Uwaaa~
In the quiet stillness of the night, a baby's cry echoed through the house, waking everyone from their slumber.
"Shh~ Mommy's here, dear~" Hikari cooed gently as she picked up our little bundle of joy, cradling her in her arms. She began nursing the baby, her soft humming blending with the swaying motion of her body, creating a serene lullaby.
I yawned, rubbing my eyes as I shuffled to sit beside her. "The baby's up again?"
There she was—our precious daughter. A baby girl we'd both been eagerly waiting for. Her name? Reina. Though Hikari and I had planned to name her together, Shiori had insisted on choosing the name as a consolation for "losing" to Hikari in a playful bet. Hikari had simply laughed and agreed, happy to let Shiori have the honor.
"Good morning, dear," Hikari whispered with a smile. "Yeah, she's up."
It had been two months since Reina was born. Hikari had a smooth delivery, so the doctor discharged her early. The school, oddly enough, covered the hospital bills—one of the many perks of attending such an unusual institution.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps thundered outside, followed by a familiar voice. "Reina-chan! Big Sister Shiori is here!"
Shiori burst into the room, panting and sweating as if she'd just run a marathon.
"It's okay, Shio," Hikari said with a tired but amused smile. "I've got it under control. Thanks for the support."
"Anything for you and the baby, Hikari," Shiori replied, catching her breath. Her eyes softened as she gazed at Reina nestled in Hikari's arms, then flicked to me with a mischievous glint.
"Aww, she's so cute, Toru! So...when's our turn, huh? I'm still frustrated Hikari got to go first!"
I chuckled, scratching the back of my head. "Don't look at me like that, Shiori. Maybe Hikari just had better luck?"
"Hmph!" Shiori pouted, but the expression quickly melted into a smile as she gently swayed the baby's cradle.
Moments later, Isami entered the room, her stethoscope slung around her neck. She leaned down to check on Reina, her experienced hands gently examining the baby.
"Hmm, seems she's perfectly fine. She's a strong little one, Hikari," Isami said, her voice tinged with pride as she placed the stethoscope back in her pocket.
"Thank goodness we have a future doctor in the house," Hikari said with a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Doc."
Isami chuckled. "I'm not a doctor yet, but I'm glad I can help. Reina's a sweetheart, isn't she?"
The night settled once more after we'd tended to Reina, and everyone drifted back to sleep.
The morning brought warmth and cheer as the house came alive with the usual hustle and bustle. Kaori had already prepared breakfast and was taking care of Reina while Hikari and I sat at the table, savoring the meal.
"Thank goodness we have someone in the house who's great with babies," Hikari said with a laugh, glancing at Kaori. "Sorry to make you help us so much, Kaori."
"Hey, it's fine!" Kaori replied brightly, bouncing Reina gently in her arms. "I love kids, especially babies. They remind me of my little siblings back home. They grew up so fast! I just hope little Reina here takes her time. Right, Reina?"
Kaori lifted Reina playfully, making silly faces. Reina giggled, her laughter bright and pure, filling the room with joy.
As the morning unfolded, Isami departed for college, Shiori scrambled to get ready for school, and Kaori stayed behind to care for Reina. The day ahead promised the usual chaos and comfort of family life, with the soft sound of Reina's giggles lingering in the air.
[At School]
As news spread, the entire school came to know about our newborn baby. It wasn't uncommon for households to have children after graduation, but for us? It seemed like a rare and fascinating sight.
When Hikari returned to school, students and even teachers congratulated her, showering her with gifts for both her and the baby. Meanwhile, the boys congratulated me, though not without a fair share of teasing.
"Damn, you're a dad now, bro? Why do you always have the finest household? You've got four empresses under one roof!"
"Yeah, lucky bastard!"
"Empresses? You mean my girls? Is that what we're calling them now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The first-years apparently started it. But man, can you believe we're second-years already?"
"Time really flies when we're just goofing around, huh?"
"Sure does."
"I also heard you got into second year with only four people in your household. The principal really gave you an exception, huh?" one of them joked, laughing.
As the bell rang, we wrapped up our conversation and headed back to class. Our homeroom teacher, Miss Tanaka, greeted us warmly and congratulated both Hikari and me, even presenting us with a thoughtful gift.
Once the formalities were done, we settled into our lessons, the usual rhythm of school life kicking in.
At lunchtime, the four of us gathered on the rooftop, where we sat together enjoying the bento Kaori had prepared for us.
"Looks like you're having a cheerful lunch, Toru," a voice called out suddenly.
The group turned to see a student approaching them—a boy with dark hair, warm brown eyes, and sun-kissed skin. His presence seemed to cast a subtle air of intrigue. The girls exchanged anxious glances, but Toru remained calm, his lips curving into a relaxed smile.
"How about you, Sakka?" Toru greeted casually, his tone laced with smug confidence.
"Sakka? Who's he, Toru?" Hikari asked, glancing between Toru and the newcomer.
"Let's just say... he's the one who watches over us," Toru replied cryptically.
"Wait, you mean The Writer?!" Shiori exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
Sakka chuckled softly, raising a finger to his lips. "Calm down, Shiori. Here, I go by the name Sakka. So, let's keep it that way, okay?" He winked playfully.
"Oops! My bad~" Shiori giggled, clearly unbothered by the correction.
"Then why are you here, Sakka?" Kaori asked, her tone edged with suspicion. The others mirrored her wary expression, their eyes fixed on the boy.
Sakka raised his hands defensively, his expression calm. "Oh, come on! Don't look at me like that. I'm clean, I promise. I just wanted to thank you all, that's all."
"Thank us?" Hikari tilted her head in confusion.
"Yeah, why would you need to thank us?" Shiori added, leaning forward with curiosity.
Sakka smiled, his gaze warm and sincere. "For filling this world of mine with your story."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kaori asked, her brows furrowing.
Before Sakka could answer, Toru stood up and approached him, extending a hand for a handshake. The gesture surprised everyone.
"It's our thanks—or rather, my thanks—for writing me the way you did, Sakka," Toru said earnestly.
The girls stared at Toru, baffled, as he continued. "I know it's a little weird to thank someone who wrote us into existence, but I'm truly grateful... for letting me find them." His eyes briefly shifted to the girls, a soft smile playing on his lips.
Sakka nodded, gripping Toru's hand firmly. "It's not just me. You should thank those who read your story and keep it alive."
"I see..." Toru released his hand and smiled. "Send them my regards, will you?"
One by one, the girls joined in, placing their hands over Sakka's in a quiet gesture of unity.
"Me too," Hikari said softly.
"Then, me too, please!" Shiori chimed in, her cheerful tone breaking the tension.
Sakka turned his gaze toward Kaori, silently expecting her to add her voice to the moment. Instead, she smirked and crossed her arms.
"You're doing a good job... wrapping things up like this, huh?" she teased, her laugh breaking the solemn atmosphere.
Her laughter was infectious, and soon the entire group joined in, their voices blending into a chorus of lighthearted joy under the open sky.
After sharing a cheerful lunch filled with laughter and lighthearted banter, Sakka stood up, dusting off his uniform. The mood shifted as he reached into his bag, pulling out a worn notebook with the title Harem School System emblazoned on the cover.
The group, having cleaned up their bento boxes, instinctively gathered around him, their expressions soft but tinged with sadness.
"I guess this is farewell, huh?" Sakka said quietly, opening the notebook.
"Looks like it," Toru nodded, placing a hand on Sakka's shoulder. His grip was firm but filled with gratitude.
"Every beginning has an ending, right?" Hikari said, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to smile through the bittersweet moment.
"Aww~ It's sad to say goodbye, but we've had such an amazing time together," Shiori chimed in, her usual brightness dimmed just a little. Then, with a wistful sigh, she added, "It's a shame Isami isn't here with us."
"You called?" a familiar voice interrupted.
Everyone turned in surprise to see Isami standing at the rooftop door, her calm demeanor broken by a small, rare smile. Before anyone could respond, Shiori dashed forward and wrapped her in a tight hug.
"Isami~ You're here!"
Kaori smirked, raising an eyebrow at Sakka. "So, you called her over, didn't you?"
Sakka chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, it wouldn't feel complete without her, right?"
The group laughed softly, their tension easing as they stood together one last time. Sakka's gaze moved from one face to another, taking in the warmth and gratitude in their expressions.
"Thank you," Sakka said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "For everything. For bringing this story to life."
Toru stepped forward, his smile sincere. "No, Sakka—thank you. For giving us this life, for letting me find them, and for all the memories we've made."
"Yeah, thanks, Sakka!" Shiori added enthusiastically, followed by nods and murmurs of agreement from the others.
As the group turned to leave, they walked to the rooftop door together, lingering just long enough for one last look back.
"Goodbye, Sakka," Kaori said softly, her usual teasing replaced with a heartfelt tone.
One by one, they stepped through the door, leaving Sakka alone.
He stood in the stillness of the rooftop, the faint sound of their voices fading as the door clicked shut behind them. He looked down at the notebook in his hands, a mixture of sadness and fulfillment washing over him.
"With this," Sakka murmured to himself, flipping to the final page, "the story comes to its end."
He pulled out a pen, the ink flowing smoothly as he wrote the final words.
"THE END."
Closing the notebook, Sakka let out a deep breath, a content smile playing on his lips as he gazed at the horizon, where the sun dipped low, painting the sky with hues of gold and crimson.