On the opposite side of the gla.s.s, Rie exclaims, "Yuta, you have grown taller."
It"s been three months since that incident. In the last hearing, Umezaki Rie was sentenced to a year in the prison and five thousand dollars fine after it was proven that she committed those crimes under threats. She cooperated with the law and revealed the names of the people who were also involved including the other members of the DH who were found dead except for Yuan Bo.
"I am sorry, Mother," Yuta apologizes again. He had seen his father trying everything to reduce the prison sentence. To make the matter worse, his mother is pregnant. If he didn"t get kidnapped by Maddox, his parents wouldn"t have gone to the cops. All of this happened because of him.
"Don"t blame yourself." Rie tells him with a kind voice, "It worked out for the better though. Rather than spending my life hiding from the world because of my past, isn"t it better to face it head-on? We don"t have to live in that village anymore. After all, I married your father for his money. The CEO wouldn"t make a good farmer. I think that he"s better at killing plants than growing them."
"But…" Yuta knits his brows and stares at her belly. His sister is going to be born in prison.
"Besides, it"s not a bad place. I even made some friends. The food isn"t bad. Your father pays them to take care of me well." She glances at Kiyohira and smiles. "I am not worried about my future anymore since I am already married to him."
She"s so relieved. Kiyohira crosses his arms and glares at her. "Why are you happy about spending time in prison? Do you even miss us?"
"It"s not like I am alone here." She presses her hand on her belly. "Yuta"s sister is with me."
He lets out an exasperated sigh. He"s trying to get her out on parole, but it seems hard. She had committed grave cyber-crimes including leaking national security information. It was nearly impossible to get But the woman in front of him was never afraid to face the repercussions.
With a grumpy face, he complains to his wife, "You are cruel, Umezaki Rie. You always manage to find a way to get away from me."
"This is the last time." She winks at him. "After I come out, I promise that I will never ever leave you. Until then, take care of our son well."
"You better keep your promise this time." Kiyohira holds her hand. "Did you meet your father?"
"He scolded me so much." She c.o.c.ks her head, shuddering. "When the time was over, he started scolding the guards. Kozue visited me too. He wouldn"t stop crying. Can you believe that he"s an a.s.sistant professor now?"
In this lifetime, Yuta met his grandfather too. His grandfather moved back to the country. Now, he visits Yuta once in a while. Surprisingly, his grandfather never treats him as a kid. His grandfather thinks that he"s a prodigy like his mother.
"Don"t meet random people." Kiyohira frowns at her. "If you use all of your visitation hours, when will I meet you?"
"But Kozue is a friend." She frowns back. "By the way, why Ren hasn"t visited me? Even Takes.h.i.+ and Iori have been here once."
"Oh, him." Kiyohira leans back, relaxing. "He"s in prison again."
"What?" Rie widens her eyes. "Why is he in prison again?"
"He is quite devoted to you." Kiyohira exhales. "He said that he wanted to go to prison because you are in prison. So, he went ahead and played a few hacking pranks. Then, surrendered in the police station. He was sentenced for three months, but he demanded them to make it two years. When the judge didn"t agree, he insulted the judge. In the end, he was sentenced for six months."
Rie is speechless.
"You have a weird friend, Mother." Yuta sighs. "Before he went, he gave me all of his games and said that I could keep them. He was crying too."
"Ah! He never gives away his treasure to anyone." Rie chuckles. "Yuta, he"s my best friend. When he comes out, treat your Uncle well. Don"t let him do foolish things and go to prison to support me. Tell him that he can support me by living well."
"Sure, Mother." Yuta sighs. He has to teach that redheaded Uncle some lessons about life.
"I wish I could come to prison to live with you." Kiyohira releases his breath, depressed.
They have spent more time apart than together. Rie bats her eyes. "What if I become ugly and old in prison?"
"What ugly and old?" Kiyohira mutters, "You look chubbier and younger. You are having a fun life, spending your days eating and sleeping only."
While he feels like he"s dying without her.
"Ten more months." Yuta isn"t any better. It"s only men at home. At home, they would look at her picture and sigh together. The food is tasteless without her beside them. "I really miss you, Mother."
Rie gives him a flying kiss. "Stay strong. I won"t be coming out alone."
"I hope so." Yuta smiles at her. "Mother, give birth to a fat sister."
"Haha!" Rie wipes the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her son knows nothing about the pain that a woman has to endure during childbirth. Nevertheless, she"s looking forward to seeing their second child.
"If you face any problem or feel sick…" Kiyohira looks at her seriously.
"I know whom to contact." She waves her hand. The prison doesn"t feel like a prison, thanks to her husband. But she misses Kiyohira and Yuta every single moment of her life here. "Don"t worry about me, Husband. I am doing fine."
"Worrying about you is my job." Kiyohira presses his palm on the gla.s.s. "Let"s go on our honeymoon trip after you come out."
"Isn"t it a little late for that?" Yuta looks at him with confusion. "I am already here."
"So what?" Kiyohira glowers at him. "I haven"t taken your mother to the most beautiful places in the world."
"Are you going to leave me and sister behind?" Yuta squints at him. "It"s not fair to my sister."
Rie laughs when she watches them argue. They seem closer than before. His stupid husband keeps talking about taking her to the most beautiful places in the world, but he hasn"t understood one simple thing -- the most beautiful place in the world is beside him and their children.