Several months later.
Haruki's phone rang just as he was leaving the conference room, his notebook still tucked under his arm. The name flashing across the screen made his heart skip—Mrs. Hanako. Kyouko's mother.
He answered in a rush. "Mother?"
Her voice was urgent, though tinged with warmth. "Haruki, your wife is now at the hospital~"
Haruki froze in the hallway.
"The hospital? What happened?!"
"Calm down, boy. The baby is coming. It's time."
The words sank in, and Haruki's chest tightened.
Relief.
Fear.
Overwhelming joy.
He had just sent Kyouko to her parents' house this very morning, worrying she might feel lonely in the seaside home while he was stuck at the Okinawa branch meeting.
And now...she was about to give birth.
Haruki didn't waste a second. He turned, bowing quickly to Mr. Yamashita and the branch managers who had followed him into the corridor.
"I'm sorry—I need to go. My wife… she's at the hospital."
