"Having fun?"
Two pair of eyes met the owner of the husky voice. A soft smile blossomed on Tsubaki's face. She stopped mixing the chopped apples with the other ingredients. The smell of cinnamon wafted in the air.
"Welcome home." Her eyes lit up at the sight of her husband.
Ren smiled. He walked to the kitchen island. Tsubaki had almost done with the apple pies. She had prepared two crusts. Her hair tied up in a bun, she looked so adorable in his eyes. A little bit of flour dusted on her cute button nose.
"Shouldn't you rest?" Ren arched an eyebrow.
"I've been resting all night long. Grandma wants to have some apple pies for evening tea so I prepare some," Tsubaki replied.
She went back to her work. She placed the two pies in a preheated oven. Her back facing her husband and grandma, she didn't noticed their staring contest.
Ren gave a questioning look to his grandmother. Grandma Fuse smirked, didn't waver under her grandson's stare. Tsubaki turned around, caught their funny expressions. She laughed looking at the pair.
"Have you eaten lunch?" Tsubaki wondered as her husband came home before the clock struck four. She was worried if he didn't take a break during working earlier.
"I have, don't worry." Ren understood her concern so he didn't tell her that he just had two sandwiches for lunch. "I'm going to change first. "
"Okay." Tsubaki nodded.
The married couple were oblivious to Grandma Fuse's smile.
The pies were baked to perfection. It was the time for evening tea. Old Yuuzo prepared some tea for them. He even served warm milk to be added if they required it. The three of them sat together under a white gazebo in the garden.
"The garden is so beautiful." Tsubaki sighed blissfully.
The colours of the flowers were so vivid under the sunlight. There was lovely fragrance in the air. Tsubaki had never been in a garden like this. It was like the garden in a fairy tale book she had read during her childhood.
"I always tended to this garden when I was younger," Grandma Fuse placed her cup on the saucer. She wiped the leftover crumbs on her lips using a napkin. "My husband loved gardening. He always refused the servants' help so I had to step in. That man, it was because of him I have backache till now."
Even though Old Madam Fuse said something like that but it was only adoration that could be heard in her voice, tinged faintly with longing. Tsubaki smiled seeing how the old lady's face glowed when talking about her late husband. It was obvious they were so in love.
"You did a great job, grandma. This garden is still beautiful and it's filled with your love towards each other." Tsubaki touched the old lady's hands. Grandma Fuse smiled, her eyes turned glossy.
Grandma Fuse returned to her room after finishing two slices of apple pies which could easily be three or four if not for Ren's continuous nagging. Two maids escorted her inside the house while the other two cleaned the table. Sometimes they took a peek at the pair who just left the gazebo. They suppressed their giggles. It was nice yet funny seeing their cold master got head over heels over his wife.
Ren carried Tsubaki on his back as they took a stroll in the garden. His steps were steady despite carrying the additional weight.
"You don't have to carry me like this," Tsubaki said after a while. "The swelling has reduced."
"It is that bad for me to carry my own wife?" Ren chuckled. He slowly walked on the garden path. The trees swayed whenever soft wind blew.
"I don't want to be blamed if your back ached." Tsubaki answered with a quiet laugh.
Ren also laughed, remembering what grandmother had said before. He tilted his head, looking at his wife's smiling face. They bursted into laughter. Both of them took their time enjoying the beautiful scenery around them. After a while, they sat on a bench in the middle of the garden.
"Ren..." Tsubaki opened her mouth to speak after a few minutes of silence. She was leaning against his chest, head resting on his shoulder. Warmth enveloped her heart and body, something she rarely experienced before.
"Yes?" Ren tightened his arm around her shoulders. He loved the feeling of having her close to him.
"You've already found the culprit from yesterday, right?" Tsubaki looked up, searching the answer from his eyes.
Ren smiled, he couldn't lie to his wife. "Did you hire a private detective to follow me?" He asked, feeling amused.
"You can call it a wife's instinct," Tsubaki returned his smile. "Who was it? And why he did it?"
She really didn't understand how she could attract troubles. But the incident from earlier didn't look like a coincidence. After laying down all the facts, she was certain that she was targeted by someone.
"It was Madam Kitaoji," Ren answered truthfully.
"What?" Tsubaki widened her eyes in shock. She didn't expect to hear that name. "Are you serious?"
Tsubaki didn't have a good impression of that woman. She once saw her during one of the dinner hosted by Chairman Kitaoji to the shop owners who rented in the business district. She was the typical picture of a rich, arrogant lady. Being rude to ordinary people, once she even threw a glass of water to a serving waitress.
"She was mad because she couldn't bail her son out. She resorted to kill you and planned to make Satsuki dropped the case since he's your only family."
"But..." Tsubaki frowned. "I'm sure she wasn't foolish enough to offend you?"
Offending Fuse Family meant inviting death to your doorstep.
"She didn't know about me because I kept my involvement a secret but..." Ren sneered. "Not anymore."
Because right now, the legal team of Fuse Corporation was settling scores with the woman who had been brave enough in seeking her own death.