Chapter 16. Gratitude and Repayment (6)

A month passed quickly.

The once vibrant autumn sky had, before I knew it, turned into a slightly grayish winter sky. There were a few flurries of snow.

Although it was a bit busy for the entire month, the nuns also felt a little excited around this time.

There’s also the fact that we’re getting a year older. Perhaps many nuns who will be leaving here next year will do so.

Even if we’re busy, holidays are holidays.

But there was one more practical reason: we get a few rare free outing passes per year.

Well, even if we go out freely, it’s only within the areas the church has influence over. Still, our church is in Seoul, so even if there are restrictions, we can still go out and have a decent time.

We usually don’t ask what the nuns do when they go out. It’s a sort of unspoken rule. Most nuns just go out to have fun and come back, but, well, sometimes there are some suspicious ones.

I was usually the type to just eat something delicious nearby and come back.

“…….”

Still, this Christmas, my heart felt a little fluttery. Because I had someone I promised to go out with. And that person was the woman I had come to like.

Even while standing in front of people praying in a white nun’s habit-which was practically a Saint’s habit-I endured it, lost in such thoughts.

This year’s Christmas service at our church was a little different. Of course, the Priest officiated, but I, who was always mixed in with the nuns at the back, stood at the front today.

I didn’t have to recite any prayers or anything, but I could feel people’s gazes on me.

Awe… I don’t really feel that. Unless they are high-ranking officials or people deeply devoted to this denomination, I’m usually just a curious existence.

Hating the way people stared at me, I closed my eyes and pretended to pray. Still, there was no murmuring or anything, so as long as I kept my eyes closed, it was bearable.

I was a little anxious when a white light flickered behind my head as people began to pray.

“Good job.”

After the service ended, Ria gently took my hand as I descended from the platform and said.

Ria had a gentle smile on her face.

My face flushed for no reason, and I lowered my head as if I were praying.

*

The day after Christmas.

For us nuns, it’s the practical Christmas.

Well, that’s not a big deal. The day had almost no religious significance anymore.

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat in front of Ria.

“Yeah?”

Ria, who was getting ready to go out, tilted her head as she looked at me. At least, she seemed to recognize that I was calling her.

“Uh, yesterday.”

Right.

Actually, I meant to give it to her yesterday morning, but I couldn’t. Because my heart pounded too hard every time I took it out.

It was a bit difficult to get this too. Of course, receiving it wasn’t a problem. Sending a letter to the Gnome workshop wasn’t that difficult, and they gladly sent me the item.

The only difficulty was receiving it without Ria finding out.

Still, I managed to keep it until today without being discovered.

“I was supposed to give it to you yesterday, but I forgot because I was so busy.”

I said, trying to make it sound like it was no big deal.

“…It’s a Christmas present.”

Saying that, I carefully handed the small, wrapped gift to Ria.

“…A present!?”

Ria was so surprised, as if she hadn’t expected anything like it, and took my gift. It was a little amusing how she jumped up in surprise, but then carefully took my gift.

“Can I open it?”

Seeing Ria ask with the face of a child receiving a birthday present, I suddenly felt anxious. What if she didn’t like it? It would be a little sad if Ria looked immediately disappointed as soon as she opened it.

But I couldn’t back down now.

Nodding nervously, Ria smiled brightly and carefully unwrapped it.

A long box.

Inside, there was a necklace.

At the end of the necklace, made of thinly drawn silver thread, was a jewel similar in material to the one on our rings.

The jewel, into which I had infused holy power, was glowing white.

“…Oh…”

Ria seemed momentarily speechless, gazing at the necklace.

“H-how is it?”

“It’s beautiful.”

Hearing Ria’s answer, I almost twisted myself into knots.

“Help me put this on.”

Ria said in a very excited voice. Before I could even ask “Yes?”, Ria had already turned her back to me.

As Ria swept her flowing red hair aside with her hand, her white nape was revealed. Sunlight hit her neck and shattered, making it seem to shine dazzlingly. Or was it just my eyes?

…Why just the nape of my neck? I’m not a teenager going through puberty.

I suppressed a sigh and carefully hung the necklace over her neck.

I thought about touching it briefly in this gap, but it was only a thought.

Ria lowered her hair and turned back towards me.

The necklace sparkled over her nun’s habit. Perhaps because of the dark color of the clothes, the white jewel was more noticeable.

“How is it?”

“It suits you well.”

Ria smiled brightly at my words.

In my eyes, that smile shone brighter than the jewel on the necklace.

*

While the ring on my hand is unavoidable, the necklace is quite noticeable.

Moreover, Ria’s chest is a bit… how should I put it, it’s rather emphasized, so seeing the jewel bouncing on her chest made me feel strange.

Perhaps Ria felt a bit the same, as she wore the necklace inside her clothes.

Last time, after we went to the sea, we had been refraining from going out much. It was a bit awkward after we informed the church that a nun had worn a bikini and run around.

Still, Ria didn’t want to let today pass by, so she took me around various places. After all, there was a reason for it.

We went to the streets bustling with people at the end of the year, and took pictures in front of trees that hadn’t been taken down yet.

We ate delicious food on the street, and finally went to a fancy restaurant.

“…This. A gift.”

Ria handed me something.

The contents of the gift were a smartphone. I see. I had never owned one in this world yet. I hadn’t even thought I needed one.

“Thank you.”

As I said that with sparkling eyes, Ria scratched her head and averted her gaze with an embarrassed expression.

I see.

She must have been thinking about what I really needed.

“Then, please give me Ria’s number first.”

As I said that with a smile and handed her the smartphone, Ria received it with a slightly flushed, embarrassed, and shy face.

And so, for now, only Ria’s number was registered in my smartphone.

*

As it grew dark, we returned to the convent and saw Mari and Anna standing alone in the convent’s courtyard.

Both of us felt like we should, so we quickly hid nearby. Though hiding meant just being around the corner of the hallway.

The two of them were having a conversation.

“…I see. You knew everything.”

Mari said.

“Yes, I knew everything.”

“…So, a gift like this…”

Mari said that and raised her left hand, looking at it.

There, there was a ring. It seemed the gift Anna got a hint from me for was a ring.

“Thank you, truly.”

“…….”

“For living. For protecting me.”

“No, I just did what I had to do-“

“I know everything. I heard everything.”

At Anna’s words, Mari’s speech was cut off.

However, Anna didn’t seem to want awkwardness to linger between them.

Anna rushed towards Mari. She wrapped her arms around Mari’s neck and stood on her tiptoes.

Their lips met.

“…Anna.”

Mari said with a somewhat dazed expression.

“From now on, I don’t want to leave any regrets.”

“…….”

“What about you, Mari?”

“……Me, me too.”

Anna smiled brightly at those words.

Somehow, I felt that face looked a bit like a predator.

*

“…I saw something incredible.”

After returning to the room and remaining silent for a long time, I finally spoke.

Well, it’s a good thing. Of course, it’s a good thing. Lovers are meant to be together, aren’t they?

But then, why are we feeling awkward?

…….

Ah, the reason is obvious.

It’s unavoidable to feel awkward with a couple who shares the same name as us.

“How happy it must be, the first kiss between lovers!”

I tried to continue the conversation somehow. Because otherwise, the atmosphere would continue to feel strange.

“I, too, someday with someone I like-“

And I closed my mouth.

I think I just said something even stranger.

“Someone you like?”

Ria asked, looking at me.

“Well, someday, so. Not right now.”

As I made up words for no reason, Ria looked at me with a complex expression.

“First kiss, you say.”

Ria said in a voice that sounded strangely resentful.

“Uh, yes, but…”

As I glanced at Ria, Ria defiantly lifted her chin.

“If it’s that, it might be a bit difficult. Someone has already taken your first kiss.”

“……What? Who?”

The response I received was so absurd that I couldn’t even react properly and asked,

“Me.”

Ria said something incredibly absurd.

“…Ria?”

“Yes.”

“When exactly?”

“…….”

Ria’s face turned slightly red.

“You know, the day you collapsed. That time.”

“……Ah. Chocolate.”

“Well, something like that.”

I burst out laughing.

What was I thinking?

So, it’s like artificial respiration. Because chocolate is difficult to swallow all at once without melting it. Hmm.

Thinking about it this way, it seems a bit suggestive?

“Um, is that so?”

“What, you’re not surprised.”

“You did it to save me.”

I said, standing in front of Ria, who was sitting on the bed.

And with both hands, I grabbed Ria’s cheeks, which had an awkward expression, and made her look at me.

“…….”

First kiss.

It’s a bit much not to remember it, but if Ria was my partner, then fine. It’s what I wanted.

However, I still feel a little resentful.

I still don’t know why I acted that way. Perhaps it was because I drank quite a bit of the pre-meal wine, and the effects of the alcohol lingered, making me a little giddy. On top of that, the dessert was incredibly sweet, and then more alcohol came out, so I might have gotten carried away.

The atmosphere was like that too. We exchanged gifts. What Anna and I talked about came to mind, and I had just seen what the two of them were doing.

If it’s a parallel world, maybe I have some possibility too.

And perhaps, out of spite, I thought of it as a ‘pretext’.

“Still, I feel a little resentful.”

Yes. This is a prank.

A prank between friends. A little drunk, carried away by the mood. Swept along.

Kiss.

My lips lightly touched Ria’s cheek.

Ria looked up at me, frozen.

“Hahaha!”

I burst out laughing at Ria’s face and then threw myself onto the bed.

Ah, I did it.

That’s what I thought.

Still, I felt somehow relieved.

……Hmm.

Perhaps I drank too much on my own. I’m a little sleepy.