Episode 2: You're The Inspiration

Monday. Morning. June 22nd.

Nasa checks the time on his phone with one eye while looking at Tsukasa with the other eye.

Nasa: (Got a good two hours in. I hope she gets up before I have to go... I wish I could just stay here and talk to her...)

After a moment, Tsukasa rubs her eyes, stretches, and opens her eyes. She then sits up sloppily, feels her messy hair, and looks at her two blankets.

Tsu: (Where'd that come from? Why is the house so quiet? I need some air)

She unbuttons her top button.

Nasa: (Is she stripping?) Hey!

She covers the top of her chest and looks at him with tired confusion.

Tsu: Oh! That's right. Sorry. I'll get changed in the bathroom.

She gets up and takes her personal bag out of the room.

Nasa: (I bet she didn't know where she was. So cute!)

The two go through their morning routines and meet in the kitchen. Tsukasa sets her bag down against the wall.

Tsu: What do you eat for breakfast?

Nasa: Well, I don't really care about taste that much. So, I usually just put together all of the food types and spices I need in a day in a bowl and eat that twice a day.

Tsu: … (Doesn't care about taste? We'll see) Let me see what you have.

She looks through the fridge, freezer, and drawers before smiling.

Tsu: Sit back. I have a special idea brewing.

Nasa watches as Tsukasa cooks and she blushes.

Tsu: You like watching me, don't you?

Nasa: Sorry. I just-

Tsu: I don't mind. As long as it's you.

He blushes and smiles before tidying up the bedroom. They soon start eating some tamaguyaki and some miso soup.

Nasa: Mmm. Oishi Desu!

Tsu: (I knew it) Domo arigatou gozaimasu... Listen. I'm sorry about our fight yesterday. That isn't any way to start a good marriage.

Nasa: We fought yesterday?

Tsu: Yes. About where to sleep.

Nasa: … If that's how we fight, we'll stay together forever.

Tsu: (He isn't mad. He didn't even notice)

She smiles. After breakfast, the two walk outside with the store bags and Tsukasa's personal bag and they head through the streets.

Tsu: Sorry about stealing your blanket last night. You can steal it back if that happens again.

Nasa: Did you sleep well?

Tsu: Um. Yes, I did.

Nasa: Then, don't worry about it.

She rubs her left shoulder.

Tsu: (Why does he have to be so nice?)

Nasa: Is your arm okay?

Tsu: Hm? Oh. Yes. I had to wear a sling for a while, but I'm alright. How's your head?

Nasa: I healed up quickly. Not a scratch on me. But, that was really stupid of me, wasn't it? I know better than to run in the street like that.

Tsu: At least you were confident. I might not have proposed if you weren't.

They both smile.

Nasa: May I hold your hand again?

Tsu: Darling, you don't have to ask for that.

He takes hold of her hand and they both blush.

Nasa: I should think of something to call you too... How about “Tsu-i-ti?” Like the English “Sweetie.”

Tsu: … “Tsukasa” is fine.

They soon come across a well-maintained bathhouse. In front of it, a young, light-blue haired girl with blue eyes sweeps outside.

Kaname: Hey, Nasa!

Nasa: Hey, Kaname!

Kaname: Got yourself a girlfriend? Don't tell Aya! Who knows what that would do to her?

Nasa: Actually, you're looking at the new miss Tsukasa Yuzaki.

Tsu: It's nice to meet you.

Kaname: … Don't tell me a guy like you just went out and got married like that since yesterday. You wouldn't-

Tsu: He did.

Kaname: … Ooh. I see. She's a pretty good lay, isn't she?

Nasa: Kaname! It isn't like that!

Kaname: Yeah, 'cause you're just an innocent little schoolboy, right? I know who you are at heart, stud. Get some! Just, don't leave out Aya forever.

Nasa: We wouldn't do that!

Kaname: Why not? More women. More fun!

Nasa: 'Cause, This Is Love!

He blushes and looks at Tsukasa to see that she's blushing too.

Kaname: Alright. Put up that wall, but I'll get it down eventually! Anyway, you here to get naked and wet?

Tsu: We're here to bathe, yes.

Kaname: Well, lucky for you two, we just put out our new promotion where newlyweds get a free bath.

Nasa: When did you put that one out?

Kaname: Today! So, go clean those filthy spots of yours!

The two walk inside.

Nasa: Sorry about her. I think she's a little too into soap operas, or something.

Tsu: I think it's fun. It makes her unique. Plus, I get to see you getting flustered over me.

He blushes.

Nasa: I don't want rumors being spread about you.

She smiles.

Tsu: … See you soon, darling.

She takes all of her bags into the women's side and Nasa walks into the men's side. After leaving his clothes in a locker and walking into the empty bathing room, Nasa steps into the large and warm bath.

Nasa: (… Such a nice feeling... I wonder if Tsukasa's naked right now. If what I can see is that beautiful... If only this were a bathhouse hentai. I could just walk in there and... I shouldn't think like that. I can't rush anything with her. I want her to be comfortable. I want to go at her pace. I can't push her like that. I need to control myself... Why did I say that it was love out loud? Why did I fall for her so quickly?... Who am I kidding? She's perfect. I just hope she's falling for me too)

Meanwhile, Tsukasa sits in a large bath with a woman who has long, light-blue hair and blue eyes.

Tsu: What was your name?

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Aya: It's Aya Arisugawa. And, you are?

Tsu: I'm Tsukasa...

Aya: “Tsukasa” what?

Tsu: Um. Tsukasa Yuzaki.

Aya: Oh! You must be related to Nasa.

Tsu: Yeah... He comes here all the time, right?

Aya: I don't know about all the time. He just comes here once a day since he moved here last year.

Tsu: … Right...

Aya: He should work here instead. Hm hm hmm.

Tsu: … Why's that?

Aya: He's great with money numbers and tech stuff. We wouldn't be around without him.

Tsu: Really?

Aya: Yes.

Tsu: … What did he do for you?

Aya: Well, we were really bad with numbers and business and our tech was really outdated and mom was... Distracted. So, Nasa came in one day and just fixed it all and made sure we understood it. He's really magic.

Aya touches her cheeks as she thinks of Nasa.

Tsu: (Nasa really did all that? Did I marry a genius?... Then, why's he in such a small apartment?) You must've paid him pretty well for that.

Aya: We sure wanted to, but he just wouldn't have it. We had to settle for taking him out to dinner. Kaname was so certain that he wanted to... Well, date the two of us, but we never went out again.

Aya pouts.

Tsu: (Smart. Humble. Nice. Considerate... How can I be good enough for that?)

Tsukasa's face becomes emotionless. Once done, the three of them meet in the lobby.

Nasa: Hey, Aya.

Aya: Hey! You have a nice cousin, Nasa!

Nasa: She's not my cousin. She's my... (Crap. She has a crush on me, doesn't she? That's the same look Tsukasa gives me. This'll break her heart, but...) My wife.

The light drains from Aya's eyes.

Aya: Oh. A-Alright.

Nasa: I-

Her eyes start watering.

Aya: Excuse me!

Aya quickly walks away while covering her mouth.

Tsu: Is she okay?

Nasa: She will be. Let's get you home.

The two walk outside.

Kaname: You ready to get to work?

Nasa: I'm headed that way.

Kaname: See you there, stud!

Nasa: See you.

They walk away.

Tsu: So, you see these two everyday?

Nasa: You don't have to be jealous of them.

Tsu: Why not? You know them a lot better than me. Maybe you should've married one of them.

Nasa: Kaname is too young and too immature. Aya is... Well... I need someone with a good head on her shoulders, and that's something you have that she doesn't.

Tsukasa rubs her left shoulder.

Nasa: (Why can't she feel better about this?)

They silently walk back to the apartment building. Nasa then hands Tsukasa his apartment's key.

Nasa: I'm going to work. I should be back around 4 or 5 PM, whether or not I get out early.

Tsu: Is this your only key?

Nasa: Yes. I trust you. See you.

Tsu: S-See you.

As Nasa walks away and Tsukasa goes into the apartment, Aya's mother comforts her at their dinner table with a hand on her shoulder. Aya looks at her with tears streaming from her eyes.

Aya: How dumb am I? Why didn't I see that he didn't like me sooner? Why did I waste so much time lusting after him?... Maybe next time I should just confess my feelings and get married already.

Her mother grabs her other shoulder and speaks both seriously and quietly.

Mimi: Have I taught you nothing? Your father was the first man I ever had a crush on and he left me the moment a younger woman showed up. Never forget that.

Tears well up in Mimi's eyes.

Mimi: Please, just look for the right man. A good man who really loves you.

Aya wipes some tears off of her own face.

Aya: Alright. I-I'll keep searching if you quit drinking every night.

Mimi closes her eyes, puts her hands over them, and cries harshly as Aya touches her shoulders. Meanwhile, Tsukasa paces around the small apartment.

Tsu: (I should've acted more positive earlier. It doesn't matter if I'm not feeling up to it. I need to be the perfect wife. I can't go back. I'm free here. I'm... I need to do something useful. Something calm. I'll just clean up everything)

She looks all around.

Tsu: (Impossible. It's spotless. My Nasa's neat and tidy too? At this rate, I'll never be good enough for him...)

While looking under things, she finds a laptop under the bed and pulls it out.

Tsu: (Well, at least I can look stuff up until he eventually rejects me)

She sits at the table, puts the laptop on it, and opens it up. As it turns on, she blushes very brightly and closes it halfway.

Tsu: (Was that... Hentai?)

She slowly opens it back up and somehow blushes harder.

Tsu: (Oh! It is...) *Coughs*

She looks away and then slowly looks back.

Tsu: (I... I wonder what he... Likes)

She looks at his previous search terms and covers her mouth.

Tsu: (Red hair. Long hair. Red eyes. Slim... Bangs... Was he looking for art that looked like me?... How should that... Make me feel?)

She bites her lip and moves her left hand to her stomach as her fingers twitch around. She then turns her attention to her hand and moves it onto the table.

Tsu: (What am I thinking? I need to save myself for him now that we're this close, whenever he's ready for it... In the meantime, I can clean up this laptop)

She closes a few tabs and opens up his search history. Hours later, Nasa is sitting at a nice desk in an office building. As the occasional bit of work pops up on his screen, he quickly deals with it and goes back to doing little else.

Nasa: (I wonder what she's up to right now. Probably just sitting around, being beautiful) *Sigh* (I wish I could-WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK!!!... I hope that little space isn't too boring for her. Maybe she's taking a walk right now...)

He rubs his fingers.

Nasa: (… Maybe that could prove my love for her. Set her mind at ease)

Nasa puts his work on the right half of the screen as he looks up wedding rings on the left half. Kaname walks up to him and looks at his screen.

Kaname: Looking to spice things up already, huh? Well, I know she's not the boring one!

Nasa: Kaname-

Kaname: Yeah, yeah. I know you're really a virgin loser at heart.

Nasa looks annoyed.

Nasa: … You can go now.

Kaname: Jeez. I was just kidding... Fine, dweeb.

She walks away.

Nasa: (Loser. Loser. Loser) *Sigh* (Tsukasa will love this. But, which one?... Loser)

Even later in the day, Tsukasa cooks dinner as she waits in the kitchen.

Tsu: (Where is he? He said 5 at the latest, right? Maybe he just got caught up at work. That happens sometimes, right?... Maybe he wants to earn more money for me. What if I make him overexert himself?) *Heavy breaths*

She lays the food and drinks out on the table.

Tsu: (It'll be fine. It'll probably be fine. I can just eat the food that He earned by Myself. Prove that I'm lazy And gluttonous)

A knock comes from the door.

Tsu: (He's here! Just in time)

She lets Nasa inside.

Tsu: It's good to see you, darling!

Nasa: Good to see you, too. Sorry I'm late. I was out looking for something.

He takes off his shoes.

Tsu: Did you find it?

Nasa: I sure did.

Tsu: Good. Well, I made dinner for us, and-

She turns towards the table.

Nasa: Tsukasa?

As she turns to him, Nasa pulls a ring box out of his pocket.

Tsu: No. You...

He opens it up, revealing a well-designed diamond ring. As Tsukasa stares at it in shock, he takes the ring and slips it around her finger before putting his own on. She then turns her head away from him as she stares at the ring and he puts a hand on her right shoulder.

Nasa: Let me see that smile.

She slowly turns to look at him with tears streaming down her face before she buries her eyes in his right shoulder.

Tsu: Th-Tha-Thank you.

With a wet shoulder and a smile, Nasa embraces her with both arms. After the lights are turned off that night, Nasa lays in bed as Tsukasa sits up on her futon and stares at her ring with an odd expression.

Nasa: Everything okay?

She smiles.

Tsu: Yeah. I'm just thinking about my ring and how beautiful it is...

She frowns as tears well up in her eyes.

Tsu: And, how I don't deserve it!

She lets her tears flow out once more and Nasa gets up, sits with her, and holds her shoulders.

Nasa: You d-

Tsu: No! You don't understand! I... I ran...

Nasa: What is it?

She looks at his concerned face.

Tsu: M-My parents wanted me to marry this guy. They wanted me to s-sleep with him first to “Determine c-compatibility.” I n-needed a way out, so I... So, I ran to you! I'm such a horrible person. You should just divorce me and throw me on the streets!

Nasa: I'm not doing that.

Tsu: Th-Then, take the ring back! I don't deserve it.

Nasa: Tsukasa!

He makes sure that she's looking at him.

Nasa: … The first time I saw you, my whole life's priorities flew out of the window. I thought I knew what I wanted, and you proved me wrong. When you saved me, you were so heroic I... I fell in love with you. When you left, I had no idea what to do anymore. Getting this job, making friends, making money, it all meant nothing to me until you came back. You're the meaning in my life, so never tell yourself that you're not worth all of the money I can spend on you.

Tsu: B-But, I lied about why I married you. I don't deserve you.

Nasa: … Do you care about me?

Tsu: Y-Yes. A lot.

Nasa: If we both care for each-other and want each-other, then who cares if we deserve each-other? Because, I sure don't deserve you either.

The two stare at one-another and just breathe for a few moments. Nasa then holds the sides of Tsukasa's face, the two close their eyes, and he kisses her sweet lips for 20 seconds before pulling away. After some more staring, they hug each-other. Later in the night, during Tsukasa's sleep walk, she falls onto Nasa's bed face-down, waking him up.

Nasa: (What? What's she doing here?... Does she want to cuddle?)

He reaches for her and she rolls off of the bed and unto the floor while staying asleep.

Nasa: (Or not... I wonder if I should help her...)

Once Tsukasa calms down, Nasa moves her back under her covers and goes back to bed.