Even when I’m not by your side.

Once morning came, the sunlight hit Lily's face directly. Feeling uncomfortable, she turned to the other side and slowly opened her eyes.

Feeling movement, Chen drowsily opened his eyes and saw her lovely figure in front of him.

Turning towards her side, he wrapped his arms around her.

He closed his eyes again before sounding "It's still early honey."

"You're rotting the name early."

"...I don't care."

"Isn't it time to go to work? Hurry and get up." Lily patted his face lightly.

Chen instead snuggled up against her even more and tried to act spoiled.

Is this what it feels like to have a wife? It's going to be a tough future for him. Not wanting to go to work every day.

Only when Lily got seriously angry did he get out of bed and head to work.

Once he left, Lily had breakfast in bed and spent the day reading. When he came back, it would be night time and they would eat dinner. This continued for another month until her injuries had finally healed.

"Is she safe to walk? What about running? How abo--"

"Chen! I'm fine now!" Lily interrupted him. She already had been stuck at home for a couple of weeks even after the doctors had said she could move freely. Lily had enough of it, she wanted to go outside more.

"But I'm worried." Chen sat next to Lily and grasped her hand.

"I've read enough books that could last a lifetime!" Lily looked at him. "Let's go outside! Let's shop for clothes!" The clothes Chen had bought for her long ago wasn't enough. Now that they decided to be together, there were a lot of necessities she needs to get.

"I can get them to come over for you." Chen held his ground.

Lily decided to play her trump card. "Truth is, I want to go on a date with you. We haven't gone to one in a while."

"...Okay." Chen agreed without hesitation. He sighed deeply inside of how fast his heart worked faster than his brain.

"But remember to walk slowly okay? You need to get your body readjusted."

"Okay. Okay." Lily quickly got out of bed.

___________

Chen decided to bring Lily to a shopping district near the palace.

"Everything looks like they are reflecting me!" Lily exclaimed.

Every storefront had its own feel of luxury. Some had detailed prints in white and others had their door plastered in gold. Even the ground was clean and clear that one can see their reflection in it. It was made of tiles, not a dirt roads.

"Doesn't this area look a bit too expensive for me?" Lily scrunched her face.

"How can that be." Impossible. If anything, they look to cheap to be worn by her.

This, however, was the best that could be offered next to the exclusive designers for the royalty. Since Lily didn't want to shop at home, he couldn't bring them over.

"Let's go inside. Don't judge it from the outside. What if there's something you'll really like?" Chen ushered her in. "If you can't choose, We can buy everything inside."

Lily looked up at him with her mouth opened, bizarre. "What?"

_______________

"Hello ,wel--" The worker, who saw the two coming in, stopped abruptly. "S-S-Sir Chen! It's a pleasure to have you here."

Chen gave a nod in response.

"I'll quickly get the manager." The attendant rushed to the back of the store.

"You've been here before?" Lily sent a darting question.

"I ...had to accompany his majesty here before." Chen coughed. "He and I aren't very well versed in presents."

"Just his majesty?" Lily's gazed changed.

Chen smiled brightly and kissed her. "Yes. No one else."

Finally, the manager rushed out to greet them. "S-sire Chen! W-what brings you here to my small shop?"

"Can you bring out the latest collection for my wife to see?" Chen said lightly.

"It's fiance, fiance..." Lily hastily interjected.

"....S-sir..?"

"What? didn't you hear what I said?" Chen scrunched his brows.

"R-right away sir!" the manager rushed back in.

Chen's soft tone took the manager off guard. He had never seen this side of him before and to even bring a fian- no a madam! Isn't this big news to all the ladies of nobility?

"You scared him off!" Lily lightly slapped Chen's shoulder.

"He's a weak natured man! I didn't do anything." Chen felt wronged.

It's the nicest he's ever treated someone aside from his employers and Lily!

"You tell yourself that!" Lily shook her head.

While Lily picked a couple of pieces, Chen hugged her from behind and pouted. Occasionally, he would voice his opinion, but once Lily found out about the prices, she almost fainted.

Those pieces were worth at least millions of buns she could've eaten!

As a result, Chen refused to let her see the numbers and choose what she liked, otherwise, he would buy them all if she didn't insist.

__________

After two rounds of shopping, they sat at a nearby tea shop.

"It looks like I would have to get a job soon." Lily sighed as she bit into her cake. They are spending too much and for the wrong things.

"You have a job you want to do?" Chen asked curiously.

"Not at the moment." Lily put her head on her hand. "I can't let you be the only one supporting everything. Seeing you come back tired already makes me feel helpless."

"I have enough to last us a lifetime." Chen naturally sipped his tea. "Even when we have kids, it still wouldn't leave a big dent."

"....You earn that much?" Lily was in awe. She knew he made a lot through his hard earn effort, but not to the point of imaginable.

"Of course. For my wife to able to eat as much as she wants" Chen smiled at her. "So you don't have to work if you're not interested, but if you have anything you want to do, I will support you."

Lily smiled lovingly at him.

Feeling that Lily was getting emotional. Chen held her hand tightly. "You can't cry, you hear?"

"I know." Lily's eyes curved upwards, showing him the most beautiful smile she has.

The sun brightens up her complexion and the flowers near their seat blew softly in the wind behind her.

Her cherry blossomed eyes sparkled as she looked at him with one hand on her chin. Everything feels like a dream.

Chen was in a trance and stared deeply at her, slowly reaching for her cheek.

It was so small that his entire also almost covered it whole.

Lily was still looking at him like they were the only two people in the world.

In his dazed state, he voiced naturally out of his lips.

"I love you."

She smiled. "Me too."

"I love you." He told her again.

She laughed. "I know."

Chen just wanted to let her know how much he cared for her.

Life can be short. People are fragile creatures. They can break apart if words are not conveyed clearly.

Chen wants to shower Lily with everything he has and with all the time he has for her. Even when she is alone, at least she knows there's someone always by her side.

Always.

That was the love he has shaped for them.