# 9
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“M… a date?”
Dana said as she hastily wiped the water from her mouth.
Fortunately, nothing flew at Edwin.
Edwin's face with a circular smile made it impossible to know what was in his head.
Was he joking? Or serious?
So Dana decided to take his words as just a joke.
“You shouldn't joke around like that.”
“I wasn't kidding.”
“Don't go see a potential groom, senpai.”
Dana's eyes widened in surprise.
Edwin again poured water into her empty cup.
His lips were smiling, but his eyes were very serious.
He said with a slow smile.
“I know this sudden action may seem rude.”
At least he knows, so Dana shook her head affirmatively.
Edwin continued:
“But didn’t you say you were thinking about moving away from the family?”
“……I said so.”
“Instead of marrying a man you don’t know, wouldn’t it be better if you married me?”
Where does he get this confidence?
Dana asked in surprise.
“Why?”
Then Edwin tapped lightly on the glass vase placed in the middle of the table.
Gently shake the water inside the vase.
As well as the yellow flower blooming inside it.
“It may seem that this flower is doing its job just by being here, but it needed many conditions for it to bloom like this.”
“Like soil and nutrients?”
“That's true too. And things like sunshine and wind.”
“What else?”
Edwin pointed his eyes at the restaurant owner.
“The look that comes from love.”
Love, a feeling she had never received from anyone before.
Edwin continued, looking at her.
“This is very important. The flowers here have grown and they are not worried, they are just looking at the sun, in full bloom.”
“Because there were those who saw her with a tender look every day, taking care of her smallest details.”
Edwin was right.
Perhaps the restaurant owner only took care of the flowers out of love.
By fixing what hurts, and filling what is missing.
And with a warm look every day.
Dana understood what he said, so she smiled palely.
Maybe she had been waiting for a look like this all along.
Then, Edwin called out to her in a low voice.
“I can be that person.”
He placed his hand on top of Dana's hand, which was resting on the table.
Great heat gently surrounded her trembling hand.
“Live your day just looking at the sun, without worrying. As for the rest, I will take care of it.”
From his eyes, which were always laughing softly, deep feelings poured out.
His red eyes, burning like fire, seemed full of sincerity.
Dana stared into his eyes, fascinated by his words, and asked.
“...why?”
Why are you doing this? What do you see me as offering all this?
Edwin's face broke into her eyes filled with confusion.
He smiled at her gently.
"who knows?"
“This is something you have to find out for yourf.”
"I?"
"Try to remember. Why am I doing all this?"
For the first time, Dana realized that thinking too much was creating an emptiness in her head.
His sudden confession, and his words about her, were very confusing.
But what occupied her mind most...
Her feelings were complicated in a way she had never experienced before.
As if a warm breeze was tickling her chest.
It is as if she sees for the first time a color creeping into her gray world.
Dana looked ahead warily.
Edwin's face, which had always been at ease, now looked unusually tense.
I looked at his clenched lips and realized.
'He's serious.'
At that moment, Dana raised the cup in front of her and drank from it in one go.
Then she said in a trembling but clear voice.
“...one week.”
Edwin listened intently to her sudden words.
"Let's go on dates for a week. I want to test out that look you talked about."
Then Edwin smiled happily.
A smile as pure as a child's smile, flawless.
And the look in his eyes, so full of joy, was directed only at Dana.
When she realized this, her heart started beating strongly.
'What's wrong with me today?'
Edwin sighed as if he had lifted a heavy burden off his shoulders.
“I'm confident, in myf.”
His voice was sweet like honey.
Dana smiled weakly as she looked at his radiant smile.
She knew in her mind what to do.
What she must now is to get married as soon as possible.
Edwin's heart may change later.
But despite all that, she changed her plans out of a sudden impulse...
'A look of love.'
She wanted to feel it even for a day.
If you try it for just one day...you will never regret it.
***
After they finished eating, the two walked around the square aimlessly.
Dana couldn't comprehend the vitality flowing from everywhere.
There were many things she was curious about, and many things she wanted to try.
“What is that place?”
“It looks like a miscellaneous shop.”
“The store is nice, shall we go in?”
Edwin smiled in agreement.
The store, which was mostly white, was full of ribbons and lace, as if its owner's taste had been imprinted in every corner of it.
The walls, designed as bookshelves, were lined with dolls, hairpins and decorations.
In the middle, there were four oval-shaped tables, on which accessories and perfumes were displayed.
As for the store owner, a middle-aged woman, she was leaning her head on the counter and dozing lightly.
Dana muttered without realizing it, in a low voice.
“Looks like we could try perfumes.”
She pointed to a paper sign that said, “Experiment is possible.”
“Do you like perfume, senpai?”
“More preciy, I like the smell of flowers, the light scent of field flowers.”
“It suits you.”
Dana blushed at that comment.
Edwin was not shy about flattery.
Dana said with hidden shame.
“Perfumes were a luxury to me. Smells are invisible, and I didn’t have time to adorn myf with them.”
Then she chose a yellow perfume.
It was a bottle with a crude drawing of a daisy on it.
Dana pressed the pump attached to the perfume.
A soft and sweet fragrance spread.
She liked the perfume, so she pulled her hair aside.
Then she sprinkled a little of it on her exposed white neck.
“I really liked it.”
Dana decided to buy herf a gift after a long absence.
"What do you think, Edwin? Would you like to smell it?"
Dana handed him the bottle of perfume.
She had the feeling that his golden hair befitted a chrysanthemum.
"Why not?"
Edwin approached Dana.
Then he leaned his body slightly toward her.
His face came close to her shoulder.
Dana soon felt his warm breath on her delicate neck.
The hand that was holding the perfume bottle froze.
Her body, suddenly stiff, stood still, aware of Edwin's presence.
"truly."
His low voice whispered in her ear.
“It smells really nice, senpai.”
Then move away from her slowly.
He gently took the perfume from her hand.
“This is a first date gift.”
He said confidently and walked to the counting table.
The shopkeeper woke up a while ago, and was watching them with eyes full of satisfaction.
“W-Hey!”
Dana suddenly woke up and ran, grabbing any perfume she could find.
“I'll buy you one too!”
She presented the perfumer with the same chrysanthemum perfume she had chosen.
huh? Isn't this a women's perfume?
She intended to choose a men's perfume, but Edwin caught her.
“It's the same perfume you chose for yourf, isn't it?”
“Huh?”
“Did you want us to use the same perfume?”
What are you saying?
Dana looked at him in amazement.
But he put the other perfume on the table without hesitation.
“It is okay if loved ones use the same perfume.”
What nonsense!
This way she will look like she is eager to show that they are lovers.
“Young times, beautiful they are, beautiful.”
The shop owner laughed maliciously as she looked at Dana.
“Not like that...”
“Let's go, senpai.”
Edwin grabbed her hand after he finished pushing, pulling her with him.
Dana was confused, not even realizing where her hand was as she led behind him.
“Spray me please.”
He handed her a bottle of chrysanthemum perfume.
Then he leaned down to face her.
Dana looked at his expression full of anticipation and laughed lightly.
Then she sprayed perfume on his neck.
Keep walking together.
Edwin looked at Dana with eyes full of satisfaction.
They both smell the same...
That was really…
Something that makes him happy.