Mirai stared blankly at her phone, specifically at a message from her brother which says "he's okay. he has just fallen asleep"

She felt genuinely apologetic for her hostility but she just can't face him. She knew for a fact that her son has been looking very depressed because of her. She tried to make it up to him in most subtle of ways, tending to his needs from behind his back, hoping he'll never bear the hatred towards her. that's the last thing she wanted.

"hey Mirai, you're not asleep yet? need me to accompany you?" Umika peeked her head into the room and saw Mirai sitting up on her bed, obviously having her frequent insomnia.

"hey Umika. it's okay, really. go accompany Chinen. you two ought to try harder to get the new member into your little couple world" Mirai teased. Umika hid her blush with her hands and quickly retaliated.

"yamette Mirai...I'm not talking to you anymore. oyasumi" both girls exchanged smiles before the door closed behind Umika. Still flustered by what Mirai has said, she tried all she could to distract herself with other cleaner thoughts before entering her masterbed room. Although she and Chinen have only wedded a week ago, she hasn't yet gathered her courage to let her husband possess her in that way. yeah, 'that way' which all husband-wife should go through. As usual, Chinen has displayed admirable self-restrain as a gentleman; Umika can never forget that line he said on the night they were married, "whenever you're ready, I'll be here. you don't have to be afraid, cause I'll not want to hurt you in anyway"

everytime she is reminded of that line, her heart just goes pumping like a bullet train and her face will flush. This week, she has made it a personal goal to offer herself entirely, hence she did her homework by consulting Mirai of her first hand experience. She took in a deep breathe after rehearsing what she has to say to actually tell Chinen that she's ready to face it. it's awkward for a girl to bring it up, so many times she regretted not going ahead with it when it was part of the normal tradition. 

Behind the door, she saw Chinen lying on one side of his body. Upon closer look, she realised he has already slept. It was silly of her to actually start shedding tears because of this trivial disappointment. She sniffed lightly and brushed off the tear that has fallen.

"what's wrong?" Chinen pry his eye open as soon as he heard the noise. Umika has clearly forgotten that Chinen is an ultra light sleeper who awakes even by the slightest drop of a pin. He sat up and cupped her shoulders, looking at her with the most sincere eyes. There's no way she could explain why she teared, the reason was just too weird for a girl to say so she merely shook her head.

"I'm not gonna take that as an answer, it's obvious something happened"

She could tell that her husband is too concerned of her that it's impossible he'll rest until he gets the answer. but how is she supposed to tell it to him, she thought. her action was faster than her mind... not in a bad way cause Chinen got the hint right away when she brought her lips to his.

He thought her initiative was so adorable, and her stiffened limbs as well. he could hear her quickened breathing. all of these combined, he thought it'll be too evil to break this momentum so without parting his lips from hers, he lowered her on the bed and supported his weight with his only his hands which rested on both sides of her neck. He then tactfully maneuvered through her clothes and slowly removed them piece by piece. 

"I'll be gentle... and don't worry, Ryosuke has imparted his skills well. nevertheless, hit me, bite me or whatever you need to do to ease the pain, I'll be okay. just don't take the pain by yourself" 

Umika blushed again. As Chinen started making imprints from her neck, she started feeling nervous all over again. Without warning, she felt an intense pain that made her shudder. though her eyes was shut, she could mostly feel something enormous entering her wet, small hole.

"ITAI!!!" she muffled her own scream and grip the back of Chinen with her fingers, pressing against his skin and accidentally breaking his skin with her sharp nails. The pain was eventually forgotten as the addiction kicked in, at the same time, she could sense his exhaustion. She led her arms to his hips and supported his weight, and broke into Chinen's mouth with her tongue, driving him both crazy and energetic.

It lasted for as long as they remembered until they were both shagged and tired. they laid their bare bodies beside each other, with her head nested in his chest and her shoulders tugged around his arms, both wrapped only by a blanket and nothing more. 

"arigatou Umika" he kissed her forehead.

"I should be the one saying my thanks. I made you wait for so long"

"nah, it's alright. Though I was jealous of Ryosuke. he got his first time at 21 years old and I only got mine only at 37"

"we did take a rather long route to confirm each other's feelings, ne Chinen~"

"yeah... very long... anyway, is Mirai alright? she seemed troubled just now"

"she'll be okay. she's always so uneasy and uptight when he's not around. everything will be fine when he comes home"

"yeah... I should have guessed, her reliance is always an issue"

*****
Mirai continued to daze into the night sky, face frozen by the cold breeze. Her mind is flooded by many thoughts. She reached for phone and ran her fingers on a specific set of numbers that was registered in her brain. She knew it isn't right to send a text message at this time, but still she just couldn't resist that temptation.

"Ryosuke, how is your day?

 I miss you...very much"

There's hesitation, then she clicked sent. She always felt happier after sending a message to him, cause it almost naturally lead to anticipation for a response, and it always came. 

*beep

"it's getting late, dear... try to sleep, I'll be by your side by the time you sleep, ne. oyasumi, Mirai... -Ryo" 

Reading the reply, she finally let her mind settle. She crawled onto the bed, pulling the blanket over her and slept almost instantly. 

"arigatou, my husband" she uttered in her sleep, feeling extremely thankful for having him by her side.

*****
In a corner of a huge office, he sat, engulfed in a mountain of documents. Rather than work, he found himself more bothered by the message that came on his other mobile. Though he already responded to his wife's text, he still couldn't take his mind of her, knowing that she's having her occasional episodes again. He took up his mobile and keyed in her number. His fingers hovered around the call button, however he decided not to instead. He sighed and pressed the nape of his neck in distress. 

"better finish my work soonest so I can go to her in the nick of time. ganbatte to myself! yosh" He took a deep breathe before burying back into his pile of work.

*****
Everytime Mirai shuts her eye, she enters not into a dreamland but some painful memories that flashed through repeatedly. every bit of details was so freshly imprinted in her mind that it seemed like it just happened yesterday. 

One week has passed since the breaking of the news of Ryosuke's worsening condition. Everyday without fail, his mother would bring to the hospice many different kinds of herbs, traditional recipes for her son. Though he gulped it down everytime, he refused to speak to anyone. All he did was daze into the space, as if in a trance, and at the very most he gives a few nod as response. today was no exception.

"Ryosuke just finished his treatment, you can go in now" the nurse ushered his mother and Chihiro into the ward. Both of them could tell that he had a rough time earlier, from the tears left at the sides of his eyes and his clenched fist.

"hey Ryo... mum brought this really delicious herbal chicken soup... and look what I've got you, your favourite strawberry shortcake" they brought the food right in front of his eyes. He just stared expressionless for an extended moment.

"Ryo... did you hear me? quick sit up and eat it before I gobble them up, ne" Chihiro added.

"ya, your sister is a glutton don't you know. so you've got to have it before she resist no more" his mother responded.

"I don't want. you can have it" he said coldly and pulled the blanket over him, avoiding their worried glares.

"you've to drink it Ryo... mum brewed it overnight for you yesterday. it's okay if you don't want the cake, but the soup is good for you" Chihiro said, but there was no response. His mother went forward, removing the blanket covering his face and brought a bowl of the soup to his face.

"I'll feed you... come open your mouth" his mother requested, thinking he's just too tired to eat it by himself.

"I SAID I DON'T WANT!!!!YOU'RE SO IRRITATING!" he pushed his mother aggressively and the bowl of pipping hot soup fell on the ground and shattered. 

"okasan~! are you okay???" Chihiro ran forward to hold her mother.

"I'm okay" she uttered, still in shock from her son's temper and aggression. She bent down and tried to clean the mess on the floor. 

"Ryo!!! how can you do that! she's our mother! she's worried sick for you and that's how you treat her?!" Chihiro shouted at her brother, though she felt her heart cringed having to scold him. 

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!! I DON'T NEED ANY OF YOU! if you people don't come, then I won't have to hurt any of you!" 

"my son~ please don't isolate yourself... pull yourself together" his mother tried moving towards him, instead he threw a pillow at them, insisting that they disappear from his sight.

"GET OUT!!!"

to no avail, they exited the room. it was literally the worst reaction they got from him. it's evident that they have a lot of negativity bottled within him, but he just shuts everyone from him, unwilling to let anyone into his thoughts. they knew a sweet boy like him would never resort to such violence on his loved ones, so when he did so, they pitied him even more and helpless.  especially his mother whose guilt towards her son grew when she couldn't do anything to alleviate his agony. Everyday, they washed their face with tears. Chihiro watched as her mother peeped through the small opening on the door, silently tearing as she saw him dazing into space again, with lone tears dripping from the corner of his eyes.

"okasan, you need to rest... there're doctors here to take care of Ryosuke, so don't worry" though reluctant, Chihiro persistently ushered her mother out of the hospice. After strapping her mother on the seat in her car, she reached for a mobile and pressed a newly inserted contact on her phone. The phone rang and someone picked up.

"Mirai-chan"

"you are?"

"I'm Chihiro, Ryosuke's sister"

"omg. did something happen?!"

"no no, don't worry, everything is fine. just that, I was thinking you haven't visited him, are you giving up on him?"

"no! I'm not giving up on him, Chihiro-san"

"I'm not stressing you, am I... I'm okay if you think you don't feel comfortable with him and wants to leave... but I hope you could do something before you terminate your relationship with him"

"Chihiro-san, I'm really not giving up... it's just I need some time to muster my courage. I don't want to end up hurting him myself"

"arigatou, Mirai-chan... I'm really thankful he dated you. you're a good girl"

"please don't say that, Chihiro-san~ anyway, what kind of help do you need?"

"Ryosuke has totally shut himself up for a week, he just h