Work Text:
Hazuki Kashiwabara enjoyed coding. It was something she liked doing, even if she hadn’t had a job as a full-time programmer in a few years.
She planned on changing that. Her daughters were getting to that age where they might move away soon, and she’s happy about that, happy for them, even if she knows her heart aches at the thought of being miles away from her daughters, but, well, they were already traveling quite often for their new work so… at least she was getting some preparation through that.
And that’s where this idea at trying to once again get employed as a programmer came in. She’d be much lonelier at home, without her daughters around, so she might as well be distracted, give herself somewhere to be, things to do, and all that. She was still very young. She had her daughters young enough that she’s still quite youthful, so she hasn’t quite lost that drive for greater things, even if she knows that nothing will match the greatness of her daughters, of what they will accomplish in the world. She just knew that they were meant for great things, much greater than anything she herself could reach. And she was happy to help provide a way for them to reach that goal, to go to whatever college they might want, in whatever country they want… Though, truth be told, their new job was providing them the funds for that much better than she herself was, which made Hazuki feel embarrassed about. Her daughters, providing more for the household than herself?
Yes, she knew that it was because she was mostly a freelancer at the moment, and her daughters had both gotten a once-in-a-lifetime job that gave them a hefty pay, but still, it made her feel a little guilty as a mother, for her daughters to be under the same roof as her, and to be essentially depending on her daughters. She had to change that, right? It was only fair.
“Mom! We’re home!” Nona called out.
“I’m in the office, babies!” She said, still typing away at the keyboard, not being able to tear herself away from the work if she was to finish this. She had to. She couldn’t depend on her girls.
Nona entered her office, with Ennea right behind her. She hugged her mom from behind the office chair, nuzzling against her. “Love you, mom.”
“I love you too, Nona.” She said, finally tearing her eyes away from the screen as she looked at her, giving the widest smile towards them. The source of happiness in her life. “And I love you too, Ennea.”
Ennea was always the one who was a bit more quiet, but she saw in the way she gave a little smirk that she loved her too. That’s all that her daughter needed to do. She didn’t need to do anything beyond what she wanted. She loved her the way she was.
“Have you been working all day? It’s probably best you rest a little, mom. Go eat something.” Ennea spoke, going over to hold her hand.
Hazuki sighs. “You’re right. I haven’t eaten anything yet.” She nods. “I’ll have a clearer head and work better if I go eat. Thanks, Ennea.” She says, taking a deep breath as she closes her laptop for the time being, and decides to caress her daughter’s hand for a moment. “I’ll go cook something up. Have you two eaten already?”
“Not yet! I was hoping we’d have something to eat together.” Nona says, caressing her mother’s hair.
“Alright, alright, I’ll go then. Get yourself resting in the living room. I’ll call you two once I’m done.”
And to the kitchen she headed, gathering some ingredients to cook something nice for her daughters. She thinks to herself as she does so.
She thinks back to her daughters. The horrible game they went through. She used to be so worried about what they went through, but one year ago, she finally got to experience what they went through. A ‘Nonary Game’.
And she felt even worse for them, while also feeling a bit glad.
She knew now that they went through a horrible series of trials, and that they were forced to be away from each other, kidnapped by evil people and turned into living lab rats to test some stupid hypothesis on unwilling child participants. She was more than happy to know that all the people who planned and organized it all were either dead or in prison now. They deserved every bit of bad that came their way. Her precious daughters went through that game, and they deserved punishment for it.
But also, she knew that, despite that, they must’ve formed unbreakable bonds with those people who she escaped with. The ones who they were solving puzzles with, to keep each other alive. A bond formed from adversity is truly hard to break, and she was glad that she knew for sure that her daughters had good friends along with them on their game, just as she had on her own, even if one of those people was a nasty, disgusting person. But that person got what was coming to him. There’s nothing to worry about anymore.
Best to focus on the present before she starts thinking about some of the more… unsavory parts of that game, like the… blood and–
No, best not to.
She had gotten completely distracted, so she grabs her own attention again, focusing on the food until it’s finished. Once it was, she was about to call for her daughters, before someone conveniently entered through the front door.
It was a large, abrasive man… But one who was good company, to say the least.
“Hey Kentarou” She called out sweetly, a sly smile on her face.