Chapter 4

I had a long day today at the Leagues, and I was extremely tired. All I wanted to do was to go back home, get to bed, and have my rest. When I got in my house, I saw that the lights were dimmed, and Asuka was there, still awake, sitting in a dining room chair, wearing a baby blue lingerie.

"Asuka, you're still awake," Edo said.

"Yes," her voice was sexy and erotic. She stood and walked over to me. "I was waiting for you, dear."

I sighed. "Asuka, I had a long day at work, and I'm too tired for this right now."

Asuka placed her arms around me. "Oh?" she said it like she was an innocent little girl. "Did my baby work hard today?" Slowly, she slid her left strap down to reveal a part of her breast. "Maybe you need some... tension release."

"Honey," I said, trying to break away from her, "it's late, and I need to sleep. I have to work hard again tomorrow."

Finally, Asuka glared at me, placing her hands on her hips. "Are you friggin' serious?" her voice, previously soft and erotic, was now firm and angry.

I looked at her in shock. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow, honey."

Now her face looked cross. "Like I never heard that one before," she folded her arms. "Where were you tonight?"

"I was at the leagues, doing overtime," I told her.

"You've been doing a lot of overtimes lately, Edo," she said, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

I stared at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you... are you accusing me of something?"

"I don't know Edo, you tell me," her frustrated voice was rising intensity and pitch, "You haven't laid a finger on me in months! And I thought it was just some kind of phase you're going through, and recently you've been so sweet and helpful, that I thought maybe you got your drive back. But you didn't!"

I couldn't believe my ears. "I've always had it, Asuka!"

"Really?" she sounded sarcastic and annoyed, "I don't see it! You always turn me down!"

"Me?" she was being ridiculous. I came up to her. "You're the one who stopped wanting sex! Ever since the baby died-"

"-And that's just the reason why, you idiot!" Asuka screamed, "Our baby just died. Of course I wouldn't be in the mood! You always wanted sex while I was grieving! You never grieved! You don't know what it's like to carry something inside you for months and then lose it."

"You thought I never grieved?" Anger rose through my veins. I placed my suitcase on the floor. "I grieved everyday, Asuka! But I never showed you, because I needed to be strong for you, for the both of us. I cried for our son everyday, when you weren't there. I needed to take care of you and at the same time keep my emotions in check. You don't know what it's like to be carrying two burdens at the same time!"

"Oh, so I'm a burden," Asuka concluded.

"Sometimes you are," I spat out.

"I'm the burden?" she shouted.

"Yes! You are!" I shouted back.

Asuka glared at me. "Well let's just see what it's like if I don't clean the house or prepare you food!"

"I can do all that on my own!" I said, "You can't handle the pressure at the Leagues, everything I'm going through-"

"-oh bla bla bla," Asuka said, "It's always the Leagues, the Leagues, the Leagues. Why don't you go on and live there so that you wouldn't have to think of your extra burden?"

"Maybe I will!" I shouted.

"Maybe you should!" she shouted back.

We stared at each other with fuming eyes. We were silent for a while. Her left strap was still hanging down, so I can still see her breast.

"I... think I just got horny," I confessed.

Asuka sighed. She finally fixed her strap. "Why are we fighting again?" she whined, turning away from me. "We always do this, Edo... It's hurting me."

I frowned and came up from behind her, sliding my arms around her waist. "It's what couples do sometimes," I whispered softly, "It's a normal thing." I kissed her neck.

"It's too frequent for it to be a normal thing," Asuka said sadly. She craned her head to face me. "We've always had this tension between us... after the miscarriages..."

"Let's just head for bed, honey. Alright? We'll be fine. We're just all riled up tonight. Nothing that a good night's sleep won't fix." I suggested.

She gave a weak smile and said okay. Together, we walked upstairs and went to our room. She lay down in bed while I changed my clothes. I stared at her while she stared at me.

"You're beautiful," I decided to say to her after I put on a shirt for bed.

Asuka patted my side of the bed. "Come here, honey," she said softly. I walked to her and hopped into bed. She helped me tuck myself in the sheets with her. After finally getting comfortable, I slid my arm around her neck and rested my hand on her opposite shoulder. She sighed, inching herself closer to me and rested her head on my chest. I caressed her smooth arm softly, gently.

"Oh Edo..." she muttered. I kissed her forehead in response. She sighed in pleasure. "I'm sorry about earlier," she said.

"I'm sorry too," I admitted.

She was silent for a while, but it seemed to me that she was about to say something. "I want to kiss you," she said finally.

"Then do it," I said, a bit puzzled.

She sighed again. "No, like... make out," she looked at me and I looked back at her. "Like what we did back when we were young. I miss it."

I smiled. "Which one in particular?"

"At your yacht," Asuka replied, "when you told me about your dad, that you thought he hated you."

I leaned back on the bed board, thinking of that moment. "That was nice," I concluded.

"I wish we did that more," Asuka muttered sadly, and she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

I sat there, the memory I shared with her playing in my mind.

"Okay, it's your turn," Asuka said playfully. We were at the couch inside my yacht. She lay on the couch while I lay on her stomach, my head facing her. "What's something you are most worried about?"

"Something I'm most worried about..." I muttered thoughtfully. I stared at her face as she looked down on me with an eager grin. "That's pretty tough," I admitted.

"Take your time," Asuka replied.

I let a few more minutes role by. "I got one," I said, "but you have to promise not to tell anyone."

"I promise," Asuka said.

"Not even your brother, or Momoe and Junko. It's... embarrassing. It could diminish my manhood."

"Okay, okay!" Asuka laughed, "Just say it, Edo."

I sighed. "Alright, here it goes... I sometimes wonder... about what my dad really feels about me. I'm worried that he might've hated me... that his love for me was... forced, just because I'm his son."

Asuka frowned. "Edo... why would you think that? Your dad loves you! He created the Destiny Heroes for you, didn't he?"

"Yes, but..." I paused again, and I struggled to continue, "I killed my mom... I killed his soulmate. She died giving birth to me."

Asuka pursed her lips. I could tell she didn't know how to respond to it. I continued. "He loved her so much, I could tell. He talked about her all the time. And sometimes, I got quite jealous of her, since she always had my dad's attention. They first met each other at London... 'at the hour of 10, when the Clock Tower at the Palace of Westminister chimed'... he always said it that way, too." I looked at Asuka. She was listening intently.

"He loved her so much, that he based the D-Hero cards on British literature. And you know that card, Clock Tower Prison? That's why the time on the card is stuck at 10. Because it's when they first met."

Asuka smiled. "That's really sweet."

I nodded. "Yeah, disgustingly sweet. And they made me one night, on a full moon... on their first night together."

Asuka thought for a moment. "Wait... full moon? Is that why Eternal Dread has a full moon?"

I chuckled. "Yup. A grim reminder of their love for each other. That's why I think my dad, deep down, hated me. I took mom away from him."

She caressed my face. "Don't say that, Edo. You know it isn't true."

"I don't know, Asuka. I mean... if I lost you, I'd..." my voice trailed off. I stared at her bright brown eyes, her rosy cheeks, her supple skin. "I'd..."

She placed a finger on my lip. "You won't lose me," she whispered, planting a sweet kiss on my lips. I closed my eyes, kissed her back, and pretty soon, we started making out on the couch. And then we had sex.

I stared at my wife, who was sleeping silently on my chest. The sight of her relaxed me. Leaning on my pillow, I closed my eyes and tried to join her in her dreams.