Chapter 147: Settling In

When Miwa-nee arrived and we separated from each other, I put myself next to Shio while the two talked to each other.

With Miwa-nee silently listening to her while commenting at times, Shio finally released whatever she was bottling up. For the rest of their talk, Shio cried her heart out with me supporting her at the side.

Shio soon fell asleep on the table after all that crying.

Miwa-nee signalled to me to bring Shio up and let her take proper rest.

"Ruki, take Shiori and let her take a rest. Also, advise her not to go to work tomorrow, we'll accompany her here to take her mind off her current problem."

"Thank you, Miwa-nee, for helping with Shio."

I sincerely thank her. I never got a chance to be alone with her again but I guess, we more or less understood each other better now.

"You're properly taking care of us but Ruki, learn to take a rest, okay?"

Ah. Even Miwa-nee is reminding me to take a rest. I guess in their eyes I'm already overworking myself.

"I am taking a rest, Miwa-nee. Don't worry."

I smiled at her before I picked Shio up from her chair. Akane already prepared my old room for Shio to use, that's also where I put her luggage earlier.

Before we reached the stairs, I saw Akane coming down from upstairs with a set of clothes in her hand.

Err. I forgot to get Nao's change of clothes.

"I'll prepare Nao-senpai's room too, husband. Take care of Shiori."

Akane smiled when she passed by me. Without her and Miwa-nee's help tonight, I might've run around the house all by myself again.

After putting down Shio on my bed, her eyes opened and her hand reached for mine.

"You said you'll stay."

"I thought you're already asleep. Are you awake this whole time?"

Shio nodded before she turned her head away, embarrassed.

For her to act cutely like this. I guess her feelings finally settled down. However, that doesn't mean things were already settled. I'll be expecting her husband tomorrow.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a piece of damning evidence which I could use to cow her husband. If he's smart, he'll not rage instantly but calmly weigh his choices.

I'm not afraid of him, not before, not now. if we ended up confronting each other again, it will be him who will lose if everything about what he's doing comes to light

"Then, I'll stay here with you. You should call the school too, Shio. Call in sick for a few days to rest here."

I put my hand on her head and started stroking her hair while watching over her.

"No. I still have to teach the class."

She shook her head in rejection to what I suggested. She mentioned earlier that teaching was her way of coping with problems but I don't think it will work with her current problem.

"Forget about it, even if only one day. Miwa-nee will be here to accompany you."

I sternly told her, if she still rejects then I'll stay here with her and also skip a day.

Hearing that, Shio stared at me for a minute before releasing a sigh.

"Seeing your eyes, you won't probably give in. Just like how you dragged that girl with us."

"Yes Shio, that's how it is. So…"

"I'll listen to you. One day. Is it fine?"

Err. Will one day be enough? I guess as long as she can take her mind off from any stressing things.

"Thank you."

I smiled and thanked her for giving in to my suggestion.

"I think I now get why the girls keep falling for you."

Shio whispered as she reached for my hand to stop it from stroking her hair.

"Well, they have various reasons while compared to them, my only reason was that I took a liking to them. That's enough for me to make a move."

"You're always this honest, this is what sets you different from him."

Err. I'm not similar to him. Not at all. Just by what he did, he has a preference, even asking Nao to change her hairstyle.

"He's too different from me, I won't ever let a girl I like to be turned into this state. Come, you should rest for now. I'll be here watching over you."

I pulled the blanket and covered her body with it. She hasn't changed from her outfit yet but I guess the bath can wait for her tomorrow.

"Please, hold me, Ruki. I still want to forget."

She pulled on my arm when I finished covering her with the blanket.

With pleading eyes like that, how can I reject her?

"Alright, if that's what my Shio wants."

I climbed on the bed and inside the blanket. Shio immediately clings onto me as she buried her face on my chest.

Because of how much she cried since this morning, it didn't take long for Shio to fall asleep. Maybe being comfortable with my arms also became a factor but seeing her comfortably sleeping in my arms, I couldn't help but smile and watch over her for a little longer.

When I went out of the room, I went downstairs and saw Nao and Akane chatting with each other in the living room.

"For you to have waited for years for that moron to come around, you're amazing Akane."

Ah. I'm their topic again.

"You're also the one who first stuck with him the longest, Nao-senpai. But when you graduated, it's like you were forgotten and I never heard about you again."

Akane's right. For most of my time during my 1st year, I'm mostly with Nao.

"Ask that moron. I was waiting for him but he didn't even reply to my mails. That's why in the end, I also kind of gave up waiting for him…"

Nao's voice trailed in the end as it contained some kind of regret and melancholy.

But I know that even if she waited, I wouldn't really remember. She would've waited in vain so her moving on was good for her. Just that, for her to end up with Shio's husband, I guess it's just a way for us to meet again? I don't know.

"What about now? You met each other again."

Akane. She's helping me again. She's sorting out what Nao is feeling for me.

"Shouldn't you be mad at what he's doing?"

Ah. Of course, looking at Akane, one wouldn't easily think that she's too accepting of our current situation.

"I've already accepted our situation. And living here with him and sleeping in the same bed as him, that's more than enough for me."

Akane answered with a satisfied smile.

"I see. You're really amazing Akane. I already gave up, you know? But the words he first said to me after seeing me again is 'Long time no see'. When I realized that he still recognized me, I felt a little happy. Happy that he hadn't completely forgotten about me."

Nao looked at her for a few seconds thinking she might just be joking but in the end, Akane maintained her smile and her answer about being satisfied in our situation. After that, she told Akane what's really on her mind that she couldn't tell me.

Err. I'm listening on the side so I heard her. I guess using that phrase made an effect.

"Nao-senpai. You clearly still like him. He already changed a lot so he's probably regretting the fact that he ignored your mails for him."

Even if I say it's already done and couldn't be changed anymore, I really felt a little regret when I heard Nao mention about her mails. There's a lot of ignored mails in there. I should start reading them, not only Nao's mails but also the other girls' mails who I ignored before.

"But I'm already in a relationship, Akane."

Nao answered her. Still considering her connection with Shio's husband.

Of course, our meeting won't just erase whatever it is that she experienced during the two years. For her, it might've looked like I abandoned her.

"Then isn't that more ideal? He will have to steal you once more."

I should really pamper Akane later.

"… That guy and his stealing habit."

Nao thought for a while before a smile surfaced on her lips.

"Husband! How long were you standing there?"

Akane exclaimed when she saw me appearing from where I was earlier.

"How much did you hear?!"

Nao also exclaimed her surprise. She immediately turned red probably thinking I heard everything she said about me.

"Enough? Anyway, Shio's already asleep so…"

I answered honestly and that earned me a hit from Nao. Akane was watching it in amusement. That girl. She knew I was eavesdropping so she asked those questions to her. She somehow had a radar whenever it concerned me.

"I'll prepare our bath, husband. Talk to Nao-senpai for the meantime."

While maintaining her teasing smile, Akane stood up and said that before going to the bathroom.

"Thank you Akane, I'll follow you soon."

I'm already thinking about how to pamper her. Err, she really helped me a lot tonight so that deserves a reward. Akane will always be happy whenever I make her feel more special.

"What are you looking at?"

Nao glared at me when she found me staring at her.

"You look good in that hair and clothes, Nao. As I thought, that really suits you better than his preference."

Akane and Nao have the same build, so she's wearing her clothes but yeah, Nao was more stacked than her which made the shirt look more strained than when Akane was wearing it.

Her hair was also devoid of the cloth ribbon that Shio's husband was so fond of.

"I just took it off since I'm going to sleep."

Nao made an excuse as she turned her gaze away from me.

"Keep it like this."

I said as I reached for her hair that was let down and not adorned with anything.

"You haven't replied yet. I won't talk to you until you do."

Nao pouted her lips before pulling her hair out of my hand.

"Really? Then I'll start digging it up."

I sat next to her and took out my phone, opening the mail, I started scrolling down to it. But yeah, there really should be a better filter option.

Five minutes immediately passed and her mails were still not unearthed. She started fidgeting at my side while looking at me earnestly trying to find it.

"Until when will you dig it up."

After a few more minutes, Nao couldn't help but comment at my side.

"It's buried deep so…"

"You're really a moron, Ruki. That's enough."

She reached in for my arm and stopped it from moving.

"No. I'll find it and read all of it."

I looked at her and smiled before taking her arm off me to continue scrolling down.

"Since you heard our conversation, just promise me you'll end everything properly. With Nobuo, I mean. Even if he's like that, he treated me properly and grant most of my wishes."

She reached in again and this time, she used her hands to turn my head towards her before saying those words.

Maybe seeing me diligently do what she asked even if it's somehow impossible made her rethink it.

Nao's words already contained her choice, she wanted me to end it properly and not leave it in that state where we just left the guy in that house.

"Even if he lied to you?"

She was furious when she found out that he was lying to her and he's been projecting the younger Shio on her but I guess, her feelings for him that was built upon the days they were together still prevailed.

"He probably has his reason. Other than that, everything he showed me is genuine. Uhm except for that time when he deliberately made us meet. I saw how his wife truly loves him that she even urged me to rethink my decision instead of getting angry at me."

That Shio. I guess she also found Nao's resemblance to herself during her high school days.

"Alright. If we can end things properly, I'll be taking you two from him."

End things properly. How will I do that? Blackmail him? Err. That's improper. I'll have him give up on both of them but I guess, it wouldn't really end in a proper way or it would escalate the problem.

"Don't forget about me again."

Nao looked me in the eye and whispered these words. It was filled with longing as well as her loneliness that she felt when I seemingly forgot about her.

"I won't and I will really find those mails, don't worry"

Taking her hand to mine, I answered her honestly. I'll make up for those lost times with her.

"Moron. I'll go up, see your wife now."

Nao stood up and tried to pry her hands away from me but I pulled her down and planted a kiss on her lips.

We never went past kisses before but kissing her again after so long, we got indulged with each other.

Whatever resistance she had earlier was now gone. She coiled her arms around my neck as our kisses grew deeper. Her brown eyes grew clearer as we continued staring at each other.

"I'm glad I got to see you again, Nao."

We eventually ran out of breath and broke our kiss for a while. Saying those words before continuing, I could see how she smiled from it. The two years that we were separated I'll fill that void up.

"Me too."

Nao answered while showing a satisfied smile before initiating another round of our kisses.

After a few minutes under that kind of situation, we separated from each other. Though we had just meet again, remembering the time when we were together reignited our feelings for each other.

We already conveyed the words through the kiss so after giving each other one last kiss for the night, Nao stood up from me and made her way up the stairs to go to her prepared room while I made my way to the bathroom where Akane was waiting.