6 Chapter 6

On the day Megumi was born, Zoro and Toji saw the baby together.

The newly met sibling was incredibly, incredibly small. Entirely red and wrinkly, so tiny that it almost didn't seem human.

Zoro felt he understood why Toji had been afraid to hold him when he was born. Too fragile. Extending a hand seemed like it could cause harm right then. Initially, Megumi was with the nurses in the baby room, and Zoro and Toji could only watch from beyond a glass wall, unable to reach out and touch.

When the family of three became four and returned home, Chie laid Megumi in the crib and called Zoro over.

"Zoro, say hello."

It's your sibling. Chie said, her eyes brimming with tears.

Standing alongside Toji in front of the baby, Zoro offered his first greeting.

"...Hello."

Hello, Megumi. I'm Zoro. Your brother.

"Take care. My sibling."

Megumi whimpered. Zoro, startled, stepped back. Toji, taking over for the tired Chie, held Megumi, his soothing voice identical to the one from Zoro's memories.

"Do you want to hold him?"

Faced with Chie's question, Zoro was taken aback. Though he had grown stronger and more adept at handling various objects since turning three, he wasn't confident he could properly hold a baby.

As he was about to shake his head, Toji turned towards Zoro. Kneeling to match Zoro's eye level, Toji offered Megumi to him.

"I'll support you, so try holding him."

"Huh?!"

"Don't grip too tightly."

Zoro awkwardly took Megumi into his arms. Toji kept one hand under Megumi, ready to catch him if Zoro faltered. Hearing a small whimper, Zoro instinctively adjusted Megumi to a more comfortable position.

He couldn't ponder whether the baby felt soft or squishy. Zoro wasn't in a state to explore how his sibling felt to the touch.

But he did feel warmth.

...

As time passed, Megumi grew rapidly. Still small, but the redness and wrinkliness had greatly diminished.

Unlike Zoro, who didn't particularly resemble either Chie or Toji apart from the color of his eyes, Megumi bore a striking resemblance to both of his parents.

"He's the spitting image of Toji." Chie would often say, though Toji didn't quite agree. Well, I think he looks like you.

Zoro thought there was truth to both statements. Megumi's black hair and green eyes, along with his overall facial features, were very much like Toji's. However, his stubbornly sticking-out hair and gentle nature were more like Chie's.

Zoro increasingly found himself touching Megumi's rebellious hair. It prickled when touched, promising to be quite a sight as he grew.

"I wished he hadn't inherited that."

No matter how much you comb it, it just sticks out. Chie complained.

Remembering Chie struggling with her hair before outings made Zoro quietly laugh.

"Megumi probably doesn't mind being like mom."

"Where did you learn to talk like that?"

Chie laughed softly, leaning over the crib where Megumi lay. Despite having been considerably larger after giving birth, Chie's belly had gradually returned to its pre-pregnancy size.

Waking from his nap, Megumi blinked his green eyes and then whimpered, seemingly hungry. Chie picked him up to feed him formula, gently patting his back. A soft smile appeared on her face as Megumi peacefully fell asleep.

Toji stopped what he was doing to watch this scene, his expression one of disbelief.

A faint smell of grass wafted in through the open window. The chilly air warmed, and buds sprouted on trees. The season had seamlessly transitioned into full spring. March was almost over, and April was just around the corner.

Chie, as if struck by a sudden thought, suggested,

"When the cherry blossoms bloom, shall the four of us go to see them?"

Since Megumi was still very young, they wouldn't go far. Maybe just to the nearby park.

"...Yeah."

Toji responded in a voice that seemed choked, deeply resonant.

Zoro could envision the scene of that day in his mind.

Under the cherry trees laden with pink blossoms, a picnic blanket spread out. Sandwiches that Chie loves, alongside meat dishes favored by Toji and Zoro.

Toji would, as always, be right by Chie's side, and Zoro would likely be between the two. Megumi would be cradled in someone's arms among the three.

When the wind blew, small petals would flutter down upon their heads. Some would weave into Chie's unruly hair, and Toji would playfully pick them out. Chie, despite being in front of the children, would slap his hand away, her face flushing pink.

Though it might not be as overwhelmingly beautiful as a snowy kingdom sprinkled with pink snow, it would still be quite lovely.

Even if the cherry blossoms were not as splendid as imagined, what did it matter? Being together made everything alright. It was going to be alright.

Zoro believed so.

"That sounds nice."

Chie smiled warmly. The sight was truly beautiful.

...

The next day, a call came to their home.