After much talking and adding of their finances, the friends didn’t have enough to rent a place, so Shintaro gave them the idea of checking out his family’s side house until things were settled. As for school, they got Juri’s older brother to excuse them in return for not ratting out that he was dating a married woman.

“So, what was Plan B?” asked Haruka to Mirai once the gang crowded in the living room, and Ryosuke had just finished telling the entire story up to when Mirai visited her parents.

“Yeah,” said Juri. “How will it help him stay here?”

Mirai scratched her jaw, something she did when she was hesitant or uncomfortable.

Ryosuke took notice of her habit, so with a gentle and assuring voice, he said, “Okay, okay. Fine. We’ll wait.” He looked at Mirai. “I’ll wait.”

*

It was close to eight, and the gang had eaten and was now doing their own thing. Haruka was doing her hair in the bathroom, Mirai was watching the baby in one of the bedrooms, and the boys were playing games in the living room, though, they were being continuously chastised by Mirai for their screaming because the baby was asleep.

“She’s going all mommy on us, huh?” asked Juri to Ryosuke, returning his attention to the TV.

Someone’s phone rang, and Shintaro said, “Haruka, your phone.” He grabbed it and took it to his girlfriend. Seconds later, they walked out of the bathroom, and Haruka was furious while listening to something on the phone as Shintaro hinted to the boys that Haruka’s father was on the phone, so Juri and Ryosuke immediately stood up and tried to calm and remind Haruka that there was a baby in the next room.

Haruka didn’t care and squeezed Juri by the ear, and Ryosuke backed away to avoid the same fate.

Ryosuke went to Shintaro. “Your girlfriend. You calm her down.” He walked to the door of the room where Mirai and the baby were in. “Imma check on them.” He gently opened the door and entered and saw her asleep on the bed on her side. He grinned as he closed the door behind him. Quietly, he uttered to himself, “She wanted us to stay quiet so she could sleep.” An idea came to him—he would shove her off the bed to get back at her. He carefully tiptoed to the bed but stopped when he saw the baby sleep closely beside her. The view of them together made his stomach fluttered with joy, and before he knew it, his feet dragged him to climb onto the bed to lay on the opposite side of the baby. He noticed the baby held onto her pinky, so he laughed to himself. He situated himself to lay on his side and had his head plopped on his palm. He looked at his friend, and his free hand slowly reached to her cheek to move the hair that covered a part of her face.

At this, she woke up and was shocked to see him on the same bed, so she rolled off the bed and onto the floor.

He was about to get up and help her, but his abrupt movement made the baby flinch and squirm, so he became scared to move and stayed frozen at his spot.

Her head popped up from under the bed. “You scared me!”

“Didn’t mean to.”

She got up and tapped her clothes free of dust. “Why are you in here?”

He carefully slid down the bed to the ground and then stood up. It was the only option he could do to avoid the baby waking up to his movements. “Haruka’s talking with her dad on the phone.”

She gasped, “No. We can’t have her shouting and screaming.”

“That’s why I came here to check on you,” he said in a sing-song voice and then stopped and said to himself, “Oh, that’s what I came here for, duh.”

“No time for that. Haruka first.”

The friends jolted out of the room and saw Haruka packing up. “What’s wrong?” they asked together.

“My dad proposed to the gold-digging wrench,” answered Haruka in a tone loud enough that the baby in the room could hear, “and I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”

Shintaro and Juri slapped a finger at Haruka’s mouth but quickly moved it away when she attempted to bite them off.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” said Haruka.

Mirai raised a brow. She knew it was late and didn’t feel comfortable having her friend go home alone. “Let Shintaro go with you.”

“You guys don’t need me?” asked a worried Shintaro.

“We need your place,” answered a joking Ryosuke. “Now that we got it, you’re useless. Shoo.”

The friends laughed.

“You know what,” said Mirai, turning to look at Juri. “You should go home too.”

Everyone looked at her. They had planned to be together until the situation was solved.

“It’s only Ryosuke and me that are in this. We shouldn’t have involved any of you.”

Haruka pouted and walked to her. “You’re not involving us in anything. Even if you guys didn’t or wouldn’t, I’d absolutely find a way to be involved.”

“Told ya she’s scary,” said Juri to Shintaro, purposely out loud as he laughed.

“Yeah, I know,” said Mirai in response to Haruka’s. She looked at Juri. “But you should still head home, though. It’s best if all of you are less involved. Friends look out for each other, right?”

Juri sighed and dragged his body to get his stuff. “Okay, if you’re that persistent.” He hugged Mirai and shook Ryosuke’s hand before taking off with Haruka and Shintaro. “I’ll see you guys first thing in the morning.”

“Well, duh,” said a scoffing Haruka. She turned around and looked at Mirai. “I’ll call you later.”

Mirai nodded. “Okay.”

*

Ryosuke awoke from the sofa to a dry throat, so he got up to get a drink of water. He had a room but had fallen asleep on the couch. He walked passed the room where Mirai and the baby were sleeping in and noticed that her door was cracked open a bit. He saw the lamp was on, so he figured she was up. Curious to prove his assumption, he walked to the door and heard her talking and pressed his ears on the door. “Who she talking to?” he asked himself, quietly. He realized it was Haruka because the girls had promised to talk to each other. He was about to enter the room when something Mirai said made him still.

“I’m keeping the baby. Not Ryosuke.”

*

“Good morning!” Haruka happily greeted Mirai at the door and pulled up the grocery bags to show that she had done some grocery shopping, much to Mirai’s surprise, and behind Haruka was her boyfriend with even more grocery bags. Haruka added, “We’re partying today ‘cause we didn’t get to yesterday.”

“Thanks, guys.” Mirai led them inside and closed the door.

Haruka pouted when she saw Juri already in the room with a console in his hand as his eyes stayed glued to the screen. She pointed to him and whined, “Aww, you got here before me?”

Juri smirked. “Gotta continue my game from yesterday.”

“That’s why you’re here?”

Juri paused the game and turned frantic. “O-of course not!” He smiled at Mirai. “I’m here for you, Ryosuke, and that cutie.”

“Whatever, Juri,” laughed the girls, knowing his true intentions.

Juri saw the cupcakes in one of the bags, ran to it, opened the package, and took a cupcake. “Whoa, y’all bought lots of stuff.” He looked worriedly at Mirai. “Sure you can cook all this by yourself? We all know someone here can’t cook.” He side-eyed Haruka and didn’t bother to be subtle with it.

Haruka grabbed a celery stick that was nearby and chased Juri around for the mockery. “I so can help!”

Shintaro and Mirai let the two friends play around. He noticed his pal, Ryosuke, wasn’t present, so he asked about his friend’s whereabouts.

Mirai laughed. “Still knocked out.”

“You guys slept late?”

“I think I slept earlier than he did ‘cause he was playing games out here, but I think he’s mentally exhausted after a situation like that.”

Shintaro yawned and stretched. “Gotta admit. Suddenly becoming a father to a kid is something.” He glanced at her. “Glad you’re here for him. Thanks.” He walked away to save Juri from the chase.

Mirai turned depressed. I didn’t do it for him. I’m doing it for me. I’m the jerk.

*

“Hey,” greeted Juri to Ryosuke when Ryosuke bumped into Juri at the door of his room. “’bout time you woke up. It’s almost eleven.” Juri had come inside for a muffin, and he handed the muffin in his hand to Ryosuke and got another one for himself and told Ryosuke that everyone was outside.

Ryosuke looked around. “Even man-girl?”

Juri took a bite of his muffin, nodding, and pointed to the yard and went out with Ryosuke. They got outside and were hit by the savory smell of grilled oysters and steak.

Ryosuke immediately went to Mirai. “Hey, we gotta talk.”

“Sure, what’s up?” She made a face. “Oh, my gosh. Is the baby awake?” She shoved him to the side to run inside, but he pulled her back.

“The baby’s what’s wrong.” His tone was unpleasant. He didn’t sound happy, nor did he look happy.

The friends quietly watched from the sideline, not knowing what to say or do.

Mirai worriedly asked Ryosuke, “You okay?”

“I heard what you and Haruka talked about last night,” said Ryosuke.

Mirai’s heart dropped.

“You’re not keeping the baby. No one is.”

*

Everyone had gathered in the living room once again with the barbecue event put on hold.

“You want to keep the baby?” asked Juri to Mirai as he sat on top of the kitchen table while rummaging a hand in a bowl of fruits on his lap. “I get that he’s cute, and knowing your love for—”

“That’s not why I’m doing it,” interrupted Mirai with her head hung low. “I’m doing it for me.”

“That brat was dropped at my door,” intercepted Ryosuke, “not yours.”

“Ryosuke…” She fidgeted with her hands. “I hate kids now.” She finally said the horrific words.

Ryosuke pulled back. Juri tumbled with the fruits. Shintaro blinked multiple times. Haruka ran to hug her. The male friends couldn’t believe what they had heard. They knew Mirai adored kids and could never believe what she had said.

“Guys,” said Haruka. “For a year now, she’s been emotionally divided. A part of her wants to watch the brats because she wants to keep the bonds she has with them, but another part feels used and emotionally tired. And she rarely gets time to herself, let alone time to spend with us.”

Ryosuke pulled Mirai from Haruka and hugged her. “You doofus. I told you you’re too stupid. And kind.”

Juri broke the sad atmosphere with his unintentional but insensitive question, “So, why keep the baby?”

Mirai break away from Ryosuke to answer, “I want to see if I really do hate kids.”

“And by keeping the brat…?” asked Ryosuke.

“I want to love kids again.”

“I told her that she doesn’t need to worry about that now,” said Haruka, “because she can worry about it when she’s married.”

“But I don’t want to be married knowing that I hate kids. They’re sweet angels. They’re blessings. Yet, I hate them for no reason.”

“You’re not hating kids,” said Ryosuke. “You’re hating yourself because you think you hate kids.” He held her hand. “Yesterday, when I went into the room to get you, I saw you sleeping happily with him. What I wished you could’ve seen was the little brat holding onto your pinky.” He interlaced his pinky with hers, and she laughed. He assured her, “You’ve always loved kids, and you will always do.”

The doorbell rang and interrupted the discussion, and everyone looked at each other and wondered who’d be at the door.

Shintaro went to open the door, and the friends heard the stranger ask if he could come in. When Shintaro moved to the side and let the visitor enter, everyone but Ryosuke was curious about their guest.

A name slipped from Ryosuke’s mouth. “Kota-nii.”

*

Mirai closed the bedroom door behind her after a quick check-up on the sleeping baby and then went to sit next to Juri. They sat across Kota and Ryosuke, and diagonally across them sat Shintaro and Haruka.

“Nice place you got,” said Kota, sincerely pleased and eyes wandering around the place.

“How did you know we’re here?” asked Ryosuke. “I’m sure Dad wants you to have nothing to do with me.”

“I went to your school and found out they’ve excused you for a week off even though I’m sure our parents don’t know and didn’t allow it.”

The teens attempted to look unphased and unbothered by the lie they were a part of.

“So, I did some snooping and found out that your friends have also gotten the week off. I snooped on their lives, and the one that interested me most is Miss Mirai. A straight-A, honors student with perfect attendance, yet she is ditching school? So, I went to her house and found some troubling news. Turns out, she’s, in fact, involved with your matter.”

“Why, what happened?” questioned Haruka, curious and worried. “It’s about her plan, Plan B, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know about that, but her family told—”

“I will tell them,” said a worried Mirai as she jumped out of her seat, making everyone look at her, and Kota nodded to let her do so. She cleared . “I told them…that the baby is mine.”

Her friends stood up in shock.

“You, what?” exclaimed Ryosuke. “So, that was your plan? To take on the baggage that has nothing to do with you?”

“Look, whatever happened, happened already,” said Mirai. “I don’t mind, and I don’t regret it. That day was the best day of my life. The little bundle of joy in there,” she pointed to the room where the baby was sleeping, “gave me the courage I needed to break free from the chains that held me back.”

“You want to keep the baby?” asked Kota to Mirai. “Or do you want to give it up to adoption?”

“Hey,” interrupted Ryosuke as he turned to look at his brother. “The baby’s considered mine, so I get to choose. It’s going to adoption.”

Mirai shoved Ryosuke to face her. “Might as well give him to me!”

“I’m not letting your life get turned upside down for a responsibility that’s not yours.”

“Fine. Give him up. Whatever. ‘Cause I’ll do whatever it takes—I’ll even follow him to the ends of Earth—and make him mine.”

“Gosh, Mirai! How stupid are you gonna be? You ain’t got a job! No money! No house! Nothing! You gonna make the kid suffer with you?”

She tried to say something back but knew her friend was right.

“What if she can provide that?” It was from Kota, and the teens looked at him. “Job. Money. House. The opposite of nothing. She will be provided.”

“What?” questioned the friends in the same gasped manner.

“I’m not here to take the baby away from you—or from anyone. I’m here to help you. I’ll buy you a house. I’ll