Tsubaki stared at the house standing before her. An indescribable feeling seeped into her heart as she looked at the state of the house. Once, even though it was just a small one but she and Satsuki always kept the environment inside and outside tidy and now, it was obvious this place had been left for too long.
The grass had grown taller, reaching her ankles. Tsubaki knew her closest neighbor, the Kuroki couple occasionally came to trim the grass and tidy the lawn. The couple had always been nice to her and Satsuki. Even though she had never returned here after the accident but, Tsubaki didn't forget to contact them once in a while.
"Tsubaki," Ren called out her name from behind. "Are you okay? You don't want to unlock the pad, sweetheart?"
Tsubaki shook her head. She gave him a faint smile. "I'm okay. I'm just... it feels weird seeing this place became messy."
Ren chuckled softly, agreeing with Tsubaki's statement. He walked over to her side, large-sized luggage was in his right hand. He swept his gaze on the house. This was his home for almost a year before he was dragged away from this place.
Their living room in Spring Garden was a few times bigger than Tsubaki's family home but he missed this place as much as her.
"Yes, I remember that you'd always nag Satsuki whenever he left his things at random place," A fond smile grace Ren's face when a memory popped inside his mind. "I've actually missed this house. After all, this is where I got to know you."
Ren reached out for her hand, which Tsubaki accepted with a smile. He rubbed his thumb on her palm slowly as he locked his gaze on her eyes. Tsubaki smiled shyly when she saw the look of tenderness he bore to her. It was different than his usual gaze.
"Let's go inside," Tsubaki squeezed his hand. Ren smiled with a nod.
Tsubaki took out a set of keys from her handbag. It had been so long since the last time she used this key. The lock pad was slightly rusty as Tsubaki inserted the key into the keyhole. She placed her hand on the handle, pushing the gate inside.
Ren brought the luggage with him when Tsubaki was opening the main door of the house. A musty scent invaded their nostrils. Tsubaki coughed when she accidentally inhaled the dust coming from inside the house. She quickly covered her nose and mouth.
Most of the furniture inside was protected with big white clothes resembling blankets. A thick layer of dust formed on every surface left without any cover. Tsubaki ran one of her fingers on the white cloth covering the shoe cabinet near the entrance. The dark dust was a stark contrast against her fair skin.
It was really different from the usual pristine way she kept the house before.
"It seems like we need to tidy this place first, sweetheart," Ren suggested after looking at the living room. There was no way for them to sleep here tonight with this amount of dust. The spiders had already spun cobwebs at each nook and cranny.
"Yes, we have to," Tsubaki agreed. Luckily, she had come prepared.
Tsubaki brought out two sets of home slippers and two masks from the luggage. Her fingers swiftly tied the mask behind her head. She giggled when Ren had to bend down in order for her to help him tie the mask over his face. Her eyes curved beautifully like crescents of the moon.
"You have to do labor work today, darling," Tsubaki rolled her butterfly sleeves up and pinned them on the shoulders. She knew their clothes would be dirtied later but she was too lazy to change. It seemed like her husband shared her sentiment. "I think the cleaning tools in the store still could be used. Thank God we stop halfway to buy the other necessities."
Ren laughed. He turned around and went back to the car. A bag full of cleaning liquids, aprons and thick gloves was brought out from the trunk. Tsubaki went to the backyard, she came back with two brooms, a mop and a bucket. Since she stored them properly by using plastics to cover them, there was an only minimal speck of dust on them.
"We need to air the rooms first," Tsubaki leaned the brooms and mop against the wall. "The air is so musty."
And then, the couple began their cleaning work by opening all the windows in the house. All the curtains were pulled to the sides. When the sunlight penetrated through the open windows, they could see particles of dust hanging in the air.
Tsubaki and Ren dusted the house starting from the ceilings. In order to save time, they just cleaned the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom and Tsubaki's room. Beads of sweat formed on their foreheads, trickling down their faces. In a matter of time, the floor was totally dirtied with the additional dust and cobwebs.
"Sweetheart, have some water first."
Ren twisted the cap of a mineral water bottle after washing his hands. Since Tsubaki's hands were dirtied, he helped her to drink. Tsubaki took a few mouthfuls of water. She felt so refreshed when the cold water moistened her dry throat. She smiled gratefully to Ren who was wiping her face using a cold towel.
"There's not much left," Ren looked at the floor underneath his feet. The dust and cobwebs had been swept to the ground outside of the house. "You go and rest first. I'll help mop the floor."
"No, I could still continue," Tsubaki refused his offer. "It's already 6, it'd be quicker if we worked together."
Ren smiled, understood his wife's intention. "Alright."
After two rounds of mopping the floor, both of them finally laid exhausted on the sofa. The unpleasant odor had been chased away, replaced by the sweet scent of floral detergent. All the clothes that needed to be washed were currently spun around in the washing machine. The sun had started to set. Tsubaki and Ren sneaked a look at each other. Spots of dust marked their faces. They stifled a laugh but it only got louder.
"Hubby, I didn't expect I could see you so hard at work like today. Your face right now is so... spectacular?" Tsubaki pressed her tummy, her shoulders shook as she tried to hold her laugh.
Ren leaned over her, his hands went to the sides of her tummy as he began to tickle Tsubaki. Tsubaki's laughter echoed in the house, joined his.
"No! Don't... tickle me! Hahaha! Darling!"
"Whose face you called spectacular?" Ren smirked as he didn't have the intention to stop. Tsubaki tried to wiggle free from him but there was no way he would let her go.
"Haha! No! No! Hahaha! I... was wrong! You're still... Hahaha! Handsome!"
Tsubaki wanted to push his hands away but he swiftly caught her wrists with one hand and brought them over her head. His other hand continued tickling her sides. Tsubaki was so tired yet she could only laugh out loud.
Once Ren saw his wife had almost out of breath because of her continuous laughing, he loosened his hold around her wrists. Tsubaki curled up her body facing the backrest, even though she was still breathless but her eyes glaring at her smiling husband. Her lips pouted, showing her dissatisfaction.
Ren knew he had gone a bit overboard but even under her wife's judging stare, he didn't stop smiling. Instead, he propped his hands on the couch at each of her sides, towering her from above. Tsubaki quickly put her hands over her chest, preparing to defend herself against his attack.
This man is so sneaky! I could not trust him!
Seeing his little wife's scrunched up face while eyeing him with contempt, Ren doubled over as he laughed again. Tsubaki was baffled when Ren suddenly pressed his face against her shoulder, his body shook badly as he laughed.
"Hubby! Be serious!" Tsubaki was angry right now. If only she could knead him like a dough until he became much smaller than her, it would be easy for her to subdue him.
"Sorry... sorry..." Ren wrapped Tsubaki tightly in his arms, he closed his eyes as he calmed himself by listening to her heart beating.
"No..." Tsubaki wanted to push him away but Ren tightened his embrace. "I'm smelly and dirty right now... let go..."
"No, I want to hug you," said Ren quietly by her ear. "I'm just relief because what I imagined didn't happen."
Tsubaki's hands froze on his chest. She turned silent, her eyes downcast as she understood the meaning behind his words. Her voice was so quiet as she opened her lips to speak, "It's anticlimactic, right?"
Ren smiled. "Yeah."
Tsubaki nodded, she encircled her hands around his slender waist.
She thought she would once again crumble the moment she stepped inside the house. He was worried over the assumption too. But, who would have thought she didn't have the time to pity herself when she saw the state of the house. Instead of wailing and crying, she immediately dragged him to work alongside her, cleaning the house.
Tsubaki giggled. It was really anticlimactic.
"Sweetheart?"
"En?"
Ren let go of her, he looked directly into her eyes. A glint of mischief flashed in his dark ones. One of the corner of his lips turned upward, forming a crooked smile. Suddenly, Tsubaki had a bad premonition.
It was the eyes of...
"If I recall correctly, the bathtub is quite big for two, right?" Ren smirked. He shot one of his brows upward.
A predator!
Tsubaki gulped. How did it become like this? Wasn't they just having fun cuddling before?