CHAPTER 36: HOLDING HANDS

After filling their stomachs, Adrian suddenly said, "How about we go to Shibuya? It’s still early. And I know the Shibuya crossing is really famous, so we should see it. After that, we can go back to the hotel and figure out which places to visit, what food to try, and what activities we want to do."

Bianca nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me."

Adrian and Bianca called a taxi to take them to their destination. Since the distance between their hotel and Shibuya wasn’t too far—around 17 minutes—they decided to check out the famous crossing. Shibuya Crossing is known as one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in Japan. Giant billboards and huge screens playing various videos can be found there. At night, the area becomes even more crowded, surrounded by shopping centers.

As soon as they got out of the taxi, the crowd was overwhelming. Without warning, Adrian suddenly grabbed Bianca’s hand.

"I don’t want you to get lost," he said.

Bianca tried to pull her hand away. "I won’t get lost," she replied softly, her cheeks flushing slightly. She looked away, pretending to focus on the crowd to hide her embarrassment.

Adrian glanced at her face, catching the faint blush on her cheeks. A small smile tugged at his lips. He squeezed her hand gently, as if to reassure her.

"Then I’m afraid I’ll be the one who gets lost," he said lightly, his tone warmer than before. "There are too many people. You wouldn’t want us to get separated, right?"

His voice was casual, but the way he held her hand wasn’t. It was firm, protective, and unwilling to let go. There was something new in his eyes, like he was starting to get used to having her close.

"Fine. Hold on tight."

Adrian smiled in relief. He held her hand firmly and began guiding her through the crowd to explore Shibuya.

Suddenly, Bianca caught sight of something and tugged his arm. "Wait—look at that!" she said with a spark of excitement in her voice, pulling Adrian into a small shop.

Adrian frowned as they stepped inside. His brows slightly lifted as his eyes scanned the room. Dolls. Everywhere. Shelves stacked with plush toys, keychains, figurines with glossy eyes staring back at him.

In his entire life, this was the first time he had ever stepped into a doll store.

Oh. Right. He remembered, most women liked cute, adorable things. He didn’t expect her to be one of them.

"Isn’t this cute?" Bianca asked, holding up a Mickey Mouse plush and smiling softly, her eyes lighting up with quiet joy. There was something warm and genuine in her expression, simple and almost childlike. With her other hand, she was still holding Adrian’s, not seeming to notice she hadn’t let go.

Adrian stared at the doll. To him, it looked... ordinary. It didn’t do anything. No technology. No luxury branding. Just a plush toy.

"Cute," he said anyway, forcing a smile. He didn’t have the heart to tell her it looked like something he’d never even glance at. But seeing how happy she looked, he just couldn’t bring himself to ruin that.

"Okay. I’ll take this one," Bianca said, turning to the counter.

Adrian reached for his wallet out of habit. "Here, let me pay for it."

"No need. I can pay for it myself." Bianca’s tone was calm, but there was a quiet firmness in her voice. She gently pulled her hand from his.

Adrian was caught off guard, not by the rejection of his offer, but by the sudden absence of her touch. His hand hung awkwardly in the air for a second before he lowered it, staring at his palm like something had gone missing.

Shit.

Something was definitely wrong with him lately. He found himself thinking about Bianca more and more. And it wasn’t just about holding hands. Damn it—he kept thinking about things that involved the two of them physically. God, he didn’t even understand why these thoughts kept popping into his head. Maybe it was because he hadn’t touched a woman in a long time. Now, he just wanted to keep touching Bianca... and worse, he kept imagining what it would feel like to kiss her.

But damn it, their contract only allowed kissing when necessary. And Adrian couldn’t force himself on Bianca.

Adrian and Bianca wandered through the lively streets of Shibuya, though in truth, it was Bianca who led most of the exploration. Every few steps, she’d pause in front of a store window, her eyes glowing with curiosity—still holding Adrian’s hand.

"Ooh, wait... this one looks interesting!" she said, tugging his hand and pulling him into another shop.

Adrian glanced at the colorful storefront, then back at her. "Another one?" he asked, half-amused.

Bianca didn’t answer. She was already inside, eyes scanning shelves.

They went from one shop to the next. Sometimes just browsing, sometimes buying small things Bianca liked. And through it all, they kept holding hands the whole time.

"Hold on," she said again, spotting a cute little corner store. "Just one more."

Adrian chuckled. "That’s what you said three shops ago."

Bianca shot him a playful look over her shoulder before stepping in. By the time they stepped out of the last store, the sun had dipped lower, and Bianca finally sighed, her pace slowing.

"My feet are starting to ache," she admitted, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Adrian looked at her, concerned. "Do you want to rest?"

She shook her head. "No. I think we should go back to the hotel. I’m officially done shopping for now."

Adrian smiled. "Your version of ’just looking around’ is... intense."

Bianca let out a tired laugh. "You managed to keep up."

"It’s my job as your husband," he said with a soft chuckle, glancing at their still-intertwined hands.

After deciding to head back to the hotel, they looked for a taxi. Once they were inside, Bianca leaned back against the seat, clearly exhausted. Not long after, she fell asleep, her head gently nodding with the movement of the car.

Adrian glanced at her. Without even realizing it, his expression softened. He quietly guided her head onto his shoulder so she could sleep more comfortably. His hand stayed close, steadying her whenever the car turned, as if protecting her without a word.

When they arrived at their hotel, the car slowed to a stop in front of the entrance. Adrian gently turned toward Bianca, who was still resting against him.

"Bianca," he said softly, giving her shoulder a light nudge. "We’re here."

She stirred, her eyes blinking open slowly. For a moment, she looked disoriented, then let out a small breath as realization settled in.

Adrian gave her a gentle smile. "Come on. Let’s get you upstairs."

She nodded drowsily, rubbing her eyes. Adrian stepped out first, then offered his hand to help her, never letting go even as they made their way inside the hotel.

***