Chapter 22
As night deepened, the lights in the bedroom of the Minamino residence were soft.
A faint floral fragrance wafted in the air, and the breeze outside the window gently stirred the sheer curtains, casting soft shadows.
Sakura sat leaning against the headboard, hugging a soft pillow, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, engrossed in watching a TV series on her tablet.
She laughed and muttered to herself, "This male lead is being difficult again~ How cute."
Shuichi Minamino had just finished showering, and his body still smelled clean and fresh with soap. He walked to the bedside, and looking at her focused expression, a slight smile crept onto his lips.
"It turns out that after my wife got married, her heart was stolen by the men on TV."
Sakura didn't look up, only humming softly, "I'm watching a show with my baby~ Don't disturb me."
"To keep the baby company?" He raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to her. "Then I want to come too."
"Don't push!" Sakura pushed him, but he took the opportunity to pull her into his arms.
She immediately blushed and pouted in protest, "Shuichi! I was watching the show!"
"Don't you like looking at me?" he chuckled softly, his voice carrying his usual doting affection and a hint of mischief.
Sakura blinked, then suddenly reached out—
"Slap!" A light slap landed on his face.
"Huh—?" Minamino Shuichi froze, clutching the spot where he had been hit, his emerald green eyes filled with disbelief. "You...you hit me?"
"Who told you to disturb my and the baby's show time!" Sakura puffed out her cheeks with a serious expression, crossed her arms, and spoke in a cute but fierce tone.
"This is the baby's first time watching a TV series, and you're ruining the mood!"
Looking at her serious yet adorable expression, Minamino Shuichi couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"So now my rival isn't just the male lead on TV, but also the baby in your belly?"
“That’s right.” She raised her chin proudly. “My son and I are currently in an alliance—no disturbances allowed.”
He was amused by her words and gently flicked the tip of her nose: "Fine, then I'll renegotiate with him after the baby is born."
What should we talk about?
"They're vying for favor."
"Hmph, you'll probably lose~" She grinned mischievously and made a victory sign.
"Then I'll just have to earn as many points as possible now."
He smiled slightly, leaned down, and gently kissed her forehead.
Sakura glared at him, but couldn't help but smile, covering the spot where she had been kissed, and muttered softly, "Really... who gave you permission to sneak up on me?"
"This isn't a sneak attack; it's a legitimate benefit."
She pretended to be angry and turned her head away, still holding the tablet: "I'm ignoring you, I'm going to keep watching."
He naturally wrapped his arms around her from behind, leaned against her quietly, and peeked at the screen while gently stroking her shoulder.
In the room, only the gentle dialogue from the television and the faint, soft, and sweet atmosphere of happiness between them remained.
In the afternoon, sunlight streamed through the windows of the Minamino residence.
Sakura was nestled on the sofa, wearing a soft loungewear dress, with a cushion on her lap, and casually scrolling through her phone.
Sudden--
Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
A series of notification sounds startled her.
She looked down and stared speechlessly for three seconds at the contact names that popped up on the screen.
[Keigo Atobe].
"...Atobe?"
Her blue eyes blinked slightly, and the corner of her mouth twitched.
—She was one of the players she met a few years ago at the opening ceremony of the World Tennis Open when she went to the United States with a musical theater company.
At that grand opening ceremony, she and the orchestra performed the violin concerto "Destiny Waltz" on the center stage, and the entire audience erupted in applause when the melody ended.
Among the tennis players sitting in the audience was a man with an air of nobility and a natural stage presence—that was Keigo Atobe.
After the competition, he actually went backstage and said to everyone, "I think your performance is worthy of the royal court."
From then on, he would send her messages to chat from time to time.
Of course, most of them are one-sided "self-expression shows".
She opened the message.
The latest message on the screen reads:
[Atobe Keigo]: Sakura, what have you been up to lately? There's been absolutely no activity from you, not even an interview with you in a music magazine. Don't tell me you're secretly preparing for another stage performance?
Sakura smiled slightly and quickly replied with her fingers:
[Minamino Sakura]: I'm pregnant and getting married, so I'm taking a break for now.
A few seconds later, Atobe's replies flooded the screen like machine gun fire—
[Atobe Keigo]: ...Huh??
[Keigo Atobe]: You... got married?!?!
[Atobe Keigo]: Who?! Who dares to beat me to it?!
[Atobe Keigo]: Could it be Echizen Ryoga? Or Yukimura Seiichi? No, Byodoin Phoenix?! Tokugawa Kazuya? Tezuka Kunimitsu? Coach Kurobe?!?!
Sakura froze on the sofa, staring at the screen in silence.
She murmured softly, "...Did he call out the entire Japanese national team's names all at once?"
"And why are Byodoin and Echizen Ryoga here? Aren't those two in America!?"
A new message popped up on the screen.
[Atobe Keigo]: Tell me quickly, who is it?! I, the great one, will not allow myself to lose to anyone.
Sakura put her hand to her forehead and sighed helplessly.
She pouted as she typed rapidly:
[Minamino Sakura]: If you keep bombarding me with messages, I'll block you.
The other person was clearly stunned for a moment, and a few seconds later sent a message:
[Atobe Keigo]: ...This great one admits defeat.
[Keigo Atobe]: Then at least tell me, are you happy?
Sakura paused for a moment, her lips softening slightly as she typed softly:
[Minamino Sakura]: Yes, I am very happy now.
There seemed to be a long silence on the other end of the phone before a slow reply came:
[Atobe Keigo]: ...That's good.
[Keigo Atobe]: However, next time we meet, I want to see for myself whether your smile is real.
Sakura looked at the sentence with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, thinking:
"Sure enough, this man maintains his 'I am the boss' style of romance wherever he goes."
She casually tossed her phone onto the cushion, turned to look at the sunset outside the window, and sighed softly.
"What a small world."
Just as she was about to lean back on the sofa to rest again, she heard familiar footsteps at the door.
"Honey, I'm home."
Nanno Hideichi walked in carrying a file bag. Seeing her smiling strangely while holding her phone, he raised an eyebrow slightly: "What are you looking at so intently?"
Sakura flinched guiltily and quickly shook her head: "N-nothing~"
He squinted, sat down next to her, and hugged her from behind: "Let me see your phone."
"No way! It's private information!"
"Hmm? You know, I'm really curious to know who can make my wife smile so sweetly."
"It's Atobe Keigo!" she muttered helplessly. "He's asking me about marriage."
“Atobe?” Minamino Shuichi raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. “Oh, the one who’s so narcissistic that even a mirror applauds him?”
"...Pfft—how did you know?"
“I’ve seen him once before at a business dinner, when he toasted his own reflection.”
Sakura couldn't help but laugh so hard she bent over, leaning her whole body against his chest.
"You won't be jealous, will you?"
He whispered with a chuckle in her ear, "As long as he doesn't dare to send you 'Good morning' or 'Good night,' I won't be jealous."
"Hmph~ Your tone sounds a bit dangerous."
“Of course.” He lowered his head and gently kissed the tip of her hair. “After all, you are ‘Minamino Sakura’—not a goddess on any stage, nor is you a fantasy of Atobe Keigo.”
Sakura blushed and leaned into his arms with a smile.
She thought: Indeed, compared to a glamorous stage and applause, the happiest place is always returning to this embrace.
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