1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 30

A/N: Welcome to Chapter 30! Yes, I didn't post last Friday because I was busy.

~

'What's this little secret of yours?'

She wordlessly shot him an impish grin and dragged him into the kitchen. Displayed on the kitchen was a large mixing bowl surrounded by an assortment of fruits. She took a knife and the chopping board from where it had been drying on the rack, and handed both items to him.

'Cut everything up,' she ordered.

He cut everything up, still clueless as to what she wanted to make. Fruit salad? As he dropped the fruits into the bowl, she emptied two cans of Sprite into it, popped in some ice cubes and stirred in two large dollops of honey.

'Hey!' he exclaimed when she bumped her hip into his.

She ignored him and childishly bumped him again, the brightest of grins on her face.

'I'm holding the knife!' he protested.

Another bump.

'Hana,' he uttered lowly, his fingers gripped tightly around the handle.

'What, somebody doesn't want to play?' she teased with a chuckle.

'Alright, that's it,' he muttered as the knife clattered onto the chopping board.

In one motion, he had swooped her into the air with his hands on her waist. Squeals left her lips as her hands flew to his shoulders to steady herself. Her long hair fell over his face and tickled his cheeks.

'Put me down,' she said with a pout when the adrenaline of being raised up high faded.

'Not going to happen.' He sat her on the island.

Now they were face to face and her dark eyes kept flicking to his grey-blue ones. She raised her brows and pursed her lips, and suddenly, he found that she had clamped his cheeks in her hands and were giving them a good squeeze.

'You're the cutest!' she gushed.

His heart did a little leap and he stopped himself from convulsing with laughter. She sure had her ways to dispel what tension that had grown between them, didn't she? He let out a sigh and stared back at her mutely.

She tilted her head.

'That didn't work? No?' She bumped her forehead against his. 'I'm sorry,' she pleaded. 'I'll never bump you again, I promise. Not when you're holding a knife. Okay?'

With her face so close to his, he could see every eyelash that framed her eyes and every speck in them. When his gaze travelled a little lower, he could see the creases in her lips and the adorable moles on her face. In one small move he would have her mouth beneath his but instead, he shook his head and said in his sternest voice, 'And?'

She let out a huff.

'And I'll never bully you? And, hmm, Happy Birthday?'

A bout of laughter left him as he carried her down but his hands remained on her waist.

'Does the birthday boy get birthday kisses?' he asked with a sly grin.

She smacked his arm away and stepped out of his embrace.

'I'll give you birthday noogies,' she said as she returned to her spot at the island.

'I want twenty-two.'

'You'll be bald after that. Come on,' she urged. 'We've got a Sangria to make.'

He went back to his board obediently.