Spring Blooms When I'm With You 43 Aren't You Done Admiring Me?

What is this fragrance?

Ren got off his bed and went downstairs. Only when he saw a familiar figure in the kitchen did he remember that he wasn't alone in the house, unlike usual.

Tsubaki was stir-frying some vegetables. She wore a black ap.r.o.n over her clothes. Her hair was tied in a loose bun. His lips curved up into a smile. She was seasoning the vegetables using some condiments.

"Tsubaki." He called her with a voice full of adoration.

Tsubaki turned her head, slightly fl.u.s.tered with his appearance in the kitchen. She smiled meekly before regaining her composure.

"You're awake? I asked Hibiki to buy some ingredients for dinner. I'm almost done. Go wash up first."

Ren nodded. He obediently went to the bathroom near the kitchen to wash his sleepy face. He took a white towel and wiped the water residue on his face. Tsubaki had arranged the meal on the dining table.

A simple dinner set consisted of teriyaki salmons, stir-fried vegetables, rolled omelettes and clear soup broth were laid on the table. It was totally different from the luxurious meals prepared by the chefs in the restaurants he frequented to but to him this simple dishes were far more superior. He could feel the love and care she poured while preparing them.

"I didn't know which dish to cook. I just thought of these in a moment." Tsubaki untied the ap.r.o.n and hang it on the hook.

"I don't mind, as long as you're the one who cooks my meal." Ren said in a deeper meaning.

Tsubaki flushed but she acted as if the remark didn't bother her. She took a seat opposite him. Before eating, she clasped her hand and bowed slightly while saying grace. Ren chuckled before he did the same.

It was a nostalgic feeling for him to eat her home-cooked meal. It was tastier than ever. The expensive meals couldn't be compared with hers.

"You do not have fresh ingredients but your cooking appliances and other things are well-stocked."

Tsubaki muttered out loud what she had been thinking. While the fridge only stored drinks with no food, she found various condiments in the cabinets. A wide variety of coffee beans and tea leaves were in there too.

"Hibiki insisted for me to buy them. I just left it to him."

While Ren thought Hibiki's persistence was annoying, he let the younger man to buy necessary items. In the end, he bought a complete set of cooking utensils ranging from knives, pots and pans. He even chose various spices, rice and pasta even though Ren seldom cooked his own meals. One of the reasons he accepted Hibiki's suggestions was because Tsubaki always said kitchen was the heart of a home.

"Do you already plan something for Satsuki once he recovers?" Ren indulged himself heartily. He chewed the salmon slowly before swallowing it down.

"I do not plan anything. I'll just leave it to him. If he wanted to continue his study like he has always said, I'd support him."

Tsubaki didn't want to force any decision for Satsuki. He had his own dreams. As long as it was not something illegal, she would let him pursue it.

"He wants to be a director, right? I know one of the good academies in arts. I could help him enroll in the school." Ren thought of the academy under Fuse Corporation. It had produced numerous stars in acting and directing.

"Thank you for your offer but I believe Satsuki wants to compete with his own ability."

"I know." Ren placed a rolled omelette in Tsubaki's bowl. His act seemed natural. "I could anonymously create a chance for him to prove his worth. If he succeeded, there's no doubt in his talent."

Ren understood Satsuki's pa.s.sion so he wouldn't belittle him by directly giving him a place in the academy. If it wasn't necessary, he would conceal the relations.h.i.+p between the two of them too.

"Let me wash them." Ren quickly gathered the empty bowls and plates once they were done with dinner.

"No. Just leave them with me." Tsubaki protested. She stood up and tried to take the dishes from his hands but Ren dodged it with a smile.

"You have already cooked for both of us so it's only fair for me to wash them."

Ren brought the dishes to the kitchen, ignoring her objection. After throwing the waste into a specific bin, he began to carefully wash the plates and bowls.

Tsubaki unknowingly smiled at the sight of Ren was.h.i.+ng the dishes. Even a master of an elite household knew how to do the dishes. From the look of it, he was rather skilled in doing household ch.o.r.es.

"Aren't you done admiring me?" Ren chuckled. He was wiping the last plate.

Tsubaki blushed. But she didn't lose her composure under his teasing. She bravely answered. "You want me to stop admiring you?"

Ren laughed. He wiped his hand using the towel he dried the plates before turned around and leaning against the counter. Crossing his arms, a smile graced his handsome face.

"Instead of only admiring, I want you to fall in love with me."

Tsubaki was rendered speechless. She pursed her lips, unable to counter attack.