CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 145 – “RHYTHM OF FOUR”

Six Months LaterThe leaves were turning gold now. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long, warm shadows across the courtyard of the countryside home. The stillness of autumn wasn’t silent—it pulsed with the quiet rhythm of a family that had learned to move together, seamlessly, through each day.

Ren carried a basket of harvested corn over one shoulder, while Hikari walked ahead of him with muddy boots and a notepad filled with sketches of her "solar-powered seed spreader." Aoi sat on the veranda, her hair tied up in a messy bun, feeding little Hina, who now had a full head of dark brown hair and the tiniest set of visible teeth.

"You’re chewing like a champ today," Aoi chuckled, wiping Hina’s chin. "No more mushy banana, hmm?"

Hina responded by slapping her palms on the wooden tray and giggling loudly. Aoi turned and called to her husband.

"You’re late, farmer Ren."

"We had to debate the ethics of artificial crop pollinators," Ren said dramatically, setting the basket down and grinning at Hikari. "She thinks bees should get weekends off."

"That’s because they do a lot of work!" Hikari argued, sticking her hands on her hips. "Also, they need flowers that don’t run out. So I’m growing extras."

Inside the Home

Life had evolved into a comforting routine.

Mornings began with piano melodies echoing faintly—Aoi’s new hobby—while Hikari fed their adopted cat and Ren made breakfast. Hina often babbled from her high chair, clapping with glee whenever music played.

Afternoons were filled with gentle chaos—Ren working in the home lab on educational AI toys for local schools, Aoi handling online orders for her boutique, Hikari building mini-projects beside her father, and Hina crawling just fast enough to create the occasional soft crash.

Evenings were sacred. The four of them—tired but full—shared dinner around the rustic wooden table Ren had built with his own hands. They told stories, laughed, and sometimes just sat in silence, marveling at how complete everything felt.

One Quiet Night

Aoi sat with Hina in her arms, rocking slowly beside the fireplace. The baby had dozed off mid-sentence, a soft blanket tucked around her.

Ren entered with Hikari, carrying her like a sleeping koala on his back.

"We’re... getting better at this," Aoi whispered, her eyes warm.

Ren sat beside her, gently brushing Hina’s tiny curls.

"It’s not easy," he murmured. "But I wouldn’t trade this life for anything. Not even all the tech in the world."

"Not even if someone offered you a lab on Mars?"

"Especially not that. They don’t have your miso soup there."

They both smiled, their children peacefully asleep, their home glowing in the quiet dark.