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The living room of Suzuki and Tani's apartment was filled with warmth before anyone had even properly settled down. Afternoon sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating the soft cream colored walls and the organized chaos that somehow perfectly represented their lives together. Four years of marriage had changed some things and yet changed absolutely nothing at all. Suzuki was still energetic enough to power an entire city by herself, and Tani was still the calm, grounded presence that somehow balanced her out perfectly.
Today, however, Suzuki was operating at two hundred percent energy.
Which was terrifying.
Everyone knew that look.
It was the look she got whenever she had an idea.
And that idea was usually dangerous.
The doorbell rang.
Then again.
Then several voices echoed from outside.
One by one, their friends entered.
Taira walked in first.
Then Azuma.
Then Yamada.
Then Satou.
Then Watanabe.
Then Rihito.
The atmosphere immediately became lively.
Four years after graduating and somehow their entire group had managed to remain incredibly close.
Taira and Azuma even arrived holding hands, something that still felt surprising despite the fact that they had officially been dating for four months now.
Suzuki gasped dramatically.
"AZUMIRA IS HERE."
Taira immediately groaned.
"We talked about this."
Azuma laughed.
"You absolutely did not."
"I did."
"No, you complained."
"Because it's a ridiculous nickname."
Suzuki grinned proudly.
"It's perfect."
"It absolutely isn't."
"It absolutely is."
Azuma smiled.
"I kind of like it."
Taira looked betrayed.
"You too?"
Suzuki pointed dramatically.
"See? True love always wins."
Tani laughed quietly from beside her.
Then the apartment door opened one more time.
Yamada entered looking suspiciously unhappy.
Everyone blinked.
That wasn't normal.
Yamada was usually a walking golden retriever.
Today he looked dramatically deprived.
Suzuki pointed immediately.
"What's wrong?"
Yamada sighed.
"I'm suffering."
Everyone froze.
Satou blinked.
"That's serious."
"It is."
"What happened?"
Yamada sighed dramatically.
"I was happily cuddling with Natsumi."
Everyone nodded.
That tracked.
Then he sighed again.
"And then she had to go meet her parents."
He looked genuinely devastated.
"I miss her warm embrace."
The room exploded into laughter.
Taira pointed.
"It's been forty minutes."
"Forty painful minutes."
Watanabe laughed.
Satou laughed.
Even Tani smiled.
Yamada collapsed onto the couch.
"She took the blanket with her too."
Suzuki clutched her chest.
"The tragedy."
Yamada pointed.
"Thank you."
Satou shook her head.
"You really are clingy."
Yamada smiled proudly.
"I know."
Suzuki grinned.
"That's actually adorable."
Yamada sighed again.
"I'll survive."
Then he paused.
"Probably."
Everyone laughed.
Eventually they all settled onto the couches and chairs.
Food sat on the table.
Drinks were prepared.
The atmosphere was comfortable.
Familiar.
The kind that only came from years of friendship.
Then suddenly Suzuki stood up.
Everyone immediately became suspicious.
She smiled.
Very brightly.
Too brightly.
Tani instantly recognized the danger.
"Oh no."
Suzuki clapped her hands together.
"I have a game."
Everyone groaned simultaneously.
"No."
"Absolutely not."
"We know how this goes."
Suzuki pointed dramatically.
"This one is different."
"No it isn't," Taira said.
"It is."
"It never is."
Suzuki ignored him.
Then she pulled out a notebook.
Everyone immediately became nervous.
"Okay."
She cleared her throat.
"I have prepared a riddle."
Satou laughed.
"Why?"
"Because it's fun."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
Tani smiled quietly.
He already knew where this was going.
Suzuki grinned.
"Ready?"
Nobody was ready.
She began anyway.
"Imagine there are two people."
Everyone nodded.
"They love each other."
Still simple.
"They have a shared living arrangement."
Still simple.
"They've known each other for many years."
Okay.
"They have a future event approaching in approximately several months."
Everyone paused.
Taira blinked.
"Okay."
"They're gaining one additional member."
Silence.
Everyone stared.
Then she continued.
"This member cannot speak."
Everyone blinked again.
"But this member will require lots of care."
Azuma tilted his head.
"Is this a pet?"
Suzuki gasped.
"No."
She looked offended.
"It is much more complicated."
Everyone became more confused.
Then she continued somehow making it worse.
"The additional member was not purchased."
"..."
"Nor adopted."
"..."
"But created."
The room froze.
Then Taira spoke.
"Are we discussing a science experiment?"
Suzuki groaned.
"No."
Watanabe laughed.
Satou laughed.
Rihito laughed.
Suzuki pointed at them.
"It was easy."
"No it wasn't," everyone said simultaneously.
Suzuki looked betrayed.
"It absolutely was."
Tani looked amused.
Suzuki continued.
"The additional member is currently very small."
Azuma blinked.
"Plant?"
"No."
"Fish?"
"No."
"Robot?"
"No."
Taira looked concerned.
"Alien?"
"No."
Satou raised her hand.
"Secret government project?"
"No."
Yamada was deep in thought.
Then his eyes widened.
"Oh."
Everyone looked at him.
Suzuki practically jumped.
"YOU GOT IT?"
Yamada nodded confidently.
"You're adopting a tiny dragon."
Suzuki stared.
Tani laughed.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Suzuki looked devastated.
"HOW ARE YOU ALL THIS BAD AT RIDDLES?"
Satou raised an eyebrow.
"Because your riddle is impossible."
"It isn't."
"It absolutely is."
"It was easy."
"It absolutely wasn't."
Suzuki crossed her arms.
Then looked at Tani.
Then Tani smiled.
That smile alone immediately made Suzuki nervous.
"Oh no."
He stood up.
Everyone looked at him.
Then he simply said it.
"Suzuki and I are expecting."
The entire room exploded.
"WHAT?"
"NO WAY."
"SERIOUSLY?"
"OH MY GOSH."
Suzuki gasped dramatically.
Then immediately pointed at Tani.
"NO."
Everyone laughed.
She looked horrified.
"You ruined the riddle."
Tani laughed.
"It was not easy."
"It was easy."
"No it wasn't."
"It was."
Everyone disagreed instantly.
Suzuki groaned.
"You're all impossible."
Then her expression softened.
Very quickly.
Very naturally.
She looked around at all of her friends.
Suddenly she looked a little emotional.
A little nervous.
Which wasn't something they saw often.
She smiled shyly.
"We're having a baby."
Then everyone exploded all over again.
Watanabe immediately covered her mouth.
"Oh my gosh."
Satou squealed.
Taira looked stunned.
Azuma looked emotional.
Rihito looked amazed.
Yamada looked ready to cry.
Suzuki laughed.
Then she looked relieved.
Actually relieved.
Like a weight she'd been carrying had finally disappeared.
Because underneath all her excitement...
She'd been nervous.
Nervous about telling everyone.
Nervous about this new chapter of life.
Nervous about change.
But now all she could see was happiness surrounding her.
Watanabe stood up first.
"I'm going to spoil this child."
Suzuki laughed.
"I knew it."
Watanabe nodded proudly.
"I will buy books."
Then she thought.
"And clothes."
Then thought again.
"And toys."
Everyone laughed.
Yamada suddenly stood up.
"I'll be the cool uncle."
Satou laughed.
"You decided that yourself?"
"Yes."
He nodded proudly.
"I'm going to teach them fun things."
Taira pointed.
"That's dangerous."
Yamada gasped.
"I'll be responsible."
Everyone laughed harder.
Yamada grinned.
"I'm serious."
Then he smiled.
"You know Natsumi will absolutely spoil them too."
Suzuki immediately smiled.
"Oh definitely."
Satou suddenly grinned.
"You know..."
Everyone looked at her.
"I honestly assumed Yamada and Nishi would have an announcement before you."
The room erupted.
Yamada immediately looked offended.
"What does that mean?"
Satou pointed dramatically.
"You're clingy."
"I am not."
Everyone stared.
Then looked at him.
Then looked at each other.
Then looked back at him.
Yamada sighed.
"Okay maybe a little."
Azuma laughed.
"You're attached at the hip."
Taira nodded.
"Emotionally attached."
Yamada grinned.
"I'm not ashamed."
Satou laughed.
"We know."
Then she smiled.
"But today isn't about you."
Yamada nodded immediately.
"True."
Then he looked at Suzuki and Tani.
His expression softened.
"I'm really happy for you two."
The room quieted.
Everyone nodded.
Because they all felt the same.
Taira smiled.
"You guys are going to be incredible parents."
Azuma nodded.
"Absolutely."
Watanabe smiled.
"The kid is going to be so loved."
Suzuki's eyes immediately became watery.
"Oh no."
Everyone laughed.
Tani smiled beside her.
Then instinctively reached over and squeezed her hand.
Suzuki looked at him.
Then smiled.
Then she laughed.
"I wasn't supposed to cry."
Yamada pointed.
"Too late."
Suzuki laughed harder.
Then she looked around at everyone again.
The people she'd grown up with.
The people who had watched her fall in love.
The people who had stood beside her through every phase of life.
And now...
They were here for this too.
The beginning of something entirely new.
She leaned against Tani.
He smiled.
She smiled back.
Then she laughed.
"I still think the riddle was easy."
Everyone immediately groaned.
The apartment erupted into laughter once more.
And for a little while longer, nobody worried about growing older.
Nobody worried about the future.
Because at that moment, they were simply friends gathered together exactly as they'd always been.
Only now, their family was about to grow by one more.