A Love I Shouldn't Feel-Chapter 55: Hidden Fires ( )

Kyouko stood by the stove, humming softly to herself as the gentle aroma of soy, miso, and ginger filled the kitchen.

She was cooking.

Not because anyone told her to.

But because she knew Haruki would be back soon... and he'd probably be hungry.

She stirred the pot slowly, her gaze flickering toward the doorway every now and then.

He didn't have to ask for anything.

She already knew what he liked. What made his eyes soften and his shoulders relax after a long day.

He never really told her.

But after living together for months,nearly a year now. Kyouko had learned to read him.

The way his chopsticks lingered a little longer over certain dishes. The way he always refilled his rice when she cooked it a certain way.

She knew.

Her smile faded slowly as her thoughts drifted.

What will happen to me... if he and Satomi decide to move out?

The question pressed against her chest like a quiet ache.

Will I feel lonely?

Of course she would.

It wasn't just about someone being in the house.

It was about him.

The warmth in his gaze.

The way he touched her.

Held her.

The way he made her feel things she never knew her body could feel.

After all...

They had already crossed the line.

Again. And again.

There was no going back now.

Not after Haruki had taken her body and showed her what it meant to truly surrender.

Not after he made her climax so hard she couldn't even remember her name.

And not after she started needing him. Not just in her bed, but in her life.

Kyouko stirred the simmering pot slowly, but her mind was far from the kitchen.

She knew it now, her body had already betrayed her.

After having sex with Haruki...

After reaching climax after climax,feeling her body tighten, stretch, and unravel beneath him.

After knowing a kind of pleasure she never once felt during her over twenty years of marriage.

There was no going back.

The way he touched her.

The way he moved inside her.

The way his voice, his breath, his strength made her lose all sense of self...

It had changed her.

She had tried to be good.

Tried to stay loyal.

Even when her husband stopped caring about her body, stopped touching her, stopped asking, stopped trying.

She endured.

For years, she held back the need.

Smiled through the emptiness.

Told herself it didn't matter.

But now... now she knew.

She could never forget the way Haruki made her feel.

And worse. She didn't want to.

She glanced at the clock.

Still early.

Her husband and Satomi were both hopeless workaholics.

They wouldn't be home until late, well after nightfall.

She knew their rhythm. Their patterns.

Even when they called, they rarely looked at the time.

But Haruki...

He always came home when he said he would.

I wonder how he'll be when he walks in today...

Food?

Bath?

Or... sex first?

Kyouko smiled to herself.

Well... whatever comes first.

She knew Haruki wasn't the type to say it outright.

He wouldn't just walk through the door and say, "Hey, let's have sex."

No.

He would wrap his arms around her from behind.

Whisper something teasing.

Kiss her neck softly.

Let his hands slide down her hips without a word.

That was Haruki.

And she... she liked waiting for him.

She liked standing at the front door with a soft smile, like a wife welcoming her beloved home.

She had done that for years, for a man who never looked.

But Haruki...

He noticed.

And that made all the difference.

Kyouko smiled faintly, a soft curve of her lips touched with both pride and irony.

All these years—

The skincare routines.

The vitamins and beauty supplements.

The quiet morning stretches.

The healthy meals she carefully prepared, not just for her family but for herself.

She did it all from the day Satomi was born.

To stay beautiful.

To stay desirable.

To stay... seen.

All for one man...her husband.

And he never looked.

No compliments.

No warm gaze.

No desire.

But now.

Now those efforts were enjoyed.

By someone whose eyes burned every time he looked at her.

By someone who devoured her not just with lust, but with a hunger that left her trembling.

Body and soul, he claimed her.

He didn't ask..he took.

And she... she let him.

She let him push her to the edge.

She let him take her apart, again and again, until she had no words left, only moans and gasps and his name on her lips.

And she had no regrets.

Kyouko heard the soft hum of the engine outside, her car, the one she told Haruki to use.

She reached for the remote and clicked it, unlocking the gate.

But before she stepped out, she paused in front of the hallway mirror.

She smoothed the fabric of the dress.

The dress he bought her.

The one he said.

"You can wear it when we have sex."

Kyouko shook her head softly, a gentle laugh escaping her lips.

It's like I'm the one who wants it now.

And maybe she was.

Because she knew, if she asked for it, even without saying it directly. Haruki would never reject her.

Not like her husband did.

She stepped to the door and opened it slowly, standing just outside as the car rolled in and parked smoothly in the driveway.

The late afternoon light danced across her silhouette, catching the soft shimmer of the dress.

She didn't know why, but she smiled.

Not forced. Not polite.

Just a pure, gentle smile.

For him.

Haruki stepped out of the car, his tie loosened, a folder and bag in hand.

He saw her, and froze for a moment.

She stood there in that dress, quiet and beautiful in the soft light.

The dress he chose.

The one she swore was too expensive.

And now she wore it.

For him.

He looked around once, just to make sure no one was watching, then walked toward her, his heart beating faster.

She spoke first, her voice soft and full of warmth.

"Welcome home, Haruki."

Haruki leaned in, lowering his voice just enough so that only she could hear.

"I'm home, darling~"

Kyouko reached for his bag, gently taking it from his hand as Haruki loosened his necktie and set the thick project file down on the side table near the door.

With one hand, she pressed the remote to lock the gate, and with the other, she quietly shut the front door behind them.

Click.

She turned the lock.

And in the instant the door closed.

Haruki rushed forward.

He kissed her,no hesitation, no words, a kiss full of hunger and heat, like he'd been holding back all day.

Kyouko gasped softly, startled.

Her hands gripped the fabric of his shirt, and she returned the kiss.

She didn't stop him.

Didn't resist.

She let his hands roam over her body. Over the dress he chose for her, the body he had already seen, already touched, already claimed.

After all...

They had already crossed the line.

They had already had sex, again and again..

And with each time, their connection only deepened.

They didn't just enjoy each other's bodies..

They loved it.

Needed it.

Craved the moments only they could give.

( End Of Chapter )