Listening to Emi's words, I smiled and nodded. While I waited for the attendant to return, I observed the store for a while, but unfortunately, nothing caught my attention. Shortly after, the attendant came back with the two items. She placed them on the counter and looked at me with a kind smile on her face.
"Here you go, sir, the two items you requested"
With a welcoming smile, the attendant handed over the two items as requested. As I examined the rings, I noticed that one was slightly larger, indicating it was for men's use, while the other was smaller, suitable for women's use. Taking the chosen ring, I turned to Emi and found her with a puzzled expression on her face, probably trying to understand why I had taken two rings instead of just one.
"Emi, could you extend your hand for a moment?"
I looked kindly at Emi as I made the request. Realizing what I had in mind, Emi's lovely cheeks turned slightly red, and she lowered her head, agreeing with a nod. With gentleness, she extended her hand towards me, specifically her ring finger. Although she may not have noticed that this finger was more stretched out than the others, I couldn't help but smile at witnessing this charming gesture.
Carefully, I slid the ring onto Emi's finger. As soon as I finished placing it, I smiled as I observed Emi looking at the ring with a sparkle in her eyes. I picked up the other ring, about to put it on my own finger, but I was interrupted by Emi, who stared at me with determination in her eyes.
"I... I can put it on for you... if it's not a bother"
Emi said, her voice starting a bit loud but gradually decreasing in intensity. In the end, she whispered the last sentence almost timidly. Unsure exactly how to respond to this sudden request, I agreed to Emi's plea, accepting it. Raising my ring finger, Emi, still with slightly blushed cheeks, began to carefully place the ring. A smile appeared on our faces as both rings met on our fingers, creating a special connection between the two of us.
"The rings fit perfectly on our fingers"
I said, turning towards the attendant. Upon hearing our words, a smile of understanding formed on her face, and she promptly replied.
"I'm glad to hear that. By the way, today we're accepting orders for customizable rings. If you'd like, we can engrave both your names on the rings"
With a warm smile on her face, the attendant suggested. Both Emi and I exchanged smiles before turning back to the attendant again.
"We would like you to do that"
We affirmed in unison, expressing our desire to the attendant. Upon hearing our words, the attendant nodded with a smile on her face and promptly asked.
"Sure, please write your names here. If you'd like, you can come back in a few hours or tomorrow morning to pick up the rings"
The attendant agreed with a smile, and both Emi and I wrote our names on the paper. After paying in advance, we bid farewell to the attendant and left the store. The sun was still shining brightly in the sky. I extended my hand to Emi, and with a gentle smile on her face, she held it. Walking out of the store, we resumed our stroll through Crystal, admiring the various available artworks. We also took the opportunity to visit some museums that told the country's history through paintings and sculptures.
When night fell, Emi and I returned home with radiant smiles on our faces, our hands still intertwined on the carriage's bench. Two rings gleamed brightly on our hands, symbolizing our special connection. After some time, enveloped in a warm atmosphere, we finally arrived at the mansion. As we descended from the carriage, we walked hand in hand to the front door, which was opened by a attentive maid. Undoing our handhold, Emi and I bid each other goodbye and headed to our respective rooms.
Once I reached my room, I changed into more comfortable clothes and sat on the bed. The moments I spent with Emi kept replaying in my mind, bringing a smile to my face. Slowly lying down on the bed, I began to close my eyes.
Suddenly, knocks on the door awakened me, and I looked around in confusion. Placing my hand on my head, I got up and made my way to the door. Upon opening it, I found a maid who made a small bow before speaking.
"Good evening, sir. Dinner is ready"
The maid said, greeting me with respect.
"Alright, thank you for letting me know. I'll be down in a few minutes"
With a gentle smile on my face, I replied to the maid. Upon hearing my words, she made another bow before closing the door, leaving me alone in the room. After that, I changed into more presentable attire and approached the door. However, before my hand reached the doorknob, my gaze was drawn to the ring I bought to match with Emi. At that moment, I began to seriously ponder whether I should leave it there. Although our families know about our relationship, wearing matching rings could be a bit embarrassing, both for me and for her.
After pondering for a few seconds, I decide to wear the ring on my finger. The probability of Emi not wearing it is also high, so perhaps I don't need to worry too much about it. I open the door and walk down the hallway until I reach the door that leads to the dining room. Once again, I am greeted by a maid before she opens the door, allowing my passage.
Upon entering the room, I noticed that everyone was present except Emi. I approached my chair, and a kind maid helped me sit by pulling the chair back.
"What a beautiful ring"
exclaimed Anna beside me, her eyes shining with admiration as she observed the ring on my hand. Her reaction caught the attention of everyone in the room, who turned their gazes to my finger, displaying small smiles. I realized that they didn't make a big fuss since the king also wore some rings, so they probably didn't find it out of the ordinary for me to wear one.