Chapter 7

"What did you say?" Soujiroh asked as he wanted to reconfirm what he just said.

"N-nothing. Wow, you really went extreme with the salt." Yuki changed the topic as she finished off her plate.

"Psh," Soujiroh scoffed, "just be glad you ate something I made. It's the first time I've ever made anything."

He was right, Yuki pondered, she was the first one to eat his cooking, did that make her special?

"So what's after cooking?"

"Hm…go groceries shopping with your wife…" Soujiroh read.

"Huh? Can I see that?" Yuki read the list and noticed the hand writing was different. She had a feeling she knew who did that.

-Café-

"Oh there you are papa." Yuki's mother called out to the man looking around in the café.

"Why did you call me out to eat?" He asked and was shifting nervously.

"Why do you look so nervous?" She questioned with a sly smile on her face.

"Yuki and Soujiroh are alone at home, of course I'm going to be nervous."

"Oh calm down papa. Don't you want grandkids?" She asked happily.

"G-grandkids?!" The man sputtered and gulped down his glass of water.

"Relax, besides, we hardly get a chance to go out." She sipped her tea.

"Hi, is there anything I can get for you?" The waitress went over.

"Sure. You haven't eaten yet right? I suggest the yakisoba." Mrs. Matsuoko smiled at her husband who just looked at her suspiciously.

-Matsuoko Residence-

"Well, we better go then." Soujiroh got up.

"You're going dressed like that?" Yuki asked. The shirt he was wearing had become dirty and his jeans had oil spilled all over it along with leaf litter that clung to it as well.

"I'll get changed." Soujiroh noted.

"Take a shower too." She shouted. Yuki sat around and looked what she was wearing. She had on a pair of pink sweats with a long pink t-shirt. She shook her head. This would not match what Soujiroh was going to probably wear. She headed to her room and opened her closet. She searched her whole closet until she found her right outfit. It was a light blue dress that went a little below her knees. She picked a grey cardigan to go with it and a pair of low top converses. She took off her clothes and put her feet in the dress.

"Oh, forgot my…" Soujiroh opened the door to her room. "…shirt."

Yuki screamed and her voice went up a few octaves as she threw the shirt laying on a chair at him. It hit him in the face and he slammed the door behind him.

"It's probably not even the first time I saw her like that." He reasoned. His face burned as the mental image of Yuki in only a bra and underwear was etched into his mind. Soujiroh took a deep breath while berating himself. "Nishikado Soujiroh, you call yourself a playboy?"

Yuki sat at the bedside and covered her face with her delicate hands. She could feel her cheeks on fire as the scenario of what just happened played in her head like a broken record. She shook her head and slapped herself twice in order to give herself a wake up call. She got changed and waited for a few minutes until she was ready to see him again without blushing like a little girl who just had her first crush.

By the time she was ready, he was already done with his shower and sat in the living room.

"Took you long enough." Soujiroh commented.

"S-sorry."

"Let's go. Eh? Are you copying me?" Soujiroh commented.

"Eh?" She looked at what he was wearing. He wore a light blue shirt underneath a grey jacket.

It was just a coincidence, she said to herself to rule out the idea of them even being compatible. They opened the door and found a silver car parked outside her house. She knew it did not belong to any of the neighbors since the car looked foreign and too expensive.

"Get in." Soujiroh opened the passenger door for her.

"I thought a chauffeur took you to my house." She said as she got in. The inside was extravagent since the seats were made of leather and she smelled a faint scent.

"I called to have them bring a car here. Do you like the smell? It's lavender."

"That's my favorite." She took a whiff and relaxed in her seat.

"Mine too." He smiled and started the car. "Where is the supermarket?"

Yuki began giving Soujiroh directions.

-Café-

"Okay, we're done, let's leave." The dad got up and was stopped by his wife.

"We're waiting for one more person." She forced him to sit down.

"Papa, mama, what did you call me for?" Emi sat down next to her mother.

"Hey sweety, are you hungry?" Her mother asked in a sweet tone.

"No, I just ate before I came. " Emi responded to which her father got up.

"How do you feel about watching a movie?"

"Okay!" Emi said excitedly. "Papa, is it okay?"

Her father nodded as he could not resist his youngest daughter's puppy eyes.

"But there is something I want to know." Emi said suspciously. "We never do this, so why now?"

"Emi, how do you feel about having a little baby niece or nephew?"

She smiled widely. "Let's go watch a movie!"

-Local Market-

"Turn here and park somewhere." Yuki directed.

"Okay." Soujiroh found a parking space and opened the car door.

"Does it say what to buy?" She asked as they entered the supermarket.

"No." He checked his list.

"Can I see it?" She took the paper. "Oh, your next task is to cook with your wife…"

"What should we make?" Soujiroh asked.

"Let's make pork and chicken cutlet." Yuki decided and he agreed. "Grab a shopping basket."

"Okay, what do we need?"

"Nishikado-san, can you buy the vegetables and fruit? I'll buy the chicken and pork. We'll meet at the fruit and veggies area."

The male nodded and headed off with the shopping basket. She smiled as he left and walked over to the meat area. She picked outa few and giggled to herself as it would be the first time they cooked together. She smiled at the thought of him feeding her but shook her head as she didn't want to get her hopes up. She walked to the produce section where she saw a huge crowd. She wondered what was going on as she made her way through. Was there a sale?

"What is a handsome man like you doing here?" A woman touched Soujiroh on the arm.

Before he could answer, another woman interrupted. "Hey, aren't you Nishikado Soujiroh?! What are you here for?!"

"You're not really married are you?" A third woman asked. "Ne, I have a daughter and she is very pretty. Would you be interested?"

"No, marry my daughter!" She grabbed Soujiroh. Soon there was a tug of war for the young man and he could only watch helplessly. A voice soon casted a lifesaver at him.

"Nishikado-san!" A feminine voice shouted and Soujiroh recognized the tone and the voice.

Yuki finally saw him an reached her hand at him. He grabbed it and wrapped one arm around her.

"Sorry, but I'm already married." Soujiroh stated as he wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"Yuki?!" The woman recognized the girl.

"Ne, Matsuoko's daughter, right?" Another woman asked.

"Hai." She responded quietly as the eyes stared down at her. She could feel jealously directed towards her and if looks could kill, she would have died.

"Honey, let's go home. Excuse us." Soujiroh took her by the hand.

Yuki hoped he couldn't feel her heartbeat. She blushed feverently as the words "honey" rung in her mind. Soujiroh paid the man while still holding onto her hand and grabbed the groceries. Her warm hand felt comforting to him as if it had melted the cold he felt in him.

They walked to the car door and he let go much to Yuki's disappointment.

"Sorry about that." Soujiroh apologized.

"What are you apologizing for?" Yuki asked awkwardly.

"I shouldn't have held your hand."

"It's fine."

"No it's not. I have gotten your hopes up, haven't I?"

Yuki bit her lip and stayed silent. He was right. Those few seconds had gotten her hopes up and despite how much she enjoyed it, it didn't mean he did. Soujiroh felt bad for saying that to her, but he didn't want Yuki to think of anything that would hurt her later on. He was a man who didn't deserve a girl like Yuki.

"Just because we're married, doesn't mean I like you. I just want to get that straight." Soujiroh said as gently as he could.

"I know. You've said that before." Yuki turned away.

Soujiroh looked at the back of her head. It sounded as if he wasn't telling it to her, rather he was trying to protect himself.

What a coward.

"Hey, let's make a few rules on the whole marriage thing." Soujiroh slipped out before he could take back his words.

"What is it?" Yuki tried to act casual as if the last few words spoken before didn't sting.

"Rule one: we are entitled to our own personal life." Soujiroh said.

"Okay."

"That means I can go to clubs and pick up girls and you can go and have fun also."

"Sure…" She agreed reluctantly.

"Rule two: In front of our parents, we'll act lovey dovey."

"Okay."

"Rule three: we'll sleep in the same room since we'll get caught if we don't. Don't worry, I'll sleep on the floor; you can take the bed."

"Got it."

"Last rule: we'll get a divorce after a year." Soujiroh said quietly at the last part.

Yuki stayed silent and stopped finally said okay. Deep down she wanted to shout out no but she couldn't do it. She was a coward.

"I'll write an official contract at your home." He started the car and exited the market. Yuki merely stayed silent and looked out the window.

-Movie theatre-

"Papa, stop moving so much, it's annoying." Emi commented while her dad fidgeted. "What are you so nervous about anyways?"

"Nothing sweety, just enjoy your movie.' He smiled and tried focusing on it himself. However, the only thought that came to his mind was HIS DAUGHTER was alone with a MAN. Being a father, it was the norm for him to go crazy thinking about such things. He tried persuading himself that they are married, but he could not forget about the little girl who used to want piggyback rides. The little girl with the brightest smile and the purest eyes anyone has ever seen.

He thought to himself that she was now a grown up woman and he shouldn't interfere with her life. He was thankful she got married, but there was something odd about the marriage. He didn't know exactly what bothered him but he had a gut feeling something was strange. What was it?

-Japanese Daily- [earlier, it was supposed to be Japanese Daily, not Korean Daily. I am way too used to a korean setting. Hahahaha sorry about that] :p

"Oh, Fuji-san," A woman greeted the male who was sitting down at his desk. "Yes, Matsumoto-san?" Kenji asked.

"This just arrived and it arrived few minutes ago." She handed him an envelope.

He opened the yellow envelope to find pictures. Around five different ones that were neatly put. "Who took these?"

"Someone that was there." She reported.

"Pay that person." He said.

"Already did." She sat down next to him. "I think your hypothesis was wrong."

"No, it's not." He looked at the pictures. "This just helps to reinforce it."

"Eh?"

"Don't you think something is weird about it?" He handed her the picture to observe for herself.

"They're not wearing wedding attire." She noted. "Everyone does that at a Vegas wedding."

"Look closer."

"Ah." She realized it. "The ring was put on the wrong finger."

"Exactly, I'm sure even a rich man like Nishikado would not make such a mistake like that. So it must mean…"

"They were drunk." The woman caught on to her co-worker's thoughts.

"Precisely. Also, why would one of the richest heir get married at a cheap Vegas chapel when they could have a full blown out wedding?"

"You might have a scoop now." She smiled.

He looked at the picture of Soujiroh and Yuki in Las Vegas and smiled. Soujiroh and Yuki looked slightly drunk and blinded by the lights that were coming from the fake wedding chapel. He stuck the photo on his monitor and looked at it intently.

The hunt was on.

Sorry about the mistake, I accidentally reuploaded chapter six twice __"

Thanks for reading and reviews would be great!