Chapter 37

Ryo’s heartbeats were still erratic, and his mind couldn’t wrap around the fact that she’s with him. She flew from the Philippines to Japan to be with him. It’s his first time to receive such an act of love. And he loved every second.

“So what are your plans?” He asked Ellie as he played with Ellie’s hands.

“Hmm… Nothing. I just like to spend time with you.” Ellie leaned on his shoulder. “I missed you so much, Ryo. I couldn’t stand the distance. I had to be with you.”

Ryo smiled at Ellie’s answer. He lifted her chin so his lips could meet hers. She kissed him back with equal passion, driving him crazy.

There’s no guesswork about what happened next. They are two lovers who had not seen each other for some time. Now that they are together, they’d make sure they’ll make up for the lost time. Ryo made love to Ellie as many times as he wanted. He could not get enough of her.

Ellie lost count of how many times they did the deed and fell asleep from exhaustion. It was already midnight when her grumbling stomach woke her up. She shook Ryo, who soundly slept beside her.

“Ryo…” she said, shaking his shoulders.

“Hmm…” he said and burrowed his head at the crook of her shoulders. He sniffed her a little, then went back to his slumber.

“Ryo… wake up. I’m hungry.” She continued to shake his shoulders. He lifted his head and squirted at her. His sleepy eyes met hers, his brows furrowed with confusion. “I’m hungry. Get me something to eat, please.”

Ryo gave her a quick peck on the lips and rolled off the bed. Ellie threw a pillow at him when he began walking towards the door in his birth suit. “Cover up, Ryo.”

“Oh, yeah.” He said, picking up his briefs and his pants from the pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. “Happy now, mahal ko?” He cheekily asked Ellie who waved him off.

Minutes after, Ryo came back with a steaming bowl of ramen and some buttered toast. He did not understand the combination, but knew Ellie liked it. They both ate on the bed.

Ellie felt like a slob but she’s too exhausted to even care. After eating, she went back to sleep. Ryo only shook his head. He cleaned up their bowls and tidied his room a little. He could not help but smile as he picked up Ellie’s the clothes from the floor.

He put them in the wash and joined her on the bed after. He chuckled when he heard Ellie’s light snores. She slept like a baby.

When Ellie’s body finally had the rest it needed, got up from the bed. She carefully disentangled Ryo from her body and looked for her clothes. She couldn’t find them. Her luggage is not in the room so she could only rummage through Ryo’s closet.

She picked up a white button-down long-sleeved shirt from the rack. As for her underwear, she picked one of Ryo’s boxers. “These would have to do,” she thought. Her luggage was in his car’s trunk. They were too busy kissing and feeling each other. She forgot about her luggage.

She went outside the room and looked for the kitchen. It disappointed her to see that Ryo did not stock fresh food in his kitchen. His fridge only had beer, bottled water, and four pieces of eggs. Thank goodness there were eggs. She looked at the shelves for anything she could cook. She barely collected enough ingredients for a simple pancake.

As she focused on was mixing the batter, she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist from behind. “My shirt looks great on you. I love it.” He whispered in her ear. He gave her earlobe a gentle bite before sniffing her neck.

Ellie felt ticklish and shrunk her neck. “The pancakes will finish in five minutes. Set up the table please,” she asked him, then gave his lips a peck. He obliged after giving her butt a squeeze.

After five minutes, they faced each other at the dining table and ate the pancake she made.

“Ryo, you barely have food in your kitchen. Don’t you eat here?” Ellie could not help but ask.

“I eat here but I don’t cook.” Ryo answered, then stuffed his mouth with Ellie’s pancake. He’s amazed that she could whip up something delicious with only a handful of ingredients.

“You mean you order out?” She sipped on her coffee and looked at him from the rim of her cup.

“Yeah, mostly, or I eat outside.” Ryo shrugged his shoulders.

“You are a grown man, Ryo. You should know how to cook your own food.” Ellie looked at him with disapproval.

Her grandma’s words rang in her ears.

“Everyone who knows how to eat should know how to cook even if it’s just boiled egg.” She drilled this on them and made sure they all knew their way in the kitchen. True enough, she and her brothers grew up knowing how to cook.

“You can’t always eat takeaways, Ryo. They are not healthy. You should know how to cook your own food even if it’s only boiled egg.” She said, echoing her grandma.

Ryo looked at her like a chastised child. He did not feel miffed at all; he felt warm from her concern. His previous girlfriends never game him such concern. None of them felt bothered about his empty kitchen or his eating habits. Only Ellie.

“Let’s go to the supermarket and buy some food. I’ll take care of your food while I’m here. If you can’t cook your own food Ryo, because you have no time, hire someone who will do it for you.” She said, then took a bite of her pancake. “But you still need to learn how to cook.”

Ryo continued to be silent and looked at her, nodding his head. He continued to bow his head, his wide doleful eyes, peek at her. “I’m being naggy, I know. I’m sorry.” Ellie said in a low voice.

She knew she had a tendency to nag, especially when she sees things not to her liking. She always cared too much. Sometimes she does not know when to stop and ends up making the other person feel suffocated.

“Not at all, Ellie. Don’t worry.” Ryo grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Ok. I’ll talk to Sam so he can arrange for someone to prepare your food.” Ellie said. Sam is Ryo’s personal assistant, whom she got to know when she planned her surprise trip.

“You know Sam?” Ryo’s eyes bulged. Sam’s been around him all day long and he had no inkling he knew Ellie.

“Yeah. Your secretary, Miyagi, introduced him to me when I said I wanted to surprise you. He and Miyagi have been very helpful.”

Ryo nodded. He could not believe that Ellie had gotten close to his PA and secretary in a brief span of time. He could even feel that the loyalty of his people has shifted from him to her. Sam and Miyagi were both from the Clan. Both have been working with him since he started in show business. This was the first time they kept a secret from him.

He should feel angry, but he felt warm instead. Ellie has her way around people. He felt secured in knowing his people respected her.

 “Looks like we have a Mrs. Matsuda in the making,” Ryo thought. He looked at Ellie, who sipped her coffee. Indeed, he found his Mrs. Matsuda.