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THERE WAS SOMETHING erotic about hanako still asleep beside naoya while nuzzled against his chest. though the woman wore a white robe, it loosely outlined her sleeping figure, showcasing her chest rhythmically rising up and down.

     usually fuyuka and koyuki would already be up and ready to serve naoya. however, naoya didn't seem to mind watching the woman sleep without any caution. it made her seem naïve, fragile, and in need of his protection.

naoya gently caressed the woman's soft skin, trickling his fingers down to her collarbone, and eventually down to her breast.

stirring awake, hanako had lightly let out a gasp.

"n-naoya-sama! I apologize for not preparing myself and awaiting yo—"

"quiet", naoya demanded, to which the twenty-four year-old could only comply.

"you're too noisy for the morning", he stated, as he motioned for his fourth wife to lay back down with him.

     combing through hanako's hair with his hand, hanako could only lay in silence as naoya admired her dainty body.

     "naoya-sama..."hanako softly mumbled, causing a slightly annoyed hum to escape the male's lips.

     "my apologies for speaking out of turn...but I must get ready soon. lady fuyuka and—"

     "hanako", naoya interrupted, "what's the first rule to being a good wife? hm?"

     hanako tilted her head upwards to meet naoya's questioning gaze.

     "to serve your husband", she answered.

     "correct", naoya praised, patting the girl's head.

     "I'll send someone over to inform them that you won't be greeting fuyuka today".

"thank you, naoya-sama", hanako smiled.

naoya placed a chaste kiss on the woman's forehead before placing another one on hanako's lips.

"now, let me reward my smart girl".

❉᯽❉

it was the first time naoya didn't spend the night at koyuki's. and with naoya sending a servant to inform his other three wives that hanako was excused from attending the usual morning greetings, it could only mean one thing.

naoya had gotten tired of koyuki.

fuyuka could visibly see the distraught on the young woman's face. after all, she had received a month of consistent love and attention. but to suddenly take that all away, it was like experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

suzume was even more livid, for not once had naoya even paid her any mind.

     'I ought to write about this to father!'

     "ladies, you're all dismissed for today", fuyuka announced, to which the usual bows and thanks had followed.

     koyuki sighed as she just hoped that it was a one time thing.

     "lady koyuki, look!!", miko — koyuki's personal maid — pointed out.

"master naoya's over there sitting in the main garden!"

a smile had promptly blossomed onto the brunette woman's face. though just as she was about to march over, hanako had appeared in the picture with some tamago boro.

     "so this is your favorite snack?", naoya mused.

     "yes, my lord. this may be childish of me, but I couldn't help but want to show you these delicious cookies", hanako bashfully smiled, adverting her gaze.

     "well don't turn all shy now, hanako. go on, feed me one", naoya teased, as he grabbed one of hanako's hands and kissed the back of her slightly cold fingers.

     "why are your hands so cold, hanako? are your layers really thin?"

     "apologies, naoya-sama...I may have underdressed a little...I didn't realize it'd still be so breezy even though it's spring already..."

     seeing the woman's figure slightly tremble upon another breeze blowing by, naoya had wondered if she did this on purpose.

     "come", naoya commanded, opening his arms up as hanako hesitantly inched towards her husband.

     taking a little too long for naoya's liking, the zen'in heir had immediately pulled on hanako's arm, forcing her to take a seat on his lap.

naoya encased the dark-haired woman within his toned arms. his body was fully large enough to overshadow hanako's and press against hers. it was almost endearing.

"feeling any warmer?", naoya whispered, purposefully aiming his breath down the girl's neck.

nodding, hanako had quickly grabbed one of the tamago boros and fed naoya.

"does my lord like it?"

after swallowing, naoya had licked his lips with a grin.

"it's good, but not as good as my dear hanako".

hanako embarrassingly nuzzled her face into naoya's neck, muttering, "naoya-sama, what if somebody hears?"

"who? I already sent all the servants away. nobody's around", naoya assured, lifting his fourth wife's face up to his.

"it's just you and me, my dear hanako".

koyuki softly gasped, as she hurried away with her personal maid.

tears started prickling down her face, as miko attempted to comfort her master.

     "it's okay, lady koyuki!! I'm sure once naoya-sama's tired of lady hanako, he'll come back to you".

     "h-how could he do this to me? e-everything he's doing with her is what he's done with me", koyuki sobbed, attempting to wipe away her pathetic tears as she had accidentally bumped into the second zen'in brother.

"a-apologies, kenji-sama! I didn't mean to—"

"are you okay?"

"p-pardon?", koyuki sniffled, looking up to meet a man who although had many resemblances with naoya, looked a little more 'soft'.

"you don't look too well, lady koyuki. is it my brother? did perhaps naoya make you this upset?", kenji questioned.

koyuki stood still almost like a frightened deer, before miko had gently nudged her master.

"I-I..."

"no worries. you don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable doing so", kenji smiled, "but if you ever have any more troubles with my brother, just know you can come to me any time".

as soon as the second zen'in brother left, miko had advised her master to not listen to the man.

"he's no good, lady koyuki. although kenji-sama puts on a caring facade...I would reckon that we cross paths with him to the minimum", miko quietly informed.

koyuki hesitantly nodded, before heading back to her room to rest.

"please, heed to my words, my lady".

❉᯽❉

"lady hanako, naoya-sama has arrived!!", rin excitedly announced.

"already?!"

"hanako, look what I've brought for you today", naoya marched in.

"naoya-sama, I'm not even ready to serve you yet. I haven't styled my hair or—"

"disregard that for now. now look at what the country from over seas has brought over", naoya eagerly interrupted.

     a servant hastily entered with a thin square box upon the snap of naoya's fingers.

     everyone in the room was curious, especially hanako herself.

     "open it", the zen'in heir commanded.

     as soon as the servant did as told, hanako marveled at the intricate rose pink pearls that were strung together to form a necklace.

     "pink pearls are exceedingly rare. the shogun received only two necklaces and gifted one to the empress and one to father. father found no use for it so he gave it to me, undoubtedly his favorite son", naoya proudly chuckled.

     "this is wonderful, naoya-sama!! I'm so happy for you", hanako smiled whilst clapping her hands together.

     "indeed", naoya smiled, "it's wonderful in that my dear hanako gets to wear this precious necklace for me".

     "I couldn't, naoya-sama! this necklace is way too precious for someone like—"

     "someone like my wife? don't be ridiculous, hanako. you deserve it", naoya stated, tenderly grabbing the pearl necklace and draping it over hanako's collarbones.

     "thank you", the dark-haired woman breathed out in disbelief, grazing her fingers across the smooth pearls with a blush that matched the shade of her new necklace.

     rin had a big smile plastered onto her face, as she knew her master would gain naoya's consistent favor in no time.

     "everyone can leave now", the zen'in heir ushered.

     as soon as everyone left, hanako had fell into naoya's strong embrace.

     "thank you so much, naoya-sama. no one has ever gifted me such an extravagant present before", hanako admitted.

     "I'll be sure to take extremely good care of it!"

     naoya just patted the woman's head, as he started stripping the outer layers of his robe with the help of his dear wife.

     with each layer that hanako peeled off, it was one layer closer to unraveling naoya's bare body. though she knew that her husband was a very fit person, she never thought she'd be one to ogle at a man's pecs and biceps.

     "you're staring, sweetheart".

     "o-oh! I didn't mean to—"

     'she did'.

     "I never said you couldn't", naoya smirked, pressing hanako against himself as he easily hoisted her up.

     "my lord!! please, I don't wish to strain your arms!"

     "nonsense. you're as light as a feather", naoya rebutted, carrying his wife towards the bed.

     gently plopping her down onto her back, naoya's figure towered over hers.

     "now, where did we stop this morning?"

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