I Can't Get Either One?

As the car slowly approaching the mansion, Kyoya carefully fixed his hair and trench coat. After he made sure he appeared presentable, he got off the car and walked straight to the main entrance.

"Welcome back, Young Master," Old Toshio greeted his master's arrival with a smile, especially when he saw the bouquet held tightly by Kyoya.

"En, good work," Kyoya walked through the hallway, his eyes darted left and right, looking for a certain someone.

Besides Old Toshio, there were a few maids greeting him. His smile slowly drooped down as he didn't see the one he was looking for.

As a certain man was feeling dejected, the sound of light footsteps walking toward him echoed from behind. Kyoya's ears perked up. He quickly turned around. His eyes instantly brightened.

There she was.

Shouko was coming from the way to the library. She was dressed warmly in a knitted sweater and long skirt. Her silky black hair draped over one shoulder. Her clear eyes looked at him with delight as her lips curved beautifully into a smile.

Kyoya was lovestruck. His entire body froze.

Seeing the couple was silently looking at each other with invisible pink bubbles surrounding them, Old Toshio quietly urged the other maids to leave them alone. He too left the area. The old man was smiling too widely.

Shouko paused her steps a few feet from her husband. She looked up to meet his eyes. Her cheeks began to redden as the man was still staring at her without saying anything.

"What are you looking at, ah?" Shouko lightly punched his chest, trying to ease her nerves as her heart was beating fast.

"Looking at you," Kyoya said matter of factly. His eyes were still glued to her face, making Shouko blush deepened.

"Stop looking at me like that..." She grumbled. "Ah! Welcome home!"

She just remembered that she had yet to welcome him home. Blame this man for making her mind muddle-headed by his intense stare.

"I'm home," This time, Kyoya finally regained his senses. He showed the bouquet to his wife, his gaze softened at the sight of her confused eyes. "For you."

Shouko blinked a few times before she reacted by reaching out for the bouquet. She smiled sweetly seeing that it was a bouquet of blue iris flowers.

It made her remembered the resin that he made for her.

"It's beautiful," Shouko played with one of its petals, the tips of her finger lightly touching it. "I love it. Thank you, Kyoya."

"En, it's great if you love it," Kyoya was pleased to see her happy with the flowers.

It was a good thing to pamper his wife with beautiful things so he could benefit himself with rewards.

But...

Kyoya looked at her for a few minutes before he squinted his eyes. Shouko was still eyeing the blue iris without showing any sign to do anything else. He frowned slightly before a few words came out of his mouth.

"That's it?"

Shouko raised her eyes from the flowers, looking back at Kyoya. "What is it?"

Kyoya pursed his lips. With a deadpan face, he said, "I'm expecting a hug or a kiss from you."

Shouko stiffened, the blush came back smearing her cheeks until her entire face was red.

How could this man be so brazen ah?

"You... what's with that..."

Kyoya's shoulders slumped down as he added in a disappointed tone like a child who held back a cry for a missing candy, "I can't get either one?"

Shouko screamed inside, scolding him internally. He really knew how to act to soften her heart!

This man...

Ah! Just do it!

In a quick motion, Shouko stepped forward, hugging the man's waist with her free hand, standing on her tiptoes before she lightly pressed her lips on his right cheek. As fast as she came, she quickly released him.

Kyoya was surprised by her action yet he was totally overjoyed. The curl of his lips widened. "Wife..."

She glared at him, signaling him to stop talking yet her face remained blushing. "You got both so stop sulking. Humph!"

Shouko left him while harrumphing. Her steps turned quicker as she felt so embarrassed with her bold action just now. She covered her face with the bouquet while running upstairs.

"Wife, you could trip if you run like that. Don't cover your face!" Kyoya shouted from behind, a series of chuckles followed, echoing in the hallway.

As if Shouko would listen to him. She was too embarrassed to answer him.

She's still not skillful to continue flirting with him!

After dinner, Kyoya went to the study room. He still had a few things that needed to be done. His smile was still plastered on his face as he recalled the way Shouko acted during their dinner.

While he deliberately looked at her with a seductive gaze, she returned back with a glare. Her fierceness was betrayed by how her face blushed furiously.

Sometimes, looking at his wife's cute angry face reminded him of a kitten.

Kyoya laughed in a great mood.

As they suddenly shifted their focus to the newly announced development project in Island C, Kyoya became busier than usual. Most developers looked down on the small scale of the project that wouldn't produce a big profit but Kyoya thought otherwise.

In the forest of the island, a few huge tombstones were scattered. Ancient-like texts were carved on the tombstones and while the islanders had already deciphered the messages on them, they could still attract the younger generation.

In this era of high technology, a lot of people craved adventures in nature to balance their life.

Kyoya worked with full focus without realizing it was already close to midnight. He rubbed the space between his brows, trying to ease his exhaustion.

Knock! Knock!

Kyoya turned his attention to the door. The corners of his lips lifted up. "Come in."

It wasn't Old Toshio. Old Toshio would always knock once and twice in a short interval, resulting in three knocks. This one was...

"You're still not sleeping?"

His wife.

Shouko appeared with a tray of tea in her hands. Kyoya smiled as he watched her walking to him.

"Have some tea to keep you warm," Shouko carefully handed him a cup of white tea. "The night is getting colder these days."

Kyoya's smile deepened. He accepted the cup and brought the rim near his lips. His brows rose. "I smell ginger?"

"Yes. I put a bit of ginger powder and a few drops of lemon juice," Shouko let her eyes lingered on the work desk. She rarely entered his study but she always found it was well-kept.

Then, her eyes fell upon the photos of the tombstones. A look of awe flashed on her face.

Kyoya saw she was looking at the photos with great curiosity. Once he finished the tea, he gently pulled his wife to his lap. He let out a chuckle as he saw her surprised and bashful face.

"Wife, what do you think of these?" Kyoya rubbed her head lovingly, his free hand clicked on the mouse to enlarge one of the photos. "Didn't they pique your interest?"

Shouko ignored the fact that she was currently sitting on his lap and turned her attention to the enlarged photos. A tombstone was displayed on the screen. It looked so huge and tall, approximately more than two meters tall. On its surface, a series of ancient texts were sculpted.

"Where is this? And, what for?" Shouko had seen this kind of tombstones in books and documentaries so she was curious why did her husband show her this one.

Kyoya smiled in indulgence, he leaned forward and placed his chin on her shoulder. Both of his hands wrapped around her waist.

"This one would be our new project. These tombstones could only be found in Island C. With proper and extensive planning, the tombstones could be the new attraction to attract tourists. If it's you, would you go to try to decipher the texts?"

Shouko thought for a moment and nodded. "How old are these tombstones? Won't the government consider them as national treasures?"

"Don't worry," Kyoya smiled again. He pointed toward a part of the photo and said, "Why don't you try to decipher this part?"

Shouko narrowed her eyes as she tried to read them. She wasn't well-proficient in ancient texts but when she tried to decipher the texts carved on the tombstone, she found that it's wasn't too hard.

It was as if...

"Kyoya, on a closer look, these texts..." Shouko read the part again, she almost couldn't believe her eyes.

On the part where Kyoya had pointed, the text read as...

My life is a wasteland, if I lived a lifetime without you.

It sounded lovely and sorrowful at the same time.

Kyoya patted her head, feeling pleased with her quick discovery. "Actually, these tombstones were carved by a master sculptor more than thirty years ago so they could be considered modern. He's also a poet. That island was his hometown. And, everything's written on the tombstone was his poems related to nature in the island as well as his love toward his wife."

Shouko was surprised. She stared at him in disbelief.

"So, he just tinkered with the alphabets?" That's why the texts didn't appear as complicated as she had seen?

Kyoya nodded. The corners of his eyes crinkled happily. His eyes were so soft as if they were two puddles of water as he lovingly gazing at her.

"Wife, let's go there someday, alright?"

Shouko slowly closed her parting lips. In the next second, they curved as her expression softened.

"Alright. We'll go there together."

Kyoya deepened his smile. Once again, he embraced her from behind.