Bits of Love, Lines of Code
Chapter 35 - 31: Hidden Dreams, Growing Distance

Chapter 35 - 31: Hidden Dreams, Growing Distance

The rainy season had begun.

The city shimmered with reflections of neon lights on slick asphalt, umbrellas forming waves of color against a gray sky. Inside their apartment, the smell of miso soup drifted softly through the living room.

Ren had just returned from "work." Except this time, it wasn't from the company branch. He'd spent the entire day visiting the countryside plot — overseeing the first round of ground clearing, marking the boundaries of their future home.

A sturdy two-floor house. A cozy garage. A workshop tucked behind the main structure. And a tall windmill that would rise beside the cornfield. Everything was in motion now.

And none of it... Aoi knew about.

That night, he entered quietly, dropping his bag by the door. His clothes were lightly damp from the rain, and there was mud clinging to the edges of his shoes.

Aoi, dressed in an oversized sweater, sat at the kitchen table, scrolling on her tablet. She looked up the moment he entered.

"You're late," she said, her voice calm but pointed.

"Yeah," he said, smiling gently, brushing his hair back. "There was traffic."

A beat of silence.

"You didn't bring your work laptop today," she added casually, glancing toward his half-empty bag.

Ren blinked for a second, then smiled. "Oh, right. I was just at meetings."

More silence.

She didn't press further — not yet. But Ren felt it in the air. A shift. A tension building.

She was smart. Too smart.

Later That Week

Aoi's suspicions only deepened.

Three mornings in a row, Ren left early without breakfast. Each time, he claimed it was a different office assignment or an on-site task. But his hands? Slightly rougher. His shirts? Sometimes speckled with dirt.

She noticed.

And that night, as Ren dozed off on the couch, she peeked into his bag while pretending to tidy up.

Inside — not his usual documents or gadgets — but blueprints.

Her fingers hovered over the rolled-up plans. There was a name on the top in his handwriting:

"New Home — Phase II Foundation + Basement Workshop Layout"

Her heart skipped.

He's building something... without telling me?

The Confrontation

Two days later, the rain returned — heavy, relentless.

Ren stood in the entryway, tightening his shoelaces, ready to leave again.

Aoi stood behind him, her arms crossed. "Ren."

He turned. "Hm?"

"Where have you really been going?" she asked softly, but firmly.

Ren froze.

"Don't lie to me. I saw the blueprints."

There was no accusation in her voice. Only... hurt. And something deeper — fear. The kind of fear that someone you love might be slipping away into a secret world, just out of reach.

"I..." he hesitated.

Aoi stepped closer, placing her hand over his chest. "I don't care if it's a surprise. I don't care if it's some crazy project. But I do care if you're hiding things from me."

Ren sighed. Then, finally... he smiled.

"I was going to tell you," he said, pulling her into a hug. "I was just waiting for the right moment. I've been working on something... something for us."

"For us?"

He pulled out his phone and showed her a photo.

It was muddy. Rainy. But behind the drizzle stood a stretch of land, the early marks of construction visible. Orange flags. Concrete slabs. Wooden supports.

"This is where I'm going to build our home," he whispered. "The real one. The one we talked about. I already signed the foundation contract. I'm also building a workshop. And a windmill. And a garage. I even already drove there in the M5."

Aoi's eyes widened, misting instantly. "Y-You really meant it..."

He nodded. "Every word."

A beat passed. Then she punched him in the chest.

"Idiot... do you know how scared I was that you were drifting away?"

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise," he said sheepishly. "But I guess I failed at both."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Ren..."

He kissed her forehead. "From now on, no more hiding. We're in this together, okay?"

She nodded slowly, eyes locked on him.

"Okay," she said, voice trembling. "But next time you hide something like this from me again... I will stab you. Lovingly."

Ren laughed. "That's my girl."

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