288 Come Back Soon To Us, Okay?

"Err... sweetheart. Are you really and seriously want to eat hot pot right now?" Ren was still uncertain about his wife's sudden request. He glanced at the wall clock. It was already close to 11 PM. "It's late. Most restaurants would be closed soon. We'll go there tomorrow night, alright?"

"There's a new 24-hour hotpot restaurant here! Please, darling? Let's go! I really want to eat it now," Tsubaki clasped her hands together and stared at her husband with a begging face. "Let's go, okay?"

"You have eaten dinner just now, how could you still want the hot pot?" Ren scratched his head helplessly. Was this the famous the-husband-going-out-at-wee-hours-for-his-wife's-craving?

"Can't we go?" Tsubaki was still trying to persuade him. Her desire to eat hot pot was intensified when she remembered how her mouth watered when she saw the restaurant in the afternoon.

"Can't we wait until tomorrow?" Ren sighed. "It's cold outside and it's dangerous for you to go out late at night. Or, I could ask the chef to prepare a hot pot for us. It's unnecessary for you to have it outside."

"We can wear sweaters and you have bodyguards, just bring them along to ensure our safety. And, eating the hot pot at a restaurant once in a while is better!" Tsubaki nipped her husband's excuses neatly, she was so adamant right now. Her gaze was fiery as she looked back at his helpless one.

"It's late," Ren repeated patiently. He didn't understand why did she suddenly determine to ask him out for a hot pot at this moment.

Tsubaki pursed her lips, the lights of her eyes dimmed. She slowly retreated from his side, her back facing him before she rounded the bed to head outside with her phone. Once again Ren was dumbfounded. He quickly scrambled on his knees to get off of the bed. A sense of a crisis arose in his heart.

"Where are you going?" Ren suppressed the panic in his voice as he held one of her wrists from behind.

"Out. Call Satsuki to accompany me," She answered in a flat voice. Tsubaki still refused to look at him.

Ren "..."

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Tsubaki took her wrist back from his hand. She was fuming inside. She knew that he meant well but it wasn't like she asked him to go to a crowded place like a night market. They could sit comfortably in the restaurant and have a hearty meal.

But, before Tsubaki could take a step forward, Ren once again caught her wrist. He had even turned her around to face him but Tsubaki kept her gaze downward. Ren sighed inwardly.

This was serious. His wife rarely displayed her stubborn self. At this moment, Ren felt like cursing the owner of the hot pot restaurant. Why did he have to open it for 24 hours? Did he think people didn't need to sleep? Now, his wife was sulking because of it!

"Alright... we'll go," Ren said awkwardly. He twirled with her fingers, trying to appease her. "We'll go to the restaurant, okay?"

Tsubaki immediately looked up. Her whole countenance brightened as she exclaimed excitedly. "Really? Let's go! Let's go!"

Ren couldn't count how many times he was left dumbfounded due to his wife's sudden change. He stared at her excited face with disbelief in his eyes. Tsubaki had already left his side, her steps were light as she was dancing her way toward the wardrobe. It was totally different from the heavy and pouting expression she showed him earlier.

In less than 10 minutes, both of them were already dressed warmly as they headed downstairs. Ren urged Tsubaki to wear a thicker coat which she complied happily. While he was still thinking of his wife's sudden change and how many times it would occur again throughout her pregnancy, Tsubaki was humming beside him.

Forget it. As long as she's happy, Ren thought as he decided to drop the matter.

As they walked in the hallway, a head poked out from a corner. It was Takuma who had already dressed in his pajamas. He let his shoulder-length hair loose, draped over one shoulder.

"Where are you going?"Takuma squinted his eyes while looking at them. He had just returned from the kitchen. A cup of hot coffee was held on his right hand. "You're going outside at this hour?"

Ren rolled his eyes. He didn't have the energy to deal with his cousin right now. "My pregnant wife wants to eat hot pot. So, we're heading out."

"What? At this hour?" Takuma quickly looked at the nearby wall clock. His eyes bulged. "It's already 11:20!"

"There's a 24-hour hot pot restaurant," Tsubaki answered happily. "Do you want to join us? The more, the merrier."

Takuma wanted to accept the offer but his words stuck in his throat the moment he sensed Ren's murderous gaze. He gulped, feeling a desperate need to save himself. He felt cold all over his body.

"It's okay, cousin-in-law! You guys go and have fun with yourselves! I have work to do. Bye!"

"Taku..."

Before Tsubaki could say anything, Takuma had ran upstairs with the quickest speed, leaving her words hanging in the air. He ran as if he was seeking out by Death himself.

"Let's go," Ren put his hand around his wife's waist. "Ignore him."

"Oh, okay," Tsubaki nodded once.

Ren drove them to the restaurant by himself. He didn't call the old house's chauffeur as he felt like spending the time with just the two of them. Their car ride was a smooth one. In no time, they arrived at the hot pot restaurant. From the huge glass windows, it was safe to say most of the tables inside were occupied by customers. They were chatting happily while enjoying hot pot in this cold weather.

Once they walked inside, a warm gush of wind gently welcomed them. A waiter led them to a table for two near the glass window. Tsubaki was giddy with excitement as she heard her husband ordering the hot pot for them.

"Are you that happy?" Ren let out a chuckle once he saw the twinkles in her eyes. Sometimes, he really couldn't understand how her mood worked.

"Of course~ Thank you, hubby~" Tsubaki deliberately sweetened her voice to please her husband. She was so happy because her wish tonight could be fulfilled.

Ren shook his head with a helpless laugh. He wondered if his daughter or son would inherit her sweetness.

Two helpers came to arrange their hot pot settings. Tsubaki's eyes went from one dish to another. She heaved a happy sigh when she watched Ren began putting the kelp and chicken inside the broth to flavor it. His movement was steady and organized, making her admiration toward him increased in her heart. He then added daikon, potatoes and napa cabbage.

"Add the tofu and shirataki noodles too!" Tsubaki urged him. She was salivated as the delicious smell of the hot pot began to swirl around them.

Ren obediently followed her request. Soon, the hot pot was ready. He scooped her portion first before doing so for himself.

"Ah, darling! What's wrong with your fingers?" Tsubaki caught sight of new cuts when she was bowing down to eat a piece of tofu. She didn't realize them when they were in the old house. The cuts didn't appear red, they were just scratches. "You've injured your fingers too the other day."

"Nothing, sweetheart," Ren put a cooked thinly sliced meat inside her bowl. His gaze was profound as he eyed her worried face. "Takuma asked me for a round of karate this noon. He was itching for a sparring as he was stress with his current project."

Takuma, who was enjoying his time watching a romantic film in his bedroom far from the restaurant, sneezed twice. He looked weirdly to his surroundings.

Did a wind sneak in?

"Oh, I didn't expect him to vent out his stress this way," Tsubaki was totally bought by Ren's words. "I thought he would just goof around whenever he's stressed."

Was Takuma a masochist? He did say he could never wind against Ren so why did he request for such a way to loosen himself? Didn't his stress double with his loss?

Ren curled up a smile. His wife didn't even notice his lie. Well, it was still not the right time to tell her the truth.

It was a grand surprise after all.

"I remember something," Ren suddenly thought of the thing that had been forgotten from his mind. Suddenly, his face fell.

"What it is?"

Tsubaki scooped some of the broth and drank it. Her face flushed with the heat of the hot pot yet she was so satisfied. This new restaurant served delicious hot pot and the ambiance inside was so comfy it made her felt like she wanted to stay here for hours.

"I need to go to the Country M in two days," Ren was so downhearted as he told her about his business trip. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I might be there for three days. I need to personally inspect the project there. I want to bring you together with me but I'm worried to leave you alone in the hotel room even with the bodyguards guarding you."

Tsubaki's spoon hung over the bowl. She stared at her husband's anxious face, not knowing what to say. She was surprised by the sudden business trip.

"Oh... it's okay. You don't have to worry about me," Tsubaki quickly regained her composure despite her heart was saddened with the news. She tried to lighten her voice, refused to succumb to her dejection. "I would stay with Grandma and Aunt Kasumi then. This way, you could be at ease and I have someone to look after me."

Although Tsubaki was reluctant to part with her husband even for a few days but she understood his responsibility. Her feeling right now was affected by her pregnancy. Ren had been supporting her wholeheartedly, relenting to her silly wishes and coaxing her whenever she was depressed with the change of her body. How could she bear to stay away from her husband? If not for her unwillingness to burden him, she would insist to go with him.

"Could you really?" Ren felt guilty, he didn't dare to look into her eyes yet he forced himself to do so. "I'm worried, sweetheart. I'm worried to let you come with me yet I'm also worried about leaving you here even though Grandma and Aunt Kasumi are here."

Her husband was just concerned with her. Even when she was doing her daily activities, her limbs would be aching especially at night. She couldn't really stand a long journey although they would take the most comfortable transportation.

She swallowed down her unhappiness and flashed the brightest smile to her husband.

"Come back soon to us, okay? We'll be waiting."

Ren was stunned. He was at a loss of words with the way she smiled at him. He could still see the hint of sadness that she tried to hide yet when she looked like this, how could he waste her effort to ease their worries?

"Alright," Ren nodded, his thin lips forming a small smile. "I'll be back soon."

Tsubaki smiled. She looked down and resumed eating, afraid of him seeing her teary eyes.

Gosh. Why did she become so emotional like this? Tsubaki sighed.

Two days passed by in a blink of an eye. It was the day of Ren's departure. Both of them stayed at the old house since the night before because Ren wanted Tsubaki to be here first before he left. At this moment, Tsubaki was tying her husband's tie. He chose the garnet-colored necktie that she bought for him during one of her shopping trips before. His hands were placed securely around her waist, reducing their distance.

The air around them was heavy. No one wanted to speak. Both of them wanted to savor any extra moment they could have together.

Tsubaki's usual agile movement whenever she tied his tie was nowhere to be found. Her slender fingers moved slowly as if she wanted to stop the time yet Ren didn't say anything about it. He kept his eyes on her, seeing her long eyelashes trembled slightly. He pursed his lips. Although he was unwilling, he still needed to speak.

"Whenever you want to call me, you could," His deep voice resounded in the air, echoed so close to her ears. "I will always contact you too."

"Alright," Tsubaki answered briefly. She fixed her gaze to his broad chest, the place that met eye-level with her.

"Don't skip your breakfast even when you're having morning sickness. You've rarely got it now but please be careful."

"Okay."

"Be safe. Bring the bodyguards along with you whenever you want to go out. It's best if you stayed away from any crowded places."

"En."

Her replies kept getting shorter and her shoulders started shivering. Even her fingertips trembled over his collar, tugging his heart painfully.

"Remember to miss me."

Hearing his words, Tsubaki blinked before she raised up her chin and finally meeting his deepened gaze. The whites of her eyes reddened as she bit her lower lip in an attempt to calm herself.

"We will."

Ren's lips curled into a smile. He pulled her forward, bent his upper body down and gently captured her lips. His action ignited passion in Tsubaki's heart. She eagerly responded to him. Both of her hands clasped his lapels, her strong grip couldn't properly convey how much she wanted him to stay.

Yet, she couldn't be selfish.

Sensing her almost went breathless, Ren parted their lips. He looked at her misty eyes. One corner of his lips curved up although his gaze was filled with darkness. His voice was laced with tenderness as he spoke again.

"Stay safe. I love you. Both of you."

Somehow, his heart was heavy with bad premonition.

"You too, please be safe," Tsubaki cupped his face, the tips of their noses brushed one another. Her voice was so low, a whisper that only he could hear. "We love you."

She rose on her tiptoes and once again let her lips met his.