Next morning, Kirito and Vivian sat at the dining table. His phone buzzed with Erika's messages.

'Kirito, you're late! Why aren't you here yet?!'
He looked at his phone and kept it aside while continuing to eat the bowl of noodles. Vivian sat in front of him- gazing at him eat and talking to him.

"Mom wanted me to be your 'perfect' bride. I was taught all household chores, I used to clean our house everyday and cook for everyone-- even from the less or missing ingredients. They didn't wanted you to complain after we marry.

But I thought-- you'd love me unconditionally, even if I couldn't do all that. I wouldn't work a day and at that time I thought my mother was stupid. But I stupid haha. A human should work."

He drunk the soup and kept the empty bowl aside. He cleaned his mouth with a cloth.

"I come from a very poor family from a small, remote village in Germany-- so I don't know anything about the way you dress up here. Can you teach me?"

He looked into his phone and started texting. Then he looked at Vivian and said "What all can you cook?"
"Anything you want me to." Vivian smiled.

'So, you didn't even listen.'

"Can you cook French cuisine too?" He asked.
"I can. What do you want to eat?".
"I wanna ea--"

Suddenly, his phone started ringing. He picked it up immediately and went out of the room into the balcony.
"Why aren't you here yet?! I'm standing here for so long!" Erika shouted at him. She seemed quite vexed.

"Sorry, I'll be right there." He hung up and turned towards Vivian.
"I'll come back late tonight. Don't prepare my dinner" He picked up his cost and walked towards the door.
"Isn't it your off from work today?" She followed him till the door "I thought we could--"

"Clean up." He slammed the door at her face. She just stood at the door, scared to open it again. She walked towards the sliding door and looked down the balcony.

Kirito walked to his car while talking on his phone. She waved at him but he seemed too engaged into his phone and didn't look at her. She watched his car go. Then, she moved back to the table and picked up the bowl.

'Why do you feel colder everyday? And who is that person you talk to? Are you doing what they call cheating?'

She paused but then shook her head "Kirito could be cold and mean but not a cheater! I shouldn't doubt his character. Forget it. What should I cook for dinner? I guess, I'll make something French!"

Vivian was ready for an intense round of grocery shopping when she realised that she had no money in her pockets. She called Kirito but he didn't answer. So, she reached out to her father-in-law.

"You want money?" Mr. Hiomi asked as he smoked a pipe while standing at the balcony of his house.
"Yes, dad." Vivian smiled.

He was surprised she came all the way to their house on feet just to ask for money. It must have been something urgent and also might be a huge sum of it. He asked her why she needed it.

"I need to get some groceries." She replied.
"Just that? Why don't you ask that from Kirito?"
"He's not here."
"Not here? Isn't it his off today?"
"He said he has some work"
"Work?"

'Why don't I know of it? Why would he lie to her?'

"Hurry up, dad! I need to cook dinner too!"
Mr Hiomi decided not to bring this matter up to Vivian. Not now, not ever. But then, he realised something and asked:
"Why are you cooking? Where's the housekeeper?"

"I want to cook for Kirito myself!" Vivian pressed her fist over her chest and puffed it up with pride.
"How romantic." Mr. Hiomi chuckled as he took out his wallet and produced a card.

"Here. You'll get tired of shopping but this card won't give up on you." He handed the card to Vivian.
"You mean I can buy whatever I want with this thing?"
"Do you know how to use it?"
"Just give it to the shopkeeper?"

"Dad, I need money." Aoi entered his room and stood before him.
"Earn it." Mr Hiomi smiled.
"What the--Just give it, dad."
"Go shopping with Vivian. She'll give you your pocket money"
"No thanks,"
"Then, you can leave."

"My money?"
Mr Hiomi smiled at him. Aoi knew what he trying to say but decided to stay firm with his decision. But that's only what he thought.

"What do you want to buy?" Aoi asked with a grumpy face as he stood beside Vivian in between the supermarket. Vivian looked at him "Do you not like me?
"Man, you're dumb-- That's why!" He slipped his hands into his hoodie pockets.

"Then, teach me." Vivian moved closer to him.
"Teach you what?" He looked into her eyes.
"Everything that needs to be learned. I want to learn everything a Japanese girl should know. Style, makeup, presentation--"
"Listen, you're fine."
"But you just said I'm dumb."
"Yeah but you mean a world to someone."

Vivian looked at him while thinking something in her head "Who is it?" She asked after a long pause.
"My brother, duh! Let's just go to the grocery sections. We'll get some vegetables. Follow me" He walked towards the escalator. Vivian followed him with her head held down.

"My brother, duh"
'If it was your brother, then I wouldn't ask that question...'

She looked up at the escalator and her face was filled with a light of enthusiasm again "Wow! The stairs are moving! Magic!" Vivian jumped on the escalator.
"It's science." Aoi looked into his phone.
"It's the same thing."
"Magic is fantasy, science is facts. How are they related?" He asked.

"And aren't facts fantasies we've discovered?" Vivian said.

He looked away from his phone.
"Even the Earth being round was a fantasy before, but it turned out to be a fact" Vivian smiled.
"You've triggered flat Earthers" Aoi smirked.
"What's that?"
"Nevermind. We're here-- Go shop" Aoi stood behind her-- staring at her picking up vegetables.

"Aren't facts fantasies we've discovered?"
'That's one beautiful way of thinking' A slight smile covered his face.
"There are no shopkeepers here? Everyone is just picking up whatever they like" Vivian asked.

"He's right there in the front counter. Get your bill made later if you don't wanna get arrested. Why didn't you get yourself a basket?" He asked.

"Where are they?" She asked.
"Wait here" He picked up a basket from the billing counter. He walked towards her and kept all the vegetables in that. "That's a lot! What all are you cooking tonight?" He asked.

"A lot of stuff. You wanna come dine with us?" She asked.
"Nah! I'd rather not disturb a newly wed couple" He crossed his fingers behind his head.

"Okay?" She picked up the basket. 
"It's heavy! Hey! Which kind of man are you-- making a woman pick such heavy stuff? Pick this up!"
"Me? Pick this?" Aoi said, bewildered.
"Why? Don't those skinny chopsticks have some masculinity in them?" She pointed at his arms.

"Now listen here you little--" He moved towards her.
"Pick this up" She glared at him.
"You're just bullying me." He made a pout and pulled the basket.

"What is this? It weighs a tonne!" He shouted and left it. The basket fell on his toes. He shouted. Three to four clerks came from different directions to help him.
"Leave it." She picked up the basket in sheer disappointment.
"Stay away!" He shouted at the clerks.
"Okay?" Vivian kept the basket on his toes again.

"Are you dumb?!" He shouted.
"... I can see clearly now."
"Pick it up!"
Now Vivian held the basket and upturned it at the billing counter.
"You could've asked the maid to get you the groceries." Aoi was still squeezing his toes to fill some life in them.

"Why? Is she stronger?" Vivian asked. He laughed and denied it.
"Then how does it matter? She's human too-- you people treat maids like superhumans who'll never get tired."
"They are paid for it."
"Money makes you forget that you're human?"
"... You just unravelled some facts."
"Really?"

"You're strong though. I didn't expect that." Aoi said as they walked back home.
"Yes! I'm just a bit lazy."
"Well, you aren't lazy. It's just other people are too active."
"You could say that too" They laughed as they walked back home. Aoi held one bag while Vivian held the other, heavier one.

Meanwhile, Kirito and Erika sat inside a car and stared ahead of them.
"Come on, don't be angry now," Kirito looked at her.
"I waited for thirty minutes!"
"I'm sorry that I was late."

She looked at his fingers. He was wearing his ring. She took it out and kept it inside the cup holder.
"As an apology, buy me a ring!"
"Fine, let's get you one" He started the car and drove her to a jewellery store.

"I've reserved a seat for us in your favourite French restaurant" She said.
"Really? How thoughtful."
"Yeah! And then let's spend the night at my place," She touched his face "It's been a while since you stopped by."
"Sure," He stopped before a jewellery store.

"Let's go in together, as a couple."
"I can't buy another ring for me."
"You don't have to. Just keep me company," She held his wedding ring.
"What will do of this?"
"Let's make a copy of this for us--Your rightful wife"

"You don't have to do it."
"But I want to."
"Does a ring even matter? You women are so materialistic."
"Shut up and come with me!" She pulled him out of the car. They walked towards the jewellery.

Mr Kurosava was returning home from work when he saw Kirito and erlang entering the jewellery shop.
"Hold on, is that Kirito?" He stopped his car and found Kirito's car outside the shop. He smirked "How interesting and unexpected."

- To be continued

Ellios Kurosava
My Heart Hates Me