The tips of my ears burned hot.
‘…Is it just my imagination? Feels like I’ve been hearing that kind of thing a lot lately.’
How should I put it? He’d been saying embarrassingly sweet things as if they were nothing, hugging me without a care for other people’s eyes.
He’d been picking me up unexpectedly quite often, too. Since I didn’t want to look weak in front of others, I told him to tone it down. Maybe that’s why Kyle had only reached out his hand toward me now, instead of lifting me up right away—he was waiting.
‘It’s cute how he hesitates like that because he can’t just pick me up outright, but… wait, what?’
I took his hand and sat up. Kyle supported my back as he spoke.
“I’ll have the other servants carry you, so just take it easy.”
“Since we’re resting anyway, how about some rice cake soup together?”
“Sure.”
I playfully bumped my shoulder against his.
“This time, it’ll be especially delicious. I put in extra effort, thinking of someone special who’s going to eat it.”
Kyle folded his arms and tilted his head slightly.
“Haven’t you always made it that way?”
“Well, when you put it like that, I guess I don’t really have anything to say.”
I was too caught up in talking to Kyle to notice, but at some point, the lively atmosphere around us had quieted down. I cleared my throat belatedly, then peeked out and spoke with an awkward mix of embarrassment in my voice.
“Uh… Then I’ll head in first.”
“Rest well! We’ll bring the rice cake soup to your room.”
“That’s right! Please go on in!”
Kyle and I were practically shoved out of the dining hall by the crowd that had suddenly sprung to their feet.
I stood there for a moment, still a bit dazed, when one of the knights—who had been whispering among themselves—stepped closer and murmured to me in a low voice.
“Would you like us to bring it a little later?”
“No! Right away, please!”
Realizing what he was implying, I waved my hands in protest, laughing awkwardly.
It was already widely known throughout the estate that Kyle and I were lovers, but lately… it seemed like we were being treated less like a couple and more like… well, like we were already married.
“Shu.”
His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me in slightly. The subtle tug at my side made it clear—he was telling me to hurry up and go upstairs.
I gave the servants a polite nod before reluctantly following his lead.
“You’ve been acting pretty needy lately.”
“Well, I can’t help it. Lately, my partner has been busier than me. Always rushing off somewhere—once you leave the bedroom, you’re impossible to find.”
“Now you know how I felt, waiting for Your Highness.”
“I’ve learned it all too well… more than enough.”
His grumbling tone was so endearing that I couldn’t help but laugh.
I shut the bedroom door with a sharp click and pushed him against it, wrapping my arms around his neck. Meeting Kyle’s gaze from up close, I smirked confidently.
“Since you waited so patiently, I suppose I should reward you.”
“As much as you’d like.”
He smiled soundlessly and gently cupped my cheek.
It wasn’t like this was our first kiss—so why did my heart always pound so wildly, like it was the very first time?
I closed my eyes naturally. But just as our lips were about to meet, a knock at the door rang out, louder than anything else.
“W-Waahhh!”
I let out something between a scream and a shout, shoving Kyle’s face away with both hands. My heart pounded so violently that I pressed my palm against my chest in a desperate attempt to calm it.
“N-N-No! That scared me!”
I didn’t have the luxury to check on Kyle. I had no idea where or how I’d pushed his face—my mind was completely overtaken by a single thought: I need to fix my expression and open that door, NOW.
“Kyle, Your Highness! Shu-nim! I brought the rice cake soup!”
A cheerful, youthful voice of a servant rang out. I wiped my face with both hands and took a deep breath. A sudden pang of guilt pricked at me.
Right… The rice cake soup…
I had completely forgotten. I was the one who insisted they bring it right away—how could I have forgotten so easily? The moment I stepped into the bedroom, it was as if everything except Kyle had been wiped clean from my mind.
“Yes, I’ll open the door now…”
I barely managed to compose myself, rubbing one cheek as I opened the door. Beyond the steaming bowls of rice cake soup, a short servant beamed up at me.
“Enjoy your meal!”
With a creak, the door shut again.
Slowly, I turned around, still holding the tray.
Kyle stood with his arms crossed, staring down at me with a tilted gaze.
Right… I shoved his face away in shock, didn’t I?
“Uh… You’re not mad, are you, Your Highness?”
“Not at all.”
“…That doesn’t sound convincing.”
“Not even a little.”
“That REALLY doesn’t sound convincing!?”
After a brief silence, he strode toward me, took the tray from my hands, and placed it on the table.
I stood there awkwardly before quickly following after him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He’s definitely sulking.
To smooth things over, I immediately switched to my most playful, affectionate tone.
“Your Highness. Was it because I pushed you too hard? Ah, but I was really startled, you know?”
Twitch.
I felt his body tense slightly before relaxing again. But then, just as quickly, he stiffened a little once more—it seemed he wasn’t completely over it yet.
“Please let it slide this once. Ah, but… okay, I did mess up by shoving your cheek like that. Tsk… But don’t you think you share a bit of the blame too, since you could’ve dodged but didn’t?”
“…Fine, fine. It was my fault. But I still love you.”
I pressed my cheek firmly against his back and rubbed against him playfully. He flinched again.
When I tilted my head up to peek at him, I noticed the tips of his ears had turned a faint shade of red. His barely visible cheek trembled ever so slightly.
“Your Highness, I know you’re smiling.”
“…Just eat.”
With that, he spun me around and sat me down on the sofa. Then, he placed a spoon in my hand and expertly blew on a hot spoonful of rice cake soup before offering it to me.
Seriously, he’s so sweet.
I couldn’t even think to stop him—I just watched him with a soft smile before leaning my head against his shoulder.
“Your Highness should eat some too. I made this myself, after all. Do you see that egg garnish on top?”
“You cut it beautifully. I’ve always thought so—you have quite the skillful hands.”
“Well, of course. It’s not like this is my first time.”
Kyle smiled pleasantly as he fed me. As always, he only started eating his own portion after making sure my stomach was at least somewhat full.
“So, in that world, did you always eat this dish to celebrate the New Year?”
He seemed unfamiliar with the texture of the rice cakes but nodded thoughtfully, saying it seemed like a good dish to cook together in the winter and was easy to store.
“Well, it was a sort of tradition. The rice cakes are white and pure, right? Where I lived, the first day of the new year was believed to mark a fresh beginning for all things. So, we’d eat clean, simple food like this to wish for a peaceful year ahead.”
Back in the day, rice was expensive, and people only ate rice cakes on special occasions—so it doubled as a celebratory dish, too.
I mulled it over for a moment before adding,
“But honestly, since making it alone was a lot of work, I rarely cooked it for myself.”
Forget rice cake soup—I wasn’t much of a cook in general. Preparing food just for myself and cleaning up afterward always felt like too much of a hassle. Most of the time, I just grabbed something quick at work or relied on instant meals.
Kyle frowned slightly before letting out a small, bittersweet smile.
“That won’t happen anymore.”
“…Huh?”
“We’ll celebrate New Year’s together. Your birthday, too. Christmas, if you want. And, of course, the spring renewal festival, the autumn harvest festival, and the grand winter celebration that exist only in this world—we’ll celebrate those together, too. From now on, every year, without missing a single one.”
“…Your Highness.”
A warm sensation bloomed in my chest, as though something soft and irreplaceable had settled deep within me.
“I’ll be by your side.”
His voice was clear and sincere—plain yet filled with unmistakable truth.
After a long moment of silence, I responded quietly,
“…That’s true.”
Now that I thought about it, today was already the last day of the year.
What had I been thinking around this time every year before? It had always been the same. Ah, this year was exhausting as hell. Messy, but I still made it through. I really hope next year is a little easier.
I would gather a few tired, bitter thoughts like that—or, more often, I’d be too drained to bother with sentimentality at all, collapsing straight into bed without a second thought.
But this year was different.
No, ever since coming to this world, everything had changed.
For the first time, I could look back on a year with genuine happiness. Thanks to the person who stood beside me so naturally, I found myself wondering what next year would bring.
I knew it wouldn’t be filled with only good and happy things. But as long as Kyle was with me, I felt like I could handle anything.
“Hey.”
As I idly rolled a piece of candy around my mouth—having declared myself too full to eat any more—I suddenly spoke up.
“Should we get married in the new year?”
“…Huh?”
“I mean your proposal. I said I liked the idea, but I never really gave you a proper answer or told you what I wanted.”
“Well, that’s… true, I suppose…”
“I was just thinking—let’s be lovers only until the end of this year. And starting next year, let’s live as a married couple.”
Because with you, I feel like I could be happy forever.
“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you changed your mind? I thought you were being extra sweet these past few days because you were waiting for me to say this.”
“Of course not!”
Kyle blurted it out so quickly that I couldn’t hold back my laughter. I leaned in close and lightly bumped my forehead against his.
“Then it’s settled. By the way, does this place allow same-sex marriage? Can we get legal recognition? The country I used to live in didn’t allow it.”
“In this land, I am the law.”
“Oh, right. You’re the lord.”
I chuckled, and he stole a quick kiss from my lips before pulling away.
“…Ah.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“…I…”
“Yes?”
I wrapped my arms around him, smiling brightly.
“I love you too, Your Highness.”
And just like that, we closed the chapter on one year and welcomed the next—no longer just as lovers, but as irreplaceable partners.
