Tsubaki was a bit late when she finally arrived at Spring City. It was packed with people even though it was a weekday. Most of them were students who had just started their summer vacation and the white-collar workers from nearby offices. Most of them had started to leave the restaurants and cafes as lunch hour came to the end.
"Sorry! I'm late!" Tsubaki quickly offered Kanako a short apology. They met at the entrance of the west wing of the mall.
"It's okay, I've just arrived too," Kanako waved her off. Her eyes were peering at Tsubaki's face. Her dedicate brows knitted together slightly. "Are you sick? You look pale."
"Oh..." Tsubaki touched her face. "Do I look that bad?"
She had especially applied the new foundation Ren bought for her before stepping out of the house because she too knew she looked pale even after waking up. She had also chosen a bolder color than her usual pink coral lipstick but all these didn't manage to hide her paleness?
"En... not that bad but even under the makeup I could see that you're pale," Kanako crossed one arm as she lightly gripped her chin with her free hand. Her eyes were seriously looking at Tsubaki before they lit up excitedly. "Don't tell me it's because of your husband..."
Tsubaki quickly pinched Kanako's right arm, making the latter groaned in pain. She squinted her eyes as she knew what this woman wanted to say was not anything close to decent.
"It's not what you think," Tsubaki hissed, her cheeks flushed red.
"You don't have to pinch me," Kanako whined. She purposely pulled her face as she stared at Tsubaki with a wronged look. "What a tigress. No wonder President Fuse is under your feet."
Tsubaki was speechless. What was this woman thinking?
Kanako immediately dragged Tsubaki around for shopping. As usual, the paper bags she got from all the shops were handed to her bodyguards. Saito Hajime respectfully took them from her hands before he resumed his position of guarding her.
Tsubaki eyed the man in suspicion. She didn't forget the time when she thought this man was looking at her with a sharp gaze.
Maybe, it was really her imagination?
But, she would sometimes felt an intense stare directed at her back. When she pretended to turn around, she would only see him from a distance.
Why?
After being dragged around by Kanako for almost 2 hours, Tsubaki admitted defeat. She just ate a sandwich before leaving home. Coupled with her fatigue, it was a wonder for her to accompany Kanako shopping for more than an hour.
They headed to a restaurant located on the ground floor. Most of the tables were already emptied from the customers before them. Before the waitress could lead them to a table, Tsubaki quickly called her for attention. Both the waitress and Kanako looked at her.
"Yes, Miss?" The waitress's professional smile didn't falter as she looked at the lady in front of her. "Is there anything I could help you with?"
"Could I request a private room?" Tsubaki gave a soft smile to the young waitress.
"We do have vacant private rooms. Please follow me," the waitress politely gestured for them to follow her. The two ladies silently walked behind the waitress.
The private room was enough to occupy 4 people at the same time. It wasn't too spacious but since there were only Tsubaki and Kanako, it was more than enough already. Both of them placed their orders. The waitress retreated from the room and quietly closed the door.
Just as the door was being closed, a sweet melody rang in the air. It was Tsubaki's phone.
Her lips curled up into a smile once she saw the photo displayed together with the caller ID.
"Hello," Tsubaki greeted the caller, she didn't even bat an eyelid at Kanako's judging stare.
"Kaede told me you've been at the mall for 2 hours?" The man's low and magnetic voice sounded from the end of the line. "Have you eaten, sweetheart?"
"Oh, I'm in a restaurant. We've just placed our orders," Tsubaki briefly told him what she was doing.
"It's quite late already and you haven't eaten lunch?" There was a slight dissatisfaction in his voice. Before Tsubaki could find any excuse, her husband's tone changed to a worried one. "Do you still feel nauseous?"
"I'm fine after my nap," Tsubaki clenched the hem of her blouse as she thought of what happened early this morning. After hearing his voice, guilt started budding in her heart. "I'm already okay. You don't have to worry, darling."
Ren sighed softly. He knew when to stop pressing his wife. "Eat your lunch. I'll make something for you for dinner. I have to hang up now, sweetheart. A video conference is waiting for me."
"Okay, don't work too hard," Tsubaki bit her lower lip. She could sense he was still worried about her but he chose to let the matter go at this moment. "You've just recovered from fever."
"Alright," There was a hint of a smile in his deep voice. "See you at home, love."
"See you at home."
After the call was hung up, Tsubaki stared in a daze at her phone screen. Her eyes went to her phone wallpaper. It was a photo of them after she told him about her pregnancy. The vast blue sea became the backdrop. She couldn't help but smile sweetly at the memory.
"Ahem!"
Tsubaki's shoulders shook slightly. The immediately turned her head toward the sound. Kanako was crossing her hands and her eyes were sharp as she stared back at Tsubaki.
"Do you really want to broadcast your lovey-doveyness to a heartbroken person like me?" Kanako squinted her eyes. It was obvious she had heard their conversation clearly.
Since the private room was quiet and Tsubaki spoke softly over the earpiece, Kanako could still hear what President Fuse had said to his wife.
She got goosebumps when she imagined the cold looking President Fuse being so soft toward his wife. It was a stark contrast to his usual personality.
Tsubaki laughed drily, she had temporarily forgotten about her friend who had to witness their cheesy conversation. She placed her phone on the table, her mind was searching for another topic to appease Kanako.
"Well, you said your parents arranged a blind date for you. Was it that bad?"
Kanako's lips twitched once Tsubaki shifted her attention to the taboo topic.
"Dear Mrs. Fuse, I have said that my heart is currently broken because that damn ice statue didn't even give me a reaction when I said I would be going to a blind date?" She started recounting her misfortunes, her tone was serious as she was reminded of the man standing guard outside the restaurant. "He should know that I like him! I think my signals all these years were already obvious!"
"Err..." Tsubaki wasn't really sure if she should voice out her opinion but instead of giving Kanako's false advice, it was better if she was being truthful. "You said he's an ice statue. Have you tried confessing your feelings to him? I mean... without being ambiguous?"
Kanako went into silent mode. Obviously she hadn't.
Tsubaki let out a sigh. She looked as if she was so disappointed when she spoke again, "That won't do. You shouldn't keep this thing from him. Do you want to be married off by your parents without telling him the truth?"
"Err..." Kanako was at a loss of words. She didn't expect to be attacked by Tsubaki.
Tsubaki couldn't hold her laugh any longer once she saw Kanako's frozen expression. She propped up one of her elbows and rested her chin on her hand. She lifted her eyebrows elegantly while her look held a trace of teasing.
"Alright, let's stop talking about him," Kanako immediately changed the subject. She didn't want to think about him anymore. Even though she knew Tsubaki meant well but it was still a headache for her.
"Alright~" Tsubaki decided to drop the subject since Kanako insisted. The matter of the heart wasn't a simple subject.
The waitress came back with their orders. She carried all the dishes using a food trolley. The young lady skillfully served all the plates on the table before she left the room quietly. Tsubaki and Kanako began eating while chatting.
"You want to talk to me about something, right? Since you've specially requested for a private room."
Halfway their lunch, Kanako muttered out a question. Tsubaki stopped slicing her chicken breast. She took a deep breath before she raised up her eyes to meet Kanako's. The corners of her lips curled up but there was a hidden emotion in her eyes.
"Later," She smiled gently. "Let's eat first."
Kanako nodded. She could tell it was an important and private issue.
After the waitress picked up their plates, she served them flower tea and desserts. Tsubaki thanked the young girl before she left, making the waitress flustered slightly before she nodded with a smile. Tsubaki touched the rim of the white saucer, her gaze was deep and profound as if she was thinking of heavy things.
Kanako calmly sipped her tea, her eyes landed on the lady sitting opposite her. Her instinct told her that Tsubaki was still weighing the pros and cons of telling her whatever she wanted to tell. Since it might sound rude if she just asked her, Kanako decided to swallow down the questions.
It was not until the tea cooled down for a little before Tsubaki lifted up her eyes to look at Kanako. The uncertainty faded away, it was replaced with a gaze so resolute it made her straightened her back.
"I want to tell you something. It's about why I'm looking for Fujioka Masami," Tsubaki spoke in a calm manner, her bright eyes gleamed with clarity. "It's related to my past so I'm sorry if I hid it from you before."
"I understood, Tsubaki," Kanako put down the teacup on the saucer. She leaned back against the comfy chair, all of her attention directed to Tsubaki. "Please tell me. I'll help you as long as I'm capable to do so."
Tsubaki smiled softly. She nodded. Her lips parted as she started. Kanako waited with anticipation.