When Tsubaki finally emerged from the classroom with a pastry box in her hands, Ren quickly walked over to her side. He stared at his wife's smiling face and the white box.
"You are so happy to bake some buns?" Ren shook his head, sometimes he would be helpless over her cute antics.
"You'll know soon~" Tsubaki laughed, it was so hard to suppress her excitement.
The husband and wife left the bakery. The heat was scorching hot as the sun stood tall above their heads. Ren bought a wide-brim white beach hat for Tsubaki. It was a mistake to not bring their hats together with them. He had really underestimated the summer weather at a beach.
"Hubby, I heard there's a cliff near this area. Could we go there?" Tsubaki carefully placed the box in her arms, as if she was carrying a treasure. They had just left the hat shop.
"You want to go there?" Ren carried a bottle of cold mineral water in his hand while the other wrapped around her shoulders. "Do your feet hurt?"
"I'm okay," Tsubaki was touched with his consideration. Truth to be told, her body was still aching slightly yet she couldn't forsake this opportunity to confess to him. "Could we go?"
Ren smiled, he nodded with clear adoration in his eyes. "Let's go."
The cliff Tsubaki mentioned was one of the tourist attractions. It was located at the edge of the shop rows. There was a high wooden stair with a balcony overlooking the sea for the tourists and locals to used if they wanted to go to the top floor. Tsubaki minded her steps carefully, she was afraid if she would accidentally slip on something and fell down.
She had a soul to protect inside her.
Tall trees stood proudly on either side of the stairs, providing shelter from the harsh sunlight. The gentle breeze from the open sea softly caressed their cheeks, making one's heart felt lighter. Both of them climbed until they reached a balcony in the middle of the stairs. There was no one around them. Tsubaki suddenly paused her steps, her eyes went to the back of Ren's head as he walked past her.
Sensing her stare, Ren turned around. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Are you okay?"
Tsubaki silently shook her head. As she looked at him, tears started gleaming in her eyes, startling Ren. He quickly went to her side.
"Why? Are you okay?" He was so anxious as he looked at her face.
"No..." Tsubaki stifled a laugh. She looked at the box in her hands before she slowly raised it to his attention. "I have a surprise for you."
"What?" Ren was confused when his wife suddenly handed him the pastry box. How did these milk buns become the surprise?
"Go on, open it," Tsubaki softly urged him. She tried to hold back her tears as she felt sorry seeing his anxious face.
"Okay..."
Ren carefully opened the lid while one of his hands supporting the box. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the arrangement of the milk buns in the box.
They looked... suspicious.
Two of the biggest buns were placed in between a smaller bun. There were lines forming three pairs of eyes and smiles on the buns. The other buns were decorated with the drawing of toys on top of their surfaces.
Somehow, they looked like a family.
Ren suddenly got an inkling.
"Sweetheart..." His voice was so low, he had never been so uncertain yet excited at the same time. "You are..."
Tsubaki laughed heartily, without waiting for him to finish guessing she had already pounced onto him, both of her hands wrapped around his neck.
"I'm pregnant! You're going to be a Daddy, darling!"
Ren snapped out from his trance. His strong arm quickly encircled her waist while the other still holding on the box. Before he asked anything, Ren placed the box on barrister of the stairs.
"Are you serious?"
He looked directly into the pools of her bright eyes. His lips quivered as he waited for her answer.
"Well..." Tsubaki was a bit startled when she saw his reaction. She had already foreseen it but it was different when she saw it with her own eyes. She laughed nervously as she continued, "I haven't done a check up with a doctor yet but.."
Before she could finish speaking, he had already kissed her senseless.
Tsubaki whimpered once he let her go, she had yet to say anything when he had showered her face with small kisses. His movements were very gentle, it made her heart fluttered.
She felt loved.
"Sweetheart, Tsubaki...." Ren pulled away slightly from her face, there were various kind of emotions written in his eyes. In the end, Tsubaki saw a drop of tear escaped from the corner of his right eye. "I'm not dreaming, right?"
Tsubaki felt like the softest part of her heart being squeezed gently. She tiptoed and kissed the corner of his eye before she pressed her warm lips over his. Ren smiled, he pulled her even closer to him.
"You're not dreaming, darling," Tsubaki said over his lips. "We're going to have our own small family soon."
Ren opened his mouth, it seemed like he wanted to say something yet no words came out. After opening and closing his mouth for a few times, he hugged Tsubaki tightly, his head settled in the crook of her neck.
"Darling?"
"Hush."
Tsubaki felt warm liquid dropped on her neck as Ren's body was trembling while hugging her. She smiled warmly, one of her hands rubbing his back in comforting strokes. As she closed her eyes, her tears trickling down her face.
"I'm sorry..." Ren said, his voice was hoarse once he pulled away from Tsubaki. He covered his face, so ashamed to cry in front of her. He hung his head low as he continued, "I didn't mean to..."
"Darling," Tsubaki held his hands, coaxing him to look into her eyes. "It's okay to cry. You don't have to act tough all the time. Here."
She led his hands to her tummy, placing his palms over it. Tsubaki giggled softly as she added, "Isn't it magical? To have a small being in here?"
Ren let out a laugh, even though her tummy was still flat yet it didn't stop him from marvelling at the thought of their child was currently in her womb. He rubbed his eyes before he hugged her again. Tsubaki nestled comfortably on his chest, she was so much in relief after telling him the truth.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Ren kissed her forehead repeatedly in light movements, tickling Tsubaki's heart.
She giggled, her eyes meeting his dark ones. "Please take care of us, hubby."
Ren nodded. "You can count on me."
Tsubaki smiled again, she knew she could hold onto his promise.
The husband and wife sat on the stairs while enjoying the view. His rough palm would occasionally stroked her tummy and both of them would burst out into laughter.
It was a really peaceful and beautiful time together.
"Alright, sweetheart," Ren carefully pulled Tsubaki up, he was being far more gentle when he thought of the little bean in her tummy. "We should still meet a doctor, right? Or do you want to wait until we go home?"
"Err..." A sudden fear flashed in her eyes. Tsubaki held onto his arms, she was almost stuttering when she said, "This is... true, right? I have repeated the test for five times... using different brand of kits. It won't turn out for nothing, right?"
Ren calmly looked into her eyes. He understood what she was afraid of. He shook his head, his hand softly rubbing one side of her head.
"Don't be afraid, trust in yourself."
Tsubaki pursed her lips. She slowly nodded, trying to find comfort in his words.
And thus, Ren brought Tsubaki to the only private hospital in the town. The queue for the OB&GYN department was short, they could meet one of the doctors immediately. Tsubaki asked Ren to wait for her outside, although a bit restless he still fulfilled her wish.
Ren couldn't sit still while he waited for Tsubaki outside the doctor's room. His heart was beating furiously and he couldn't think straight.
What if all the results were false? He didn't want her to be disappointed. They were still young and could try for a child again.
He was even alright if she couldn't carry his child. The most important thing was she lived in comfort without the pressure to have their own child to define happiness in their marriage.
As Ran was chanting prayers, Tsubaki appeared from the door. He immediately went to her, his eyes searching for any sign of sorrow in her face.
But, all he could see was pure happiness.
"Sweetheart?" Ren was perplexed, he couldn't react even though he understood the meaning behind her smile.
"Darling!" Once again droplets of tears running down her cheeks.
Tsubaki jumped on him, Ren swiftly caught her petite frame, securing her in his arms. He quietly embraced her as Tsubaki cried on his chest. In the end, his own tears dropped on her head.
This was one of the rare moment he felt so afraid.
What if this happiness was only a disguise to an upcoming doom? He couldn't forgive himself if he failed to protect this little happiness of theirs.
Ren tightened his embrace, he refused to think of such negative thoughts.
They would be happy and their child would be raised with love.
That was it.
"Sweetheart," Ren whispered softly, his voice tinged with the immense love and care he had only for her. "Let's be happy with our child, okay?"
Tsubaki lifted up her eyes, meeting his that had already gleaming with tears. She nodded once before she buried her face again in his embrace.