Returning to the living room, Sakura found Akitoshi and Gaeto still immersed in their game, their playful chatter echoing through the space. Taking a steadying breath, she called them over, her voice calm yet laced with an unspoken urgency. “Akitoshi, Gaeto, come here for a moment,” she said, offering a gentle smile that belied the weight in her chest.

  The boys exchanged curious glances before shuffling toward her. “What is it, Mommy?” they asked in unison, their wide, eager eyes brimming with innocence.

  Gaeto, ever the enthusiastic one, chimed in quickly. “Do you need us to do something?”

  Before Sakura could respond, Akitoshi nudged Gaeto with his elbow. “Say what she said, not whatever’s in your head, idiot,” he muttered, puffing out his chest with mock authority, clearly trying to assert his position as the eldest.

  Sakura’s expression softened, but her tone was clear and firm. “Akitoshi, don’t hit your brother,” she said, her eyes meeting his with a calm steadiness. “And especially not in front of me. I’m his mother, remember.”

  Gaeto beamed, clearly enjoying the moment. “See? She’s my Mommy,” he teased, sticking out his tongue at Akitoshi with a triumphant grin.

  Akitoshi’s face fell, the teasing hitting harder than intended. His chest rose and fell quickly as the humor drained from his expression. “Does that mean I’m not your son?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “That I’m not part of this family?”

  His words hung in the air, fragile and aching, as Sakura’s heart clenched.

  Sakura’s heart clenched. Without hesitation, she pulled both boys into a tight embrace, holding them close. “Don’t ever say that again,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “You are my sons—both of you. I’m your mother, and I always will be.”

  The boys relaxed in her arms, soothed by the warmth of her words. She gave them a gentle, reassuring squeeze before slowly pulling back. Composing herself, she looked at them seriously, her eyes filled with both love and concern.

  “Can I ask you two something?” she said quietly.

  “Yes, Mommy,” they replied in unison, their voices calm but tinged with curiosity.

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  Sakura took a deep breath, her thoughts racing as she chose her words with care. “I overheard your conversation earlier,” she began gently. “Is it true—about the woman who gives Hikaru chocolates?”

  The boys exchanged nervous glances, uncertainty flickering in their eyes, but then nodded. “Yes, it’s true,” Akitoshi said firmly, with Gaeto nodding beside him.

  A chill crept up Sakura’s spine, and a wave of unease washed over her. Her heart pounded. “Can you tell me more about her?” she asked softly, her tone steady but insistent. Her hands trembled slightly where they rested in her lap.

  Akitoshi spoke first, his brow furrowed in concentration. “She used to come by every week, usually in the evening. She always brought a box of chocolates. Hikaru loved them—he’d light up the moment he saw her.”

  Sakura’s gaze narrowed. “And then Hikaru got sick?”

  Gaeto nodded, his face serious. “Yeah, but it was weird. He got better really fast, like… unnaturally fast. And after that, sometimes he just… changed.”

  “Changed how?” Sakura asked gently, leaning forward, bracing herself for the answer.

  “Stronger,” Gaeto said, almost in a whisper, as though saying the word too loud would make it more real. “Like, really strong. Remember when he broke that hospital bed?”

  Akitoshi nodded slowly, the memory clearly unsettling him. “Yeah, and he didn’t even notice. Just sat there like nothing happened. But when he came back to the adoption center, he was normal again.”

  Sakura’s expression hardened as she listened. Every word, every detail, only deepened the unease curling in her stomach. There was something wrong—something she hadn’t seen before, hadn’t wanted to believe. Could it be possible? Was there a connection between those chocolates and Hikaru’s sudden bursts of strength?

  Her mind swirled with questions, suspicions that she could no longer ignore. The unease tightened its grip on her heart.

  As the day of Hikaru’s departure drew near, the atmosphere in the Hanabira household grew almost unbearable. Anxiety clung to every corner, thick and unrelenting. Sakura tried to maintain a sense of normalcy for the children’s sake—smiling, playing, reading stories—but her heart wasn’t in it.

  Every glance at Hikaru brought a fresh wave of fear. Every laugh shared between Akitoshi and Gaeto added to the ache growing inside her. The world was shifting around them, shadows creeping closer—and Sakura could feel it. Something terrible was coming.

  She tried to focus on her daily responsibilities—preparing meals, tucking the children into bed, and offering reassurances she wasn’t sure she believed herself. The motions were familiar, almost comforting, but the questions gnawed at her constantly: Who was this woman? What did she want with Hikaru? And more pressing than anything—how far would Sakura go to protect her family?

  In the stillness of the evening, once the children had drifted into sleep and the house had settled into an uneasy calm, Sakura sat in silence. Her thoughts raced, looping back to the same unsettling suspicions. She clasped her hands tightly and whispered another prayer, her voice unsteady but resolute.

  Whatever the answers were, she had to find them—and she had to find them soon.