Chapter Nineteen: Please Help Her:

November 16th, 2010.

Tsuzuki knocked on Tana’s office door. This was Tatsumi’s idea.

“Have you tried to find out why Anna won’t bond with the baby?” he asked. Tsuzuki gave him a blank stare.

“Huh?” he asked. His former partner pressed his hand to his forehead.

“You didn’t ask, did you?” he asked.

“She wouldn’t tell me,” Tsuzuki said. Tatsumi sighed.

“And why didn’t you ask?”

Tsuzuki sheepishly hung his head. “The baby’s so cute!”

Tatsumi groaned. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”

Tsuzuki felt like flying away. “Oh thank you, Tatsumi!” He hugged his old partner wildly. The secretary pushed him off.

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered.

-Now-

Tsuzuki perked up when door opened. Tana gave him a strange look.

“Tsuzuki-san,” she said. “What are you doing here?” The shinigami bowed his head.

“I need your help,” he said. Tana blinked.

“Okay… What’s the problem?” she asked. Tsuzuki looked around for a bit.

“Can I come in?” he asked. Tana moved aside and let him in.

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“She won’t bond with the baby,” Tsuzuki complained. “She’ll take care of Kirika-chan, but it feels cold.”

“Why do you want her to connect with the child?”

The shinigami sighed. “I want us to be a family.”

“But why?”

“It just feels right. I fell in love the moment I held Kirika-chan in my arms.”

“What about Daiyu and her family?”

Tsuzuki rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know, I’ll think something.”

Tana made some quick notes. “How does Anna feel about this?”

The shinigami frowned. “I don’t know.”

“Have you tried talking to her?”

“No.”

“Why have you not?”

He lowered his head. “Can’t get her to open up.” He rushed forward and grabbed her by the hand. “Please! I love my daughter! I really want to make our family work.”

“You do realize that Anna has to be onboard with the idea as well, right?”

Tsuzuki frowned. “Yes.”

“I can’t force her to change her mind about this baby.”

“Can you at least talk to her? Please?” Tsuzuki gave her sweet little puppy eyes. Tana sighed and rolled her eyes. Tana sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Fine,” she said. “I’ll see what I can do.” Tsuzuki happy bowed.

“Thank you so much!” he said. The shinigami hugged her, smiling. Tana shook her head. Tatsumi warned me about this, she thought. Too late to back out now…