Mrs. Kamitani's cheeks instantly flared scarlet. "I am not even forty years old yet! The audacity... the absolute audacity to call your own wife old!"
PHAF! THWACK! SMACK! PHAF! PHAF!
She raised her fists, launching a flurry of frantic, rapid-fire punches directly at his chest and shoulders.
"Whoa, whoa! Indoor voice, Counselor!" Mr. Kamitani laughed, leaning back out of reach. "You'll wake the boys! Then I'll have to explain why their mother is trying to murder their father at four in the morning!"
"What is wrong with the boys coming up?!" she huffed, her swinging fists still narrowly missing his nose as he leaned from side to side.
"Let them come! They deserve to know exactly what kind of outrageous treatment their poor mother has to endure in her own home!"
"Would you stop moving?!" she cried. "How am I supposed to hit you if you keep dodging?!"
She paused for a split second, panting slightly, staring at his grin in absolute frustration.
'Why is this man so ridiculously difficult to hit?!' she fumed inwardly.
Observing her defeat, Mr. Kamitani smirked, leaning back on his elbows with an insufferably smug look. "Hmm... how strange. Every punch starts off so determined... then changes its mind at the very last second."
Mrs. Kamitani's cheeks puffed out in outrage. She glared at his infuriatingly handsome face, her eyebrows twitching as she silently fumed.
'Ugh... this unbelievably smug man!' she grumbled in her mind, her fingers curling into tiny fists. 'Just look at that face... he's enjoying every second of this!'
She clicked her tongue in frustration, ready to launch herself at him again—
...Then, all of a sudden, she froze.
A slow, wicked smile began creeping across her lips. A tiny light seemed to flicker inside her green eyes.
'...Wait a minute.'
A sly, mischievous giggle escaped her lips.
"Oh, really?" she said, a low, villainous laugh following right after. "Hehe... If I can't hurt you... then I can surely do this!"
Before he could even process her warning or decode that suspicious laugh, Mrs. Kamitani lunged forward with lightning speed. Her fingers darted out, completely getting past his hands, and dug straight into the softest, most vulnerable spots on his sides.
"WRYAAA—!!! YUNA, STOP!!!"
Mr. Kamitani instantly collapsed sideways onto the chair. "Aha—haha! Stop it! Hehehe—"
He laughed completely out of control, twisting frantically as he tried to block her fingers to protect his stomach. "Yuna—hahaha! Seriously, stop! It's unfair—ahahaha!"
He giggled, his deep voice cracking as he tried to bat her hands away. "Stop it! Tickling is completely unfair! Put your hands away—!"
"Everything is fair in Love And War!" she cheered triumphantly, throwing her entire physical weight on top of him to pin him down while her fingers kept attacking his stomach.
With Mrs. Kamitani leaning all her weight forward and the never-ending tickle assault throwing him off balance, Mr. Kamitani's elbows slipped right off the desk.
THUDDDDDD-CRASH!!!
Mr. Kamitani lost his balance entirely and tumbled right off the edge, landing in a clumsy, sitting position flat on the floor.
Mrs. Kamitani leaned too far and fell right with him—but in a split-second reflex, his strong hands snapped forward, catching her firmly by the waist in a tight grip, preventing her from slamming face-first into the floorboards.
Meanwhile, exactly one floor below them, in the quiet, dark bedroom directly underneath, Shido was dead to the world under his blanket.
"Zzzzz... hoooo... zzzzz..."
He snored softly, completely peaceful and dreaming. "Khhh... phew... zzzzz..."
Suddenly, a massive, sound of THUMP vibrated directly through the ceiling panels right above his head.
"WHA— TAMIKO!!! DON'T LEAVE ME!!!" Shido broke from his sleep like a possessed doll, screaming at the top of his lungs in absolute, sleep-deprived panic.
He swung his arms wildly, his eyes wide and unseeing for Three Straight Seconds before the Adrenaline started to clear.
He sat frozen in the dark. The room was completely silent again. The strange noise from above was gone.
Slowly, Shido lowered his arms, glaring up at the ceiling with pure, total teenage rage.
'Are you Kidding me?!' he cursed under his breath, his eye twitching. 'Are they doing a late-night WWE championship match up there at this hour?! Who body-slams someone at—'
He glanced at the glowing digital clock on his bedside table.
4:51 AM.
Shido let out a pathetic, soul-crushed gasp, his face twisting into absolute agony.
"Aaah... why meeeee..."
He slammed his head back down onto his pillow, tightly squeezing his eyes shut as he pulled the blanket over his face.
"Sleep... please just sleep right now... there is school in an hour and a bit... I have to wake up at 6:00 AM... Tamiko give me strength..."
Back upstairs on the floor, Mr. and Mrs. Kamitani sat frozen, staring blankly at each other for a long, quiet moment. The pure absurdity of their clumsy fall hung in the air. Slowly, a dark blush crept up both of their cheeks.
The next second, they both completely lost it.
They burst into loud, breathless laughter.
"Pfft... haha...!"
"Hahaha...!"
Mr. Kamitani finally let go of his firm grip on her waist, letting her sit down completely on the floor right beside him as they both leaned against the desk, laughing until their sides ached.
"Good grief..." Mr. Kamitani laughed breathlessly, wiping the corner of his eye as the last traces of laughter slowly faded. "That was completely unfair. I honestly never knew I had a weakness like that."
Mrs. Kamitani crossed her arms, a smug, giggling smile on her face as she praised herself. "See? It was entirely due to my brilliant strategic tactics that we made such a Historic Discovery!"
But as her laughter fully calmed down, the room suddenly filled into a deep, heavy stillness. The playful energy dissolved, leaving behind a peaceful quiet.
Mr. Kamitani turned his head, his gaze softening completely as he looked at her.
Without a word, he reached out, closing the distance between them on the floor.
He wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her back into his chest in a deep, desperate embrace, burying his face right into the side of her neck.
Mrs. Kamitani blinked in surprise, her hands
hanging in the air for a second. "Ayato...? What's wrong?"
"Just..." his voice came out incredibly soft, almost vulnerable against her skin. "Can you just hug me for a minute?"
Hearing the quiet raw need in his voice, Mrs. Kamitani's face flushed a beautiful, gentle pink. A soft, tender smile touched her lips, and she quietly whispered, "...Okay." She wrapped her arms securely around his broad shoulders, holding him close.
After a moment of just breathing together, Mr. Kamitani slowly pulled back just enough to look at her face. His hand gently moved up to her head, his fingers shifting through her hair, holding a few soft, brown strands in his palm.
He stared at them, his eyes filled with a quiet wonder.
"Your hair..." he murmured softly, a gentle smile touching his lips. "It's always been so soft... and it still smells faintly of maple. I don't know why, but I've always loved that."
Mrs. Kamitani's heart melted, her eyes softened. She reached her hand up, gently running it along his arm before cupping his cheek with her palm. Her fingers felt warm against his skin.
"Your hair is as dark as the night sky..." she whispered back, her voice dripping with affection. "And somehow, every time I touch it, I remember why I fell in love with you all over again."
Suddenly, she tilted her head forward, closing the remaining distance between them.
Mr. Kamitani's eyes widened in pure, stunned shock, his breath catching in his throat. "Yu—"
Before he could even finish pronouncing half of her name, Mrs. Kamitani leaned in and softly pressed her lips directly against his cheek.
It was a quiet, lingering kiss—a sweet, silent seal of absolute forgiveness, healing, and unconditional love.
After her lips pulled back from his cheek, a long, heavy wave of silence settled over the floorboards. Mrs. Kamitani just sat there, wrapping her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder.
But there was no reaction. No response. Absolutely nothing from Mr. Kamitani's side.
Slowly, Mrs. Kamitani shifted her weight on the floor, her face turning into a deep, agonizing blush.
"Ahem..." she cleared her throat loudly, her mind suddenly racing with a million frantic, insecure thoughts.
'Why isn't he saying anything?! Did... did he not like it? Was that totally embarrassing for me to do?!'
A wave of disappointment crashed over her. 'Haah—! I haven't seen him or held him in so long, and his reaction to my first move is just total silence?! Maybe... maybe he's just too exhausted...'
She couldn't take the awkwardness for another second. Her embarrassment quickly
turned into pure grumpiness. She turned her head to face him angrily, her lips parting to snap, "Hey, you—"
WHOOSH!
Before she could even shout out his name, Mr. Kamitani suddenly moved with explosive energy! He threw his weight forward, his strong hands catching her wrists and pinning them down flat against the floor right near the study table!
"A-Ayato...? W-Wha...?! W-Wait...! W-What are you d-doing...?!"
Mrs. Kamitani blinked her eyes wide open, staring up at him in complete amusement. But the moment her gaze locked onto his face, whatever angry sentence she was preparing completely vanished from her tongue.
Her mind went totally blank. A massive crimson blush crept her entire face, and all that could escape her lips was a soft, stunned, "...Huh?"
Mr. Kamitani smirked down at her, his eyes dark, intense, and teasing as he leaned closer over her body.
"So this is the Fearless Lawyer who was ready to attack me a minute ago?" he whispered, his voice smooth as he purposefully avoided using any complex words just to tease her.
His smile widened.
"Interesting..."
"You look much cuter now that you're blushing."
Mrs. Kamitani completely lost her composure.
"L-Let go! G-Get back this instant!" she stammered, twisting her wrists as she tried to pull free from his grip.
"H-How shameless..." she stammered. Her cheeks were burning a furious crimson under his intense gaze, and she quickly moved her chin away to avoid looking at his smirking face.
"I-I swear... I'm never making the first move again!"
She frantically began pushing her palms against his broad shoulders, trying to create a line of space between them on the floor rug. "N-Now let go of me this instant! I'm sleepy..."
She huffed, her bottom lip puffing out in an adorable pout as she glared up at him through her thick lashes. "...and unlike a certain someone, I actually have to wake up early tomorrow morning to get the boys ready for school!"
Mr. Kamitani slowly lifted a hand, gently resting a finger against her trembling lips.
"Shh..." he murmured, a faint smile touching his lips.
"For once... let me do the talking."
He hovered over her, his smirk softening into something deeply charged. "We can't back down now..." he murmured, his gaze never leaving hers. "After a kiss like that, you can't honestly expect me to pretend nothing happened."
The room fell into a breathless silence. Mrs. Kamitani quickly turned her head to the side, tightly closing her eyes as she looked away, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"W-We can't..." she whispered breathlessly, turning her face even farther away. "I-It's almost morning... l-look at the time..."
Instead of listening, Mr. Kamitani slid his fingers down, holding his hand tightly with hers against the floor. He leaned down even closer, his face mere inches from hers, a soft, mesmerizing smile on his lips.
"The morning will come whether we rush it or not..." he murmured, gently tightening his fingers around hers. "So let me steal just a few more moments with my wife."
Mrs. Kamitani's mind completely short-circuited. 'W-What is wrong with him?! It was... it was only a kiss on the cheek...!'
'So why is he looking at me like... like that?!' Her heart pounded so violently she was certain he could hear it.
It had only been a simple kiss on the cheek...
Yet somehow...
She was the one who now felt completely cornered. Gathering every ounce of courage, she slowly opened her eyes—
...and found his unwavering gaze waiting for her.
"...Do you remember," he asked softly, his eyes never leaving hers, "when we last simply... held each other like this?"
He fell quiet for a long moment.
"...I don't."
A faint, almost apologetic smile appeared on his lips.
For just a heartbeat, something inside Mrs. Kamitani quietly ached.
'...You really don't remember.'
It wasn't disappointment.
It wasn't anger.
It was the quiet realization of just how much of himself he had given away—to the Courtroom, to his Clients, to protecting their family... until even moments like these had slipped through his fingers without him noticing.
Her chest tightened.
No...
She didn't want him blaming himself.
Not tonight.
A tiny sigh escaped her lips as she gently bumped her forehead against his.
"Hmph..."
A teasing smile slowly returned to her face. "Your memory really is terrible, Mr. Kamitani."
She pretended to think for a moment, tapping a finger lightly against her chin. "It has been exactly One Month."
She looked up at him with an exaggerated, dramatic pout."One whole month since you last stole your wife away for a proper hug."
She folded her arms with mock dignity. "I ought to file a formal complaint against you."
'One month...'
A tiny smile found its way onto her lips.
'You've forgotten already.'
'I haven't.'
Mr. Kamitani blinked. "...One month?" His brows slowly knitted together as he silently counted the passing weeks in his head.
The court hearings...
The endless client meetings...
The late-night case files...
One by one, the memories lined themselves up against him like undeniable pieces of evidence.
"....."
His shoulders dropped ever so slightly. "...You win," he admitted with a tiny, defeated smile.
"I don't even have a proper defense."
"Hmph." she huffed, puffing out her cheeks as she folded her arms.
She looked away with an exaggerated look. "And whose fault is that, Mr. Kamitani?"
"You leave before everyone wakes up..."
"...come home when everyone's asleep..."
"...eat..."
"...work some more..."
"...and then collapse into bed."
She turned back to him with a dramatic sigh. "Hah—Sometimes I honestly wonder whether you're my husband..."
"...or just a very polite guest staying at this house."
Mr. Kamitani smiled softly. His fingers carefully tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before lingering against her warm cheek.
"If it really is my fault..." His voice dropped into a quiet whisper.
"...then allow me to remind my wife just how much she's loved."
Mrs. Kamitani's breath hitched. "W-What are you going to do...?"
Mr. Kamitani leaned in ever so slightly, a quiet smile resting on his lips. "...You'll know in a moment."
His warm palm slowly rose, gently covering her eyes. "But until then..."
"...don't steal a single glance." His voice dropped into the softest whisper.
"I want your very first reaction..."
"...to be real."
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
Her heart beat frantically against her chest, the sound echoing loudly in her ears. Darkness completely covered her vision under his warm palm, making every other sensation suddenly feel unbearable.
'O-Oh dear...'
She swallowed hard, her breath catching right in her throat as she felt the faint, warm brush of his breathing dipping closer to her lips.
'H-He...'
'I-Is he really...'
'N-No...'
'W-Wait...'
Her fingers instinctively tightened around his, clinging to his large hand like a lifeline as the overwhelming closeness of him stole every thought from her mind.
'I-I can't...'
'I-I can't think...'
Their lips drew closer and closer, their breaths mingling in the dark, both of their faces beautifully flushed, right on the verge of a passionate kiss—
"Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play... and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate... Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake... Shake it off! Shake it off!"
Suddenly, Taylor Swift's loud, upbeat pop anthem blasted violently from the room!
Both of their eyes snapped wide open, their lips freezing millimeters apart.
Mrs. Kamitani burst into helpless laughter, bending forward as she clutched her stomach. The absolute, ridiculous sound of the loud pop music playing right against their faces was too much to bear.
"Pfft—! Hahaha...!" she gasped between breaths, her shoulders shaking violently as she collapsed slightly against his chest. "N-No...! Of all the times...! Hahaha!"
She wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye, still giggling uncontrollably as the upbeat track pulsed through the dark air.
"I-I can't believe... Taylor Swift just saved my reputation..."
Mr. Kamitani remained perfectly frozen for a long second, his lips still hovering right where hers had been just a moment ago. His entire body was rigid with disbelief.
Then, slowly, his eyebrows twitched.
"...I dislike Taylor Swift."
Mrs. Kamitani blinked up at him, her giggles instantly halting at his completely serious tone.
"...Ayato."
"What?" he muttered, his face twisting into a deeply offended, sour pout.
"You don't even know Taylor Swift."
"I do now..." he grumbled right back, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared off into space.
"....."
"She interrupted my kiss."
The upbeat song continued blaring through the quiet bedroom, completely uncaring of his tragic heartbreak.
"And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake...I shake it off, I shake it off....!"
Both of them simply stared toward the direction of the ringtone for a long, silent moment, the absolute absurdity of the loud track filling the space between them on the floor.
The phone vibrated again, cutting through the music with an aggressive rattle against the wood.
Bzzzz... Bzzzz...
Mrs. Kamitani blinked twice, her eyes tracking the sound.
"...Oh."
Mr. Kamitani slowly turned his head toward the unmistakable buzzing sound, as though only now fully realizing what had just ruined the entire atmosphere.
His broad shoulders dropped in total defeat.
He let out the longest, most soul-crushed sigh of his entire life.
"Hah—!...It's actually a phone call."
Another loud vibration echoed through the room, making the glowing screen flash in the shadows.
Bzzzzz...
He shut his eyes tight for a brief second before groaning dramatically, the pure irritation rolling off him in waves.
"Good grief..." he muttered, rubbing a palm flat down his face to hide his irritation. "Who in the entire world calls someone at Five in the morning?"
He looked toward the ceiling, throwing his hands up slightly as if appealing to the heavens.
"Are they even human? Civilized people are supposed to be asleep."
---
✦ 🔮 A GLIMPSE INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER 🔮 ✦
"What awaits beyond this page...?" 🌙
(灬･◡･灬)♡
"...Kami-sama..."
"Do not ask me to abandon the child... the heavens themselves have finally remembered his name..."
---
🌙 The stars may fade, and memories may sleep...
But the Spiral continues to turn.
Until we meet again beneath the same forgotten sky.
(;ŏ﹏ŏ)
— SakuraShinomiya