Chapter 2
Sakura Hoshino's tears were reflected in Shuichi Minamino's green eyes.
"Why are you crying?" His tone softened, and he gently wiped away the uncontrollable tear from the corner of her eye with his fingertip.
"I didn't cry." She turned her face away, bit her lip, and tried to suppress all her emotions, but she couldn't hide her slightly trembling eyelashes and reddened eyes.
"Really?" He put an arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms. "Then why are you blushing? Do you think I didn't notice your heart was racing just now?"
"...Stop being so presumptuous, you sly fox," she muttered.
"Good for you." He chuckled softly, his lips brushing against her earlobe. "I only allow you to curse me. Because... you're the mother of my child now."
She trembled and pushed him away, her breathing erratic.
"You can go now, I need to rest."
"Then I'll stay and take care of you."
"Can't you walk straight?!" Sakura roared.
The atmosphere froze.
He didn't speak, he just looked at her quietly.
The two remained silent for a few seconds. Sakura clenched her fists, trembling with anger, while carefully protecting her lower abdomen, her eyes filled with a mixture of unease and grievance.
"...I just don't want you to stay because of a sense of responsibility." She lowered her head, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
Xiu Yi's brow twitched, and he suddenly reached out and hugged her, enveloping her completely in his arms, his forehead gently touching hers.
"It's not a sense of responsibility," he said. "It's because I like you."
She was stunned.
“From the first moment I saw you, before that banquet—when you were tuning your piano backstage, I was already watching you.” He smiled slightly. “Your head was down, the corners of your mouth were smiling, and your fingertips moved as if dancing… I was already captivated at that moment.”
Sakura stared at him blankly.
“I couldn’t control myself that night because I’ve liked you for a long time,” he said. “Whether you’re pregnant or not, I want to pursue you.”
Sakura lowered her head, unsure how to respond to this sudden, heartfelt confession.
He smiled and touched her belly.
"But you can't escape now. The little one in your belly is my strongest ally."
Three days later.
A figure appeared in Sakura's apartment kitchen—a man wearing an apron and with his red hair tied low, was cooking porridge.
Sakura sat on the sofa watching him bustling around, feeling a mix of emotions.
"Why...why did you do these things?" she couldn't help but ask.
"Because you're pregnant." He brought the bowl over and fed her the first bite. "I don't feel comfortable letting you eat takeout by yourself."
"I can cook by myself."
“You can’t,” he said gently. “You’ve never even washed rice properly.”
"Are you mocking me?" she squinted.
"No." He lowered his head and kissed the corner of her lips. "I'm just spoiling you."
"Hey," she said, blushing, "Don't kiss me... the baby will turn bad later."
“He’s not even born yet.” Shuichi smiled. “And I’m showing him how much his father loves his mother.”
That night, Sakura nestled in his arms, stroking her little belly.
"You...you really don't regret it?"
"Um."
"What if I gain weight and lose my shape?"
"I will still kiss you, hug you, and pin you down on the bed."
"You!" She raised her hand to hit him, but he grabbed her fingers. "Why are you always so lecherous?"
"I'm only interested in you." He laughed without any restraint.
"You've never had a girlfriend before?
"No."
"...A virgin?"
"...You took it away from me." He smiled through gritted teeth.
Sakura buried her face in the pillow. "Shut up! I'll die of embarrassment if you don't say anything!!!"
The next morning.
The doorbell rang. Hoshino Sakura had just gotten up and hadn't put on makeup yet. She went to open the door wearing a maternity dress.
"Hello, are you Ms. Hoshino Sakura?"
She was taken aback: "Yes, I am."
“I am Minamino Shihori, Shuichi’s mother.”
Standing outside the door was a woman dressed in a fresh blue and white dress, with a gentle smile. She looked to be only in her early forties and had a graceful demeanor.
"Oh? Auntie... hello..."
"May I come in and take a look? I brought some soup. I heard you're pregnant and wanted to let you know."
There was no questioning or hostility in Minamino Shiho's eyes; she looked at Sakura as if she were looking at her future daughter.
“Shuichi never brings girls home, this is the first time I’ve seen him so anxious about someone.” She said with a smile, “He’s cooking your favorite dishes in the kitchen, practicing how to comfort a pregnant woman and how to change diapers in front of me… I knew he was serious.”
Sakura blushed and didn't know how to respond, so she could only accept the soup and thank him softly.
"Thank you... Auntie."
"Call me Mom," Shibori said with a gentle smile, "as long as you're willing to marry my bastard son."
That night.
Shuichi Minamino formally took out the ring he had prepared beforehand and knelt down on one knee in front of Sakura Hoshino.
His red hair cascaded over his shoulders, his green eyes were like lakes, and he spoke slowly:
“Hoshino Sakura, I don’t just want to be the father of your child, I want to be your husband.”
"will you marry me?"
That night in Tokyo was like the rainy night when they first met, but with an added sense of peace and gentleness.
Sakura Hoshino nodded with tears in her eyes.
"I do."
He got up and hugged her tightly, holding her and the child close.
"This time... no matter what, I will not let you go."
Sunlight streamed through the curtains into the apartment, dappling the carpet. A gentle afternoon breeze blew in. Sakura nestled on the sofa, holding a thick pregnancy guidebook, her brow slightly furrowed, her blue eyes intently scanning the words.
"Loss of appetite is common in early pregnancy... I really don't have much of an appetite." She rubbed her belly and murmured softly, "How come I'm not gaining any weight... even though I'm pregnant..."
She turned her head to look at her reflection in the mirror—her figure was still slender and alluring, with almost no visible marks on her abdomen. Her long, golden hair cascaded softly over her shoulders, and although her complexion was slightly pale, her gentle smile still made her look graceful and charming.
"However..." she said with a playful smile, "I suddenly have a craving for cake."
She quietly got up, tiptoed to the door, put on a pair of black stilettos, a hat, and sunglasses, and gracefully left the apartment.
It's 6:30 in the evening.
Minamino Shuichi pushed open the door carrying two bags of dinner ingredients: "Sakura, I bought your favorite tomato soup and..."
Before he could finish speaking, his green eyes flashed, and his gaze swept across the empty living room. The blanket on the sofa was turned up in one corner, and her soft indoor slippers were still on the shoe rack, but—her high heels were gone.
His face instantly darkened, and his lips twitched coldly.
"...She actually went out wearing high heels?"
The next second, he quickly dropped the ingredients, closed the door, and rushed into the elevator with a furrowed brow.
In the cake shop, Sakura ordered a strawberry mille-feuille and a vanilla pudding. She sat by the window, carefully cutting the dessert with a small fork, looking very satisfied.
"Ah...so sweet and delicious..." Her cheeks flushed. "I'm a month pregnant, and this is the first time I've eaten so happily."
She smiled and gently stroked her lower abdomen, as if greeting the little life inside.
"You think it's delicious too, right?"
"What did you say was delicious?"
When that familiar, deep male voice rang in her ears, Sakura was startled. She looked up and saw Minamino Shuichi standing in front of her, his green eyes like ice and his expression dangerous, as if he was suppressing his anger.
"Sakura".
She took a guiltily bite of pudding: "Why are you here?"
"What do you think?" His gaze fell on the seven-centimeter high heels on her feet, and his brows furrowed instantly. "You're carrying my child, and you're wearing something like this?"
"I just want something sweet..." she said softly and coquettishly, "You've been so busy lately, I don't want to bother you..."
"You know what it's like to accidentally fall down..."
He didn't say anything more. The next second, he bent down and picked her up from the chair. Everyone looked at the handsome man and beautiful woman in surprise.
"Hey, hey, hey—what are you doing, Shuichi!" She patted his shoulder lightly, her face flushed.
“You’re not a free person anymore.” His face darkened. “At least to me, the fact that you’re carrying my child means you belong to me.”
“...But legally, I don’t have your surname yet.” She tilted her head and smiled, her voice soft. “So we’re not husband and wife right now.”
"..."
“Besides, you have no right to tell me what to do.” She tapped his chest lightly with her fingertip. “After all, our relationship… in the end, it was just an accident that night…”
Her smile was alluring, her eyes as captivating as a cat's, and her use of the word "accident" was ambiguous and flippant, as if deliberately provoking him.
Minamino Shuichi paused, his throat bobbed, and his eyes darkened.
He lowered his head, his green eyes locking onto her face.
"Say it again?"
I said—
Before she could finish speaking, he kissed her fiercely.
"Hmm..."
He kissed her forcefully, completely disregarding the stares of those around them. His tongue lightly licked the crook of her lips, enticing her to open her mouth, gradually stealing her breath and reason.
Her face turned as red as if it were about to bleed, and she tried to push him away by pressing her fingertips against his chest, but he only hugged her tighter.
"Ugh... Shuichi... Ugh..."
He finally relented, and she was panting heavily, her eyes filled with tears, and her lips were bright red.
"Are you crazy!" she said coquettishly.
“Yes.” He chuckled softly, “I’m crazy about you.”
"You...you..."
She was about to yell at someone when she suddenly felt a slight jolt in her stomach.
She froze, then looked down and touched her stomach.
Minamino Shuichi immediately stopped laughing and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"...The baby kicked me."
She blushed and whispered, "Maybe... you kissed him too roughly just now, and he's protesting."
"...My son is already getting jealous?" Xiu Yi hugged her tighter. "No, from now on, I'll have to kiss you secretly so he can't see."
“…You’re sick.” She covered her mouth and laughed.
Back at the apartment, Minamino Shuichi gently took off her high heels and knelt down beside her to massage her ankles.
"You are not allowed to wear this out again."
"Okay, I understand."
"I'll buy you the cake you like; you won't have to go yourself."
"If you yell at me again, I'll go to the supermarket and buy a durian."
"...You dare?"
"Do you believe that if I hold my stomach and cry, you'll surrender?"
"...You're really good at manipulating me."
"Didn't you raise that kind of thing yourself?"
She leaned against him, a charming smile on her lips.
“Speaking of which, Shuichi,” she said casually, twirling the button on his chest with her fingertips, “you took me so many times that night.”
"..."
"If it weren't for you... I wouldn't be pregnant."
"..."
So—
She raised her eyes, smiled slightly, and her blue eyes held a mischievous sparkle.
"When exactly are you going to... take full responsibility for me?"
Nanno Shuichi picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, his green eyes burning with intense passion.
"Now."
"Oh dear... I meant we got our marriage certificate, you big pervert—ugh! You kissed me on the lips again! You fox, are you crazy?!"
"He's gone mad, and you're the one who drove him mad."
In the darkness of night, the curtains of the luxury apartment were gently lifted by the wind, and moonlight shone on the two figures embracing each other.
Sweet, gentle, charming, and passionate—their story continues.
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