Ryosuke was regaining his awareness as he felt the bed dipped. Blinking away his sleepiness, he smelt a sweet aroma in the air before a warm kiss landed on his cheek. He smiled. Though with closed eyes, he knew well who the intruder was.

“Good morning,” the voice confirmed it.

Yawning, he stretched his arms before opening his eyes. Mirai’s smiling face was the first thing he saw. He rolled over to her who was sitting beside him, grabbing her waist and placing his head on her lap.

“Morning,” he replied while reclosing his eyes.

She giggled, and it sounded like music in his ears. Pinching his arm playfully, she teased, “I wonder if my new habit is right. It rubs laziness on you apparently.”

He smiled. It had been a week since the examination with doctor Hayato. The morning after they shared their night as husband and wife, he found her waiting for him to wake up with a glass of warm milk and a smile, and ever since that she always waited for him every morning. She knew he was not fond of tea and she thought milk would be good for his health. Just seeing her smile in the morning had made him at ease, and listening to her concern had touched him more. He did not expect anything from her, but she tried hard to serve him as a wife should. Thus, despite he still noticed the sadness behind her smiles he chose to pretend not seeing.

“My dear husband, if you don’t get up, Ainosuke will barge in like yesterday.” She his head tenderly, her voice held a tint of laugh.

“Just a moment, little wife,” he replied with the same playful tone though in fact he was gathering his strength.

His body was getting uncooperative with his will. He started getting tired easily and thus he spent longer time in sleeping that even his internal alarm could not wake him up. Just like yesterday. Yesterday was the day he promised his son to start training him, and then they would train every morning before Ainosuke went to school. Yet, he had slept in, and Mirai let him be as she did not know about the promise. Eventually, Ainosuke barged in and woke him up.

After having enough strength, he eventually got up. Sitting up, he returned the kiss on Mirai’s cheek.

“Go wash-up. I’ll wake Ainosuke up,” she avoided his eyes shyly.

He had the urge to noticing the blush on her face. It amused him she still blushed seeing him shirtless. Instead of getting off the bed, he leaned and enveloped her in his arms. “Find me a shirt first. I can’t find the one I wore last night. You stole it, right?”

She tried to push him away, giggling, “It was sweaty. I have put it in the hamper.”

He refused to let go, replying, “Really? Just admit that you like seeing me this way, don’t you?”

He heard her breath hitched before she answered, “W-well, you shouldn’t have taken it off. You could catch a cold, you know.”

“Summer night in Ryuusei is hot. I can’t help it. Moreover…”

“Moreover?”

He pulled away just enough to see her face. Smirking, he said, “Moreover, there were you in my arms.”

Her blush deepened more and once again she pinched his arms. It hurt this time that he yelped and released his hold on her.

“It’s embarrassing to talk about such thing. Get up quickly,” she stood up posing a menacing stance to cover her embarrassment.

He chuckled shortly, “Alright, my queen.”

He walked up to retrieve a clean shirt. Finishing changing, he saw her still on her spot. “You said you will wake Ainosuke up?”

She snapped out from her thought, “Oh, yes. I’ll wake him up now.”

He could always notice when something was bothering her, including this time. So, he strode and grabbed her arm gently before she proceeded to leave the chamber.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked.

She looked up smiling, “No. It’s just I was surprised when you called me the way you did just now.”

He traced their conversation then smiled as he spotted the matter. “You’re indeed my queen, Mirai, and will always be.”

“And Ainosuke is our prince,” she went along.

“Yes. Our prince.”

She smiled wider before briefly hug him and left the chamber. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he returned to the chamber. Once he finished the milk Mirai served him, he took his own sword and headed out to the backyard. He saw Umika cooking in the kitchen, and he bet Yuri had been engrossed in his own training in the forest by this time. He felt a slight pang as he realized that he could no longer be Yuri’s sparring partner. He could not match his strength now.

He glided into a warm-up motion while waiting for Ainosuke. He felt it. The change in his body. This was the reason he agreed to be escorted to and from the downtown. Even with a light training, he could not stand more than five rounds while he used to have at least ten rounds of sparring. He grew weaker quite fast these past months.

He halted from his motion as he noticed Ainosuke emerged from the back door. When they were in the hearing range, he instructed, “Do the warm-up.”

Ainosuke groaned but did not word a protest. Propping his wooden sword nearby, Ainosuke started jogging around the backyard. He watched his son as the little boy running. His father used to do the same to him when he was a kid. Building his endurance, said his father. He himself was started a basic training since he was four and directly trained by his father before replaced by one of his royal guards when his father started distancing himself. Learning to familiarize with his sword and knowing his body limit were the things he had to learn for years before eventually he got his first real swordsmanship training under General Nakajima Hoshi when he was ten years old.

Remembering about that, he could not help but recall his moments with Yuto. He missed his best friend. He wished Yuto would be alright after knowing his condition. Yuto was a worrywart. He smiled at this.

“Father… finish.” Ainosuke’s voice called him out.

Ainosuke was panting and gasping for breaths after doing ten rounds of running. His son would still need a lot of sessions before he got used to the training. But he was grateful that despite tiring, Ainosuke was eager to have this training with him.

“Pick your sword,” he instructed.

Ainosuke nodded before sprang to take his sword. He told Ainosuke to repeatedly swing his sword. This would last at least for a week before he could show his son a basic motion. Ainosuke had to get along with his sword first and held it properly.

He observed Ainosuke from the sideline. His son was rather small for a kid his age, but so was he. It ran in his family it seemed. Despite that, he noticed the built of Ainosuke. His son would have decent broadness of shoulders and it was quite good for supporting the strength of his arms. For a kid, Ainosuke was ordinarily cheerful, but unexpectedly patient. Ainosuke was also diligent and had a good focus, also attentive and quick in learning. If he grew in the right shoes, whatever his son would choose to be, he believed his son would be one of the bests.

After an hour, he called for an end. Ainosuke dashed to him smiling, “Father, how was I?”

He realized that his son was seeking his acknowledgement. “You are decent. But you can be better than that.” He did not intend to go easy with his son in the training.

Ainosuke’s smile faltered, so he squatted down to meet his son in the eyes. Patting Ainosuke’s head, he said, “Son, do you think Uncle Yuri is great?”

“Yes.”

“Then do you know how often your Uncle trains himself?”

Ainosuke looked at him, “Uncle trains every day.”

“If Uncle Yuri who is already a great fighter is still training harder every day, what do you think about yourself?”

“I have to train even harder than Uncle, Father?”

He nodded his answer.

“If I’m as strong as Father and Uncle, I can protect Mother from bad people, right, Father?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I’ll work harder.” There was determination glinted in Ainosuke’s eyes.

He smiled proudly, patting Ainosuke’s head, “Good boy.”

Ainosuke suddenly beamed hearing his compliment, “Father call me good boy!”

“Yes, why?”

“Then, I can take a bath with Father now? Father said I have to be a good boy first, and now Father said I am a good boy…”

He gulped. He forgot about that. What should he say? He didn’t want to scare Ainosuke with the scar on his back. “Ainosuke, I think not today.”

“But Father have promised…”

He wanted to reason, but halted as he felt a weak squeeze on his shoulder. Mirai was standing behind him. He looked up and met her reassuring look.

Shifting her gaze to Ainosuke, Mirai answered, “Don’t worry. Your father always keeps his promise.”

“So, I can take a bath with Father now?” Ainosuke’s eyes glinted with joy, causing him a mix feeling.

“Yes.” She replied. “So, you go first. Father will follow after you.”

He frowned deeply while Ainosuke yelled his victory then dashed away to the house to prepare for bath.

Standing up, he sighed, “Mirai, what did you do?”

She smiled and tangled her arm with his, “Don’t worry. It will be just fine.”

“But my scar—“ He trailed off when another thought came as he saw her expression. He had suspicion, “You have told him about it?”

She nodded. “Believe me, and believe in your son.”

He sighed, “I hope I won’t freak him out.”

“No, you won’t. Let’s go. He must have been waiting for you.”

Giving in, he let himself led by Mirai to enter the house while praying the first bath he would have with his son would not turn out to be a disaster.

**********

Yuma was working on his study chamber in the Nakayama castle. It was the day he returned home after six days in the new governmental office in the mountain feet. It had been a month since Far East Province established the new office for him. He had considered it to be more efficient to work in the ground instead of in the castle, because that way his people needed not to travel far to the mountain top to meet him. As the consequence, he had to stay in the ground office six days a week since travelling back and forth between the castle and the office was tiring.

A knock on the door disturbed him but he let the visitor in as Haruna’s voice followed after that asking his permission. Once the door opened, Hana bounced her way to him and he had to halt from working as his daughter climbed up his lap. From the corner of his eyes, he caught Haruna observed the mountain of paper in his desk.

“You still have so many works it seems,” she remarked when they met eyes a moment later.

Leaning down, he whispered to Hana, “Go play outside for awhile, Hana. Father will join you soon.”

Hana always listened to him, so it was easy to convince her to leave him alone with Haruna. After the caretaker brought Hana out, he answered Haruna, “I’m sorry. I have to prepare the report for the meeting with prime minister.”

“When will you leave for the capital?” she sat down the chair before his desk.

“Tomorrow morning.”

“Can’t you delegate the report to your assistants instead?”

He leaned back on his chair, “Not all report can be delegated. Besides, I also have to learn the other reports before presenting them in the meeting.”

“So, you don’t have spare time today?”

“I’m sorry, Haruna. I may make time an hour after this to play with Hana.”

She sighed before asking, “Can I help you then?”

“It’s fine. I can do it by myself.”

“Don’t doubt me. I have helped Ryosuke worked numerous times, so I know what to do.” She grabbed one of the documents and started flipping the pages.

“Haruna, it really is fine. You better accompany Hana.”

She put down the document, “Is it always Hana?”

“Huh?”

“In your mind, is it always Hana? You’re barely at home lately and once you’re home you spend all your time with Hana. Have you ever considered spending time with me?” She looked up at this and met his eyes.

“But weren’t you also with me when I was with Hana?” He asked back.

“I mean, just with me. Just…,” she casted her eyes down and resumed flipping the pages once more. “Fine if you don’t want me to be here,” she put the document down eventually and stood up. “Excuse me.”

Only at this time he realized, “You miss me?”

Her eyes widened and she turned around immediately, giving him her back view, “No. It’s just… weird for not having you around.”

He rose from his seat and approached her, “You’re jealous because I spend more time with Hana than with you?”

“Of course not!” She challenged him with her eyes.

He chuckled.

“Don’t laugh at me!”

Seeing her annoyed face was priceless that he could not help but chuckle more, and it made her more annoyed. It was just when she stomped off to the door that his laughter receded. He immediately strode after her.

Grabbing her arm, he apologized, “I’m sorry for being inconsiderate to you. I never thought that you want time alone with me.”

“Now you know,” there was a slight blush on her cheeks, “So, what will you do?”

He smiled at her, “Let’s play with Hana for a while. I’ve promised her. After that you may help me in my work so that I can finish it sooner and have time for you.”

“You will really let me help you?”

“Yes, isn’t that what you want?”

She stared at him without blinking then remarked, “You’re indeed… different, Yuma-kun.”

He furrowed his brows, “Different?”

“I mean, it’s unusual for husbands in Nakayama Family to let their wives meddle with their works, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. But things change all the time. And I don’t see any problem with letting you help me,” he shrugged.

She smiled this time, and it struck him. This was one of the rare chances he saw her genuine smile directed at him.  

He was about to reach out to her when the door was knocked.

“Yes?” He almost growled in annoyance.

“There is someone request to meet you, Sir.”

“Who?”

“Shida Hikaru, Sir.”