Chapter Text
A deep sigh escaped the mouth of Jin Kirigiri while he relaxed on a park bench. Beside him, a carriage containing his month old daughter. The girl snoozed peacefully, suckling on their pacifier as the sun cast a warm glow on them. "Hmm.. I suppose your mom was right, I did need this." Jin observed, gently petting her face with his finger. Even if he hadn't known her long, the girl had stolen his heart , and brought a smile to his face every time he saw her. "Kyoko... You're going to grow into an amazing woman one day,no just know it..." He mused, looking back up high into the sky. The birds were chirping, the wind was blowing, A baby was flying through the air.... "Wait-" Jin states as his eyes went wide with shock, and another man seemingly rushed next to him.
"SOMEONE CATCH THAT BABY!" They shout, frantically looking around, and then snatching the carriage Jin had.
"Wha- hey!" Jin shouts, taking off after the man.
"I'm sorry, I'll return it as soon as I can!" The man apologized continuing to run after the soaring child. "I just need to make sure my son doesn't go splat!"
"AT LEAST LET ME GET MY CHILD OUT FIRST!" Jin angrily replied, surprising the man, who proceeded to look down where the baby Kyoko began to open her eyes a tiny bit.
"Ahhh!" The man yelped, slipping backwards as the carriage came rolling down the path. "Oh crap!" He again screamed, absolutely panicking as he and Jin went after it.
"Great job moron, now both of our kids are in danger!" He barked, the other only panicking more as they took off. Just as things looked their most dire, the carriage came to a convenient stop, thanks to a well-placed crack that happened to kill it's momentum, and make it slow down onto a grassy patch.
"Waaaaa!!" Cried the flying baby, as he luckily happened to also land in the carriage, right beside Kyoko. While this did surprise him, it seemingly calmed him down as well, as they laughed it off.
"O-oh thank god.." The man pants, looking at his child in relief. "This'll be a story we don't tell your mom yet, huh buddy?" He asked his kid, turning back to Jin as they caught up. "Listen, uh... Sorry about what I did... I didn't realize your kid was in their until it was too late." He apologized, rubbing the back of his head.
"Water under the bridge..." Jin pants, waving it off as he looked at the two kids. His girl was certainly taller, even for their sizes. Despite that though, she seemed to look at this other baby curiously, while he smiled directly at her. "Honestly, I'm just glad they're both safe... Dare I ask what even happened though?" He inquired.
"Eh, some kid was practicing their football skills, and, well... I suppose that they thought my son was a ball..." The man explained, a spark filling Jin's eyes as he looked up again.
"That must've been some kick.... Talk about talent." He observed, much to the man's confusion.
"Uh, yeah... I-I Guess." He says whilst rubbing the back of his head. "Again, sorry for the trouble, but I should probably get going now." He told Jin. "Makoto here's probably had enough excitement for one afternoon." He said, looking back at the two babies, with the girl pressing their hand on the laughing boy's leg. "Come on you, say goodbye to your new friend!" He joked, making Makoto wave goodbye. "Maybe if you're lucky, you'll see them again?" He suggests, looking at Jin pleasantly, the latter giving a small smirk.
"That depends on how much free time me and Kyoko will have." He remarks, taking the moment to shake the man's hand before they parted. "Doubt it'll be much, but crazier things have happened."
~~~~~~~~~~
"Uh, excuse me.. E-excuse me..." A small boy stutters, being passed by several people as he looked around. No matter what though, he just couldn't get noticed amongst the hustle and bustle of the town. "Uh... P-ple-" He tried to say, only to find themself falling onto their hands and knees. "Please... I-I'm lost..." He whimpers, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
"I'll help you out!" A voice chimed, making the boy look up to see a girl with pale, violet hair in twin braids. She looked to be the same age as him, but somehow she was slightly taller. "Whatnare you looking for?" She asked, A bright smile on her face, her lavender eyes shining at the boy.
"Uh... Well, I'm looking for the park... I promised my mom and dad I'd meet them there after I finished playing games at the arcade but... I got distracted.. If I don't meet them in half an hour-" He said, pressing his fingers together, until the girl conveniently pressed a finger to his lips, making the boy blush in embarrassment.
"Say no more! We just need to find a map!" She beamed, grabbing the boy by the sleeve of his over-sized hoodie, and dragging him along.
"W-wait, I'm bad with maps!" The boy cried, being pulled across to the nearest map board.
"No problem, just leave that part to me, and I'll tell you where to go!" The girl beamed, standing on her tip toes to get a good look."Let's see... We're here, so that means.... and the park's here..." She explains, reaching to point at the spots she found on the map.
"Wow, you can read that?" The boy said in disbelief, still having trouble understanding the squiggles. "Y-you must be really smart..."
"I gotta be!" The girl said proudly. "My daddy's in charge of this big school, so he's gotta be smart, and he's always saying mommy's smarter than him." She giggled, looking back at the map.
"Cool! My dad just works in an office." The boy replied, perking up a bit.
"Yep! Plus, it turns out my grandpa's a detective! So that's extra smarts!" She announced, looking back at the map. "I'm actually going to go visit him for awhile, so I'll need to really study the airport map!" She told the boy excitedly.
"With how you're doing now, I think it'll only take you a second!" The boy cheered, watching the girl try and trace the paths. "I bet they're really proud of you!" He adds, with the girl's tracing slowing down a bit, as her smile seemed to fade. "What's wrong?"
"Well... They are, but... My mommy's seemed kind of sad recently, and I don't know what it is..." The girl admits, her head sinking a bit. "She seems... Tired." She quietly said, soon feeling the boy's hand touch hers. She looked over, to see him look up with an apologetic look, but also a smile that seemed to cheer her back up.
"Which is why when I come back, I'll be even smarter, and she'll be proud of her smart girl!" She exclaimed. "She'll be 'Wow, you've become so big and wise! I'm so happy you're my daughter!' And she won't be as sad anymore!" She smiled, looking at the map again. "Alright, so you'll want to keep going straight from here!" She instructs, pointing towards the East. "That should get you to the park easily! If you've passed the ice cream shop, you've gone to far!" She told the boy happily.
"Thanks! Well, I hope you have a fun time with your grandpa!" The boy told her, with the girl nodding.
"Sure will! See you around!" She says, turning around as the two go their separate ways.
'I liked that girl... I wonder if I'll see her again?' The boy asked himself, hurrying down the path. 'I bet she'd make a great friend too! Just think, the dynamic duo of Makoto and... Makoto Naegi and.... Shoot, I forgot to ask for her name.' The boy realizes as he tripped and fell into the park, in front of his parents.
~~~~~~~~~~
".. And that's pretty much what happened." Makoto explained to Kyoko as he looked down at her from the top of a tree... Upside down. "That's what I get for trying to be the friendly neighborhood Naegi" He groaned, looking right at her, dangling from the height he was at.
"I see... Have you made any attempt to get help?" Kyoko asks, looking up towards the boy. Her eyes drifting up to see his foot stuck between a cross of branches, blocking him from grabbing at his shoe. Upon being asked, Makoto gestured to the phone on the grass; Thankfully not damaged, but very much out of reach.
"Yeah, that fell when I pulled it out... And with the branches in the way, I can't exactly squeeze my foot out easily. I tried wriggling free, but all that did..." He rambles, Kyoko looking at his predicament carefully, scratching her chin as she looked things up and down. Quickly finding an answer, she looked at Makoto one more time, a small smile forming on her face. "...So yeah, I've kind of just been waiting for someone. Glad you came along!" He smiled, until noticing the glint in Kyoko's eyes as she stepped forward. "Uh, is everything ok?" He asks, his cheeks heating up as her gloved hands cupped them gently.
"I want to try something." Kyoko whispered, gently rubbing her thumb on his face, Makot's pupils growing wide.
"Wh-what is that?" Makoto sputters, feeling a nervous sweat just beginning to form. Time seemed to slow down for him, looking directly into Kyoko's lavender circles, seemingly becoming lost. Their lips at this point had just been mere centimeters arpart, and then...
Crack!
"Woaah!" Makoto cried out, being forcefully yanked by his head as Kyoko pulled him right out from the branches, snapping them up as she caught him in her arms. "Uh, thanks.." He breathed, looking directly up into her eyes again. "Should've known you'd have an answer." He chuckled, readjusting himself, and allowing the two be at their usual eye level again, but even then, it felt nice.
"Hehehe..." Someone giggled, breaking their stupor as they turned to look at their friend Hina, casually watching them from around the corner. "Oh, don't mind me! Last thing I want to do is ruin your moment." She told them, giddily running off, and leaving the both of them embarrassed.
"Wait, no, Kirigiri was just helping me out!" Makoto announced, completely flustered. "I was stuck inthe tree!" He called out, only for Kyoko to place her hand on his shoulder.
"You know it'll take more convincing than that." She told him, the boy looking down in defeat. "Just be glad I noticed her before she actually caught us doing something." she adds, Makoto looking back up, only to see the girl leave him be.
~~~~~~~~~
"You were right Kyoko..." Makoto sighed, looking down at his month old child, gently rubbing their face with his finger. "I needed this..." He told her, the two sitting side by side as the sun set on them, casting a glow across the two as it hangs high in the sky. The baby letting out a laugh as they clasp their father's finger.
"We both did..." Kyoko replied, resting her head on his as they cuddled together at the park.
"We've really come a long way from being those two kids, with no idea how to get out of that school, didn't we?" Makoto asks, looking between his child, and wife as he took in the size difference difference. "Heh, I swear, only thing that has barely grown much about me is my height."
"Maybe, but it's a minor thing." Kyoko notes, kissing his forehead. "As far as I'm concerned, you're tall enough." She informed, cuddling deeper into him, and looking back at their child. "As for this one though, I'm certain they'll grow into someone amazing..." Kyoko hummed, tickling their cheek as they smiled.
"Well, in that case I'm hoping they inherit yours, because it means they'll be amazing, and tall like you too!" He grins, receiving a playful bump. "What, I can't want my kid to be smart AND able to reach the top shelf for me?" He jokes, resting himself against her. "You know, it's funny... This is the same park I used to go as a kid." Makoto admits as he pets their child. "I still have so many memories of my time here... Climbing that tree, getting stuck in it, having picnics with my parents.." He remembers, picking his baby up as they start to yawn.. "And now I get to do it with you guys."
"Did you get stuck upside down in it too?" Kyoko asked, pulling her child closer to her as they began to fall asleep.."But in all seriousness... I do have some memory of this place too... Not much, but enough." She observed, looking up to the sky. "It's sort of like a dream, coming back to this place again." She aid as her husband readjusted himself to let Kyoko rest her head on him.
"Speaking of dreams, seems like Sora's about to have some himself." Makoto comments as he watched their baby close their eyes, entering a pleasant slumber. "I think it's time we get them back in bed." He states, Kyoko agreeing as she gently placed them back in the carriage. As she stood, Makoto could only look up at her, in a state of awe as the sunset cast a golden glow around the detective. "Oh, just one more thing." He announced, quickly kissing Kyoko on the lips. "That's for helping me out of that, all those years ago."
"The tree, or some other incident?" Kyoko playfully asks, getting her husband to giggle again.
"Let's just say the tree for now. I'll have more to come though!" He said, the two locking lips again for a moment, and then went on their way back home. The height of their day having been reached, but still on the height of their lives.