Makoto managed to request a whole week off, earning an understanding smirk from Kenta. Kyosuke just gave him a puzzling look. "Going to Hakone to visit your grandparents, newbie? Remember to buy me some souvenirs!"
Two weeks of shopping and doctor's visits later, they found themselves standing on the platform at Tokyo Station, waiting to board the Shinkansen to the ryokan in Hakone.
The platform was busy, but their group stood out, mostly because it looked like a high-end maternity fashion show had crashed into a school field trip.
"Green Car, Car 9," Mika announced, checking her phone and adjusting her sunglasses. She looked effortlessly chic in a loose, cream-colored maternity blouse and designer leggings. "I booked the back two rows so we wouldn't disturb the businessmen." She glanced at Ayane. "Or rather, so they wouldn't disturb us."
"I am not that loud, Mika!" Ayane protested, struggling with three large bags filled almost exclusively with snacks. She was wearing a tight, ribbed dress that showed off the very slight curve of her belly. "I just have a healthy appetite! The babies need fuel! Right, Asuka?" She patted her stomach.
Yuna was clinging to Makoto's arm like a koala, dressed in a trendy oversized hoodie that hid her figure, paired with thigh-high socks. "I'm sitting next to my big bro," she declared to the group, baring her teeth slightly. "That's non-negotiable. I get motion sickness if I don't hold his hand."
"You get motion sickness regardless," Mika pointed out dryly.
Mafuyu brought up the rear, loaded down with comfort supplies. She was carrying a tote bag overflowing with neck pillows, blankets, and water bottles. "I brought the ginger tea," she whispered, looking anxious. "Just in case anyone feels nauseous when we start moving."
The sleek and white train glided into the station. As the doors opened, the seating arrangement war began. Since Green Car had a 4-seat configuration across the aisle, there was an odd man out.
"Okay, strategy meeting," Ayane said, blocking the aisle. "Who gets the boss?"
"I already claimed him!" Yuna hissed, trying to drag Makoto into a window seat.
"Actually," Mika interjected smoothly, "Based on your bladder frequency and nausea risk, Mafuyu needs the aisle for easy access to the bathroom. Ayane needs the tray table for her food. Yuna needs the window to look at the horizon."
She smiled, the kind of smile that left no room for argument. "So, I have placed Makoto in the seat next to Yuna. I will sit across the aisle with Mafuyu. And Ayane…" She gestured to the seat in front of Makoto. "You have the solo seat in the row ahead, so you can turn around and talk to us."
"What?! I'm isolated?!" Ayane gasped. Then she noticed the extra legroom. "Oh, wait! I can put my feet up? Okay, I'm good!"
As the train pulled away from the station, Makoto found himself pinned against the window by Yuna. "Finally, peace and quiet," she sighed, snuggling into his side and resting her head on his shoulder. She grabbed his hand and interlaced her fingers with his.
"Hey, buddy!" Ayane immediately popped up over the back of her seat, holding a box of takoyaki. "Want a bite? They're still hot!"
"Ayane, sit down," Mika commanded from across the aisle, where she was already setting up Mafuyu with a blanket. "The train is accelerating."
"But he needs protein!"
"I… I think I'm going to sleep," Mafuyu whispered, pulling a sleep mask over her eyes. "Wake me up if anyone needs anything."
Yuna glared at Ayane's floating head, then looked up at Makoto. "Ignore them," she whispered, guiding his hand to rest on her stomach, hidden beneath her hoodie. "Just focus on the baby and me. We're going on a family trip… just like a real couple."
"We are a real couple," Makoto said, chuckling as he caressed her stomach gently. "And this is a family trip, with your friend group, okay. How are you all feeling lately?"
"Awful," Yuna groaned immediately, pressing her face into his shoulder. "I feel like a bloated whale. But the doctor said the baby is growing well, so I guess I'm being a good mom for mini-Yuna." She nuzzled her stomach against his hand. "She's been kicking, though. Little fluttery things. She only does it when you touch me."
"She?" Ayane cut in, leaning so far over her seat that her head was practically in Makoto's lap. "Mine is a girl, I can feel it. She's got balls of steel. I feel great, actually! My boobs are bigger! See?" She gestured to her chest proudly. "The only problem is I can't eat raw sashimi, and I feel horny every day."
Mika, from across the aisle, calmly closed a book on prenatal nutrition. "I have been experiencing mild lightheadedness, which is normal for the first trimester according to my research," she said, giving Ayane a pointed look.
"Me?" Mafuyu's soft voice came from under her sleep mask. She lifted it, revealing her gentle, smiling face. "I'm just happy. Sometimes I feel a little sleepy, and sometimes my back aches. But mostly, I just feel full of warmth. Knowing they're all safe in there… it's the best feeling in the world." She looked at all of them, her eyes full of love.
The train slid into a tunnel, and the window beside Makoto went dark. The glass caught their reflections for a moment: Yuna clinging to him, Ayane grinning like a maniac over the seatback, Mika reading a book, Mafuyu beaming from under her half-lifted sleep mask.
"That's good to hear," Makoto said quietly. "Sometimes I still feel a bit guilty. I've been so busy with this new job at Clitify, and I don't think I've been helping enough." He sighed.
"Did you still hold a grudge when I got angry at you, Yuna?" He kissed Yuna's forehead. She flushed a deep, pretty pink. She tried to scowl, but it crumbled into a pout almost immediately.
"Y-You don't have to feel guilty, you idiot. I forgave you long ago," she mumbled, her voice going soft. She squeezed his hand tighter. "It's your job to make money for our kids. Just make sure you come home to us. That's all that matters."
He then leaned forward to kiss Ayane's cheek. "How about you, Ayane? Are you still hurt from the trech coat incident?"
"Nope, I forgot it already, boss!" Ayane purred, leaning even further over the seat until her face was inches from his. "But if you're feeling guilty, you should make it up to me with a real kiss on the lips. I accept payment in tongue."
"Don't feel guilty, Makoto," Mika said from across the aisle without looking up from her book. "We need your paycheck. That's how we're buying baby stuff and saving for their future. It's the most important thing you can do right now." She finally glanced up with a small smile on her lips. "Still, it's nice to hear you care. We like this too."
Mafuyu, who had removed her sleep mask entirely now, looked at him with her big, brown, adoring eyes. "Oh, please don't feel guilty, Makoto-san," she whispered earnestly. "You work so hard for all of us. We see it. Just having you here with us is more than enough."
The train exited the tunnel, and bright sunlight streamed back through the window, warming the small space between them.
Yuna, seeing everyone's attention fixed on Makoto, tugged his hand back to her stomach and glared at the others. "Alright, enough of the family therapy session," she huffed. "He was focusing on me. We were having a moment."
She leaned her head back on his shoulder and closed her eyes with a contented sigh. Makoto let himself be lured into sleep by the rhythmic hum of the train and the warmth of Yuna beside him.