Do you exist in my forgotten memories?
Yes.
Tsubaki was totally speechless once she heard his answer. She was only guessing yet when she heard it, she froze as if cold water had downed onto her.
"You... what?" Tsubaki looked at him in disbelief, unable to trust her ears. Did she hear it wrong?
Ren nodded. "I exist in your lost memories. Since five years ago."
Five years ago....
Eyes widened, Tsubaki covered her mouth. "You really... knew me?"
"We knew each other." Ren corrected her.
"Wait... please wait for a moment."
Tsubaki touched her forehead, feeling loss of words. Her eyes wandered to anywhere but him. This was supposed to be a heavy thing to be shared, right? So why did he could openly talk about it. And...
"Are you mistaken, Mr. Fuse?" Tsubaki lifted her head. "We are from different social class. How could someone like me know you?"
"You found me when I was lost."
"Mmm... what?"
Did he mean it literally or...
Ren sipped his tea. The lady looked dazed in confusion. He himself didn't expect things to turn out this way. He had projected many scenarios in his mind to prepare himself when the time finally came for him telling her the truth. Never did he think of her coming to him first.
"Do you want to stop here?" Ren felt bad after seeing her pale face. "We could continue it for some other time."
As much as he wanted her to remember him and their precious memories, he didn't want to pressure her. This was not a trivial matter that could be solved immediately. He needed to carefully approach it.
"It's okay." Tsubaki declined the offer. "I won't be able to stay calm if we just stopped here."
"If that's what you wished for."
Tsubaki smiled in appreciation. She already had her doubts and the man himself admitted to it. She needed to uncover the truth that had been buried for five years. If she just waited for her memories to come back, she knew it would take years or worse, it won't come back at all.
"Besides Satsuki, you might be the only one who could answer me. Even though it's hard, but I'll try to believe what you would say."
"Okay." Ren agreed.
Tsubaki wasn't going to make any promises. She could try but it was still depended on her to truly believe it or not. The man before her wasn't a deceitful person. She thought it won't be hard after all.
"How did we meet?" Tsubaki started her questioning.
"I came to your village. You and Satsuki found me taking a shelter during a rainy day. Then, you two brought me home." Ren didn't hesitate to answer even though their story wasn't sounded so simple like he had said. He could properly tell her later.
"We brought you home?" Tsubaki was stunned with her own decision. "Why did I bring you home?"
"I'll tell your our story from the beginning. It is okay?" Ren smiled.
"Okay..." It was more efficient than her asking random questions.
"I ran away from home and ended up in your village." Ren began reminiscing his memories. "As I didn't want to be tracked down, I didn't use my cards. By the time I had reached your village, I was already short on cash. And... I was quite injured due to a small landslide. By that time, you helped me."
"You were injured? But, why did you run away?" That was one thing she couldn't understand.
"You could say I was trying to run away from my fate." Ren turned his head, looking to the garden outside. Cool breeze occasionally entered through the opened sliding doors. "Or my fate brought me to you here."
Tsubaki went silence and stared at his sorrowful face. She couldn't deny that somehow his sad look tugged at her heartstrings.
There must be a reason on why a man of his status decided to run away from his luxury and hid in a small village. She was sure it was a difficult decision to be made considering the man's careful and calculated approach in life.
Everyone's life was different. There was no one who didn't have to struggle throughout their lives. Even a person born with everything would have something suffocating them, forcing them to find some other way to breathe easily.
"We spent our days in happiness..." His dark eyes returned to hers. "Until the day I was taken away by force. It was also the day you got into the accident."
Tsubaki flinched. She didn't remember much about the accident but uneasiness would crept inside her heart whenever she heard the mentioned of it.
"If you were taken away..." Her lips quivered. "Why did you come back? We just knew each other for a few months at the most. You don't have a reason to come find me and Satsuki back. I'm sure you don't owe us with anything."
Ren didn't immediately answer. She was wrong. He had a reason to come back in her life. Locking their eyes, he parted his lips.
"Because I am your husband. Of course I have to come back."