Ch. 4: Just One Bracelet
Lied and I had left the café and were walking around the town when…-
OO: “Ah…”
There was a display of beautiful accessories in one of the street stalls.
OO: “Look at this. They’re all so beautiful.”
Lied: “…”
Lied looked at the rows of accessories and quietly called out to the shop keeper.
Lied: “Give me all of these.”
OO: “What!?”
Lied stood up straight with his arms crossed, completely at ease without paying any mind to the surprised shop keeper.
Lied: “You looked like you wanted them.”
(That may be…but all of them…)
Lied: “Take them to the castle afterwards.”
OO: “L-Lied…th-then, this! Just this one!”
In a panic, I picked up a single bracelet inlaid with pale purple stones.
Lied: “…”
(H-he looks unhappy…)
Lied: “Fine. Then just give me this one.”
The shop keeper’s shoulders dropped a little, and they gave him the bracelet.
Lied: “Here you go.”
OO: “Th-thanks.”
The bracelet he gave to me sparkled and reflected the light of the sun.
Ch. 5: Today, To Me
I put on the bracelet Lied had bought me and held it up to the sun.
(It’s really pretty.)
Lied: “Are you happy?”
Lied looked at me curiously.
OO: “Yeah! It’s super pretty. Thanks.”
Lied: “Why did you say you were fine with just one?”
(W-why did I…)
OO: “I mean, I couldn’t have worn all of those. And besides, if I’d had so many, I’d probably keep thinking about how I wanted every beautiful accessory I saw.”
Lied: “Hmm…”
OO: “Lied, why do you ask for everything no matter what it is?”
He took a shallow breath in at my question.
Lied: “The world might end in the next instant.”
OO: “Eh…”
Lied: “Or it might keep going for a ridiculous amount of time. We don’t know which it is, so people hold themselves back, assuming that it’s going to keep going.”
OO: “L-Lied?”
Lied: “But I think it’s best to enjoy the here and now.”
Suddenly, Lied gently wrapped his palm around my wrist.
OO: “Lied…?”
His gaze went back and forth between my face and the bracelet.
Lied: “Today, to me, your delighted face is that. I was happy that you’re happy. We don’t know what’ll happen tomorrow.”
(Not knowing about tomorrow…)
Lied: “You.”
OO: “?”
Lied: “Are you having fun being with me now? If you’re not, it’d be pointless to keep going, so we can part ways here.”
The bracelet on my arm flashed and sparkled in the sun’s light.
OO: “I’m having fun. And by being with you, I’ve learned something new.”
Lied: “…?”
OO: “Since we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, I want to treasure the now even more.”
Lied: “Yeah.”
Lied smiled at me as if satisfied.
His beautiful hands still clasped mine.
Lied: “Even the heat of your hands is something that exists only now. Well, let’s go.”
The heat of his hands may have been something that existed only in this moment, but I found myself wanting to feel it forever.
END