“Are you okay, father?” Mrs. Fujimoto asked her that old man who was lying in his bed. He snorted out, inhaling the air. He could not breathe easily. It was Grandpa To. He fell down from a shock. The scene yesterday had brought a big impact to him. Tezuka was a bit harsh with his attitude towards Andrew.
Grandpa To had a serious illness. He had reached the age above 80 and no wonder even a snag emerged, he fell down. Grandma Megu cried so hard beside him. She was holding his hand tightly. Mr. Fujimoto was walking back and forth after he had called a doctor to come.
“Oh, my,” Mrs. Fujimoto said, worrying. She was going to call Tezuka but she was worried about yesterday. Probably her son was still mad. And she did not want to cause any trouble. Ayase came into the room, sobbing.
“Mom, let’s call brother,” she said. Mrs. Fujimoto shook her head, “I can’t do that. He must be busy.”
“Grandpa is sick! Just call him, mom!” Ayase shouted.
“Ayase, slow down,” Mr. Fujimoto retorted. He shot a glance at his wife. “Let’s call him.”
Mrs. Fujimoto sighed. She nodded and dialled for her son’s number. Tezuka picked that call.
“Hello? Tezuka? Mom’s here,” she said with a crack voice. “Mom, what’s going on?” he asked.
“Grandpa-gra-grand-“
“What? What’s wrong with grandpa?”
“He fell sick. He can’t breathe well,” Mrs. Fujimoto told him.
“What?! Send him to the hospital!”
“A doctor is on his way here-“
“Just send him to the hospital! I’m on my way!”
He hung up. Mrs. Fujimoto was shocked. She put down the phone. “He told me to send father to the hospital right away.”
Tezuka ran towards a room numbered 610 as soon as he was told by the counter girl at the hospital. He needed a 40 minutes ride to reach for the hospital. Maimi followed him with those high heels and she did slip once on the slippery floor.
Both of them arrived at the room and Tezuka barged in. All of his family members were shocked. Mrs. Fujimoto was glad her son was there. Maimi neared them. As she saw Grandpa To’s condition, she reached for Mrs. Fujimoto and coaxed her.
Grandpa To was in a bad vile. He was sleeping using the breathing aid and his hands were fulled with injections. Tezuka could not believe his eyes. He went towards that old man and took his hand.
“He’s still shock from what you say to Andrew yesterday,” Mr. Fujimoto said. Obviously he was a bit angry with his son’s attitude towards Andrew and it sent an impact at Grandpa To. Tezuka looked at his grandfather with a timorous feeling. He was afraid. Maimi sighed.
After a few minutes, Tezuka’s family members decided to take a break and went out of the room. Maimi did not follow them. She wanted to accompany her husband. Tezuka did not even wink as he watched Grandpa To breathing. Maimi felt bad for him.
It was already dark. Both of them were so tired but seeing Grandpa To, Tezuka did not let go off his hand. He loved that old man. He promised to grant his wish about having a grandchild before he died. But Grandpa To had fell sick too early. And it was all because Tezuka’s attitude yesterday. He regretted it.
“It’s all my fault,” he said, breaking the silence. Maimi looked up to see him, “Nezumi?”
Tezuka got up and faced the windows. He put his hands on his hips, sighing hard. Maimi came towards him. “Nezumi?” she asked. Tezuka sighed again and turned at her. Maimi was surprised to see his eyes were flooded with tears. He cries?
Tezuka looked down, holding the tears. Maimi pulled him and hugged him. Finally, he tended to burst out crying. Maimi rubbed his back softly, “It’s okay. It’s okay. Grandpa’s going to be fine.”
Tezuka sobbed harder in her hug. He hugged her back tightly, forming new tears again and again. Maimi smiled, “Go on. Cry out loud. You’re gonna be fine. I’m right here.”
They ended up sleeping on the couch in front of the bed where Grandpa To was lying. Tezuka was sleeping on Maimi’s chest. Maimi fell asleep too. Her hands were around Tezuka’s head while his hands were put around her waist. They slept soundly.
Grandma Megu and Mrs. Fujimoto smiled at each other when they saw both of them. So, they decided to leave them in that room while the others rent a special room for guests to stay for the night.
The sun rose, signing that the next day had came. The sunlight shone through the windows and into the room. The room was lightened. Grandpa To opened his tired eyes. He could finally move his fingers and body. He looked around. There’s no one. He tried to get up to call for a nurse but when he noticed Tezuka and Maimi were sleeping hand in hand on the couch, he was relief all of the sudden. They seemed very intimate.
Suddenly, Tezuka moved slightly. Maimi did the same. grandpa To quickly lied down back. He pretended to sleep. Tezuka looked up to see Maimi’s face and he realized he was lying on her chest. He pushed her away and stood up.
“What’re you doing?!” he shouted. Maimi who was still in her sleeping mood smiled. She rubbed her eyes, “What?”
Tezuka sighed. He grabbed his glasses on the coffee table and put it on. His hair was a mess so he went to the bathroom. Maimi got up and stretched her arms. She did some morning exercises and tilted her neck. She glanced at Grandpa To and neared him.
“I hope you’re okay,” she said softly, running a hand on the old man’s arm. Suddenly, Grandpa To grabbed her hand abruptly. Maimi shrieked.
“Sshhh!!!” Grandpa To muttered with his index finger in front of his mouth. Maimi did the same, frowning.
Tezuka got out of the bathroom, wiping his face with his handkerchief. He put back his glasses on. He noticed Maimi was looking at Grandpa To in sadness. Tezuka went towards her.
“What is it?” he asked in nervousness. Maimi cupped her face with her hands and pretended to sob. “Grandpa.....grandpa....,” she muttered in her hands. Tezuka began to worry. He faced his grandfather to see that old man was still in comma.
“What am I gonna do?” Tezuka said. He gasped. Maimi opened her hands slightly to take a snoop at him. In the mean time, she was smirking. Tezuka shook Grandpa To’s body and shouted, “Grandpa! Grandpa!”
Maimi let out a yelp made Tezuka glanced at her, wrinkling his eyebrows. A sound coming out from Grandpa To shocked Tezuka too and he glanced back at that old man. Grandpa To was smiling. Maimi giggled.
“What’s going on?” Tezuka asked in disbelief. He was beginning to be mad. Maimi clapped her hands, “Grandpa is okay. We’re playing jokes on you!”
Grandpa To sniggered. Tezuka sighed. He gawped at his wife and walked pass her towards the door. The door was slammed hard. Maimi was disappointed. Grandpa To sighed, “It’s okay, dear.”
Maimi ran outside to after her husband. Tezuka was sitting on a chair in an aisle, looking down on the floor while putting his hands on his head. Maimi came to sit beside him. “Nezumi-chan?”
“Don’t talk to me,” he said. Maimi pasted her lips together. She leaned forward, “I’m sorry. We didn’t know you’re mad. Grandpa is fine actually. Don’t take it seriously.”
Tezuka faced her abruptly. His eyes were glowering with madness. Maimi gulped. “You know what?” he said. “I don’t like you. So stay away from me!” he added. Maimi was taken aback. She held his shoulders but he pushed her back.
“I know you’re mad, but please don’t hate me. We’re playing games with you, that’s it,” she consoled. Tezuka shot an I-hate-you look. Maimi knew it was a sign that he meant it. But she could not let him hate her. They were a newly-wed. They needed to be together. Forever.
“Nezumi? Please don’t be like this,” she said.
“What’s going on?” Mrs. Fujimoto asked as she came towards them. Maimi hesitated while Tezuka got up and bowed in front of his mother. Mrs. Fujimoto was trying to figure what since she had heard their conversation from far. “May I know?”
Maimi played with her fingers, unsure about what to say. Tezuka cleared his throat, “Nothing. I’m heading home.”
He walked away. Maimi was hovering. She bowed and ran after him. Mrs. Fujimoto watched them. She sighed.
Tezuka was lying on the couch at his house right after he got home that morning. He had called Ayaka to cancel every appointment that day since he was clueless and was not in the mood to work. Maimi was had taken her bath and she was in her daily clothes, a short dress and shorts.
Tezuka was still in his suit. He placed his right hand against his forehead and he was wandering his eyes at the ceiling. Maimi did not know what to do. They did not have breakfast yet and the clock showed that it was almost ten. Maimi was hungry but she was a jerk in cooking. If she asked Tezuka, she would be sure been shot by a gun.
Maimi pouted. She rubbed her stomach and made herself to the fridge. She opened it and browsed for something to eat. She found the cheesecake she bought yesterday. Taking it out eagerly, she quickly reached for a fork and ate it vigorously.
Tezuka was curious. He took a sneak at her. That old miss was minding her lame breakfast. He rolled his eyes. Maimi licked her fork at the moment she finished her cheesecake. “Yummy!” she shouted.
As Tezuka was getting up all of a sudden, Maimi covered her mouth and threw the plate and the fork into the sink. She backed out when that scary guy neared the fridge. He opened it and stopped for a while. Maimi was trying to escape. She took out a leg and made the first step. She clenched her teeth with every step she take.
“Hey,” Tezuka sounded. Maimi’s heart began to shatter. She gulped, holding her breath before she turned around and face him. She curved a tentative smile, “Yes, Nezumi?”
Tezuka glared at her. He took out a pack of dried seaweed and threw it onto the counter. “Cook that.”
Maimi swallowed. “Huh?”
Tezuka slammed the fridge door shut and shot her a killer look before he made his way towards his room. Maimi’s heart melted. She held her chest and smiled. Even though Tezuka was angry at her, but that killer look just now somehow made her heart beat even faster. It was seductive. Very seductive.
Maimi agreed to follow her beloved, scary and bad-tempered husband’s order. She was clueless about how to cook it but she decided to follow the instruction. She washed the seaweed, put it into a pot and waited for it to boil. She looked at the door of Tezuka’s room. Probably he was taking his bath.
Maimi smirked. She was dreaming about having a bath together with her husband. She wagged her eyebrows at the point that his revealed abdominal muscles. She swallowed hard.
“Oh, my! I’m a pervert!” she screamed. The door was opened. Maimi jumped. She slowly took a look at the door way. There came Tezuka in a cut-off shirt that revealed his sculpted abs.
Oh, my.....kill me!
“What?” he said. Maimi shook her head and hopped in front of the boiling water in the pot. She sprinkled some salt and sugar along with several spoons of soy sauce. She did not know if it was right but despite that her good-looking and perfect-body husband was looking at her from behind, she trembled a bit.
She tasted the soup. She frowned. “Uh.....I can taste the ocean.”
Tezuka ignored her and made his way into his study. Maimi stopped. She put more soy sauce and tasted it. Again, it was not right.
“Nezumi-chan! Come here, please. Can you help me with this soup? It doesn’t come out well,” she called. Tezuka did not respond. Maimi skipped her legs on the floor, calling for Tezuka.
Nothing. She sighed and turned off the stove. She felt like an idiot doing that. Suddenly, she gasped. “Rice! I forgot to cook the rice! Oh, no!”
Tezuka who was using his laptop in his study sighed. He knew that would happen.
After an hour and a half went by, finally the rice was done and Maimi served the breakfast but it was like a brunch. Tezuka was seated. He looked at the seaweed soup plainly. Maimi was curious and nervous.
She fed herself with rice and watches Tezuka took up his chopsticks and ate his rice. Then, he reached for a spoon and scooped the soup. He took sip at it and formed a moody face. Maimi nodded down. She knew it.
Tezuka put down his chopsticks. “Hey! Is this what you call seaweed soup? It’s a squib!”
Maimi was shivering with fear. “Uh...uh...I called you to look at it but you won’t.”
“It’s not my fault! You’re my wife and you’re supposed to cook. You should know how to cook!” Tezuka retorted.
Maimi rubbed her hands. “I know but I don’t know how to cook. Sorry,” she said and pasted her both palms. “Don’t be mad.” She pouted.
“Then, how are we going to eat?” Tezuka asked, eyes were locked at Maimi. His hands were wrapped at his chest. Maimi was not listening to him but her eyes stuck at his abs. She wished she could touch that.
“Hey, old miss! Dummy old miss!”
Maimi was shocked. “What?! I’ve told you not to talk to me like that! It’s rude!”
“It’s rude too if you don’t cook for me,” Tezuka shot. Maimi froze. She grunted and got up. She ran at him and grabbed his glasses.
She stuck her tounge out. “Come and get me!”
Tezuka hated that game. He stood up and aftered her around the house. Maimi was enjoying it. She liked to play tag. Using the main thing, glasses, Tezuka’s weaknesses, she was glad that game could be played naturally.
“Hey, cut it out! I hate this f***king game!” Tezuka shouted. Maimi was startled with his words. She stopped. “That’s too over, Nezumi! That’s too harsh!”
“Who cares?! I want this ****king game to be over and I want my ****king glasses back!”
Maimi pouted. She went to the balcony and extended her hand with the glasses in the air. “Say sorry to me or, this thing will be going....,”she said, imitating a falling thing using her thumb. “-down,” she finished.
Tezuka hurried towards her and grabbed her body. Maimi stumbled a bit and she immediately clutched his shirt. They fell in the door way with a thud and Tezuka was on top of Maimi. Tezuka was so surprised to that old miss was under him.
Maimi was startled but she grinned. She was embarrassed as Tezuka was looking at her. She turned her head to her left and took a side-glance at him who did not even move an inch. Actually, Tezuka was stuck in that situation.
In his mind, there was female under him. Under his control. And he felt weird why hadn’t he move aside and grabbed that glasses back? Maimi was showing him a cute face.
Come and get me....hehe. She whispered to herself.
Tezuka gulped. He neared her face but he refused to make another move. He was nervous. Maimi was waiting for his next action. The glasses had jumped two feet away from her grip just now so she got nothing to hold on.
Tezuka decided to kiss her. Yeah, she was in front of you so, why don’t you make a move, right? He decreased his inches apart from her and their lips were about to meet, but his cellphone rang.
They were shocked. Tezuka got up and picked up his cellphone. “Hello?”
Maimi stamped her feet on the floor. She was about to be kissed by him. “Oh, man!”
“You’re coming?” Tezuka asked. It was Ayaka. She called him to tell that she was on her way to meet Grandpa To. “I went there,” he answered.
“Oh....I was thinking to go there with you. Yeah, you know that I’m not that close with your family,” Ayaka said.
Tezuka looked at Maimi. He realized that he was about to have a romantic moment just now but Ayaka was asking him as a boss to escort her. Maimi made a cute faces. Tezuka rolled his eyes. Should he stay, or should he go out?