Chapter 160: Became a mother

Nine months and two weeks. The day had arrived.

I’d taken a year off university and had been resting at our apartment. As my due date approached, I’d often feel the babies kicking, wondering how big they would be. I’d been feeling good lately, even studying Aya’s notes to prepare for my return to school.

But today was different. I was on the sofa, reading Aya’s textbook, when—

“…Ugh!” A wave of pain washed over me, my abdomen tightening, my back aching.

‘Is this… it…?’ I remembered what I’d learned in birthing classes. Irregular, mild contractions at first, gradually increasing in intensity and regularity. I’d had Braxton Hicks before, but this was different.

“Haa… haa… Ugh…!” I moaned, cold sweat trickling down my back. I tried to breathe deeply, but the contractions intensified, a searing pain in my lower back.

This was the infamous positive feedback loop: oxytocin causing contractions, contractions causing more oxytocin…

I grabbed my phone with trembling hands.

119… 119… was it the same in Japan? I dialed, pressing the phone against my cheek, my hand shaking. I leaned against the sofa, catching my breath. The sirens wailed, and paramedics arrived, carefully carrying me to the ambulance.

“Ugh…”
“Deep breaths, don’t hold back!”
“Okay…!”

We arrived at the Yukikawa Hospital. Medical staff rushed to my side. The Yukikawa heir was coming.

“Rina! Are you okay?!” Aya was there.

“Aya… shouldn’t you be in class?”

“I was at a clinical site…”
“A second-year…?” Her accelerated education was a given. Aya’s hand in mine calmed me, but the pain remained.

“Aya… the contractions… they’re intense…”

“It’s okay… I’m here. We’ll meet our babies soon.”

I wanted to pull her hair, like in the dramas, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that to Aya. Besides, I didn’t have the strength.

They wheeled me into the delivery room.

“Yukikawa Rina-san, we’re ready. Focus on your breathing, and push downwards.”

The doctor’s instructions were calm. I felt the scalpel…

“Kyaaaaa!” An incision… I hadn’t even realized. How was I supposed to push?! The pain was overwhelming. But my body knew what to do.

“Ugh…!” The pressure was unbearable. My hands trembled, and my vision blurred.

“Rina! Squeeze my hand!” Aya’s voice… a hallucination? I clutched her hand desperately.

“Haa… haa… Aya… sorry… I’m squeezing too hard…”

“It’s okay… Push, Rina!” Her voice gave me strength. I pushed, and then—

“Yes! Push!” the medical team urged. I pushed with all my might, sweat on my brow, my vision swimming.

“Almost there! I see the head!”

With a final scream,

“Waaaah—!” A small, strong cry. Relief washed over me.

“Congratulations! A healthy baby girl!”

The first baby, Hiyori. The quiet one, placed in my arms. I looked at her blurry face through my tears. “Hiyori… our baby…”

“One more! Get ready for the next contraction!”

Another one? Immediately, my abdomen tightened. The pain was even more intense this time, my vision turning red, my body seizing. I was exhausted.

“Rina! Stay with me!” Aya’s voice was distant. I couldn’t respond, darkness closing in.

“Push! Almost there!” I pushed with the last of my strength. “Ugh!” I screamed, and then another cry. “Waaah…!” Koyori. The second twin.

“Congratulations! Another healthy baby girl!”

My body went limp. Never again. I looked at Aya, her face wet with tears, a relieved smile on her face, holding my hand. “You did it, Rina… Thank you…”

I felt a flash of resentment. Shouldn’t Aya, with her stronger constitution, have been the one giving birth? But I was too exhausted. I took deep breaths, listening to the cries of my daughters. They placed the babies on my chest.

It was over.

****

I spent the next week in the hospital, recovering. They gave me medication; I didn’t know or care what it was. My body ached. Even simple movements were difficult. As I lay there, the nurse said, “It’s breastfeeding time.”

“Ugh… okay.” I followed her to the nursery.

I finally understood Aya’s flustered behavior before the birth. I’d thought she wanted to be intimate… but she’d been checking if I was ready to breastfeed. I cringed at my misunderstanding.

The babies had looked like aliens at first. Aya had asked, “Aren’t they cute?” I wasn’t sure. But after a few days, their skin smoothed out, their faces plump and adorable.

“They’re so beautiful…!” Their hair started growing. Hiyori had Aya’s silver hair, and Koyori had my brown hair. I’d thought the energetic Koyori would take after Aya… Maybe their personalities were reversed?

I smiled, looking at their tiny faces, finally feeling like a mother.

“Ehehe…”