At hospital,
Nighttime...

Kai's POV

"Aha! Mommy! Daddy!" My little girl called out for us cheerfully as she waved her hand at us in such energetic manner. Her head was neatly wrapped with bandage, yet she didn't show any sign of pain. She seemed like her normal cheerful self.

"Ai-nee!" Ichiru ran to his older sister's hospital bed. Ken tailed behind, but he only walked. Using the chairs provided in the ward room, they climbed onto it to take a closer look of Aiko. Aiko giggled gleefully when the two boys crawled on the bed, heading toward her. The triplets hugged each other lovingly.

Izuku and me looked at each other questionably. Here we thought we would see Aiko bawling. But she seemed perfectly fine, as if the incident earlier never occured to her.

Izuku smiled softly at our precious kids. I wrapped my arm around her small shoulders, pulling her close to me. I stroked her hair, and she hummed in delight.

"Our kids... Are growing up fast."

"... You are right."

Both of us were relieved and happy at the same time to see the children doing fine. "Mommy~ Daddy~" The triplets called us in unison, asking for attention.

We both walked toward the little ones. Both of us sat on each side of Aiko's bed. Izuku immediately hugged Aiko, not wanting to let me go. "Aiko... Did your head hurt?" She asked in concern, caressing Aiko's dark brown locks.

"Hmm, nope! Because Mommy, Daddy, Nii-nii and Ichi are here! Everyone's love make the pain go go away!" Aiko giggled innocently again. Her small arms locked around Izuku's neck.

I could only smile when I heard her frank response. I held my two little boys close to me. I always felt at peace whenever I did this.

Children... Is indeed a pure being.

Except for the three little runts who hurt my kids.

But our moments were cut off short when the door was suddenly knocked. I turned to Izuku. She nodded her head.

"Come in." I spoke up. As soon as those words left my mouth, the door slowly opened by someone. A young man wearing white cloak was revealed to be standing at the doorframe.
"Good day, everyone. I assume you two are Aiko Chisaki's parents?" The male doctor started with a smile stretched up on his lips.

"Yes. Are you here to run a check-up on our daughter?" Surprisingly, I was the one who responded to him. Usually, Izuku would be the one who did all the talkings with people while I kept quiet, only listening.

But today, I guessed we would switch role once in a while. Izuku faced too many criticism today, so she might still feel bothered by it.

"Exactly. It is time for Aiko-chan's exam. But you two, and her siblings there can come along too." The doctor's smile widened.

"Is it really fine for us to come along?" I asked, confused by his statement. "Yeah. This exam is only to determine Aiko-chan's health state. If I find nothing serious, then she will be discharged tonight."

I heard Izuku gasped in happiness. I turned to her and as expected, she was smiling.

"Very well. We will come along."

•••••

After the check up,
Outside the hospital,
Nighttime...

Third Person's POV

Waving their hands at the hospital staffs, the Chisakis gradually left the hospital ground.

"Ne, ne, Mommy. Can Aiko eat Mommy's yummy katchudon? Aiko hungry!" Aiko whined at her mother.

Izuku chuckled heartily at her youngest daughter. "Of course, sweetheart. I will make the best katsudon in the world for you!" She picked her up and spun around joyfully.

"Ichi want spin too!!" Ichiru hugged Izuku's leg, looking up to the young woman with his big honey yellow eyes.

Ken only watched his little siblings crowding their mother, while he clutched on Kai's leg. He stared at his father who was distracted, guilt clouding his face.

"Now, now. Let's go pick up Eri-nee at Grandpa's house and then we can eat katsudon." Izuku, realizing that it was quite late now, told her beloved kids. Aiko and Ichiru laughed softly, while Ken didn't respond, resulting to silence.

•••••

Chisaki's residence,
Late night...

Izuku's POV

I was washing dishes in the kitchen by myself. The kids were in Eri's room, trying to entertain their sick oldest sister, with their cuteness. Kai was watching over them in Eri's room too.

At least I thought I was alone.

I heard soft sobbing coming from the living room. Hearing this, I stopped washing the dishes. I looked around the living area, but saw no one around.

Huh? Whose voice is that?

Curious, I headed to the living area. I was quite shocked to see my oldest son, Ken, sitting on the couch, snivelling.

This sight was very heartbreaking. I didn't know what saddened my little boy. I needed to figure this out.

I sat on the couch next to Ken. He didn't seem to notice my presence. Smiling sadly, I greeted him.

"Ken... What is wrong, sweetheart?"

Ken, hearing my voice, lifted his head up. He stared at me with his teary eyes. This saddened me. He rarely cried, or expressed his feelings. Just lately, he... Kept showing his emotions.

"M-Mommy..." Ken's voice was very shaky and croaky. He crawled onto my lap, burying his face in my chest.

"There, there. Mommy is here... Tell me, sweetie. What is wrong?" I spoke up softly as I caressed my son's hair. Ken clutched on the back of my top firmly.

"... Mommy... Am I... A bad big brother...?" Ken asked me weakly, tears wouldn't stop leaving his emerald  eyes.

"H-huh?" I was baffled by his unexpected question.

"I... Don't protect Ichi... I... Don't protect Ai... I... I hurt Daddy."

"I-I am a big brother, but I don't protect my siblings... I-I am a bad big brother..."

Ken sobbed in my arms, his grip on me tightened. I mentally gasped in shock.

He was bothered by that thought this whole time? Is that why he was extremely quiet today?

I-I can't believe... I never notice his feelings...

"Ken... You were wrong about everything you said. You are not a bad big brother. You are a great, kind-hearted big brother. You protected your little siblings from those bullies. That proves how kind you are." I told my son with gentle voice, wanting to convince him how good of  a brother he was.

He is still young, but he already feels the responsibility he will carry as the oldest brother.

Ken is much more matured than I thought...

"M-Mommy..."

"Hai,hai, I'm here..."

"If I am... A good big brother... Then I am not... A monster... Right?"

My heart dropped at the question he spelt out. He looked up to me with hopefulness sparkling in his emerald eyes.

He must have recalled those mothers' words.

Ken...

I quickly pulled him into a tighter hug. My lips and arms were trembling.

"No, you aren't a monster. You are my son, Ken. My beloved son." I whispered words of encouragement into his ear.

To hear my own child calling himself a monster...

It pains. It pains my heart a lot. I don't want my child to look at himself as a monster.

Ken, honey, my dearest son...

Believe in me, son... You aren't a monster.

You, Aiko, Ichiru, Eri and Kai... All of you are the angels of life.