Chapter 1: Five Brothers...
Once upon a time, there lived a happy couple by the names of Mama Takahashi and Papa Takahashi. Despite having the weirdest nickname for each other, their lives were anything but ordinary.
Living on a land far, far away, in the country known as the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan, far in the east of the world map, they were pretty successful in their ventures in the world of business.
They might not be one of the four conglomerates (zaibatsus) in Japan, or even close to it, they could comfortably raise their children.
One might have thought that they would have been drowned in their work, being one of the more decadent couple and all. But reality proved to be kind to Mama and Papa Takahashi.
Despite owning a company, they didn't have to sit at the office all day long.
In fact, all Mama and Papa Takahashi had to do was come in at least once per month to check up on their workers and make sure that everything was moving along smoothly.
Their company was a company that deals with almost everything related to sports, from providing equipment, water, snacks, attires to promoting a team or individual in the world of sports.
In fact, to expand their area of reach, they even went into partnership with various other companies to make up for the places where they had weaker influence, such as medical check-ups, physiotherapy, and gyms for their athletes.
From baseball, volleyball, netball to football and basketball, as long as one could find the sport in Japan, they will definitely find their desired pieces of equipment and facilities in Mama and Papa Takahashi's company.
And that was the company that the Takahashi couple founded using almost thirty years of their lives.
Takahashi Company.
It sounded plain, boring, and simple; it would simply repel customers away when it first started. But it also represented the hard work and dedication of the couple, using nothing but their perseverance and love for each other and sports to found what is now one of Japan's most extensive sports companies.
Now, the Takahashi couple wasn't getting any younger anymore. Having spent most of their lives building the company, they had left barely enough time to start a whole new family with children.
But it was high time they started leaving their legacy for someone special - their child.
One was definitely enough. The couple wasn't too young to take care of so many children at one go; they didn't want any external people taking care of their children for themselves.
One or two children would have been enough; a happy family of three, four, or five.
Or at least, that was what they planned.
"Wahhhh!!"
"Wahhhh!!"
"Wahhhh!!"
"Wahhhh!!"
"Wahhhh!!"
So why could Mama Takahashi feel five babies in her arms, all wailing at the same time? As much as he wanted to pamper his children and wife, Papa Takahashi didn't want to interrupt the mother-sons bonding time.
Thus, he just sat quietly at the side of the hospital bed, one hand hugging his wife's waist and the other on one of his child's head.
"Mama, this is a bit unexpected..."
"Indeed. Although a week has already passed, I still can't believe that quintuplets were born..."
"Hm...not wanting back the ultrasound scan results when you were pregnant truly gave us a 'surprise'. Maybe we should have asked the doctors for the results..." Papa Takahashi spoke gently.
Mama Takahashi snorted lightly, "Who asked your seed to be so strong?"
"I'm pretty sure that your egg was the one that was strong, being able to divide into five parts and all." Papa Takahashi retorted back lightly, causing both of them to burst into small laughter after a while.
If there were other patients in the same ward as them, they would have no doubt looked at the Takahashi couple weirdly. But being like that was just their personality - they never had the need to be wishy-washy when dating, marrying, or anything else for that matter.
Everything was done quickly and efficiently. Being blunt also helped the couple in the couple's communication, one of the reasons why they still had such a great love for each other.
"Wahhhh!" The first boy from the left cried even louder, causing Mama Takahashi to frown slightly.
"They are hungry, but do I have enough milk for all five of them...?"
"Don't worry, just feed them first. If you really run out, which I don't think you will, I'll ask the doctor to provide more. We didn't earn so much money just to let you have substandard post-pregnancy care." Papa Takahashi declared.
"Alright then." Mama Takahashi didn't say anything more and pulled down her hospital gown, revealing her full breasts. She didn't need to hide as she was currently in a super VIP room where no one could enter. Even the doctors and nurses could only enter after the couple had given them permission to do so.
After handing three babies to her husband, she carefully balanced the other two babies and brought them to her breasts.
"There you go, you're starving, aren't you?" Mama Takahashi smiled as she felt the two babies drinking milk like there is no tomorrow.
Mama Takahashi, despite her nickname, was a very classic beauty. She had glossy dark purplish-black hair that flowed to her lower back, a gorgeous face with purple pupils, and a slender figure that showed no signs that she had just gone through pregnancy.
As one eligible to marry this beauty, Papa Takahashi wasn't any less attractive than his wife. His navy-blue hair swayed gently along with the wind from the air-conditioner and his black eyes shined brightly, showing no trace that he was in his late thirties. He had muscles worthy to open a company dedicated to sports and stood at the height of 1.9 meters, which was pretty tall when the average height of a Japanese male was only about 1.7 meters tall.
He was currently looking at this wife breastfeeding and thinking...
'And I used to suck on those...'
But his thoughts and behavior towards his wife showed no signs of him being mature at all.
His line of sight slowly shifted from his wife to the three little boys he was holding in his arms.
"Goo-gah?" Papa Takahashi tried speaking the baby language, but it didn't seem to work as the three boys just stared at this idiot curiously, causing Papa Takahashi to feel slightly awkward as he coughed.
"I hope they grow up to become as handsome as me."
"Don't be narcissistic."
"But you're the one who married the handsome me."
"Aren't you attracted to my beauty as well?"
"I was actually attracted by your bluntness at first. But who asked you to have a face as perfect as mine?"
"I hope none of my sons will be as narcissistic as you." Mama Takahashi snorted, but the smile on her face couldn't be hidden, "Come swap the babies. I think these two have already finished drinking."
"So, have you decided on their names?" Papa Takahashi asked as he moved the subsequent two babies to his wife, placing the two already-fed and asleep babies into the crib.
"Since they're quintuplets, let's name them according to numbers then. The firstborn will be called Ichi, the second will be called Ni, the third..."
"Stop, Mama. Let's not go down that road. They are children, our children. And I'll not have them be called according to numbers. Let's name them according to the things way above our heads - the sky." Papa Takahashi hurriedly stopped Mama Takahashi from giving them weird names.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"So, let's name them with what we can see in the sky above our heads.
The firstborn will be called Seiya, representing the vast universe out there, being the 'home' that all his younger brothers will be able to return to whenever they want.
The second will be called Asashi, representing the happiness and vibrancy that he would emit for our family in the future.
The third will be called Tsukio, representing calm and serenity, keeping all five brothers together.
The fourth will be called Sora, representing the freedom of choice they each will have, not being limited to the ground, aiming to reach the sky.
The fifth will be called Tsukumo, representing the idea of clear thinking and emotional purity. Clouds also represent mysteries, dreams, emotions, and potentials that I hope each of my sons will have, thus concluding the set of five things we see in the sky - the stars, sun, moon, sky, and clouds.
So, Mama?" Papa Takahashi asked, "What do you think?"
"What do I think?" Mama Takahashi's face revealed a wide smile.
"Perfect."
*****************
Apparently, giving birth to quintuplets proved to be pretty risky.
Mama Takahashi had to stay in the hospital for the next two weeks to ensure that her body was coping well after the tedious birth.
Having the best doctors and nurses to look after her along with various nutritious food helped Mama Takahashi recover pretty fast for someone who had just given birth to five babies in one go.
Undoubtedly, the fact that her body was strong, to begin with, helped reduce a lot with the post-pregnancy problems that might have appeared.
"Seiya, Asashi, Tsukio, Sora, and Tsukumo." Mama Takahashi murmured under her breath as she looked at the five identical babies sleeping in a crib beside her bed.
Today was the last day that she was going to be in this hospital. As soon as the last test results showed that she was perfectly healthy, she would be able to leave by tomorrow. Of course, she would be slightly weaker than average, but it was perfectly normal for someone who had just given birth.
All she needed to do now was rest her body and prevent from doing any strenuous exercises for the time being.
"Knock, knock..." A knocking sound could be heard at the door before a soothing voice sounded, "Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi? May I enter?"
"Enter." Papa Takahashi replied as he lightly poked Sora's soft cheeks.
'This is soft...not as soft as my skin, though.'
Mama Takahashi could see through every single thought that Papa Takahashi had in his mind, and knowing what he was currently thinking, she snorted lightly before ignoring the shameless old man.
"Mrs. Takahashi. Congratulations on giving birth to five healthy children. The test showed no anomalies within you or any of the babies. In fact, the results showed that all of you are much healthier than what our machine expected..." The female doctor spoke with a smile. Despite being in her twenties only, the fact that she could be standing in this room proved her expertise and skills.
"Really? I'm glad." Papa Takahashi stopped poking Sora's cheeks and replied, "I was worried that giving birth to quintuplets might be a bit taxing for my wife."
"Yes. The hospital originally thought so as well. But...it seems that your wife is really strong." The female doctor said while turning to look at Mama Takahashi, who was just walking around the room while carrying Seiya in her arms.
"Both in her mind and her body." She added.
"So when can my wife be discharged?"
"Today or tomorrow. Whichever you prefer, though I would recommend tomorrow. You should bring your wife and children out to explore the garden behind the hospital today. I'm sure that they will enjoy the new scenery."
"I see. Then I'll listen to your advice then. Help me prepare the documents to discharge my wife tomorrow. For now, you can leave to do your business."
"Thank you, Mr. Takahashi. I hope your children grow up healthily."
"Haha, you don't have to worry about that. My job is literally to make people healthy and fit."
The doctor smiled before leaving.
*****************
"Ah...finally! I'm out of that hospital. I was getting sick of the same view." Mama Takahashi complained as she strolled out of the hospital gates and stretched.
Papa Takahashi followed behind her as he pushed a five-seated baby stroller that secured their five children.
It was given to them for free since they had spent a lot of money at the hospital, though Papa Takahashi had to smile wryly at the sight of the wide trolley that prevented anyone else from walking past him on the path out.
"Have you called Jyuku? I want to eat some fast food first before going home." Mama Takahashi asked.
"Yes. Jyuku will be picking us up about...now." As soon as they reached the pick-up area, a car stopped right in front of them, and a person came out.
"Mr. Takahashi, Mrs. Takahashi. I'm glad both of you are doing well, especially you, Mrs. Takahashi. And, wow..." Jyuku's mouth widened for a moment before smiling wryly, "I see you have quintuplets. This is the first time I actually saw one."
"I think you meant 'congratulations'? And thank you." Mama Takahashi spoke before placing each baby on the baby seats and carrying them into the car.
Fortunately for them, Papa Takahashi wasn't stupid and had requested a seven-seater car beforehand, so there was no problem in fitting all five babies inside at once. Mama Takahashi sat at the back with two of the quintuplets, while Papa Takahashi sat at the middle with three of the quintuplets, leaving the front seat beside Jyuku's seat empty.
"Where to, Mr. Takanashi?"
"McRonalds. My wife is craving for some fast food after 9 long months of nothing but nutritious diet."
*****************
Summary:
1st brother: Takahashi Seiya (Starry night; literally means Star arrow)
2nd brother: Takahashi Asashi (Morning Sun)
3rd brother: Takahashi Tsukio (Moon)
4th brother: Takahashi Sora (Sky)
5th brother: Takahashi Tsukumo (Literally means Habour cloud)
A/N: This fanfic would have a faster pace than my usual fanfics, at least until we reach high school, where I'll slow down and start focusing more on romance on all five brothers.