“Somehow, I like watching how focused you are. Especially when in class.”
I muttered to break the silence between us.
We’re already away from the school and are currently traversing a major road that will lead us to the area where Shio’s house is located.
In the end, even without me telling her, she planned to bring me to their house. She probably thought that once she goes home, she’ll still be alone. That’s also maybe the reason why she told me to stay the night with her.
“Then keep watching me. Just don’t disturb me when I’m driving and teaching.”
Though she said that, a hint of a smile peeked out from her lips.
“I know. Watching you like this is enough.”
Looking at her at this side. Shio is really an adult who was aware of what she’s doing. And despite the risk, she continued to be involved with me, her student.
Her expression and the way she looked at me earlier was all genuine. I’m already there inside her, but still below her husband.
“You have too many girls to watch, why me?”
We soon left the main road as she turned the car to a neighborhood. Her driving started to relax as she loosened up her shoulders. I reached my hand there to give it some sort of simple massage.
“Simple. Because you’re the one here with me. I tend to focus on who’s with me at the moment.”
Though she flinched for a bit when she felt my hand, she soon relaxed it when she realized what I’m doing. I didn’t massage it for long though. Just enough for it to be relieved.
“Thank you, Ruru. But won’t your body get tired? Running to every other girl.”
They all have the same concern. Well, it’s really a bit tiring but I chose to run to them and they’re really not demanding for me to see them. Well, dates are a different story though. 𝙣𝒗.𝒎
“Seeing your smiles is enough to relieve it. I’m not like this before, you know?”
Their satisfied smiles. Right. That’s enough to energize me.
“I see. So it’s a part of you that changed.”
Shio turned to a street where houses were far apart from each other. This is probably a new subdivision where there are only a few residents. So, her house is located here.
Though we’re talking, I didn’t forget to memorize the road we took and the scenery of what she’s always seeing.
“Yes. I was foolish back then. Stealing someone and then throwing them away when I’m done. However, before I knew it, some of them were still chasing after me.”
I’m really glad that I changed. That I got to see them again. Starting from Haruko who was waiting for me there. Then Yae, who kept on waiting for me to turn my eyes back on her. Aoi and Ria, who found comfort beside me. Sena and Otoha whose way of thinking changed because of me. I may have impacted their life so did they with my life. Now there’s always the urge to see them. To see them smiling at me.
“Just don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. I wanted to scold you when I saw you running earlier, you know?”
“Then you should’ve done that. Sometimes I tend to overdo it when it concerns you, girls.”
Yeah. I overdid it when I even tried to go to the infirmary to get Satsuki’s vitamins. Food and drink were probably enough but I still chose to do that.
“How could I when you had that look of worry on your face?”
“Err. Then remind me to not overdo it next time?”
Maybe the other girls couldn’t notice it easily but Shio did. Haruko will surely point it out if she saw that. But yeah, doing things for their well-being and seeing their smiles after was enough for me.
“You know, sometimes you’re this silly, sometimes you’re very thoughtful, sometimes you’re such a huge tease and sometimes you’re too perverted.”
“For you to notice that, Shio is watching me, eh?”
Teasing her after saying that. Ah. I guess what she said was all correct.
“Idiot. We’re here.”
Shio stopped the car in front of a 2-storey house and parked it in a garage not far from it.
I observed their house and its surroundings, there were only empty lots at the left and right of it and the house is big enough for a family of 5.
I guess, before their wedding, they already took into consideration how big of a family they will be when choosing their house. But with the way things are going now, that won’t be realized anymore.
There’s no other car in the garage yet so that means her husband isn’t home. Will they arrive later or not at all? I don’t know. I only guessed so there’s a possibility that my guess is wrong. Either way, I’ll be with Shio until 10. Here in their house which he probably bought using his money.
I saw Shio sighing when she noticed that there’s still no sight of her husband’s car in the garage.
“I may not be able to replace him easily, but I’m here with you, Shio.”
I reached out for her hand when we got out of her car.
Comparing me to his husband. Of course, I will lose by a large margin. That guy’s already an adult while I still live off my parent’s money but this time, what Shio needs is someone who can keep her company. To take her mind off their problems.
“Now I am like him, bringing my student to our house.”
I expected her to think like this so I went next to her and led her to the house myself.
“No, you didn’t bring me. I forced you to bring me here. It’s different.”
I put my hand in front to ask for their key.
“You’re just trying to ease my mind, Ruru.”
She opened her bag and took the key out of it. Instead of giving it to me, she opened it herself.
I guess, even with all this, it’s still important for her. She married into this house. For someone to hold the key apart from the two of them was something she couldn’t accept yet. From this, it really shows how much she loves him, even with everything that we did and everything that he did, he won’t easily be replaced by someone else.
“It’s much better than seeing you get depressed again, Shio.”
I followed her into the house, looking at her back, she really oozes out her sadness seeing the house devoid of people. Maybe when they were starting this house looked lively enough for her but now, it just exudes her loneliness. I noticed the picture frames were turned down. Maybe those contained pictures of them and because of what’s happening currently in their married life, it’s hard for her to look at it.
“Ruru, you can put your bag there then wait for me in the living room, I’ll make us a drink.”
“We just had coffee. There’s no need.”
Before she left for the kitchen, I went and hugged her from the back.
“This can wait, right?”
Thinking it was just me who couldn’t wait to take her to bed, Shio asked.
“I know but that’s not why I hugged you. Shio, stop making a sad face like that.”
It’s really unbearable to watch her like that, so I went forward and stopped her.
“You…”
“Just like how you watched me, I’m also watching you. Even before we entered, you already have that face on and it’s a bit unbearable for me. Sorry.”
I tightened my hug from her as I rested my chin on her shoulder. She’s just looking straight ahead, afraid to show me her currently sad face.
“It’s really a bad idea to bring you here.”
After saying that, I saw a tear run down from one of her eyes. This Shio. After venting out earlier today, I thought she would be fine for the day but once we arrived here, she’s back in that state.
Will she just cry out like this if I didn’t insist on coming here with her?
She asked me to come with her,? I guess she’s expecting that her emotions will burst out once she arrives home and I’m the one who will stop her from doing that.
“Maybe it is, but Shio. I’m already here so let me do something for you.”
“What will you do?”
I turned her around and pulled my handkerchief out. Wiping her tears away using it, I smiled at her. It might not be the best smile but it carried my intention to stop her from crying while we’re here.
Ah. If she will be like this with her husband then it’s really better to steal her away from him. Though she won’t be the only one, I will make sure not to neglect her like what he’s doing to her.
“Shio. I’ll repeat the words I told you that day you first called me to your room.”
Her tears were still running down so I wiped it away again before continuing my words.
“I’m going to steal you from your husband, so, prepare yourself.”
I took away the handkerchief before cupping her face with my hands. Planting a kiss on her lips, though she expected what I was about to do, Shio let me do it.
With a relationship like that, I’m going to pull her away from it.
“Ruru…”
She muttered my name when I let go of her lips and face.
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m here to help you forget, right? Now, what do you want to do?”
Smiling at her again, I asked her.
“Come with me.”
She fell into thought for a while before she took my hand and led me inside, past the living room and into one of the rooms. As to what she will show me, maybe it’s something that will take her mind off her problem. For now, I’ll help her with that.