Chapter 32

"You need to go home. I'll be fine," she assured him. Mori gave her a look of concern. His hands lingered around her waist as she pulled away. He had no doubt that she would be fine, but she was just… in a fragile state that he did not feel comfortable leaving from.

"Kaina will keep me company," Hana tried to convince him again. The dog was quick to recognize her name and came prancing towards the couple in the kitchen, complete with the chew toy in her mouth.

Takashi sighed and quietly grunted to himself. He let go, only to have her tug her on his arm so that he would look down at her.

"I'm okay," she told him again. "It's been a long day for you, I'm sure." Hana gave him a weary smile, before pulling him down for another kiss. If he wouldn't believe her words, she'd have to tell him otherwise.

He could not help but to smile, and in return, she couldn't help but to chuckle by his response. Hana hoped that it would be this easy to appease him forever. She pulled away and lingered for a little bit, breathing in his scent. He always smelled a little like tea, mixed in with whatever detergent he used for his clothing. Hana didn't mind – it hadn't changed for years, and to her, it was comfort. It was home. It was what made her heart feel at peace in the midst of all the chaos.

"Go home," she told him, even though she fully knew that she didn't want him to leave.
"You need to let go of me first," Takashi smiled.

Hana laughed quietly. "Yes, yes, of course," she agreed and took a step back only to be pulled forward again. He was never really one for words, nor jokes. But it was his way of teasing her, of trying to make her feel better.

Kaina brushed herself against their legs, reminding them that she deserved attention too. The two crouched down and gave her a scratch behind her ears.

"She lives such a blessed life," Hana murmured as she let the dog lay on its back. Hana sighed and thought about her own life. "But I do too."
"Do you?" Mori tilted his head. In the midst of all the emotional distress, this seemed like the last thing one would say.

"Ojii-san wouldn't let me forget such a thing," she reminded him. He kept her grounded. Humble. Her privilege was something she grew to be aware of. "I grew up lonely," Hana reminisced about her childhood. Empty mansion hallways, private tutors, being shuttled from location to location, pretending to look nice for a whole day in front of a camera, and the cycle repeated.

"But I do not think I would have had as fulfilling a childhood without Ojii-san," Hana thought about the weekend sparring. The ice cream at the convenience store. The park. The menial chores she was forced to do around the house. He gave her normalcy.

She did not know what or how to repay him. It left a hole in her heart. An aching pain in her chest amongst the ocean of guilt she already treaded in.

"Or you," she added.

Takashi tucked her beneath his chin. His childhood wouldn't have been complete without her, nor his grandparents. They were childhood friends, albeit in a strange way. For years they would see each other once a week. The words they spoke were through the bruises they left on each other's bodies, the bloodied joints and aching pains they felt the next day. It was far from a traditional friendship.

But even so, they learned to say hello by the first jab. Learned how their respective weeks had been by how they tackled one another. Their fighting techniques were a reflection of their character. Takashi was cautious, but slow. Hana, was quick but impulsive. Two halves of a whole, they made each tournament a battle of wit with a touch of brute strength. They grew into each other, how their bodies melded as one over the years was not a mystery.

Takashi watched how she gently stroked Kaina who laid comfortably on her back. Hana had that glow in her face, a dewy complexion and those fragile eyes after tears had tainted her cheeks. Takashi couldn't help but to reach for her, gently placing the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

"Go sleep," he told her. "You need it."

Hana shook her head. "Kaina needs to walk."
"I'll take her," he was quick to offer. Kaina's ears perked up at the word walk. She knew that word. The animal immediately rolled over to her legs and sat patiently for her leash to be attached. Hana couldn't help but to smile at the obedient dog. She sure was trained well.

"Go wash up," Takashi insisted. "I'll drop off my things and take her around the block." Hana bit her lip. It was a tempting offer, but Hana knew that he had gotten off work immediately just to see her. Who knew what obstacles he had to overcome to show up at her door within such little notice.

Takashi saw the guilt in her eyes, and just before she could say no – Takashi walked off to grab the leash from the door. Kaina followed along the human. Hana also followed in suit, albeit reluctantly.

"Are you sure, Takashi?"
"Mhm," he responded without hesitation. Readying himself by grabbing his briefcase and gloves, Hana tugged onto his arm. Takashi gently brushed off her hand, and firmly planted a kiss on top of her head. His own way of telling her that he would be back and she did not have to worry. Hana watched as he left.

Her legs stumbled to find her way, her arms grasping for the walls for support after the door had shut. She was so exhausted and she wondered how long it had been since the last time she had stopped pretending. Ojii-san was the person that she had come home to, the only place where she was allowed to relax, even for just the night. To be able to eat a meal with her grandfather every night, to come home to their dog who loved them for just being human.

Stress levels at work were always high, and with the added pressures of society gnawing at the back of her mind, Ojii-san was another issue that she hadn't expected to deal with immediately– Hana was only barely keeping it together. It all came crashing down all at once.

Like a jolt of lightning that ran through her body, Hana bolted upright. Her breathing was heavy, her palms were clammy. She ran her fingers through her hair, strands of her black hair tangling between the grooves. She was too young to be losing hair like this.

Confused and in a daze, Hana looked around.

When did she fall asleep? She could only remember barely climbing out of the bathtub and changing into her pyjamas. She was wearing an old t-shirt, the grey cotton was soft from the nightly use and absorbent enough to wisp all of the sweat that had accumulated on her palms. A pair of peppered sweats had risen up from her ankles to her calves. Her memory was blurry.

Did she faint from exhaustion?

Hana looked around. The lights were still on. Tatami mats were beneath her, the heated flooring was on to combat the cold. Hana was still in the midst of catching her breath before a shadow was casted on her. Her vision cleared enough to see a glass of water being offered.

His weight shifted the mat beneath her, his large hand rubbing her back.

"Bad dream?" he murmured. It was Takashi.

Hana shook her head, still trying to gain a sense of reality.

"What time is it?" her voice dry. Hana reached over for the water.
"Past 11," he answered her. She could see him in his regular windbreaker from the corner of her eye and of course, his track pants that he always wore. His clothing of choice when it came to comfort. She gulped down the liquid, feeling much more relieved. Hana looked around for her phone. She needed to check the markets. It was a habit now. It was the first thing she did in the morning, the last thing she did before she slept.

"Past 11?" Hana repeated. US Markets were open. That was her first thought. Her next one, she said aloud. "What are you still doing here?" He had a seminar to teach tomorrow, she remembered.

"You didn't eat," Takashi murmured. "I wasn't allowed to leave until you ate."
"I wasn't keeping you here," Hana shook her head. For goodness sake, she was asleep.
"My grandfather said so," he answered.

Hana sighed. "Send Morinozuka-san my regards – I appreciate his concern. But you should head hom—"

Mori shook his head. "Don't tell me to leave. Not when you're like this," his voice cut through hers. He had watched her come back from a daze, a sudden jolt back to life. It was concerning. And he refused to look past it, even if she thought otherwise.

"You have a seminar tomorrow," Hana reminded.
"In the afternoon," Takashi told her. "Your phone is charging," he added, noting her eyes that had been darting across the room. He found her asleep on the floor, phone in hand, head upon her elbow. Her hair was still damp. She slept so peacefully, it would have been a shame to wake her.

Takashi carefully took the phone out of her hand, her screen black from being out of battery after a long day. He had gone to grab a blanket for her before hearing the sudden movement behind him. He peered over to see her breathing heavily in distress, and quickly went to grab some water instead.

"You don't have to stay," she was stubborn, as always. It wasn't about her pride, it was about always seeming like she needed to be taken care of. Of being so fragile all the time – she didn't want to have to keep showing him this side of her. It was, quite frankly, embarrassing.

But Takashi did not think so. Not one bit. She was still the woman that he grew to fall in love with, with her resilience and her strength. She was allowed to be vulnerable. She was all the more human, more genuine. Each passing hardship was nothing more than another means for her to get stronger.

"I want to stay," his voice softer this time. "Please," he tried again, waiting while she weighed the options in her mind. Hana sighed, shaking her head.

"Just for the night," Hana murmured. "Let me make breakfast for tomorrow mor—"
"—It's done," Takashi told her. He had cut up the fruits for her in the morning. He would reheat the salmon tomorrow and the rice was already prepacked from his home. He was well aware of what her diet was like, only because her grandfather had told him about it when he came by occasionally.

Hana groaned. She was a grown woman – with no food in the fridge, little sleep, a taxing job, and a personal life that kept her feeling like she drowned in every day.

"Can I do something for you?"

Takashi gave her a small smile. "Rest. Eat properly. Let me stop worrying," he listed off.

She could only sigh. Hana nodded, compliant to his list.

"Okay, but—"
"—No excuses," Takashi cut her off. He got up and offered his hand to her. "Go sleep."

Hana grabbed onto his wrist, propelling herself forward – almost with a little too much momentum. She landed only centimeters away from his neck, looking up at him. She could feel own breath against his skin. His hand still held onto her firmly.

"But what about you?" she asked.

Takashi shrugged. It didn't matter where he slept. He could sleep on the guest futon that her grandfather kept stashed away in a closet. Takashi knew about it because he helped with cleaning every year while he had the chance to during his undergrad. He was tasked with taking care of Sawada-san, after all.

Hana frowned. "Wait," she told him, letting go of his wrist. Her steps were light as she raced up the stairs, quickly returning with a large mound of blankets in her arms. She too, knew about the futon. Hana set down the futon in the middle of their living room, smoothing out the wrinkles. She worked quickly, and got up to turn up the heat in the flooring so that it wouldn't be freezing over the night.

Her nimble limbs settled down in the comfort of the soft fabric, she patted on the floor to invite him to sleep.

Takashi tilted his head. "Together?"

Hana laughed quietly. "You don't want to?" Her tone suddenly turned amused.

The man blinked a few times. Well it wasn't like they hadn't done so before. It was just – well, he wasn't used to it. He wouldn't… mind. He just – a part of him couldn't help but to hear Sawada-san's voice barking at him around the corner.

"You can take my bed," she offered. "I can sleep here – I mean, I've already done so." He was the guest in the home, after all. Guests were to be treated with proper care and respect.

"No," Takashi quickly refused. It wouldn't be right to do that. "You should take your own bed. I can sleep here."

She raised an eyebrow and reached for his arm. Come on, she smiled up at him. Her doe eyes were tired but they twinkled in the light, almost begging him to just stay for a moment. She tugged a little on his wrist.

"I—I have to wash up," Takashi sheepishly told her. Hana only replied with a small chuckle and nodded.
"Quickly then," she urged, letting go of his wrist and patted his shin.

Hana walked over to the electric outlet and busied herself with her phone. She already had 3 unread emails. 10 news alerts. She quickly skimmed through them all, making herself comfortable on the futon. By the time Takashi had come out of the bathroom, he found her in the same position.

Hana's knees were tucked into her chest, her head resting on her elbow. Her phone had fallen out of her hands, and she was on top of the pastel blue futon. Her breathing was steady, her eyes closed. Takashi gently took the phone out of her hands and placed the device back to charge. He lifted her up so he could place the blanket over her body.

"Don't leave," she murmured. "If you want to stay, stay here," her voice was barely a whisper. Hana was much too tired to lift her eyelids. But she could imagine a small smile on his face, feeling him place her down against the hard floor, cushioned by the clouds of fabric.

Hana sensed the lights turning off. A sudden warmth beneath the covers. An arm that snaked around her waist, the sound of his lungs breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Sleep," he told her. "I'm here."

She woke to her shoulder being shaken. The skies were still dark. The sun had not risen. It was 5:45 AM.

"Fuck," Hana swore when she realized that it was time to get up. She hadn't slept that well in ages. She just wanted to crawl back into her covers, and snuggle in the warmth. Granted, it was only 6 hours of sleep. Hana usually got up before her alarm because of anxiety and turned it off at the first beep.

She forgot about the body beside her. The vibration of the ground that corresponded to his laugh in the morning. For some reason, Takashi found it amusing that she cursed first thing in the morning. Truly, a Sawada trait. He moved his arm and let her go.

"Shit," she covered her face. "How did I forget that you were here?" Hana scrambled to rub away any of the debris that had formed in her eyes overnight, running her hand through her hair to tame the strands. "Sorry, sorry," she apologized. It must have been a much earlier morning for Takashi than it was for her. His seminar wasn't even until the afternoon, for goodness sake.

Takashi watched as she scrambled to get out of the futon, telling him to sleep some more. But it was too late. It was quite alright though, 6 hours was plenty for him to function for the rest of the day. He got up and stretched, letting Hana take the bathroom first.

She brushed her teeth and washed her face. Hana was in the midst of putting on foundation before he peeked into the bathroom door. She left it unopen and could see his curious face poke through.

"Ah, Takashi – I'm so sorry, you should go back to sleep. I didn't mean to cause such a ruckus. Perhaps you were right about sleeping in different beds," Hana admitted, continuing with her makeup. It was a daily routine that she had mastered after many years.

He only tilted his head, watching as she worked to cover the dark circles which disappeared like magic. Her complexion was dewy and smooth, airbrushed to perfection. It was fascinating.

"Are you watching me do my makeup?" Hana looked at him through the mirror, equally perplexed at him.
"Mm," he nodded. Takashi thought it was rather interesting.

Hana shrugged and continued on with the routine. A quick gradient of neutral brown eyeshadow, the flick of her wrist in doing her eyeliner, and mascara to extend her lashes.

"You're very skilled," he noted, impressed by how she drew on the eyeliner with one stroke.
"The modelling industry teaches you a few things about looking pretty," Hana explained as she lined her brows. Her cheeks were tinted with a little bit of blush, and her lips bore a bold wine colour. Her face was a stark contrast from the pyjamas that she wore.

Hana turned around and smiled at him.

"I meant to say good morning," she apologized for her cursing.
"It's already a good morning," Takashi countered, welcoming her in his embrace as she walked closer to him. He held her tightly by the waist while her hands pulled him down by the neck. Hana snuck a kiss on his cheek before letting go to change into her clothes for the day. He returned the kiss on her temple before he took his turn in the washroom.

Takashi was in the midst of brushing his teeth before he noticed the faint lipstick imprint on the side of his jaw. A foamy smile appeared on his face, silly as a goose – he had to admit that he liked seeing it. It was embarrassing to walk in public like this, but it was nice knowing that she had made him hers. A bold declaration, even if no one else needed to know about it.

Hana pulled a blazer over her grey dress which hugged her hips, reaching just before her knees. She forgot about the hair tie that she left in the washroom. Takashi was looking at his tainted jaw with a smear of dark red along the bone. He tried to rub it off, but it only looked like a gash on his cheek that did not turn out as well as he had hoped.

The woman stepped in with an amused grin.

"It's good lipstick," Hana smiled. "It isn't much, but it'll stay on your face if you keep rubbing it in."

Takashi contemplated it. He didn't look that bad with a red streak down his jaw, right? Hana gently tilted his jaw towards her, rubbing off the excess with some makeup remover.

"Good as new," she told him. "I just can't kiss you with lipstick on," Hana reminded herself. Takashi responded with a smirk. He reached over to connect her forehead to his mouth, and then temple, followed by her cheek.

"You're going to make me late," Hana murmured, but she didn't complain. "Careful on the cheeks, my blush might come off."
"Doesn't seem like it to me," Takashi raised an eyebrow at her.

Hana rolled her eyes and tried to suppress a grin.

I'm really going to be late, she thought to herself.

But a little part of her didn't care. He was her favourite kind of distraction before a long day ahead of her.

It was the middle of the morning. A relatively quiet morning had gone by, with Hana checking the schedule of the President as she planned to pay a visit. A part of her, however, hesitated. What good would it do to only lose her temper again, at her frustration against a decision that she knew was the right one after all.

She carried on with her day, busying herself on the tasks that she had missed out on from her sudden departure a few days prior. What was unexpected, was the sudden visit from Monaku-san, the President's secretary.

"Miss," the secretary greeted with a slight bow in his neck.

Hana looked up from her monitor and nodded, gesturing him to come in.

"Can I help you with anything, sir?"
"The President is requesting for you," he answered. "It will be quick. He has a meeting in fifteen minutes. I would kindly ask that you oblige." His tone was careful, aware of Hana's temper and how assertive she made herself to be. It was not easy being taken seriously.

Hana looked at the unfinished email she was typing.

"It will be quick, you say?"

The secretary nodded.

The trip up to the top of the corporate building was already a few minutes in length. The secretary led Hana through the glass doors and left the father and daughter alone. It was a standstill for a minute, with the President typing away on his desktop and Hana waiting patiently.

But her patience was weaning.

And the President had little intention of acknowledging her presence first hand.

"You have a meeting soon, sir," Hana reminded. She tried to keep her tone neutral. "I too, have a platform meeting to attend to. Was there anything I could assist you with?"

The President tilted his head, a little perplexed by her calm tone.

"Do you know where he is?" he asked the child. Hana took a deep breath. Of course – her grandfather was the only link between them.
"At the Ootori Rehabilitative and Palliative Care facility in Shizuoka," Hana answered. "He is well cared for, I imagine. I will make a trip to the facility tomorrow."

The President nodded. "I will email you the details of where he is staying." She earned the right to know, considering how she was not being as childish as he had thought she would be. Throwing a temper tantrum and all.

The two could cooperate for this matter, albeit reluctantly.

"That would be appreciated," Hana answered. She was professional about it. "I'll be taking Hiro's car." Or rather, one of Hiro's numerous cars that he had collecting dust in the mansion's parking lot.

The President raised an eyebrow at her. "There is a high speed train to Shizuoka from Tokyo that will be much more efficient."

Hana shook her head. "Animals are not allowed."
"Animals?" He sneered in disgust.
"I have a feeling that Ojii-san would want to see his dog, Kaina," Hana explained patiently. She couldn't leave the dog alone all day anyway. The dog needed attention and care.

"The facility does not allow for pets, either," the President informed.
"I'm sure I'll find a way," Hana confidently answered with a smile. "If that is all, I will leave you to the rest of the day." She bowed.

She was courteous. Quite pleasant. A very different character from the hotheaded child that he was used to dealing with.

"You aren't angry?" he asked, before she could turn the handle of his door on the way out.

She paused but did not turn around. "I was enraged." Hana whispered. "But what you did was the right decision. I am not here to argue with you," she raised her voice to hammer in the point of her visit. Hana turned to bow once again before taking her leave.

Hana took Kaina out for a walk as soon as she got off work, making sure that it was extra long for the animal to exert all of its energy from being cooped up all day in the home. She felt bad for being unable to care for the animal as well as she could have.

Kaina knew the route well, even stopping by her usual spots to relieve herself. At the Morinozuka residence, Kaina refused to leave. She jumped up at the intercom, telling Hana to ring the doorbell. Hana shook her head.

"No, we can't bother them," she reasoned.

Kaina wouldn't listen. She jumped up on her hind legs to try to push the doorbell herself. It was part of their routine – stop by the Morinozuka residence during their walks. It must have been something that Ojii-san had done on a regular basis, making sure to annoy his friend every time he walked past. Just for fun. He was much too old to keep himself entertained otherwise.

"Don't bark," Hana ordered, while trying to tug on the guard dog's leash.

"She doesn't bark unless there's a threat," a voice told her. Hana looked up from the dog who calmed at the deep baritone voice. Takashi was in the midst of walking home from his regular day. It was past six, and his briefcase was in hand while his other had the keys to the gate.

"Takashi," Hana greeted with a smile. "Sorry – I had to take her out for a walk. I didn't know she always stopped by your place."

He shrugged, inviting the two into the residence. Hana kept a strong grip on the leash, not wanting to have Kaina run wild. Takashi watched Hana yield Kaina with caution and patted her arm.

"Kaina has been here often enough to behave." Takashi took the leash off of the dog's collar. Kaina sat obediently in place, waiting for the humans to lead. Hana was pleasantly surprised, scratching the back of the dog's ears.

Hana was not planning to stay long, just enough for the dog to be satisfied. But suddenly, Morinozuka-san had her sitting down at the tatami mat, with a bowl of rice and a full set of utensils in front of her. It all happened so quickly, and she had no power to argue with the elder lest she be disrespectful.

"I really don't mean to intrude—"
"—Nonsense, Hana," the elder brushed off her politeness, placing a slice of chicken that he had grilled fresh off the stove.
"Kaina needs to—" Hana looked around for the dog. "She needs to eat…"

Takashi patted her shoulder and told her not to worry. There was always food for Kaina at the house.

"My god, Ojii-san comes here too often! He really has no shame…"
"He usually comes by for lunch," Morinozuka-san explained. "It became a regular thing to have Kaina around."
"How troublesome," Hana murmured. "I apologize for Ojii-san's rash behavi—"
"Oi, just eat, child," the grandfather shook his head. How could the grandfather and granddaughter be so different? Sawada-san would come into the home, unabashedly without any care. While his granddaughter would apologize profusely for any action she found to be the slightest bit impolite.

Thankfully, the child was obedient. Morinozuka-san watched the young woman closely, her long fingers gracefully moved the chopsticks which picked up each piece of food with such delicacy. She was raised with such poise – and there was no doubt that it was the reflection of her high society upbringing.

"How's the old goon?" he wondered about his friend.
"I'll find out tomorrow," Hana answered. "I will make a trip to Shizuoka to visit."

Morinozuka-san nodded in understanding. "Very well then. Bring some food to him. I am sure he misses my cooking, which is of course, far superior to his."

Hana smiled. She was not going to confirm nor deny the statement. "Very well then."
"Take Takashi," the grandfather offered.

The granddaughter shook her head. "I have taken up enough of his time this week."
"He won't mind," Morinozuka-san insisted. "He prefers spending time with you than with me," the elder shrugged.

Hana looked at Takashi, hoping that he would refute the statement so she wouldn't have to. The young man shrugged. What was he meant to say?

"I'm sure he has many things to do," Hana answered for him. "Marking assignments, I'm sure. I will be leaving early to take Kaina along with me. I will pass on your regards to him."

Hana helped with the cleaning of the dishes, despite protests to sit still. Kaina sniffed around for attention, seizing the opportunity to snuggle up to Morinozuka-san while the two grandchildren washed dishes in the kitchen. Hana peered out of the doorway to find Kaina being brushed gently over her coat by the elder.

She smiled at the sight.

"Do you think your grandfather would be interested in taking care of Kaina during the day?" she murmured to him.

Takashi looked out of the doorway. "He wouldn't mind."

Hana sighed. "I don't have the time to keep Kaina company during the day, not with my job." She loved the dog, but she couldn't provide for it. It made her feel guilty every morning, having Kaina at the door to watch her leave. "You can see me every morning before I head to work," Hana smiled up at him.

Takashi grinned down at her, pulling her close. I wouldn't mind that, either.

"And Kaina can have her walk in the morning," she murmured to herself. Slowly, but surely, the pieces of her life formed back together. New routines were built after the loss of such an integral part of her life. It was strange, but fitting. It was difficult to move on yet life would not stop for her, nor anyone.

He let go and told her he'd be right back. Hana walked into the living room to say her goodbyes to the elder.

"Thank you for having me, Morinozuka-san," Hana bowed deeply, her eyes averted to the floor. A sign of deep respect, as per usual.
"Nonsense," the elder waved off. "You are like my granddaughter and a pleasure to have as a guest, unlike your old man."

Hana chuckled and nodded out of respect. She tied Kaina back onto her leash.

"You are built to be as strong as the mountains with a force as strong as a hurricane, Hana." It was a reminder. She was strong. She was made to fight through adversity. Hana gave a small appreciative smile. Her heart still ached, a dull empty pain that settled in her chest over the past few days hadn't gone away.

"You are a mountain," Morinozuka-san patted her arm in condolence. "You do not bow down to the wind."

Hana could only nod. Takashi came from the corridor, his gym bag in tow with a backpack over his shoulder. She tilted her head up at him. He smiled at her.

I'm coming with you, was what he tried to tell her. Hana blinked, still confused. Was Morinozuka-san alright with this? The elder ushered the two out the door, telling them to leave him be so he could sleep. It was hardly past 8 PM.

The pair was greeted with the chilly air of the winter. Hana shivered and wasted no time in getting her blood to circulate by jogging with the dog. Takashi trailed closely behind, making a note to remind her to wear warmer clothing. Granted, she did not expect to stay out this long. She wore her athletic leggings and a relatively thin jacket to allow for movement. A 10 minute jog at their fast pace had them back at the Sawada gate.

Hana took a moment to catch her breath. A stranger approached the couple, to which Takashi immediately to note of. Stepping in front of Hana, he looked down at the man who was perplexed by the sudden roadblock to the person of interest.

Hana looked up to find Takashi sandwiched in between her and the Sawada family chauffeur.

"Ryu-san," Hana greeted. She placed her hand on Takashi's arm, gently letting him know that it was safe. Takashi reluctantly stepped aside, still suspicious of the intruder. He narrowed his eyes at the older man who could not help but to cower and to take a step back from what looked to be, a body guard.

Hana bowed out of respect.

"Please – ah, no, Sawada-san," the man held out his hands to stop the youngest of the Sawada family from bowing. It should have been him to bow to her, that was the hierarchy. He remembered her as a child, being chauffeured to and from the airport. But now she had grown into a young woman, her stature was still tall as ever, but she was built with broader shoulders and a slender face.

"I was asked to bring the car to you," the chauffer explained. The President knew that Hana would be making a trip to Shizuoka.
"Did you wait long?" her tone was apologetic. It was a chilly winter night, after all. "Would you like to come in for some tea?"
"I would not dare intrude, Sawada-san," it was the man's turn to bow.

"Nonsense," Hana waved off. "It must have been troublesome to come all the way here."

Takashi watched the entire ordeal. He knew how Hana spoke on a regular basis, her voice soft but ragged at times. Husky and unpolished, her words unfiltered and abrasive. But tonight, he watched as she spoke delicately, her tone careful and polite. It was not a façade. Her intentions were genuine, her kindness was the warmth that he could see emanate from the soft moonlight that touched her face.

The chauffeur's expression lightened up at her considerate offer. Still however, the man refused, citing that he had to go home to his own family.

"Please give your wife and son my regards," Hana shook the chauffeur's gloved hand as he passed off the keys. Hana offered to drive him home, despite her rusty skills in driving. The man politely declined, and scattered off into the night. The subway line was only a 10 minute walk, after all. 5 minutes, if he jogged.

Takashi could not take his eyes off of her. Hana was raised with humility, just like him. It was comforting to know that she was nothing more, and nothing less than what he was taught to be. Hana had one hand on the leash and the other that slipped into his own to lead him back to the warmth of shelter.

Hana came out of the shower, her hair damp and her face fresh from her skincare routine. The tatami mat was overtaken by the pastel blue futon, her phone was in the midst of charging, and Takashi had his back against the couch while he marked assignments.

Hana settled beside him, grabbing her phone from the charging cord. Takashi could see her looking at maps from the corner of his eye. And she, of course, caught him looking with his reading glasses on. She smirked and shuffled closer to his body, comfortably laying her head on his shoulder.

Takashi silently let her rest on his shoulder, still trying to mark one more assignment before calling it a night. Hana was preoccupied with her phone, the screen shifting over to a real-time graph of markets. When Takashi finished, he put the unmarked assignments aside and placed his arm over her shoulder. His long arms made it easy to grab the phone out of her hands.

"It's time to sleep," he murmured into her ear. Knowing her, she would be tracking the markets day and night. She obliged and shifted her body to face him. She nuzzled her face in his neck, closing her eyes. Her shoulders relaxed as she took deep breaths.

"I'm going to miss this," Hana murmured.
"Why?" she could hear him smile, his voice muffled by her hair. He pressed his lips against the top of her head, his arms moving from her shoulder to her waist.
"You can't keep taking care of me like this." It made her feel like a baby. She was much too old to be taken care of.

"I don't mind."

Hana shook her head. "What do you mind?" She pulled back and narrowed her eyes at him, curious to know what ticked him off.

"Poor grammar," Takashi mumbled.

Hana laughed. "Poor grammar?" she repeated.
"Makes assignments hard to read through," he grumbled. He pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed his eyes out of annoyance. It was torturous for him to read through such poorly written and longwinded assignments which ultimately, made it difficult for him to award points for.

She kissed his jaw, trying to soothe him out of his irritated mood. "Can't do anything about that, unfortunately," he felt her lips curl into a smile. "But I meant, about me."
"You?" He tilted his head at her.

"Aren't I annoying?" Hana mumbled. "I'm a mess. No food in the fridge. I hardly get any sleep. I'm barely capable of being a human being – just a workaholic."

Takashi shook his head.

"You have priorities," he pointed out, patting her back.
"You do too," Hana countered. "You have a job. You take care of family. You run errands. You're a fully capable adult. And I'm… just trying to keep it together."

As always, Hana admired Takashi for always being capable. Ever since they were teenagers, Hana looked up to him for having direction in his life. The peace he kept in his path in life, no ripples nor obstacles that came in his way. He handled everything and anything that came with such grace. Meanwhile, Hana was barely keeping her own career together.

Takashi shrugged. He wasn't anything special. Just the average graduate student. He had more spare time than she did, given that his job was grading assignments and shelving books, to put it simply. He could handle these tasks – the mediocre ones that no one found to be particularly interesting. There was no need for any kind of praise.

"Everything for you is… set in place. Graduate school. A career in academics. You're happy," Hana murmured. "I want to get there."
"You want to get to mediocrity?" Takashi chuckled. He was always in awe of how highly she spoke of him.

"I don't think what you do is mediocre, Takashi." Hana tugged onto his hand, as if asking him to look at her. "You're good at what you do. You teach – with patience and kindness. With thought and effort. You plan each lesson meticulously. I know you stare at those lesson plans because you are practicing in your head." She smiled, her eyes crinkling along with her mouth that curved a little to her right. His heart skipped a beat. He swooped down to kiss her because that was all he could do. It caught her a little off guard, with Hana making a noise of surprise before relaxing.

He did not know how to express – with words – how much he loved her. Nobody else noticed such things. No one else made him feel the way he did. Hana eagerly responded, her hands tangling in his hair as she pulled him down. She needed this. Endorphins. Adrenaline. Something to make her feel alive.

"I love you."

A/N: A bit of a filler - apologies. I hope you all enjoyed, regardless. Your thoughts are always appreciated.