both Junko and Makoto did.
The three of them were usually very obedient, it was the first time Mukuro lagged behind…
“Mom? What did you call us for?” Sweet little Makoto asked.
“Oh, nothing dear, I just decided to make a little meal and I ended up doing a bit much…”
“Oh?” Junko popped in from behind him.
“Let me get them for you.”
I reached to the table and grabbed the already prepared trays with plates I made for both of them.
I lowered them and handed them to both. “Here you go!”
“Thanks Mom-”
“W-Wait!”
“Is that?”
“Oh, yeah… I totally forgot… I did buy some ice cream…” I feigned obliviousness.
“Wow! Thanks mom!” Makoto spoke first
“I love you! You are best!” Junko grouped in afterwards.
I smiled as they took their meals. I could already see how Junko opened her strawberry cup first.
Makoto in the other hand didn’t open his caramel ice cream, I guessed he was willing to wait after eating his rice ball.
I don’t really mind the order they ate, especially today that something was going on with Mukuro. At least for as long as it doesn’t break their healthy diet.
Today could be an exception.
I grabbed one rice ball I had made, leaving the other one I had made exclusively for Mukuro aside for her whenever she comes.
I proceeded to munch it…
And yeah, it was a regular rice ball. Nothing too special about it.
My pride was hurt in honor, I’m never cooking rice for anything special ever again.
Although, during this downtime of mine, I did end up noticing a little black haired gremlin roaming around…
“Hey sweetie.” I called out to my daughter that had finally come out.
“H-Hey… mom…”
“It’s good to see you out. Come, I made something for you, let me get it for you.”
I was reaching for her tray, having a special black chocolate ice scream scoop I got for her.
However, my plans were thwarted. as my daughter spoke out loud.
“Mom?” My beautiful freckled small girl asked as she stood next to my kitchen table.
“Yes, sweetie?” I asked innocently, unbeknownst.
“Where do babies come from?”
“...Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-”
Yup, that’s me.
You're probably wondering how I got into this situation.
* Baba O'Riley starts playing… again *
Well… it all started five years ago when I adopted this cutie and her sister.
She-
“PFFFFFFFFF” I ended up spluttering my saliva, somehow.
“M-Mom?”
“S-Sorry sorry… I almost… drowned on my own saliva?” I said between coughs, but then turned back to my raven beauty.
I kneeled in front of her, I had to be careful how I worded this.
But before that…
“W-Why do you want to know that, sweetie?”
“Well… I was… thinking a lot today.”
“Y-Yeah?”
“Some girls said mean things to Makoto… and I stepped up to defend him.”
“Well… you did good, my girl… You didn’t hurt them or anything right?” I had to ask in case.
“N-No… but something they said stuck with me a lot…”
The black haired girl got an echo of said words she heard. “ Are you even her brother?”
“I… also heard some other kids mention how… they looked similar to their parents-”
OH NO! OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO OHNOOHNOOHNO NONONNONONONONONO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM NOT READY FOR THIS CONVERSATION!
AND NEITHER SHE IS, IS SHE?
WHAT DO I DO?
WHAT DO I SAY?
WHERE ARE YOU KEN?!
COME BACK FROM BUYING MILK YOU-
“And… I also… asked Junko about it…”
I had a nervous smile at that… Junko is very smart, there is no doubt that she DOESN’T know about it at this point.
But Mukuro and Makoto! Sir no sir!
“I-I… W-Well… Dear, don’t listen to what Junko says, she’s smart, yes, but also quite imag-”
“But… Junko said that babies take nine months to make…”
WHAT DID YOU TELL HER???!!!?!?!?!?!?
“And… I was… counting.”
Oh….
Oh…. no…..
I…
Why…. Why didn’t I THINK OF THAT BEFORE?
I’M A TERRIBLE MOTHER!
“Makoto has his birthday on the 5th of February…”
“Y-Yes dear…”
“But we celebrate Junko and Mine’s birthday on Christmas Eve…”
“Well… because… Y-You two are our christmas gift of course! I-”
“If… we have the same age and… we go to the same grade but… we celebrate our birthdays on different days…”
I could feel a waterfall of sweat going down my neck to my spine. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!
“Well, Mukuro dear, you don’t have to put too much thought into it-”
“But I do!”
Agh!
“There’s only two months of difference between Makoto and the both of us… if babies take nine months to make, then… how… how were we born?”
“We-Well… It- It was a miracle! You wer-”
“And… also, why… do we look nothing like you mom?”
Now that shut me up.
“I’ve heard multiple times how the other kids compare themselves to their moms and dads… And I can see how similar Makoto is to you and dad, mom…”
I could see how her hands were twitching now.
“But Junko and I look nothing like you do! I kinda look like dad, but I look nothing like you mom…”
“Mukuro…”
“And-And Junko is… completely different from you two… How can that be? Are-Are we not yours?”
I took a breath and calmed down. What I’m about to say is completely true and I
“You are.”
“But-!”
“You are my daughter. And so is Junko. I’ve always seen you like my own kids, and I loved, love and will love you two with all my heart, just like I’ve always done…”
“...”
“You are my daughter, Mukuro. And even more at that, I love you. That is more important than anything else.”
“You… see me as your daughter.”
She caught on…
She really is her sister’s sister. “...Yes…”
“But… then?”
I sighed… couldn’t help to. This was going to be something that I had to do eventually. Sadly, I’ll have to do it now, but all I can do is to shower my dear Mukuro with love and support.
Even if I’m not her real mother.
She is my real daughter.
And always has been.
“Junko is right, dear. Babies do take nine months to make.”
“...How… Does that work?”
“It’s…” I don’t want to talk about that just yet. “Something I’ll tell you when you get older.”
“...Ok…?”
“But… the truth is… that after that process is done, the baby usually does end up looking like their parents, somewhat.”
“Somewhat?”
“They can have their differences still, but there’s also a lot of similarities. Take Makoto, he’s a boy, but he took after my hair rather than dad’s, don’t you think?”
“Yeah…”
“I…” I gulped.
“I could say that you take after your father for your hair…”
“Oh- But.”
“But I’d be lying…”
Little Mukuro blinked at that.
“Oh…”
“Like I said, babies take up similar features to their parents…”
“So… does that mean that… I’m not… your daughter?”
“...”
Breathe in… Breathe out…
“It means that I’m not your blood mother.”
“Huh?”
“Or rather… That I didn’t give birth to you.”
“Uh, huh… and Junko?”
“You two are twins, my love. She’s like you on that.”
“But… we only have similar skin at most…”
“Like I’ve said, there can still be differences.”
“Then… if you aren’t my mother… then, where is she?”
“You’d be wrong, Mukuro. I am your mother. I’ll always be.”
“O-Okay…” her voice trembled a little. It hurt my soul.
“But… Your real mother… the one that did give birth to you…”
There’s no way I can say it… I have to soften the blow.
But if I say it incorrectly… Could she believe that we took her from her?
I… don’t want that for her. That woman… She still comes to my mind at nights.
The disdain in her eyes… I…
I had to answer Mukuro.
In defeat, I sighed, I had to say it… “In short, your mom didn’t want to have you…”
“Huh?”
“We met by accident. I was still pregnant with Makoto still. I opened a door that lead me straight to you two.”
“...” Mukuro wasn’t saying anything
“...Then… I… asked what was going on, your mother was arguing with the nurse and… well, I hopped in right in the middle of it.”
“She… didn’t want me?”
Red flag! RED FLAG!
“So I got upset, and I said that I wanted you. That I wanted to have you two.”
“But… Why?”
“I couldn’t let that happen. You two were just babies, you were but newborns. I had to take you in, if I hadn’t… I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself, knowing that I could have given love, care and help to two, wonderful babies, and chose not to.”
“...”
“I’m sorry, my love. It was something dad and I wanted to tell you two about eventually…”
“...” Mukuro was still avoiding my eyes.
So I wouldn’t have that.
I tenderly held her face and turned it towards me.
“But I want you to know, Mukuro, that taking both you and Junko as my own daughters was the best decision in the world that I could have taken.”
“…”
“…”
“…Really?” She asked, almost pleadingly so.
I gave her a smile. “Of course. I had my fights with dad… My dad, Grandpa Makoto, not yours. Ken always wanted a girl, and he got two.”
“Grandpa… didn’t want us?”
“Grandpa wanted you two to have a better home. One with a family that would have given you and Junko their sole and utmost attention.”
“But… But I want you mom! I want you and dad! And Makoto!”
“And so did I, sweetie. Which is why I never let go. I was certain of it.”
I ran my thumb on her cheek, and with my other hand I cleaned the small remains of tears forming on her eyes.
“I wanted you to be my kid. You, and Junko. I had decided the day, no, the moment I saw you two…”
Her eyes shined widely, I could see the hope she emitted from my words
She believed me.
I’m glad she did. Because it’s the truth.
Then, I tried another card…
“Do you… not want me to be your mommy?” I said with a fake sad voice
“N-No! I love you as my mommy! I don’t want another mommy in the world!”
“YAY!!!!” I shouted as I grabbed her and held her to the air.
“I also love being your mommy! And I love your for being my sweet, sweet little girl Mukuro!” I said with pride and love.
At that, I lowered her to my shoulder and hugged her. She didn’t seem to detach herself from my arms, so I ended up handing her her rice ball as I still held her in my arms.
She munched on it like there was no tomorrow.
Hmmph, without or with No Tomorrow, I will continue to shine bright for you all.
I promise you that, Mukuro, Junko, Makoto.
At that moment, we heard the noise of the main door opening.
We turned and happened to see…
“Dad!”
“Ken!”
“Hello Hon!” Ken, my husband and man, arrived home at last.
He next turned to his beautiful daughter.
“Hey, sweat pea! Did I miss anything?”
“Um… no, nothing dad… we were.”
“We were just talking as Mukuro ate her rice ball!”
I’ll tell Ken later, Mukuro still seems a little shaken.
“Oh? Rice balls? I love them! Can I have one?”
I turned back and realized… I hadn’t made one for Ken…
Geez, I had totally forgotten he likes this stuff… ugh.
“Sorry dear, I don’t have any more.”
“Oh… ok… yeah, no… biggie…” Ken said defeatedly.
He ogled Mukuro’s rice ball, and ended up leaving the kitchen, his head hanging low…
…I’ll make it up for him…
…At night.
“Mom? Can I ask you something else?”
“Hm? Oh, sorry, hehe. Anything, Sweetie.”
“What’s a harlot?”
“ER-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer-”
SON OF A BI-!