New World with Four Husbands

Chapter 385: Kitchen trouble

"What are you doing inside the kitchen in an ungodly hour, Coco?"

A voice cut through the silence of the room, its owner emerging into view and stepping further into the kitchen, with the person’s footsteps were light and quiet, their words spoken

The genuine question that seemed to echo through the small kitchen shattered the silence that the room was previously filled with.

The sudden interruption caught Coco off guard, her teary gaze turning towards the unexpected visitor.

Coco’s face contained slightly puffy eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, and she sniffled softly as she took in the sight of Heiren entering the kitchen.

A pang of embarrassment coursed through her body, realizing that he had caught her during her shameful moment— making her swallow thickly, her shoulders growing stiff.

Coco instinctively tried to compose herself, attempting to hide the traces of her shame, but her red-rimmed eyes and the slight sniffle that escaped her lips gave away her actual state.

Heiren paused for a moment, his eyes blinking as he took in the scene before him.

He looked at Konoha first, then returned his gaze to Coco, his expression a mix of confusion and concern because the sight of Coco, red-eyed and sniffling, coupled with a confused Konoha’s presence by her side, prompted him to furrow his eyebrows.

There was a silent question in his gaze, an unspoken inquiry in the way he studied Coco, attempting to make sense of the situation he had walked into.

Coco’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her weary eyes shifting to avoid Heiren’s gaze.

"I’m sorry for waking you up.." She apologized first before offering a sheepish explanation, sniffling softly before continuing. "I was just... thinking of making a cup of coffee."

The words, spoken softly, carried an undertone of guilt and shame, as she fidgeted with the edge of her shirt, trying to maintain her composure, though the evidence of her recent emotional distress was still evident in the redness of her eyes and the slight tremble in her voice.

Heiren caught the subtle signs of Coco’s embarrassment and merely nodded his head in understanding, his eyes softening slightly, a flicker of concern passing over his features.

"I understand," He replied softly, his voice devoid of judgement. "Why don’t you sit down? I’ll make you a cup of coffee instead."

He made sure to make his offer gentle, an attempt at comforting and reassuring Coco, making her eyes well up with relief, nodding her head silently.

Heiren’s hand gently reached out, finding Coco’s, and guided her towards the nearby chair— fortunately, Coco didn’t pull her hand away and just let herself get settled into the seat.

Heiren took a moment to stand close by her side, his voice low and comforting. "There’s no need to be so hard on yourself over a single cup of coffee, okay? If you don’t know where the things are, you can just ask me."

Heiren’s words were said softly, his tone laced with understanding and a hint of protectiveness.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, silently offering encouragement and a promise of support, even as he turned away to prepare the promised coffee.

Coco found herself sinking into silence, her head resting on the table.

She closed her eyes as a soft sigh escaped her lips, a sound of both resignation and exhaustion mingled together— feeling grateful for Heiren’s unexpected appearance.

In the soft, dim light of the early morning, Heiren moved with familiar ease around the kitchen, his actions quick and practiced, his body mapping around the room like he lived there his whole life.

He reached for the kettle and began filling it with water, his hands moving swiftly as he prepared to boil it on top of the magical stove.

Soon, the sound of the kettle whistling filled the air, a rhythmic and soothing background noise as Heiren worked diligently, the quiet hum of the kettle boiling the only other sound breaking the silence.

From time to time, he snuck a glance in Coco’s direction, his gaze occasionally resting on her slouching form resting her head on the table.

After a while, Heiren finally finished preparing the coffee, the rich aroma and dark liquid filling the mug he had carefully chosen for Coco.

The mug, designed with a simple yet charming design featuring green grass and flowers, now brimmed with the freshly brewed coffee, steam curling up from its surface— a mug he specifically bought the other day because it reminded him of Coco.

He gently placed the steaming mug down in front of her and noticed Coco’s unusual stillness, making him call out her name softly. "Coco?"

To his surprise, there was no immediate response from his wife, her head remained resting on the table, her body unmoving, leaving Heiren feeling baffled, confused, and concerned.

"Coco, are you alright?" He called out again, his voice laced with worry, but the silence that followed was unsettling, adding to his sense of unease.

Heiren took a step closer to her and leaned in to take a closer look at Coco, only to realize that her still form was due to a simple reason– she had fallen asleep, her exhaustion catching up to her still tired body.

He paused for a moment, surprised and relieved at the realization that her unresponsive state was simply due to her slumber.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips and he silently watched her for a moment, observing the peaceful expression on her face and the gentle rise and fall of her chest

However, he realized one thing once more and now that Coco had dozed off, his thoughts are momentarily focusing on how to move her back to her room without disturbing her rest.

He knew that trying to carry her would likely awaken her and the thought of waking her during her well-deserved rest didn’t sit well with him.

He furrowed his eyebrows, contemplating the best course of action, but he came up with nothing.

What am I supposed to do?