“I love you, Lily. Please marry me.”
“!!!”
A sound, whether a scream or a cheer, escaped through the hand covering her lips.
Lily’s eyes trembled.
Our gazes and the ring moved back and forth.
I waited for Lily’s reaction with tension.
Eventually…
Smoothly…
Lily extended her hand, her left hand, towards me.
Her right hand remained covering her mouth.
I took out the smaller of the two rings.
And carefully, as if handling a precious treasure, I held Lily’s hand.
I slipped the ring onto her finger, feeling the softness of her hand.
Slowly, ever so slowly.
What if the ring doesn’t fit?
What if it hurts Lily?
What if there’s a scratch on these beautiful hands…
I was afraid, but the ring slid on smoothly, as if dismissing such worries.
It settled at the base of her knuckle, fitting perfectly without being too tight or loose.
Lily’s pale hand.
The red gemstone ring now adorning it.
It was a stunning combination.
I kissed the ring with admiration.
Then I looked up and met Lily’s gaze.
Lily was staring down at me with wide eyes, as if determined not to miss even a single moment.
Meeting her bright gaze made my mind feel like it was about to fly away.
“…Our sequence might be a bit off, but may I have your answer?”
At my words, Lily seemed to have made a decision, and the tremble in her eyes ceased.
Lily took my hand and pulled me up.
Then she took another ring from the case and looked at me.
In response to her silent request, I extended my left hand.
Lily held my hand.
I barely managed to suppress the laughter threatening to escape, noticing how much her hand was trembling as she held mine.
Carefully, Lily slipped the ring onto my finger.
At first, the cold metal felt uncomfortable, but as it passed each knuckle, I began to get used to it, feeling completely comfortable by the time it settled into place.
After putting the ring on, Lily kissed it like I had done earlier.
Then she looked at me and said,
“I love you, Arthur. Will you marry me?”
Answering a question with another question… you really know how to push it.
And isn’t the answer obvious already?
It seemed Lily already knew the answer too.
Nevertheless, we both provided the expected answer simultaneously.
“Yes!/Sure!”
At that moment,
Pewwwwwww~
Something whizzed through the air and flew up high.
Passing even the height where we were, it soared straight up into the sky
BOOOM!!
With a loud sound that hit our eardrums, it exploded in the air.
And it didn’t just explode; it scattered dazzling lights in all directions.
The colorful brilliance filled the sky and our vision.
It felt like goosebumps were forming all over my body under this overwhelming scene.
A sight I’d never seen before.
But I had read about this kind of scene in books.
‘Fireworks…’
The first sight of fireworks I’d ever seen was incredibly impressive.
But I soon averted my gaze.
What mattered now wasn’t the fireworks.
No matter how beautiful the fireworks were, they couldn’t compare to the person in front of me.
No matter how loud the fireworks were, the words of the person in front of me were far more important.
Lily also turned to look at me.
Her eyes were brimming with tears when I looked back at her.
Seeing that, I too felt a lump in my chest, and my eyes began to sting.
Our gazes met, our hearts connected.
We embraced each other at the same time and kissed passionately.
Pouring out our overflowing emotions fully to each other in a fierce manner…
—-
I never understood when I read books where fireworks appeared.
If you consider the explanation, it’s just about exploding a bomb in the sky.
What was so good about it that it was used so frequently as a material?
But having witnessed fireworks firsthand, I had no choice but to revise my previous thoughts.
‘…It’s beautiful.’
The brilliant light filling the sky was truly magnificent.
The fireworks didn’t end with just one.
One after another, over a dozen fireworks soared upward.
BOOM, BOOM, BANG BANG!
Though the sound that struck our eardrums made me frown slightly, it had already diminished to about half its original volume.
Judging from the faint barrier that appeared momentarily when the sound decreased, it seemed Lily had deployed a protective barrier.
Thanks to that, we could now fully enjoy the view.
Flower shapes, circular shapes, colorful patterns, and even the Emperor’s emblem floated up and disappeared.
Beautiful patterns rose and vanished.
I just stared blankly at the scene…
…
…Honestly speaking, the fireworks didn’t really attract my attention.
I was initially intrigued and was gazing at them, but now they were just a means to shift my gaze.
I recalled what had happened a few minutes ago.
I proposed, and Lily accepted.
‘Summarizing it really makes it sound so simple, doesn’t it?’
It was anything but simple in reality.
A thought suddenly came to me.
What if everything that just happened was an illusion?
What if I’m dreaming right now?
What if everything, like the fake flames blossoming and fading away over there, is unreal?
Thinking about this made me slightly fearful.
It was hard to look to the side.
Because if there’s nothing beside me, if this was all an illusion, I would feel unbearably sad.
At that moment…
Kookk
“!!!”
I was startled by the warmth covering my hand.
Looking down, another hand was resting on my hand.
The red jewel visible on the pale hand shimmered under the light of the fireworks.
Then raising my head, there was Lily looking at me.
My concerns were in vain, as Lily was right there, looking at me with her usual warm gaze.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
In response, I flipped my hand to clasp Lily’s.
The soft hand mixed with a hard texture under my touch, which oddly pleased me.
“…I feel like it’s unreal.”
“Unreal?”
“Is it really true that I’m engaged to Lily? The events just now feel like a dream, and I can’t fully grasp it yet.”
At this, Lily smiled and cupped my cheek with one hand.
“Hehe, it’s probably because you’re too happy.”
“Is that it?”
“Would you like me to make it more tangible for you?”
“How?”
“Like this.”
Lily pulled me by the cheek and kissed me.
A kiss that woke me from sleep, making my sensations clearer-
Slosh~
“Ugh?!”
I quickly closed my lips.
“How about it, doesn’t it feel more real now?”
I couldn’t help but marvel at the softness I felt from her hand.
‘Can human skin really be this soft?’
“Mother, you’re not letting go of my hand?”
She was right. I closed my mouth but my hand remained as it was.
Shake Shake
With every tremble of my hand, the vibration spread throughout.
The undulating movement made it hard to avert my eyes.
When I applied a little force, the softness in my grip increased, and the shape slightly distorted.
“Hmph!”
The reaction from Lily startled me, but she quickly returned to her original form.
Pop
I now had firm confidence from that brief contact.
“It’s not a dream but reality.”
“What made you think it was?”
“My imagination isn’t good enough to replicate this kind of sensation.”
“Hoh! What’s that?”
A sensation surpassing imagination.
I wanted to feel that touch again, but I settled for holding Lily’s waist.
Glancing down at the square, the clock indicated
12:08
The fireworks must have exploded simultaneously with the New Year.
It was an incredibly fitting timing.
Since we welcomed the New Year, there was something to say.
“Happy New Year. Have a great year ahead, Lily.”
“Yeah, Happy New Year. I’m actually the one who should say it, but thank you, Arthur… No, my love.”
“!!!”
The subtle whisper from Lily sent shivers down my spine.
Pointing to my neck, she giggled.
“You’ve got goosebumps!”
“T-That’s… it’s not a joke-”
“Ah, how is this a joke when we’ve promised to each other?”
“But even so…”
Looking at it now, we could really call each other that way…
“Say it back.”
“…”
For a long time, I opened and closed my mouth without saying anything.
The one word that finally came out was…
“Giya….”
A whisper so faint it was hard to hear.
“What was that?”
“Ugh…”
I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment.
My lips wouldn’t move.
How can Lily say such an embarrassing word so confidently??
“Are you reluctant to say it?”
“Not reluctant… if I keep dodging…”
Lily turned her head with puffed cheeks.
“…You’re going to be mad?”
…I can’t believe it.
This is the first time I’ve seen Lily act this way.
She really wants to hear that word.
I finally opened my mouth slowly.
“Za… huff….”
After taking a deep breath again, I bowed my head and said it.
“…my love.”
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, blood rushed to my face, making me dizzy.
I couldn’t look at Lily.
As I waited for a while like this, I noticed Lily’s unusual silence.
Raising my head slowly, I saw Lily’s face as red as a ripe apple.
“Hmm… hmm…”
“Isn’t it embarrassing for you to do that?”
“Hearing it directly makes it feel different…”
Our usually composed outsider.
“…Can you say it again?”
“Again?”
“I want to hear it again.”
The demand from Lily, who looked at me with bright eyes, was something I couldn’t refuse.
“…my love.”
“…again.”
“my love.”
“…one more time.”
“my love.”
“one last time-”
Taking advantage of her request, I leaned closer and whispered it right next to her ear.
“my… love.”
“HHHmmmm…!”
Then Lily covered her face with both hands.
“Hey, don’t hide if you made me say it despite my embarrassment!”
“Nnn~”
Lily shaking her head.
I held Lily’s hand covering her face.
“Where are you going to hide…?”
By the way, my current posture is one where I’m hovering over Lily from above.
“Eh…”
As we held each other’s hands tightly, our position became….
The distance where our noses would touch with just a little movement, we stared at each other.
The fireworks sound seemed distant.
Definitely, these sounds that must be much quieter reached my ears.
Thump… thump… thump…
Breathing sounds,
Gulping…
I think the last one came from me.
A subtle atmosphere flowed.
Right now, I could do what I saw a few days ago in a dream in reality…
My heart feels like it’s racing up to my throat.
As I was slowly lowering the arms holding me up,
“Up-!”
In an instant, Lily pulled her finger from my lips and slowly pushed me away.
Looking at me with a puzzled expression, Lily smiled gently.
“I want to.”
“….?”
“But not like this.”
Pushing me away, Lily sat up and faced me.
“Should we throw away such precious first experiences by impulse and in the heat of the moment? Neither you or I would want that, right? And this place isn’t exactly appropriate either.”
With Lily’s words, I finally came to my senses.
We are in the sky right now.
It’s probably not a good idea to do it here…
“…Thank you. For helping me get back my senses.”
Really.
I don’t know what I was thinking.
“….And by the way…”
Lily, preparing to say something, blushed and slightly turned her head.
“…I feel once I start, I won’t be able to hold back…”
“Ah…”
“… We have two years until our marriage. It feels like I won’t be able to wait that long.”
I felt the same way.
Once a line is crossed the first time, the second time is easier.
And beyond that line awaits overwhelming happiness. Who can resist that?
It must be something monumental that can set it aside for everything else.
Luckily, we were able to stop just before crossing the line.
“…Still, it’s lucky.”
“… Huh?”
Smiling gently, Lily said,
“I thought you didn’t have the intention to go all the way.”
“That would never happen!”
I am not a playboy by any means.
After all the effort I’ve put into holding back, how could that thought even come to mind!
“Still, I’m glad to confirm that you do have the intention…”
Saying that with a smile, Lily, who showed me this mature side, seemed incredibly lovable.
In response, I filled my expression with gratitude towards Lily,
“Lily…”
“Hmm?”
“If it’s our time… I’ll match the patience I’ve shown so far…”
“Hmm, I’ll wait for you… but… still…”
Then Lily, with a happy smile, wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer.
“As an exception, though…”
“Yes, anything.”
Our breathing intertwined.
To Lily, who has always been willing to wait for me, I filled my heart with gratitude and let our breaths merge in a long embrace.
Briefly parting for a breath as we always did, we looked at each other and said,
“I love you, Arthur.”
“I love you too, Lily.”
The fireworks celebrating the New Year began to fade.
The old year passed, and a new year began.
Though it seems grand, when thinking about the long life that stretches ahead, it might not seem that special.
I will soon return to my routine when the vacation ends, attending the academy again.
There won’t be much change.
Words like returning to routine might sound boring, but to me, this unchanging daily life is the most precious thing.
That is…
“Hehe…”
Because there’s someone who gladly smiles and laughs at every one of my actions beside me.
I treasure this routine immensely.
I prayed.
Not to the gods of the holy country, nor to the Outer God like the outsider nearby, but to a more fundamental ‘God.’
‘Please, let this routine continue.’
