The couple did not really have any agenda for the next day. Sachi was still embarrassed by her lewd reaction last night that she locked herself inside her room after breakfast, much to Ryo's disappointment. It was a boring Saturday for the two at their suite.
Ryo really wanted to see and talk to Sachi so he mustered the courage to ask her to eat at the hotel's buffet restaurant for lunch. Sachi reluctantly agreed.
Ryo was very attentive to her during lunch, ordering a lot of food for her to try and eat. He just wanted to spoil her as much as he can.
After lunch, Ryo, desperate not to part with this wife, invited her for a walk on the hotel grounds, again, she reluctantly agreed. As they were walking along the grounds, they chanced upon a group of school-age boys in soccer uniform and cleats.
The boys were talking to a woman whom Sachi recognized as one of their residents in the hotel. She has talked to her before a few times, she is Mrs. Yuri Kawasumi.
The couple stopped in front of the boys who was loudly talking to each other.
Ryo had a huge smile on his face, he remembered about his primary and middle school days when he was also part of his schools' football team.
The woman recognized Ryo and Sachi and smiled at them.
"Hello," Sachi greeted her and the boys with a smile.
"Hi there," Mrs. Kawasumi greeted.
"Are they going out for practice?" Ryo asked, joining in on the conversation.
"Practice? No, actually, they have a game today and my husband was supposed to coach them but he was suddenly called in to report to work today to fill in for someone who went on emergency leave. My husband is a pilot," Mrs. Kawasumi said to Ryo and Sachi.
"Oh no," Sachi said more to the boys than to Veronica. She felt bad seeing the sad and disappointed expression on the boys faces.
"Yeah, I had the same reaction. I don't know what to do with them. I don't know anything about coaching a football team but they're stuck with me," Mrs. Kawasumi said.
"We're going to lose," a boy with brown hair and a lot of freckles said.
"Still, I won't let that happen, honey," Mrs. Kawasumi said in a sweet voice.
"I can coach you," Ryo offered without a second thought. He was beaming at the expectant faces of the little boys.
Sachi was surprised at his gesture.
"Really, mister?" one of the boys asked Ryo.
"Yeah sure, I used to play football when I was in primary and middle school, too," Ryo said, still smiling.
"Yeah!" the little boys cheered in unison.
"Are you sure it's really okay?" Mrs. Kawasumi asked him.
"Yes, I would love to coach them," Ryo said to her, and then he shifted his gaze to his wife and beamed at her.
Sachi gave him a warm smile. She was really touched by his gesture to help the kids.
"Then, we are in your care," Mrs. Kawasumi said with a smile.
The game was held on the football field near the hotel, the team and the adults went there together by foot.
Despite just meeting the boys, Ryo clicked with them right away. He even got all their names right the first time. Sachi could not keep her eyes off him because this was a side of Ryo that she has never seen before. It was a good thing that he was so busy and distracted by his coaching that he didn't notice that she was already gawking at him.
Ryo looked like he was having a lot of fun out there on the field with the boys.
"Ryo with kids," as she said this, her lips curled into a smile. 'I know I should be snapping out of my delusions for him but just this once.'
The game ended and the boys won against the opposing team, this made not only the kids very happy but also their parents. The parents then invited, Ryo and Sachi to celebrate their victory with them.
During the celebration, the boys swarmed around Ryo and were firing a lot of questions at him. They joined him and Sachi on their table. Sachi just watched her husband who was sitting beside her interact with the kids.
"Coach, what position did you play in football?" one of the kids asked Ryo.
"Striker, striker!" some of the kids said.
"I was actually a midfielder," Ryo answered with a smile.
"Why didn't you play football in high school?" the Kawasumi boy asked him.
"I had to focus on my academics, so my cousin Nick was the only one on the team," Ryo answered. "But, I was unbeatable in ping pong at home though," he added with a proud smile.
"I know how to play ping pong, too," one of the kids say.
"Will you be coaching us again?" another boy asked.
"Why not?" Ryo told them.
"Yes!" the boys all said happily. They were exchanging high fives now.
"Coach, is she your girlfriend?" one of the boys suddenly asked about Sachi.
Ryo smile widened. "Actually, she's my wife," he announced taking Sachi's hand in his.
"Wooh," the kids teased.
Sachi cursed at herself for blushing. She could feel her cheeks turn red.
"That's enough interrogation, please let your coach catch his breath and eat," Mrs. Kawasumi said as she went to their table. "I'm so sorry for their behavior," she apologetically said to Ryo and Sachi.
"Don't be," Ryo said to Mrs. Kawasumi, he was still holding on to Sachi's hand.
"All of you, eat, so that your coach can as well," Mrs. Kawasumi told the boys who busied themselves with their food now.
"How's your hand?" Ryo asked her, he was looking intently at her index finger which was wrapped in band aid.
"It's fine, really," Sachi said to him. Their eyes met and then Ryo's other hand suddenly went to her lips.
"You've got ketchup here," he said as he wiped the right side of her mouth with his thumb.
The gesture surprised Sachi and the two were forced to look into each other's eyes.
"Are you guys going to kiss?" they didn't notice that the boys were all looking at them now.
Ryo and Sachi were both speechless and red from embarrassment, so Mrs. Kawasumi came to their rescue.
"Shhhh! Eat," she told the boys. Ryo and Sachi awkwardly focused their attention down on their plates.
Back at the hotel, Mrs. Kawasumi profusely thanked them for their help. Ryo did not let go of her hand the whole time until they reached their suite.
That night, during dinner, they comfortably talked and recalled about their day with the kids. Just before they both went to bed that night, Sachi, thanked Ryo for what he did for the little kids.
"You were really great today," she said to him.
"Thank you for being with me," Ryo told her.
That night, the couple secretly thought of each other before sleep consumed them.
The next day, Sachi was surprised to receive a text message from Rina first thing in the morning asking her to meet at her café. Sachi wondered why but she told Rina that she will be there. She told Ryo about it during breakfast.
His spirits dampen after hearing what she had to say. He was hoping to spend the whole day with her so as not to break the momentum that they had yesterday.
"Do you really have to go?" he hated that fact that he sounded like one of those clingy boyfriends now, but he also couldn't help it.
"Yeah," Sachi said to him.
"May I come with you?" Ryo blurted out without thinking.
"What? You want to go with me?" Sachi asked him.
"Yes, that is, if it's okay with you," Ryo said, carefully.
Sachi hesitated for a moment and then she told him yes.
"Really?" Ryo face suddenly lit up in happiness.
"I guess so," Sachi said with a smile.
"Thanks," Ryo said.
According to the text message, they were to meet at 3 PM at Himawari's Place. Sachi, with Ryo in tow, wondered how Rina will react to seeing Ryo with her. Sachi didn't expect to see her other closest friends as well, at least the married ones were all there.
She saw Rina, talking and standing with their friends, Ran and Daichi Ishihara, Mei and Ranmaru Aikawa, Kazumi and Ren Miura, and finally, Yumi and Makoto Azumi.
Rina saw her first and her best friend immediately beamed at her.
"Sachi, I'm so glad to se—," Rina began but did not finish her sentence upon seeing the person trailing behind her best friend.
"Sorry, we're late," Sachi said to her friends with Ryo beside her.
"What a pleasant surprise, I am so happy to see that you could join us, Ryo," Rina said finally acknowledging his presence.
Ryo has been introduced to her friends before they got married but they've never really had to interact with him.
Rina, Ran, Mei, Kazumi and Yumiko are five of Sachi's closest girl friends. They would all still hang out with each other even after marriage.
"Miss R, the room is now ready," one of Rina's staff informed her and the group was then ushered to their private room. It was there that formal introductions were done, for the benefit of Ryo.
"Where's Zen?" Sachi asked Rina.
"He'll be here shortly," Rina said with a tense smile.
"Honey, I'm here," Zen announced, he was followed by another person behind him into the room.
"Sorry, I'm late," Seto said, all smiles, as he entered the room, unannounced.
"Seto!" the others all said in unison and ran towards their friend whom they haven't seen in a long time.
"Seto. Hitachin?" Ryo asked Sachi. She, Rina and Ryo were all the ones left to hang out at the back after everyone flocked to Seto by the door with Zen.
Sachi nodded, not meeting his gaze.
"Sorry, were late. I had to pick uh—," Zens voice trailed as he recognized the guy beside Sachi. "Ryo, it's so nice to see you here," his tune changed.
"Likewise," Ryo said with a smile.
Zen and Rina exchanged looks.
"Sachi's here, too," they heard someone told Seto about Sachi.
"Really?" Seto said and the next thing that happened was Seto and Ryo are now finally face to face at each other, locked in an intense gaze.
"Sachi," Seto said breaking the stare off and shifting his attention to her.
"Seto," Sachi acknowledged with a smile.
"This must be," but before Seto could even finish his sentence, "Ryo Sugimoto, Sachi's husband," Ryo spoke with outstretched hands to Seto. "Nice to meet you."
Seto took Ryo's hand in his and the two shook hands. "Seto Hitachin. The pleasure is all mine."
The two sized each other out and were gripping each other's hand tightly on their handshake.
At that moment, although he couldn't quite explain it, but there was something about Seto that Ryo did not like. He could immediately tell that the guy didn't like him in the least, and the feeling is mutual.
***