I Want to See that Expression of Yours… 1

1. The Yukis’ sensitive issues

“Haa…”

The man sighed for the umpteenth time today.

His name was Yuuki Naoya.

A 27 years old salaryman that just graduated from his newbie status.

He was below average in height, moderately educated, and his income wasn’t that great despite his hard work.

He was not good-looking, socially awkward, a bit of a nerd, and an indoor-type plain guy.

However, there was one thing that was called a miracle by his peers.

That was…

“Here you go.”

“Oh, Thank you.”

“There’s still a little time left before the appointment, so why don’t you have a taste first.”

A beautiful woman, smiling gently, placed a small bowl and a cup of tea in front of him.

The woman’s name was Yuuki Manaka.

She was Naoya’s beloved wife that he always could be proud of.

He picked up a small bowl of stewed vegetables with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

The taste was exquisite, almost as good as the high-class restaurants his boss often visited to entertain his clients.

He thought it was a miracle that he was able to be with such a good cook and a gentle beautiful wife.

“Well?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

“Oh, that’s great. I was pretty confident about it.”

Manaka smiled happily at her husband’s compliment.

She looked just the same as she had when they first met, beautiful to the point he could always fall for her all over again and a gentle smile on her face.

Even after entering married life, her beauty was even more refined than before.

The face that originally had a clear and slightly cool impression now added the calmness and capacity of adults. It felt like her charm as a woman was increasing.

Although he should be getting used to it by now, Naoya still felt nervous sometimes when he looked directly at her beauty.

It had been more than ten years since they met, and yet he could still fall in love with her all over again.

The first time they had met was when they were in junior high school.

Naoya became a member of the Library Committee because he liked to read books and Manaka who also became a committee member for the same reason, became friends and talked for a little while.

At that time, he remembered that he was so nervous in front of her that he couldn’t even get a few words out.

It was in high school that they became close enough to be called friends.

Miraculously, Naoya was able to get into the same school as her.

Around that time, Manaka was a beautiful girl who had been scouted as a model and confessed to by several guys.

However, perhaps because of her strict upbringing, she refused all scouts and confessions and seemed rarely to talk to boys.

Obviously, Naoya was also curious about her. However, he even almost gave up on getting to know her as a friend.

She seemed to like reading books as much as ever, so he hoped to be able to say a few words to her in the library some hours before curfew.

In order to create a topic of conversation, Naoya read every single book he could find, not only manga and novels, which his favorite reads.

And in the little time he had after school, he was able to become friends with her, talking about books and other topics.

—–Yuuki-kun, have you read that book as well? It has such a good story right…

—–I want to borrow that book too, so please let me know when you’re done with it. Oh, please don’t spoil the story, okay. I want to find out for myself.

—–eh? Your sister? That’s, fufu… was that really what she said?

—–fufu, what a lively family. I’m a little jealous.

Sometimes it was only for a few minutes, a dozen minutes at most, but he managed to talk about many things with her every day.

He was impressed that she was more interested in the silly stories about Naoya and his family than the books, and she always said that her house was a little cramped.

He also asked her what she wanted to do in the future.

—–I want to work as a translator even though my parents are against it. Because I want to read many different books from all over the world…

She said as she smiled.

Naoya cheered for her wholeheartedly.

—–t-thank you, Yuuki-kun is the first one who said that.

It seemed that no one ever cheered her on like that with open arms, and Manaka smiled happily.

It was at this moment that he really fell in love with her.

Manaka and Naoya were finally able to become best friends and enjoy their school life, but before he knew it, it was time for graduation.

She had been accepted into the literature department of a prestigious university, which Naoya’s grades wouldn’t allow him to enter.

He managed to enter a university in the same prefecture as her, but that was all.

On the day of the graduation ceremony, he had a chance to talk with Manaka for a very short time.

—–Yuuki-kun, you are going to a university in the same prefecture, right… Will you continue to be my friend?

With her words, Naoya should have been satisfied.

But for some reason, he couldn’t help but notice that Manaka’s smile at that moment looked so… lonely.

He didn’t want her to look that way, so on impulse, he confessed to her loudly amid so many people around them.

He had done it, his head was blank.

—–…eh, ah…, Y-yes! Please take care of me from now on.

But more than that, it was her response that was truly like a bolt from the blue sky.

To the surprise of everyone around them, they became lovers, and despite the twists and turns in their relationship, they continued to date smoothly.

They got married about two years after Naoya graduated from university and started working.

After five years with the company, he was transferred to his current job.

“…”

“…? What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing. Yeah… I’m sure those two will be happy with this, right?”

“Yes. I hope so.”

Manaka’s face became slightly troubled as if she was concerned about the two people who would be visiting their house today.

“I’m sorry for being pushy.”

“… Oh, no, it’s okay. They’re not bad people, and it was my fault in the first place.”

“No, it’s… I’m…, it’s my fault.”

“No, that’s not true. Though, I was indeed surprised when you suggested this.”

“Yeah, I was surprised myself, at first… but then I heard a lot about the situation… um…”

Manaka’s words lacked confidence.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed, which made Naoya feel even more uncomfortable.

“A-ah right. At least let me confirm something, you’re not forced into this are you?”

“I don’t think so. As you can see, today’s… a bit confusing, but the result certainly was there…”

“… Right, the result…”

“I’ll prepare the rest.”

Manaka said and walked back to the kitchen.

He felt that she wasn’t lying to him. He knew her for years after all.

Which means…

Naoya repressed something dim that was welling up in his chest.

When he looked at the kitchen, he felt as if Manaka was staring at him.

As he looked away from her, he looked around the room.

“…”

In the kitchen, Manaka was earnestly arranging the food.

It was getting close to time and she seemed to be getting a little nervous as well.

They were expecting a visitor soon.

It was less than thirty minutes before the appointed time.

They were a couple of his wife’s friends who live near their apartment.

Normally, there was no need to be so nervous about them visiting.

“… ha…”

Naoya sighed again.

Even though it was his fault, he still doubted what he was going to do today.

He thinks he was a very lucky man.

He was a man of no particular great contribution, but he was able to have a woman of Manaka’s talent and beauty as his wife.

However, even in this happiness, there were still some problems, not just a few, but many.

Today, their friend and his wife are coming to help them solve this delicate problem.

“Naoya-san, I think we should stop if you still have some doubts…”

Hearing his sigh, Manaka stood in front of him with a sorrowful look on her face.

Waving one hand at her, Naoya smiled reassuringly.

“Oh, no, I’m sorry, I’m just nervous. If I feel uncomfortable, I’ll stop.”

“Is that so… Very well…”

“Yeah.”

Naoya watched his wife from behind as she walked back into the kitchen.

She has not only a face but also a body so attractive that any man would fall in love with her.

Neatly arranged long, glossy black hair. She was 165cm tall, only slightly shorter than Naoya.

She has a model figure, with long arms and legs, a curvy waist, and ample breasts and hips.

Her skin was white and smooth, and her body was firm and toned, probably because she went to the gym regularly.

When he walked side by side with her in heels, he was more concerned about his inferiority than his pride.

She couldn’t have been more perfect in body and mind.

Manaka was too good to be Naoya’s wife.

While he has such a wife that could make everyone envious.

He has an ED and couldn’t get an erection like he used to.

“…”

Naoya hadn’t held his wife for almost three years now.

Even when he tried, he somehow became deflated in front of her, and it didn’t work.

Now, even masturbation wasn’t working.

He thinks it had started to show signs before they got married.

When he just joined the company, he was experiencing more prematurely going soft during the intercourse, probably because he was tired from unfamiliar work.

Eventually, the days when he couldn’t get an erection became more frequent.

In addition, since their marriage, they have been under pressure to have grandchildren at both of their parents’ homes.

On top of that, Manaka wanted to have a lively family like Naoya’s, and she wanted more than three children.

He tried to do his best to make it work for her, but it was only getting worse.

The impatient he became his penis would deflate more often.

And while those were probably the main reasons, Naoya realized that there were other reasons as well.

He knows.

He knows that he selfishly feels inferior to his overly perfect wife.

During their time as lovers and college students,  Manaka has become more hard worker and social.

To achieve her dreams, she learned English, French, German, and Chinese, and interacted with foreign students.

She also attended a short-term translation school separate from her university studies, and even while still in school, she had already begun to work part-time as a translator.

Naoya supported her in her amazing efforts, while Naoya on the other hand hadn’t been able to make any noticeable progress on his part.

Apparently, all of their friends assumed that he would be dumped soon because of the gap.

Manaka’s friends, in particular, had tried to break her up with her unsuitable boyfriend many times.

There were many times when she was directly persuaded, and many times when it sounded full of sarcasm.

But they never broke up.

It was because she was simply very much in love with Naoya.

After graduation, Manaka registers with a temporary translation company, even though she could have joined even a prestigious company.

She seems to think that there was no point in getting a job if she was going to marry Naoya, which she plans to eventually.

She didn’t pay any attention to the repeated “advice” of her friends.

The industry was tough on newcomers, and she didn’t make much money, so she moved in with Naoya.

However, she continued to work seriously and happily.

She built up a good work ethic and network of work relationships.

And now, even though Manaka was married, she was still earning close to Naoya’s annual income.

If she got serious, or even if she didn’t, he would surely be surpassed in income sooner or later.

Manaka was Manaka, no matter what the circumstances.

Maybe if he didn’t exist, she would be more… He always thought like that.

Manaka was a beautiful lone flower on top of an unreachable hill for Naoya, even after she became his wife.

He knew that Manaka still possessed the same deep affection for him as she has since those days in high school.

That was why there was no way he could talk about this silly conflict in his heart.

Ding!

“…oh, it must be them… yes! please wait a moment!”

“… Uh”

Manaka unlocked the auto-lock at the entrance of the apartment room.

A few moments later, the bell rang again and she went to the front door to greet her friend and her husband.

“Good evening. Rin-san, Keiichi-san, we’ve been expecting both of you. Please come in.”

“Oh, thank you for your kindness. Pardon the intrusion.”

“Good evening, Manaka-san, wow… The delicious smell even reaches here.”

“I did my best to make Rin-san’s favorite food as well.”

“Really? Thank you!”

The voices of a man and a woman could be heard from the doorway, and slowly they came into Naoya and Manaka’s family’s room.

They were a couple of kind neighbors who helped their troubled wife when her husband just transferred to an unfamiliar land.

And they were the ones to whom Manaka had blurted out the fact that they had no nighttime married life due to her husband’s erectile dysfunction.