"Again time elapsed."

~Carolyn Keene~

"Momma."

Yura turned to see Megumi and Kyoko in their uniforms, Kyoko pouting and looking at the ground while Megumi's expression was closed to lopping something off clean with her wooden kendo sword.

"What's wrong?"

"Ryuuji is still in his room. We knocked nearly five times and he won't answer. Our chauffeur is waiting for us outside. If don't leave in the next ten minutes; we're going to be late. Again.

Yura knew how Megumi liked punctuality. But Ryuuji was very meticulous about his appearance. She tried not to tread on her children's quirks as much as she could, but sometimes she had no choice. This was getting plain ridiculous now. This was the third time this week.

"Go out to the car. If you don't see me or your brother within the next ten minutes, go ahead to school." Yura instructed as she headed out the door.

Yura knocked firmly on the thick oak door four times and waited a minute. She jingled the spare keys for the rooms of the house in her pocket.

"Ryuuji! Open the door, I know you're still in there! You're going to be late for school! Megumi and Kyoko are waiting for you!"

Yura didn't know if he could hear her words clearly. But her voice was loud enough to be heard at least so she waited thirty seconds. Then she began to bang on the door.

"Ryuuji João Vitor Ootori, if you do not open this door now!"

Still no response. Yura sucked her teeth and put the key in the doorknob, pushing the door open and stepping into her only son's room. It was empty. She went to the bathroom door and tried it. It was locked as well. Not wasting any more time trying to be diplomatic, she opened that door as well.

'He better be sprawled on the floor unconscious in there…' Was Yura's thought in her annoyance.

That annoyance morphed into frustration to see her son's head whip around startled to see his mother opening his locked bathroom door. He was in front of the vanity mirror, the surface covered in hair products and combs.

"Momma? How did you-?"

"Don't worry yourself about that. What are you doing locking yourself in the bathroom in your bedroom and not answering the door? You're going to be late for school. Megumi and Kyoko are waiting for you."

"I'm not going to school."

"Why not?"

"…"

"Ryuuji talk or I will start questioning."

Ryuuji face heated up a tinge at his mother's ultimatum. Last time she engaged him in questioning, he had to vehemently deny not to be suffering from 'morning wood' being the reason he couldn't get out of bed one weekend. The triplets didn't understand how their mother could be so comfortable talking about those things with them.

"….It's my hair…" Ryuuji squeaked out.

"Your hair? What's wrong with it? Do you have lice?"

"No!" Ryuuji objected with disgust. "It's just….it won't set right…." Ryuuji stared down at the socked feet, twirling some of the wavy dark strands of his fringe.

Yura struggled between going to over to her son to box him upside the head and going to Kyouya to demand he go conduct a DNA test with her to find out whose chromosomes were most responsible for bringing forth this dandy.

"Ryuuji."

"Y-yes mom." The middle Ootori child stuttered, knowing that ominous tone. At fifteen, he was 176 cm in height and had to look down at his mother, but still tried to shrink, hiding his neck as his shoulders hit his ears. Yura walked up closer to Ryuuji. He backed up until his upper thighs hit the vanity edge.

"I am giving you four minutes to put on the rest of your uniform, get your school bag and run down to the car that is supposed to be taking you to school with your sisters. If you do not, I will instruct the driver to leave without you and you will be going to school however you can get there. And if you skip I will find out. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Ryuuji nodded with a jerky head movement.

He was out the door before his mother could reach it and by the time she had finished cleaning the vanity of the various hair products, she received a text from Megumi, thanking her for finally getting him out. She sighed and shook her head as she left Ryuuji's bedroom.

The triplets had spent two months in hospital. Yura refused to hold them. She had failed, in her estimation, having been unable to reach the thirty-fourth week of pregnancy. Kyouya tried once or twice to convince her that it wasn't her fault, but she only glared at him.

After the C-section, they began to give her medication for her hypertension, so for the first few months, Yura couldn't nurse her children. Not that she would have. When the nurse brought them to her room on the evening of the operation, she sullenly watched them. The doctor in charge of her was surmising that she might be suffering from post partum depression. But Yura would appear to snap out the sad lethargy long enough to deny each time being depressed. So the nurses observed as Yura alternated her days in the hospital between sleeping and adjusting to moving around with her new stitches.

Yura visited three times a week after being discharged. Yet she only held them twice during the many visits. The first time was a month before they came home. The nurse came in to check up on her to see the young mother tapping the plastic case that supported her youngest child. She had yet to name them and all three infants then looked the same to her.

"Would you like to hold her?" The nurse ventured softly.

Yura was slow to answer. She nodded.

"…Can I?"

"Of course you can." The nurse responded, reassured to see her showing an interest at last.

Yura was given Kyoko and she spent the next half hour studying her. She lifted the small fist clenched unto her thumb to her nose. She had never smelled something so…balmy and fresh. She then asked for the boy. And then the oldest, who was also a girl. Yura left that day staring at her now warm trembling hand wondering why she felt so…consoled.

Kyouya had the nursery for the children decorated by a famous designer. He bought all their clothes, strollers, car seats, toys, and diapers by the time Yura was five months pregnant. But not all the necessities and parenting classes could have prepared him to hold his four month old son. He didn't hold any of them once in the hospital. The staff were very vigilant, as the head of the hospital's wife being in their care, so there were not many instances where the couple was left alone during Yura's or the children's stay. And in this instance, Kyouya was not afraid to admit to himself that he was scared. They were so small and fragile. He had seen premature infants before, but it was different to him now it was his own flesh and blood.

Yura had to push him into the rocking chair in the nursery one morning and place Ryuuji in his lap to finally succumb. She was sure she had not seen him look so terrified before. Like someone put an active bomb in his hand and told him to disarm it in twenty seconds. Yura crossed her arms nonetheless and let him figure it out; adjusting his large hand so they supported the chubby baby's head and back. She could see his hand tremble a little. So she gently nudged the baby closer, forcing him to bend his arms and bring the child to his chest. She understood his feelings, but also knew he wouldn't get over the hesitance unless he held one.

Once he looked comfortable, Yura got the little foot rest that came with the rocking chair. Placing it beside the rocker, she sat down, resting an arm on his lap where she put her head. She heard the Ryuuji let out a loud 'ahhh!' and Kyouya jumped. She put her hand on his knee and rubbed it.

"It's fine. He's just cooing."

She didn't hear a response, but folded her arm back. By degrees, the tenseness left Kyouya. She simpered with warmth spreading in her face to feel him begin to rock the chair, relishing in the serene air that pervaded the silence.

The new mother was sure if she stayed organized and made a schedule she could handle the triplets on her own. Losing sleep was a given, but having years of functioning on sleep deprivation under her belt, Yura was sure she could manage the constant night feeding and diaper changes. And she did fare well for a week.

A month in, Kyouya came in from his office at two in the morning to see Yura flat on her back in comatose sleep, the baby monitor on the bedside table blearing the audible sound of crying infants. Kyouya glanced between the device and his knocked out wife. He grabbed the baby monitor and headed to the nursery, setting up a plan to convince Yura to hire a nanny, making a mental note to ask Tamaki for a few references as he prepared the bottled meals for his children.

When the triplets were six months, they finally met their other five uncles and aunt. Yuki had seen them in the hospital, being the first to visit and make contact with his nieces and nephew. Even Hirohito had held his godchild Megumi at three months old, trying not to let tears fall on the baby at the sight of the three gifts of life Yura had brought into the world.

Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Hunny almost fought over who got to hold one of three children first. Yura kept her kids at a safe distance while they argued, Kyouya holding the other, and Haruhi the oldest one.

"I'm the godfather!"

"Of Ryuuji! So is Yuki-kun, tono! That doesn't make you special!"

"Yu-chan promised me and Takashi could hold one first!"

Mori nodded, though he didn't give any verbal feedback.

"You forced that promise out of her!" the twins countered.

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

Yura walked over to where Mori went to sit down, seeing he could give no support to Hunny who was handling himself well, and put Kyoko in his arms. He smiled and the rare simper widened to hear his goddaughter giggle. The sweet sound broke up the bickering quartet.

"Hey!"

"Yu-chan! What about me?!"

"Maybe if you four had just shut up and sat down, you would have got to hold her first." Yura leaned into her left hip, her hands akimbo. "Kyouya-senpai, give Ryuuji to who please."

The twins, Tamaki and Hunny plopped into the nearest sofa and folded their hand in their laps. Kyouya walked over to them and placed his only son in Hunny's small arms. Tamaki mouth dropped at the father's choice.

"Kyouya?! I'm your best friend! And Ryuuji's godfather!" the blonde spoke out, offended.

"One of his godfathers. That does not make you special."

Tamaki gasped, his hand to his chest. He ended up in a corner of the house, crying a puddle around him.

"You know, Haruhi, it is not too late to file for that divorce I was telling you about. Naoki and Kotoko will not remember him."

Tamaki flinched.

"Cut it out, Kyouya-senpai." Haruhi chided, taking Megumi over to her husband.

Tamaki still seemed to possess those teleporting powers because soon he was on the couch again, smiling widely into the little girl's face, her wide eyes looking at all the French blonde's features with surprise.

Yura had the children rotated so Hikaru and Kaoru could get a turn to hold one of them. Even though they were married and had a kid of their own each, Yura was a bit cautious handing her young children over to the two little devil types. But that anxiety soon fled as she saw how careful they held and played with Megumi and Ryuuji.

"It's amazing how enthusiastic you guys are, considering you all looked like you were gonna castrate Kyouya-senpai when you saw I was pregnant." Yura deadpanned as she gave Mori a bottle.

"You're like a little sister to us, Yura-chan." Hirkaru explained through his cooing with Megumi. "How would you feel if a younger sibling got knocked up by him." he jabbed his thumb behind him at Kyouya.

"Uh, if she's fine in the relationship and the get together was consensual? Congratulatory."

The older Hitachinn twin hmphed, but soon let the disagreement die a moment to chortle at Megumi who had gotten a hold of his bracelet.

"Hikaru, you realize she is also my child and I can take her way from you?" Kyouya threatened.

Hikaru pressed the chubby child to his chest, startling her out the wonderful examination of his jewelry.

"So how come you didn't get mad at Tamaki-senpai when Haruhi got pregnant the first time?" Yura persisted.

"Because Tamaki is a pervert, we expected that from him."

"Hey!" Tamaki protested, scaring Ryuuji who began to cry. "Oh dear. Hush, hush….sorry..."

Yura looked over at Kyouya.

"See what happens when you act like an asexual in high school?"

Kyouya closed his eyes and slowly tore them from his tablet to look at his wife, her face completely straight and a hand resting on her chin as she watched him.

"Exactly how does one act like an asexual, Yura?"

"Didn't we go through this in high school?"

"If I recall correctly, you accused me of being gay, not asexual."

The others silently tuned in on the couple, wondering when that conversation had taken place.

"Yeah well, you denied it. So I went for the second most logical conclusion."

"That I am simply asexual?"

"Yeah. I mean, what else was I suppose to think?"

"Perhaps what I told you in the car…?" Kyouya suggested.

"I thought you meant that in a hypothetical setting."

Kyouya huffed in frustration. He then noticed the audience and went to his spouse. Bending close to her ear, he whispered, "We will finish this later." before walking off.

"Shenpa!"

Kyouya had now gotten in the habit of working in the children's bedroom while Yura attended to their laundry and cribs on weekends. After much arguing, Yura conceded to a nanny, but only on weekdays. He looked away from his screen to see Ryuuji holding out his arms to him with a wide smile on his face, displaying the little teeth that were sprouting.

"Shenpa?" Kyouya mouthed in perplexity, tending to his son.

"Shenpa, ung!" Ryuuji repeated, trying to make his small feet tiptoe without falling.

Kyouya closed the laptop and placed the thin device on the floor, picking up Ryuuji. The small boy slapped his father on the chest, happy giggles being littered with the repeated word. The young father continued to stare as he tried to make out his son's gibberish. His eyes narrowed as a vague suspicion formed. He pointed to Yura, making sure Ryuuji saw it and watched his head turn before asking, "Ryuuji, who is that?"

"Mama!" the little boy yelled.

Yura mistook his cry for calling and walked over to the two males.

"Yes Ryuuji?"

"He was not calling you." Kyouya corrected, forgetting how loud his son was.

"Oh."

Yura turned to walk back to the bed she was folding clothes on, but stopped short at the cry of, "Shenpa!"

They both regarded their son now who had Kyouya's shirt in a grip as he bounced on Kyouya's lap.

"What did he say?" Yura questioned.

"That is what I have been trying to figure out." Kyouya replied, not taking his eyes off Ryuuji. "What is a 'shenpa'?"

Yura wanted to laugh, hearing Kyouya imitate the young child's speech, but refrained the urge to a smile. Ryuuji then pointed at Kyouya and yelled yet again with happy excitement, "Shenpa!"

And it hit the parents then what their middle child was saying. He was calling his father upperclassmen.

Kyouya slowly put the child to sit on his lap and picked up one of his toys. The child grabbed it and was immersed in pushing the buttons on the music making toy so he missed the hard glare Kyouya was giving Yura. The mother, even before seeing the look, made a stiff about face and walked quickly back to the clothes she was folding.

Kyouya took in his children opening their Christmas presents with a soft smile none of the old host club members had witnessed before. Yura was aware of it, but kept that knowledge to herself as she read the manual for Kyoko's gift from Hunny, a bake ware set.

Everyone still celebrated the holidays by staying over at someone's house for Christmas Eve and Christmas day. This time it was the Ootori household. Tamaki, Haruhi, the twins, Hunny, and Mori along with their wives and children expanded the group to numbers that made Kyouya wonder if it was possible to keep up this tradition much longer. Between Suou and Ootori family were already five children. Throwing in a child each from the Hitachinns, three from Morinozuka and four from Haninozuka, made exchanging and opening presents a two hour long event before breakfast commenced.

It was still early so only Tamaki, the twins, Hunny, and Mori were wide awake. Kyouya and Haruhi had mugs in hand, still waiting for their caffeine to kick in while Yura slowly reached functioning capacity by degrees. The significant others of Hunny, Mori, Hikaru, and Kaoru were still working on making themselves presentable, bewildered how Haruhi and Yura could be okay being around the others in their pajamas and no make-up.

"Yes! Thank you Hika-oji-chan!" Ryuuji hugged the jewelry making kit to his silk shirt clothed chest.

Yura nodded to the older Hitchinn twin. She would work on getting her son some fashion designing supplies like he wanted, but that would have to be for his birthday. Her eyes turned to Megumi whose eyes became wide and her mouth and 'o' shape as she took the wooden kendo sword out its box, a gift from Mori. She turned to Yura, her high ponytail whipping the hair unto her shoulder.

"Can I?" She whispered the question, holding the sword with the reverence worthy of Excalibur.

Yura nodded.

"Yes, you can join the kendo club. You start in the spring when you enter the middle school section."

Megumi smiled until her sharp eyes seemed to close. Soon they did and she gripped the sword with pride beaming from her formal seiza position.

"Thank you so much."

Yura nodded again and focused back to her youngest. Kyoko had moved a little away from the group of children who were thanking their respective family and comparing each other's gifts. Naoki and Kotoko were the first to notice this. Naoki tried to softly convince Kyoko to join the others, but after so many head shakes, he resigned to let her have her way and went back to joining the horde.

Yura learned as the years passed not be concerned by Kyoko's heavy solitude. The child still talked to her when she was upset or had trouble so as long as she was not bottling her emotions and problems, Yura decided just watching from afar would suffice. But occasionally she would find herself searching through the area where the children played when everyone got together for gatherings.

She tried her best to make time for the children to talk and express themselves in ways they felt comfortable. For Megumi, it was the occasional exercising session. Surprisingly, for her talkative son it was a journal they shared, and with Kyoko just a simple conversation with music playing for background noise. Yura found the listening part easy; it was anything that came to giving advice that frightened her. Many of the problems they talked about, Yura had never dealt with at their age. The discussions of childish bullying, peer pressure and many others was something lost on her and the mother was often ashamed to have to seek help from research or even Kyouya. It was at those times her deficiency in her childhood for reference stood out the most to her.

"Thank you Yura-oba-chan!" Mitsue and Isao shouted in unison from the across the room.

Yura smiled and gave an upward nod to her recipients, Hikaru and Kaoru's sons, not moving from her half reclined position on a sofa. She still didn't understand how the two stayed in such sync, being only cousins.

"The girls ready?" Yura asked Hunny, who had come back from checking on the other mothers.

"Almost. Has everyone opened their presents?"

"Just about. Kyoko still in awe over your gift though." She answered, pointing her thumb to Kyoko, who was carefully replacing the baking supplies as they had been packaged.

Hunny giggled.

"She's getting better at talking to the others beside Megumi and Ryuuji after judo class."

"Really?"

"Mhm!" Hunny beamed.

"As long as she's choosing to." Yura put her elbow to rest on the sofa's arm to support her head.

"Who gave Ryuuji the jewelry making kit?"

Yura and Hunny turned to Kyouya.

"Tamaki-kun. Why?"

"He's a boy, Yura."

"So? He can't make jewelry? The twins and Yuki wear jewelry."

Kyouya shook his head and looked over at his son, who was admiring the art supplies given to Mitsue and Isao by Yura. The quarter Brazilian narrowed her eyes at the back of her husband's head.

"Are you worried Kyouya?"

"About what?" he retorted, trying to be neutral in his response.

Yura got up and went over to him, keeping her voice low though she wouldn't have been heard among the bustle around them.

"About your only son being an otomen or gay?"

Kyouya didn't answer. Yura didn't press him since they weren't alone, but she was incensed. He had no problem when introduced to Yuki's last boyfriend. But she was also aware of Kyouya's strict traditional upbringing. So for the sake of the holiday season, she would let it go.

'Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof…' she thought, which quailed the burst of displeasure toward her husband.

She went over and helped her son open the kit, asking if he would make her bracelet to wear to which he happily agreed. By the time the other women were ready; all the presents had been torn open and appreciated. The large party then headed to the dining hall for a late breakfast.

It took the triplets reaching the age of eleven before Shiki was allowed to see them. The visit was brief and not much was said between father and daughter. The children were polite as instructed, but could form no solid opinion of the aging patriarch. He gave each of them a candy and ruffled their hair, making Ryuuji pout and half glower at him as he fixed his back. They left finding that this visit had been more a duty then a pleasure, watching their mother's usually saddened face relax from the hard shell it had been in the Takahashi manor.

Yura had resolved on the day of the funeral not to tell her father about Michiko. It would be a waste of time to her and she knew his shock and sympathy would just irritate her. Though she held no love for the man that had conceived her and Yuki, it didn't mean she wanted to hate him. The visits became a biennial occurrence. Shiki, though retired, still liked to travel, a comfort to the new mother. It was a contrast from her own grandparents, who Yura made sure to let the triplets meet by the time they were nearing their first year of life.

Yura laughed with heart for that month long visit. Kyouya couldn't stay with her the entire visit and left after a week. But seeing their great grandchildren seemed to temporarily reverse the years of time on Akemi and João Vitor. The elderly woman cried while thanking God for letting her live long enough to see them. João Vitor quietly marveled at the jolly little souls that stumbled around the house. Yura had made sure to inform her grandparents of her visit this time. She hadn't told them of her pregnancy and felt guilty about it. But she loved surprising them so the mother hoped the end would justify the means. And it did. Akemi reached for Megumi out of her car seat and cooed at the child through her tears. The stoic girl watched the old woman before her smile and cry with confusion.

For João Vitor, it was a different predicament. His fears this time were realized as the children sought their mother for refuge with tears in their eyes upon first seeing him approach. They stayed cleared of him for a week, which saddened the old man. Then, near the end of the second week, Ryuuji decided to be the bold one and climbed the massive man while he was dozing after coming home from the restaurant. João Vitor was awoken to a chubby hand tugging at his mustache. He moved slowly, so as not to frighten the little adventurer.

Akemi found the missing child being tickled and delighted with her husband. She went and brought Yura, Megumi in her hand and Kyoko on her mother's hip. She placed her youngest on the floor so she could take out her phone and record the sweet moment. After this spectacle, Megumi and Kyoko seem take to their brother's judgment, seeing him being so well entertained by João Vitor. The next day, the two girls hesitatingly approached him and from that day he was dubbed a gentle giant. The triplets now flocked to the large elderly man. He grew bright as he carried and played with his great grand children. Yura ended up buying a camcorder in town. She had used up all the space on her phone in photos and videos of the precious moments.

But she also couldn't stop the disquiet in her mind as the weeks continued on. She had begun to anticipate it even more, his mortality. Though still active and running a business, Yura noted the many naps throughout the day. Sometimes he would try to hide how winded he was while playing with the children and took his time going up and down the stairs. The large body was starting to become a disadvantage as the pain of age gradually settled into his bones. And it would have terrified her to find out the same was happening to Akemi, only she was better at hiding them.

"So what did you guys do for your anniversary?"

Kyouya stopped reading the contract in his hand to peer at Tamaki. The two men were in the Suou's office. The half French was determine not to lose touch with his best friend and arranged with (more like coerced) Kyouya to have lunch together when they were free for their lunch breaks. The café by the Suou Corporation's main building was a favorite of the two business men. Tamaki already had a deal he wanted to discuss with Kyouya so they took the detailed discourse to his office after their meal.

"Anniversary?" Kyouya repeated slowly, putting the contract on his lap.

"Yeah. Your wedding anniversary. It was yesterday. What did you guys do?"

Kyouya stared at Tamaki. He dug through his pockets for his cell phone, not trusting the calendar on the younger man's desk.

"Kyouya?"

The Ootori male stopped focusing on his phone. His eyes seemed to dart from his lap to his hand.

"Kyouya? D-did…did you forget your anniversary?"

Tamaki anticipated a glare and biting denial. The sharp eyes widening at him as Kyouya lowered his head a bit made him worry. Kyouya got up, put the contract on the desk and grabbed his suit jacket as he walked out without saying a word. He got into his car and hooking up his phone, demanded it to call Yura.

Yura was washing her brushes in the slop sink of the laundry room when her phone went off.

"Yes person calling me, wait until my hands are deep in paint water…" She grumbled to no one as she dried her hands and took her phone out her back pocket. The artist rolled her eyes at the name on her screen, half minding to not answer at all. She flipped open her phone.

"You know, for someone as calculating as you, your timing really sucks right now."

"Do you know what today is?"

"Huh?"

"The date. Do you know what today is?"

"Kyouya, I don't even know what day of the week it is. You the one with smart phone, you tell me."

"Yura, stop it and answer the question."

"No Kyouya, I don't know what today is."

"….Check your ring."

"My ring?" Yura repeated, turning to the sink where she had placed the jewelry above.

"Yes, the silver band one. Check it."

Yura did as she was told though still muddled and irritated with all the mystery. She read the date in the wedding band out loud, asking him what was his point in making her do that.

"Look at the date on your phone Yura."

She sighed loudly, but looked. Then she heeded her ring again before running upstairs until she reached the kitchen to check the calendar on the wall as she didn't trust her phone.

"Oh my Gucci." She said through her covered mouth. "…When-?"

"A few minutes ago." Kyouya answered before she could finish. "I was with Tamaki."

"Where are you now?"

"I am heading home."

"Ok…I'll see you when you get home."

They both hung up.

Kyouya met his wife standing in the parlor after being greeted by an attendant who took his things.

"Hey."

Yura waved at him. Kyouya nodded before indicating they should go somewhere private to talk. Yura was awake before Kyouya that morning and the two didn't see each other upon heading to their respective work places. They sat down in the living room.

"So…what do we do now?"

Kyouya was silent. He had no plan coming home, just that he needed to see her right then and there.

"Do you want to go out to dinner? The kids are staying over at Tamaki-kun and Haruhi tonight."

"Yura."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Does this worry you?"

Yura blinked and her gaze dropped to her hands. She began to crack her knuckles, one by one.

"Yeah, I mean….I never thought we get so busy that….this would happen…" she trailed off.

"Neither did I."

Yura raised her eyes to see Kyouya's hand at his chin. She was glad to see she wasn't the only that was confused. A suggestion came to her, but the very thought made her bite the inside of her bottom lip.

"…Hey Kyouya?"

"Yes Yura?"

"….Do you…maybe…want to take a bath together?"

Kyouya's head turned at a speed she didn't like. Or his single raised brow. She knew she had been prudent over the years about things like this, but he didn't have to be so surprised.

"Pardon?"

"I asked if you wanted to take a bath together." She could say smoothly now, her pride pricked. But the prick soon healed and she was reticent again. "We could relax until we figure out what to do. Unless you don't want to-"

Kyouya put a finger on the scarred lip. He rose from the sofa and held out a hand to her. His wife took it. Keeping a firm hold on the cold hand, he kept his pace steady as he led her to their room.

"Megumi-chan, Ryuuji-kun, Kyoko-chan."

The triplets tore their eyes away from the board game they were playing with Naoki and Kotoko.

"Yes Tama-oji-chan?" the answer came in unison.

"Tanaka-san's here."

The three children lit up as they scrambled to their feet and took off, nearly bumping into Tamaki who managed to step aside in time from being barreled by the small herd of twelve year olds. He simpered after them.

The kids weren't exactly sure why they had four grandfathers. Or even why their momma called one of them grandfather as well. But they decided in their much younger years not question it. Three of four of their grandfathers were very nice, though they weren't as affectionate with their immediate one as with the other two.

"Naka-ojii-san!" the big yell echoed and Hirohito heard it before the kids even reached the parlor.

He smile was wide and put himself in a ready crouching stance, his arms outstretched by the time Megumi reached him first, who latched onto his neck and didn't let go when Ryuuji and Kyoko arrived.

"Hello Megumi, Ryuuji, Kyoko." Hirohito greeted each one, getting a kiss on the cheek with each name he spoke. "I'm here take you home."

The happy faces fell a bit. Their thick eyebrows then went steeple, reminding Hirohito so much of Yura when she was small.

"Take us home? But we called momma and told her we were staying over." Ryuuji explained.

Megumi and Kyoko nodded along.

"Really?" Hirohito questioned.

The trio nodded again and Hirohito put down Kyoko to check his phone. There were new messages or missed calls.

"I suppose Yumiko forgot to inform me." He concluded, giving a little shrug. "Very well. You three have fun ok?"

"Wait, Naka-ojii-san!" Megumi grabbed his pant leg.

"Yes?"

She gestured him to come closer and he bent down low enough so the small girl could whisper in his ear.

"Momma and papa forgot their anniversary yesterday."

Hirohito pulled back, his dark eyes wide. Megumi nodded as if that what was needed to dispel his disbelief.

"How do you know this Megumi?"

"Tama-oji-chan. He said that papa left him this afternoon. That's why we're staying over. So they can spend the night together."

Hirohito stared at the Megumi. He glanced at Ryuuji and Kyoko to see knowing smiles on their round faces. He nodded slowly. These children's awareness truly alarmed him sometimes.

"Well then, I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"Bye Naka-ojii-san!" the three waved goodbye. "Say hello Maya-obaa-san for us!"

Hirohito bowed at their farewells. The older man chuckled as he imagined his wife's face at delivering the triplet's message. After the disastrous ending of his first marriage and the loss of his first child, the man, now in is forties, never dreamed he would remarry.

"Yura?"

"Yeah?"

Yura's head was buried in a towel as she dried her hair. Kyouya sat on the bed in a blue one tied around his hips, seeing the knot in his wife's purple towel about to give way. He said nothing to her concerning it.

"Do you trust me?"

The towel appeared to be as surprised as Yura because it chose that moment to nearly fall off her person. She caught the cloth in time to not flash her husband and wrapped it around tight, pushing the now sprawling black hair out of her face.

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Is this because I asked if you wanted to soak in a green tea water bath after our shower?" Yura tried, almost searching the room for a verbal escape.

Kyouya was not going to let that work.

"No Yura. I just want to know."

"…"

"Come here Yura." Kyouya got out patiently.

"But-"

"Please?"

'Why couldn't he just get angry like he usually does…?'

She padded over to her spouse. He put a firm grasp on her hips. They were wider now. Yura had an overall thicker lower body, the lasting result of her child bearing. Her upper body seemed inclined on showing little effects of it; her chest reverting to being flat once again after the period of breast feeding had past for the triplets. Her once slim arms were toned from years of trying to carry around two cars seats and lifting toddlers. Her stomach though flat now, bore faint stretch marks below her belly button, above her C-section scar.

"Do you?" Kyouya repeated, amused by her inability to look away now she was so close.

"D-does it matter?"

"Yes it does." He answered. His calm was genuine now, putting his arms around her waist, yet still smiling at her.

'The green tea water's made him loopy…' was the only reasonable excuse Yura could salvage in her scrambled thoughts. She wanted to look away from the crooked smile, but at the same time she didn't.

"Hmm?" Kyouya lightly raised his brows. She had forgotten about his possible mind reading powers.

She tried to back up, but Kyouya pulled her back until his head rested gingerly on her collarbone. Yura's shoulders slumped. The quarter felt like she was treating her husband like a cat as she ran her hand through his damp hair. She gave up. Taking that step had to come sooner or later.

"Yes. I do." She breathed.

Her husband's hold tensed at the murmur. Yura tried to get a look at her face. If she had succeeded, she would have finally seen that wide slight teeth baring smile that Yuki had witnessed all those years ago while she hid after her first laughing fit in front of Kyouya. Instead she heard him take deep breath. He kissed between her breasts.

"K-kyouya?"

He was almost humming, waiting for the giddiness to lessen some before he raised his head. The husband had been waiting over a decade to get that answer. He stood up and Yura blushed bright at the warm smile that had taken over. The same smile that he couldn't get rid of on their wedding day.

"I love you, Yumiko.

The woman unsteadily placed her hands on the sides of her spouse's face. She examined him, her smile getting wider the longer she studied. Even after all these years, he was still the same man to her, even with the start of lines forming under his eyes and between his brow.

"I love you too."

The color that spread on Kyouya's face on hearing that line was faint and pink. Yura chuckled and lowered his head to kiss him on the forehead. The wife could say it now and not worry. The fear was starting to wane. She hugged his head. Kyouya didn't move. She pulled back and snorted through her snickering at the undisguised fear and amazement on his face. Kyouya thought nothing of her laughing at him. He didn't care at all.

"Why don't we get dress and go watch The Life of Pi while we think about what to do for dinner?"

Kyouya nodded. Yura patted him on the cheek before sauntering off to get her clothes, her husband's eyes following her walk away.

Yura looked around with nostalgia as she walked around the Ouran high school grounds. She couldn't believe that the children were through with their last year of middle school.

The mother could admit to herself now that she was hesitant about her children going to Ouran all through their education, but knew it would be considered something that was a matter of course. She remembered watching the excited trio off to kindergarten with bright smiles only to be brought in the same day because Ryuuji had slapped a fellow classmate after he tried to poke fun at Kyoko due to her unusual eye colors. Yura was sorry for her daughter and proud of her son. She tried explained to Kyoko about her heterochromia iridis as best as she could, but she knew it would not be easy for her. She couldn't give Kyoko contacts at such a young age. And found she blamed herself for the unusual color being passed down to her children. She had hoped that they would all inherit Kyouya's eye color. It was to her dread to see them at eight months: Ryuuji bearing her eye color, Megumi the eyes of her father, and Kyoko having a right mint green eye and the left one a brown-gray color.

Kyoko was eight years old when she told her mother she was fine with her eyes and saw no need to hide them. Yura smiled as Kyoko's eyes filled with tears. Pushing away her long bangs, the mother kissed her. Yura saw her daughter trying to stand up for herself and did not deter her efforts. Everyone in the class soon learned not to mention the condition to the shy girl, otherwise they would have to face the wrath of her older brother and the wooden sword of her older sister.

She walked out in the meadow before strolling through the building. Yura sought out the one of the four libraries and then made her way to the third music room. Opening the loud creaking door, she looked around at the piano and instruments that now filled the room. This is where the change for her had begun. She remember being so upset, having to transfer here. Assuming it would be stifling and miserable, Yura had determined to just remain there for her last year of middle school and transfer back to Miyagi Academy, where Yuki still attended for high school.

'It seemed like a good idea at first…'

The woman shook her head as she sat on the large windowsill, reminiscing on the days she spent there, watching the seasons go by and wondering if she could ever be free from the pain that seem to loom over her like a guillotine blade. She still had the occasional nightmare, the children soon learn not grab their mother's wrist or ask her about her scars, but lately she felt that guillotine begin to dwindle a little. She almost looked forward to a day when she could look back on the experience of her early childhood with indifference. The same way she now viewed the sick woman that was supposed to raise her.

The quarter was so absorbed in these thoughts that she didn't hear the door open or the shiny shoes clicking against the floor.

"Yura."

She turned to the see the man she had gotten to know and love in this room standing a few feet away from her, his gaze taken with the familiar surroundings.

"It's been a while hasn't it?" she questioned with a smile, turning back to the window.

"Eighteen years…" Kyouya murmured.

"Who would have thought you would marry the little scrawny quarter Brazilian-Japanese girl that tutored the host club's princess?"

"Is that how you see it?"

"In a condensed version, yeah."

Kyouya walked over to the window and bent down to kiss his wife's head. Despite the first two year long engagement, they both refrained from showing such affection in the music room, for cautionary reasons.

"I believe it would be more of me getting know the small mysterious cross-dressing underclassmen that, despite her secrecy and roughness, made herself agreeable enough for me to fall for her."

Yura scoffed, but a laugh soon wiped away her mock frown, to which she covered her face. He smiled as he watched his wife of almost two decades bury the giggles in her hand. She stood up.

"Are the kid's settled?"

"They're touring the school right now with Naoki and Kotoko. I already arranged to have Tanaka pick them up at three."

"Then I guess we should head out."

Yuki and Yura, despite their changing lives still sought to spend time with one another. Though Yuki seem to have caught the travel bug from his father, most of the international visits were long and spanned far apart over the years. He had other things he wanted to do besides travel.

"Where are you going this time?"

"Ummm….I think Barcelona. Mitsuru says he wants to see the architecture."

"Have you popped the question yet?"

"Yu-chan, you know the marriage wouldn't be considered legal in Japan."

"Why not? Mitsuru is genetically female though he looks like boy."

"Yeah, that's true. But…."

"Buuut…?"

"…I'm not sure how dad would take it."

"You still care about his opinion? You don't have to get his 'blessing' to marry someone if you love them Yuki."

"I know. But it's….you didn't even know what intersex meant until I told you."

"No I didn't and I am grateful to you for clearing up my ignorance on the subject. What? Does Mitsuru not want to get married?"

"…I'm not sure…"

You moved from her painting to see her brother's head hung over as he half sat on the stool she gave him.

"Yuki?"

He didn't respond. Yura dropped the paints and went over to her twin.

"Is he being distant?"

"No….no…just…I'm worried…"

"That…?"

"….that…he might say no….' Yuki creaked out, barely audible to Yura's sharp hearing.

"Oh Yuki…" she grabbed her older brother and let him cry his fear out on her smock, rubbing his back.

"I-I'm gonna try…" he stuttered out after a few minutes, sniffling.

Yura gave him a handkerchief. He blew his nose loudly before stuffing the soiled fabric in his pocket.

"I'm just mentally preparing myself…just in case."

"I hope all goes well." Yura encouraged, placing a hand on his shoulder. Yuki smiled with her. "And if he refuses, I know two very good martial artists who will not be against helping me to beat him down."

"Yumiko!" Yuki tried to reprimand, but the yell came out in surprise and laughter.

They laughed heartily together. Then a snort escaped Yura, which just made the duo laugh harder.

"Haa…oh my Gucci…I can't breathe…" Yuki gasped in giggles, getting up to lean on his twin sister, who wasn't much for sturdy support herself. "How are the commissions coming?"

"You mean the four due at the end of this month? I'm just finishing the second one." She answered in mirth, taking Yuki along as she went over to the easel she had left.

The two studied the painting.

"Looks good."

"Really? I see at least seven things wrong with it."

"Yes you do Yu-chan, because you are your own worst critic."

"Is that right?"

"Yup."

A knock was heard at the study door and Kyouya opened it to see his wife and her twin latched unto to each by the shoulder.

"Ah! Kyo-nii! Welcome home!"

"Welcome home Kyouya."

"Hello Yuki. Yura." He greeted the two well enough, but was still unnerved by their physical affection.

He figured they would grow out of it, the same way they no longer strived to look the same. Yuki hair now barely passed his ears in messy curls while Yura grew hers till the thick mass covered her shoulder blades. Yuki also was much thinner than his sister now; his body seemed to be on a strike in showing the older twin's appetite. His frame was lanky, but not to the point of his bones being visible through his skin. It impressed Kyouya sometimes, how much they had changed.

"Are the children home?"

"Nope, they have club this afternoon so they'll be home late."

Kyouya nodded as he shook hands with Yuki. He knew the younger man was more of a hugger so he was thankful for the consideration. Fur Elise then began to play in Yuki's pocket. He only removed enough of the mobile device to ascertain the number. The mint green eyes glinted behind the black frames.

"Gotta go, Yu-chan!"

"Alright. And Yuki?!"

The older Takahashi twin turned, his hand on the knob, the door half open.

"Boa sorte!" she winked at him.

Yuki winked back, flashing a smile with white sharp teeth.

"Mm!"

"How are your commissions?"

"Plentiful. Which makes me worried if I'll finish in time."

Kyouya spotted a book on the sofa. He went over to pick it up, seeing a mechanical pencil in it.

"Perhaps progress would be faster if you did not stop to read?" he suggested in a joking chide.

"I have to take breaks."

"Two hour long ones?" he estimated, seeing the pencil divided the book in half.

Yura shrugged, still painting all the while. He turned over the small paperback, the back looking familiar.

"You are reading Jane Eyre again?" Kyouya accused, flipping through the book, glancing at the little notes and definitions.

"Yes. Is that a crime?" Yura asked jokingly.

"Never said it was." Kyouya answered with a smile. He stopped on a line Yura had underlined in red with the word 'true' written below it in bold uppercase letters.

"Yura?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you truly believe this?"

"Believe what?"

He sauntered over to her, his eye still on the text and pointed to the marked sentence.

"Human beings never enjoy complete happiness in this world. I was not born for a different destiny to the rest of my species." She read and then looked him square in the eye before answering firmly, "Of course. What's there not to believe?"

"….Are you unhappy Yura?"

"I know I'm not an optimist Kyouya, if that's what you're driving at." She rejoined, trying to complete her work on the canvas.

"No. I just want to know if you are happy."

And Yumiko, rather than let the half sarcastic, vague statement roll off her tongue, raised her head from the paints and thought for a moment: of her younger years, meeting Hirohito, living with Yukimura, her time in Ouran and meeting these strange people who became a group of friends and one a husband, her passion of art, raising the children. The smile on her face was pensive, but it was from a sudden wave coming over her of …almost…what was the word? She stumbled on it one day on her brother's blog. Énouement? To think this would be her life after those years in isolation…

"Yura?" Kyouya watched his wife smile, confused by her mix of melancholy and felicity.

"It is impossible to achieve complete happiness in this world. Therefore I am content."

She glanced back up at Kyouya and turned back to her painting. Making a few more strokes, she took a black paint marker and wrote the date in the lower left hand corner.

"And that is something most people cannot say in truth."

Translation and notes:

Boa Sorte = Good Luck

Énouement is an invented word that describes the bitter sweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turned out, but not being able to tell your past self

And that, my fellow readers, is the end. I did not expect this story to take so long to finish, but I don't regret it one bit. I just have to be more organized with my typing for the next one. Thank you for taking time out of your schedules to read this story and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. So until next time,

Love and Peace.