Yuzuru sat at the dinner table with Shiori, surrounded by the warmth of her brother family, Kenta. The atmosphere was lively and filled with laughter, but Yuzuru's emotions were anything but light. As he glanced around, his heart felt heavy, especially when Kenta shared the news.
Shiori smiled softly, her arm around Kaito, her nephew, as she gently hugged him. "So, Kaito, how was school today? Were the teachers nice? Did you make a lot of new friends?"
Kaito beamed, his excitement clear in his voice. "Yes! I have so many new friends, Auntie Shiori!"
Shiori chuckled softly, ruffling his hair. "That's wonderful! Make sure to be a good boy, okay?"
Yuzuru's lips curled into a small smile as he watched the interaction between Shiori and Kaito, but there was a sadness in his eyes that he couldn't quite hide.
Kenta, noticing the mood shift, beamed with pride and spoke up with enthusiasm. "Oh, by the way, we have some wonderful news! Miyu's pregnant again!"
Shiori's eyes widened in joyful surprise, and she immediately embraced her sister in law with warmth. "Oh my, congratulations, Miyu! I'm so happy for you both!"
Miyu returned the hug, her smile radiant. "Thank you, Shiori! We're so excited to welcome another member to our family."
Yuzuru offered a polite smile, but the happiness in the room only made the emptiness in his heart more evident. Kenta , catching the subtle change in Yuzuru's expression, gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Yuzuru," Kenta said with a hopeful smile. "I'm sure your time will come. You and Shiori will have children of your own one day."
Yuzuru forced a small smile, though it was clear he was trying to hold back the emotions welling up inside. Shiori glanced at him for a moment, but quickly looked away, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.
"Yeah... maybe someday, Kenta," Yuzuru replied, his voice steady but faint. "Thanks for the encouragement."
The table fell into a brief silence, the tension palpable, especially for Yuzuru , who felt a deeper sense of emptiness. Shiori, sensing the change, tried to steer the conversation back to lighter ground.
"Yuzuru," Shiori said, forcing a cheerful tone, "maybe one day you could teach Kaito how to play soccer. I'm sure he'd love that!"
Yuzuru gave a small, tight smile, his gaze drifting away for a moment before he answered softly, "Maybe... I'll teach him when he's older."
The conversation slowly flowed again, but Yuzuru remained lost in thought, feeling the growing emptiness within him despite his attempts to mask it in front of everyone else.
---
At the front of the house, the night was still, with the outdoor lights casting a soft glow. Yuzuru and Shiori had just gotten out of the car after their trip from Kenta's house.
Yuzuru closed the car door, his gaze immediately softening as he noticed Shiori seemed a little off. Concerned, he stepped toward her.
"Shiori... wait a minute," Yuzuru called gently, his hand moving to her forehead to check her temperature.
Shiori flinched, immediately swatting his hand away, her voice laced with frustration. "Yuzuru! How many times do I have to tell you, don't touch me!"
Yuzuru slowly withdrew his hand, his expression calm but filled with worry. "I just wanted to make sure you're alright. You looked unwell in the car."
Shiori crossed her arms defensively, her tone icy. "I don't need you to worry about me. Don't use this as an excuse to cross our boundaries."
Yuzuru sighed deeply but remained composed, trying to reason with her. "If something happens to you, what am I supposed to tell our parents? They're expecting both of us to appear at the charity event next week... together."
Shiori was silent for a moment, then let out a frustrated sigh. Her voice softened, though there was still an edge to it. "I'm just... on my period. That's all. My body doesn't feel well, but there's nothing for you to worry about."
Yuzuru nodded slowly, offering her a small, understanding smile. "Alright... if that's what's bothering you, I won't bother you again. But if you need anything... remember, I'm here."
Shiori glanced at him briefly, a flicker of uncertainty in her expression, but she didn't say anything. She turned and walked toward the house, leaving Yuzuru to watch her retreating figure. The emotions swirling in his mind were clear, but he said nothing as he followed her inside.
---
In the quiet room, dimly lit by the soft glow of a nightlight, Yuzuru lay in bed, his eyes wide open as he stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Yuzuru whispering to himself, clutching the blanket tightly. "Why can't I stop thinking about Shiori today?"
His mind wandered back to the moment in the car, when Shiori had fallen asleep beside him. He replayed how he had pulled the car over to the side of the road and looked at Shiori, her peaceful face calm and serene in sleep.
[Flashback]
Yuzuru whispering softly as he lowered Shiori's seat gently. "Rest well, Shiori... you look so tired."
He watched her sleeping face, his feelings slowly beginning to change. Under the faint glow of the streetlights outside, Shiori's features appeared so soft and sweet, making Yuzuru smile without realizing it.
Yuzuru thinking to himself as he gazed at Shiori asleep. "Shiori... why am I just now noticing how beautiful you look when you're sleeping?"
[Back to Yuzuru 's bedroom at night]
Yuzuru staring at the ceiling, letting out a long sigh. "What's happening to me? This is just a contract marriage... only three years, and it'll be over."
But the more he tried to convince himself, the warmth he felt when he looked at Shiori earlier in the car kept coming back, unsettling him. Yuzuru clutched his chest, feeling an unusual, rapid heartbeat.
Yuzuru smiling faintly, though confused. "Why is it that just thinking about Shiori's sleeping face... makes me smile like this?"
He pulled the blanket tighter around himself, closing his eyes, but a small smile remained on his face. There was a strange, growing feeling inside him, an attraction he wasn't fully aware of yet.
---
A flashback from the past, amidst a torrential downpour. The woman in question was Akarin, Shiori's younger sister. Beneath the dark sky, Akarin ran toward Yuzuru , her body trembling as she cried. Yuzuru stood there, soaked to the bone, looking at Akarin with deep concern.
Akarin her voice shaky, tears mingling with the rain. "Yuzuru ... please... don't marry Shiori! You don't love her, do you? Tell me this can be stopped!"
Akarin sobbed, reaching out for Yuzuru 's hands, pleading with a desperate hope.
Yuzuru gazing at Akarin with sympathy, gently pulling her into an embrace, whispering softly in her ear. "Akarin... calm down. I know this is hard for you."
Akarin sobbing in Yuzuru 's arms. "You don't understand... you're the only one I... I can trust."
Yuzuru sighing, holding back complicated emotions. "Akarin, listen to me carefully. My marriage with Shiori... it's not what you think."
Akarin lifting her head, looking at Yuzuru with a confused expression. "What do you mean, Yuzuru?"
Yuzuru in a low, serious voice. "It's just a contract marriage, Akarin. There's no love between us. After three years, we'll separate... and everything will go back to the way it was."
Akarin stood still, her face changing as she processed Yuzuru 's words.
Akarin whispering, beginning to understand. "So... it's only three years?"
Yuzuru nodding, gently stroking Akarin's wet hair. "Yes, just three years. After that, we can meet again, and everything will be fine."
Akarin smiling faintly, still crying but with a sense of relief now. "Then I'll wait, Yuzuru . I'll come back from America... and we'll start over."
Yuzuru smiling faintly, nodding. "Yes, Akarin. Wait for me. In three years, everything will change."
They looked at each other in the rain, and for a moment, the world seemed to belong only to them. The heavy rain couldn't drown the promise they made that night, a promise that would shape a new story in the future.