"So, dear… about moving out?"
I hesitated. Deep down, I wasn't sure how I felt about it.
A new place? A fresh start? Or just another step toward something I wasn't ready for?
But instead of voicing any of that, I forced a small smile. "Well… I'm comfortable with how things are now. But if you want to, sure, why not."
Her eyes lit up instantly, excitement dancing across her face. "Really? Then I'll ask my father to help us find something near my office."
I nodded slowly. "Okay. As long as you're happy… I'm happy too."
The words flowed easily, but in the silence that followed, I couldn't ignore the weight pressing on my chest.
Was I really happy?
All I could see was her excitement, the way her eyes lit up, how her shoulders relaxed.
The moment I agreed, she pulled out her phone and called her father, her voice light and almost playful as she delivered the news.
"Hello? Father? Yes, it's me, Satomi! Ah, are you busy? Aww~"
She giggled softly, her tone warm and affectionate..
"Yes, yes, Father… I need your help finding a new place for us to live."
There was a brief pause, and I caught the slight shift in her expression.
"Eh? What? Oh, the meeting tomorrow afternoon? Of course, I remember!"
Another pause. Her excitement dimmed just a little.
"But… umm… okay… Please do, Father. Thank you."
She ended the call with a small sigh, but the excitement in her eyes hadn't quite faded.
I just sat there, watching.
Then she made another call.
"Ah, hello? Mother?"
She still sounded excited, bubbling with enthusiasm about her new job and the company her father had entrusted to her.
From where I sat, I could tell she was thrilled. Maybe even too thrilled.
"Mom~ Father said I should ask you to help us find a house."
A pause. Her face fell slightly.
"Ehh? You can't? Why?"
Her tone shifted, frustration creeping in.
"But, Mom…"
Another pause. Her fingers tapped impatiently against her knee.
"Ehh… what should I do? I'm busy… and I don't know if Haruki knows much about the area."
She sighed, her shoulders slumping just a little.
"Ugh… fine. I'll ask Father."
And just like that, she ended the call.
I sat there, just watching.
She dialed again.
"Ah, Father~," she chimed sweetly.
A pause. Her lips pouted.
"Eh? I'm your only daughter, so why can't I call you?"
She let out a small huff. "Yeah, yeah… busy, busy. What? You don't care about me anymore?"
She listened for a moment, then sighed.
"No, I did call Mom. She said she can't help. Said she doesn't know." Satomi rolled her eyes. "Mom's always like that… too shy to go out."
Another pause. Her fingers twirled the hem of her sleeve.
"Yes… yes… but, Father… mm… mm… please help me~"
Her voice softened into a playful whine.
"I am your only daughter, right? Aw~ please, Papa… see? I even called you Papa~"
I watched as she giggled, clearly knowing how to get her way.
"Yes, yes… mm? Yeah? Oh—that's not a bad idea."
She nodded as if considering something.
"Mmhmm. Yes, I'll talk to him about it later."
"Yes, Papa~ I know… So can you help me tell her?"
Another pause. Then her face lit up.
"Yes! Thank you, Papa~! Of course, I remember the meeting tomorrow!"
She grinned, leaning back against the couch.
"Yes, yes… as the new owner of the company, blah blah blah~," she said with a teasing smile.
"Yes, yes, okay, Papa~."
She finally ended the call, still smiling to herself.
And all I could do was watch.
"You know, dear?"
"Hmm?" I looked up at her.
"Papa said we can live in their house for a while."
"Ehh?" My brows furrowed in surprise.
"Besides, the house is big. We can all live together. I'll be busy after this, so with Mom there, you won't feel lonely."
I hesitated. "Are you sure? You know I don't want to intrude on their lives… or make things awkward."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, don't worry about it."
I felt awkward just thinking about it.
Who wouldn't? Living with your in-laws wasn't exactly a dream scenario.
What made it even stranger was that I'd barely seen her mother. Even on our wedding day, she'd worn a kimono and face mask the entire time. Was she too shy? Or was it something else? I had no idea.
I grew up in an orphanage, so the concept of having parents, of being part of a family like this, felt foreign. Comforting, maybe. But also distant, like something I didn't quite know how to belong to.
But looking at how excited Satomi was, I couldn't say no.
"Okay."
Her face lit up. "Thank you, dear! Muah~" She kissed my cheek, completely oblivious to the unease settling in my chest.
I saw her yawn.
"Dear, let's go to sleep."
"Okay."
"We have a lot to do tomorrow."
"Okay, honey."
Satomi lay beside me, her back turned as she scrolled through her phone. Her long hair cascaded over the pillow, a few strands spilling onto my side of the bed.
I turned toward her, watching. Waiting.
"Satomi…" My voice came out quiet, careful. I reached out and brushed my fingers along her shoulder.
"Hmm?" She didn't look up from her screen.
I hesitated, then slid closer and wrapped an arm around her waist. She was warm, and her familiar scent filling my senses.
"It's been a while…" I murmured, pressing a soft kiss against the back of her neck.
She finally turned her head slightly, glancing at me over her shoulder. Her expression was unreadable.
"Haruki… I'm really tired."
Gentle words. But they landed like a cold hand pressing against my chest.
I swallowed and forced a small smile. "Just for a little while…?" My fingers traced slow circles along her hip, my voice barely above a whisper.
She sighed and set her phone down at last. "Tomorrow, okay? I have an early meeting."
Tomorrow.
How many times had I heard that word?
I pulled back slightly and stared at the ceiling. The warmth I'd felt just moments ago was already fading, replaced by something colder, something heavier.
"Yeah… okay."
The bed felt bigger than it was.
That night, I lay on my back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. The dim glow from the bedside clock carved soft shadows across the room.
Beside me, Satomi slept soundly, her breaths deep and steady, until a snore erupted, loud.
My body didn't care about the emotional distance, though. I was still hard, aching with frustration.
How long had it been?
I tried to remember the last time we'd had sex. Two months? Three? Maybe longer...I didn't know. Every time I tried lately, she had an excuse. Too tired. Too busy. Tomorrow, I promise.
I glanced at her sleeping form, the curve of her shoulder exposed beneath the blanket. My fingers twitched with the urge to reach out, to touch her, wake her, remind her I was still her husband.
But I didn't.
Instead, I rolled onto my side, gripping the sheets. It wasn't just about sex, it was the rejection. The slow, quiet way we were becoming strangers sharing the same bed.
I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the heat between my legs.
Sleep never came.
( End of Chapter )