The moment we stepped out of Atami Station, the world felt different. The air, thick with the same salty tang as our quiet hometown, was alive with a new energy—the bustling symphony of a tourist town in full swing. The cheerful chatter of families, the enticing calls from shopkeepers, the distant, happy shriek of a seagull… it was a world away from the sleepy silence I had grown so accustomed to. It was the same Atami we had visited countless times, a landscape mapped onto my heart, but after two years of silence, the colors felt brighter, the sounds sharper.
"Alright, where to first, leader?"
A smug little smile touched my lips. I pulled a small, folded piece of paper from my purse—a detailed, meticulously researched itinerary I had drafted last night in a fit of giddy excitement.
Before I could even unfold it, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind. Jun rested his chin on the top of my head, his warmth a solid, comforting wall at my back. I felt the familiar, low rumble of his voice vibrate through me as he read the list over my shoulder.
"Lunch, parfait, shopping, Atami pudding, beach walk… then home," he recited. "You missed something, Yui"
"Oh?" I asked, leaning back against him.
"You've planned out the whole day, but you seem to have missed a crucial step. At which point are we scheduled for a kiss?"
My face instantly went hot. I brought my heel down squarely on his foot.
"Ow!"
"All you ever think about is lewd stuff!" I complained, pouting up at him. It's the beach, you idiot. The kissing spot is obviously the beach, my inner voice screamed.
He looked like he was about to retort with some infuriatingly logical comeback, but he stopped. His expression softened, and he leaned down, pressing a deep, lingering kiss to the crown of my head. "I guess here is fine, for now."
A little happy sigh escaped my lips. This man. He was an absolute menace. And he was all mine.
"We'll go shopping first," I declared, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the bustling main street.
"Eh? But the list says lunch," he protested, letting me drag him along. "Aren't you hungry? We didn't even have breakfast…"
I stopped and turned, giving him a look that was equal parts affection and exasperation. "Only a madman or a middle-aged marathon runner would show up for a date in a full tracksuit, Jun," I sighed. "Our first priority is fixing… this." I gestured vaguely at his entire outfit.
The shopping trip was less an errand and more a glorious, self-indulgent game. I became a tyrant of fashion, dragging him from one boutique to the next, forcing him to model an endless parade of outfits. He was my handsome, life-sized dress-up doll, and I was having the time of my life.
"This one makes you look too serious," I'd declare, dismissing a crisp button-down. "And this one is too… trendy. You'll attract unnecessary attention from other girls."
"Okay, just one more shop!" I said, tugging on his hand.
It was at that exact moment that my stomach, a traitorous and ill-mannered organ, let out a loud, mournful growl.
Guuuuu…
I froze. The sound echoed in the small space between us, a blatant, humiliating announcement of my neglected hunger. My cheeks burned.
Jun stopped walking and slowly, deliberately, turned to look at me. He didn't say a word. He just smiled that infuriating, all-knowing smile.
Then he pulled me back against his chest, his arms wrapping around my waist, his hand coming to rest flat against my traitorous stomach.
"That wasn't me," I mumbled, the denial flimsy and pathetic.
"Hmm? Then I guess it was me," he murmured, his fingers tracing slow, teasing circles on my abdomen. The simple touch sent a shiver through me. "You know," he continued, his voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial whisper right by my ear, "you really need to eat well. For our baby."
My brain short-circuited. "…Are you calling me fat?"
"That is absolutely not what I meant."
Then what did you mean, you absolute baka?! I screamed internally, my mind a chaotic storm of embarrassment and something else… something warm and fluttering. A quick glance around confirmed my worst fears: we were the main attraction on this busy street. A few high school girls were openly pointing and whispering, their faces a mixture of envy and amusement.
"Just—go change already!" I hissed, hiding my burning face by shoving a shopping bag into his arms. I picked out the outfit I'd secretly planned all along: a loose-fitting, cream-colored t-shirt and wide-legged black trousers. It would suit his tall, lean figure perfectly and match the simple elegance of my dress. "This one. Go."
I waited for him outside the public restroom, the bags of our successful hunt gathered at my feet. My mind, no longer distracted, immediately replayed his words. Our baby. A warm, dizzying daydream bloomed. Our future, a series of bright, happy snapshots: me, with a gentle swell to my stomach; Jun, his hand resting there protectively; the day we bring our daughter home; her first day of kindergarten, her hand held securely between ours…
"Hey there. Waiting for someone?"
The voice, slimy and unwelcome, shattered my perfect fantasy. I looked up to see three guys, all older than us, probably college students, crowding around me. They were the classic stereotype, oozing a cheap, predatory confidence.
I turned away, staring intently at the restroom door, hoping my silence would be a clear enough dismissal.
It wasn't.
"Don't be like that," another one said, stepping closer. "We just want to hang out. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be all alone." He made a show of looking me up and down, his gaze lingering in a way that made my skin crawl. "Nice dress. You got great legs."
"Please, leave me alone," I said, my voice tight.
The first one leaned in, his face too close, his breath smelling of stale cigarette smoke. "Come on, just for a little while—"
They persisted, their circle tightening around me. My heart began to hammer against my ribs, a frantic, trapped bird. Panic, cold and sharp, clawed at my throat.
"Jun," I whispered, the name a desperate prayer. Then, louder, my voice trembling, tears welling in my eyes, "Jun, help me!"
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY WIFE!"
The voice was a roar, a raw, guttural sound of pure fury I had never heard before. Jun exploded out of the restroom, his new clothes making him look like a dark avenging angel. He moved with a terrifying speed, crossing the distance in a blur and pulling me into the protective cage of his chest.
"Can't you see you're scaring her?" he snarled, his eyes blazing with a cold, murderous light. He looked at the three guys, his lip curling in disgust. "What's the matter with you lowest forms of scum? Is your brain so rotten you can't take a hint? Or does making a girl cry just for fun compensate for the fact that you're all packing such tiny, pathetic dicks?"
The sheer, unfiltered venom in his words stunned everyone into silence. A crowd was already starting to form, phones held up to record the unfolding drama.
"The fuck did you just say, you little shit?" the leader of the group sneered, his bravado returning. "Know your damn place!" He swung a clumsy fist.
Jun didn't even flinch. He bent low, a blur of motion, his leg sweeping out in a clean, powerful arc that took the guy's feet right out from under him. He hit the pavement with a hard, satisfying thud.
"Fucking pathetic," Jun spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "Get out of my face before I decide to get serious."
The guy scrambled back to his feet, his face a mask of humiliation. He looked to his friends for backup, but they were already shrinking away, intimidated by Jun's ferocity and the dozen phone cameras now pointed directly at them. With a final, muttered curse, the three of them retreated into the crowd and vanished.
The moment they were gone, the rage drained from Jun's face, replaced by a wave of pure, frantic concern. He pulled me tighter against him, his hand stroking my hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice rough. "I'm so sorry I left you alone. You must have been so scared."
There was no need to deny it. I just hugged him back, burying my face in the new, clean cotton of his shirt. "Uh-huh," I mumbled. Then I looked up, offering him a small, watery smile. "Thank you. Now let's find something to eat, Jun. I'm starving."
We walked away from the scene, his arm a possessive, iron band around my waist, holding me so close it felt like he was afraid I might get snatched away if he let go.
"If there weren't so many people," he growled, the anger still simmering just beneath the surface, "I would have gauged their eyes out."
A small giggle escaped me. "And then you'd end up in jail. I think knocking a few teeth out would have been enough."
My laugh seemed to break the tension. He let out a long, slow sigh. "I can't believe people like that actually exist outside of manga."
"And you looked really cool, Jun," I said, looking up into his dark, furious eyes and leaning my head against his shoulder. "Like a prince from a novel." A wicked little smile played on my lips. "A very, very foul-mouthed prince."
A groan escaped him. "Ugh, I must have looked so lame."
"I told you, you looked cool!" I insisted, squeezing his arm. I stopped walking, forcing him to face me. "You are the coolest person I have ever known. You are my coolest, most wonderful husband."
I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his, a soft, fierce kiss that was both a reward and a promise. And in the middle of that busy Atami street, surrounded by strangers, my prince finally, finally calmed down.