Ch. 8: A Mischievous Guy (SUN)
The next day, it was Ritz's grandmother's birthday.
Ritz and I had called his grandmother to meet us in the courtyard…-.
Ritz: "Happy birthday Grandma!"
Crown Princess: "Oh my…! These flowers…"
Ritz gently placed a circlet of purple flowers atop her white hair.
Then, tears sprung up in her eyes, the same color as Ritz's.
Crown Princess: "This brings back memories…I remember even now. He would give me flowers like this too… I haven't seen them around lately, it must have been so difficult to find them."
Ritz: "Only kinda! But OO looked for 'em with me."
He turned his attention to me and said my name.
His cheeks were faintly red…
Crown Princess: "You did…? I see…haha."
She looked at me as I stood near Ritz, and smiled in delight.
Then she turned her gaze back to Ritz…
Crown Princess: "I see…my little Ritz has… so do you truly know what love is?"
Ritz: "Grandma?"
OO: "…!"
Ritz and I exchanged glances.
Ritz: "…"
OO: "…"
I felt my cheeks blush red at his grandmother's words.
As we looked at each other, Ritz appeared puzzled when…
Ritz turned back to his grandmother and smiled, seemingly unconcerned.
Ritz: "Geez Grandma! What're you saying? I've been in love tons of times!"
OO: "Th-that's right."
We went back and forth like that, but my heart was pounding.
And so Ritz's grandmother's birthday celebration was a success.
…
……
Eventually, his grandmother returned to her room, and the two of us went back inside the castle.
But in that time we had unexpectedly been left alone…
Ritz: "…"
OO: "…"
…this is a problem; it's been like this ever since…
In the awkward silence, my heart only beat faster.
What should I do…saying something like that…Things are now strangely tense…
I felt my body tense…
Ritz: "Ah~~ I still have no idea what this means, but I haven't been thinkin' about it too hard!"
OO: "Eh…!?"
He suddenly raised his voice, then pulled me into an embrace.
Somehow I composed myself enough to look up at him while still in his arms…
Ritz: "Hey, how 'bout a kiss?"
OO: "Huh? Um, I…huh??"
We were so close I could feel his breath, and my heart sped up to full throttle in an instant.
Ritz: "Just a little…is ok, right? I'm…it's weird, I don't feel like this when I'm with other girls. But if it's you, for some reason, my heart starts pounding…"
OO: "R…Ritz?"
At the suddenness of everything, I couldn't look anywhere except Ritz's face.
Then…
Ritz: "…man, what am I gonna do with you?"
OO: "Ah…"
I realized I could feel his breathing closer than before, and something soft touched my cheek.
It was Ritz's lips…
It wasn't like a light kiss on the forehead, and it wasn't gentle either…it was a passionate kiss…
Ritz: "Love is really irritating huh."
He smiled mischievously, and I felt my cheeks heat up even more.
Ritz: "Right now, I can do this much…but brace yourself for the next time. Also I want you to say my name.
OO: "Y-your name…Ritz…?"
My lips trembled with nervousness as I said his name.
Ritz: "Right, OO."
He kissed my cheek again, and smiled in satisfaction.
Standing there like that, I was wrapped in a tender embrace.
END