๐๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ญ๐ฒ๐ท๐ช๐ป๐ ๐ต๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฎ. ๐๐พ๐ผ๐ซ๐ช๐ท๐ญ ๐๐ช๐ท๐ช๐ถ๐ฒ.๐
๐ฃ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ซ๐ฎ ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ธ๐ป๐
The first thing you noticed was the empty space beside you.
Your hand drifted across the sheets, searching instinctively for the familiar warmth that should have been there. Instead, your fingers met cool cotton.
The red numbers on the clock read 2:17 a.m.
You pushed yourself up, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. The apartment was silent, the kind of silence that only existed in the middle of the night. Down the hall, your 18 month old son, was fast asleep. It wasn't often the house was this peaceful.
You slipped on one of Kento's oversized robes over your silk pajamas and wandered into the hallway.
A soft glow spilled from beneath the office door.
A smile tugged at your lips.
Kento sat exactly as you expected, tie long discarded, sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms, glasses perched low on his nose. Reports and documents were spread across his desk in perfect order while a fountain pen moved steadily across the page.
In the corner, a record player hummed softly with mellow jazz, filling the room with warmth.
He was so focused, he didn't notice you.
Not until you quietly stepped beside his chair.
His shoulders stiffened just enough for you to catch it.
A grin spread across your face.
You leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple before resting your chin on the top of his head.
"I woke up," you murmured.
"And my husband wasn't in bed."
You looked at the stacks of paperwork.
"It'll still be there tomorrow."
"So will tomorrow's work."
He glanced at you over the edge of his glasses.
"I want my husband back."
Something softened in his expression, though he quickly hid it behind his usual composure.
"I'll only be another hour."
You smiled to yourself before your eyes wandered toward the record player.
Without saying a word, you crossed the room.
The jazz faded as you lifted the needle.
Kento finally looked away from the reports.
You searched through the stack of vinyls until your fingers found the one you wanted.
A smile spread across your face.
You set it onto the turntable.
Then the unmistakable opening of "No Ordinary Love by Sade" drifted through the room.
For a moment, he simply listened.
"Our song," you repeated softly.
You walked back over to him.
Instead of asking, you simply slipped your fingers around his forearm and gave him a gentle tug.
"And I still miss my husband."
He looked down at your hand holding his arm.
"You know..." he sighed quietly, setting his pen down with careful precision, "...you're very difficult to refuse."
"You use that to your advantage."
He couldn't help the faint smile that escaped him.
You led him away from the desk until you stood in the middle of the office.
It wasn't much of a dance floor.
You placed one of his hands on your waist before looping your arms around his neck.
For a second, he simply looked at you.
Then he pulled you close.
The two of you began to sway.
As if the music knew exactly how your hearts had always moved together.
You rested your head against his chest.
"You remember our wedding?"
"They watered all the way down your face."
"The lighting was unfortunate."
"You checked your watch before our first dance."
"I was making sure we were on schedule."
His answer was so simple that it stole the teasing smile right from your face.
"I wanted everything to be perfect."
His thumb brushed slowly over the small of your back.
"The moment you walked toward me..." he said quietly, "I stopped noticing anyone else."
"It felt like everyone disappeared."
"There were over a hundred guests."
"I wasn't watching them."
"What were you watching?"
He met your eyes without hesitation.
The room suddenly felt very small.
You laughed softly, hiding your face against his chest.
"You still know how to make me blush."
For a while, neither of you spoke.
The music filled the silence.
You simply danced together, just as you had years ago.
Back then, you had been dressed in white beneath sparkling lights.
Tonight, you wore his cardigan and pajamas while he stood barefoot in rolled up sleeves, surrounded by paperwork that suddenly seemed much less important.
"I still can't believe we're married," you whispered.
"And yet," he finished gently, "I'd still choose you."
Your eyes burned with happy tears.
"And I'd still choose you."
His forehead rested against yours.
"We've built a beautiful life."
He kissed your lips, lingering there for a moment.
"I used to think happiness had to be something extraordinary."
"But I think..." he murmured, "...it's this."
You glanced around the office.
A forgotten cup of coffee.
The soft glow of a desk lamp.
Your favorite song playing quietly through the apartment while the rest of the world slept.
And the man who had become your safest place.
Kento's lips curved into that rare, genuine smile that belonged only to you.
"No," he said softly as he pulled you a little closer.
"Nothing ordinary about it."