24 Our Hearts Combined

"Unfair… kissing a lady at their vulnerable times, you really were Waltertrash"

She told me as we separated from each other.

"What the hell is that new nick-"

Just as I was about to make fun of her again, she tiptoed towards me and kissed me at the lips as she closed her eyes.

It took me off guard, that I wasn't able to feel the moment. I blankly stared at her… I felt my body loosen and arms as she chuckled beneath the salty tears.

"It's payback, for suddenly k-k-kising me like that."

She shyly hid her face with her tiny hands, looking away.

Here, I thought I was supposed the hunter and not the one who is to be hunted, but I clearly misjudged the situation. She also knows how to surprise me.

"Tiffania… do it again, I didn't feel it that much…"

"Walter! You!!!"

Wide-eyed and red from being embarrassed, she showed me her tiny fist, what? Does she think she can hurt me with that fist as small as hers? And then the image of the desk she hit flashed in my mind.

If she can break that desk in her rage then maybe…

I looked at her and gulped as I realized that it's possible… those tiny fist is enough to make me lose conciousness.

Before she was just the ladylike Tiffania, but when I haven't been watching she has been training for the very day she will get back the strength she had on the old world.

In my fear for being hurt by her by a close contact punch, I resigned and put my hands up.

"Yeah, it can't be helped after all, it's my fault for being absentminded right? So I'm not doing it hehe"

But when I saw her face again, was she somehow disappointed? Her eyebrows met each other as she looked away with her right hand holding her left arm that was clipped to her body.

It was so cute that I wouldn't mind dying from that gorilla punch of hers.

Driven by my desire and my feelings, I lightly wrapped her with my arms as I kissed her again. It was full on, open-mouthed, almost sexual kiss.

I loved the way her small body melted into mine. The way our lips fit like two puzzle pieces. The way she relented as I played with her hair and held her tighter and tighter.

When we broke away after what seemed like ages she looked at me and slapped me and punched me in the gut.

"Walter… I warned you."

She looked at me furiously, as I held my stomach, but it turned into a smile quickly, as she made a small curtsy.

"We are both idiots, aren't we Prince Walter?"

It was a graceful and bright smile, that I felt a nostalgia, in a second I saw her for what she looked like in the world we both came from. Reminding me again about how much I treasured her in those days.

I can only smile at such a sight.

I want to protect this smile of hers forever; I want to make her the happiest girl on earth.

I want to marry her.

I then stood strongly and stepped towards her and placed my hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah, we are both idiots. If I only confronted you about that promise you would have been able to explain your side and things would have been different for us."

"If I didn't go out and of that convenience store and confronted you about my genuine feelings you wouldn't have the wrong idea that I really don't love you anymore, and that spark between us have ended"

"Mmmmm…"

She nodded as she held my hand as we intertwined it with each other; the scene was touching and mesmerizing, a beautiful lady wearing her favourite burgundy dress, the strong-willed woman I've known and loved for many years, finally admitted that she still loves me.

Though I don't deserve to say that "it's worth the wait" because I moved on with Yui after we ended our relationship that day, but I can say that I'm glad that my true feelings for her was still in my heart, just like a seed that have budded and now has awakened and bloomed into a beautiful flower once again.

"But that's not important anymore now right? Here we are holding each other, having each other's back in this world and much more… you finally admitted it, that you still love me."

I move closer to her and kissed her again, this time at the forehead.

"Tiffania… you know, I'm really… really… happy right now. I know that this might sound cliche, but I feel that I'm the happiest man in the world."

"Really? I'm also glad."

As if a spell have been lifted between our hearts, she wiped the warm tears running from my eyes; they were tears of relief, and tears of the lingering wishes that have been hidden for a long time, that I forcefully tried to forget.

I may have also loved Yui, but I loved Yuri for a longer time, and it is much deeper and much purer, not a single speck of doubt with it, all it says that I love her so much even when we already broke up.

I don't know how it works for other couples, but I and Yuri met as close childhood friends and we grew up together since we were kids, it's not that the more time you spend with your significant other the more you love them, it's just that… for me, this love… this love is truest thing I can feel right now, and I wouldn't let go of it no matter what happens.

"Now… what should we do now, it feels strange somehow…"

She stepped away and held one of her arms, as she looked down shyly, hiding away her face. The embarrassment must be eating her right now that it's cute.

"Then we should do this again?"

I made a devilish grin, but this time around, the punch I receive from her had a powerful impact.

And finally, I'm knocked out.

I didn't know love can be related to boxing.

...

In the morning after that when I woke up from Tiffania's powerful sleeping punch, I made a new decree that the country would undergo a huge change, and for that I need the citizens power which they showed when we battled with the goblins, in which would continue our operations as a country.

We will continue the aqua farming business.

We will make a port to open trades with other countries.

We will bolster our military forces.

and more in Tiffania's strategy.

Side-by-side with me and my ex, no one can defeat us when now when our HEARTS and minds combines.