Yasushi's household was a flurry of last-minute Christmas preparations. Morning light barely peeked through the windows as the family and staff moved with purpose, working diligently to get everything done before the day truly began. The expansive home, owned and shared by Yasushi, Xinyi, Jingliu, and their parents, sprawled across its grounds, every room now lavishly decorated for the holiday.
Yasushi stood on a ladder with a string of Christmas lights in his hands, chatting casually with the young butler who steadied the base of the ladder.
"What do you expect from your grandparents, Lord Yasushi?" the butler asked, glancing upward at him.
Yasushi adjusted the string of lights in his hands, his voice calm but thoughtful as he considered the question. "Honestly? I just hope they accept everything as it is — especially about my two kids and Jingliu. It would be nice if they didn't make a big deal out of it."
The staff nearby — a pair of maids alongside the young butler — exchanged quick nods of understanding.
The older maid spoke up, her tone realistic and matter-of-fact. "Your situation isn't exactly ordinary, is it? I mean, you didn't just randomly have kids with Yinhaie and Nandini. You were helping them through artificial insemination, after all."
Yasushi hummed a quiet tune under his breath, not bothering with a reply as he gave his full attention to the task at hand. With a final tweak, he hopped down and cast a quick glance around.
The job was far from done, so he and his team turned their focus to another section of the house. This place was enormous, absolutely sprawling, which meant this whole project was going to take hours. They'd already been at it for most of December, too.
Honestly, the sheer size of the house, so excessive it was almost ridiculous, demanded an almost insane amount of work just to get it ready for the holidays. Every nook and cranny needed attention, every single space needed decorating.
Yasushi tried his best not to dwell on the thought of the inevitable cleanup once January rolled around. The thought did niggle at him sometimes, but he reminded himself it only happened twice a year. That was manageable. Twice a year was enough.
Halloween wasn't nearly as intense, which he counted as a small blessing. There were just a few decorations near the front door or the gate, and even those didn't require the kind of coordinated effort this did. Still, even though he enjoyed Halloween, he was secretly relieved it didn't demand the same level of work. This…this was something else entirely.
They worked steadily, moving methodically from one area to the next. By the time lunch arrived, they had managed to finish almost everything. Only a small portion remained, definitely manageable enough to complete before Yasushi's grandparents arrived later that evening. They were planning to stay right through the new year, so everything simply had to be perfect.
+-+
Yasushi finished his meal quickly, eager to get back to work with the rest of his team. He slipped out, leaving the household busy with pre-holiday preparations. Inside, everyone was moving with a clear purpose, focused on getting everything done.
"Himari, sweetie, can you take this to Yunxue?" Kohana asked, holding out a small decoration to her daughter, who was hovering nearby, practically vibrating with eagerness to help, despite being so young.
Himari nodded seriously, her little hand reaching out and carefully taking the decoration. Without a moment's hesitation, she turned and made her way to the front hallway. There, Yunxue and a few others, including Jingliu, were busy decorating the absolutely enormous Christmas tree that dominated the center of the space. It practically scraped the ceiling.
Yunxue was completely absorbed in arranging ornaments, carefully positioning each one, while Jingliu stood nearby, observing the staff as they added the final touches to the towering display. Himari approached her, gently tugging at the hem of her skirt to get her attention.
Jingliu looked down and saw the little girl. A soft smile spread across her face as she leaned down and scooped Himari up into her arms, holding her close. Himari stretched out the decoration in her hand, offering it with the most earnest little expression.
"Do you want to hang this on the tree?" Jingliu asked, her voice warm and gentle as she watched the sheer determination on the little girl's face.
Jingliu glanced over at Himari as the little girl breathed a soft, "Tree!" It was barely a whisper, but the sheer delight in her voice wasn't lost on Jingliu, who returned it with a warm smile.
Jingliu took a deliberate step closer to the towering tree. Himari hesitated for a moment, watching her. Her gaze flickered over to Yunxue and the other staff members, who were carefully positioning ornaments on the branches. Jingliu continued towards the tree, her focus steady.
Not wanting to be left out of the action, Himari cautiously mirrored Jingliu's movements. After a tiny pause, she reached out a small hand, which trembled just a little, and managed to place a decoration on the tree.
She froze, her eyes fixed on her handiwork, a tiny furrow in her brow as she seemed to wonder if it was "good enough." When nothing fell off, a subtle smile lit up her face. She turned to Jingliu, her eyes searching for approval. Jingliu leaned in slightly, her voice soft as she whispered, "Good job, Himari." She paused briefly, then added, "Would you like to help some more?"
Himari's answer was instant: her head bobbed up and down with unrestrained enthusiasm. With renewed energy, the two of them worked side by side, placing ornaments. As the minutes ticked by, their actions seemed to fall into a natural flow, the decorations multiplying on the tree as they continued their work together.
+-+
Right on schedule, at six in the evening, the doorbell rang. Yasushi's parents hurried to the door together, both dressed up a bit more formally than usual. As the door swung open, an older couple stood just outside, with Yinhaie positioned slightly behind them.
"Mom, Dad, welcome! Please, come in," Yuji Futakao greeted them warmly, gesturing for them to step inside.
The grandparents entered with broad, welcoming smiles. Kohana moved forward to greet them properly, while Yuji leaned slightly towards Yinhaie and asked in a low voice, "Everything alright?"
"They were polite," Yinhaie replied matter-of-factly. "They're excited about celebrating Christmas and New Year's here with everyone. They also seemed…well, pleasantly surprised, I think, at how well-off you are."
Kohana's voice rang out, cheerful and welcoming as she addressed the older couple. "Let me show you around, Mother-in-law, Father-in-law," she offered, gesturing for them to follow her.
The older woman chuckled lightly, reaching out to give Kohana's arm a gentle tap. "Oh, no need for all that formality, dear. Just call us by our names."
"Well then… welcome to our home, Aika and Kirio," Kohana said, smoothing her voice and expression as she formally greeted them.
Both grandparents offered warm smiles in return. Aika Futakao looked to be in her mid-sixties, her neatly styled gray hair framing a face with calm, yet observant, blue eyes. She wore a simple, elegant dress and a small hat, a cane resting lightly in her hand.
Beside her stood Kirio Futakao, also in his mid-sixties, possessing a quiet strength in his bearing. His mostly gray hair, streaked with brown, framed deep-set purple eyes. He wore a well-tailored black suit and also carried a cane, not out of weakness, but for stability and support.
Neither of them seemed frail or delicate in the stereotypical way often depicted. Instead, their movements, while measured, conveyed a sense of vitality, the canes simply providing extra steadiness when needed.
The couple followed Kohana through the house, taking in their surroundings with evident interest. They exchanged quick, intrigued glances at the advanced technology and how seamlessly the AI systems were integrated into the home.
The level of sophistication clearly surpassed their expectations, leaving them visibly impressed. Their surprise deepened when they were introduced to Xinyi and Jingliu's parents. The two couples greeted each other warmly, their easy familiarity stemming from years of working together and the deep friendships they had formed.
Finally, everyone gathered in one of the large living rooms. Aika, her expression gentle yet inquisitive, leaned forward slightly and asked, "When will we have the pleasure of meeting our granddaughter, grandson, and great-granddaughters?"
The parents traded smiles before Kohana finally spoke. "Okay… they've been waiting. Everyone, you can come in now."
At her words, Yasushi walked into the living room, Himari held in his arms. He was dressed in formal clothes, clearly having put in some effort for the occasion. Himari, on the other hand, wore a simple dress she liked, but she seemed a little hesitant, her small hands clutching Yasushi's shoulder.
The grandparents' faces lit up when they saw Yasushi and Himari. Their eyes stayed on the way Yasushi held her, noticing the care in every move he made. Despite the complicated situation of his life — involving more than one mother to his children, and without being married to any of them — it was obvious to them that Yasushi took fatherhood seriously and with a lot of heart.
Yasushi walked over to the grandparents, stopping right in front of them and giving a short bow. "It's good to finally meet you both. I'm Yasushi Futakao, your grandson. And this," he said, gently tilting his head toward the little girl in his arms, "is Himari Futakao, your granddaughter. I've been wanting to introduce you for a while now." His voice was warm and sincere.
"My, my, how adorable… we did see you once after you were born, but… I'd really rather not dwell on that time. We were so clueless, and it actually pains me to think about how foolish we were back then," Aika Futakao said. Her expression tightened, like the memory was a real weight on her shoulders.
Yasushi just looked at her silently for a few moments before finally responding. "The past is what it is. The best way forward is through the future. Try not to dwell on it too much, Grandmother."
While Yasushi still wasn't completely sure about their sincerity, he did believe her words had some genuine feeling behind them. Both grandparents seemed visibly relieved, their postures relaxing after a short moment of quiet. Breaking the silence, Yasushi offered, "Would you like to hold Himari?"
Himari turned her wide eyes toward him, a look of uncertainty flickering across her face, as if she wasn't quite sure how she felt about the suggestion. Yasushi met her gaze and offered a small, reassuring smile. "They're your grandparents, Himari. Dad's parents," he said, trying to reassure her and make her feel more comfortable.
Himari glanced at her older brother, her face flickering between hesitation and a quiet kind of trust. She then turned toward their parents, her small face unreadable, before they gave her a gentle nod of encouragement.
After a brief pause, she looked back at him and finally reached out her arms, a shy but definite gesture of agreement. Her grandparents' faces immediately lit up with unrestrained delight.
Aika carefully lifted Himari, settling the child on her lap as if she were handling something incredibly precious, and the pair immediately began to fawn over her. Their words tumbled over each other as they asked question after question, their excitement just building and building.
Himari seemed a little overwhelmed, her small body tensing up for a moment, but she did her best to answer in halting, simple phrases that made sense in her young mind. Each response was met with warm encouragement, their enthusiasm showing no signs of fading.
The atmosphere in the room changed as Yinhaie and Nandini entered, each carrying a child, their quiet smiles drawing the attention of the older generation. The grandparents stopped their doting on Himari to turn their eyes toward the two younger figures, both wrapped in soft fabrics and balanced carefully in the women's arms.
"Are those…" Kirio began, his voice thick with an emotion he was barely holding back.
Yasushi stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "These are my children," he explained, glancing briefly at the two women beside him. "They asked me for help with artificial insemination. Even so, they're still my flesh and blood." He met his grandparents' eyes, maintaining a firm look.
Himari saw her chance and quickly climbed down from her grandmother's lap. Yinhaie and Nandini walked over to them, each carrying one of the children. Advika was handed to Aika, while Yue was placed in Kirio's arms.
The two grandparents froze. They just stared at the small, warm bundles now resting against them, their expressions gradually softening as it finally sunk in. Their silence was broken when tears started streaming down their faces. Murmurs of "sorry" slipped from their trembling lips, repeating over and over, barely audible but carrying years and years of regret.
Their apologies seemed to go beyond just the room. They weren't just talking to Yasushi's parents, but also to Himari and the two children they now had the chance to hold. It was like they were asking for forgiveness for all the lost years, the missed moments, and the walls their actions had built.
Kohana, Yasushi's mother, wiped at her own tears as the emotion just overwhelmed her. Beside her, Yuji stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. The two of them moved to join the elderly pair, wrapping them in an embrace that spoke of reconciliation and an understanding that came from shared sorrow.
Yasushi watched everything happening in front of him, his expression a mix of sadness and happiness. The emotions coming from his grandparents were impossible for him to ignore. Their actions — the regret they were so openly showing now — seemed like real remorse for the choices they'd made in the past. Rejecting their own son, his wife, and, by extension, their grandchildren, had clearly left deep scars on everyone involved.
He'd seen enough of humanity's darker side in his previous life to know deceit when he saw it, especially when he was really trying to look for it. But here, in this moment, the sincerity in their tears was clear as day.
Himari, sensing how serious things were, stepped closer, worry written all over her face. She moved to stand between them, wrapping her small arms around her grandparents' legs. Advika and Yue followed her lead, each reaching up with their tiny hands to gently touch their grandparents' fingers, their innocent smiles cutting through the heavy emotions.
Yasushi stood back, letting the scene play out without interrupting. Xinyi and Jingliu quietly entered the room, stopping just inside. Together, they silently watched this mix of sorrow and warmth, an unspoken understanding of how important this moment was for everyone there.