บท 266: She Remembered What He Told Her Before

The breeze of the summer morning blew past them, gently lifting up Tsubaki's knee-length skirt. The leaves above them were rustling against one another. The morning sun penetrated through the small gaps between the leaves and branches fell on the two people sitting under the tree.

Even though their surrounding was peaceful yet the air in their small cocoon was heavy.

"Could you tell me... everything?" It took Tsubaki quite some effort to finally speak out. Her eyes never left her husband's as she slowly pleaded, "Please, darling?"

Hearing her choked up voice sent regret in his heart yet what was said couldn't be undone. Ren raised his hand from her waist, he gently stroked her hair as he silently nodded with a faint smile hung on his lips.

"For this past month, I've actually thought a lot after trying to reconnect everything," Ren began to speak. He locked his gaze on hers, trying to convene his strength through his eyes. "It's certain that your birth mother left you and your sister because of danger. She was forced to marry a person in the upper class yet she ran away once she knew she was pregnant with you."

Tsubaki quietly listened to her husband. It wasn't hard to guess especially after her mother left obvious clues in her letter.

"Then... do you think that man wanted to avenge mother because she humiliated him?"

It was a question that had always lingered in her mind. Her mother always mentioned the danger that would follow her if she wasn't careful. Adding to the fact that her birth father was torn away from her mother and then rumored to be killed in the army, Tsubaki couldn't help but have such a guess.

"It could be so..." Ren understood from where Tsubaki's question came.

From their understanding, Nakamura Sumire wrote that she was forced to be betrothed to a man but since she didn't want to be tied to a man who didn't have a place in her heart, she chose to abandon her life and live in the hiding. Ren was sure she made a choice once she knew she was pregnant. No man would accept his future wife to bear another man's child. Moreover when she was in love with the said man.

"But..."

"But what?" Tsubaki swiftly asked as she realized her husband was caught up in a daze. He left his word unfinished and it seemed like another thought crossed his mind.

"I'm actually quite bothered by Fujioka Masami," Ren had no choice but to confess. "This is just my guess but... what if Nakamura Sumire didn't exist?"

"What?"

Tsubaki was so surprised her mouth was agape in shock. She blinked a few times, trying to gather her thoughts that were disturbed by his sudden words.

"What... what do you mean by that?"

Ren pursed his lips as his mind was jumbled into a mess. He placed his wide palm at the small of her back, slowly rubbing circles to soothe her. Tsubaki clasped the front of his shirt, her fingers were trembling slightly as she looked at his conflicted expression.

"Darling, why..."

"So far, only the traces of Fujioka Masami were found even though not much," Ren worded his sentence one by one as he caught the hint of fear in her limpid eyes. This one thing was what had troubled him in these past few weeks. "While Nakamura Sumire couldn't be found at all. I'm starting to doubt her existence and..."

Ren paused, he suddenly didn't know how to tell her. The suspicions that kept growing inside his heart was something that would be hard for his wife to accept.

"Ren... Please, tell me?"

Tsubaki's heart was pounding profusely. She could feel her blood draining from her heart as time continued ticking. She bit her lower lip as she tried to stop it from quivering.

Seeing her fearful expression ached his heart and made him wanted to swallow down all the words he had planned to say but this was not the time to deceive her.

Tsubaki had the right to know.

"Sweetheart."

Ren carefully grasped her trembling hands on his chest, he peered down into her eyes as his own darkened with a mix of emotions. When he spoke again, his voice was dark and heavy, in contrast with the bright and sunny morning.

"Whatever I want to tell you, they are all my thoughts without evidence. Things could be better so please, don't worry, okay?"

Tsubaki paused to think. Even though her husband said that she had become accustomed to how his mind worked. Ren wouldn't voice out such assumptions if he wasn't certain. Lack of evidence was not an obstacle for him. What he said could be almost the truth.

Even with the knowledge, she nodded.

"Tell me," Once again she pleaded.

Ren smiled albeit faintly.

"Do you remember the forgotten Fujioka Family that Akashi found?"

Since Akashi had mistakenly told his wife when she picked up his call the other day, Tsubaki had gotten the knowledge of the family existence.

"Yes..."

Although Akashi didn't speak much about the family, Tsubaki had a recollection about them.

"From what he has gathered so far, I suspect the missing youngest Miss of the family was Fujioka Masami we're looking. Her age fell within the range and... from what I know she..."

Ren paused, he struggled to continue. He played with her slender fingers, they looked so fragile to him. As he tried to unease his nerves, a sound of footsteps approaching alerted both of them. They turned their head toward the direction and saw Old Yuuzo with a respectable smile on his face.

"Apologies, Master and Madam. The old madam and Miss Kasumi asked me to fetch you. Miss Kasumi's assistants have arrived. They have gathered in the drawing-room," Old Yuuzo relayed the message while he stood with his back straight. Both of his hands clasped together in front of his swallow-tail black coat.

"Alright," Ren nodded with a stoic expression, far from his fearful one from earlier. "We'll be there soon."

Old Yuuzo retreated immediately. In no time, his figure had disappeared from the green path.

Ren sighed softly, his eyes were directed toward the direction of where Old Yuuzo walked. He felt all of his tense nerves loosening as he was disrupted by the old butler. Tsubaki stared at the back of her husband's head. Without waiting for him to turn around, she leaned forward and hugged him.

"Sweetheart?"

Ren was surprised by the sudden hug. He looked down at her hands that were placed on his flat abdomen. He could feel the warmth spreading from his back as she pressed herself against him. One side of her face leaned on his back.

He silently placed his uninjured hand on hers, enveloping them within his wide palm. Both of them sat quietly under the shelter provided by the shady tree.

"Darling," Tsubaki softly called out to him, her voice was muffled by his shirt.

"Yes?"

"No matter what, please tell me."

Ren felt a lump formed in his throat as he heard her voice filled with heartache. He nodded firmly. His hand tightened on hers.

"I promise you."

Tsubaki curled up a smile. The feeling of helplessness and sorrow that were trying to drown her faded away.

She was lucky to have him.

Both Tsubaki and Ren were overwhelmed with the lists Grandma and Aunt Kasumi prepared for them today. Their wedding solemnization would be held at the church while their wedding reception would take place at Garden of Sakuya within the compound of Spring City. The distance between the two places wasn't far but Grandma was still worried about her pregnant granddaughter-in-law.

"Are you guys sure you want to hold the solemnization at the church?" Grandma asked again for the third time. She looked at both her grandson and granddaughter-in-law.

Ren knew what was bothering Grandma. He himself had thought of it. Although he was looking forward to seeing his wife walked down the aisle of the church where his late parents officiated their wedding, he didn't want to put additional burden to her.

"We could cancel..."

"We'll do the solemnization there."

Before Ren could finish his sentence, Tsubaki had cut him off, leaving him stunned.

Tsubaki stole a glance at her husband's daze look, a soft smile curled up on her lips. She reached out for his left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. As she spoke, she was still smiling at him.

"I want us to experience what Mother and Father felt before and the church is so beautiful. It would be the most suitable place for our wedding."

Her words surprised Ren. His eyelashes fluttered as he couldn't describe what he felt right now.

She remembered.

She remembered what he told her before.

Grandma couldn't say anything else as she saw the look in her grandson's eyes. With a fond smile, she nodded.

"Alright, we'll do that. We won't change it."

"Thank you, Grandma!" Tsubaki's eyes twinkled in delight, their gleams enchanted the man who was sitting beside her. Their hands were still linked together.

If not for the fact they were surrounded by Grandma, Aunt Kasumi and her assistants, Ren would already kiss her lips. He was so charmed by her.

And he was glad she didn't let her sadness affected her mood while discussing the wedding.

Most of the list had been crossed out with the help of Aunt Kasumi. She had booked the catering, photographer, florist etc. Her team had started surveying the venue for the reception and they had already presented wonderful ideas of autumn weddings.

"It'd be super beautiful and dreamy if you took wedding pictures under the falling leaves," Aunt Kasumi showed them some of her portfolio regarding wedding held in autumn. "You could choose either a place with red maple leaves or golden ginkgo leaves. Both of them are good. But, I personally love ginkgo ones since they are exclusive here."

"I love ginkgo," Tsubaki traced her right fingertips over a photo of a bride and groom under a ginkgo tree. As the sunlight cast on the falling ginkgo leaves, the photo appeared so breathtaking. Especially when the looks in the bride and groom's eyes were full of love and tenderness as they smiled at each other.

She wanted them to take photos like that and showed them to their children in the future.

"There's a ginkgo trail behind our condominium," Ren took the photo from his wife's hands. "I remember the trail was full of beautiful ginkgo leaves last autumn. We could take our wedding photos there."

"That's good! It could save you guys time!" Aunt Kasumi was totally pleased with their choice.

They continued their discussion until it was time for lunch. Grandma and Aunt Kasumi helped them to finalize the guest list as both Ren and Tsubaki didn't have many friends from their sides. Ren would invite Toshiro and Akashi while Tsubaki would extend the invitations to her employees and Kanako as well as Aunt Touko and Uncle Kiyonaga.

Although Grandma would send an invite to President Esumi and Mrs. Esumi, Tsubaki wanted to personally invite her friend.

Tsubaki got sleepy after their lunch so the couple retreated to their bedroom. Grandma went to take a nap too. Her old age had really caught up to her. Only Aunt Kasumi and her assistants remained in the drawing room.

"Sleep, sweetheart."

Ren carefully pulled Tsubaki closer to him as both of them laid on the bed. He pulled a thrown blanket, covering her body under it as the cool air of the air-conditioning system lowered the temperature of the room.

"I can't wait for our wedding..." Tsubaki smiled softly as her sleepiness started to lure her to the dreamland. She adjusted her head on the pillow, both of her hands were thrown over her husband's waist. "I want to show you me in a wedding dress..."

Ren curled up a mellow smile. His eyes gleamed with tenderness as he watched her eyelids closed.

"You'd be the most beautiful and precious bride."

As he stroked her head, he couldn't help but smile widely at the image of her walking down the aisle to him.