The warm sunlight penetrated through the opened French windows, the curtains flailed as the breeze blew past them. The sound of the birds chirping was accompanied with the leaves rustling echoed in the vast garden, creating a serene melody.
The lady who was sleeping in peace under the blanket turned away from the source of light, she purred in contentment once she laid on the other side. It seemed like she was reluctant to get up as she tossed and turned in bed. After a few moments, she slowly opened her eyes.
What a good sleep!
Tsubaki laid on her back, one of her hands rubbed her sleepy eyes. She slowly propped up on her elbows as she wanted to sit up. Her blurry gaze fell on the other side of the bed. It was empty.
Where is he?
"You're finally awake?"
Tsubaki quickly turned to look at the source of the voice. Her shoulders jolted up once she laid her eyes on the man in the black pajamas. He was sitting on the long couch, both of his hands and legs crossed together.
His hair was messy and his narrowed eyes were looking at her with clear irritation in his dark gaze. Dark circles were embedded under his eyes, making him looked gruesome and terrifying as if he had ascended from the Underworld.
His appearance was a stark contrast to the warm and sunny morning.
"Dar... darling!" Tsubaki was instantly pulled out from her daze under the chilly gaze. "Why did you sit there?"
Ren's lips twitched in agitation. She dared to ask him why did he sit here? Not on the comfortable bed?
He had been sitting here all night long! While she was sleeping soundly on the vast bed, his long limbs were being tortured with the couch. He had tried to shut his eyes in an attempt to sleep but it was in vain.
In the end, he could only wait for her to wake up.
Without answering her, he quickly stood up and went to her side of the bed. Before Tsubaki could react, he had already leaned over her, making her fell back on the mattress in shock.
"What?" Tsubaki knitted her brows. She suddenly felt nervous once she met his intense gaze.
Ren gritted his teeth. His eyes glinted dangerously under the warm light.
"You don't remember what you have said to me last night, sweetheart?" He raised one of his brows. He placed his palms on the mattress, right beside her shoulders while his knees crouched at the side of her tighs. "Need me to remind you?"
"Err... I..."
As Tsubaki tried to recall what did she has said to him, her husband was still staring at him with a dangerous gaze. Her eyes widened once she remembered her words right before she slept.
I am doomed!
Ren smiled crookedly when he saw her fearful expression. He continued to bend down as he muttered out a few words. "Great. You've remembered."
"Darling, I..."
Before she could find excuses, Ren had already slumped down his head on her shoulders. His strong arms wrapped her petite frame in a tight embrace. His warm breath was ticklish against her skin. Tsubaki raised her hands awkwardly.
"Darling? What are you..."
"Silence," His deep voice resounded beside her ear. "I want to sleep. You're not allowed to move."
Tsubaki, "..."
Alright, alright. She has bullied him enough last night... Hey! That's not right! Last night was only a tiny fraction if she wanted to compare to his bullying her!
As Tsubaki let him slept on her shoulder, she ran her fingers through his dark locks. She cast a gaze at the long couch. There were a pillow and a throw blanket on the cushion. She didn't expect he would really sleep on the couch just because of her words when she was suddenly sulking last night.
Alright, she would give him credits for listening to her words last night.
Tsubaki stifled a laugh. She gently patted his back. His faint snore quietly resounded in the room.
In the end, she too fell asleep again.
It was nearly 10 o'clock when she finally woke up again. Tsubaki was in fright because this was her first time sleeping in when she was in the old house. Grandma and Aunt Kasumi must be wondering why did they haven't show up yet. She quickly pushed her sleepy husband away from her.
"Wake up! It's already late!"
Ren grunted in displeasure. He easily held the small hands that were tapping on his shoulders. "Let it be. Grandma knows you need more sleep."
"No! Wake up!" Tsubaki refused to cater to her husband's whim.
Ren was still sleepy as he sluggishly moved away from his wife. Even after he sat up on the bed, he still slumped his head on her shoulder. Tsubaki felt sorry when she saw his state.
"Darling, wake up," Tsubaki gently coaxing him to wake up. "Alright, I won't let you sleep on the couch again, okay? I'm sorry about last night."
Ren's eyes were still closed and his face was obscured with his bangs so Tsubaki didn't realize there was a faint smirk curled up on his thin lips.
As if he was still aggrieved, he slowly lifted up his face and stared at her with a sullen look.
Tsubaki gulped. Now, he was the one who's sulking?
"Darling, I'm sorry, okay?" Tsubaki could only think of this way to pacify him. She intentionally fluttered her eyelashes and smiled sheepishly. Her soft hands started massaging his arms. "I won't do it again, okay?"
Ren didn't answer her instead he swiftly captured her lips. Tsubaki's eyes widened in surprise.
Before she could be suffocated, he pulled away from her. He started peppering her small face with light kisses as she tried to catch her breath. It seemed as if he was taking revenge for her small mistreatment last night.
"Alright, sweetheart. Let's take a bath."
Ren carried her in his arms as he walked to the bathroom. Tsubaki glared at him while he hummed happily.
Shameless! Just you wait! I'll deal with again!
It was not until 10:30 AM when both of them left the bedroom. Grandma and Aunt Kasumi were sitting in the lounge with Takuma. Once they heard the footsteps coming from the hallways, three pairs of eyes went to the husband and wife pair.
"Why did you just get up?" Takuma quickly asked. Once he spotted the faint dark circles under his cousin's eyes, his eyes narrowed in a tease. "What did you guys do last night?"
Tsubaki's face flushed red but she quickly recomposed herself. She wiggled free from Ren's arms as she headed to Grandma's direction. With a casual tone, she said, "I punished him to sleep on the couch so he couldn't sleep last night. That's why he got dark circles."
"What?" Takuma exclaimed in shock. "For real?"
Tsubaki nodded. She didn't even look at her husband's brooding face.
"Wow!" Takuma laughed loudly as he envisioned the scene of Ren being banned from the bed by his wife. He raised a thumbs up at Tsubaki who had seated beside Grandma. "Nice job, cousin-in-law!"
Ren gave a hard smack on his cousin's back. Takuma wailed in pain. He turned around and looked at the gloomy man. "It's your own fault for being punished. Don't vent out your anger on me!"
Ren ignored Takuma's whinings. He took an empty seat opposite Tsubaki. Grandma and Aunt Kasumi were laughing at him when they saw the begrudging look on his face.
"What happened?" Aunt Kasumi crossed her arms as she leaned back against the couch. "Let me guess. You didn't let her see the albums and then she forbid you from sleeping on the bed?"
Ren frowned. Could his aunt read his mind?
Grandma who had known that Aunt Kasumi showed Tsubaki the old albums laughed heartily. It had been a while since she saw her grandson being bullied like this. Grandma patted Tsubaki's back with an encouraging smile.
"You did right, Tsubaki. Don't let him bully you, alright? Display your sovereignty on him. As a wife, you have to make your husband cower in front of you."
Grandma's advice turned his face blacker.
What kind of an advice was that?
Tsubaki held in her laugh. It was so funny seeing her husband at a loss of words. That was the price for always teasing her!
"What are you doing here so early in the morning?" Ren took the small pillow beside him and threw it at Takuma's direction. "Don't you have your own home?"
Takuma skillfully caught the pillow. He put the pillow behind his back. His face was all smiles as he answered his cousin's question. "I came to bother you. Well, it's actually Grandma who asked me to come."
Ren tilted his head, he stared at his grandmother who was now asking Old Yuuzo to prepare some food for Tsubaki and him since they didn't have breakfast yet. Grandma was too swift. He had just told her last night and she had already called Takuma here this morning.
After a short while, two helpers brought food for both Tsubaki and Ren. Grandma, Aunt Kasumi and Takuma were already full so they just had light snacks. Grandma placed a glass of milk beside Tsubaki's bowl of rice.
"Drink it. It's good for your pregnancy." Grandma looked at her granddaughter-in-law with a wide smile. Her eyes went over to Tsubaki's flat tummy. Her mood improved gradually when she thought of her great-grandchild!
"What?" Takuma was shocked once he heard Grandma's words. He spun his head and looked at Tsubaki's face in disbelief. "You're pregnant, cousin-in-law?"
Tsubaki lifted her eyes from the rice bowl. She smiled as she nodded.
Takuma tilted his head, he eyed Ren who was sipping coffee with suspicious eyes. "I didn't think you have it in you. After all, you've been living as a monk all these years."
Ren cast a glace at Takuma who was now playing with his end of the ponytail. A slight smirk curled up at one side of his lips. With a calm voice, he answered indifferently. "A single man like you has no right to talk."
Takuma rolled his eyes. He didn't come here so early in the morning to be attacked by their PDA!
If this went one, for sure Grandma would start nagging him to find a wife. He wasn't ready to leave his single life yet!