Sunday night, March 2, 2002.
For once, almost nothing related to ZAGE occupied Zaboru Renkonan's mind. No ZEPS 4 sales numbers, no new development teams, no demakes, no forgotten franchises, no hardware prototypes, no game designs. Tonight, Zaboru was sitting beside Ayumi inside a private hospital room, and if everything continued as expected, their twins would finally be born tomorrow.
Ayumi rested against the raised hospital bed, both hands over her enormous stomach. At this stage of the pregnancy, even shifting position took effort. Zaboru sat beside her, one hand gently holding hers. After several minutes, Ayumi noticed him staring and smiled faintly. "You've been looking at my stomach for five minutes."
"I'm looking at my children."
"They're still inside me."
"Not for much longer."
Ayumi smiled, but Zaboru could feel tension in her fingers. She had tried to remain calm throughout the evening, talking about food, wondering whether Zenshin and Arumi were behaving with their grandparents, and complaining about the hospital pillow, but he knew her too well.
"Nervous?" he asked quietly.
Ayumi hesitated before nodding. "...Very."
Zaboru squeezed her hand gently.
"If it were one baby, maybe I wouldn't be this nervous," Ayumi admitted. "But it's two, Zabo. I know the doctors said everything looks good, but when I really think about tomorrow..." Her eyes lowered toward her stomach. "I'm scared."
Zaboru moved his chair closer. "Then you don't need to hide it from me. The doctors are here, they're watching you and the twins, and I'll stay beside you the entire time."
Ayumi looked toward him. "Even when it starts?"
"Especially then."
"If I squeeze your hand?"
"As hard as you want."
Ayumi tightened her fingers slightly. "Then don't leave me."
"I won't."
The rest of their family was nearby, but everyone deliberately gave them space. Zaboru's parents had taken Zenshin and Arumi with them earlier. Arumi had spent most of the visit touching Ayumi's stomach and repeatedly asking when the babies were coming out, while Zenshin had simply smiled and said, "Yay, new siblings," as if gaining two more family members was the most normal thing imaginable.
Ayumi smiled when she remembered them. "I wonder if they're sleeping."
"Arumi probably is. Zen-chan? Probably still talking with Dad."
Ayumi laughed softly. "Then he's definitely awake."
After a moment, she looked back toward Zaboru. "You've been surprisingly free today."
"I'm your husband."
"You're also Zaboru Renkonan. Usually your brain has seventeen projects running at the same time."
Zaboru smiled. "None of that matters right now. ZEPS 4 isn't going anywhere. ZAGE isn't going to collapse because I'm gone for a few days." He gently touched her stomach. "But this? I'm not missing this."
Ayumi reached out and touched his cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too."
They spent much of the night talking quietly about the children, wondering who the twins would resemble, and imagining how different their home would feel with four children. Eventually Ayumi tried to sleep. Zaboru remained beside her in the chair, barely resting himself. Whenever she moved, he woke. Nurses came periodically to monitor Ayumi and both babies, and the night slowly passed.
Then came March 3.
The calm disappeared.
Ayumi's contractions became stronger and more regular as morning passed. Doctors and nurses came in increasingly often, monitoring her progress and preparing everything they needed. Zaboru remained beside her from the beginning.
Hours passed, and the labor became increasingly painful.
Every contraction made Ayumi's entire body tense. Her breathing became heavier, sweat gathered across her forehead, and her fingers locked around Zaboru's hand. At first, the pressure was manageable. Then her grip became strong enough that her nails pressed deeply into his skin.
Zaboru didn't pull away.
Another contraction came.
Ayumi immediately squeezed harder. "Zabo..."
"I'm here."
"It hurts..."
Zaboru swallowed. Seeing her like this frightened him far more than he expected. He already knew childbirth was painful. He had been there when Zenshin and Arumi were born. But knowing something and watching the woman he loved tremble from pain were completely different experiences.
Another contraction struck.
"Ahh—Zabo... it really hurts!"
"I know, my love. I'm here."
Zaboru used his free hand to brush damp hair away from her face. "Breathe. Look at me."
Ayumi struggled to focus on him, tears already forming in her eyes. "It hurts so much..."
"I know. Just focus on this one. Don't think about what comes after it. Get through this one first."
Ayumi nodded weakly and continued breathing through the pain. Her nails dug harder into Zaboru's hand, and pain shot through his fingers, but he didn't care. If letting her crush his hand gave her even the smallest amount of comfort, she could crush it as hard as she needed.
The contraction eventually passed. Ayumi fell back against the pillow, breathing heavily, but when the next one came several minutes later, she immediately prepared herself again. Then another came. And another.
As the hours continued, Ayumi became exhausted, frightened and increasingly desperate for the pain to end, but she never stopped trying.
"Zabo... please stay close."
Zaboru moved closer immediately. "I'm here."
"It hurts... God, it hurts..."
"I know."
Ayumi clenched her teeth and tightened her grip around his hand again.
Zaboru pressed his forehead gently against hers. "You're doing well. Keep breathing."
Ayumi nodded, tears running down her face. "I'm trying."
"I know you are."
Another wave of pain came and Ayumi groaned loudly, squeezing his hand so hard that his wrist began aching. Zaboru didn't even glance at it.
"Hold as hard as you need."
"Don't let go..."
"I won't."
"Promise."
"I promise."
That promise became the only thing Zaboru could truly give her. He couldn't take the pain away. He couldn't carry half of it. He couldn't solve it with money, technology, intelligence or influence. For someone who had spent years becoming capable of solving nearly everything placed in front of him, that helplessness terrified him.
But he could stay.
So he stayed.
His hand remained inside hers through every contraction. Whenever Ayumi cried because it hurt, he reminded her that he was beside her. Whenever she became frightened, he kept his voice calm for her even when his own heart was pounding. At some point her nails broke the skin across the back of his hand, leaving several scratches and red marks.
Zaboru barely noticed.
Ayumi needed him more than he needed an unharmed hand.
Eventually, the doctors told them labor had progressed far enough.
It was time.
Zaboru felt his stomach drop.
Ayumi immediately noticed the fear on his face. "Zabo..."
He focused entirely on her. "I'm here."
"I'm scared."
Zaboru squeezed her hand. "So am I."
Ayumi looked toward him.
"But I'm not leaving. We're doing this together."
Her eyes filled again. "Stay beside me."
"Always."
Because this was a twin delivery, additional doctors and nurses were already present to monitor both babies immediately after birth. Zaboru stayed near Ayumi's upper body, keeping himself completely out of the medical team's way while never releasing her hand.
Then Ayumi had to push.
The first attempt left her gasping. The second made her cry out. By the third, tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she kept listening to the doctors and trying with everything she had.
"ZABO!"
"I'm here!"
"It hurts!"
"I know! Hold me!"
Her grip tightened until Zaboru could barely feel his fingers properly. He simply moved closer.
"Look at me, Ayumi."
She struggled to focus on him.
"Look at me."
Her tear-filled eyes finally found his.
"You're doing it. Keep going."
Ayumi breathed heavily and nodded. "Okay..."
Another contraction came.
She screamed and pushed again.
Her nails cut deeper into Zaboru's hand.
He didn't move.
"That's it! Come on, Ayumi!"
She pushed again, her entire body trembling.
"It hurts so much..."
"I know. Just a little more."
Ayumi shut her eyes, took another breath, and pushed again.
Then suddenly—
A cry filled the room.
Zaboru froze.
Small.
Sharp.
Alive.
For several seconds he couldn't breathe properly.
One of the nurses carefully received the newborn girl and immediately began the necessary checks.
Their daughter.
Ayumi fell backward against the bed, gasping for air. "The baby...?"
Zaboru stared toward the medical staff, unable to hide the fear on his face.
"Healthy baby girl."
His entire body loosened.
"A girl..." he whispered.
His eyes immediately filled with tears.
Ayumi closed her eyes for a brief second in relief. "She's okay...?"
"She's okay," Zaboru said quickly. "She's healthy."
But they weren't finished.
Their son still needed to be born.
Zaboru looked toward his daughter only briefly before immediately turning his attention back toward Ayumi. Every part of him wanted to go closer, to see the baby properly, but Ayumi was still in labor.
So he stayed exactly where he was.
Ayumi's breathing was heavy now. Her face was covered in sweat, and exhaustion was obvious in her eyes.
"Zabo..."
"I'm here."
"I'm so tired."
"I know."
"It still hurts..."
"I know, my love."
Ayumi shut her eyes, gathering herself. "Just... stay with me."
Zaboru held her hand with both of his. "I'm not going anywhere."
He lowered his forehead gently against hers. "One more baby. Then it's over."
Ayumi nodded slowly.
"Okay..."
Zaboru's hand was throbbing now. His fingers hurt, his wrist ached, and the scratches had begun to sting.
None of it mattered.
Another contraction came.
Ayumi's grip tightened again.
Zaboru didn't flinch.
"Come on, Ayumi."
Ayumi cried out and pushed.
"That's it!"
"It hurts!"
"I know! Keep going!"
Ayumi pushed again, tears running down her face. Zaboru couldn't stop his own tears anymore either. He wasn't crying because of his hand. He barely remembered that it hurt. He was crying because he could see exactly how much pain Ayumi was enduring and because there was nothing he wanted more than for her and both children to be safe.
"You're doing so well," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "Just a little more."
Ayumi took another breath.
She pushed again.
Then—
A second cry filled the room.
Zaboru stopped breathing.
The medical staff immediately received the second newborn.
Their son.
For a moment, Zaboru simply stared.
One daughter.
One son.
Both alive.
Both finally here.
Relief hit him so hard that his legs almost felt weak.
Ayumi collapsed backward against the bed. "It's... over?"
The doctor smiled. "It's over. Your daughter and son are both here."
Ayumi immediately began crying again, but this time from relief.
Zaboru leaned over her, still holding her hand, and kissed her forehead.
"You did it."
Ayumi shut her eyes, breathing heavily.
"They're here," Zaboru whispered, unable to keep his voice steady. "Both of them are here."
"They're okay...?"
Zaboru looked toward the medical staff again, needing that reassurance as much as she did.
"They're okay."
He looked back toward Ayumi.
"Thank you."
Ayumi slowly opened her eyes.
Zaboru gently squeezed her hand. "Thank you so much."
Only after Ayumi had calmed and the immediate medical work was finished did Zaboru finally glance down at his own hand. Deep red marks covered it, several scratches had broken the skin, and his fingers hurt badly.
He didn't care.
If she needed to do it again, he would give her the exact same hand without hesitation.
Soon the urgency inside the room finally faded. Ayumi was exhausted, her eyes swollen from crying and her hair damp, but the moment she was able to see both babies properly, her expression completely changed.
"My babies..."
Zaboru stood beside her with wet eyes. "They're here."
"Both of them."
"Yeah."
Zaboru carefully touched his daughter's tiny hand with one finger. Her small fingers curled weakly around it.
That tiny movement nearly broke him again.
Eventually, with assistance from the nurses, Zaboru was allowed to hold them. His daughter was carefully placed into one arm, his son into the other, and suddenly the man who could face thousands of employees, billionaires, corporate rivals and gaming champions without hesitation became completely tense.
"Like this...?"
"Support their heads," the nurse reminded him gently.
Zaboru carefully adjusted his arms.
He had held newborns before. He had held Zenshin and Arumi. Yet somehow the fear returned every time.
He looked first at his daughter, then at his son.
His children.
His two newest children.
Zaboru stepped closer to Ayumi's bedside so she could see them. Ayumi reached out and gently touched her daughter's cheek before doing the same to her son.
"They're beautiful..."
Zaboru nodded. "Yeah. They really are."
Ayumi noticed his reddened eyes. "You cried."
"Yeah."
"So did I."
Zaboru leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"You scared the hell out of me."
Ayumi closed her eyes briefly. "Me too."
"But you did it."
Ayumi looked toward him. "We did it."
This time Zaboru simply nodded.
"Yeah."
Outside the room, their families were already waiting impatiently. Zenshin and Arumi would soon learn that they officially had a younger sister and a younger brother. But for another few minutes, none of that mattered.
There was only Zaboru, Ayumi, their newborn daughter, and their newborn son.
After hours of pain, fear and helplessness, Zaboru could finally breathe normally again.
Ayumi looked toward the twins before turning toward him. "So..."
Zaboru glanced at her.
"We have to tell everyone."
"Their names?"
Ayumi smiled faintly. "Their names."
Zaboru looked down first at the little girl resting in one arm, then at the little boy in the other. His expression softened before a proud, emotional smile slowly appeared.
He held both children a little closer.
"Their names are..."
To be continued.
"AN: Their name is tomorrow lol, BUT! 1400 chapters! The twins came, and you probably noticed I focused on Zaboru helping Ayumi, while the doctors and nurses helped as well... but I don't want to extend this note too much, lol! Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH for supporting me. I didn't even know if I could write 1,000 chapters, let alone 1,400! Don't worry, though—I always try my best and will never stop, heheheh. I actually really enjoy writing. Even though I'm busy as hell, I try my best not to take breaks. Please forgive me if I do take one occasionally, because I am just so damn busy. T_T"
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