As Dan lied on bed with his wife, he kept staring at her as her eyelashes flutter as she tried to get some sleep. Earlier that night, she nursed Dmitri and put him to sleep. She was clearly tired.

Yet, he was restless and could not help but ruin her almost achieved sleep.

"Darling." His melodic voice rang in her ears.

"Hmmn?" She raised a brow but did not open her eyes.

"Your birthday is fast approaching. What do you want as a gift?"

She frowned and turned her back on him without opening her eyes. It was not a good enough reason to disrupt the sleep she was trying to get.

"Hey! Darling..." his arm slithered along her waist. "If you don't tell me, all you'll ever get is me." He chuckled with mischievous eyes.

She turned to face him with a glare. "Dmitri is not even a year old. Don't be ridiculous!" She gently hit his shoulder.

He laughed heartily. "Hey, they said that breastfeeding is a form of contraception. Don't you wanna prove it?"

Her brows furrowed deeper. She could remember the doctor telling her this information just before they left the hospital after she gave birth.

"I think you have gathered enough proof of the trustworthiness of the information in MXZ island." She maintained the furrowed brows but a smile was evident on her lips.

He laughed even more as he pulled her closer into his embrace.

Midori was afflicted with his contagious laugh and chuckled. Her husband was flashing his toothpaste commercial smile. It was still amazing.

She could not help but stare at his gorgeous face. Too bad for most people, he keeps this smile when he is at work.

"Darling..." she called out softly as she looked up to look him in the eyes.

"Hmmn?" He caresssed her face and brushed off some stray hair near her eyes with his fingers.

She suddenly moved her head to give his lips a peck.

He chuckled. His wife continued to play him like this even after they had Dmitri.

"Can I have another one?" he teased.

"Go to sleep." She turned her back to him and wrapped herself with the blanket.

Dan pulled onto the blanket until he could wrap his arms around her waist and hips.

___________________

Takagi Ryuuji was walking along a path surrounded by cherry trees. It was the season that their blossoms are in full bloom.

He could still remember walking with Midori that spring before they graduated.

As he pondered on his memories, a blossom fell before him, gently swaying in its natural motility, before it landed on his then stretched out palm.

She loved cherry blossoms. She even treated him to sakura mochi.

That was when she revealed that it was her birthday.

She had a rather lonely expression with her declaration.

Later on, he learned that it was on her birthday that her ex-boyfriend cheated on her.

From then on, his yearning to be with her grew, promising himself that if this girl ever gives him a chance, he will give his all to make her happy.

He stared at the flower on his palm as he reminisced their times of being together.

He still could not get why she had to get back together with the man who hurt her.

He closed his palm ever so gently, as if he wanted to protect the flower without crushing it.

It was similar to how he felt for Midori. He wanted to protect her, keep her close, but he never intended to imprison her in his grasp.

He looked up at the majestic cherry tree with abundant leaves fluttering and flying about, making nature's confetti.

He sighed as he remembered his conversation with the doctor earlier.

Then he opened his palm to see the blossom again.

He smiled as he figured out what he will give Midori for her birthday.