ᴛʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴᴛʜ.

It didn't take long and they are already on their way to the airport. It is Sunday and his parents' flight will be two hours from now. The couple dropped them off and waited for them to get inside the plane before going back. Though they can just stay in Tokyo, they still prefer staying at Okayama since his older sister is there with her family. Fuyu received a small notebook that contains recipes of homemade food from his mother. She blushed furiously when his mother whispered something to her.

"What did she tell you?" Sho asked while they were on their way back home. She shook her head and bit her lips.

"Making babies, desho?" Her eyes widened. Is she that obvious? She looked away to hide her blush.

"It's fine. I will not force you. I also don't want to do it when you don't feel like doing it." She fiddled her fingers while looking outside the windows.

"I just want to spend more time with you." She mumbled and minutes later, they already arrived back at his home.

She took the seat belt off and went out of the car. She will go back to her apartment tomorrow morning. She only got a small bag for her clothes since he insisted that some of her work suits should be left behind, just in case she will sleep there again and needed to go to work the next day. Living under the same roof is still too early for them— that's what she thought. Even though he has plans on marrying her, she still thinks that it will be too fast for them if they will start living together already.

He is always respecting her decisions and privacy— one of the things she loves about him. He never forced her. He never meddled her own businesses as well. He sometimes acts childish in front of her but it is not really annoying or bothering her. Instead, it is making her smile and laugh.

"I will get some lemonade. Do you want some?" She asked and he nodded. She went straight to the kitchen and got two glasses of it.

"I'm a little tired. What do you want to do?" He asked when she got back. She gave a glass to him before sitting on the couch.

"Let's watch some movies? Though I'm a bit sleepy." She answered. He took a sip from the glass and placed it on the coffee table.

"How about a nap?" She smiled widely. He cupped her cheeks gently and kissed her. He didn't have enough chances to have intimate moments with her.

"You said nap.." She mumbled between the kisses but she slowly moved on top of him and settled herself.

The couple senselessly made out at the living room until she can already feel her lips a little plumpish because of his kiss bites. She hummed softly, gripping on his shirt lightly before he changed their positions— him on top of her this time. She softly nuzzled his cheeks with her palms and then, she wrapped her arms around his nape. She is heavily drunk with his kisses. He suddenly stopped and then, he carried her in his arms to go to the bedroom.

It is his first time to own her body completely. She didn't regret it. She knows he tried his best not to hurt her that much. The way he marked his territory is something she would love to experience again soon. He hid their naked bodies under the sheets— feeling a little cold since it is still winter. She smiled softly when he left more kisses on her temples.

"I love you." He whispered to her ear and those words gave her a fuzzy feeling. She hugged his arms around her and nodded.

"I love you, too." She mumbled before heaving a sigh of relief. His lips landed on her shoulder and he placed little soft kisses on her skin.

"Does it hurt?" He asked but she shook her head. She slowly turned her body around and faced him to bury her face on his chest.

"Just a bit but don't worry. It's tolerable." She closed her eyes. He pulled her closer to hug her tighter.

Few more months had passed and summer came. Fuyu has been too busy lately because they prepared team buildings for the departments every week and this week will be their turn to have one. She was busy checking the venue reservation online when he called for her. She got up from her seat and knocked first before going. She smiled softly when she saw Riku and Gia inside his office.

"You called for me, Kaichou." She said. He told her to take a seat, so she got the vacant one besides Gia.

"We decided to have a summer getaway this weekend at Okinawa." Sho said but before she could protest, he gave her a look and she pouted a bit.

"I already delegated your task to the department head. You can leave them alone for this year's team building." He smiled at her. Gia tugged her arm gently, persuading her to go with them.

She smiled faintly and nodded her head. After that, she went out of his office to talk to the department head. She was anticipating to spend her weekends with the employees for the team building but her excitement turned into sadness. She doesn't know why he suddenly decided to have a summer getaway, knowing that there are more weeks to spend before autumn. She gave the files to the department head, including the contact information for the reservations.

She is feeling sulky throughout the day. She didn't talk to him until he dropped her off outside her apartment building. He went out of the car and held her hand tight. She pulled it away and continued on walking but he held her tighter. She turned around to look at him and glared. He raised a brow.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked but she just looked away with puffed cheeks. She pulled her hand away from him once again.

"I wanted to join the employees at the team building. Why did you suddenly decide for summer getaway?" Yes, she is angry. She badly wanted to go for team building.

"It is for you. Why are you getting mad if it is for you? You don't want to spend time with me? You prefer spending time with the employees than with me and your friends? Then, go with them." He went back inside the car and drove away.

She bit her lower lip and stomped on the pavement. It is their first time to fight. She is a prideful person. She will not say sorry to him. She was teary-eyed when she got inside her apartment. She threw her bag on the couch, feeling frustrated and sad. She doesn't have the appetite to have dinner anymore, so she went to her room and changed her clothes to sleep already.

"Baka Sho." She mumbled while sobbing. She hugged her pillows tight while staring at her phone screen. She is waiting if he will send her a message or will call her but nothing came until she fell asleep while crying.

The next day. She was feeling heavy the moment she woke up. She looked for her phone again and saw nothing but automated messages from network companies. Her eyes are puffy and swollen from crying all night. She doesn't have the guts to go to work with those eyes, so she called in sick.

"Kaichou, Hasegawa-san called in sick." One of the employees said to Sho. He raised a brow but he nodded his head.

"I'll leave now. If someone looked for me, just tell them I'm on leave today. Also, just put the papers on my table if there's any." He took his coat from the rack and wore it before grabbing his suitcase and putting his things there.

The employee bowed her head as he left the office. He went to the nearest cake shop and bought a box of her favorite lemon cheesecake. He drove off to her apartment. He pressed the doorbell and when she opened the door, he saw her crying. She was about to close the door but he stopped her.

"Why are you here?" She said between her sobs. He went inside her apartment and closed the door behind him.

"You called in sick." He just said but then, he placed the box down and pulled her close to hug her tight.

"I hate you." She cried softly and he kissed her temples. He tightened his hug and she hugged him back.

"I love you, too. Stop crying now." He leaned back a bit and cupped her cheeks to wipe her tears. She gripped on his coat tight and nodded her head.

"You're such a crybaby." He mumbled. She sniffed and pouted her lips. He started leaving quick pecks on it until she started giggling.

"I bought cheesecake for you. Am I forgiven?" He got the box again and showed it to her. It is from her favorite cake shop. She slowly shook her head but she got the box from him and went to the kitchen to have a slice.