"We were married in a courthouse?" she announced loudly. It was more to convince herself than ask… "And had our honeymoon in Japan?"
Rows of pictures in frames, souvenirs from the countries they visited. A humongous glass vase filled with corks— souvenirs of the wine they shared from their courtship phase up until this moment— the girl was thankful her "husband" was sprawled listlessly on the leather couch, resting, because she could not stop the heat that was manifesting her face:
It looked like they had a very affectionate relationship,
And the man, judging from all the little poetry and letters he wrote— preserved in a giant binder on full display by the coffee table…
~ "Just being with you gives me life. Your smile lifts me up when I'm down. Your touch eases my worries. My life is now so rich and full, thanks to you. Your love has made me a better person. Without a doubt, you are the best thing that has happened to me." ~
~ "You are my inspiration for everything, you fill my emptiness with your warmth and kindness. Your beauty and strength is incomparable." ~
~ "Just waking up and seeing your beautiful face beside me, you'll never know how happy I am. You are the best part of my day, my night… my life. I love you, darling." ~
She shut the binder in a snap, steam escaping from her still bandaged head. It was irrefutable proof of his devotion towards her, so she dared not look back at him, afraid he might see her beet-red face.
"S-so… let's start from the beginning." She tried to hind the abashment in her tone, but she couldn't help it leaking through. "I have to ask you some questions because everything is really a blur—" slowly, Kaoru peeked behind her shoulder and sighed.
Forearm over his eyes, tie pulled loose, four of the top buttons to his shirt undone… her beautiful husband was fast asleep on the couch.
His eyes slowly fluttered open to an unfamiliar place. Low ceilings, the smell of the sea, and a gentle rocking from where he was lying down… flashbacks of the day surged into his mind and he sat up, finally awoken.
He was in his sister's houseboat.
It was dark, and the lights were off in the living room. Long shadows fell against the picture frames of their supposed "memories"…
The photoshopped images and international souvenirs were courtesy of Sanosuke and Megumi's collection, from their travels, up until their marriage,
And the toothache-inducing love letters in that stupid binder were all Himura's love notes to Tomoe.
It was amazing how they could scramble such fake documents in so little time. But judging at how the toad fell for it… a smirk fell on his lips…
"Now it's time to start my reven—"
He was cut short when he heard a small noise in the kitchen.
Enihi turned in the direction of the closed-off room and realized that the lights were on. Slowly Enishi stood, and he headed towards the sound.
He paused.
A heavenly scent wafted from the kitchen, and it was only when he stepped into the dining room that he totally stopped, and blinked.
"Oh, you're awake…" one moment the girl was looking at him, the next she looked away. Abnormally preoccupied, with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, she was trying to avoid his gaze. She was fidgeting with the hems of her apron. "If you don't mind… I kind of rummaged around the kitchen…" she trailed off.
Before him was a table full of warm, filling comfort.
Ravioli and spinach lasagna, stuffed bell peppers, there was some kind of tomato soup…
"Sorry if I don't remember your preferences…
I only used what was available in the kitchen—"
"D-don't worry about it," he bleated, momentarily stunned. His eyes flicked towards the girl, she was peeking at him shyly, and for a moment he thought she looked like a scared little doe with her blue ey— What!?
The mortified young man had to shake his head physically,
The fuck were you thinking, Enishi?!
Did you just think the toad was "cute"!?
Fucking hell…
He let out an exhausted sigh as he slapped his palm on his face. Maybe the germs from public transportation finally got to him? He took a seat, and the woman sat adjacent. He reached out for a serving of lasagna and sampled it.
Of course, it was fucking good.
He cringed.
But wait, why was he cringing? This was a good sign, right?
During this month-long stay in San Francisco, he would have an exclusive maid and a personal chef… for FREE! Well, not that he was a cheapskate and can't afford to pay for one, but the chefs and the maids he hired seem to keep on quitting…
"Do you mind if I open one of our wines?" she asked cautiously.
"Of course," his shoulders straightened, finally recovering from the initial shock. He had regained his confidence back.
The woman poured Cortese de Gavi into his glass, and he did a celebratory dance in his head. She even knows what wine to pair with it! He hit the jackpot with this maid…
"So," she started,
And the young man snapped back into reality. The girl had her hands folded on the table, blue eyes wide and wary. She looked like a little kid waiting for her mother to look at her… "How did we meet?"
"You had an appointment with your client," he said nonchalantly, reaching out for the stuffed bell peppers. They were so damn good, "I just happened to be there, at the same place and time."
The tomato soup was also superb. Perhaps he could hire her to be his personal chef, when all of this crap was over…
"… add up…" she mumbled,
"Did you say something, darling?" he answered, preoccupied with his dinner.
"I said, something doesn't add up."
Finally, Enishi shifted his gaze from the food to his fake "wife." Her brows were scrunched together; she was wearing a heavy frown. Her gaze…it wasn't the same shy doe look… instead it was stabbing —
"Your stories don't match." She said flatly. Kaoru leaned on her chair and folded her arms in front of her chest. There was a snarky, wry look on her face… "Your friends. They told me three different stories."
Enishi gagged, suddenly choking on his food.
"Tomoe said we met at one of your piano recitals…" She tilted her head, scoffing. He reached for his glass of wine,
"Sanosuke said you were doing volunteer work in a senior's home…"
He beat his chest hard. The fucking wine was not helping….
"And according to Megumi, we met at a thanksgiving party." She gave him an acrid smile, "Care to explain to me, darling ?"
The young man was doubled over for a hot minute, hacking his lungs out. When he finally recovered and looked up, the girl was already holding a dinner knife to his throat:
"W-wait, darling—"
"Don't you fucking " darling " me, you creep!" The shy doe had turned into a flaming she-devil. She motioned to shove the weapon in his face, and he flinched.
Shit, what should he say!? "Darling, listen to me!"
"Who are you, and why am I being held prisoner here?!"
He shielded his precious face with his hands, "I-it's true!" he blurted out, "All the versions were true—"
He would have mentally punched himself on the head. Now how the hell could he possibly dig himself out of that !? So much for graduating Summa Cum Laude in Law School…
"What?!" she was waving her dinner knife like a mad woman, "In what universe do four versions of events happen at the same time?!"
She suddenly gasped,
And the dinner knife dropped on the table with a loud clang. Enishi, extremely wary, peeled his fingers off his eyes…
The girl had her hands over her mouth, covering her gaping mouth shaped like a perfect O.
"Uhm…" the lawyer hesitated, "Darling?"
She moved and he flinched, and when he looked at her again, the doe-eyed, timid woman had reappeared. She was looking at him with the heaviest blush… "What you said... was it true?"
He cautiously lowered his guard… "Y-yes," He had no idea where the hell she was going with the thought… "Of course."
"Then…" she paused, "I was a Sugar Baby … ?"
Enishi gaped dumbly. "A… A what ?"
She looked away, coquettish. "A sugar baby … hoochie… escort? " Kaoru averted her gaze, unable to hold eye contact, "I was at this senior's home to visit my…" she paused, gulping, "' Client.' But a thanksgiving party was held for the residents, and you volunteered to play the piano…"
He stared at her for the longest moments, unable to believe how the woman had come up with such a far-flung conclusion. But then he blinked, finally snapping back to the moment. Take this golden opportunity, dumbass!
"You walked into the room as I was playing Debussy's Claire de Lune." Enishi started, "I was too immersed in the piece to notice everything else. But you watched me play until I was done," He managed to conjure a little blush, "You said you had fallen in love with me… at that moment… It was love at first sight."
"Oh," she trailed off, "Then…
how about you?"
"Me?" He wiped his smiling mouth with his napkin, indicating he was done,
"Yes, y-you. Did you look up and see me? Did you fall in love with me at first sight as well?"
"Hmmph," his eyes fluttered upward, trying to recall. Enishi casually ran his fingers through his white locks… "No. "
"Uh,"
"You were annoying, and a royal pain in the ass. As noisy as a toad under the rain, you were also one of the most obtuse people I met. Tch. Stubborn as an old, cranky mule.
But you were persistent, I guess you won me over with that?"
He smiled at her sweetly as he stood,
"Now, I have to get ready for bed. I still have work tomorrow." He reached out and bopped her nose, "Goodnight, darling!"
She stared at him,
Dumbfounded.