Chapter 51: Good Morning, Husband
To Kyoya, the sunrise he saw the next morning was the most beautiful one he had ever seen in his life.
As the sun was dyeing the sky with shades of amber and pink, hope soared up in his heart as an entirely new beginning had started for him.
With her.
Kyoya glanced at the little lady who was still sleeping in his arms. Her long hair covered her small face from being seen clearly yet he could still see how peacefully she was in her sleep right now.
"Do you want to kiss me?"
Her question from last night resurfaced in his mind. It had totally surprised him but it was undeniable that he wholeheartedly welcomed it.
Thinking of it, his lips curved up into a soft smile.
Kyoya looked at the face of his wristwatch. The long hand pointed at number six while the short one stopped at number seven. They planned to return to the villa before 9 AM because he was needed to attend a video conference at noon.
Kyoya brushed her bangs away from concealing her face. He lightly tapped her nose, the tip of his finger lingered for a moment longer before his thumb and index finger caressing her cheek. The corners of his lips hooked up as his low voice echoed in the small tent.
"Wife, wake up."
He repeated the words a few times with no trace of impatience. Shouko yawned a little, feeling her face was being stroked gently by someone. Once she opened her eyes, her sight was met with the turtleneck covering the base of that someone's throat.
Her cheeks instantly flushed red as she realized how closed she was with him right now.
"Kyoya," Shouko lifted up her eyes, looking at the man smiling ones. "Good morning."
He chuckled softly as he looked at her faintly blushed face.
Where did her courage from last night go?
With his smile deepening, Kyoya leaned down and pressed his warm lips on her forehead. "Good morning, my wife."
The blush reddened and spread from her cheeks to her entire face. She unconsciously gripped the front of his sweater, her head moved as she nodded. Her voice sounded so small, returning his morning wish.
"Good morning, husband."
Kyoya smiled again.
This was enough for now. He was already grateful for this tiny bit of happiness.
The husband and wife began to pack their belongings. They didn't plan to cook breakfast here. Instead, they would return straightaway to the villa and eat the meal prepared by Mrs. Shimizu later. To avoid themselves from being too hungry, Kyoya and Shouko ate a cream bread each.
"Don't forget to contact me when you're back in the city," Akari reminded Shouko of their promise last night. She really wanted to meet this new acquaintance of hers again.
While Kyoya disassembled the tent, Akari came over to their camping spot to meet Shouko. Both she and Masaaki would be on the road later.
"Don't worry about it," Shouko laughed as she patted Akari's arm, trying to convince her. "Be careful on your way back to the city. I might stay here for a few days more. I'll call you once I'm home."
"Okay~ That's a promise. Ah!" Akari paused suddenly. She was reminded about something. Her eyes were full of expectation as she looked back at Shouko. "Let's take a photo together? We haven't taken one yet!"
"Eh? A photo?" Shouko was startled by the sudden suggestion.
Akari nodded profusely. "Call your husband too. I'll ask Masaaki to set up a tripod for a group photo. Come on, it won't take much of your time."
Seeing how enthusiastic the younger lady appeared, Shouko was inclined to accept her suggestion. She went to call for Kyoya who was pouring a pile of water onto their campfire while Akari went to drag Masaaki and a tripod together with her.
"A group photo?" Kyoya lifted up his brows. His eyes were fixated on her face even though his hands were still working.
Shouko nodded. Her voice sounded normal but there was still a little expectation when she continued asking him, "Is that alright with you?"
Although this man was well-known as the head of a big conglomerate, Shouko still remembered that Kyoya had always been low-key in his daily life. Unlike the wealthy young masters who often went under the limelight, showcasing their extravagant assets and having relationships with beauties, Kyoya stayed far away from that kind of life.
"Alright," Kyoya agreed without thinking more.
He saw nothing could be harmed just by taking a group photo.
"Let's go! Akari said it's better to take the photo at that spot!" Shouko happily grabbed Kyoya's arm, her free hand was pointing to a direction near the bank of the lake.
Kyoya hooked up a smile. He was infected by his wife's joyous mood. Both of them went to the said spot. Akari and Masaaki were already waiting for them.
"Get ready! I'll set it to the sports mode!" Masaaki shouted as he stood a few meters away from them. He was adjusting the camera on the tripod. Once his finger clicked the shutter, he dashed to Akari's side. "Quick! Strike your pose!"
"Look at the camera!" Akari laughed happily. "Smile! Freestyle!"
Shouko was laughing awkwardly as the camera continued taking their photos in a series of successive shots. Akari and Masaaki went all out posing in front of the lense. They were even better than most models.
Kyoya was no better than Shouko. His pose was quite stiff as he tried to think of different poses.
Then, an idea popped inside his mind.
He moved closer to his wife and without saying anything, he bent down and carried her in a bridal-carry. Shouko yelped, she was obviously shocked by his sudden action. Her eyes blinked a few times as she looked at him.
One corner of his lips lifted up, revealing a smirk. His deep voice echoed right next to her ears.
"At the very least, we should make it memorable, right?"
Shouko was caught in a trace before her eyes gradually curved as she smiled. She threw both of her hands around his neck, she was laughing happily as she shifted her eyes from his smiling face to the lens of the camera.
In the end, Akari too was ended up bridal-carry by Masaaki. The four of them obviously were in harmony.
"Ha! That was so fun!"
By the time they were done, Akari was too exhilarated. Her cheeks pinked as she fanned herself who had already sweating.
Shouko couldn't help but laugh. She reached out a hand and patted Akari's arm. "I'm happy to meet you and Masaaki here. Please send the photos to me later. It'd be great if I could turn them into polaroid photos too."
The photos that were taken by Akari yesterday had been stored properly in her bag. Kyoya mentioned that they should find a way to display them. He liked them dearly.
"Ah! You could!" Akari stood with both of her hands inside the pocket of her jacket. "You could turn them into polaroid photos. There's a specific printer for that. It's easy-peasy. I would share it with you later."
"That's great! Thanks!" Shouko nodded, her eyes gleamed with excitement.
She had forgotten that her husband could easily find someone to take care of a simple matter like that. Kyoya who stood not far from her could only shake his head with a helpless smile.
Even without her mentioning it, he had already planned to print all of the newly taken photos. After seeing them, he found he liked every one of them. Especially the ones which showed he carried her.
The four of them parted ways with the promise to keep in touch.
"You look so happy," Kyoya pointed out gently. He glanced at his wife who was humming softly beside him. Right now, they were in the car, heading back to the villa.
"En!" Shouko nodded with a smile. "I didn't expect to meet a new friend here. Akari is a sweet girl and Masaaki is a nice man for her."
Kyoya gave her one last glance. His lips curled up.
She was far brighter and livelier than how she used to be one year ago.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone