The elder daughter of Mr Wasabi scoffed as she said, "This is not your house. It is Mr Yuan's house."
She was right. Even though I was married to Arashi, I couldn't tell that bluntly that it was my house but the room we shared together was our personal.
"Well, it is her house as much as mine." A voice said, startling us both. We looked at the source and saw Arashi was standing by the door with a grim face. He portrayed a very displeased expression that Mr Wasabi's daughter was mortified.
I noticed his haori got a large blood stain and his hands were washed but they still reeked of blood.
He had worn Haori and Hakama after taking a bath since today our guests were coming. But it seemed he forgot to put off the light coat when the patients came, thus it caught blood.
I looked at the blood stain with wide eyes as Mr Wasabi's older daughter said with a nervous chuckle, "Ye—yes, of course. We were just—"
"And I don't like outsiders barging in my wife's and my personal room." Arashi added as she stiffened and butterflies flattered in my belly. She couldn't say a word as her wide eyes looked at him with caution. She immediately left the room and went toward the hall where her parents and sister were.
I lowered my head as I said, "I am sorry. I was in the kitchen when she came here."
Arashi smiled and said, "You did great. Never let anyone walk over you even if it is me."
I looked at him flabbergasted. "How could I say something so bold to you?"
"Why wouldn't you?"
"Because you are my hu—husband..." I got flustered as I mumbled the word 'husband'.
"Yes, if I ever do anything wrong or if I ever hurt your feelings, you have every rights to tell me that." He said, which made a large gap in my mouth.
Before I could say anything, he added, "I need to change my clothes and wash them. Can you take some fresh clothes for me to the bathroom?"
I nodded as he left the room.
He went to the Hall and greeted the guests first. "I hope it wasn't much trouble to come to my abode."
Mr Wasabi and his wife both smiled as they shook their heads. "Oh. No. No. It was very pleasant to walk in the morning. The air is very pleasant."
Arashi nodded and he said, "I have to take these clothes off. Please enjoy the snacks."
They nodded and Arashi added, "And I hope you would teach your daughters some good manners."
Then Arashi left for the bathroom as they froze.
I took some of his clothes as I went toward the bathroom.
Arashi had taken off his haori as he was washing the stain. But the blood wouldn't come out easily.
I put his fresh clothes in a basket and said, "Let me wash them. You go wash yourself and attend them."
I said that because I knew if I went to talk with the Wasabi family, they would again act like that and I could not get how to tackle them. It was better if he went instead of me.
"Why? Were they treating you poorly?" He asked bluntly which made me a bit shocked as I had no clue what to answer. My mind went blank as I tried to find some excuse.
"Err... No. I will take care of the rest of the work while you entertain them?" My words didn't portray any confidence in them as Arashi looked at me with a raised brow and I averted my eyes.
"Alright." He said, "But you need to make food for the two injured men as well."
His gaze fell on me as he asked, "But are you sure you can do this much work? Do you need my help?"
I nodded. It was easier than confronting The Wasabi family. "No. I can make them meals."
As I sat on the small stool and started to wash the haori, I heard a soft thud. I tilted my head toward Arashi and saw he was taking off his clothes and he was only wearing his bottoms. His muscles flexed as he was removing his bottoms now. My cheeks heated as I immediately snapped my head away from him.
My hands froze as my heart beat rose. In stiff movements, I started to rub on the stain as my mind couldn't concentrate on it anymore.
I heard another thud as my body froze. He was... He maybe was...
Don't think! I scolded myself as I closed my eyes and started to rub the clothes.
"Here." He said as my eyes opened but I still looked at the barrel before me.
I stretched out my hands as he gave me the rest of his clothes and I started to clean them while I heard him cleaning himself.
All the time I was washing his clothes, my heart thundered against my ribcage and I knew my cheeks were red by now. But that blood stain took quite a while to remove completely.
The quietness between us in the bathroom felt so uncomfortable that I decided to have a different conversation. "What happened to those patients? You said they were injured..."
"They must have been attacked. One had an head injury but he is alright although he needs rest and the other one is critical." He said with a serious voice.
"They will be staying?"
"Well, I wanted to send them to the hospital of the city but the other one can't move. He is still unconscious." He said as I nodded. If he was unconscious then maybe he would die?
My heart sank. I had never seen dying in front of me but I had heard. That was why it took the whole morning for Arashi to treat him. I prayed that the two men would recover soon.
"So, who are they and why were they attacked?" I asked but Arashi didn't say anything. I was tempted to look back but I dared to do that. What if he was...naked?
He took a deep breath and said, "They didn't tell me any details but as a physician, I must do everything in my power."
I nodded as I was finished washing his clothes.
I turned around totally forgetting that he still hadn't any clothes on him but saw he had already worn the Yukata I had put in the basket. When did he wear it?
He said, "Give me those. I will go hang them in the yard while you go make some liquid food for those two."
I nodded and left as he went to the hall where Mr Wasabi and his family were.
I was good as long as I wasn't alone with them. I didn't know why they hated me so much. Was it because they couldn't make Arashi marry their eldest daughter?