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theworldhopper · 8 years ago

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Achievement Unlocked: Happily Ever After Epilogue

AN: Hello, everyone! WorldHopper here with a recent Jolks fic update. For the uninformed and uninitiated, I posted this in my ffn account but it just felt wrong to me that my tumblr doesn’t get the chapter two to this fic so...here it is. Enjoy!

FIRST KISS (PRE-NATAL)

Watching your child grow up is one of the best things a parent can experience. There are some moments in their life that you just can’t miss, nor would you want to miss. From crawling to walking to talking to their first day of school; it was all very exciting to think about.

And Nanjo Aina was very, very excited.

As of now, the singer was expecting her first child with her wife, Nanjo Yoshino and she has two months left before her due date. Both were equally prepared for the birth and were very excited for it. Things were going well…unless the baby decides that it wanted to have a solo soccer practice in her stomach very early in the morning, then things will go very badly since Kussun’s hormones are out of whack. But regardless…

‘I can’t wait.’ Kussun thought with a smile as she left the nursery and headed downstairs. She spotted her wife sitting on the couch, playing a video game on her PS4. It brought a smile on Kussun’s face to see that her wife hasn’t changed one bit since they met. She sat beside Nanjo, who finally seems to have noticed her.

“Ah, Ai-chan, you’re still awake? Are you feeling well?” Nanjo asked with a hint of worry as she put her game on pause and changed the TV setting so they can watch something instead. The older woman immediately wrapped an arm around her before touching her belly.

“I’m fine, Yoshi-chan. But the little one is a bit excited though.” Kussun said with a smile as she gently rubbed her swollen belly with a gentle smile. Yet again, she felt their child move within her and it only brought a rush of excitement to her.

“I can see that. And with how our baby kicks, I bet it’ll be good at soccer too. Wouldn’t you like that, Ai-chan? A son or a daughter who’s good at sports?” Nanjo asked her as she gently rubbed her pregnant wife’s stomach.

“I would like that very much, Yoshi-chan.” Kussun said with a smile before continuing to speak. “But no matter what they become, whether they’re good at sports or something else, we’ll always love them, right?”

“Right. No matter what.” Nanjo said with a smile. As a thought crossed her mind, however, Nanjo’s smile slowly turned into a frown.

“Yoshi-chan, what’s wrong?” Kussun asked in worry. It seemed to snap Nanjo out of her thoughts and she shook her head immediately.

“Nothing. It’s just…I’m worried.” She admitted as she looked away from Kussun and towards the television. She shouldn’t be saying this; she shouldn’t be worrying Kussun when she’s in this stage of her pregnancy. However, before she can avoid the subject, Kussun forced her gaze towards her.

“Tell me.”

Nanjo sighed and nodded, knowing that she could never hide anything from Kussun for long.

“I…I worry that our baby will be like me. That he or she will inherit my knee problem. I don’t want that to put a limit on what they want to do in life like it does on mine.” She admitted. It’s become one of Nanjo’s biggest fears since they found out they were expecting. She already hated the fact that she can’t dance with Kussun as much as she wanted to or run as much as she can, among other things. She didn’t want their child to be the same as her; if anything, she wanted their baby to be able to run, dance or play as much as they wanted to when they grew up.

“Yoshi-chan, I don’t want that to happen to our baby too. But there’s nothing we can do about it if it does. All we can do is support them in whatever they want to do in life.” The younger woman said as she cupped her wife’s cheeks in her hand. Nanjo smiled at her words; her wife always did know the best way to comfort her. Whether it was by her words or actions or even by simply being there, Kussun always did know how to make things better for her.

“You’re right, Ai-chan. It’s stupid of me to think that.” She said before she leaned in to gently kiss her.

“It’s not stupid, Yoshi-chan. You’re a mother now. It’s normal to worry. But look, you made the baby worry too.” Kussun said with a wide smile as they felt the baby give a powerful kick. Nanjo widely smiled when she felt her baby kick. Her baby. Just thinking about it brought a warm feeling to her heart.

“I’m sorry, little one. Mama Yoshi won’t make you worry anymore.” Nanjo said before she leaned in to kiss Kussun’s stomach. It was the first time she’s done it and she felt their baby move yet again as if in response to her kiss. Kussun lightly giggled as she ran her fingers through Nanjo’s hair.

“What are you laughing at?” Nanjo asked her as she looked up.

“You just gave our baby its first kiss.” Kussun happily said. Nanjo grinned at her observation.

“Yeah, I guess I did. At least no one will be able to claim their first kiss now.” She boasted before pressing her ear to her stomach yet again.

“Silly Yoshi-chan.” Kussun thought as she continued to run her fingers through the older woman’s hair.

FIRST FEVER (6 MONTHS)

Kussun woke up from her nap on the couch when she heard the shrill cries of a baby. Beside her, on her baby swing, was Eli. Her face was scrunched up in discomfort as she wailed. Chibi was gently rocking the swing back and forth while Chip was quietly sniffing her, as if trying to find the source of her discomfort. Kussun thanked her lucky stars that she had no work for today. But it bothered her that Eli was crying; she had her toys dangling in front of her and the pets were keeping her in good company earlier. She immediately stood up and gently took her from her swing and held her close.

“What’s wrong, Eli-chan?” She gently asked but the only response she received was more cries. She brought her hand to the baby’s forehead and her eyes widened at how hot she was.

“You have a fever.” Kussun said in worry. She decided to grab some essentials and drive with Eli to the hospital since it was a bit alarming for a baby of Eli’s age to have a fever. Her parents were out of the country for their anniversary so she had no one to turn to so she decided that going to a doctor to be sure is the best course of action. Also, truth be told, she was panicking on the inside. She sent a quick message to Nanjo to avoid disturbing her at work. Finally, she arrived at the hospital, holding her crying child close to her as she was directed to a doctor.

“Aina-san, Eli-chan is fine. It’s just a simple fever. Her body is simply fighting off something she caught. But if it makes you feel better, we have to keep her here for the night so we can make sure that nothing else will go wrong.” The doctor kindly told her. Kussun sighed in relief as she gently patted Eli’s stomach to comfort her. It seemed to work because she stopped crying immediately.

“Thank you, doctor.” She said with a bow. The doctor nodded in response before leaving the two of them alone. Once she was gone, Kussun’s phone started ringing. She answered immediately.

“Ai-chan, how is she?” She heard Nanjo’s panicked tone from the other side.

“She’s fine, Yoshi-chan. Just a fever. Doctor wants to keep her here for the night for observation.” Kussun said as she rubbed Eli’s stomach as she slowly fell asleep.

“Alright…I convinced my manager to let me leave early. I’ll be there soon.” Her wife said over the phone.

“Okay. Take care, Yoshi-chan.” Kussun said before pausing. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Ai-chan. Both you and Eli-chan. I love you both so much.” Nanjo replied before she hung up. It didn’t take long before Eli started crying again so Kussun picked her up and gently rocked her.

“Don’t cry, Eli-chan. Mama Aina is here. Mama Yoshi is on her way. Don’t cry, my little one.” Kussun gently whispered to her. It didn’t seem to work as Eli continued to squirm in her hold and continued crying. She started humming “Moshimo Kara Kitto” to her for a few minutes before she heard the door open and close.

“Ai-chan, I’m here.” Nanjo said as she approached them, dropping the bags she brought with her on the floor. The older woman approached them and gave them each a kiss. Kussun sat on the bed with Nanjo and they both worked on trying to calm Eli.

“Well, at least we know she’ll be a good singer when she grows up.” Nanjo lightheartedly said as she caressed the crying baby’s cheek. Her cries were reduced to small whimpers as Kussun continued to hold her close while Nanjo held her tiny hand.

“I was so scared when you told me you were going to the hospital. I thought something happened to the two of you. I’m still scared because I’m afraid that her fever might lead to something else.” The older woman admitted as she wrapped an arm around Kussun’s shoulders and held her close.

“I don’t think you have to worry too much, Yoshi-chan. The doctor already said it’s just a fever.” Kussun comforted her with a small smile. Nanjo simply pressed her lips to hers as thanks for the comfort she never fails to provide. Eventually, they separated and the older woman took the baby in her arms.

“You’re going to grow up to be a strong lady, my little Elichika. Your mother and I love you very much.” She said before pressing a kiss to her forehead and she gave the baby her pacifier. In her arms, little Eli’s eyelids slowly started to drop until they finally closed and she comfortably fell asleep. Her two mothers barely slept that night and kept vigil in case their darling daughter needed them until the sun rose on the horizon.

The next day, little Eli was cleared to go home and was full of energy despite the fever she just had.

FIRST WORD (6 MONTHS)

Nanjo was sitting on the floor of her home, playing on her PS4 while simultaneously keeping an eye on Eli. The little girl was sitting on the floor banging wooden blocks together instead of stacking them up. Honestly, with how overprotective the pets are of her (even Chibi, who rarely likes others), it wasn’t even necessary for her to keep an eye on Eli. But she has been a bit overprotective than she usually is since Eli returned from the hospital a week ago. She scooted closer to the little girl as Eli played with Mugi and Chibi. Nanjo paused the game and grabbed her once she noticed that Eli managed to grab hold of Mugi’s tail was about to bring it to her mouth. She settled baby on her lap immediately.

“Eli-chan, don’t do that. No. Bad.” Nanjo lightly scolded her as she wagged her finger in front of her and lightly tapped her nose. Eli shook her head in understanding that what she did wasn’t allowed. Nanjo sighed and kissed the top of her head before continuing her game with the baby sitting on her lap, drinking from the bottle of milk that was just handed to her.

“Yoshi-chan.” A sleepy voice said as she felt two arms wrap around neck. She looked up and saw that Kussun woke up from her nap and settled herself on the couch without her notice.

“Ai-chan. How’d you sleep?” She asked as she leaned up to press their lips together for a second.

“Good. Was Elichika a good girl when Mama Aina was asleep?” She playfully asked as she took the girl from her wife and continued to let her drink from her bottle. Eli pushed the bottle away and what the baby did next almost caused Nanjo to faint.

“M-M-Ma-Mama!”

At that moment, Nanjo’s character was hit by a barrage of enemy fire and she died but she didn’t even notice as she dropped her controller on the floor in shock. She slowly turned to look up

“Eli-chan, say that again?” Kussun requested of her, also in shock but lucky, didn’t drop her baby like Nanjo did with her controller.

“Mama!” Eli said as she flailed her arms around. Finally, Nanjo regained enough of her bearings to sit on the couch beside them.

“Yoshi-chan, did you hear that? Her first word. Our baby said her first word.” Her wife said in excitement. Nanjo smiled as tears of joy escaped her eyes.

“Mama!” Eli said with a smile as she turned her gaze towards her. She nodded in response before kissing her daughter’s cheek.

“Our little girl is a smart one, Ai-chan.” Nanjo proudly said as she watched Eli settle in Kussun’s lap. She tickled the child’s stomach and felt extremely happy just by hearing her giggle. Those who recognize them in the street, in the papers or even the tabloids can see how much Nanjo loved and adored her wife and daughter. She even admitted in an interview that her whole world revolved around them.

“Yes, she is, Yoshi-chan.” Her wife replied as she fondly looked at Eli, who was holding on to Nanjo’s fingers.

“Mama.” She repeated as she looked at them with a toothless grin. Nanjo picked up Mugi from the floor and showed the cat to Eli.

“Eli-chan, can you say ‘Mugi’? This is Mugi-chan.” She coached the baby as she waved one of Mugi’s paws in front of her.

“Mama!” Eli said as she grabbed hold of Mugi’s paw. They both laughed at her answer before continuing to try to teach her.

But it seems it’s going to take them a while…

FIRST TIME CRAWLING (9 MONTHS)

Nine months have passed since Kussun gave birth and life went on for them. Nanjo was still working with fripSide. Luckily, since she’s just returned, they’ve decided to just stick with recordings for now; meaning that she would still get to go home and spend some time with her wife and daughter since she doesn’t have any lives to perform in. Kussun, meanwhile, also went back to work when Eli turned three months; except she decided to focus more on her voice-acting career rather than her music career. Thankfully, the studio allowed her to bring Eli with her. However, the ninth month of their baby’s life came with a special moment; crawling. Granted, it’s not as grand as walking or talking but it was a moment nonetheless. And it was one that Nanjo did not want to miss.

“Tadaima!” Nanjo called out as she ran into the living room after taking her shoes off at the door. It’s been like this for about a month now; she would go to work, record then rush home. She couldn’t help it. When Eli turned eight months, she started pulling herself to her knees; a clear sign that she was about to start crawling. But since they wouldn’t be able to tell the exact day that she would, Nanjo has been in a panic and worried about missing such a moment in her child’s life.

“Okaeri, Yoshi-chan. Eli-chan, Mama Yoshi is home.” Kussun told the little girl, who was lying on her stomach on the floor as she played with her toys with Chip and Meme sleeping next to her. Mugi and Chibi were both huddled in another armchair away from them. The little girl giggled in response when she saw her mother before biting down on a wooden block.

“Did I miss it? Did she start crawling?” Nanjo ask in a hurry as she took deep breaths and kissed Kussun’s cheek.

“No. But she’s been wiggling on her knees a lot when she pulls herself on them.”

With a smile and a relieved smile, Nanjo sat in front of her daughter and kissed her cheek.

“Hello, Eli-chan. Were you a good girl to Mama Aina when she was at work with you?” She asked with a smile as she removed the wooden block from her mouth. The baby giggled yet again before sitting up and grabbed Nanjo’s nose.

“Mama!” Eli exclaimed.

“Ahh…that hurts…” Nanjo whined as she gently pried Eli’s fingers away while Kussun giggled in delight at the scene. Nanjo turned to her with a mischievous look on her face before jumping on the couch and tightly wrapped her arms around her wife. Unfortunately, she accidentally kicked one of Eli’s toys away from her, causing her to look at it in confusion before she pulled herself up to her knees; an action that did not escape Kussun’s notice.

“Yoshi-chan.” Kussun said as she pointed to their daughter. Nanjo looked at her and saw that Eli was intensely staring at a wooden block a few meters away from her. Or at least, as intense as a nine month old can stare at something. With a smile, Kussun stood up and lay on the floor on her stomach as she tempted the child with her toy and taking a video on her phone.

“Come on, Eli-chan. Come to Mama Aina.” She cajoled the baby as she gently tapped the toy on the floor. Chip and Meme woke up and stood beside the young child. Nanjo, in the meantime, busied herself by taking pictures of them with her camera by Kussun’s side. Little Eli was wiggling on her knees, as if she was trying to move forward but she wasn’t quite sure how. Chip gently nudged her on her bottom but that failed to do anything.

“Come here, Elichika.” Nanjo said with a smile. Eli stared at the two of them for a moment before she moved one chubby arm forward and she slowly started dragging her knees across the floor.

“That’s it! You’re doing good, Eli-chan!” Kussun yelled in her excitement as they both watched their daughter slowly but gradually crawl towards them. Whenever it seemed like she was about to go off course, either Meme or Chip would block her way, forcing her to keep going forward yet again. Eventually, she managed to reach her mothers and laid her hand on the wooden block.

“Toy!” Eli said as she grabbed the block.

“Yay!” Nanjo exclaimed as she immediately picked Eli up and gave her an Eskimo kiss. Kussun gave the baby a kiss on her cheek as a reward for her efforts.

“She’s growing up.” Nanjo quietly said with a small smile as she fondly looked at Eli. Eli giggled in delight at the attention she was receiving before she placed her head on her mother’s shoulder.

“She is. But it will be a while before she starts walking.” Kussun said as she sat back on the couch and uploaded the video on her Instagram and Facebook.

“I know.” The older woman replied as she sat beside her and gently set little Eli back on the floor. Eli immediately utilized her newfound skill and started to slowly crawl around the room, looking at things up close while being closely guarded by Meme. Nanjo smiled at the scene as she leaned back on the couch. Kussun took the opportunity to wrap her arms around her wife’s waist and leaned her head on her chest.

‘I’m glad I was home for this. I never want to miss an important moment in her life.’ Nanjo mused to herself as she ran her fingers through Kussun’s hair. They continued to watch their daughter play with their pets, content at the idyllic life they built for themselves…

FIRST BIRTHDAY (1 YEAR)

“Ai-chan, I’ve been thinking-“

“Yoshi-chan, we’ve talked about this and for the hundredth time; no, we are not getting her an ocelot. For one thing, it’s too short notice; her birthday is today. Secondly, we have four pets here. And third, she’s too young for an ocelot.” Kussun said before Nanjo could finish her sentence as she put her clothes on. Kussun could understand why Nanjo was so hellbent on getting their daughter an ocelot for her birthday and it’s not because of Metal Gear Solid. They were watching a documentary about ocelots once and Eli decided to point at the TV and said that she wanted an ocelot. Of course, Nanjo decided that she HAD to get her daughter an ocelot. Kussun could already see that Eli was going to grow up spoiled.

“I was actually thinking of getting having our parents over for Eli-chan’s birthday. It’s been a while since they saw Eli-chan.” Nanjo said as she sat beside Kussun on their bed after putting her sweat pants on.

“Oh…I think that’s a wonderful idea. You should invite your brother as well. I’ll call my parents and my sister.” She replied before kissing her wife on the cheek for her brilliant idea. She picked up her phone and started texting her parents and sister. Unfortunately, most of their friends and co-workers were busy so they can’t hold a proper party for their daughter but they did promise to visit sometime to give Eli their gifts and they left their greetings for the one year old. And, also unfortunately, Eli doesn’t have friends her age. To be honest, Nanjo and Kussun kept Eli a bit sheltered. With their popularity, they knew it brought on a lot of unwanted attention from the media, especially the paparazzi, and they didn’t want her exposed to that. Their work also became busy at times so one of them would take Eli to work so they wouldn’t sacrifice too much time that they should be spending with her. With how clingy Nanjo gets sometimes, it was clear that she already missed their daughter a lot, even though she was only gone for a few hours. Kussun couldn’t say that she wasn’t the same but…it did make her worry that Eli could grow up to be socially stunted because of how they limit her interactions, especially now that she was a year old.

“Done. They said they could make it. Yours?” Nanjo asked as she put the phone on her night stand, beside the family photo that Rippi took when Eli was born.

“No reply yet.” Kussun said as she leaned into Nanjo’s chest. The older woman wrapped an arm around her before she leaned in to kiss her neck.

“Y-Yoshi-chan…” Kussun said in between deep breaths as she tried to push Nanjo away but her efforts were in vain as the woman on top of her continued her actions.

“What? Come on?” She said as she tried to entice her wife into more…intimate activities.

“We literally just finished a while ago.” Kussun said with a stern tone. However, with that kicked puppy look Nanjo was giving her, her resolve was slowly crumbling

“When?” She playfully asked, feigning ignorance before pressing her lips against Kussun’s.

“8 minutes before I thought you were going to suggest getting our daughter an ocelot again.” The younger woman answered. Though Kussun can understand why Nanjo was insistent with this; ever since Eli was born, their intimate activities have been extremely limited to cuddling and kissing. So she wasn’t at all surprised when they both woke up and had a morning romp in the sheets. In fact, she was actually expecting it and as much as she wanted to have another round (Nanjo does bring that T-shirt phrase ‘Kawaii in the Streets, Senpai in the Sheets’ to life after all), their daughter was going to wake up soon.

“MAMA!” They heard a voice cry out.

“I got her.” Nanjo said as she put on a shirt. After a few minutes, she came back with a whimpering Eli in her arms and a baggie of sliced bananas in hand.

“There’s the birthday girl! Happy Birthday, my dear Elichika!” Kussun greeted the girl as she took her from Nanjo. Eli greeted her with a kiss on her cheek, like she did to Nanjo when she picked her up from her crib.

“Happy Birthday, my darling Eli-chan.” The older woman greeted the little girl before kissing her forehead. Of course, the one year old laughed in delight at the attention her parents showered her with.

“Mama…fruit.” Eli demanded as she pointed at the baggie on the bed.

“What do we say to Mama Aina first?” Nanjo asked her in a stern tone. She may spoil Eli a lot but one thing that she tries to never fail at is teaching her how to be polite.

“Mama…fruit, pwease?” Eli asked Kussun yet again. Kussun smiled and kissed her forehead.

“Of course, Eli-chan.” She said as she opened the baggie and slowly fed the one year old. Once she was fed, they went about their day and prepared for their guests as Kussun’s parents and sister confirmed their attendance. Everyone arrived by lunch as expected and Eli was immediately showered with attention by her relatives.

“Hello, Eli-chan. Happy Birthday!” Kussun’s sister greeted her as she pinched the girl’s cheeks. Little Eli, dressed in a floral patterned dress and a hair pin that her aunt gave her as a present, giggled and held her finger before trying to shove it in her mouth. Luckily, her aunt stopped her and gave her a pacifier instead.

“So, how’s our granddaughter’s development?” Nanjo’s father cheerfully asked them.

“She’s doing fine, father. She’s pulls herself up now and she helps herself walk with whatever she can latch on to. She’s very smart too.” Nanjo proudly answered. As if to prove her mother’s words right, Eli pulled herself onto her feet with her toy and she threw the toy by her grandmother’s feet. Unfortunately, since she can’t walk on her own yet, she lowered herself back to the ground to get her toy. Nanjo picked her up just in time for Kussun to re-enter the living room.

“It’s time.” She said with a grin. Everyone stood up and headed to the kitchen where the food was. In the middle of the table was birthday cake for Eli. Nanjo’s brother lit the birthday candles before they started singing the birthday song for her. Despite being too young and oblivious as to what was going on, Eli still giggled as if she was enjoying everything.

“Eli-chan, blow out the candles.” Kussun’s mother told her. However, instead of blowing out the candles, Eli just kept sucking air in and when she did try to blow, she just wound up spitting on the candles. Kussun blew out the candle for her after she finally gave up.

“Happy Birthday!” They all greeted the child. Nanjo’s brother approached them and held out a stuffed toy for the child.

“Happy Birthday, Eli-chan. Sorry but Uncle couldn’t get you the real thing.” He said with a smile. Eli took the toy and kissed him on the cheek as her thanks for the gift. In Eli’s hands was an ocelot plushie.

“Mama, Chibi!” Eli said as she pointed at the toy.

“Yes, it looks like Chibi-chan, doesn’t it?” Kussun said in agreement to humor her. Of course, Eli doesn’t know the difference between a domestic cat and an ocelot so she just assumed that every single ocelot was either Mugi or Chibi.

“Can I get a picture?” Nanjo’s mother asked as she held her phone. The two women decided to indulge them, not realizing that Eli had dropped her new toy and stuck her hands in the cake so they were now full of icing.

“Mama.” Eli called. Both Kussun and Nanjo looked at her just in time for Eli to slap her icing-clad hands on their cheeks. The two were surprised but laugh it off nonetheless, not noticing the bunch of cellphone cameras going off while they enjoyed their daughter’s first birthday…

FIRST STEPS (1 YEAR AND 6 MONTHS)

“Okay, are you sure we should do this now? I don’t think we should be forcing her to walk if she doesn’t want to or if she can’t yet.” Nanjo said as she stood a couple of feet away from her wife and daughter, camera in hand. Since she and Kussun had another simultaneous day off, they decided to go out as a family like they always did on days like these. After lunch, they went around the mall, doing their best to avoid the paparazzi (those guys will do absolutely anything to not only invade their privacy but to also capture a moment in Eli’s life) then they went to the park. When they got there, Kussun decided she wanted to start teaching Eli how to walk, which they’ve been doing for the past hour. Now, she thinks that Eli is ready to walk on her own. Nanjo wasn’t exactly against it but she didn’t exactly like it either since she preferred that Eli start walking on her own and not somewhat forced by her mother.

“She’ll be fine, Yoshi-chan.” Kussun said as she held onto Eli’s hands and helped her walk a few feet away from Nanjo. Both faced her and Kussun kneeled down beside the toddler, leaving her standing in confusion.

“Eli-chan, go to Mama Yoshi. Mama Yoshi’s over there. Can you walk to her?” Kussun asked her.

“Mama, play?” Eli asked her.

“Yeah. We’ll play with Mama Yoshi so can you go to her?” She repeated the question as she pointed to Nanjo. Nanjo, meanwhile, took pictures of her wife and daughter with a blissful smile on her face. Both women laughed when Eli sat down instead of walking towards Nanjo. Kussun asked her to stand again and stand she did but she was still confused.

“Eli-chan, come to Mama.” Nanjo called for her as she held her hands out. Eli turned her head towards her and decided that she wanted her Mama Yoshi. She looked down at her little feet before moving one foot forward. Then she repeated the process until she was halfway there.

“Go, Eli-chan!” Kussun cheered her on as she took a video of the moment on her phone. Eli giggled as she realized that she was getting closer to Nanjo. Nanjo continued taking pictures of her daughter as she excitedly anticipated her daughter reaching her.

“Come on, Eli-chan! Almost there!” Nanjo said with an excited grin as she snapped one last photo and held her hands out. Eli was getting closer and she was starting to hold her hands out, as if trying to ask her mother to catch her. She took the last few steps and she fell into Nanjo’s arms.

“You did it! Yay!” She praised the child as she held her high up. Eli giggled in enjoyment as she kicked her little feet in the air. Nanjo had tears in her eyes, as did Kussun, who approached them. They approached a bench and sat down. Both women were thinking of how fast time goes by; it felt like it was only yesterday when they brought Eli home from the hospital and they had to keep her close all the time. Now, here she is; a year old and already walking…

“Don’t grow up too fast, my cute and clever Elichika. Mama Aina and I aren’t ready for you to grow up yet.” Nanjo said in between sniffles as she cuddled Eli. Kussun leaned her head on her wife’s shoulder as she gently caressed Eli’s cheeks, not realizing tears were still falling from her eyes. Eli frowned in confusion at their tears of joy and she wiped them away with her tiny hands before kissing their cheeks in an attempt to comfort them.

“Mama, don’t cry.” She said before she gave Nanjo a tight hug. When she separated from Nanjo, she turned to Kussun this time.

“Mama, hug, please.”

Kussun gladly obliged with her request and they gave each other a tight hug.

“Let’s go home?” Nanjo asked them and they nodded. Kussun set Eli down on the ground and held her hand, Nanjo holding the other and they walked back to the car, happy to have seen this moment and proud of their little girl’s recent milestone.

The next morning, while Nanjo was printing out the photos she took of Eli the day before, she stumbled upon a tabloid article announcing Eli’s recent milestone. And just once, Nanjo decided to let it slip, deciding that it was just a harmless article about their little princess’ achievement.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (6 YEARS OLD)

The shrill sound of the alarm clock stirred the two women in the room. The older woman turned it off immediately and she saw the time…

6:00 AM

She groaned as she fell back in bed, desperate for more sleep. But, alas, some things aren’t meant to be. Today is a special day, after all. She turned to the woman beside her, giving her swollen belly a gentle rub before kissing it.

“Good morning.” She whispered. Then, she moved up to the sleeping woman’s face before gently pressing a kiss to her lips. That woke her up immediately.

“Good morning, Yoshi-chan.” The younger woman groggily greeted her once they separated.

“Good morning, Ai-chan. How are you feeling?” Nanjo asked her, worry laced in her voice as she continued rubbing Kussun’s swollen belly.

“I’m fine. Our baby isn’t moving around too much like before. I actually slept well tonight.” Kussun said with a gentle, sleepy smile “What time is it?”

“Around 6:30. Come on. We have to get Eli ready for school. Or do you want to stay in bed longer? I can get her ready and take her if you want.” She offered but Kussun shook her head as she sat up.

“No. I’ll go with you. I don’t want to miss Elicchi’s first day of school.” She said.

“Alright. I’ll make breakfast. You go wake Eli-chan up.” Nanjo said before kissing her in the cheek and leaving the room. Kussun left the room after a few minutes and entered Eli’s room. The room used to be her nursery and when she grew up, they just converted it to become her room. Eli was still asleep in her bed with her ocelot plushie and Ayase Eli nesoberi. Kussun sat beside her and kissed her forehead.

“Eli-chan, wake up. Elicchi, it’s your first day of school.”

As soon as she said that, Eli’s eyes sprang wide open.

“Mama Aina, it’s my first day of school! I’m so excited! I wanna go now!” She said as she jumped up and down her bed, way too energetic at this time of morn. Kussun giggled before she wrapped her arms around Eli’s waist and brought her to sit on her lap.

“I’m glad you’re excited, my cute and clever Elichika but first, you have to take a bath, change your clothes and have breakfast, yes?”

Eli nodded with enthusiasm before standing on the floor and pulling her up. Once Kussun was standing, the six year old pressed a kiss to her swollen stomach.

“Good morning, baby.” She greeted her unborn sibling before she took Kussun’s hand, looking at her expectantly.

“Take a bath with me, Mama!” She requested. Kussun nodded, deciding to give in to her daughter’s request just once. The two took a shower and got prepared for the day, coming down just in time for Nanjo to finish preparing breakfast for them.

“Mama Yoshi, good morning!” Eli greeted as she ran up to her and held her hands out. Nanjo picked her up immediately and kissed her cheek.

“Good morning, my little princess. You look cute in your new uniform. Ready for school?” She asked.

“Yes. I’m excited. I’ll get to meet new friends, right?” Eli asked excitedly. And Nanjo nodded in response.

“Yes, you will. But first, breakfast.” Nanjo said as she set Eli on a chair. The family ate together while discussing their plans for the day.

“Mama, how do I get home?” Eli asked them in curiosity, trying to eat properly so she wouldn’t stain her uniform.

“Mama Aina and I will pick you up after school. If we run a little late, just stay with the teachers, okay.” Nanjo informed her as she firmly looked at Eli. The six year old nodded in response as her mother patted her head.

“But when do I get to go to school and go home on my own, Mama Yoshi? Uncle helped me walk to my school a few times. He said it’s so I’ll know how to get home and go to school on my own so I know how to do it.” She told them. Kussun and Nanjo looked at each other. Once upon a time, they were a bit too busy with work and they couldn’t bring Eli to the studio so they called Nanjo’s brother to babysit which he gladly did. When they got home, he told them that he took Eli for a walk and showed her the route to go to school until she memorized it, saying that Eli needed to learn and that they can’t possibly take her to school and pick her up every single day. Both were a bit hesitant to let her go to school and go home on her own but they knew it would have to happen eventually. They knew he had a point and Japan’s streets were safe for kids to go around on their own but they also wanted the experience of taking her to and from school.

“Mama Yoshi and I will discuss it, Eli-chan.” Kussun replied before turning to her wife. “Yoshi-chan, you have work today, right?”

“Yeah. But I’ll be finished by the time Eli-chan gets out of school. You?” She asked.

“Same.” Kussun responded. Nanjo didn’t like it one bit that Kussun decided to keep working while she was pregnant with their second child. She feared of the stress their line of work might bring to her and usually that fear led to a bigger fear. And everyone, from their family to their friends to the media, knew that Nanjo’s biggest fear was something terrible happening to her wife and children. Unfortunately, Kussun was stubborn in her decision and she wouldn’t budge so Nanjo had no choice but to concede.

“Mama, I’m finished.” Eli said as she pushed her empty plate away.

“Alright. Go brush your teeth. I’ll get ready then Mama Aina and I will take you to school, alright?” Nanjo told her. The little girl nodded before bolting off. Nanjo sighed as she watched Eli run upstairs. Kussun put the plates away and wrapped her arms around her waist.

“You’re worried, aren’t you?” She asked as she leaned her chin on her shoulder.

“A little. It’s hard not to be.” The older woman replied as she held Kussun’s hand. Truth be told, they planned to homeschool Eli out of fear that the other children would treat her differently; what with her having two famous parents and all. But when they broke the news to her, Eli started crying and asked to go to a real school like she usually saw on TV. It was only when she bolted upstairs and they saw her talking to her plushies did they realize how lonely Eli actually was not having friends her age. Just seeing Eli cry her eyes out was enough to break their hearts but to realize too late how lonely she actually was…they felt like they were being bad parents for it. So they relented and signed her up for a public Elementary school. True, they had the means and resources to send her to an expensive private school but they wanted Eli to start out simple so she wouldn’t think that she was above others just because she was more privileged than some were.

“I’ll go get ready. You sit down and rest easy for now, alright.” Nanjo told her as she rubbed Kussun’s belly before following Eli upstairs. Kussun sat on the couch and was rejoined by Eli after a few minutes. Eventually, Nanjo came down as well.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

“Yay!” Eli cheerfully yelled out as she ran out the door with Kussun following her with her schoolbag as well as her own things. The small family entered the car; with Nanjo driving, Kussun sitting on the passenger side and Eli in the backseat. Eventually, they arrived at the school. Since it was the first day, there were many parents taking their children as well as taking the commemorative photos by the entrance. Good thing Nanjo brought her camera.

“I think this is a good school, Yoshi-chan. I’m sure she’ll be safe here. Why don’t we tell Pai-chan and Mimorin about this so Yui-chan can start going here next year?” Kussun suggested with a gentle smile. Nanjo gave her a fond look. Yui is Pile and Mimorin’s daughter, born 3 months after Eli turned a year old. The two children were actually good friends but unfortunately, due to their parents’ work, both hardly see each other nowadays, even though their parents keep close contact with each other and the other Muse members. Recently, Pile let it slip that they were already looking for schools to enter Yui in next year.

“I think that’s a great idea, my love.” She replied before kissing her wife’s hand. The couple turned to Eli who was excitedly looking out the window.

“Eli-chan, look at us.” Kussun told her. The 6 year old immediately gave them her attention.

“Listen, you have your school things in your bag as well as some snacks. If you need, help, you ask your teachers and if you need to reach us, our numbers, personal, managers’ and even the agency’s numbers are in your notebooks, okay. And most importantly…we know Japan’s streets are usually safe but you can never be too careful…but don’t talk to strangers and you certainly do not go with them. If a stranger says they were asked to bring you to us, you ask for the code word. If they can’t answer, you run for a teacher. Understood?” Nanjo said, her strict and firm voice showing how serious she is at the moment.

“Yes, Mama.” Eli said with a nod to show her understanding.

“What’s the code word?” Kussun gently asked her.

“Parfait.” Eli answered. Nanjo gave her a warm smile and gave her cheek a gentle caress. The family got out of the car and some of the parents discreetly eyed them. Apparently, even after meeting some parents once before the school year started, it’s still mind blowing for two A-List celebrities to send the “Nanjo Princess” (as the tabloids have taken to calling Eli) to a public Elemntary school. Thankfully, once they got their bearings, they returned to their own businesses.

“Elicchi, stand here.” Kussun told their daughter as she directed Eli to the school’s name plaque. Eli did as she was told and Kussun stood beside her wife.

“Eli-chan, look here and smile, please.” Nanjo requested of her. Eli smiled brightly at her and Nanjo took a picture. They took three more photos after that; one of Kussun and Eli, another of Eli with Nanjo and the last was of the three of them as a family. Eventually, the time came when the entrance ceremony was about to start. They both kneeled before their daughter and held her hands.

“Now, remember what Mama Yoshi told you, alright.” Kussun requested of her daughter.

“Yes, Mama Aina.” She obediently replied with a smile.

“What’s the code word?” Nanjo asked her yet again.

“Parfait.”

“Harasho.” She said as she put their foreheads together. The two adults stood up and Eli started walking away until…

“Eli-chan.” Nanjo called for her.

She turned to them with a confused look on her face.

“Mama Aina and I love you very much, okay.” She reminded her as tears slowly streamed down her cheeks like Kussun’s was. Though their tears were tears of joy because their daughter was starting a new chapter in her life, they were also tears of sadness at the realization that she really was growing up.

“Mama.”

Eli ran back into her arms and gave them both a tight hug.

“I love you, Mama Yoshi. I love you, Mama Aina. I love you too, baby. Onee-chan will see you later.” Eli said with a smile as she kissed their cheeks and Kussun’s stomach. Afterwards, she ran off and before she entered the school, she called for them; unaware that Nanjo was still taking pictures of her.

“Mama!”

The two adults gave her their attention with confusion that slowly turned into amazement as they watched her next action; three familiar words accompanied by a lively jump.

“IMA GA SAIKOU!”

Both of them watched her run into the building with proud smiles plastered on their faces. Nanjo managed to take a picture of the moment while Kussun was taking a video on her phone. The younger woman leaned into her side as Nanjo wrapped an arm around her waist, her hand landing on her swollen belly.

“This moment is the greatest, huh, Yoshi-chan.” Said Kussun. Nanjo kissed her wife’s temple before answering.

“Not just this one, Ai-chan. Every moment with you and Eli are the greatest.” She said with a fond smile…

And she hoped many more great moments to come…

#jolks #fanfic #love live

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