My new wife discovered my past

Chapter 9 9. Let’s go to Xuxu Garden!

The break was short, and Nao Yanagihara hurried back to the classroom, savoring the touch of Watanabe's shoulder and the fresh orange scent on his uniform on the way.

Watanabe Toru thought that Saotome Hazuki would make some more verbal sarcastic remarks, but he didn't expect that not only that morning, but also on Wednesday and Thursday, she didn't behave in any way that crossed the line.

Apart from the occasional eye contact during the day and standing at the side of the road at the alley and watching Watanabe run past during Wednesday night's run, Saotome Hazuki was truly calm and composed.

I don't know how she held back.

His heart was hanging in the air at all. On the contrary, Toru Watanabe felt that Saotome Hazuki was becoming more and more terrifying.

In his experience, this was a sign of a coming storm.

And he had nowhere to escape.

Thursday, April 4, dinner.

He deliberately lowered his head and stared at the rice in the bowl for a long time until Jiko noticed and asked.

Watanabe finally made up his mind, but he asked her tentatively: "Do you want to leave Tokyo or the island country and live in another city or country? After all, the world is so big...

"Well, and the island country is not very stable now. We can definitely have better options. For example, the suzerain country China is very good..."

The woman obviously didn't expect her husband to suddenly say such a thing. She was stunned for a moment: "...Ah?"

Seeing her reaction, Watanabe stopped pursuing anything.

He sighed in his heart and forced a smile: "Don't be surprised, I just said it on a whim."

Watanabe Tetsuya said so, but Shimizu Noriko didn't think so.

She has not forgotten what happened to her husband when he was in the car on his way home from get off work the day before.

Noriko sat down next to Watanabe, held his hand with one hand, and put the other hand around his waist, hugging him, letting Watanabe lean into her arms.

Having lived with Toru Watanabe for five years, he not only suffered from frequent nightmares, but also often revealed some kind of sad and mournful emotions, which came from nowhere and were fleeting, like fallen leaves in the late autumn wind, making those who saw his appearance feel infinite heartache, tolerance and... the glory of motherhood.

Noriko Shimizu was deeply attracted to Watanabe and fell into this indescribable love.

Considering that Watanabe rarely talked about the nearly 20 years he lived in Kyoto and his hometown before college, even his relatives and friends never mentioned it.

Noriko Shimizu had some guesses about her husband's past, which probably caused him extreme pain. Noriko didn't want to make groundless guesses about what exactly happened, which led to his unwillingness to recall the past!
With a light sigh in her heart, Ji Zi comforted her by explaining, "We just moved to a new house and have our own home. Our respective jobs are also gradually getting on track. Besides, my family and friends are all in Tokyo. Is it really good for us to immigrate to another country rashly like this?

"If Tetsuya-kun wants to go to China, we can go there in ten days during the Golden Week in May. We can also travel more often in the future when we have time..."

Listening to Noriko talking and smelling the pleasant orange scent on Noriko's body, Watanabe felt at ease, and then endless bitterness followed.

He had no choice but to agree: "Yeah... listen to Ji Zi, listen to Ji Zi..."

So, the afternoon of Black Friday arrived as expected.

Watanabe had just sat down on his chair when a Line message popped up on his phone with the note "Saotome Hazuki".

[Saotome Hazuki: I will have a welcome party at 5 o'clock tonight. The location is the "Jiujiuen" BBQ restaurant near Shinjuku]

[Saotome Hazuki: You can make excuses and not give me face by not coming to my welcome party, and I don’t recommend you to come either]

[Saotome Hazuki: So, will Toru come tonight? I’m only asking this once.]

His words were as domineering as ever. Although there was no direct threat, his words clearly implied that if Watanabe Toru dared not come, he would be in big trouble.

Watanabe looked up and saw the woman opposite him putting her cell phone aside and still correcting the remaining test papers from yesterday with her eyes lowered.

He had no choice.

[Tetsuya Watanabe: I will be there on time.]
The gate of hell opened again, and this time it was Toru Watanabe who walked in.

◆

The office was filled with a cheerful and anxious atmosphere throughout Friday afternoon.

Everyone in the office knew the reason, but no one said it out loud. They were all focused on their own work and often checked the time.

When the school bell rang, Kurosawa Ryosuke was the first to stand up from his chair, raised his hands, stretched happily, and then announced loudly: "Great! It's finally time to get off work! Everyone, are you ready? The organization has given us a new and difficult task!"

"..."

The other colleagues were speechless.

Miyagawa Lu twitched the corners of her mouth: "... Kurosawa, your head was caught in the door? Since the hospital is still open, why don't I take you to the hospital first!" After complaining like this, Miyagawa Lu, Matsumoto Hitomi and Takahashi Rin packed up their briefcases and ignored Kurosawa Ryosuke.

Instead, they all turned their heads to look over, waiting for Watanabe and Saotome's actions.

They both stood up and walked over, Saotome Hazuki walked forward and Watanabe followed behind.

He pursed his lips, his eyes were indifferent, making it impossible to tell what was in his expression.

Among the six people, only Watanabe, Saotome and Takahashi have cars, but Watanabe didn't drive today, so he asked Noriko to drive to and from get off work.

Miyakawa's eyes rolled around: "Teacher Watanabe specially left the car for his wife, right? Hey, I'm full!"

"A role model for our generation!" Kurosawa Ryosuke gave a thumbs up in praise.

"Well, I admit that I am not as considerate and thoughtful as Mr. Watanabe." Among all the people present, besides Watanabe, Takahashi was the only one who was not single.

He already has a fiancée, the eldest daughter of a prominent family in Tokyo, and a perfect match for him.

Watanabe listened to the praises from the three of them, declined repeatedly, and also symbolically responded with a word or two of praise.

Saotome Hazuki and Matsumoto Hitomi smiled the whole time and neither of them noticed each other.

There was no need for discussion and they easily split into two teams. The male teachers took Takahashi's car, while the female teachers took Saotome's car.

A group of six people drove towards the "XuXuEn" barbecue restaurant in front of Shinjuku West Exit Station.

"The weather forecast said it would rain today, but I saw the sun was shining brightly all day, so I thought the weather forecast was wrong again." Kurosawa Ryosuke slightly opened the passenger window and watched the misty drizzle outside the window gradually turn into silver needle-like raindrops, feeling deeply moved:

"I didn't expect that in just a short while, the rain would come out of nowhere and become so heavy.

"Hey, Takahashi, your car is a Mercedes-Benz E300 after all. You have an umbrella in it, right?"

"Don't worry, you won't get wet in the rain."

"Don't say such things to me so easily! My sexual orientation is very normal!"

Takahashi Rinto didn't bother to pay attention to Kurosawa Ryosuke's joke and changed the subject: "Have you prepared a gift for Saotome-sensei? If not, we can pull over and buy it on the way. Anyway, we are following their car."

"That woman Miyagawa has been telling me these kinds of things so many times that I'm almost getting calluses in my ears! Ah, it's really annoying, that woman Miyagawa..."

Takahashi Rinto glanced at him and teased him, "Kurosawa, you and Mr. Miyagawa are getting a little close!"

"Illusion! This is your illusion! Anyway, I can't stand that woman Miyakawa anymore. She always stops me from moving, saying that we should move together.

"Then he stayed at home every day on weekends and holidays, and he didn't even want to go out to look at houses!
"I really can't stand it anymore. The rainy season is coming in a month. If I don't move out, the damn moss will grow on the walls of the old house I rent. The musty smell will really kill me!" Kurosawa Ryosuke complained incessantly.

Takahashi Rinto was amazed at the rapid progress and deep friendship between Kurosawa and Miyagawa.

Is it really true that the only thing left for the two of them is to confess their love?!

So he fished with a straight hook: "I have a solution..."

"Huh? Tell me in detail!"

"That depends on your performance later, Kurosawa..."

"My sexual orientation is normal!"

"I mean drinking later!"

"Then please explain clearly!"

"..."

"..."

The two of them were arguing loudly, and slowly they realized something was wrong. Why were they the only two talking?

Although Watanabe Tetsuya usually looks gentle and kind like a modest gentleman, he still chats and communicates with them during dinner parties, and he is not aloof at all.

How could someone sit straight in the back seat like he did today, with dull eyes, not moving at all, and not saying a single word?
After silently looking at each other, Kurosawa Ryosuke sat upright, while Takahashi Rinto cleared his throat and called him carefully:

"Hey, Watanabe, Watanabe!? What's wrong with you? Why do you look so worried?"

(End of this chapter)