Almost 100 Days. And Couple Items. (4)
After buying matching couple tees and couple shoes, their original clothes and shoes went into Yuna's eco bag. The clothes weren't a problem, but the shoes had been in full contact with the dusty ground, so they were quite dirty and Jihyeok was worried.
"I brought plastic bags too since I figured we'd change shoes right away."
"You're so prepared… Guess we don't have to worry about dirt getting on the eco bag."
"Hehe. This much is basic~"
Now that the clothes and shoes were all in one bag, the weight had to be considerable. Just like how a single sheet of paper becomes incredibly heavy when stacked in layers, it would probably feel too much for Yuna to carry.
Jihyeok spoke up to help Yuna, who looked like she might be struggling.
"Isn't it heavy with the clothes and shoes in there?"
"Not really? It's on my shoulder from the start, so it's not that heavy."
"Still, you shouldn't strain your shoulders later. If it gets tough, tell me. I'll carry it instead."
"I'll just take the thought~ I'm stronger than my boyfriend thinks, you know!"
"…I'm just worried about you. Anyway, let's get going."
"Okay!"
They had plenty of time, but if they didn't hurry, they might miss out on the good items. Of course, the more popular something was, the higher the price would be, but they weren't relaxed enough to worry about that.
The place Jihyeok and Yuna arrived at was an accessory store filled with a wide variety of items. From cheap accessories aimed at kids that looked like toys to rings with huge gems on gold-plated bands that made you wonder if they were real—the price tags had at least seven digits. They looked more like engagement rings for someone promising marriage than couple rings.
"…It's kind of blinding."
"Is it because the accessories look so pretty?"
"That too, but the light from the lamps is reflecting off the gems and hitting my eyes directly. I can't see anything…."
"Guess we need to get my boyfriend some sunglasses before we even pick out couple rings~"
"…Is my girlfriend okay?"
"I'm fine~ This much I can handle~"
"…You're amazing."
As soon as they entered the store, a staff member began a brief explanation.
"To maintain the highest quality, we completely prohibit customers from touching the products. Please look around at your leisure, and if you see something you like, there's a product number next to it. Just come to the counter and tell us the number, and we'll bring it out for you."
"It's important not to get fingerprints on nice items. I understand."
"Thank you for understanding. Then, please take your time browsing."
"Okay~"
Right at the entrance, advertising posters were displayed prominently, with the exact same products carefully arranged inside glass cases below them. In the center of the store, accessories of various designs were lined up in straight rows like in a clothing boutique, and everything was spotlessly clean, as if they maintained it meticulously.
"Now I get why they ask customers not to touch the products."
"Right~ It would actually feel more disrespectful if we did touch them."
Friendship bracelets that friends wear, couple rings that couples often use, and even flashy, high-quality wedding bands that prove eternal commitment. Besides those, countless other accessories delighted Jihyeok and Yuna's eyes.
"There are so many… I wonder if we'll be able to choose from all this…."
"Let's look around first. If we find something decent, we'll go with that."
"Okay. Looks like I'll have to trust my girlfriend's pick again this time."
"Aww~ But since we're both going to wear them, I can't just follow my taste alone~"
Jihyeok thought Anything's fine with me… but since these were couple rings, he decided they shouldn't lean toward just one person's opinion. They needed to find rings that both of them liked. After all, this would be their first and last time buying couple rings.
Because Yuna had been the one to approach him first and confess, Jihyeok decided to buy rings that reflected her opinion as much as possible. He was confident he would be satisfied just by seeing his girlfriend's happy expression when he slipped the couple ring onto the ring finger of her left hand.
"Then let's look around, remember the numbers of anything we like, and if we find couple rings that hit both our tastes, we'll think it over among those options."
"Sounds good~"
The first place the two went was the section with inexpensive rings. They were cheap enough that even kids could buy them if they saved their allowance properly, so there weren't any notable gems.
"If you add 5,000 won, they can engrave initials on the ring?"
"These would be perfect as friendship rings."
"These are nice, but I don't think they'll have our sizes."
"They're made for little kids, so that makes sense."
Yuna, who had been looking at the next section, moved to the corner displaying necklaces.
"We don't need to buy a necklace yet."
"Yeah. These are pretty nice too, but I like the one my girlfriend gave me more."
"Hehe. Good thing I bought it for you."
"Whenever I look at the pendant, it always appears in my dreams."
"Huh? On your birthday?"
"That's right, but more precisely, the moment I received the necklace from you seems to be the best part."
"Don't kiss the me in your dreams."
"Why?"
"That's dream Yuna, not the real Han Yuna. Even if it's me, it's not really me, so I don't want my boyfriend's lips stolen by another girl."
"…I'll try my best to hold back."
"If it's me, I'll accept it anytime. Just say the word."
Yuna whispered into Jihyeok's ear.
"…I'm always ready. My darling♡"
Maybe because he still wasn't used to the occasionally changing pet names, every time Yuna called him "my darling," Jihyeok's whole body would tremble. Seeing his reaction, Yuna let out a small laugh as if she'd discovered something new.
"Why is your reaction so cute?"
"…I don't think I'll ever get used to that nickname."
"Really? Then I'll have to think about it when I change your pet name~"
Sometimes when he thought about it, Jihyeok could feel that she liked and loved him more than anyone else, but she also seemed to enjoy teasing him just as much and had a possessive streak that rivaled his own.
After looking around the store, the rings that satisfied both their tastes turned out to be quite expensive. They'd tried to decide on the cheapest options possible, but there was a reason those were cheap. They felt a bit plain as gifts for a lover, and if you were dating someone sensitive about accessories, they'd probably start complaining. They were literally just accessories aimed at children.
While searching for rings suitable as couple rings among the ones that hit their tastes, Jihyeok noticed Yuna eyeing a particular item.
"You seem to really like that one."
"…Yeah. But it's not a set—it's a single item—so it doesn't match our purpose."
Even though she clearly liked it so much, if he suggested buying it without a second thought, Yuna would probably say something like, "We're here to buy couple rings, not other stuff. I can save up and buy that later, so don't worry~" That's why he let it slide.
What had captured Yuna's taste was a silver ring with a heart-shaped gem.
"It is pretty. It would look good on you, Yuna."
"Right? Ah! Don't even think about buying it for me. We're here for couple rings!"
"Got it. Since you're saying it like that, of course I'll listen."
Yuna pointed two fingers at her own eyes and then at Jihyeok's.
"I'll be watching. My eyes can't be fooled."
"Of course. I know what ability my girlfriend has, so even if I wanted to trick you, I couldn't."
"Hehe. Then we're good~"
When Yuna wasn't looking, Jihyeok secretly memorized the number of the item she'd liked. Number 28.
After storing the product number in his head, Jihyeok continued looking at other rings with Yuna. After looking around several times, checking, and thinking it over, they finally managed to find rings that suited them. Gold bands with a small, beautifully decorated gem next to the space where names could be engraved. They were the kind of rings that, the moment you wore them, turned into proof that you belonged to your lover.
After checking the product number and telling the staff, they confirmed both their names. Then the staff measured the circumference of the ring fingers on Jihyeok and Yuna's left hands. Once they brought out rings in the right sizes, a craftsman who clearly took great pride in his work came out and began engraving the initials. Hearing that the fairly difficult work would take a while, Yuna sat down on a chair provided in the store.
"I think I'll need to do some leg exercises later?"
"Everything else is fine, but your legs are weak…."
"On my birthday, your legs hurt so I had to carry you. …Are you doing this because you want to be carried again?"
"You caught me~? I don't mind being carried anytime, though?"
"…But doesn't your expression keep tempting me?"
"Hmm~? No idea what you mean~?"
Looking at Yuna's face as she said that, Jihyeok resolved to be fully prepared before the date ended, because the moment they got home, it seemed like Yuna would pounce on him.
"It's finished."
"Ah. Yes!"
They took the beautifully wrapped bag containing the rings and headed to their next destination.
"Getting hungry?"
"Yeah! I wonder if there are any good restaurants nearby…."
"There should be places to eat in the department store too. Let's look carefully. Picking somewhere with a decent number of people should be fine."
"Understood~"
The fact that they eventually couldn't find anywhere and ended up eating at a hamburger place near the department store was a secret just between the two of them.
Even after their impulsively created 'Couple Item Making Date' came to an end, they wandered around the area taking couple photos everywhere. Even though they'd been dating for over two months, the fact that they barely had any couple photos shocked Jihyeok and Yuna. They hurriedly searched for nearby tourist spots and ran around as if being chased, snapping photos left and right.
After getting several hundred satisfying photos, Yuna uploaded them to their chat room with a happy expression.
"This should work as my profile picture, right?"
"Yeah. Now that I think about it, we'll have plenty of chances to take photos in the future, but since we took them suddenly, some of them are a bit out of focus."
"Huh? I tried to pick the best ones? Oh my! You're right?!"
If you looked closely they seemed normal, but because the camera had focused on Jihyeok and Yuna the moment it took the shot, the background was slightly blurry.
"Ughhh… I wanted to take pretty pictures…."
As Yuna pouted her lips with a disappointed look, Jihyeok kissed her on the cheek. Startled by the sudden peck, Yuna stared at him with wide eyes.
"There will be lots more days to take photos from now on, so don't feel too bad. It's not like today is our only date, and the highlight of today hasn't even started yet."
"Highlight? Ah… that's true, isn't it?"
There had been a mutual request to put the rings on each other on the way home after the date ended, and to finish by sharing their love before parting. So the two headed to their usual spot for the finale of today's date.
The place where their first kiss had begun. The perfect space for whispering their love to each other. The location itself wasn't particularly beautiful, but it was a space where they could focus entirely on each other.
Jihyeok and Yuna took the rings out of the case, checked the initials, and each prepared their ring.
"…Should I put yours on first?"
"Yeah. Please do."
Yuna took Jihyeok's left hand and carefully slipped the couple ring onto his ring finger. Unlike the necklace, the ring gave a different feeling as it slid smoothly onto his left ring finger. The coolness of the ring and the warmth of Yuna's hand hit him at the same time, and he unconsciously let out a strange sound.
"It's just putting on a ring, so why that sound~?"
"…Please think of it as me being too happy…."
"Hehe. Really? Then I understand~ Here. …Can I ask you to do the same?"
"Yeah."
He took Yuna's left hand, which looked noticeably smaller compared to his own, and slipped the ring onto her ring finger.
"…Mmph."
"You're in no position to tease me, are you?"
"I don't know… Just think that I'm so happy I might go crazy…."
"Got it."
After putting the rings on each other, they both felt like they had truly become a complete couple. Seeing the small heart engraved between their initials made them feel like they now belonged to their lover.
"…Am I my boyfriend's now?"
"Shouldn't I be my girlfriend's? You always call me yours, after all."
"Is that so? Hehe. Do you like that pet name?"
"It's a pet name my girlfriend made. How could I not like it?"
"Really? Then should we decide on pet names while we're at it?"
"I don't mind. Since I hear them from my girlfriend, I want to keep hearing them for a long time."
"Then… If I call you 'mine' when I call you, what will you call me?"
After thinking for a moment, Jihyeok offered one idea.
"Since you call me 'mine,' I should call you 'yours,' right?"
"'Yours,' huh… It makes me feel like my boyfriend has become my possession. Is that okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine with it. From the start, with skinship and dates, you've been taking the lead a lot, Yuna. So this seems right."
"Hmm… But once we get used to these names, I feel like I might pounce on you all the time… Is that okay?"
"As long as you hold back until we're adults, I'd actually like it."
"Reeeally~?"
The moment she finished speaking, she wet his lips with saliva, and he thought today's Cross Kiss was going to last a long time. But since it was his girlfriend who liked him this much, Jihyeok had no intention of refusing. He actually hoped it would last even longer.
Yuna moved her hand behind Jihyeok's neck and gently pulled him into an embrace.
"Today's date was really fun, wasn't it?"
"…Yeah."
"Thank you. For suggesting we get couple rings first."
"It was something we had to get eventually. I just moved it up to today."
"You wanted to match them that quickly?"
"Yeah. I wanted to express that Yoon Jihyeok belongs to Han Yuna, and my girlfriend Han Yuna is the lover of Yoon Jihyeok."
"Hehe. That would be obvious if I kissed you once on the street."
"…That would be too embarrassing for me. Please hold back on that."
"Okay. …I can't hold back anymore, so close your eyes. …My darling."
"…Okay. …My darling."
As Jihyeok closed his eyes, he naturally wrapped his arms lightly around Yuna's waist. Not long after, he felt the soft touch of her lips on his. It was the soft lips he felt once a day, but because it was the day they'd gotten their couple items and even decided on pet names on the spot, today felt very special.
A kiss with his lover on a special day. A different kind of sweetness spread throughout his body.
When the long Cross Kiss finally ended, Yuna whispered to him first.
"…I'll keep loving you a lot and spoiling you from now on. …My darling♡"
"…Yeah. I'll love you a lot and cherish you too. …My darling."
Between the two of them, only the sound of their racing heartbeats could be heard.