Perhaps, She Does

x.

Time passed by and it has been a few months since they held their church wedding. They also registered their marriage, meaning that they are married by church and law. They changed their last names and now, Fuyu and Hanahime are officially part of the Higa Household. He was reading the newspapers when he received a letter from his father. It seemed like they needed to go back to their home country. He thought about it carefully and then, he decided to ask his wife about it.

"Going back to Edo? Why? Are we invited or something?" She asked before following him to the bed. He nodded and then, he gave the letter to her. She sat beside him and read it. She gave it back to him as she smiled softly.

"Are you worried that something might happen to me, to us?" She asked and he nodded once again. She wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him a kiss on the cheeks. He smiled at her and then, he hugged her back tightly.

"I don't love him anymore, Suu. You are my husband and it means you are the one I love." She whispered while blushing faintly. He looked at her and she smiled softly, giving the assurance he needed that time. He left a kiss on her lips and her smile grew wider.

"The event will be next month. We should prepare if you want to go." He added and she nodded. They talked more about it and then, they decided on what they should buy for his father before going back to Edo. She suggested a few things and he asked her if they could buy everything together.

A month had passed and they were about to arrive in Edo. She held her fan gently and her heart started to beat fast. She was nervous. She took deep breaths while trying to calm herself. She should face her fear. Apparently, she knew that she would be able to see him. Her husband and their daughter were in the cabin and having a short nap.

"Fuyu?" She heard a familiar voice from behind and she turned to see who it was. It was the Young Master of the Aoyama Household. She greeted him as he asked her to drop her formalities. She chuckled softly as she nodded.

"It is nice to see you again, Fuyu. How have you been?" Makoto asked and she assured him that she was living well. He noticed the gold ring on her finger and he reminded herself that it might be a conflict soon. He asked her more things and she just answered him truthfully.

"Are you still running the Shinmachi?" She asked and he nodded. It seemed like the brothel would never run out of business. She asked him about Gia and she learned that she already left Shinmachi in order to get married to someone she met a long time ago.

"I'm glad that she already found her happiness. Same for me. I already found mine. How about you? When will you get married?" She asked and he just laughed it off. Marriage is not yet in his plans since he is still young. He told her that he will invite her once he decides to get married.

After a few more talks, they finally arrived at Edo. She excused herself as she would need to go back to their cabin to wake up her husband and their daughter. When she arrived there, she found them still asleep. She smiled softly and woke them up with tiny kisses. Higa was the first one to wake up and since they didn't want to disturb the Little Princess' sleep, he carried her in his arms. The crews followed them with their luggage and the former Master of the Higa Household was there to welcome them back.

"I can't believe that I have a pretty granddaughter now." Her father-in-law said and she greeted the older one. She was thankful that Higa's family accepted her and her daughter despite her past. After those years, she realized that she missed her home country.

Meanwhile, Makoto stared at nowhere while thinking deeply. He was hesitating to tell the Emperor that the woman they were looking for was finally back in Edo. The Empress just gave birth to the Crown Prince and he knew that he would acknowledge Hanahime more as the Crown Princess. The shogunate was against the Emperor's decision before that he would marry a commoner and it only eased their dissatisfaction when he married a real Princess. Makoto just went back from his reverie when his father arrived.

"Is there any problem?" Riku asked him and he shook his head. The older one just arrived from the graveyard since he visited his late ex-wife. It was her first death anniversary. He let out a sigh before going to the kitchen to know what would be their dinner for that night.

After having dinner, he decided to write a letter. He asked the helper to immediately send it to Gia. He knew that she should know about it and they should also think of ways to avoid the conflicts it would bring to the married couples. After an hour, he received a letter from her, telling him that they should meet soon. He already had a hunch why Fuyu was there. It was to attend the celebration of giving birth to the Crown Prince. She would not be there if she wasn't invited.

"Do you know who her husband is?" Gia asked when they met at a sushi restaurant. Makoto nodded and he told her that it was the Master of the Higa Household. She already expected it because he was the only one who pursued Fuyu after she left Shinmachi.

"They got married in another country and it was officiated by the church and by the law. The Emperor has no rights with her and Hanahime anymore." Makoto whispered and somehow, she felt relieved that the younger one is in safe hands now.

"It would drive him insane. You know how obsessed he is with Fuyu and Hanahime. After all, he is the biological father of the Crown Princess." She whispered back and this made them more worried. It would be bad if the Emperor would see them with the Master of the Higa Household.

On the other hand, he was carefully carrying the newborn Crown Prince in his arms. Even though he was smiling, it didn't really reach his ears. It was the only time he carried the Crown Prince. After that, he chose to be busy with his political affairs than to see his wife and his newborn child. The celebration week will be held soon and everyone in the palace is busy preparing for it. The Empress is also busy taking care of the Crown Prince and she is feeling sad that her husband couldn't even lay his eyes upon them.

"My Little Prince." She said softly while staring at her son's sleeping face. She placed a kiss on his forehead and then, she hummed a lullaby while sitting near the windows where she could see the moon.

"How's my little grandson?" The former Empress was there. She smiled faintly as the older one approached her quietly. Perhaps, she is the only one who understands here in that palace. She is also the only one who helps her whenever she is having a conflict with the Emperor.

"Tsukishiro is sleeping peacefully, Mother. He already finished his dose of milk." She mumbled and the former Empress asked her if she could carry Tsukishiro. She nodded and carefully transferred the little one to the older one's arms.

"Why don't you try running away?" The former Empress suddenly asked and she looked at her. She knew that if she ever did that, the Emperor would haunt her and their son. Whenever she was applying cosmetics on her face and she would look like the real Fuyu, it seemed like he was getting more and more obsessed over her.

"I can't, Mother. I don't want to die yet." She muttered while staring at her sleeping son. At her age, most women are happily finding their true love while she is there, suffering in the hands of a man who doesn't even love her back.