# Side Story 9
Kay and Haylen went on a trip to the sea, but they didn’t go directly to the beach. At Kay’s request, Haylen headed to a department store nearby. Haylen observed Kay and expressed his curiosity.
“That’s unexpected.”
“What is?”
“Kay didn’t like crowded places much.”
Indeed, it was as he said. Kay preferred quiet places to noisy ones. But today, he had a reason to go.
“Today there’s something I want to see.”
“What do you plan to look at?”
Haylen asked as he prepared to get out of the car. Instead of answering, Kay moved his lips slightly and began to gauge Haylen’s reaction. This only deepened Haylen’s curiosity.
He stopped moving and fixed his gaze on Kay. After a long silence, Kay’s slightly parted lips finally moved.
“…I have a favor.”
His eyes, which had been darting around, secretly glanced at Haylen’s hand. His straight fingers had no rough edges and were perfect like a sculpture.
Haylen turned his gaze downward as Kay continued to stare below. But since Kay immediately turned his head when he noticed, Haylen couldn’t tell what he had been looking at.
“What’s the favor?”
“Could I go and look by myself?”
This time, Haylen’s lips closed. In his mind, the opinion that he should grant Kay’s request battled evenly with the opinion that it was dangerous and shouldn’t be allowed. But in the end, Haylen couldn’t win against Kay.
He saw those eyes blinking desperately at him. He didn’t want to see those eyes disappointed.
“…It’s not something dangerous, right?”
“No, I just want to look at something alone.”
Kay showed a bright smile at Haylen’s consent. When he’s this happy, there’s no way to say no again…
Though a long time had passed since they left the organization, there were still many people targeting them.
Of course, their living location hadn’t been discovered yet, but they still needed to be careful. If there was someone in that department store who recognized Kay, it could become dangerous.
“…Make sure to call if anything happens.”
But Kay was also an S-class ability user. Most opponents wouldn’t even be able to wound him. Thinking this way, Haylen suppressed his anxiety.
“I will.”
Kay smiled at Haylen as if telling him not to worry, then got out of the car. Since Haylen had said he would wait in the car, he didn’t follow Kay.
After entering the department store, Kay moved with confident strides as if he already knew where to go. The reason he wanted to come alone was because there was something he had seen before.
It was a store he had discovered by chance, but Kay had been captivated by the rings displayed there. The simple yet luxurious feel seemed like it would suit Haylen very well. After that, he thought that if the day ever came when he could confess his feelings to Haylen, he would want to give him this ring.
Though he wasn’t sure if it would still be there. Kay searched for that brand’s store while tracing his past memories. Fortunately, it still existed, so he was able to find the store without much difficulty.
Kay hesitated, loitering around the area. Though he had decided to buy it, he wasn’t sure if Haylen would be happy. After much contemplation, he finally entered the store.
Inside, various designs of accessories were displayed in glass cases. He looked around for a while, then headed to where the rings were.
“This is…”
It was the ring he had seen back then. He could recognize it immediately since it was displayed in the most prominent place. As Kay fixed his gaze on the silver ring, an employee approached him.
“This is a popular item for couple rings.”
“Ah…”
The employee continued explaining calmly while examining Kay’s face.
“Since it’s made of platinum, it won’t rust.”
In the organization, transactions were mainly done with gold bars or cash, so Kay didn’t know much about platinum, but he had vaguely heard it was more precious than gold.
He liked how it had a more luxurious shine than silver, subtly gleaming. Apart from the gemstone in the center and the engraved pattern, there weren’t many distinctive features, but that’s why it seemed like it would suit Haylen even better.
“The colors of the gems are all different, is there a reason?”
In the center of the ring was a round-cut gemstone. But since identical designs with different colored products were placed side by side, Kay couldn’t help but wonder.
“The meaning differs depending on the type.”
The employee opened the display case and took out one product.
“Most people choose a diamond.”
As the ring was shown to him for a closer look, Kay began examining it seriously. So the transparent gem embedded in the center was a diamond. He had seen them a few times during transactions, but it was the first time seeing one like this.
“Is it because it’s the most expensive?”
“Partly because it’s expensive and rare, but also because it symbolizes eternal love.”
“I see…”
“Basically, a diamond ring is something everyone dreams of at least once.”
Something everyone dreams of at least once. Kay mulled over the employee’s words. Would Haylen be happy with it too? Kay briefly imagined Haylen wearing this ring. It would suit him so well, as if the ring was made for him.
“…I’ll take this one.”
Once he had imagined it, Kay couldn’t choose any other ring design.
* * *
Kay came out faster than expected. Haylen carefully examined the small shopping bag in his hand.
“Did you get what you wanted?”
“Yes.”
There were too many possibilities to guess what it was, so Haylen gave up and started the car.
“Shall we go see the sea now?”
When Kay nodded, Haylen drove to the beach they had visited last time. It didn’t take very long. As the flower scent coming through the window gap disappeared and the smell of the sea took its place, Kay looked outside.
The vast sea filled his view. The sea was burning brilliantly like it had swallowed fire under the gradually setting sun. The sunlight hitting the water’s surface sparkled like jewels.
The scene was even more beautiful after getting out of the car. Kay walked along the quiet beach, feeling the cool breeze. The sound of waves that came whenever he felt the silence was pleasant to hear.
Haylen walked while holding Kay’s hand as he stared blankly at the sea.
“Is there a reason you wanted to come here?”
Kay’s gaze, which had been resting on their joined hands, turned to Haylen’s face. Looking at those red eyes, brighter than the red sunset, his restless heart became calm.
“There’s something I want to tell you.”
“Something to tell me?”
As Haylen tilted his head, Kay, instead of explaining, took out a small box from the shopping bag he was holding. Originally, he had no intention of buying a ring. Both Haylen and he disliked cumbersome things. He had never seen Haylen wear accessories either.
But he felt that even if he confessed, Haylen’s anxiety wouldn’t disappear. Haylen was living with the fear that one day Kay might suddenly leave.
Kay wanted to alleviate his anxiety, even just a little. That’s why he bought the ring. If there was a token, Haylen might feel a bit more at ease.
“It’s too late, but I wanted to say it now.”
Haylen received the box handed to him with a somewhat dazed feeling. At Kay’s gesture to open it, he carefully opened the box.
“This is…”
At that moment, Haylen felt as if all time had stopped. What he received was a ring. It wasn’t an elaborate craft, but it was a design that seemed to suit both of them well.
As Haylen stared blankly at the ring, forgetting even to breathe, Kay carefully opened his mouth. Though he had thought about these words countless times, his mouth felt parched when he was about to utter them.
Kay exhaled slowly and formed a smile.
“I like you. I… love you.”
Haylen’s head jerked up. Without even hearing the sound of waves, only Kay’s voice reached him clearly. He saw Kay’s face smiling brightly at him. What was revealed in his eyes was clear affection for him.
“…Haylen?”
He seriously wondered if this was all a dream. But it couldn’t be a dream. He had never even dared to dream that Kay would confess to him, as it seemed too excessive, beyond imagination.
Haylen, who had been endlessly gazing at Kay’s face, forcibly opened his lips that wouldn’t part.
“Won’t you regret it? I’ve committed countless wrongs against you.”
Because of that, Kay was still suffering. If his confession was due to his own desire…
“I love you, including all of that.”
It was Kay’s resolute words that lifted Haylen’s confidence, which had been waning. Over the past two years, Kay had become convinced that Haylen wouldn’t change. That’s why he could forgive the past. Haylen would gradually make the past okay too.
Kay took out one of the rings from the box and put it on the ring finger of Haylen’s left hand.
“…”
Haylen, who had been staring at the perfectly fitting ring, reached for the other ring in the box.
“…I like you. I love you so much that I would die for Kay.”
Like Kay had done, Haylen took out the ring and put it on the ring finger of Kay’s left hand. The gem touched by the sunset emitted a bright light. Haylen kissed the ring and showed the brightest smile of his life.
“Please stay with me from now on.”
Kay, holding Haylen’s left hand, created a bright smile following him. His face was filled with nothing but happiness.
“I’ll be with you for life, until the day we die together.”
It was the same for Haylen. Now he could say it confidently. That he was happy.
It was happiness that could exist because Kay was there.
< Queen and King Side Stories> End.
