A Love I Shouldn't Feel-Chapter 227: Tender Moments ( )

A week later.

The afternoon sun filtered softly through the hospital garden trees, casting dappled light over the walkway.

Kyouko walked beside Haruki slowly, her heels making soft clicks on the stone path.

His hand rested lightly on her shoulder for balance.

"Walk slowly," she said without looking at him. "Don’t push yourself too much."

"Mm... I know, Kyouko."

"I said don’t force yourself."

"I’m not."

She sighed—but a smile tugged at her lips.

She gently adjusted her pace to match his. Haruki leaned a little more on her shoulder.

"I’m fine, really," he added after a few steps, trying to sound normal.

Kyouko shook her head lightly, still smiling.

"You’re stubborn."

"I get it from you."

"You get nothing from me," she said playfully.

"Oh? Not even a little love?"

"Haruki?"

"Hmm?" Haruki smiled, glancing at her while they walked slowly.

Kyouko looked ahead, not meeting his eyes.

"What are your plans after discharge?"

"Don’t know... probably rest more before working again."

He let out a small chuckle. "You know my schedule—it’s flexible. Mostly work from home anyway."

Kyouko smiled faintly.

"Too bad we can’t go back to the house again."

"I’m not worried about that," Haruki said calmly.

"You’re not sad?"

"About what?" Haruki turned his head slightly, curious.

"Signing the divorce papers. Leaving Satomi."

Haruki exhaled, then smiled.

"No... I don’t."

He looked up at the sky briefly before continuing.

"I’ve been thinking about that for so long... But I was scared."

Kyouko turned toward him gently.

"Scared of what?"

"That you’d be mad."

His voice dropped to a quiet, honest tone.

"Because Satomi is still your daughter. I didn’t want to rush it... not until I knew how you felt."

Kyouko was silent for a moment, then smiled gently.

"So you were waiting for my approval, hmm?"

She gave him a playful sideways glance.

"No wonder you looked so eager when the lawyer brought those papers."

Haruki laughed softly.

"Yes... I was."

He tightened his fingers gently over her shoulder.

"After I saw you sign your divorce papers... I knew it was time."

"I wanted to stop pretending. Stop hiding."

His voice lowered again.

"Because I love you, Kyouko."

"Really?" Kyouko smiled, her tone light, teasing. "You know I’m old."

Haruki turned to look at her with that familiar gaze.

"Hmm? You say that even though you look younger than Satomi?"

He gave a small scoff, shaking his head.

"Didn’t I already say it a hundred times? You look younger than her. You’re more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever met. You’re perfect for me."

Kyouko turned her face slightly away—but her smile deepened.

Then she leaned closer, lips near his ear, her voice a whisper only he could hear.

"Is this because of how I react when we’re having sex...? Hmm?"

"That’s one of the reasons I fell so hard for you, Kyouko."

She laughed softly, barely louder than the breeze.

"Naughty boy," she whispered. "Now let’s go back to your room."

"But I still want to walk like this."

Haruki squeezed her shoulder lightly.

"It’s boring to stay inside all day."

Kyouko exhaled—playfully.Her eyes narrowed gently as she looked forward.

"You really haven’t changed."

"I never changed, Kyouko," Haruki said, his voice low, warm. "I was like this from the moment we first met."

He smiled faintly, eyes squinting slightly in the soft sunlight.

"Remember the day I first moved in? I was really awkward back then."

Kyouko nodded, her smile gentle, eyes distant with memory.

"But slowly..." Haruki continued, "our relationship..."

He paused, searching for the right words.

"It grew... step by step."

"We started getting close. Opening up."

"We began to understand each other—bit by bit."

"From our loneliness..."

"...we started sharing our time."

He looked at her with quiet fondness.

"Until the day we crossed that line."

"I never regretted it, Kyouko. Not even once."

"Honestly... that was the day I realized I’d found the perfect girl for me."

Kyouko’s cheeks flushed lightly.

She gave his arm a soft slap. "Don’t talk about that out loud..."

Haruki chuckled, eyes twinkling. He leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. freewebnσvel.cøm

"Now you’re pregnant with our child..."

"I can’t wait to make it official."

Kyouko shook her head slowly, the smile never leaving her face.

"Just wait..." she said softly. "You know I have the waiting period."

"Mm... I’ll wait. Don’t worry, Kyouko," Haruki murmured, his hand gently tightening over her shoulder.

"I’ll wait."

"But after that—" he leaned in a little, voice low, lips near her ear.

"There’ll be no way for you to say no to me."

Kyouko chuckled softly, tilting her head with a playful smile.

"Yes, yes... I know, Haruki. Don’t worry, I won’t."

She looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"But... are you really sure?"

Haruki blinked. "Sure about what?"

"Are you sure you want this old lady?"

She gave a little pout—exaggerated, teasing. "Hmm?"

Haruki sighed.

"I keep telling you, Kyouko..."

"You’re beautiful. You look younger than girls half your age."

"For me, that’s enough."

His voice softened further.

"But not just that... Your smile. Your grace. The way you speak. The way you care."

Kyouko narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone sweet but mischievous.

"And my body?"

She leaned a little closer, just enough to make him swallow.

Haruki glanced around—then leaned in quickly and kissed her cheek.

She gasped, flustered.

"Hey~ Not in public!"

He laughed softly, eyes shining.

"Too bad. I couldn’t help it."

"Now let’s go back to your room," Kyouko said gently. "You still need to eat."

"Mm... okay."

They turned together, walking slowly down the garden path—Haruki’s hand still resting lightly on her shoulder, Kyouko matching his pace without rushing.

As they moved, they leaned into each other slightly—smiling, whispering quietly, like lovers who’d known each other forever... yet still felt shy in the best ways.

Their soft laughter drifted on the breeze, never loud, just enough to be noticed.

Nearby, a nurse passing by paused, smiling faintly as she watched them.

Another staff member at the nurse counter elbowed her colleague and whispered.

"What a perfect couple..."

"One’s tall, handsome, quiet... and the other—short, beautiful, so graceful."

She sighed softly.

"I’m jealous~"

The other nurse giggled.

"They look like they came out of a movie."

The nurses at the counter watched as Haruki and Kyouko disappeared down the hallway, walking slowly side by side.

One of them leaned in closer, grinning.

"Since the guy’s that tall... and his wife’s that tiny..."

She smirked.

"I bet she screams when they do it."

The other nurse nearly choked on her tea.

"Don’t say that out loud!"

"What?" the first one whispered, eyes sparkling.

"You saw how clingy she was. Always sitting next to him, feeding him, holding his hand like it’s her lifeline."

"She’s elegant though... too elegant to be loud."

"Exactly," the first nurse whispered, eyes glinting.

"Those are the ones who scream the loudest when you push them deep."

They both snorted, covering their mouths in laughter as a supervisor walked by.

( End Of Chapter )

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