Chapter 227 - Their Eyes

"Big Brother, stop sulking already okay? She doesn't mean you any harm. It was just her, being blunt," Suzuki Ara consoled Aki as she poked his cheek.

The three of them, Ara, Chiaki, and Aki sat in the latter's car on the way to Chiaki's place. The secretary lived outside of Tokyo, and so it would take a while before they arrived.

Asou Chiaki lived in Yokohama, which was basically the second largest city in Japan, and only thirty minutes from Tokyo by train. For other people, living there was much better than in the capital since the ambiance was the total opposite of what one would expect from a metropolitan. A dichotomy to the hustle and bustle in Tokyo, Yokohama had a reputation for being a relaxing city – mostly for its coastal scenery.

After meeting with Maki Yuuka, Aki had been incensed by the woman's blunt talk with his manly pride getting hit several times. Basically, the woman had seen through the older Suzuki's uncertainty with his relationship with Chiaki and had poured some advice on his face.

"Are you sure you're really together?"   Maki Yuuka had asked Chiaki earlier.

This made the secretary and Ara look at Aki at the same time, while Aki stared at Chiaki for a while, studying her face before answering.

"Of course. Why did you even ask?" he said impatiently. "Just so you know, regardless of reasons, I won't take another woman for a wife. If you're still hung up on the engagement, you better change your thinking."

Ara nearly rolled her eyes heavenwards that time, thinking how rude her brother was becoming. Yuuka had already declared she was not interested in Aki romantically so she found Aki's words a bit hurtful for the other woman whom she had wanted to insult just earlier before getting to know her too.

But Aki didn't know that, so it was also understandable he was this defensive. Then again, knowing the other woman, she wouldn't mind the barbs and continue to speak her mind.

"I asked because you're the most awkward looking couple I've ever seen in my life," Maki Yuuka answered bluntly, nearly making the 'couple' choke in their surprise. "I mean, you've been here a while," she continued as she pointed at Aki. "But you've never even kissed."

"Why would you even want to see us kiss?" Aki sputtered and Chiaki turned scarlet. "We like our privacy."

Maki Yuuka seemed to be startled with his reply and decided to change her words, thinking she had offended them but it was still the same. "I mean for an engaged couple, you seem to try your best not to brush against each other – as you avoid it even if you're sitting next to each other."

Ara's eyes lit up at Yuuka's observation. The girl had sharp eyes – and senses it seemed.

"Oh, maybe they're just so shy. They work together after all and had to avoid bringing personal matters to the office," Ara bluffed for her brother and Chiaki.

Even if she's having a great time seeing the two of them grilled on the spot like this, today was neither the time nor place for it. After all, Aki and Chiaki never discussed being in a pretend relationship before and might mess up their stories.

Ara was fine with Yuuka now, but the matter with her family – the rest of the Makis was not yet solved. Based on how the other girl mourned for her future loveless marriage, it seemed her parents were anything but warm and trustworthy. She might have let go of the engagement, but her parents who made the deal with Daizo might not be the same.

Blood would spill, or so the saying went.

Although there's nothing legally binding that the Makis could use against her brother, they could still create trouble – like how Daizo initiated hassle and harassment against Aki when their parents died.

Maki Yuuka had a bigmouth. She seemed fine but she couldn't keep secrets, so they couldn't let her know that the engagement between Aki and Chiaki was not real – at least for now.

Or while it was still not real.

Ara would still try her best to make it so. It was why she met with Chiaki in the first place.

"Ah, you have a point," Maki Yuuka nodded, seeming to accept Ara's explanation. "You're so good at keeping your personal feelings at bay even off work. If it weren't for your eyes, I'd think you just made your engagement up to get rid of me."

"Ha?"

Three pairs of eyes nearly popped out of their sockets upon hearing this. Yuuka's instinct was just too sharp!

But Ara was more interested in the latter part of what she said.

"What about their eyes?" she asked lightly, but her senses were keen on finding out about it.

"Well, this is just my opinion okay?"Yuuka began, and all three nodded and were all ears, waiting for her to explain. "To me, even if they seem to consciously avoid physical contact, their eyes seem to always seek each other."

"What do you mean?" Aki asked dubiously, although Ara and Chiaki already understood what the woman meant.

"I mean when you think the other is not looking, you guys steal glances at each other like high school kids steal glances at their crush. It's sweet but weird."

Ara never had to fight herself from keeping her laughter bottled up within until that time. Maki Yuuka just described the two's love story perfectly.  

So now, her brother's still sulking after being told he's like a high school crushing on someone – that and the other comment where Yuuka said he's whipped was making him moody.

"Blunt? Oh you mean she meant all those insults so I should be happy?"Aki complained, making Ara roll her eyes heavenwards, before throwing a look that asked for help at Chiaki.

Asou had been quiet the whole twenty minutes they were in the car, busy with her own thoughts. But when Ara threw her a look, she quickly cleared her throat and spoke to Aki. But since she's not prepared, she just said whatever came to her mind.

"Stop being petty. What's wrong about being like a high school student with a crush? If you dislike me looking at you just say so."

Huh?

Both Aki and Ara stared at Chiaki with astonished looks before the older Suzuki's eyes grew big with hope.

"No, I don't dislike you looking at me. In fact, I quite like it…"