He didn't think, his body just moved on its own. He dashed out of the car and ran as fast as a lightning to the limping body on the road. He couldn't see anything, even the shock on the passersby's faces, except for her.
No... No!
"Tsubaki!"
Ren took hold of her body, dread filling his heart. He didn't realise how much he was shaking, face turning paler and paler until one could believe red blood didn't flow in his veins.
"Ren..."
Ren snapped out of his nightmare at the sound of her weak voice. The lady slowly opened his eyes. Smiling at him, she opened her mouth, "I dodged the van. Don't worry... I was just shocked..."
"You..." Ren couldn't say anything. He immediately hugged her body tight. He didn't cry, but it was hard to breath.
"Sister Tsubaki!"
A familiar voice called out her name in the midst of the crowd gathering around them. It was then that Tsubaki realised there were people approaching her and Ren. Passersby stopped walking, a couple of familiar faces from the shop district ran to the middle of the road. The passing cars had even stopped to give them help.
"Sister Tsubaki, what happened?" Chiyo and Kohana kneeled on the road. They worriedly looked at Tsubaki's pale face.
"Miss Hanada, are you okay?" Mr. Goto arrived with one of his workers.
"I'm fine. Nothing happened."
Tsubaki reassured them with a smile. Her knees felt weak due to the shock. Ren helped her to stand up. One arm was supporting her waist while the other fishing out his phone from his pocket. Their eyes landed on the man with the imposing presence.
"Obtain the footage within 10 kilometers of the shop district. You know what to do." Ren gave brief instructions to Akashi. His voice grew colder, his face darkening bringing fear to the ones who were watching the couple.
Once Ren hung up, he called Toshiro. Without glancing at the people around him and Tsubaki, with the same cold voice he ordered, "My wife is injured. Prepare a room."
Putting the phone back inside his pocket, he turned to Tsubaki. His heart ached seeing her pale face. The cold in his voice dissipated when he spoke to her, "Let's go to the hospital. Toshiro is waiting."
"I'm fine." Seeing fear in his eyes, Tsubaki continued to reassure him. "Go.You have a meeting right?"
Ren shook his head. He turned his head and looked at Chiyo and Kohana. His eyes contained a suppressed anger, scaring the two girls.
"I'll bring your boss to the hospital. Is that okay?"
Fearing that they would suffer his wrath if they objected, both Kohana and Chiyo quickly nodded. They couldn't speak in front of the icy cold man.
Ren quickly carried Tsubaki in a bridal style and strode toward the car. She wanted to object but as she could feel how his body was shaking despite his tough exterior, she swallowed down the words. Tsubaki obediently followed Ren's action. He placed her at the back seat and buckled her seat belt.
Once the car left, two black cars arrived within five minutes. Five men in black suits with Fuse Family crest alighted the cars. The people who still remained near the road were shocked with their appearance.
Their leader came forward and told them their intention. They needed to gather witnesses' testimony and the dashcams from the vehicles parked nearby. Akashi would handle the CCTVs.
"Who are they?" Mr. Goto looked incredulously at them.
"The man's bodyguards, I think." Kohana answered. "From Fuse Family."
"What?"
Kohana and Chiyo could only stare at Mr. Goto when the man mumbled some incoherent words. He didn't realise that he had met the mysterious new master of Fuse Family! And... did the man say Tsubaki was... his wife?
In a hospital room.
Toshiro had done a full body checkup on Tsubaki. She didn't suffer any major injuries besides a few scratches when he landed on the tarmac in order to dodge the speeding van. She sprained her right leg in the process.
"You shouldn't walk around much in a week. Or else your ankle won't recover within a short time." Toshiro stood up after bandaging her ankle.
"Thank you, doctor." Tsubaki looked down, to her sprained ankle. It hurt to move even slightly.
"You don't need to be formal with me. You're my sister in-law after all." Toshiro winked. He turned around and saw his friend's darkened face. "I'm heading out. Press the button if you need anything."
Once Toshiro left, silence filled the spacious room. Tsubaki looked at her husband who stood not far from the bed. She was sitting on the bed, legs hanging on the floor.
"Ren..." Tsubaki called out to him. "You didn't meet my eyes once after we arrived here. Why?"
Ren flinched. Mustering everything that he got, he slowly landed his eyes on her smiling face. Seeing the smile, he felt conflicted. He strode toward her and wrapped his arms around her petite body. Hearing his ragged breath, guilt ached her heart. She returned his gesture.
"I'm fine." Her voice muffled against his coat. "You're here."
Ren nodded in pain. One hand caressed her head while he repeatedly kissing her crown. "Yes... you're fine... You're fine..."
He chanted it like a mantra, more for his own sake than hers, to believe that she was safe in his arms.