Side Story 1. Cherry

Blink, blink. Eyes unfocused from drowsiness stared at the canopy ceiling.

Her long eyelashes slowly lifted and fell repeatedly when a languid voice sounded from beside her.

“Awake?”

“Yes… I think so.”

Aris turned her head to look at the man beside her, moving her lips slightly to answer. He had turned to her side, propping his chin with one arm while looking down at her.

His direct gaze continued. Aris pulled the cozy blanket slightly toward her face in needless shyness and asked.

“When did you wake up?”

“While my wife was sound asleep.”

“…What time is it now?”

Aris knew he usually woke up early in the morning regularly. As her drowsiness finally cleared, his neatly groomed appearance and hair came into view.

Kalaian watched her questioning eyes with amusement before answering.

“12 o’clock?”

“12 o’clock…?!”

A shocked Aris bolted upright in bed. Following the sudden movement, one strap of her slip dress fell from her shoulder. Kalaian’s gaze followed it downward.

Shocked that it was already lunchtime, Aris whirled to face him. She asked with slightly reproachful eyes.

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

“How could I wake you when you were sleeping so peacefully?”

“…You haven’t forgotten we’re supposed to visit my family home today, right?”

“Of course not. I’ve already sent word that we’ll visit the Marquis’s residence tomorrow, so don’t worry, my wife.”

“You should have just woken me…”

Aris pouted but flopped back onto the bed.

When Aris occasionally slept in, it was for one of two reasons.

Either she had worked late on research the night before. Or she had been thoroughly… occupied by Kalaian the previous night…

Fortunately, today was the former case. After being obsessed with writing her thesis for several days, Aris had burned the midnight oil until dawn, submitted her paper to the academic society via magic telegraph, and finally collapsed.

Kalaian, who had been watching her, was more than a little worried.

“You’ll harm your health this way, hmm?”

“I’m fine. I don’t usually overdo it. Besides, when Your Majesty requested the development of magical tools for relief aid, I couldn’t refuse…”

Aris hugged the blanket tightly and smiled brightly. She was still willing to lend her strength for the people of Belvaiden.

Watching her proud smile, Kalaian finally had to throw up his hands. How could he say anything when she smiled so happily?

He would just have to take better care of her. In fact, someone who worked hard the previous day might need praise more than scolding right now.

Kalaian reached out his large hand and ruffled Aris’s hair.

“You’re admirable.”

“You think I’m admirable?”

“Yes, very much so.”

Aris giggled and burrowed into Kalaian’s embrace as she received his affectionate touch. Her soft golden hair cascaded in his arms. Kalaian kissed her hair as she smiled broadly and said.

“Aristena.”

“Yes?”

“While you were sleeping, I bought something you said you wanted before.”

“What is it?”

“Cherries.”

“…Cherries?”

Aris lifted her head from his embrace and looked at Kalaian quizzically. Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she didn’t understand what he meant. Curiosity was bubbling in her gaze.

Seeing her cute expression, Kalaian’s lips curved up irresistibly.

“Why are you smiling? Don’t tell me you made an unfunny joke about buying our Cherry…”

She meant the cat Cherry, who would probably be napping somewhere in the sun by now.

When Aris’s eyes took on a displeased look, Kalaian swallowed another laugh.

That’s not it. He just smiled because she was pretty.

Instead of answering, he lowered his head. Taking advantage of her unguarded moment, he showered kisses on her nose and cheeks. Under the bird-like pecking kisses, Aris stayed still before squirming.

“Ah, ah, stop… it tickles…”

“Don’t you remember when you named Cherry? You wrote to me in a letter that you heard a cat’s meow just when you were thinking about wanting to eat cherries.”

“Ah…!”

Aris made a surprised expression as if she remembered.

“How do you remember that?”

Kalaian experienced different times from Aris during the long days he wandered in the rift to meet her. It was amazing that he remembered such trivial things even after experiencing that countless times.

“That’s because I kept thinking about you. Naturally, I traced back memories… and found I couldn’t forget even the smallest ones.”

Kalaian gave a light smile and gazed into Aris’s eyes. His eyes held the same gentle warmth as always.

“It’s finally cherry season. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for today?”

“Just to feed me cherries?”

“Just? Please don’t undervalue my wife so casually.”

At his playful tone, Aris let out a sweet laugh and hugged him tightly.

“Alright. Thank you, Kalaian.”

“I’m glad you look happy. Good morning, Aristena.”

“Yes, good morning, Kalaian.”

Though it wasn’t actually morning.

The two smiled at each other and exchanged light kisses of mutual support for another day.

On the cozy bed. In the pleasant and clear afternoon with sunlight pouring in.

Aris started her day in Kalaian’s embrace as always.

* * *

In the middle of a garden full of roses, Aris sat at the tea table eagerly popping cherries into her mouth. When the sweet flesh burst, her lips naturally curved up into a smile.

“I didn’t expect you to buy these yourself. Did you go to the nearby village?”

“Something like that. Seeing you enjoy them so much makes me think I should have bought all the cherries they had.”

“Then we would have had to throw some away. Kalaian, hurry and try some too. Here, ah.”

Aris parted her lips, stained red from eating so many cherries, and held out a fruit to Kalaian. Between her slightly upturned lips, her equally red tongue briefly appeared in her open mouth.

Kalaian stared at her lips before looking at the fruit she offered with apparent disinterest.

“I don’t particularly like cherries.”

“Really? That’s too bad. They’re delicious…”

So that’s why he had only been watching Aris eat since earlier.

Aris looked at him with disappointed eyes before popping the cherry into her own mouth. As she was chewing and swallowing the flesh, he suddenly stood up from the tea table, reached out to cup her chin, and kissed her.

Aris let out a breath, unable to hide her bewilderment.

His dense lowered eyelashes came into her view. Unlike his serene expression, he tilted his head and passionately explored her mouth.

As her breathing quickened from the continued stimulation, she pushed hard against Kalaian’s shoulders. When he obligingly moved back, he licked his lips before smiling refreshingly.

“I think I rather like tasting them this way.”

Aris looked up at him primly, dumbfounded.

“Could you even taste anything?”

“You’ve eaten so many cherries. I could taste exactly what I expected.”

“…You’re a bit perverted. No, more than a bit. You’re like this sometimes.”

“I’m glad I don’t seem that way every day.”

Kalaian wiped Aris’s mouth with a handkerchief before sitting back down.

His hand moved toward the cat Cherry, who was napping on the table. Cherry, who had kept its eyes closed throughout, briefly opened them at his presence before firmly closing them again, as if bothered.

“You know you can’t do that when we go east, right?”

“What do you take me for, wife? I at least know how to read the situation.”

“Liar. Don’t you remember? A few months ago when we went on a picnic alone in the forest and outdoors…”

Aris stared at him with disapproving eyes as she spoke, but trailed off at the end, unable to say more out loud.

Instead, when she glared at him sullenly, Kalaian just smiled modestly as if he had no defense. But he soon raised one eyebrow slightly as if recalling something.

“I don’t think I was the only one enjoying it.”

“Cherry will hear.”

Aris used the napping Cherry as an excuse with a flustered expression. Kalaian smiled, finding her cute, then reached out to gently stroke her hair.

“Don’t worry. I absolutely won’t do anything to make your family dislike me.”

“Alright.”

After answering calmly, she chewed on cherries for a moment before speaking again with an expression full of excitement.

“Going east with you, I’m so excited.”

“I’m excited too.”

Imagining their upcoming journey, the two met eyes and smiled brightly.