City ​​of Witches 1244

Chapter 1244 – #290_Proposal(5)

#1238

1.
Although only four people directly witnessed Sharon’s wonderful proposal, it soon became known to all the lovers.

Sharon, who was well-versed in modern culture and had a knack for romance movies, had made a brilliant preemptive move while everyone else was preoccupied with the wedding.

Ah, that’s right! There was such a culture! There’s no reason why only the man has to propose!

At this moment, as some belatedly pondered this realization with resentment, others with a slight sense of disappointment, and still others with complex and subtle emotions…

“……”
Rinne was also quietly contemplating the meaning of those two words.

Marriage and proposal.

In fact, both words were new to Rinne. Ever since Siwoo had pulled her out of her cormorant-like existence, Rinne had always regarded Siwoo as her husband.

Rinne no longer risked her life to become stronger. The obsession and fixation that had once been directed solely towards strength had been replaced by love for her husband.

A life of becoming a virtuous wife, devoted to and supporting her husband.

For Rinne, who had resolved on such a way of life without any hesitation, a proposal and marriage at this point were like saying ‘on the rooftop’ or ‘by the beach’—redundant.

It meant that it was okay not to express it in a formal way.

However, if asked whether it had no meaning at all, Rinne would deny it.

Just as a hundred flowers have a hundred different meanings, the forms of love are all different.

There were different stories and forms of love between Siwoo and his lovers.

In short, Sharon’s proposal to Siwoo, and the wedding ceremony that the lovers would hold with him, were rituals to confirm their love for each other and to pledge an eternal relationship.

After that, the husband would become a husband in the true sense of the word.
Rinne would become a wife in the true sense of the word.

“……”

Rinne once again contemplated her inner self.

Humans are most adept at lying to themselves. Everyone looks at their own self-image through a lens distorted by self-rationalization and narcissistic embellishment.

That is because it is beneficial for mental health.
However, Rinne, a master of meditation, was able to diagnose her own psychological state more coldly than anyone else.

“Am I happy about the wedding with my husband?”

Rinne began to question herself.

“I am happy.”

There was no way she wouldn’t be happy.

Once, they were merely in a relationship of kidnapper and kidnap victim. Rinne had assumed that Siwoo had a ‘clue to strength,’ so she had taken him as her disciple and monitored him.

She had been horrified by his bizarre sexual preferences, and yet she had also stoically engaged in emotionless intercourse with him.

From a bizarre symbiotic relationship, they were now leaping into a formal marital relationship.
Soon, Siwoo would become Rinne’s husband, and Rinne would become Siwoo’s wife.

They would become a family in the true sense of the word.
She was so happy that she didn’t care about the order of the wedding ceremony, and she didn’t particularly consider the proposal.

“Then, is it just happiness?”

Rinne quietly shook her head.

If that were the case, there would have been no need for this self-questioning.

The reason why Rinne was not anxiously preparing for a proposal, or staying up all night in anticipation of being proposed to, was because there was a very subtle sense of regret remaining somewhere.

“Regret…”

Then, what was she regretting?

Rinne already knew the answer.

There are concepts in the world that are incompatible.
A spear that can pierce anything and a shield that can block anything are representative examples, and another example is a wife and a daughter.

If they were just lovers, it was barely okay to call him ‘Papa’ and to act spoiled in bed from time to time.

That was a way for Rinne to fulfill the paternal love that she had lacked in the relationship she had precariously established.

However, if she went through a wedding ceremony with her husband and became a formal couple, she would really have to stop overlapping her husband with her father.

In fact, this was ‘strange’ even between lovers.
It also meant that she would no longer be able to act spoiled.

“Rinne-nim, are you inside?”
“Husband.”

Rinne’s ears perked up at the sound of her husband’s voice.

And she immediately felt her heart pounding.

The time when he looked for Rinne was generally fixed.

It was rare for him to suddenly come at 1 p.m. like now.
Her husband, who had come to see Rinne at an unusual time, especially after hearing the news that Sharon had proposed?

Perhaps this was…

Perhaps the time had come to part with memories sooner than expected.
She looked in the mirror and quickly checked that her appearance was neat, then opened the door to greet her husband.

“Husband, what is that?”
“Ah, it’s a gift.”
“A gift? For me?”
“Yes.”

Siwoo, looking embarrassed, hid the paper bag.
Normally, she would have thought that he had brought a toy to make the love between a man and a woman even more passionate…

But with this much circumstantial evidence, it was a definite.

“T-t-tea… I-I’ll, I’ll bring it out.”
“Ah, it’s okay. More than that, could you come here for a moment?”

Siwoo, pointing to the slightly malfunctioning Rinne and the sofa placed by the sunny window.
Rinne hesitantly sat on the sofa, as if she didn’t know what to do.

“Close your eyes.”
“I understand.”

Her heart was pounding more than ever before.
Even when she was fighting for her life, her heart had never felt like it was about to burst like this.

-Rustle, rustle

The sound of rummaging through the paper bag.
The sound of taking something out.

Joy and excitement.
And regret.

Just as anyone who becomes an adult compromises with reality and lets go of their childhood dreams.
Rinne resolved to part with the childish memories that had endlessly filled her heart.

Papa, thank you. Goodbye now.

“Could you open your mouth just a little?”
“Mouth?”
“Yes.”
“Ah…”

Rinne was bewildered by the sudden request to open her mouth, but she obediently followed his instructions.
And then something popped into her mouth.

“Mmm.”

Rinne opened her eyes.
Something was sticking out above her beautiful philtrum.

A familiar sensation that she had felt once before.
What was in Rinne’s mouth was a pacifier.

That is, a dummy, also called a pacifier, which is an object used to vicariously satisfy the sucking needs of infants.

For reference, it was also the item that Sharon, who had misinterpreted Rinne’s desires, had prepared as a gift along with a bib and baby pajamas, causing Rinne to become serious, and at the same time, it was the item that Siwoo, who had misunderstood after witnessing it, had made Rinne do the ‘gonji gonji jam jam’ and ‘clap clap’ with.

She had been expecting a proposal, but what on earth was this…?
Rinne was roughly dazed.

“Rinne, come here. It’s time for a nap.”
“……”
“That’s right, that’s right.”

But the moment she heard Papa’s kind voice, Rinne hugged Siwoo as if she had been possessed by something.

A couple who were about to get married were clinging to each other like a father and daughter.
Rinne, who was not only a grown woman but also the oldest of his lovers, was sucking on a pacifier and being held in the arms of Siwoo, who had just turned thirty, like a baby.

She knew that the sight was quite ridiculous.

But she couldn’t escape.
Even though she knew that this swamp of paternal love was not very appealing, she was drawn into it, thinking, ‘Maybe this is good in its own way.’

Papa, who had Rinne lying comfortably on his lap, continued to speak in a gentle tone.

“Are you comfortable?”
“……”

Rinne pondered for a while before nodding her head.

She couldn’t bring herself to look Papa in the eye, but this unknown comfort made her endure the shame and embarrassment.

The hand that delicately stroked her sideburns and caressed her forehead and head filled Rinne’s deprived inner self.

“Papa really loves Rinne.”
“……”
“So I don’t think it’s strange for Rinne to show me this side of herself.”
“……”
“Rinne also likes spending time like this, right?”
“……”

Nod, nod.

Rinne nodded her head again.
Rinne, who couldn’t sleep because of her sensitive senses, was already feeling drowsy.

At the same time, regret and relief raised their heads again.

This happy time would soon be over.
But Papa was being considerate of Rinne and was trying to let her have a happy time for the last time.

“Rinne, you can be just as you are.”
“……”
“You don’t need to change or try to change. I will continue to be Papa if Rinne wants me to. And if Rinne needs me as her husband, I will be by her side as her husband.”

Only then was Rinne able to look at Siwoo.

A gentle smile that promised to embrace anything.
There was no sexual undertone, nor even the awkwardness of forcing himself to accommodate Rinne.

Only then did she realize.

Just as Rinne had been closely observing Siwoo, he also knew Rinne very well.
Much more than when they first met.

That was why he had even grasped the worries and concerns that Rinne had about marriage and proposals.
Even the worries that were unique to Rinne, which she had not yet even voiced.

And then he was telling her.

“It’s okay. Because I love any Rinne. I will love even the parts that Rinne thinks are embarrassing.”

Suddenly, her eyes felt sore and turned blurry.
The tip of her nose tingled as if she had inhaled a puff of pepper.
Her throat felt choked as if something hot was about to surge up.

Only then did Rinne realize that she was sobbing.

This wouldn’t do.
She wanted to show Papa only her beautiful side.
If she was in this state before even hearing the decisive words, she would be even more of a mess.

“Rinne, will you marry Papa?”

A proposal that came in the form she had most longed for.

“Yes, Papa.”

As expected?
Rinne laughed and cried like a child.

Showing the most beautiful smile of all the expressions she had ever shown.