In the life of the average corporate slave, being sick was absolutely hellish. Burdened with the same expectations and responsibilities, catching an illness is just one more obstacle to overcome. There was no lifeline, no excuse to take the day off. Just me, my wits and the never-ending workload and impending deadlines.

The most I could do was sleep in the office. One of my wide variety of skills was right at home there thankfully enough! Sleeping in the office is supposedly a sign of hard work, thus a well deserved rest. Whoever said that probably had the soul of a saint but that still doesn't stop some of my co-workers abusing it from time to time.

Whilst I ponder these none-too amusing thoughts, a sudden anxiety suddenly ran through me. Hold on! A bad gut feeling! Could I have been cursed somehow? Scanning the homely blue walls of the room, I hope to avoid any bad omens.

No black cats?
No crows?
A spider would come in handy.

But silly superstitions they were as even without signs of impending misfortune, a bitter wave of smoke assaulted my nostrils and I overheard the whines and barks of a poor dog.

"Oh no."

Nooo! Not now! Of all times! Why now?!

I activate my Hikki reflexes leaping out of the bed despite my condition and make for the kitchen like an olympic sprinter! There was only one cause of this particular hazard to my health!

"Uwaah!"

Panicking and waving a damp towel over it like her life depended on it (well, they sort of did), the user of the oven in question tried to douse the flames that enfolded the pan in a flurry of sweaty grasps and inaccurate strokes. The loud barks in supplements with the raging fire alarm.

As a well-honed emergency measure, I contribute my rather skilled, accurate hands to douse the fire. A new skill I had learned in recent years through rigorous training and experience.

"I'm so sorry! I thought to give it my best since you were sick and I wanted to do something useful and I wanted you to get better! I didn't know! I didn't know!"

Absorbed in the chaos a member of the ill shouldn't have to experience, my hand found it's way palm-first to my forehead to wipe the sweat of my brow after a days hard work.

It was just the morning though...

"Why did I marry such an idiot?"

A plate consisting of a simple meal was laid in front of me prepared myself with my own trusty hands. Across from me, a meal consisting of the same was in front of her on the table.

Jam on toast wasn't anything fancy but anything plain looked simply fascinating compared to the burnt vegetables she had tried her best to make with her own clumsy hap-hazard instincts.

"Vegetable stew?"

"U-un."

The suspect in question held her glance low hiding her embarrassed face away from me. Her shoulders drooped and her back was slouched making me partially insecure she's been around me too long. I sigh a long wearisome sigh, a smoothie of relief and disappointment.

"Think about it more carefully next time, this could've been a house-fire. What's more, you could've called Komachi or Yukino for help. Besides, it's not like today will be that bad. It's only the common cold so you don't need to be worked up over it. What's worse is that smoke could've been harmful."

Taking in my rants and warnings, she only shrunk further and further into her seat. Dressed in a large black sweater, it would be something considered way too big for her size.

"I'll ask for help next time. I promise Hikki. But-"

Fiercely looking back at me, her glistening eyes overseeing her own counterpoint.

"But there is no way in hell you can say the smoke is worse than you being ill."

R-right! So a woman really can't see take constructive criticism in cooking! It's just a joke! With that said, it wasn't me I was concerned about.

"I wasn't talking about us. I was talking about Yuiko."

In response to my words, Yui softly inhaled and proceeded to caress and pat her large round stomach. In the safety of her womb, a girl was growing ever so quickly yet ever so slowly. My spirits would rise in pride and then go back down in fear upon thinking on it.

"O-oh. Right. You're right Hikki. I should've thought more about it."

In two months, we'll be welcoming a new life to this sometimes harsh world. We'll be her stepping stones for her to grow and mold herself into the person she wants to be. The more I thought about it, the more impatient I became.

But what about my free time? Money will be drained faster and I'll have more tasks to do destroying what little free time I have. That sucks so I think I'll stick to the idealism of being a father to the bitter end! Absolutely!

With that all cleared, I proceeded to bite into my meal. As tasty that the strawberry jam was accommodating in my mouth was, Yui's meal remained undisturbed making me worried.

"Yui?"

"It's just..."

Clutching the black fabric of her sweater around the chest, she shares her burden.

"What if she wants to learn how to cook? I want to be able to teach her and make her happy and stuff but... I'm so hopeless."

This sudden wave of guilt in my chest! I have to get rid of it!

Truly Yuigahama has hopes for the future. I needed to show her to not give up and so I desperately look around the room to stop her incoming sobs and my eyes fell on the perfect thing.

"But..."

"But that doesn't really matter. You see, you may not excel in one area but you can still be relied upon in a variety of other areas!"

"S-such as?"

The ace in the hole. The card under my sleeve. I point towards her myself, my finger dead-on target.

"That hair-bun for instance. Maybe she'll ask for help and would want to know how to tie her own hair in a bun. That's where you come in and show her your expertise in such things. Am I right?"

In response to my well-thought out point, she nodded and smiled offering her heartfelt thanks.

"You're right. I'll try harder next time Hikki! You have my word!"

That isn't exactly a comfort to hear you know?

"Ah, your hair is still messy from this morning. I'll take care of it."

Despite her pregnancy, she speedily got up and moved around behind me before I could thinking of retorting her offer.

"No, that's not... Hnn."

Rubbing her hands through my scalp, she sorted the strays of my hair running through them with an expertise of that compared to a master hairdresser.

"Some of it won't stay down. Hang on."

Looking at the aging dog besides us, Sable replied with a jealous look envious of the attention I was receiving. Stop thinking I was asking for this all right? Running a few fingers across her tongue, she proceeded to run them through my hair repeatedly over a few select points as I lose myself in her embrace.

Hnnnn, sto-stop it. It's incredibly embarrassing and completely unsanitary. You might be-hnnnn.

Wait stop! Or I'll forever lose myself!

"There. That's better~!"

Gazing into her incandescent gaze, I knew I would need to go to work soon. Really soon.

"Thanks. I'll take my leave then."

Saddened, she remained wistful but patient.

"OK, I'll call up Yukinon and get some stuff for Yuiko. Don't push yourself too hard OK? Come home as early as you can. Promise me."

All this fretting! Yet as annoying as the nagging was, it's something to be glad about for a variety of reasons.

And she did have a point. That much I could stubbornly admit.

"I promise."

Already dressed in my suit, I proceeded to walk out the front door greeting the cold winter air after waving to her absentmindedly as I had completely forgot about a weight that should've been in my hand.

"Hachiman! You forgot!"

Huh? Turning around, I see her carrying a briefcase and yellow can of sweet coffee. A known lifeblood to me. I felt ashamed making a pregnant woman rush outside in nothing but light-gear so I met with her halfway and hurriedly accepted them.

"Thanks but you didn't have to rush."

"You were leaving so I had to!"

"S-sorry."

Holding them both, I could confidently say I was ready to leave. The MAX Coffee would ease my burden, make my day lighter and thus all the more bearable.

Turning around, I feel a warm grasp on my shoulder and turn around to see the source of her distress.

"No goodbye kiss?"

Feeling unfair, I shook my head. She was being too reckless and I couldn't help but fret over her every move being worrisome at all times. Especially now that she was living for two now.

"But I'm sick though. I wouldn't want you two to get sick as well."

At my response, she looked dejected but immediately shot back up confident in her chances.

"Oh, yeah that's true. But surely just a peck won't be much! On the cheek?"

A convincing argument! The defendant have made their point clear and as the suspect in question, I could only comply.

"Fine. You deserve that much."

"Somehow, hearing you say that feels gross."

"Enough about that."

And taking part in our usual morning ritual, we bend in and leave a warm kiss on each other's cheeks only for the wet feeling to land on my lips.

"Fufufu. Hikki isn't really as smart as he says."

"That was a cheap shot. You got lucky."

At that, I awkwardly smile before I could stop it as Yui grins in warm comfy pleasure.

"Come home safely Hikki."

"Will do."

Leaving it at that, a warm feeling arose in me. The MAX Coffee in my right hand not enough to sustain it but it did prove to be a nice extra to the proceedings.

Driving to work, the name Yuiko would haunt my mind. Yuiko. Thoughtful child.

It can be said that Yui Hikigaya is amazing at being considerate and hence, amazingly thoughtful. I only hope that's a trait that gets passed down to the new member of the Hikigaya clan.

Fin. I seriously hope this is as sweet as MAX Coffee for your hearts. A typical time-skip epilogue but I hope this story has been great for all of you.

Anyway, dunno what else to say other then wondering what volume 12 will have in store.