Nori blinked awake as warm sunlight filtered through the silk curtains, washing the room in a pale gold glow. He stretched slowly, one hand brushing against the softness of the comforter while the other instinctively rested on his rounded belly. He laid there for a moment, just listening to the silence. No faint sounds of Ryusuke getting dressed. No low murmurs on the phone. The bed beside him was cool.
"He's gone already…" he muttered, pushing himself up with a quiet sigh.
His bare feet touched the polished wood floor, cool and smooth. He shuffled across the room, still sleepy, yawning as he tied the soft robe around his waist. Despite the comfort of the bed, he hadn't slept deeply. There was a strange restlessness in his body today. And for once, he hadn't overslept. He checked the time on his phone: 8:43 AM.
"Early," he murmured. "That's new."
