71 His Wife Deserved To Be Happy Again

"You're going out again today, right?"

Shouko hummed as she heard the voice filled with displeasure. She had just wiped her sweat using the towel hung over his neck. They were walking home after running a lap over the ginkgo trail.

"Wife?" The same voice called out again, this time it was accompanied by distress. 

Her eyes bent, her lips curved up into a smile. She couldn't help but laugh when she saw a certain someone's dejected face. 

"You're the one who encouraged me to start going out more, ah," Shouko put both of her hands on her hips, one of her brows raised up as she looked at her tall husband. "Don't backtrack, will you?"

Kyoya pursed his lips. He still regretted his words from before.

"Well, it's not that I don't like you going out but," Kyoya heaved a sigh. "It would be much better if you're going out with me instead of someone else. En, why don't we go for another date this afternoon? I just have a morning meeting today."

Shouko's mouth gaped open. She blinked a few times before her fist punched on his chest.

"You've ditched work yesterday! Don't even think about it!" 

Yes, he only had a morning meeting but what about his unfinished workload? Shouko huffed in indignation.

Kyoya pouted. With a heavy heart, he replied, "Alright..."

Shouko shook her head in helplessness. Day by day, she discovered a more childish side of this man. Right now, he was not ashamed to show his clinginess to her in front of the servants in the mansion. 

Once, Old Toshio mentioned with a grateful smile, "Ah~ Young Master has back to how he was before whenever he's with Young Madam."

Shouko was perplexed hearing that. So, in the course of these five years, they had been showing off their mushiness in front of other people? She didn't dare to imagine that.

"En..."

Seeing how dispirited her husband had become as his shoulders slumped down, her heart couldn't resist from being softened.

"Why don't I make sweets for you as compensation?" Shouko thought it was alright if she bribed him with food. If not, she would have to see his puppy eyes until it was hard to be firm with him.

Kyoya's eyes lit up. His lips instantly turned into a foolish smile. Shouko swore she could see a dog's tail wagging behind him just by looking at his expression right now.

"Do you want it or not?" Shouko squinted her eyes, trying to threaten him.

It seemed like she had to learn how to harden her heart under his puppy eyes attack!

"Want! I want it!" Kyoya quickly replied before in the next second he frowned.

"What's wrong?" Why did this man's emotions are even hard to discern than a woman's? Shouko sighed inwardly.

"En, maybe next time?" Kyoya took the towel from her hand and hung over his neck again. He thought again for a moment before he added, "By the time you're back, it'd be already late evening. You've even gone out yesterday. I don't want you to be tired."

Shouko felt an urge to pounce on this man and hugged his hard. How could he be so sweet?

"Ah, don't worry. I'd just make a simple dessert for you," Shouko smiled sweetly. Before he had a chance to refuse, she added, "Let's go home. You'd be late to work otherwise."

"But..."

Before he could finish his words, Shouko began to run again ahead of him with a big smile plastered on her face. Her ponytail swung side by side as she ran. Kyoya was astounded by her action but he quickly caught up to her. 

Under the morning sun, a pair of husband and wife ran side by side toward their home. The sunlight backlighting their figures, lengthening their shadows on the ground.

After appeasing her husband with a kiss on his cheeks, he went to work with a better spirit. Shouko went to the lounge and found a comfortable spot to read. Kyoya ordered a few new books for her, they had just arrived yesterday. Since she would only go out in the evening, Shouko decided to read.

The book in her hands was about a male youth who went back in time and met his estranged grandfather who was now at the same age as him. 

As she was immersed in her reading, the phone in her cardigan pocket rang. Shouko placed the book down and swiftly answered the call. "Hello."

"Good morning, Shouko," Editor Minagawa's voice sounded from the end of the line. "En, are you free today?"

"I have something to do in the evening, other than that, I'm free," Shouko glanced at the clock hung on the wall. It must be something important if her editor suddenly called her. "What's wrong?"

"Actually, I'd have to attend a conference in City S starting from tomorrow until this Friday. So, I call you to rearrange our appointment," Editor Minagawa voiced out her intention with a regretful tone. "If it's possible, we could meet today but if not, you'd have to wait until I'm back."

"Is lunch alright with you?" Shouko stood up from the couch, preparing to go upstairs. "After meeting you, I could straight away go to my next appointment."

"Lunch is fine," Editor Minagawa agreed. "Then, I'll wait for you in the publishing house. Don't forget to call me once you've arrived."

"Alright. Thank you, Editor Minagawa."

"It's me who should say thank you," The older woman said with a smile. "Then, see you at lunch."

"Okay."

Shouko slid her phone away from her ear. She vacantly stared at the phone. She sounded alright but actually she was nervous inside. 

She hadn't yet prepared to meet her editor!

While Shouko was currently stood still on the first stair, Old Toshio who had just passed the hallway approached her. He deliberately made his footsteps louder as to not startle his young madam with his sudden appearance. 

True enough, the young lady lifted up her head when he walked to her.

"Are you alright, Young Madam?" The old butler inquired in a careful voice.

"Ah, I'm alright," Shouko gave him a small smile. "En, Old Toshio, I'm going out before lunch. Could you please tell Old Takashi for me?"

"Isn't Young Madam plan to go out at three in the evening?" He remembered that the young master had especially reminded him about his wife's outing today. 

"A change of plan," Shouko responded. "I'm going to the publishing house to meet my editor first before going to meet my friend next."

Old Toshio nodded in understanding. "I'll make the rearrangement for your travel. You could expect the car at 11:30 AM, Young Madam."

"Great! Thank you!"

Shouko went upstairs with a much better mood. Old Toshio watched her disappearing figure with a conflicted look in his old eyes.

He wondered, what would the young madam ask her editor and how would the latter answer her?

Since the young master decided to loosen some of the restrictions he enforced before, he was worried about what would happen even though he agreed with the changes.

In the master bedroom, Shouko was fretting over what should she wear for meeting Editor Minagawa. She thought of whether she should wear a formal suit or just a casual one. Since she would be visiting the publishing house for the first time, she couldn't help but be nervous.

"What should I wear?" Shouko grumbled while entering the wardrobe.

Right now, there were only autumn outfits hung on her side of the wardrobe. All of her out of the season clothes got stored inside the cloakroom on the third floor.

Shouko extended a hand, lightly touching each of the outfits for outings. In the end, she picked a light grey A-cut long-sleeved dress together with a matching long coat. A black colored bow decorated the neckline of the dress.

It was her favorite style. Simple yet sweet.

"This should be appropriate enough," Shouko mumbled to herself.

As she was busying herself packing some of her things inside a bag, her eyes fell upon a vase of orange roses with lily-of-the-valleys dangled from the bouquet. She smiled softly.

Beside the short vase, a bouquet of blue iris stood tall inside another vase next to it. Kyoya was the one who insisted to place them side by side. She remembered playfully arguing with him last night when she pointed out the vases should decorate another place instead of stuck with one another. His reply made her laughed out loud.

"Didn't I cling to you often? Our flowers should do the same too."

He was so lame!

Shouko tapped her chin twice, pondering for a bit before she ended up sending a message to him. At first, she wanted to make a call yet when she thought of his clinginess this morning, it was better not to. 

A Scribbler in Autumn: I'm going out early. Editor Minagawa has to change our original plan so I'd meet her today.

Shouko went inside the washroom, planning to get ready. As the door of the washroom tightly closed, she didn't hear the chime coming a few minutes after the message had been sent.

Kashino Corporation.

Kyoya raised one hand, signaling for the Kuroda to stop talking. The younger man quickly shut his mouth. When he saw his boss waved his hand next, he knew it was the time to get out of his sight.

He left with a suppressed sigh. He had yet to be done with his reporting.

Kyoya lowered his eyes to read the message again. He lightly tapped on the working desk as his expression was shrouded by shadows.

So, the meeting had been brought forward?

Kyoya typed a message to her before he proceeded to call another number. After two rings, the call was connected.

"Mr. Kashino," A woman greeted him with a calm voice.

"My wife said you would meet her today?" Kyoya went straight to the point. His voice was cool even though his gaze turned heavy as he spoke.

"Yes," Editor Minagawa answered honestly. "Something came up and I couldn't meet her this coming Thursday. I'm sorry if I've been inconveniencing you."

"You could decide on it, I'm not your superior who you should report to," Kyoya leaned against the chair. He looked at the photo of the two of them that was placed on the desk. Faint gentleness flashed in his eyes. "I'm sorry if I sound oppressive to you, Editor Minagawa but I'm asking for help as Shouko's husband."

"I understand, Mr. Kashino. But, from what you said the last time, I take it that you plan to tell Shouko soon?"

Kyoya pursed his lips. He let out a low grunt, silently admitting it.

Editor Minagawa was in silence before she slowly added, "I'm an outsider but, I believe this is the right thing to do. We'll help you with whatever we could. After all, she's worthy to be happy again."

"Thank you." Kyoya smiled bitterly.

Yes. His wife deserved to be happy again and he would do everything to make sure of it.