Yuto stared at Akiko, who was gently stroking her belly. The gesture held no significance for him.
But Akiko's thoughts returned to her pregnancy. If only Yuto's offer had come before she knew about her pregnancy, Akiko might have accepted it immediately.
But it was too late, and nothing could be fixed anymore. Akiko could never return to Yuto's house while pregnant—it was impossible. One thing was certain: Kaede would not greet her willingly or with a beaming smile.
"Does your mother know what you're doing right now?" Akiko asked.
She held onto a sliver of hope, but the dull look in Yuto's eyes was enough to tell Akiko that what she hoped for was impossible.
While many aspects of her life had changed, Yuto remained the same. He was still the sweet Yuto, who wanted to please his mother by always being polite and never contradicting her.
"It hurts. I feel so much pain," Akiko muttered, putting the empty paper cup she had been holding in
Bravery and anger surged within Akiko, as she was genuinely irritated by what Kenji had done. Yuto had disappointed her, but, in her opinion, Kenji had gone too far by threatening Yuto earlier.“How can I not get involved? Right now, you're carrying my child, and you're going to take him to that cursed house. Now you see, don’t you? Your beloved man is nothing more than a coward pretending to be a real man.” With a mocking grin, Kenji sneered.“I've already promised to protect this child, and I will. I won't foolishly take him to the Nakamura family! But what I do after that is up to me! It’s up to me to decide who I want to live with and how…”"You are contemplating reuniting with that scumbag following the birth of my child?" When he realized Akiko's hidden desires, Kenji hissed in a low voice.“Yes!” Akiko replied, but she turned her gaze away, pretending to brush her hair aside. Akiko wasn’t sure about the plan, but she still thought that Yuto was the best option for now.“Kiko-ch
Akiko couldn't help but smile as she gazed at the item she had longed for. She had been delaying purchasing this item since yesterday, but Kyoko's persistent encouragement made her feel compelled to make the purchase. So, Kyoko would be the first person to see it—besides herself.Akiko stepped out of the elevator and her smile grew wider when she saw Kyoko already there, waiting for her computer to boot up."Kyoko-chan..." Akiko called out sweetly, and Kyoko immediately looked wary, bracing herself for Akiko's sweet and clingy attack."What’s making you so happy today? You've been gloomy for a while now."Kyoko eyed her suspiciously, but Akiko just chuckled. Though the question sounded like a insult, Akiko knew it was Kyoko's way of showing concern, paying attention to her emotions every day.Of course, with all the problems Akiko had been facing, it wasn't surprising that she didn't always appear cheerful."I bought this, and you'll be the first to add your contact!" Akiko exclaimed,
"What do you mean you're still Akiko's husband? I told you to divorce Akiko ever since she left this house and slept with her uncle. Do you still want to keep a woman like that?"Kaede, who usually avoided mentioning Akiko and what she had done, now spewed her anger with eyes glaring at Yuto. Because this was the first time Yuto had defied her, her frustration was uncontained."But it was a mistake, Akiko...""How dare you defend that cheap girl in front of me? How dare you stand up for a girl who is barren and still unable to bear your children? How dare you defend her in front of me? She's worthless!" Kaede's insults grew harsher."Oka-san! She's my wife, and as long as she was here, she was always obedient to you. I chose her because I love her.""Fool! Has love blinded you, or is it something else? It's clear she betrayed you. She's not fit to be a member of the Nakamura family! Disgusting!" Kaede approached Yuto, who was standing, and poked his chest with her index finger."Did yo
"What's up with you 'buying a regular plane ticket'?"Ryu contacted Kenji with confusion because someone mentioned that Kenji had requested a plane ticket booking. It wasn’t like Kenji to travel using a commercial flight, even if it wasn't in economy class."I just don't want to make too big of a surprise."Kenji spoke as he glanced at Akiko, who was now standing in front of the window, gazing out into the darkness of the runway. Several planes were moving about, and although it was already dark outside, Akiko could still see quite clearly with the help of the lights."You mean for Akiko? Hmm... You're weird. You're making things difficult for yourself," Ryu criticized."I just want to be careful. I don't want Akiko to start asking questions about Hayato later. You already know how Akiko reacts when she begins to inquire about her parents. I already told you this yesterday," Kenji hissed, and Ryu immediately expressed regret."Okay...
The problem was that Kenji's eccentricities came in rapid succession. Starting with the expensive Yubari melon, to his arrival at this shop. Kenji only handed over a business card, but the shop clerk immediately gave them special treatment.Of course, Akiko wanted to know what kind of business card Kenji had shown them. What kind of magic card could get them mochi in such a short time—without having to wait a week?Akiko once again felt a bit silly over Mochi. They traveled all this way solely for mochi, and it was evident that they needed to request special treatment for it."Are you asking who I am?" With a frown, Kenji turned to her. "I've taken care of you since twelve years ago," Kenji reminded."I mean...""Do you want to choose or not?" Kenji diverted Akiko’s attention, pointing at the display case.Akiko nodded, continuing her intention to visit the shop. She still wanted to ask, but her concentration quickly shifte
Kenji examined the divorce papers and felt satisfied because the name "Nakamura" had been replaced with "Yuto" and the document was officially stamped with a hanko—just as he had wanted.However, Kenji scowled as he remembered that Yuto had visited Akiko a few days prior. At that time, Yuto still wanted Akiko. It was a bit strange that just a few days later, Yuto sent divorce papers.However, they didn’t reach an agreement that day. If Nakamura truly sent the divorce papers because of Akiko's rejection, then Kenji couldn’t be more relieved.At the very least, the man he considered useless was beginning to think along the right lines, and he believed that his relationship with Akiko couldn't be salvaged. But the problem was Akiko.Kenji returned the papers to their envelope and walked inside.“Who was at the door?” As Kenji passed through the living room, Akiko inquired.“Someone delivering documents for me
“Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?” Kyoko asked Akiko for what seemed like the hundredth time.Akiko had been dizzy and nauseous since earlier in the evening. She had taken her medication, but perhaps too late. Her lunch had come back up, leaving her with a throbbing headache and a stiff stomach.“No need. I just need some rest.” Akiko clearly refused to go to the doctor because she didn't want to explain her pregnancy to Kyoko.“Tch, you’re just causing trouble.” Kyoko grumbled but didn’t let go of Akiko as she helped her onto the train.Akiko thought Kyoko was just going to help her sit down, but to her surprise, Kyoko sat down beside her as well.“Hey! This isn’t your train,” Akiko reminded her, knowing they were headed in opposite directions.“Do you think I’m going to leave you alone? If something happens to you, I’ll be the one stuck with all your work,” Kyoko grumbled.Akiko smiled, understanding that this was Kyoko’s way of expressing her concern.“Thank you,” Akiko
Yuto clicked his tongue, growing angrier."I told you earlier, I want to fix our marriage. I want us to stay together. Isn't that reason enough?" Yuto began to shout."Why didn't you immediately agree and feel happy? You should be glad that we can be together again. I'm willing to sacrifice wealth and reputation for you!"Akiko clutched her coat tightly, out of regret. She regretted asking them both to leave the Nakamura house because it made Yuto see it as a burden rather than a way out. When Yuto mentioned sacrifice, Akiko was, of course, furious."Why are you questioning my decision to be with you now?" Yuto accused. "Don't tell me this is all just an excuse, and that you've actually gone mad and are in love with your uncle."“Yuto-kun!” Akiko shouted in anger, standing up.Ignoring the pounding in her head, Akiko leaned on the adrenaline and stared sharply at Yuto."You talk about sacrifice but only feel like a victim after doing this? That’s funny. What about me?” Akiko hissed, t
Kenji glanced around, squinting in the dim surroundings. A few people stared at him—understandably so, as he towered over the others. Those who recognized him bowed immediately, pausing their movements, ignoring the pulsating music.The club wasn't far from Kuryugumi's main house, so it was no surprise some people knew him. However, Kenji did not reciprocate their gestures or show any concern. His focus was on one person he had been looking for.That person stood surrounded by at least three women, laughing as they offered him drinks."I haven't seen you like this in a long time," Kenji said."Hey! You came! Look!" Ryu shouted excitedly, raising his glass—likely filled with brandy judging by its color. Ryu, walking unsteadily, rushed toward Kenji and clung to his shoulder."Look who's here, everyone! Isn't he handsome? This is one of my friends."Ryu proudly introduced Kenji to the women who quickly gathered around him. Some of t
"What's going on with them?" Kyoko asked Akiko, glancing at Kenji and Ryu, who hadn't spoken to each other during breakfast.Now that the breakfast table had been cleared, Kenji still hadn’t said a word to Ryu—or vice versa.Usually, even if it was just a question about work or plans for the afternoon, they would talk. They never stayed silent like this. Akiko noticed it too. Yui was as quiet as usual, but Kenji and Ryu seemed odd."Did you two have a fight?" Akiko asked, sipping her tea and looking back and forth between Kenji and Ryu."Yes.""No."Kenji said yes, while Ryu said no. The two contradictory responses only made it clearer that something was going on between them.Ryu angrily glared at Kenji, to which Kenji responded with a defiant look."What? I'm just being honest," Kenji shrugged."Since when have you cared about being honest?! Choose the right time to be honest!" Ryu snapped."I was ju
"Are you leaving?" Akiko inquired, observing that Kenji was still wearing his shirt, even though his jacket had been removed. He clearly wasn't ready to sleep yet.Akiko herself was already under the covers. Today had been exhausting for her, especially after experiencing such extreme emotional shifts from fear to joy."Yes, I need to talk to Ryu. There are some work adjustments I need to discuss with him," Kenji said, sitting beside Akiko."Should I stay with you until you fall asleep? I can postpone it," Kenji offered, noticing the disappointment in her eyes.Akiko thought for a moment, then nodded. She did want that."But are you sure it's okay? Whatever you need to discuss with Ryu, can it wait?" Akiko asked.Kenji nodded. "Of course it can. If it was something urgent that couldn’t wait, I'd ask Kyoko or Yui to come stay with you. But this can wait."Kenji grabbed a pillow and placed it beside Akiko, who was lying down
"But that’s a lie. I just pretended to be pregnant," Akiko replied, shaking her head. She sensed that the doctor in front of her was making fun of her because the outrageous lie was too much for her.“What?” Rin was, of course, confused by Akiko’s reaction. She understood Akiko might find it hard to believe, but the confession was strange. She had no idea Akiko had ever pretended to be pregnant.“Yeah, she didn’t ask for mochi or anything,” Kenji chimed in, expressing disbelief.“What?”Akiko and Rin asked at the same time because Kenji’s response was even stranger.“She wasn’t nauseous or anything; she looked normal,” Kenji said, still trying to steer the conversation away from Mochi.“Pregnancy without nausea is quite possible. It’s likely Tanaka-san is experiencing such a pregnancy. You don’t remember when your last cycle was; that’s prob
"Are you sure you're not experiencing dizziness or nausea?" Kyoko inquired, observing that Akiko was dismissing the symptoms."Not at all." Akiko shook her head and moved on to the next question.Akiko was sitting on a hospital bed, filling out a questionnaire to narrow down what was happening with her body. Akiko had already undergone several tests, including CT scans and more, with Dr. Hayashi earlier in the day. But the results were negative.Dr. Hayashi had confirmed there was no recurring tumor—for the second time. So, he concluded something else was causing the nosebleeds, though he didn’t yet know what.Hayashi asked Akiko to answer a series of questions to better understand her condition. It was a somewhat strange method, but necessary since Hayashi was still in Tokyo and couldn’t come immediately as Kenji had requested. He had a few surgeries to perform and could only fly to Osaka the next day.So, Akiko had been answerin
"Is this the last one?" Akiko asked as she stepped out of the car and looked at the building in front of her.The large building was shaped like a church, with towers and a European-style design in a reddish hue. But Akiko didn’t see the name of a church on the sign attached to the gate. The sign read "Akarui Hizashi," which roughly means "bright sunlight.""Yes, let's go inside." Yui opened the iron gate and entered as if the place were very familiar to her.Akiko understood the building's purpose after seeing its huge yard. Children were running around, playing with the fallen leaves scattered everywhere. Akiko noticed a broom lying near their feet; they were too busy playing to finish their chores."This... is an orphanage," Akiko finally understood."Yes, this is the orphanage where Ryu and I grew up," Yui said."Oh, Ryu was here too?" Kyoko stepped forward to observe the surroundings."Yes. This is one of the orphanages man
"What is that?" Ryu asked, intrigued as Kenji suddenly stopped moving."A letter." Kenji snapped out of his daydream, startled by seeing the name Ishida. It was his name; there was no doubt about it, but seeing Masaki write that name felt like something unpleasant was looming.Upon opening the unsealed envelope, Kenji discovered several documents of varying sizes and thickness. He chose one particular piece of paper that stood out—it was sealed in a plastic clip and folded. Kenji opened it.The document inside was a marriage certificate, with the names Kenji Tanaka and Akiko—Ishida. The certificate also included their photo, stamped with a hanko seal."What does this mean?!" Ryu exclaimed, staring at the name Ishida following Akiko’s name, confused."What kind of crazy joke is this?" Kenji was furious. He had no idea what the letter meant, especially with Akiko being referred to as Ishida.Kenji grabbed another sheet, sligh
Kenji drummed his fingers on the table, staring at Murakami, who was bowing deeply before him, clearly displeased."Is that all you have to say to me? Don't make me regret sparing your life! I want information, not nonsense about how you don’t know anything!" Kenji hissed as he stood, and Murakami immediately recoiled in fear."I truly don’t have any information about the other ichizoku involved in that business. Everything was handled by Nidaime himself. I only found out by accident that there were other clans involved. Nidaime unintentionally let it slip."Murakami explained, glancing at Kenji's feet, which were now positioned close to his face. He bowed again, his body trembling as he imagined those feet flying toward his head.But Kenji was in a far better mood than before. He simply looked down at the back of Murakami’s head."My father couldn't have handled this on his own! He must have—""Maybe he did. Nidaime
Akiko, together with Kyoko, followed Yui down the unfamiliar corridor of the house. Even for Kyoko, who had been there longer than Akiko, the place felt foreign. Eventually, Yui led them to the second floor.The large wooden staircase, a deep brown, appeared sturdy, though it likely had been there for many years."I’m taking you upstairs so that you can have a better view of this place and what you now possess," Yui said, directing her words specifically at Akiko."Yes," Akiko nodded. As Akiko was now Kenji's wife, she understood that Yui was referring to ownership."We’ve arrived." Yui spread her arms, leaning against the wooden railing of the second-floor balcony.Of course, Akiko gasped in awe. From the balcony, they could see the entire area surrounding the large house.In addition to a garden, Akiko could make out the roofs of smaller houses scattered around the estate—houses she had seen when she walked in the day bef