IPTYFM

CHAPTER XLlV

⭑. ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭
IPTYFM
⭑. ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭

Of course, to a fanatical ascetic, even age-old customs are nothing but vile acts. Mrs. Becker, as if she were driving out a demon, began to murmur verses from the Bible about fornication, shaking a bottle of holy water.

“The land is soaked in lewd customs, and God will unleash His wrath…”

“Sigh…”

Even a man nicknamed ‘the priest’ would sigh at such zealotry. Johann, giving up the standoff with the landlord, took me inside and closed the door behind us.

Without the intruder, we were free to kiss to our heart’s content. As our lips finally parted, Johann hugged me tightly and asked,

“Was everything alright today?”

I’ve always been honest, but today, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about cleaning the bedroom, let alone cleaning the traces of lovemaking. And I certainly couldn’t mention that he was undressed in front of me.

“Nothing special happened today. But since it’s Christmas, he just made me clean and let me go early.”

I felt guilty for lying to Johann. But without a way to stop him and not wanting Johann to suffer from knowing, ignorance is bliss.

“Do you want me to kill him? If you wish, I can do it.”

It would only create more problems if Johann, knowing the truth, decided to take the only action he thought possible.

“Poor Rize.”

Even now, just thinking I had only cleaned the office, he was distressed and felt sorry for me.

“Why feel sorry? It’s because I’m too lovable, isn’t it?”

I tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but it didn’t work.

“If only I was stronger, you wouldn’t have to suffer…”

Then he talked about returning home, not immediately, but after winter, which was slightly more rational than before but still nonsensical.

“Will going back home suddenly give you strength?”

Johann only smiled in response. I hadn’t seen that sad look in his eyes for a long time.

“Are we, by any chance, hidden royalty or something?”

Only after my absurd comment did the shadow in Johann’s laughter fade.

“Rize, let’s open the Christmas presents.”

“Ah, right.”

We sat in front of the stove, holding the Christmas presents that we hadn’t opened yet because of the troublemakers.

“What could be so big?”

Johann shook the brown package placed under his sock. The gift I had for him was too big for the sock, so I only put part of it in there and wrapped the rest separately.

“It’s a suit.”

It was for when he would stand in front of the people next year. Even with money, new suits were hard to come by, so all three suits were previously worn by someone else.

In this town, there were many suits whose owners could no longer wear them, so it wasn’t hard, though heartbreaking, to find used ones. Johann didn’t know that I had taken them to mend diligently whenever he was away for work or I was at the bunker.

“Try it on. It should fit you well.”

“It fits perfectly.”

“That’s a relief.”

Even with just an old shirt and pants under the jacket, Johann looked like a refined gentleman. I pulled a tie from the sock hanging over the stove, draped it around his neck, and imagined ‘Mr. Renner’ standing at the podium.

He looked so handsome that my heart skipped a beat.

“I worry other teachers or students might fall head over heels for you. Should I knit a wedding ring with the remaining yarn?”

Johann laughed at my joke tinged with seriousness and kissed me.

“Thank you, Rize. Your small hands must have worked hard to tailor it to my size. How can I ever repay you?”

Johann kissed my hands, holding them gently. The effort was worth it if it brought me his affection.

“What I have for you might seem insignificant compared to what you’ve given me…”

He looked regretfully at my sock as he trailed off.

“Even if it was a piece of coal, it would be as precious as a jewel to me if it came from you.”

Johann smiled, shaking his head, indicating it wasn’t something careless.

“It’s not insignificant, but since I neither bought nor made it myself…”

He pulled a small package from the sock and handed it to me.

“I don’t know what you’ll think of it.”

What could be inside that he looked at me so anxiously? My heart pounding, I began to unwrap the package.

“…..”

“…..”

“This…”

It’s a necklace with a pendant about the size of a small egg. I carefully stroked the silver pendant engraved with a forget-me-not design.

“Is this silver?”

Johann, who had been looking at me seriously, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Oh, you’re just too adorable.”

“That’s not it.”

“It is silver.”

“Really? Then isn’t it expensive?”

“I didn’t buy it. It’s something I’ve been keeping on behalf of its owner for a long time.”

Whose is it? Where did it come from? And is it really okay to give it to me? No matter how much I asked, Johann only smiled without answering.

Could it have belonged to Johann’s mother?

The necklace was clearly meant for a woman and had an air of being an old piece, yet it shone as if it were new, indicating Johann had taken great care of it. Perhaps it was not just a keepsake but a memento of his mother, whom he lost due to the war, and that’s why he wouldn’t speak of it.

“Would you like to open it?”

Open it? It turned out the pendant was actually a locket. Johann looked expectant, suggesting there might be something inside.