Tsubaki suppressed her scream despite the unforeseen force now was currently embracing her. The dimness of the hall was just enough to outline the person's frame, a man. Tsubaki gasped in surprise once she smelled the familiar scent coming from that man.
"Dar... Darling?"
Tsubaki almost couldn't believe herself but this man was really her husband! Her husband was really here!
"Yes, sweetheart," Ren's usual gentle voice answered from the above of her head. He wasn't looking at her. His eyes were locked in a direction, "Do you miss me?"
"What...?"
Before Tsubaki could properly register her husband's sudden appearance, she turned her head toward where Ren was staring at. Her eyelashes trembled as she realized she didn't mistake who she saw earlier.
Mr. Souma was walking toward them.
Even under the dim lights, she could perfectly tell who was the man heading in her direction.
"He..."
"Hush, sweetheart," Ren gently crooned, "Later. I'm sure you don't want to attract more attention to us now."
At his words, she quickly shut up.
As Tsubaki and Ren were in the front among other guests, what they did was seen by the nearby guests as well as the hosts. As the Souma couple stepped on the carpet after the last stair, they stood facing the guests.
Mrs. Souma's calm expression didn't crack even when she saw her brother-in-law was approaching the couple. She glanced at her husband. Faint displeasure was weaved in between his brows as his eyes landed on the three people.
Yet, he too wasn't too unfazed. In the next second, President Souma began his welcoming speech.
"I and my wife are sincerely thanking you for your attendance today," President Souma drew a mild smile as he spoke, "I don't want to say much. We've been weathered by years yet here we are, currently celebrating our 26th year together as husband and wife."
As he paused, the man turned to look at his wife. President Souma gently grasped Mrs. Souma's hand and fiddled with her wedding ring.
It was an intimate gesture.
"Happy anniversary, my wife."
Mrs. Souma accepted the wish with a smile as well, "Happy anniversary, my dear husband."
Tsubaki quietly watched their interaction.
They were really skillful in masking the length of their affection for each other. To Tsubaki, if she didn't know any better, she would think both of them were totally in love with each other.
Unlike reality.
Was this the way they had lived together in more than twenty years?
Once the couple finished their short speech, bright lights once again filled the exquisitely decorated hall. The guests began to move from their current spots. Most of them were heading to President Souma and Mrs. Souma, planning to personally give them their well-wishes.
Even so, Tsubaki and Ren were quick to be surrounded by some of the guests as well as if they were the hosts.
In short, a group of guests pooled around the Souma couple while another one lingered around the Fuse couple. The ones who couldn't join either one were watching from the sidelines. Even Kanako had been pushed away from the crowd.
"I thought Mrs. Fuse is here alone," A man wearing gold-rimmed spectacles came forward with a smile, "I didn't expect to see you here, President Fuse."
"Did you have just arrived?" Another man chimed in, "It's true we didn't see you earlier."
"I heard you're on a business trip, President Fuse. Is the project going well?"
Ren answered each of them curtly. The cold light in his dark eyes gleamed under the sparkles of the chandelier.
"My wife is not alone. I've just arrived from the airport. Everything is good."
They didn't take the hint of annoyance from Ren's face. Ren placed his arm around Tsubaki's shoulders, showcasing his protectiveness on his wife. The crowd was still buttering up to them, they especially praised their good relationship and wishing Tsubaki a safe and healthy pregnancy.
"President Fuse is a really good husband. You came here as soon as you landed just to be able to be with your wife."
A loud voice came from the back, shifting the attention from the Fuse couple to the owner of the voice. The people split into two sides, giving the way to the man who spoke.
As soon as their eyes met, Ren's gaze turned frosty while Tsubaki tried to control her frown.
It was the man who was eyeing her earlier, Mr. Souma.
Tsubaki subconsciously leaned closer to Ren which darkened her husband's eyes. He secured the grip around her shoulders.
She was scared and it made him angry at this man's unwelcome presence.
"Mr. Souma, it's good to see you," The chilliness of his voice spread around them, drifting to the man who was already standing in front of the couple, "Do you have an important thing to say, seeing that you're here?"
Mr. Souma wasn't affected by Ren's frosty cold voice. His lips curved into a crooked smile. He calmly responded, "I'm here to welcome Mr. Fuse and Mrs. Fuse here. Since my brother and sister-in-law are preoccupied with the other guests, as a brother, shouldn't I help my elder brother to entertain his esteemed guests?"
While saying that, his eyes landed on Tsubaki for a moment before he casually retracted his gaze away.
Ren swallowed the urge to punch this man who was older than him. Whenever he thought of what Mr. Souma did to Tsubaki, a cold fury fanned out in his heart, extending to his entire being.
"We thank you for your hospitality," Ren drew a cold and rigid smile, "Really, thank you."
Only the three of them knew which 'hospitality' was mentioned by Ren. He was simply reminding Mr. Souma that he won't let the older man go for the 'hospitality' he showed to Tsubaki a few days ago.
"I'm glad to hear it," Mr. Souma lifted up his brows. He calmly accepted the hidden threat in Ren's voice.
While the surrounding guests were baffled by the hostility exuded from President Fuse and Mr. Souma Hisato, they didn't outrightly ask anything about it. It was better to not shoot off their mouths if they didn't know the truth. Still, the two men's interaction had sparked curiosity in their minds.
While Ren and Mr. Souma were engaged in a silent battle of stare, Tsubaki quietly tugged on her husband's arm. Ren was quick to ignore Mr. Souma. He lowered his eyes and silently asked his wife what was wrong.
"My feet hurt," Tsubaki whispered.
Ren nodded. He lifted up his gaze and looked back at Mr. Souma.
"I'll bring my wife to have a meal first," Ren glanced at the crowd around the Souma couple that had yet to dissipate, "President Souma and Mrs. Souma are still tightly preoccupied. I'll make sure to greet them before we leave."
Before Mr. Souma could say anything, Ren supported Tsubaki by her waist and turned her around. They nodded at the guests nearby and walked to where the feast was laid out in buffet-style.
"Are your feet really hurt or you just do not want to see that man?" Ren whispered with a faint smile as they walked past the crowd.
"Do you really need to ask?" Tsubaki lifted up her brows suspiciously, "And, you are really here? Did your job over there have been completed properly?"
"I've tight the loose ends," Ren answered with a chuckle, "Well, I don't mind if my wife wants to punish me. Didn't you say so?"
Tsubaki puffed up her cheeks. She quickly pinched the arm of this cheeky husband of hers, "Since you say so, you can sleep on the couch tonight."
"It's alright," Ren laughed again, "The couch is big. You could accompany me on the couch tonight."
"...Ren!"
"Yes, sweetheart."
Tsubaki was really tempted to stomp on his feet. She didn't notice their intimate behavior toward each other was seen by the guests who were still paying attention to them. Although the details of her conversation with Ren weren't heard, it still appeared to the guests how affectionate the couple was.
While Ren picked up some food with Tsubaki, three pairs of eyes were looking at them. Each of them held different emotions.
One was with concerns.
The other was filled with contempt.
The last one was imbued with raging curiosity.
Ren wasn't oblivious to the stares directed at them. He had even felt the three particular stares. As he took the petite cakes which Tsubaki set her eyes on, he drew a profound smile.
Did those men think he would just let them bully his wife? Not a chance.
Ren glanced at Tsubaki. He said jokingly, "You said the baby wants to eat these cakes. Are you sure it's not you, sweetheart?"
Tsubaki played along with him, "Baby came to my dream last night. He told me to eat more today just so I could have more energy to punish someone who didn't listen to me. Ah, no wonder he said so. There is really a rule-offender beside me today~"
Ren, "..."
Did he just sense a crisis?