Koichi's been having an affair with his manager's wife…

I knew he hadn't been faithful and I've even seen the woman he'd been with instead of me, but to think that she's the wife of Koichi's manager. Why would Koichi fool around with the wife of a man who's the primary link between himself and further promotions…? These are the thoughts going through my head as I sit in our house waiting for Koichi to get home from work or whatever else he may be doing right now.

Of course it bothers me that Koichi is sleeping with another woman, especially when he won't even touch his own wife, but the circumstances puzzle me more. Koichi seems too smart and careful to risk his future by sleeping with his manager's wife. It seems so out of his character that I would dismiss the thought of him doing such a thing had I not seen it with my own eyes. Does he have no shame, no self-control, or some kind of problem? Koichi… Why would you do this, not only to me, but to yourself as well?

-click-

I jumped when I heard the front door open.

"I'm home," Koichi said, his voice plain.

"Welcome home…" I mumbled as I watched him walk right past me and head straight to his bedroom as he always did. I hadn't cooked dinner for us like I normally did and I was hoping he would notice that, but he'd probably eaten already like he almost always does.

"Wait," the word escaped my mouth as soon as his hand met the doorknob and before my mind was aware of it. I expected him to pause momentarily and then continue into his room and close the door anyway, but he turned around and looked at me. He said nothing but I had his attention now. His gaze was so cold it made the words freeze in my throat.

"Koichi…Am I not good enough?" my voice was so small I didn't recognize it as my own.

Koichi's expression remain unchanged. "What do you mean?"

"I've never been good enough, have I? I know you said that marriage is like a transaction to you, but can't you at least try to treat me like I'm your wife?"

"We live together, do we not?"

I sighed. He looks so serious and his voice is so cold.

"We don't live together, we just cohabitate in the same space. You don't talk to me, you don't look at me, you won't even touch me…"

The more I speak and the more unaffected he seems, the more futile this feels. It's like everything I say is going in one ear and out the other.

"It's because you hate me, huh? All I've tried to do is make you happy, but it's a futile effort, isn't it? I'm just convenient and as long as you can sleep with your mistress, it all works out for you. My happiness is ideal but not necessary."

"Ai is nothing to me."

The fact that he said something surprised me and I looked up at him, trying so hard to hold back my tears despite the burning pain behind my eyes.

"Is that something me and her have in common?"

Koichi frowned and finally took his hand off the bedroom door. He walked over and sat down in front of me and stared at me seriously. I looked away, focusing on my fidgeting fingers in my lap.

"You are…" Koichi began but he stopped.

"But I guess she's better off than me. Hell, you won't even sleep in the same bed as me."

"Stop talking like that."

I sighed. I don't know why, but he's starting to annoy me.

"You're impossible, Koichi. I just want you to…love me. I didn't think it was much to ask, especially from my own husband."

"I…ah…um…" Koichi muttered.

"People keep asking me how I'm enjoying married life and I'm at a loss. How am I supposed to respond to that? Can I really say I've ever experienced it?"

"You…" Koichi keeps trying to say something, but he won't.

Koichi, please, say something, anything… I want to be wrong about everything I've said, but you haven't given me any reason to think that I am.

"Your mother wants me to quit my job for you, and I'm willing to so I can take better care of the husband who loves me, but does he exist?"

I'm saying whatever comes to my mind now. I'd had a little to drink a while ago and I think it's starting show itself now.

"Does he exist, Koichi?" I wanted him to know it wasn't a rhetorical question and that I wanted an answer.

If he didn't say anything, I was going to leave. I didn't know exactly where I would go, but I was going to somewhere away from him. I finally looked up at him again, revealing my tear-stained face. His eyes widened.

"Please don't cry… I know I don't treat you as well as I should, but, um, I do…care about you…"

"Please don't just tell me what you think I want to hear. I'd rather you just be honest."

I know he's probably uncomfortable now that I'm crying, but don't lie to me.

"I am being honest. I know I've been cold to you-"

"You told me you don't even find me attractive as a woman."

I didn't mean to cut him off, but I've kept so much of this to myself that I feel like I have to get it off my chest.

"I know that I may not be as robust or experienced as that other woman is, but I'll try, Koichi, I'll try to satisfy you… That's all I can do."

Koichi looked at me with the most expression I'd ever seen from him. He was shocked and so I was I once I realized the true meaning behind my words. Why did I say it like that?

"I may have said that at one time, but I figured it would make you leave me alone, not…inspire you…" his face had regained its composure, but the way he was looking at me was different now.

"I had been sleeping with Ai since before I met you and once I got married, I thought maybe I should stop-"

"But you didn't."

Koichi sighed exasperatedly. "No, but I have now."

"You have?" I was shocked.

"I promise you, I was working tonight, last night, the night before that, and every night I've had to work late for the last four months now."

I believed that not because it sounded nice, but because I knew Koichi wouldn't waste the effort to make up a lie for something like this.

"Because everyone found out about you two?"

"Honestly…" Koichi looked away. "It's because I realized something about four months ago."

"And what was that?"

"I'd seen you with Aiba a few times and you looked so happy, you had another man doing things for you that I should have been doing for you and that…bothered me."

Koichi wasn't jealous, was he? Why would he be? I like Aiba, yes, but it hasn't been enough time for it to develop into anything like that.

"I realized that I cared for you more than I thought I did, and how easily another man could come and take you away from me and I wanted to hold on to you. I…want to be the only man you look at like that…Your husband…"

Koichi's voice had dwindled down into a hardly audible mutter.

"I thought that after all the things I said to you and the way I treated you that you would hate me and want nothing to do with me…I was wrong?"

I stood up and walked over next to him.

"Koichi, could you stand for me?" I asked him and he stood up.

"What…"

I hugged him, burying my face into his broad chest. He's so warm and he smells nice and he feels so masculine in that suit…

After a moment, I felt arms wrap themselves around me as well. I was so happy I thought my heart might burst out of my chest. Koichi's slightly cold hand gripped my chin and made me look up at him. He's looking at me differently now and his gaze is so intense it makes my mind go blank.

He really is a beautiful man…
As that last thought crosses my mind, I feel warm lips press against my own. His lips are warm in contrast to his chilled hand. This is the first time his lips have met mine.

"We should sleep in the same bed tonight," his voice broke me out of my trance.

"What…?" I'd heard him but I didn't understand. He chuckled at my expense.

"We should share the bed tonight," he repeated, his low voice whispering in my ear.

"To sleep, right?"

Koichi chuckled again. "We will, eventually…"

He started kissing my jawline and traveled down to the nape of my neck.

"You don't want to?" he spoke against my neck.

Koichi's never touched me like this and it's overwhelming.

"You said you'd try your best to satisfy me, didn't you? You can't make a proposition like that and leave it unfulfilled, it's too cruel…"

His warm breath caresses my skin as he speaks and places kisses all along my collarbone.

"I…didn't think it'd be…tonight…"

Koichi pulled away and looked at my face.

"You're blushing so hard. When you look at me like that, you can't expect me to control myself."

Koichi kissed my lips again before picking me up effortlessly and carrying me bridal style to his bed. As soon as he put me down, he resumed kissing my lips and neck relentlessly, his hands working on the buttons of my shirt.

"You've never had a man touch you like this, have you?" Koichi paused and looked me. "Don't lie."

"…No, not like this…" I wasn't sure if he would consider that good or bad news.

"You're a virgin?'

"…Yes."

"Were you saving yourself for marriage?"

Ugh, what is this, an interview?

"Not necessarily, just the right person. Is that bad?

Koichi frowned and shook his head. "Of course not. I just… You think I'm the right person?"

He sounds so uncertain…

"I wouldn't have agreed to be your wife if I didn't. We didn't know each other long before we married, but I thought, I like this man and could definitely fall in love with him…"

It was embarrassing to say so openly, but I wanted him to know how I felt. I love Koichi…

Koichi hovered above me, his eyes wide in surprise and a slight pink grazing his face.

"…Have you?"

"Yes, since we got married."

His face grew serious and he said my name. "Satomi."

I wanted to speak but the words were caught in my throat.

"I…love you…"

As soon as he said those words, my body acted on its own and I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"Koichi, I wanted you to say that for so long…" I'm so happy I could cry.

"Let me show you."

"Hm?"

"Show you…what it means to be my wife, and what it means when I say that I love you…"

As I spent my first night with Koichi, I thought to myself, this is my happiness. As long as I love this man and this man loves me, I have everything I could ever wish for.

Koichi…is my happiness.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This may be given a second part, but as for now, this is complete. This isn't the first thing I've ever written but it is the first thing I've ever published, so I'd appreciate some feedback. Thanks for reading.

Just to clear some things up, MC (Satomi) is different in this story than the in-game: she's younger (around 23-24), willing to quit her job, and a bit different personality-wise. I've also possibly altered things chronologically, but hopefully not so bad that this doesn't make sense anymore. And maybe it's just me, but does the MC in the Voltage games always seem too defiant to the guy showing her affection? It's like she doesn't even like him...