Two months have passed since then, and I'm still at the vacation home in Hayama. I'm not allowed to go outside, and I can't contact anyone. The loneliness and anxiety are crushing me. Still, I endure by stroking my growing belly every day.
On November 2nd, we had a rare visitor at the villa. It was Okura Mao-san, my cousin whom I'd only met once back in August. I was shocked to see her. When we last met, she had a slender figure, but now she was carrying a large belly.
"Long time no see, Nanami-chan. Just like you, I'm expecting a baby too. I'm at 16 weeks now. How are you feeling? You don't look well—are you eating properly?"
"Ah... congratulations on your pregnancy, Mao-san. I'm at 20 weeks now, but my morning sickness hasn't gone away yet..."
"Is that so... Don't push yourself too hard. If anything's troubling you, talk to me about it. Though I suppose as far as pregnancy goes, you're my senpai."
Mao-san smiled gently as she said this. She must be a good person. Coming all the way from Tokyo to Hayama in this season, while pregnant too. She said it was for a change of scenery, but I think she came because she was worried about me.
What should I do...? Maybe I can ask her to help me contact the outside world... Chifumi-kun... I just want to hear his voice... But I don't know anything about Mao-san. Can I really trust her...?
"Ah... yes, thank you."
Maybe because I haven't spoken to anyone in so long, the words don't come out smoothly.
"So, Nanami-chan, how are you? Is there anything troubling you? If there's anything I can do, I'll help."
"Thank you. There's nothing in particular. I can focus on reading and studying here, so it's quite fulfilling..."
I lied through my teeth. Mao-san must sense the walls I've built. She probably thinks I'm rejecting her... What should I do...? I want to trust her, but...
As I hesitated with a stiff expression, Mao-san spoke in a slightly theatrical voice.
"I see. That's good then. —By the way, I have some music I'd like you to hear. It's supposed to be good for prenatal education. Would you listen?"
As she spoke, Mao-san took out her smartphone, connected it to a speaker, and started playing music. An instrumental piece filled the room. It was soothing, but what was the point? As I tilted my head while listening, Mao-san leaned in and began whispering.
"Kiyoko-san is taking care of you, right? Is it just the two of you living here?"
The music was distracting, but I whispered back to match her tone.
"No. There seem to be some men here too. But I haven't seen them, so I don't know how many."
"Is there anywhere you can be completely alone?"
"The second floor is just me, so I'm usually alone there..."
"...I see. I have something to give you."
Mao-san took something from her bag and placed it in my hand.
"...What is this?"
"A cell phone. Make sure no one finds it."
"Eh!? Wh-why...?"
As I gasped in surprise, Mao-san raised a finger to her lips and shushed me.
"Nanami-chan. I know this might be hard to believe out of the blue, but I'm on your side. That's why I brought this—for you."
"Eh... um... what...?"
I couldn't keep up with this sudden turn of events. What was going on?
"I hate to think it, but our conversation might be listened to, so the music is camouflage. Bear with it for a while."
"...Okay, but what's going on? Are we being bugged?"
"I know a bit about your situation. That's why we need to be this careful. Oji-san Masato is a scary man."
I still didn't understand. Mao-san said she was on my side, but could I really trust her...?
"This phone... it's a gift from Jim."
"Eh!?"
No way!? Chifumi-kun's!? Does Mao-san know Chifumi-kun?
"Chifumi-kun is really worried about you. He's the father of your baby, right? He has reliable allies now, and it's thanks to them that I could get here. Of course, I'm one of them too. So trust me."
"R-really?"
"Really. Now, just to be safe, only use this phone in the bathroom or toilet. Be careful not to let anyone see it. There's only one number saved in the contacts. Call it tomorrow around 3 PM. It'll connect you to Chifumi-kun."
A light pierced through my gloomy days. Only Sora-kun calls Chifumi "Jim." The whole class knows that, but it's enough as a code to confirm our connection. And only we know about me and Chifumi-kun. This story came out of nowhere, but I was sure now—I could trust Mao-san.
November 3rd, 3 PM. I sat on the tiled bathtub and pressed the phone's buttons. It wasn't a smartphone but an old flip phone with an unusually large antenna. As I pressed it to my ear, I heard the dial tone. Finally, I could talk to Chifumi-kun. With each ring, my heartbeat quickened.
"Hello, Nanami-chan?"
"Ah... eh? Mao-san!?"
"Sorry, it's not Chifumi-kun. He's nearby, but he seems really nervous, so I'll hand it over once he calms down a bit."
"Chifumi-kun is there?"
"Yes. Where are you calling from, Nanami-chan?"
"Ah, the bathroom. Just like you said, I'm calling from the bath."
"I see. Don't catch a cold. Ah, he seems ready now. Here you go."
"Okay. Thank you."
"Hello, Nanami?"
Chifumi-kun! Chifumi-kun! Chifumi-kun! It's really him! No doubt!
"Ch... Chifumi-kun... ah... I... sob..."
What do I do? Just hearing his voice makes me cry. I need to talk, but...
"You've been so strong, Nanami. Ever since I found out you were suffering, I... I want to come save you right now, but I'm sorry! I still can't do anything."
"I... it's okay... I'm the one who should apologize. Disappearing without a word..."
"It's fine. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one who should apologize for not being able to do anything... It's been hard for you, hasn't it? All this time..."
No... I want to cry out loud, but I have to hold back. Chifumi-kun's kind words tighten my chest. I want to see him right now. I want him to hold me tight.
"I... I have one more thing to apologize for... About my belly..."
"The baby? There's nothing for you to apologize for. If anything, I'm just grateful. Thank you so much for protecting our child, Nanami."
"...Stop... if you say that, I... I..."
I cover my mouth with my hand, stifling my sobs. Tears stream down my cheeks, and I'm a mess, but I don't care. Hearing Chifumi-kun's voice after four months shattered the lid on the emotions I'd been suppressing.
"I'm... in a complicated situation right now... That's how I found you, but there's a lot going on... I can't explain it here. But I will save you. No matter what. Your father is a powerful man, so it won't be easy, but I have people helping me. So I will definitely rescue you. I'll come for you next year. When I do, I'll tell you how I feel properly. So... please wait for me. Even when we're apart, Pete and I are always by your side."
"...Okay, I understand... I'll wait. The baby and I will wait for you to come..."
"Thank you, Nanami. There's one more thing I need to tell you..."
"What?"
"There's someone helping us—Ohno-san. From now on, I need you to follow her instructions."
"Ohno-san?"
"Yeah. She's the one who arranged this phone. She's a bit eccentric, but you can trust her as much as you trust me... ...Eh, I have to say it? Hey, stop poking me."
"A-are you okay, Chifumi-kun?"
"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. Uh, Ohno-san is super beautiful, super kind, and super smart, so trust her completely."
"O-okay."
"Call this number again tonight. Ohno-san will answer, so listen to what she says. She knows everything about us."
"Got it. I'll call."
It was a short call, but just hearing his voice made me happy from the bottom of my heart. If I endure a little longer, I'll be saved.
But after talking to Ohno-san that night, I was left with a heavy burden.
"Nanami-chan. This is Ohno Yui. Nice to meet you ♡"
"Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too."
"Let's get straight to the point, Nanami-chan. I'm not one for beating around the bush. Do you know about the Genius Gene?"
Ohno-san's words were shocking. Chifumi-kun was carrying a heavy fate. She spoke calmly, objectively, almost defending him, and comforted me gently whenever I reacted. I listened while choking back sobs. Even after crying so much earlier, the tears kept coming. I felt like I was losing my mind.
"────So, like I said earlier, we'll come for you on the day I mentioned. Until then, I need you to decide what you'll do. Like I said at the start, Chifumi-kun and I will respect your wishes 100%. Whatever conclusion you reach, we'll follow it. No matter what you choose, we'll save you and your child from your father."
"...Okay, I understand... Thank you."
"Let me say one last thing. Chifumi-kun was born under a difficult star, and he'll face a hard life. He'll surely be exhausted, body and soul. The only one who can save him is you, Nanami-chan. Because you're the only woman who ever loved Chifumi-kun for who he is—not for anything else."
After hanging up, I sat dazed for a while. My thoughts were too jumbled to make sense of anything. No, this wasn't something I could figure out by thinking. It was about which path I would choose. As I gazed blankly at the starry sky through the window and whispered Chifumi-kun's name, tears I thought had long dried flowed again. What should I do? In just a few months, I have to decide my life and future...
The fog that had clouded my heart for four months had lifted, but my melancholy lingered.