Phil greeted me and we sat in the carriage together as we headed off to the next location. Once we arrived, Phil escorted me off the carriage and we entered the restaurant. As soon as I walked in, a strong sense of déjà vu stopped me in my tracks.
“Viola?” Phil asked. “Is something the matter?”
“I feel like I’ve been here before.”
“Our families came here fifteen years ago after our engagement ceremony.”
“Ah...”
Now that he mentioned it, I had a vague memory of that. I savored the slight sense of nostalgia and continued to walk further into the restaurant. Once inside, we enjoyed a meal so delicious that every bite was a new surprise. I was full and happy.
“It was delectable,” I said.
It was a multicourse meal that consisted of all my favorite foods, and I could tell that this was due to Phil’s consideration. I was also happy about the fact that we were able to enjoy a nice meal together.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Phil replied. “They have different courses depending on the season, so we should come here again.”
“Yes, let’s. Thank you so much.”
I was also delighted by how we were able to make plans for the future, as if it was a given that we’d still be together.
“Let’s go outside for a little bit,” Phil suggested.
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”
Phil led me by the hand to a spacious and beautiful garden. The flowers were illuminated by the gentle moonlight, creating an ethereal and stunning view. It was so romantic. As I walked through the garden, I noticed a large fountain. This was the only place I could vividly remember.
“If I remember correctly, this was where you and I—” I started, turning around without thinking too much about it. But then my gaze met Phil’s as he stared at me with a soft expression.
He slowly took my right hand in his and then got down on one knee. He looked just like the prince in the picture book Princess Adele showed me the other day, and I felt my breath escape me in a quiet exhale.
“Viola.” My heart started to beat faster when I heard the deep affection with which he spoke my name. “I love you.” Upon hearing his confession, my breath stopped. I could do nothing more than stare at him in shock.
When Phil saw my expression, he smiled gently. “I would like to ask for your hand in marriage. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together.”
It was when he said those words that I finally realized he was proposing to me. My marriage to Phil was something that had been decided for us from the moment we were born. Which meant that getting married to him was a given, much in the same way that a child would eventually mature into an adult. That was why the idea of him going out of his way to propose to me had never crossed my mind.
My breath hitched in my throat as I tried to respond. I never knew how happy I would be to hear Phil say, with his own words and of his own will, that he wanted to marry me. I didn’t know that being proposed to was such a joyous event. Tears silently fell from my eyes.
“When I’m with you, I seem to become a bit of a crybaby,” I sniffed.
“I’m sorry. Did I do something to offend—”
“Hee hee. These are tears of happiness.”
He was playing the part of a prince so perfectly only seconds ago, and yet at the sight of my tears, he started to panic. It was this part of him that I treasured more than anything in the world. I reached out with my left hand and enveloped his, then crouched down so that we were on eye level. It felt like I’d spoken to him just like this in the past.
“I love you as well, Phil,” I said. Even though it was my first time professing my love for him in such a direct manner, the words came out a lot easier than I’d imagined. “I want to live with you for as long as we live.”
I tightly squeezed his hand with both of mine, and Phil used my grip on him to tug me close, pulling me into an embrace. His shoulders were shaking slightly and it didn’t take me long to realize that he was crying.
“I’m sorry... I never thought that I would get to hear you say that.”
“Ha ha, it looks like you turn into a crybaby too.”
“I apologize. I must seem awfully lame.”
I slowly wrapped my arms around his shoulders and shook my head slightly. I’d seen for myself just how cool Phil could be. And besides, my love for him encompassed everything that made Phil “Phil,” including his imperfections.
After a little while, the two of us moved to sit on a nearby bench. The silence was broken only by the sound of a gentle breeze and the soft murmur of the water in the fountain. It was comfortably quiet.
“I’d like you to have this,” he said after a moment, carefully placing a ring on my finger.
“Thank you so much. I can’t even put into words how happy I am right now.”
The ring fit perfectly around my finger, and it shimmered so brightly that I couldn’t help but look at it. It had a sleek design, yet the diamond shining in the middle was incredibly beautiful. It was hard to look away. Though, I felt like I’d seen this exquisite ring before.
“This ring seems familiar to me.”
Phil didn’t say anything, though he made a slightly awkward face and I tilted my head. However, upon hearing him tell me about the fake ring he’d tried to put in my tea, I felt affection swell up in my chest. That didn’t stop me from laughing at him though.