Ren entered the small gate and returned to the yard. It only took him a short time going to Mr. Kurosawa so Tsubaki might not yet realize his disappearance. He had just reached for the garbage bag to resume his work when her voice came from behind him.
"Geez! Where have you gone?"
Ren raised his brows, he turned around and saw she was looking at him with squinted eyes. Both of her hands were placed on her small hips as she continued, "I called for you but you weren't even here. Where were you, hubby?"
Seeing how she pretended to be angry, the frost cracked and dissipated. Ren smiled warmly at her, the suppressed anger he felt toward Mr. Kurosawa vanished as he looked at her.
"I didn't go anywhere," Ren answered.
Tsubaki gave him a stare full of doubt. Since he was smiling oh so innocently at her, how could she reprimand him? He really knew she couldn't do anything when he was smiling like that. In the end, Tsubaki just surrendered under his soft gaze.
"Alright. Lunch is ready," Tsubaki said, she turned around to return to the kitchen. "Wash your hands and face first. I'll serve the rice."
Just at the time she took a step toward the back door, a pair of strong hands suddenly encircled her waist from behind. Tsubaki was baffled. She tilted her head, trying to look at her husband. His face was partially hidden by the shadows of his hat and the bright sun behind him.
"Dear? What's wrong?"
Ren laughed, his warm breath brushed past her right ear. "My darling wife is so good to me."
"Enough flattering me!" Tsubaki pinched his hands but Ren still didn't let go of her. Hearing his laugh, she added, "You really know how to sweet talk to me whenever I want to be angry with you."
"Of course. I should know how to appease my wife," Ren replied with amusement in his voice. He laughed again when he saw her face had flushed red. He kissed the nape of her neck and added, "Alright. Let's go and have lunch."
Tsubaki pouted and once again tried to wriggle free from his hold. Ren tightened his hug as they walked together to the back door.
They had lunch in harmony as both of them conversed about ordinary things. Tsubaki looked relax and Ren was so in relief. The Kuroki couple hadn't returned to their home so he didn't want his wife to feel unsettled due to what the couple would have to say.
Ren took a cold shower after lunch, getting rid of the sweat and dirt on his face and body while Tsubaki was folding the blankets in her room. She smiled as she took in the floral scent of the detergent coming from the freshly washed blankets.
These blankets smell so refreshing!
After she was done folding all of them, Tsubaki brought them to her closet. The musty scent that lingered yesterday had been chased away with the help of air refreshers and some other odor eliminating equipment.
Her closet had almost emptied the day she left the village. There were only a few clothes and items in it so Tsubaki just decided to store them in her closet. Tsubaki ran her hands over the surface of the blankets, further softening them.
Once she was done with her work, Tsubaki went to the living room. She slumped her body on the couch, a contented smile curled up on her lips as she felt good to lazy around on the soft cushion. The cool breeze blew past her through the open windows. Some parts of her body felt hurt, maybe she did work hard in these few days. She also didn't forget what her husband had always reminded her regarding Toshiro's advice.
"Sweetheart, are you sleeping?"
Ren's gentle tone lulled her sleepiness away just as she wanted to close her eyes. Tsubaki tilted her head, she smiled seeing her husband who had just got a shower. Ren carefully lifted her head up as he sat on the couch. Tsubaki rolled over after he placed her head on his lap.
"I feel sleepy," Tsubaki said quietly, her smile was still blooming on her face. "The sound of the wind and leaves rustling is so peaceful."
Ren laughed softly. He ran one of his hands on her head, playing with her long hair. As the summer breeze gently hit the wind chime hung over the windows behind them, its melodious tune accompanied the sound of the leaves rustling outside the house. Ren didn't realize when did Tsubaki fall asleep. Afraid of waking her up, he softened his touch on her head.
This scene reminded him so much of the summer he spent with her here, the summer he loved the most throughout his life.
One day, Tsubaki had gotten off work early and returned home before he did. At that time, he was working as a part of a labor team at the neighboring village. Since there was a problem that needed the supervisor's final say, they were let off work a bit early than usual. Once he stepped inside the house, he saw her sleeping peacefully on the couch.
At that time, their relationship hadn't started but he had already feel butterflies in his stomach whenever he saw her.
At that time, he could only silently watched her while sitting on the floor and shading her face from the blinding sunlight with his wide palm to avoid her from waking up but now, she was sleeping on his lap and once again he used his hand to cover her face from the light.
Ren smiled at the memory.
And then, he too fell asleep.
By the time he woke up, she was nowhere to be found. A throw blanket covered his body and the windows had been closed. The sun was just setting, splashing beautiful orange and red color over the horizon.
Ren pulled the blanket away from him, placing it down on the couch. He stood up and did a couple of stretching. His limbs felt numb after sleeping while sitting on the couch. Even though there was a pillow supporting his neck and his back, the numbness was still there.
"Sweetheart?"
There was no sound in the house except for his own voice calling for her. Ren rubbed his neck as he took a step toward the hallway. Since the lights weren't switched on, the house was poorly lit by the remaining light coming from the sun. He flicked the switches open. In an instance, lights pouring in the living room and the hallway.
"Tsubaki? Where are you, sweetheart?"
Ren felt a growing sense of uneasiness inside his heart. The house was too quiet. He could only hear the sound of cicadas humming and leaves rustling against the wind from the yard. Ren quickly calmed himself, this house was not big. Perhaps Tsubaki was doing something and didn't hear him.
Even so, his steps quickened despite the reassurance.
Ren looked inside all the rooms in the house but she wasn't in any of them. The kitchen was dark and there was no smell of her food wafting in the air. She even wasn't in the bathroom.
Where is she? Ren pursed his lips as he was thinking.
Just as he wanted to go outside the house, his ears caught a faint sound coming from his left. He paused his steps, his head turned toward the house. It came from the dark hallway, the one he knew where Tsubaki's parent's room was located.
The one place he hadn't searched.
Ren quickly walked toward the room, half-running as he saw the door was slightly ajar. It was then when he realized the sound that he heard was of Tsubaki's crying. Without thinking, he switched on the light.
Once the light lit the room, he swore he could hear the shattering of his heart once he saw the state she was in.
Tsubaki was crouching on the floor, her head almost touching the surface as her left hand was tightly embracing herself. Her right hand was placed over her mouth as she tried to stop herself from crying but her body trembled greatly, making her tears flowed non-stop. A stack of books and cards scattered beside her.
"Tsubaki!"
Tsubaki was startled. She raised her head, only to feel a pair of strong arms pulling her toward a sturdy chest. From her blurry eyes, she could see a pair of dark eyes she was familiar with. His calming scent came to her, snapping her out of her senses.
"Darling..."
Her voice was so hoarse, so lost of hope.
"I'm here," Ren answered quietly as he tightened his embrace.
Tsubaki nodded, she buried her face against his chest as her hands clutched tightly on the back of his shirt. The sound of her crying echoed in the room, drowning the sound of the cicadas and leaves outside the house.