Colours of the Snow | Yuki Ishikawa

20

"Happy 28th birthday, my wife!" I heard my husband, Yuki, greet me as I slowly opened my eyes. I was still groggy, trying to make sense of what was happening around me. The bedroom was dimly lit with scented candles, creating a romantic ambiance. Beside me on the bed was a large bouquet of red roses and a fruit cake with a number candle in the center.

I sat up, and I still couldn't believe what was happening. I checked the wall clock, and it was exactly midnight.

Yuki said again, "Happy birthday, Ai! We're officially the same age again," as he stretched out his hands, swaying in celebration while sitting at the foot of the bed.

I shook my head, chuckling at the thought that my husband was not really into the mainstream. Yuki has always been someone who does things his own way. I mean, how come you wake someone up just to greet them? This might be impolite to others, but he was way too cute doing this. I appreciate his efforts so much in this.

I smiled at him, although my mind was still in a trance. "Thank you, my love," I said while stretching my arms to ask for his hug.

Yuki immediately went to me and hugged me tightly. He showered me with kisses.

"Thank you again. But I cannot eat this right now, love. Can we have this tomorrow?" I said, smiling.

"Yes, love. No problem," he replied as he got the cake to put in the ref.

I picked up the bouquet and smelled it. I was on the verge of tears, thinking how sweet Yuki could be. I knew he was not very romantic, so this act of love was already a big deal.

He returned to our bedroom, and I immediately asked him to lie beside me.

"Love, I've already made my social media accounts public," I told him as soon as he lay on the bed.

"Ohh...Are you really fine with that?" He asked in surprise.

"Yes," I said while nodding. "I think it's time to let people know I'm your wife so no one would try to get their hands on you," I said threateningly.

"My cute little wife is jealous, isn't she?" He said, chuckling.

I glared at him as he pinched my nose. Yuki hugged me tightly until we both fell asleep.

We are now in Milan as Yuki's back on his club season. Nothing much changed since I left Italy except for the fact that we are married now and living together in Yuki's apartment.

As his wife, who works from home, I make it my priority to attend to his needs before he sets off for his daily practice. Although most household chores fall on my shoulders, Yuki still handles our laundry. Whenever I have the opportunity, I watch their practice sessions and official matches. I also accompany them on their travels for away games, as Yuki wants to spend as much time with me as possible before he returns for the national team season.

However, in my free time, I often find myself lurking on social media. Surprisingly, thousands of fans started following me and have expressed their love and support. They were saying that Yuki has a high standard in everything, saying that he does not want anything that falls short of being the best.

As a result, Yuki and I became the talk of the town and the headlines of numerous sports news platforms. I was filled with euphoria seeing myself on online news platforms, and I was even briefly interviewed alongside Yuki before we flew here. Being thrown into the spotlight instantly has made me feel like a celebrity, but honestly, I'm still figuring out how I feel about all of this.

Our lives remained peaceful here in Italy. We had the freedom to roam wherever we wanted on our day off. I was able to adjust well to Yuki's lifestyle despite having little understanding concerning personal things since we grew up in different cultures, but everything is manageable.