Not reflecting light like the moon but radiating and shining on its own. He just stole a breath from that shining star.

No, once you start tasting it, you can’t stop. I shouldn’t have started at all. Sticking your face into that light, lustfully desiring it, eventually wanting to lose consciousness. That’s the kind of light it was.

‘…Put your audacious courtship somewhere else.’

Loo nestled deeply into Hayden’s arms. Watching her for a while, he didn’t even hold her tightly and didn’t show his sharp eyes.

They’ve calculated everything down to the last al, throwing a polite concern outwardly while thoroughly benefiting themselves, saying that it’s a request for consultation.
In his arms, his sun tickled. She released the tightly wrapped arms and tried to lift her head.

“I know you like my face, but wait a bit.”

“I know you’re angry.”

“It’s not just anger; it’s because my expression right now is not great.”

“Yeah. You’re dirtying your mood with your eyes. I know.”

With those words, the strength in the arms that tightly held Loo and pressed against her chest suddenly weakened. She didn’t miss the opportunity and lifted her head. Then she smiled.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Is my gaze dirty?”

“Yeah.”

The laughter deepened. Hayden, smiling back, lowered his head. Warmth spread from forehead to forehead.

“But it’s okay because I’m handsome, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll diligently manage my appearance until I die. I mean it.”

“You’re handsome even without doing that.”

“Where is that? You have to manage it so that your jawline doesn’t collapse. That way, Loo might consider living with me for the rest of her life.”

The last words were almost like a throwaway comment, looking for a reaction. He looked at her cautiously with gray eyes, blurred the end of the sentence, and then lowered his eyes gloomily. Clearly, he did it on purpose.

“I told you to take responsibility. You said you had to take responsibility for the rest of your life.”

“Loo didn’t pretend to know about that. I always lose to you.”

The eyes that made a groaning sound were filled with sincere tears.

“Take good care of yourself. I’ll live with you.”

In an instant, the gaze changed. Something black and thick rose sharply. Loo didn’t avoid his eyes even though she knew.

“I was joking about saying such things. It’s so annoying and clingy.”

“I know.”

“Do you know?”

Her voice became even lower. It’s already a stage where you can’t take your foot off here. Knowing that she was caught, Loo nodded her head.

“I heard from the most careful and thoughtful person I know… Well, then I guess I can do it my way.”

No, I’m not that kind of person. Loo countered in her mind. She was just someone who was caught in the curse and sank into lethargy within the endless abyss.

But she just wanted to hear what Hayden said. She just wanted to hear that she was that kind of person. If he said so, he seemed truly careful and thoughtful. He made her feel that way. So she locked herself in his warmest and deepest embrace.

“Try it.”

“Will you let me stay by your side?”

He happily kissed Loo’s forehead. Lips gradually pressed everywhere visible.

“For a lifetime?”

Loo closed her eyes slightly at the lips touching her eyes.

“Never parting again, staying together.”

“Yeah.”

In response to the casually given answer, the arms that were tightly wrapped around her tightened even more. She opened her eyes again and looked at Hayden. Unfathomable emotions were swirling in her eyes, and she was the only one gazing at him without saying anything.

“…You’re really sincere, Loo.”

“Yeah, I mean it.”

“You did well to stay alive. I’m really happy right now.”
The heat emanating from their touching bodies surged through her. Hayden, who expressed the words “I’m glad” with a joyful expression, wiped away the smile that kept appearing on his face.

“I tried to… get your permission.”

“Yeah.”

“Loo is really careful and has high standards. But we, by your standards, haven’t met again for long, so I thought it might seem hasty. I actually wanted to get permission right away. Just, as long as the engagement period is long. Anyway…”

Suddenly, he was in a room somewhere in the palace, where jewels were piled up, and various tools were laid out on the worktable. He was opening a small box, the contents of which were undoubtedly brought from somewhere in the palace.

In the sunlight pouring into the bayfell, the things inside the box shone with iridescence. Hayden murmured quietly and put something that shone in itself on Loo’s finger. It fit perfectly.

“Anyway, if I can clearly state that I’m your man, that’s enough for me. Of course, I may not be your best, so I’ll try harder.”

But whether putting on one was not enough, he pulled out another box and put on another cluster of lights. Pausing for a moment while putting it on, he narrowed his eyes.

“I’m sorry for doing this so suddenly because of some guys who are worse than me and don’t even try. I really thought a lot about it. So I made so many of these, but now it seems like I’m doing it because of those guys, annoyingly.”