As they entered the store, Makaoto rubbed and poked Mika's stomach gently as they linked arms. "You would look better with some meat here, Mika!"
Yuna, however, looked like Makoto had just set her favorite wig on fire. "HEY!" she shrieked, drawing the attention of a very pregnant woman browsing a rack of beige smocks. "Don't fucking touch her! You can't just go around poking people! I'm the main wife! You should be rubbing me instead!" She stomped her foot.
Before Makoto could even process Yuna's outburst, Ayane was already in motion. She grabbed his other hand, the one not held captive by Mika, and slammed it palm-down onto her own stomach.
"Don't forget about this one, boss!" she purred, pressing his hand firmly against her. "It's got an Asuka in it, remember? Needs lots of pokes and attention to grow big and strong."
"Oh, dear," Mafuyu whispered, her face a perfect shade of crimson. She looked around the store, mortified, as another sales associate glanced over with a concerned expression. "Please, Ayane, you're making a scene. let's just look at the clothes…"
Makoto finally found himself standing in the middle of a high-end maternity store, one hand pinned to Mika's stomach, the other held hostage on Ayane's belly, while Yuna glared at him with fury. He felt the urge to find a hole to hide in as he noticed the stares from the other patrons.
"Well, better get used to it…" he told himself and slowly dragged Mika and Ayane along to follow Mafuyu. "Mama-fu seemed like the safest choice in this situation." He thought and nodded.
Mika allowed herself to be dragged along without protest, with a small grin on her face. Ayane, on the other hand, dug her heels in playfully. "Hey, no fair!" she whined. "We're supposed to be looking at slutty maternity lingerie! Not boring stuff with Mama-fu!" Despite her protest, she still followed along, grinning.
Mafuyu was staring at a rack of simple pastel-colored wrap dresses. She looked like she was praying for the floor to swallow her whole. "Oh, um… hello, honey," she stammered as Makoto appeared beside her. "This one is made of, uh… cotton… it's very breathable…"
Yuna appeared at Makoto's other side like an angry territorial cat. She sniffed disdainfully at the pale yellow dress Mafuyu was holding. "It's the color of baby vomit, Mafuyu-nee."
Then she ran away and reappeared from behind a rack of black yoga pants, held up some sets: one simple, elegant black set; one stylish gray set; one soft pink set; and one comfortable beige set. "This is more practical. One for each of us, make us look like a team."
"Hmm, I like that idea. Good work, Yuna." Makoto eyed the four sets, then rubbed her head affectionately.
Yuna preened under his praise, a smug, satisfied smirk on her face. She leaned into his hand for a second before quickly composing herself. "Of course it's a good idea, you fat idiot. I have good taste, unlike some people."
"Anything for me, too?" He continued.
Yuna snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. This is a store for pregnant women. They don't carry clothes for overgrown man-children." But then, her eyes landed on something, and a wicked glint appeared.
She marched over to a small section of "Dad & Me" themed novelty items. "However, they do have these." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she held up pairs of soft-looking pants. "They come in four colors, if you want to match us, pig bro."
"Ahem. I will take them all then, and the pants too," Makoto said, grabbing the four pieces. His mind wandered, picturing Yuna, Mika, Ayane, and Mafuyu in their matching yoga pants, and he felt a stir of arousal.
The girls kept throwing stuff into the cart with reckless abandon as his shopping bags grew heavier and heavier. The cart was now a towering pile of items. "Is that enough? Time to buy stuff for our onsen trip, too." Makoto groaned.
"Enough?! We haven't even gotten to the important stuff yet!" Yuna declared. "New lingerie for the onsen! After the doctor's all-clear!"
"I call dibs on the black lace one with the cutouts!" Ayane shouted, sprinting towards the back of the store.
"We should also consider sun hats," Mika added, pulling up a list of SPF-safe brands.
"And prenatal vitamins!" Mafuyu added, her arms full.
After another twenty minutes of frantic shopping, they were at the checkout. The total was a number so large it made Makoto's eyes water, but he handed over his credit card without a word.
"I've already added the sleeping pillows to the online cart for delivery, darling. It's more cost-effective." Mika said, adjusting her glasses. "It's scheduled for 7 PM, and the goods will all be waiting for us when we get home."
Makoto felt a strange sense of relief about the long pillows, even as his wallet screamed in agony. "Geez, we're lucky they have a home delivery service. Wouldn't be able to put all that in my car."
"See? Second wife is the best wife," Ayane chirped and slung an arm around Mika's shoulders.
Makoto followed the girls, carrying only a small bag containing the yoga pants and some belly-stretching cream.
"Alright, mission accomplished," Yuna said, clapping her hands together as they finally exited the store. "Now, to the clinic. Let's go get our babies their first official check-up."
"Can't wait to see the look on the doctor's face when we walk in. It's gonna be a core memory." Ayane chimed in.
"I still think we should have gotten the seven-foot sleeping pillow now," Mafuyu whispered, wringing her hands. "What if the delivery truck gets a flat tire?"
"Stop worrying, Mafuyu-nee," Yuna snapped. "Mika got it under control. Let's go! I want to get this over with so we can finally get some peace and quiet."
===
The clinic was a short walk from the mall, tucked inside a quiet office building that felt miles away from the shopping chaos they'd just left behind.
As the group walked, the setting sun stretched long amber shadows across the street. That frantic shopping energy had mostly burned off by now, leaving something quieter and more nervous in its place.
Makoto stopped in front of a discreet door with a simple, polished sign: Sakurano Women's Health Clinic.
Yuna took a deep, shaky breath. Her earlier bravado wobbled for a second. Without a word, she reached out and grabbed Makoto's hand, her grip surprisingly tight for someone who'd been talking tough all afternoon.
"Come on, I bet she isn't going to judge you, Yuna. Well… maybe just me," Makoto said, trying to lighten things up. He leaned down and kissed Yuna's cheek, squeezing her hand back.
The kiss did nothing to soothe Yuna. If anything, it made her more tense, more territorial. "She'll judge you, alright," she muttered, her voice dropping to a low growl. "She'll judge you for being a pervert who knocked up his own little stepsister and her friends."
She squeezed his hand harder, fear and fierce possessiveness fighting for control of her expression. "And you'd better not tell her you're my stepbrother."
Makoto then turned to place a gentle peck on Mika's cheek, too. "Let's go. Should I tell her I'm the father of the babies? Or just everyone's brother? You know, to not shock the poor doctor?" He chuckled, though the sound came out a little dry.
Mika melted at the kiss. A blissful smile spread across her face, softening her usually sharp features. She leaned into his touch for a brief second before straightening back into her composed posture.
"The truth is always the easiest option, darling," she said, her voice a soft purr. "Lies require too much maintenance. The doctor is a medical professional. Her job is to ensure the health of the patients, not to pass moral judgment."
"I think you should say it all at once, boss," Ayane whispered, leaning in from behind Makoto. "Like, rip the band-aid off. Just walk in and be like, 'Hi, doc! I'm the baby daddy to all four of them, and also the stepbrother of one! Surprise!" She was grinning from ear to ear, genuinely excited by the potential for chaos.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Mafuyu stammered, her face turning a pale shade of green. "Let's just let her examine us first. And then, if she asks..." She looked like she might pass out right there on the sidewalk.