It was a wonder, a miracle. How could something so tiny have such a strong grip? He starred in amazement at the little creature in his arm, holding onto his finger. The tiny fingers with even tinier fingernails couldn't reach completely around his.

"Hey, little girl. Aren't you a pretty little thing?," Ren whispered affectionately with a soft smile on his lips and speak sparkles in his eyes. He sat in big comfortable armchair holding the precious bundle. Princess had her head on his knees and watched attentively. In the last three years the fluffy puppy grew into an elegant dog that nearly reached up to Ren's knees. Ren was lost in his own little world, as he wiggled his finger against the small hand. He didn't even noticed Yukihito who stood close next to him, restless shifting from one foot to the other.

On the other side of the room Kyoko and Megumi watched them. Megumi filled some glasses with juice and passed one to Kyoko, before taking a slip herself. She smiled at Yukihito's nervous behavior.

"They are adorable like this. Don't you think?", she asked Kyoko with a smile.

"Yeah. I don't think they even remember we are in this room too.", The young actress answered, biting her lower lip before smiling back.

"Ren looks really comfortable. He is a natural with babies. He is really made to be a father." Megumi laughingly remarked, watching her husband trying to give Ren an additional baby blanket.

Kyoko's smile was for a moment thin lipped, and then it bloomed brighter than before. "Probably."

Before Megumi could say anything else, both women heard Yukihito whine to Ren. "Ren, can you please give me back my daughter?"

But Ren only looked at him with wide open eyes and turned slightly away from his best friend with the little girl carefully secured in his arms. "But it's the very first time for me to hold my goddaughter.", he pleaded back. "She is not getting hurt or anything. She is happy."

"Can you please give me a couple of more years before I give my daughter to a playboy.", he replied with outstretched arms.

"Please only a bit longer." Apparently his puppy eyes work on men to, because Yashiro querulously nodded, but didn't leave they side.

"Yuki is always so nervous, when he has to let anyone else hold Yuna.", Megumi giggled, but turned more serious when she pick up her conversation with Kyoko again. "You know, I mean, Ren would one day be a good dad, not right now. You are still young and have time before thinking about it."

"Yes I know.", Kyoko answered and relaxed a bit more.

X

It was a nice afternoon and because of some technical issues Ren's filming was stopped for the day. So the two men decided to take baby Yuna and Princess on a walk.

"So how is it to be a father?" Ren asked, while Princess pulled on the leash and whined to be able to run free and play with the other dogs in the park. She was more restless than usual.

"Absolutely fantastic and frightening." His friend replied. Yuna was fussing a bit and the men say down on a park bank.

"Why frightening?" Ren asked curious. He took the leash off Princess and let her room with the other dogs. She ran up to another herding dog and they seem to get along great.

"It's just so unbelievable to be responsible for this fantastic little person and so many ways to messed it up. Sometimes I remember that some babies just die and I feel panicking and have to get up in the middle of the night to make sure that Yuna is alright." Yukihito confessed as he softly rocked his daughter in his arms. "But most the times, it's the best thing that ever happened to me."

Ren smiled at how completely besotted his best friend looked when talking about his daughter. They say there for some time talking and laughing and somehow Ren managed to convince Yashiro to trust him with his previous daughter once more. Both were cooing and pulling faces at the baby, before they decided to head back. But that they immediately could, because Princess had decided, that if Ren didn't pay attention to her, she could spend her roaming the hedges with her new found friend. It took Ren nearly ten minutes before he could find his dog again.

X

Kyoko had her laptop balanced on her knees with a soft fleece blanket wrapped around her like a cocoon. Her eyes fixed on the screen, a little notebook lied next to her, with some scribbles in it. She didn't notice the big figure looming behind her until he gently rubbed her shoulder. With a jolt she turned around.

"Hey, still up?", Ren whispered to her, as he slid on the couch behind Kyoko.

"Hmm, yeah. Did I disturb you?", she asked back, still half her mind on what she read before.

"No, I just wanted to know why Princess is the only one ready to keep me company in the bed at half past two." He told her and nestled against her back as he took her in his arms. Raining small kisses, where her neck and shoulder meet.

While she did lean against him and offer him her neck, her attention was once more snatched away by her reading material. So she replied absentminded: "Don't let her. She is in heat."

"Another thing you clearly don't share with her.", he mumbled in a quiet voice.

"What was that?" She sounded really confused. "I didn't catch that."

"Not so important. Tell me what are you reading there? Is it about your new role?" He smoothly changed the subject, peeking at her laptop.

"Yes!" Her whole face light up, as she talked about her role and research for it. She turned slightly to look at him. "It is really interesting. I don't complete understood Kana-chan and why she behaves the way she does sometimes. I mean she is so inconsistent."

As she focused her attention on him, Ren took the chance to carefully close her laptop and to put it the couch table. "Hmhm."

"So I tried to find some information about her behavior in the internet." The excitement in her voice and on her face let him smile warmly at her. "I found a forum about psychology and talked to some people there."

"Really?" He nuzzled against her neck and placed a kiss on the underside of her chin.

"Yes, I think Kana-chan has a bit of a depression, but she tries to fight it." She explained to him. Without protest she let him lift her up in his arms and walk back towards the bedroom. "I got some information about it and how to treat it. When it's better to use medics and when to go to therapy and what's the different is to other diagnoses like borderline personality disorder."

"That's nice." Ren pushed the door open with his foot and careful set his girlfriend on their bed. He leaned their foreheads together and nuzzled his nose against hers.

"You are not even listening to me!" Her brows knitted in anger, as she accused him.

"I am. Kana-chan, research, internet forum, psychology, depression, treatment." He counted down on his fingers. "But I couldn't answer because I was occupied with different things. Multitasking isn't easy you know. I was listening to you, and carrying you and I try to seduce you." He continued with a sly grin.

"What? Don't say things like this, you playboy!", she shrieked, pushing him away from her before hiding her red face behind her hands.

His rich deep laughter filled the room before pulling her back into her arms and kissing her head. "I'm not very good in it, if you only noticed now that I tell you."

X

"Are you ready yet?", Ren shouted in the direction of the bathroom, as he bonded his tie.

"Five minutes! Do you have the present and the card?" Kyoko's muffled voice asked back from behind the door.

"Yes, hurry up; we want to meet Megumi's cousin in half an hour!" He checked his image in the floor lengthened mirror.

"I know! Did you drop the keys with the neighbors that they can take Princess on a walk later?"

"Why didn't we take her with us again?"

"Because the ceremony is in a temple and you can't take a dog there and we can't keep her in the car."

Finally Kyoko stepped out of the bathroom. She wore light make-up and her was styled in an elegant way, decorated with a single write flower.

"Can you help me with the zipper?" She turned around next to him. The light blue dress was open in the back and showed him her bare skin. Absentminded he answered her with an 'Hmm.', as he gently caressed her spine, with the back of his fingers. Kyoko closed her eyes and sighed in pleasure.

"Ren, in half an hour we have to be at the temple so you can official become Yuna-chan's godfather." She reminded him, but her face and voice was relaxed and she didn't show any signs of moving out of his reach. Ren sobered up a bit. He placed one kiss on her neck and closed the zipper of her dress.

"Just to you understand, we will come back to this later." His mischievous grin made her blush. She pushed him back a little bit.

"Let's go." She petted Princess on the head, grabbed the keys and stepped into a pair of high heels. Ren petted Princess as well and left the flat behind her.

X

The ceremony was very beautiful. It was technical a Shinto ceremony, but Megumi and Yukihito decided that they liked the Christian tradition of godparents and choose Ren and Akemi, Megumi's cousin for it. Ren smiled proudly while held the little girl on his arms for the photos.

Kyoko could see it in his eyes. This longing for something similar, no matter how much she tried to ignore it. She knew it was unfair towards him to ignore it, but the idea of having children scared her like nothing before and she feared that Ren would one day leave her because of it.

X

Kyoko grabbed her bag and leaned over to her boyfriend on the couch to give him a quick kiss. He was reading a script and looked up in mild surprise.

"You are going out?" He pulled her on his lap and kissed her again.

"Yes, I'm meeting Prof. Mori for dinner." She didn't fight his loose grip on her hip and brushed some of his hair to the side.

"Should I be jealous, that my girlfriend meets another guy for a dinner date?" He playfully growled at her, which made her laugh.

"Oh sure, we are going to have some long discussions about mental illnesses. I told you about it." Ren thought about it hard for a moment before coming up with something.

"The psychology professor you want to meet for your research?"

"That's the one." Kyoko agreed and nuzzled her nose against his. "Can you do me a favor? When you go jogging in the evening, can you take Princess with you? She puts on a bit of weight." She gave him an accusatory side look.

"Hey, I didn't fed her extra." But his protest fell on deaf ears and Kyoko gave him a sweet peck on the lips.

"See you later."

X

"Hey Corn." Her mood lifted as she saw his name on the phone. It had take some time before Ren had told her his real name and that he was her childhood fairy Prince. It had been their first big couple fight, because Kyoko has felt hurt that he didn't tell her even after they became an item. But they love and care for each other won out and now it was her pet name for her boyfriend, but only when nobody could hear it.

"Hello Honey. How are you?"

"Great, I'm cleaning up and then I'll meet Kanae for lunch." She held the phone between her shoulder and ear, as she used some wipes to remove her makeup. "Why do you call?"

"First, do I need to pick up Princess later?"

"No, she is fine. Very quiet today only a bit cuddly. I will walk her after lunch." The dog lied next to her and let Kyoko rub her tummy with her toes.

"Ok. Ehm second, I kind of promised Yukihito to babysit Yuna tomorrow."

"Ok... that's nice."

"So you don't have a problem that they drop her by tomorrow evening?"

"Ren, she is your goddaughter of course you want to spend time with her. I'm sure it will be fun."

"I love you. See you later."

"Love you too." She ended the call and sighed. "Come Princess."

X

"Your dog becomes fat."

"Hello to you too Moko-san." Kyoko sat down at her friend's table with a sour look on her face. It wasn't that she didn't see it herself, but to have others point it out to her, made it feel like a personal attack.

"Yes yes. It's great to see you and all that. But seriously your dog is a barrel on four legs." Kanae pointed at Princess, who lied down under the table.

"I know, I know. I just don't know why. I didn't feed her more and Ren swears he didn't either." Kyoko sighed and opened the menu.

"Maybe he is lying?" The other actress offered with a smirk.

"No, he doesn't." Kyoko corrected her friend a bit too forcefully. She knew that Kanae hadn't been very euphoric about her relationship with the much more popular actor, because she was afraid that it could hinder her own career.

"So everything sunshine and flowers between you two?" Kanae noticed that something was off she just couldn't say what.

"Sure." She smiled brightly.

"Stop it."

"What?"

"Your creepy 'I don't tell you everything' smile"

"Ren wants to bring Yuna over and that's fine. I mean she is his goddaughter, but he only told me after he offered Yukihito to babysit and I really don't know how to handle babies." It just burst out of her. She threw her best friend a desperate look.

"Hmm, I can understand that. Babies are annoying poop machines. Did you tell him that?"

"Tell him I don't like spending with his goddaughter because it overwhelms me? No I haven't. I mean maybe I just need time to get used to her, right?" Her eyes pleaded her best friend for support and reassurance.

"Well, yeah sure, I mean I got used to my nieces and nephews as well right? And if I manage that you definitely will."

"I mean it's just for an evening. It's can't be that difficult."

"Absolutely. How is work?" Kanae decided that it was time to talk about a topic both enjoy more.

"Great! I met with Prof. Mori to talk about Kana-Chan's psychological structure. He gave me some books to read. It's really fascinating." Kyoko's face lit up as she talked about her new role.

X

"Are you sure it's ok?" Megumi knew that it was the sixth or seventh time she asked her husband this, but she couldn't stop herself from worrying.

"Yes, Ren actual offered to look after her for tonight." Yukihito reassured her once more. He got Yuna together with her baby seat out of the car and Megumi scooped up the baby bag.

"Did we pack everything?" It was a strange thought to give her daughter away even for a few hours.

"We have diapers, wipes, bottles with milk, three change of clothe, toys, cream, powder, her snuggle blanket. She will be fine. And have to get used to give her away, if you really want to return to work in three month."

"Of course I will. We talked about it, right? It's only as a part time job." They arrived at the front door and rang the bell. It didn't take look for the actor couple to open the door.

"Please come in." Ren invited them in with a wide smile. Kyoko stood a few steps behind him. Her back was straight and her hands folded in front of her as she shone a study smile at them. She took the baby bag from Megumi. Meanwhile the guys sat down on the couch and carefully lifted Yuna it of her carrier seat. Ren was gently rocking in his arms, as Yukihito explained everything and a bit more about taking care of Yuna for a few hours.

X

He blinked at his alarm clock. His mind tried to pinpoint the reason why he woke up at 4:37 in the morning. He only had to be at his first shot at 10 o'clock. He turned around towards Kyoko; only to find the space next to him empty. He looked around disoriented until he saw a faint light from the bathroom. He waited for his girlfriend to come back to bed, but after she didn't reappeared after a few minutes; he got up to look for her.

"Honey, everything ok?" He pushed the door open to see her kneeing in front of the toilet. Her face was pale and her eyes bloodshot. His eyes widened in shock and he hurried over to her side. "What up? Can I help you?" He rubbed her back in concern.

She shook her head. "Not really. It was some of the food last night." Yesterday she ate at a set. "I thought that that one shrimp tasted funny." She truly looked pitiful.

"I don't think you should go to work today." He sat down behind her and massaged her neck. "I will call you in later." Kyoko didn't look happy about his suggestion but didn't protest, which showed how miserable she must feel.

"You should go back to bed. There is no reason why we both should feel terrible in the morning."

"As if I could sleep, knowing you don't feel well."

X

Ren waited for Yashiro later that day. It wasn't like his manager to be late. Before Ren has arrived at LME, he had dropped off Kyoko by a doctor. He yawned and stretched. The three hours of sleep he missed made themselves known. Finally his friend and manager rushed into the room and collected some papers while greeting him.

"Sorry, that I haven't been easier."

"It's fine. Did Yuna give to trouble at home?"

Yukihito knitted his browns before pulling them up in recognition. "Oh no. I didn't come from home. I had a meeting with Takarada-sama. It took longer than we both thought." At that the actor looked up in confusion.

"What was it about? Did I forget something?"

"No no. I had a private meeting with my boss. But what's with those dark circles under your eyes?" Yukihito finally looked up from his desk and mustered him with a critical look.

"Kyoko was sick today and I took care of her." They got up and made their way to the car.

"Oh, give her my best wishes. What did she have?"

"I'm not sure. She said it was probably something she ate. But it feels terrible to see her so miserable and not being able to help." They arrived at Ren's car and got in.

"Oh yes. I remember when Megumi was sick all the time. But she was so annoyed back then, that she was ready to scratch my eyes out of I so much as breath the wrong way in her direction." Yukihito laughed good natured.

"When was that?" Ren couldn't imagine the slightly older and levelheaded wife of his best friend so aggressive.

"The first few month of her pregnancy. She got sick nearly every day for a few weeks."

X

"Hello Megumi-chan. It's me, Kyoko. How are you?" Kyoko held her phone to her ear, while freeing Princess of her leash.

"Oh hey Kyoko-chan. I'm fine. How are you? Yuki said you were sick yesterday."

"Oh it's fine, nothing serious. I called to ask you if you would like to come over to a girl's night on Saturday? I will cook something just for us girls." She worried her lip, mostly because she feared Megumi would want to take her baby with her. But it would feel right not to invite her. "And we wanted to play poker for a bit."

"Poker? Why that?"

"My new role plays poker and I thought it would be a good idea to learn the game." Kyoko felt her face to heat up. It felt like she was using her friends to advance her career. But Megumi only laughed.

"Thought so much. Sounds fun. Can I bring someone?" Kyoko's internals felt like they formed a knot inside her. Her eyes fixed on Princess.

"Ehm, who?"

"Akemi if that's all right for you." The tension immediately was lifted off her.

"Your cousin? Sure, bring her along. The more the merrier."

"Great! One more question: what is Ren-kun doing at that time?"

"I'm not sure, why?"

"Maybe he would like to come over them and help Yuki with Yuna." At this proposal the redhead giggled.

"I will ask him. Let's the boys take care of the baby and we play poker."

X

Ren came home relative early, around five p.m. only to see Kyoko on the couch talking on the phone while Princess snuggled up to her. She didn't see him yet and he couldn't help to overhear her conversation.

"For ultrasound? Are you sure?" He could hear it in her voice that he worried her lip. His mind ran in overdrive at what he just heard. Does it mean what he thought it meant? He was rooted to the spot. "That's really what the blood test says? Ok, we will come over in the next couple of days." She looked down to their dog and scratched her behind the ears. "Ok, good bye. Thank you for the call." She ended the call and signed heavily. "Princess, what's this mess?" The dog only answer was to push against her hand to be petted more. "How and when?"

His emotions ran high and it took him a couple of tries to find his voice. "Kyoko?" His voice was throaty and nearly broke at the end of just that one word.

She turned around in surprise and within seconds her narrowed her eyes at him. "YOU! That's your fault!" She growled at him in anger. His hands shook in fear but a grin fought its way on his face. "Don't you grin at me! How- Why couldn't you watch out a bit more?"

He took some steps in her direction, but his wide smile stayed on his face. "Don't you think that's a bit unfair? It takes two to get there."

"Well, I know for sure I had nothing to do with it!" This actual confused him greatly.

"What?" But it didn't look like she heard him at all.

"How could you let her of the leash like this?"

"Leash?" It was dawning on him, that he may have jumped to the wrong conclusion and his eyes wandered to Princess.

"I mean, you knew that she was in heat right?" She crossed her arms with a humph. He couldn't describe how he felt. On one hand he was relieved because the idea scared him, but on the other hand he never felt more disappointed. He couldn't find his words again. "Do you want to come along to the vet tomorrow?"

"Sure…" He forced a smile on his face.

X

Yukihito stopped in front of him with a wide smile on his face. He bounced on his heels in excitement.

"What is it?"

"Here." He held out an envelope to him. Ren took out a piece of paper. It was an offer for an guest appearance for a drama. He knitted his eyebrows in confusion. It didn't look different from other offers, why was his manger so excited about this one. He read through it once more.

"England?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, it is a very popular defective drama and you would play a Japanese-British model who is wrongly accused of a crime."

"Wow. I'm not sure what to say…"

"Nothing yet, I will have to organize everything for it. But the filming will probably be in four or five months."

X

"Are you knitting?" Yukihito stared at his wife in disbelief. It didn't make any sense. Megumi didn't have the patience to deal with this kind of handiwork, at all. She gets annoyed when she had to sew a button back on. So the sight of her with two knitting needles and a wide-fluctuating scarf was not something he expected.

"Yes, it's going to be your birthday present." She was obviously in a fool mood.

"Looks great."

She stabbed her wool with the needles. "No, it's awful. It's boring and I'm terrible at it." She starred at her wool, as if she wished it to catch fire.

"Then why do you…?"

"Because doing nothing is even more boring!" Yukihito dug to avoid the whole wool mess that she threw across the room. "I read all of my medical magazines from the last year. Every single article! Even those about dental medicine and those are only marginal less boring than knitting!"

"You could always clean the place a bit." He mumbled this under his breath as he stepped into their bedroom. She wasn't a slop or very messy, but the young manager definitely had higher expectations than Megumi.

"God, I can't wait to return to work." He could hear her in the next room.

"Isn't taking care of a baby enough of a job?" Yukihito asked her while he changed out of his suit and into more comfortable. With distain he saw how their freshly ironed clothes lied on the bed instead of being put away like their should.

"Do you know what babies do? A lot? SLEEPING!" She gestured to the peaceful sleeping Yuna. "God, I think I become claustrophobic in here. I take her out for two to three hours every day and to all kinds of baby groups, but I'm so sick of taking about baby food and diapers and all that the whole day." Around her lied a couple of flyers for different nurseries and even more where in the trash bin.

"Nothing yet?" The young father looked into the crib and gently cared her cheek, but let her sleep and sat down next o his wife and looked at the flyers.

"No, not yet."

X

Ren and Yashiro stepped into the president's office. It was decorated as a space station with lots of blinking lights and controls.

"Welcome fellow star travelers." The president was dressed in a full astronaut suit with a helmet sitting on his desk. "Please take a seat." Some seats floated up to them. They hovered a few centimeters over the ground, even after they sat down. "I called you here to introduce to Aya Zenshima."

A young woman stepped up next to them. She was pretty and a was dressed professional in a grey suit. They stood up to greet her.

"Nice to meet you. Please take care of me." She bowed to them at those words.

"Nice to meet you as well." Ren and Yashiro answered with a bow as well.

"Zenshima here wants to learn to be a personal assistant and I thought Yashiro could teach a bit about it. What do you say Yashiro?"

"Of course, president."

"Ren for you that means that you now have two shadows following you around. I hope that is ok with you?" It wasn't like he could seriously could say anything against it, but he didn't see much of a problem with it.

"No problem for me. I'm sure we will get along fine."

"Fantastic!" He clapped his hands in excitement and then turned back to Zenshima. "The first couple of weeks, you will probably only follow them around and you should watch Yashiro carefully. Later he will start to give you same chores to do. Don't worry he is one of the best and I'm confident, that he will be an as good teacher. Now go and get to know each other's." He waved them of like first graders for their play break.

All three took their leave. The elevator ride down, was a bit awkward at first, before the young woman took the word.

"Thank you very much for this opportunity to work with you."

"It's our pleasure, Zenshima-san." Ren answered her with a kind smile, which made her slightly blush.

"Please call me Aya." She brushed a strand of her short brown hair behind her ear.

X

"Stop eating your poker chips. You are eating yourself into bankrupt!" Megumi called her cousin Akemi out and rolled her eyes.

"But they are delicious! You thought making cookies for poker chips was a good idea? How could you not eat yourself into bankrupt like this?" The accused defeated herself, while still holding half of a poker chip in her hand. The answer from the other four women at the table was a mix between laughter and mumbling agreement. Those others were of course Megumi and Kyoko, as well as the other two LoveMe girls. They all sat around Kyoko's table playing poker.

"Stop doing it!"

"Ok, ok… by the way; found a nursery yet?" Akemi asked her cousin while checking the cheat sheet. "Is Straight better than Flush or the other way round?"

"Flush is better. " Kanae answered. She was the only one of them that actual knew how to play and because would rob the others naked in no time, if she played, she took the dealer role this evening.

"Thanks."

"No not yet. They all give me this judgmental vibe. What kind of terrible mother are you, that you want to give your child into day care, when you could stay at home for two years. I raise." She placed some more cookie chips in the middle.

"Call."

"Call."

"Out. That sucks. What are you going to do?" Akemi put her cards away.

"I don't know… I'm thinking about a nanny or something. Chiori-chan and Kyoko you're still in?" The other two girls nodded and concentrated starred at their hands.

"A nanny? Hmm, why not?"

"Or an au pair. We have the space in the new house."

"You having a young girl live in the same house as your husband? I don't think so." Akemi sniffed her laughter.

"Hey! I'm not that bad. Ok show your hand girls." All three still in the game laid down their cards. "Are two pairs or a triple better? Ah, ok the triple. That means Kyoko win, right?" The rest agreed and pushed the cookies to Kyoko. Kanae took the cards and shuttled them again. "But enough about baby problems, that's what the guys have to worry about today. Other topic: Kyoko, how is your acting? Is this poker for the same project as the one you wanted the contact to my old psychology professor?"

"No, a different one."

"How many projects do you have at the moment?" Chiori jointed the conversation here.

"New roles, those two and another one, but that only starts next year. Other than that, I have to finish two dramas. One of them will maybe get another season, but we will have to see. Oh and some small modeling jobs."

"Oh only…" Kanae mumbled under her breath and dealt out two cards to each again. Megumi and Kyoko pushed the cards away immediately. Only Chiori and Akemi were playing this game.

"How did the talk with Professor Mori go?" The moment this question left Megumi's mouth Chiori and Kanae moaned in annoyance.

"Don't start her again. She would shut up with she starts with it." Kyoko had the dignity to look embarrassed at her friends complain.

"It was very interesting. Why did you always talk so negative about this subject?" Kyoko asked, while watching the two of them play.

"I never meant to say that it's not interesting. It is, but it is weird and I just couldn't wrap my mind around half of it while I was studying."

"Hmm, how was studying? Was it much more difficult than high school?" Kyoko continued to ask.

"Not that much more difficult. The entry exam was brutal and exams at the end of the year, but other than that I think I had more time than I ever had in high school. Ha! My win!" Once again Kanae got the cards back.

"I remember you crying in fear and frustration before the exams and moaning your laziness of the rest of the year." Her cousin added with a mischief grin.

"Well, what ever." Megumi avoided everyone's eyes and changed the subject. "Kyoko? Had you meet this Aya girl yet? I'm not sure if I like her following them around all the time."

"And you asked why it would be a bad idea to get an au pair? You are the most jealous person I know!"

"Oh, shut up Akemi! And stop stealing my cookies!"

"But they taste so great!"

X

"Hello, what can I do for you today?" The young man was dressed in green scrubs and a white doctor coat as he greeted them in his office. His thick Osaka accent made it difficult to understand him at first.

Ren held Princess on his arms, while she whimpered and shook miserable.

"We have an appointment for ultra sonic with Princess. She is pregnant." Kyoko explained to the vet as she shook his hand.

"But of course. Can you put her on the table? Thank you." He washed his hands and got some bottle with clear gel. "Oh she is very afraid of vets, hm?"

"When she was small she was hit by a car." Kyoko was embarrassed how she and Ren both had to hold their dog down.

"Oh, that's not nice. I will call a nurse to help us here." He called a middle aged woman in who helped to lay Princess on the side. The vet shaved some of Princess hair on her tummy and started the examination. "How many days is she along?"

Kyoko and Ren looked at each other to see if the other was surer of the answer than they were on their own. Ren finally answered a bit unsure. "She was in heat around one and a bit month ago."

"This wasn't planned?" The young vet looked very displeased at this.

"No, it was an accident in the park." Ren admitted with a shrug. The vet screwed up his face.

"Hm, do you want to spray them away?" He locked eyes with both of them, before looking back to the monitor. "I see at least eight amniotic sacs here, maybe more." The question stuck them dumb. Their jaws fell down slightly. Ren glazed at Kyoko in question.

"Uhm, I… We never thought about it before. Should we?" She looked from the vet to Ren to Princess. Her eyes were wide and she slipped her hand into Ren's to search support from him. He gripped her hand tightly. "We thought to get information how to deal with it, right?" She locked eyes with Ren and he nodded in agreement.

"Ok, then let us sit down and talk about it." They lifted Princess back down where she hid behind Kyoko.