Chapter 25: Wedding anniversary

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Translator: Soafp

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[Maya PoV]

Today, I finished work early.

So, I decided to meet Naoki. After all, there's no excitement at home.

The love I received from Kazunari gave me confidence, but it didn't fill my heart.

Why is that?

When I think about it, I always arrive at one conclusion.

—This must be because the gap in my heart created by giving love to Naoki hasn't been filled.

No matter how much love I receive from Kazunari, it won't fill the gap in my heart. Only the love given by Naoki can fill that void.

When I make that assumption, everything makes sense.

Even when Kazunari holds me, I don't feel much passion. Yet, when Naoki holds me, I can't help but cry out in ecstasy.

Kazunari's love has already filled me to the brim. So, I need Naoki's love to fill the rest.

—It's okay, once I get all the love back from Naoki, this relationship will end.

With that decision made, even though I felt guilty about betraying Kazunari, I had no resistance to taking off my wedding ring and meeting Naoki.

As usual, Naoki and I embraced in our natural state. The only difference was that Naoki suggested:

“Today, I want to do it without protection. Is that okay?”

Why didn't I refuse that proposal? Common sense would dictate that if I got pregnant, Naoki wouldn't take responsibility.

At that moment, I must have thought:

—This will fill all the gaps in my heart.

It was a foolish woman's misunderstanding.

After making love with Naoki and leaving the hotel separately at staggered times, it was already past midnight.

It was then that I noticed numerous messages from Kazunari.

—I told him I'd be late and not to worry, so why is he messaging me so frequently? How annoying.

With my mind still lingering in the aftermath of my time with Naoki, it took only a few seconds of reading Kazunari's messages for an overwhelming sense of guilt to wash over me.

“I'd like you to come home before our anniversary ends. I want to celebrate it together.”

I had completely forgotten. Completely.

In my panic, I felt it was a waste of time to go to the station, so I hailed a taxi and rushed home as fast as possible.

What should I do?

I'm sorry.

There's no excuse for forgetting such an important day.

What have I done?

What should I do?

I'm sorry.

Please forgive me.

Without any idea of how to apologize, I arrived home to find all the lights off. The clock was approaching 1 a.m.

Kazunari must have gone to bed, alone, feeling lonely.

I unlocked the door in the pitch darkness, entered the house, and turned on the living room light. Seeing the untouched meal on the table, I felt such remorse that I sank to the floor. That's when I noticed something discarded in the trash bin.

A decorated gift box.

I opened it and found a letter inside.

“Thank you for marrying me. I love you.”

Words I had heard from Kazunari countless times. But the words that followed made me weep silently.

“If you feel the same, that's all I need.”

“I-I'm s-sorry… I'm s-sorry… Kazunari, Kazunari…”

I had received so much love from him, yet I had given nothing in return.

How can a fool like me make amends?

What a sinful thing I have done…