Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon - Volume 2 - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - The two of them on a summer's night

Summer nights were cool and pleasant.

After taking a bath to wash away the day's sweat, on her way back to her room, she spotted a figure on the porch. It was Kiyoka, dressed in a cooling yukata, he wore his hair down, untied, which was a rare sight to see.

(—I want to go by your side.)

Miyo quickly prepared some simple foods in the kitchen before walking up to Kiyoka who was gazing at the partly waning moon.

"Danna-sama, may I sit next to you?"

"Yeah."

With his permission, Miyo put down the tray in her hand and sat down. Then, Kiyoka finally turned his gaze onto Miyo.

"...What are these?"

"Ah, some tea and pickled dishes...?"

To Kiyoka who asked her while looking at the tray, Miyo answered with her head cocked to one side.

He was normally already a man of few words, but he seemed even quieter tonight and it worried Miyo. She was sure he must've had something on his mind which was why she thought it was better for her to prepare tea instead of sake, but perhaps she might've done something unnecessary.

"...I'll have some."

"Ah, yes."

By the light of the moon, Miyo poured the tea into two teacups placed side by side. The fragrant smell of barley filled the air around them.

The content of the teapot was not the usual green tea but barley tea, a summer tradition.

"Is it barley tea?"

"Yes, that's right, since it's that time of the year, I'd thought to try something summery. These pickled cucumbers and eggplants are also really good... Um, would you like to try some?"

It seemed that this year was one of good harvest so they got a lot of vegetables. A portion of them was pickled by Yurie and Miyo so that they could keep it for longer.

These vegetables were mostly about done pickling and Miyo was thinking of serving some little by little starting tomorrow breakfast.

Kiyoka sent a piece of pickled cucumber into his mouth which made a crisp crunchy sound every time he chewed.

”It's good."

"...That's great."

For a while, a comfortable silence fell between them as time trickled by.

Kiyoka was the first to break that silence. He appeared rather hesitant, as if he was struggling a little to find the words to say.

"Miyo... Um..."

"Yes?"

"I'm going to be busy with work for quite some time starting tomorrow and there may be days where I can't come home, sorry."

"No, it's ok..."

Holding a respectable position of a Captain, there are responsibilities he has to bear, naturally, he would be busy. Since Miyo came to this house, there were few days where Kiyoka didn't come home that she forgot that this should've been the norm before.

She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel lonely. Even at this moment, she found herself reluctant to part with him.

Was it too selfish of her to wish that they could stay like this forever?

"Good luck with your work; I'll be fine on my own."

"—Are you sure?"

"Eh?"

"No, n- forget it."

Sigh... Kiyoka turned his gaze away and tilted his teacup.

She didn't know what it was he wanted to say, but if he was going to be busy for a while, there was something Miyo wanted to ask him.

"Danna-sama, I spoke to Hazuki-san today."

"My sister? Is it about the divorce?"

"Yes... So, um, I wanted to ask, what kind of person is Hazuki-san to Danna-sama?"

They were siblings related by blood. Right until the very end, Miyo never understood her half-sister, Kaya, but what about Kiyoka? Somehow, Miyo felt that this has been weighing on her mind.

"What kind of person huh? Come to think of it, I haven't really mentioned this much."

Kiyoka put the teacup that still had some leftover barley tea back on the tray.

When she refilled it with tea from the teapot, the aroma of barley wafted through the air again.

"My sister and I... we've never been on bad terms. Although she can be a little boisterous and loud at times, as you can tell, and often teased me when I was a child which was a little irritating, she always took good care of me."

"...I can kind of imagine that."

The scene of young Kiyoka and Hazuki playing with each other appeared in her mind. They must've been so cute.

"It isn't so much of like or dislike; we were brought up in the same environment so we know what's on each other's minds and there's no need to be overly reserved or considerate. Our personalities don't really match but I think that she's a good person... Does that answer your question?"

"Yes."

Miyo simply felt envious that Kiyoka could say that about someone.

(Ah, I'm so dumb...)

She would definitely feel even lonelier hearing something like that.

Miyo felt a sudden surge of inexplicable loneliness wash over her. She wondered if she would spend the rest of her life like this...not knowing that parents, siblings—family—could be a source of comfort, just maintaining a relationship that's weakly held together by blood.

No, there were a lot of people in the world who do not have families; Miyo was not a rare exception.

But in this house, she learnt the warmth of having a home.

Before, when she faced her stepmother and Kaya at the Saimori estate, all she wished for was to stay next to Kiyoka as his fiance and eventually his wife.

But what about now? Greed knows no bounds. She didn't just want a place she could belong to anymore, she wanted his heart too. This had nothing to do with engagement or marriage, she wanted to have a real family.

"Miyo, come a little closer."

"?Yes?"

She did as she was told, moving the tray between them so she could get closer.

Then, Kiyoka grabbed Miyo's wrist from under the sleeves of her yukata.

"D-Danna-sama?"

"...Tell me you're lonely if you feel lonely."

"!"

He seemed to have long seen through what's on her mind.

However, she was only being selfish if she revealed her true feelings; there was no way Miyo could admit it honestly.

"I-I won't be lonely..."

"Is that so? I'm lonely though."

"!?"

Did she hear that right?

(Danna-sama lonely? Because he won't be able to see me? No way...)

Even if she tried to deny that notion with all her might, somewhere in the corner of her mind a voice was telling her that she didn't hear him wrong.

Miyo was suddenly overcome with embarrassment that she couldn't make eye contact with her fiance, who was looking straight at her with a serious expression.

"You won't be lonely?"

"I..."

"I?"

Miyo eventually raised the white flag under Kiyoka's pressing.

"I'm lonely..."

She finally revealed her true feelings and slightly averted her gaze upwards—her cheeks were burning so much she was almost steaming.

Because... on Kiyoka's face, which was closer than she had thought, was a beautiful smile.

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

In the pale moonlight, his smile was so divine she wondered if there was anything more beautiful than this sight before her.

"You should have said so from the start."

"...I'm sorry."

When she apologised, Kiyoka suddenly laughed out loud.

"I see you still apologise first thing before anything else... But when did it change?"

"Eh?"

"When you apologised before, it was "I deeply apologise" but now, it's "I'm sorry""

"Ah..."

Miyo put a hand over her mouth in surprise.

It was a completely subconscious action; she didn't know when she had changed. She didn't recall ever using "I'm sorry" in all her life.

"W-What do I do..."

"It's alright... Isn't it perfectly fine, just like this?"

"Aren't I being a little too immature? It feels a bit weird."

"Your way of speaking has become more casual probably because you've gotten used to this house. It's fine to let yourself go a little when you're at home."

He was telling her that she could be more relaxed.

As he spoke, Kiyoka pulled Miyo closer by her shoulders.

"You can lean on me, Miyo. Be a little more wilful, I can accept everything."

Miyo couldn't say anything in return. However, the truth was, there was no way she could consider his suggestion.

That night, when she was caught in yet another nightmare, Miyo vaguely felt someone holding her hand, pulling her along.

She remembered feeling very relieved by the hand that led her towards the light.