Nine

Kai.

I walk into the building with Kaiya.

The triplets are all crawling on the floor. I haven't seen them in a while, work took me on a trip over seas and I barely have time for my daughter, I came back with bad news. I need to see Toya, find out what he knows.

Rei gives me a hug and pecks Kaiya on the top of her head, "Sorry about the noise, we're going on a school trip today. I have everything ready, the art museum a few blocks away just opened, let's get going."

Rei straps the kids into a 4-seater stroller. I offer to walk them. I promised my daughter time together so this sounds like the perfect opportunity.

We walk together, I can't stop breathing in the scent, Rei smells really nice. We arrive at the art museum and Toya is here.

Astrid starts crying until Toya picks her up. He walks away leaving Rei and I alone touring the whole place. She explains all the different colours to Kaiya and the twins. I think the twins just enjoy listening to the sound of her voice, it's so calming.

Though Kasai is getting a failing grade. He's been sleeping since the third portrait.

We stop and get lunch. Rei takes the boys to change them before the tour continues, we keep touring the museum never running into Toya coincidentally.

"So, how are things between you and Toya, thought you would've gotten married by now."

Rei chuckles, "Uhm, honestly, I thought we were good but he made it clear he's not ready for anything serious between us, it felt like he was saying he wants nothing serious with me specifically. It's confusing."

"So, that means you're free for dinners with me sometime."

She winces, "I have babies, I doubt I'll be free ever again."

"Well, we'll have them at your place, babysitting dates. I will help you out with the kids, I really want to spend more time with you, get to know you better, I honestly want more."

Rei frowns, "doubt that. Guys usually think that until they get what they want, it's okay for you to be directly honest, you just want sex and nothing else, cut the bullshit and give it to me straight." She looks me in the eyes, slightly pissed too.

"Yeah, I may want sex, but is it wrong for me to take a risk? Right now, I'm only physically attracted to you, but I want it to be more."

She shakes her head, "You're hardly around, I'd need another guy around to fill the gap." She jokes and it pisses me off that she said that.

I wrap my hand around her waist and pull her closer to my chest. I kiss her and hold her even tighter.

I pull away and look her in the eyes, "I'm not joking, I want you."

"Daddy, come buy me a souvenir." Kaiya's hands pull on my free hand and I follow behind her. Rei walks away and I smile, that fox is mine.

~

Rei

Toya glares at me after dragging me into the change rooms. His lips brush over mine, "What the hell are you doing kissing Riden?"

"He kissed me, and what's it to you anyway? You don't want anything serious between us."

"And he does?" He cocks a brow just like his father, "Someone is coming after me, I don't want whatever the hell that mess is about to drag you and the kids into the picture. You should know me better by now. I do want you, more than anything. I want a normal family, but I can't give that to you, neither can he."

He tilts my chin up and leans in, "Kiss me." He looks me in the eyes meaning he's serious.

I kiss him and he pins me against the wall. Astrid starts crying and Toya bites my bottom lip in annoyance, I yelp and he kisses my lip gently licking it with his tongue. He turns around and starts rocking Astrid to sleep, she's exhausted by now.

I take the kids home. Kai and Kaiya are my escorts. I put the kids to sleep and to my surprise Kaiya is knocked out cold too. I sit next to Kai and he looks me right in the eyes.

I feel a passion of fire in my chest. I look away, I can't fall for them both, and I can't have them both either.

"Kai, I can't allow myself to love you both. Honestly speaking Toya has the field advantage, we have three kids together. Three." Though he acts like it's just one. He's so over protective with Astrid it could be mistaken for obsession.

~

Kai

I cup her cheeks, "Right now, in this moment, what do you want?"

"Right now, I'm really hungry."

I could feed you well.

"Don't tease little fox, it's okay for you to be direct with me, if you want to kiss me just kiss me."

The door opens and Toya glares at me directly holding Kaiya's hoodie, "You have heard of this Ryoshi organisation that wants your head on a silver platter, right?" Toya glares folding the hoodie in his hands, "Kaiya is in danger, you can't keep leading the Hanafuda. Choose the next head."

"Have you given up the Domei?" He can't expect me to leave my men high and dry. He would never do that.

"Yes, we've disbanded, haven't you heard?" He phrases it strangely paired with that silly dance of his. I've hated that dance since middle school.

I heard he disbanded his group, he opened up a chain of restaurants all over the country at once, he went from Toya Hiryu the son of billionaire Hiryu Tenma, to getting out of his father's shadow just like that.

Heard he made it onto the Forbes magazine, issue is coming out today.

"What did you do with the men who used to work for you?"

He smirks at me "They make better chefs and waiters." He winks and walks away, probably to check on the kids, he hardly ever leaves their side. He comes back holding Kaen who is still sleeping.

Rei is sleeping on the couch, must have been tired since before we went to the museum, she's out like a light so fast.

Toya brushes her cheeks then after he's sure she's sleeping snarls at me, "Hey, don't touch her, don't even breathe the same air as her. When this Ryoshi mess is over I plan to marry her, so go after someone else." Toya glares my way and I laugh at him.

The door swings open and we both look at each other before giving the intruder a glance.

Toya's holding his son, my daughter is here, so neither of us would set each other up, but I still don't trust him.

I put up a shield slowly backing away. I get close enough to Rei to shield her too.

The babies start crying.

I pick Rei up following Toya to where the kids are sleeping.

I brush Kaiya's cheek and she smiles in her sleep.

The woman wearing a hot pink kimono with a slit looks at everyone confused. We're looking at her confused. My shield will hold, I just need her to talk first.

"Oh, my, I'm sorry, wrong building."

"I doubt that, who are you?" Toya asks, he's acting brave but his facade broke the minute he carried both the twins at the same time, and put his right foot forward. He will incinerate her within an instant.

He only releases flames from his feet when he's backed in a corner. Then again only I would know that.

"Kim Xioa Meng."

We both look at her and she walks away slowly, doesn't seem like we were the targets, she backed down after she noticed the shield.

"Saw the way she looked at Rei?" Toya asks and I nod, "Trained assassin, must be very confident in her skills to approach a target with such a bold fashion sense. Names obviously fake too."

We sit down and look at each other.

"So maybe you're not the one who sent her after all." He says and I look at the door.

"She was too confident, let's not assume she didn't use an invisible attack. Astrid is too quiet I would've expected her to be the only one who woke up."

Toya calls the police. They check the place and everyone.

Rei wakes up and collapses losing her balance. She shakes it off, but loses her balances again. A woman runs past the police yelling, "I'm her mother, let me through." She heals Rei who sits up and gulps.

"Mother, how great it is to see you."

"Rei, how you've avoided me for nearly a year and a half now."

What an awkward sounding conversation.

"Well, I really didn't want to hear your criticism, I needed people around me who would help me, not make me feel like trash."

"Oh, that's how it is?"

"Yeah."

"So, you didn't think to even call so I can meet my grandchildren?"

"They're better off never knowing you." Rei stands up and looks at Toya who nods. That makes my blood boil, I don't want her getting any closer with Toya.

I have to be patient. Toya will slip up. I know I'm right about her.

She's the one.