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“Timekeeper, why did you bring us out here?”
Sonetto questioned as she looked at Vertin curiously. She had no clue about the girl’s intentions. Being brought out on the hills so suddenly at midnight filled her mind with a million questions.
“I wanted to watch the stars with you. Look.”
Vertin answered, then guided Sonetto’s attention toward the night sky - where the moon cast a soft, silver glow over their shadows.
“We used to come here all the time when we were kids. Sonetto, do you remember?”
Instantly, Sonetto nodded as she heard her words. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as childhood memories began flooding back to her.
"Yes, I remember. You always dragged me to the top of this hill to admire the stars with you. You were always so fascinated by the beauty of nature that you would pick up frogs, stones, and sticks and offer them to me, even when I told you to stop."
Vertin sighed solemnly, acknowledging Sonetto’s words. She knew she was right, which embarrassed her a bit. Her face flushed a little as she looked back at Sonetto, clearing her throat before speaking.
"I’m sorry about that. I know I was a handful at times," she said.
Her words only to be met with Sonetto’s smile, she looked back at Vertin with a gentle and forgiving look, while shaking her head.
"No, no, it’s fine. I never minded. Timekeeper, please do not worry about such a trivial matter,"
Sonetto replied as she looked back at the stars. The stars were strikingly beautiful tonight, they were as beautiful as how Sonetto’s figure reflected in Vertin’s eyes.
Vertin found herself staring at the girl, feeling her heart skip a beat as she went in awe at Sonetto’s beauty illuminated by the moonlight.
In her gaze, Sonetto was perfection, a creation of divine grace. She watched as Sonetto’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight, holding within them an ineffable essence of time itself.
It felt like the perfect moment for Vertin to pour out her heart. The tranquility of the night, the enchanting scenery around them, and their shared solitude - it was like the universe was aligning the stars for them.
So, Vertin took a deep breath and uttered,
“Sonetto… The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?”
Sonetto smiled, her eyes darted towards the moon as she replied,
“Yea… It is.”
Then, Vertin took another deep breath, continuing to spill her words out.
“Sonetto, I never really told you this before, but I never believed in love, I never really saw the point of it, and honestly, I never knew I could fall in love.”
Her tone grew tender as she spoke, her eyes locked with Sonetto’s.
“However, that all changed when I met someone. Their smile, intelligence, and beauty caught my attention. They always stayed by my side, trying to keep me safe no matter what, always thinking about my well-being. And I guess that, sparked something I have never felt before inside of me.”
Vertin then placed her hand on the left side of her chest, she could feel her heartbeat thump loudly against her chest, racing quicker than usual as she resumed her confession.
“They filled a part of my soul that I always thought would be empty. They healed mental scars in me that I never knew existed,”
Vertin confessed, her gaze unwavering as she looked back at Sonetto, who appeared shocked and confused.
Then, Vertin mustered her courage, she took a step closer toward Sonetto and held her hand, their faces only centimeters apart as their warmth intermingled.
“Do you understand what I mean, Sonetto?”
So, Vertin asked, her voice steady but filled with mixed emotion. Deep down inside, she was terrified of Sonetto’s answer.
Shortly after, an audible gasp escaped Sonetto’s lips. Her hands began trembling in Vertin’s grasp as she slowly pieced together what Vertin meant. There was an awkward silence that stayed between them, that broke as Sonetto spoke up.
“T-Timekeeper… I- If I am not mistaken, you- you…”
The girl’s voice trailed off, and Vertin could read her expression as a mix of surprise and realization.
“Sonetto, I think a lot about you. It took me a while to realize, but I think I like you in a way that’s much more than friends.”
Vertin gently confessed, her eyes reflecting the sincerity of her words. She watched as Sonetto’s jaw dropped in surprise, her cheeks flushed crimson red.
Seeing Sonetto's reaction made Vertin feel a knot forming in her stomach. But there was no turning back now. With another deep breath, Vertin exclaimed,
“Ever since we met, I constantly think about you. Every hour, every minute, every second.”
With each word she spoke, she could feel her hands shaking in Sonetto’s grasp, but unsure if it was her nerves or Sonetto’s instead.
“Sonetto, I love you as many times as there are stars in the universe. And yet, it would not be enough to express how much I adore you.”
Finally, despite her uncertainty, she asked the last question.
“I've known you for years, and I know there’s an extremely high chance that you don’t feel the same way, but—”
Before she could finish, Sonetto wrapped her arms around Vertin’s waist and leaned in, gently pressing her soft lips against Vertin’s. At first, Vertin was caught off-guard by Sonetto’s sudden confidence, but then she let herself go, closing her eyes and savoring the sweetness of their first kiss.
In that fleeting moment, time had lost all meaning, and the only thing that mattered right now was the warmth of Sonetto's embrace and the tenderness of her lips against hers.
After a while, Sonetto parted her lips with Vertin’s, she wore a contented smile on her face.
“Timekeeper… You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment because I- I like you so much in the same way you do.”
Sonetto murmured, her voice filled with endearment.
Vertin’s eyes widened in disbelief. She rubbed the lipstick stains off her lips as she panted out,
“S-Sonetto… Are you sure? I know how much you follow societal norms, and honestly speaking, we are both girls, so I’m doubtful you like me in the same way I do, and-”
Sonetto pulled away and shook her head, taking a deep breath to steady herself before speaking more clearly.
“No, I’m certain I like you in the same way you do.”
She reached out to grab Vertin’s hand, intertwining their fingers as she spoke, dispelling the doubts between them.
“And I know that in this time and society, same-sex love is looked down upon, and even considered a sin to some.”
Her hands then drifted towards Vertin’s face, cupping her cheeks with both her hands.
“But so be it then, if loving you is considered a sin. Then, I’ll gladly become a sinner.”
Her fingers traced Vertin’s cheeks in loving, circular motions. She stared deep into Vertin’s gaze, making sure the girl could see how much her words meant.
“And I mean it when I say I’ll gladly walk into hell knowing I’ve held heaven in my hands. Because loving you is worth dying for a million times.”
Vertin still stood there shocked, unable to process everything that was happening. So, she just let her head fall onto Sonetto’s shoulder like usual—always seeking comfort when troubled or conflicted with her thoughts.
“Sonetto… You mean it?”
Vertin asked, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and hope.
Sonetto gently ruffled Vertin’s hair, holding her close, not wanting to let go anytime soon.
“Yes, I promise I mean it. I—I love you too. And I’m honestly so glad you love me back too.”
They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's arms. Finally, Vertin pulled away slightly and asked,
“So I guess this means we are dating now?”
However, her words fell on deaf ears as Sonetto gazed deeply into Vertin’s eyes, it was a rare sight to see her in such a vulnerable state. As seconds passed, Vertin watched as Sonetto bit her lip, a hint of desire growing in her eyes.
“Please... Don’t look at me like that.”
Sonetto murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
This caused Vertin to scratch her head, not understanding the girl's words.
“Huh? Like what?”
Sonetto took a deep breath, her fingers clenched into her palms as if she were trying to restrain herself. “I-If you look at me with those eyes, I-I don’t think I’ll be able to control myself.”
Vertin felt dumbfounded, trying to decipher Sonetto’s words. However, she noticed the change in Sonetto’s breathing, growing heavier and heavier each second.
“Sonetto, I’m sorry, I don’t get what you-”
Without hesitation, Sonetto leaned in, grabbing onto Vertin’s clothes and pulling her into a passionate kiss. Her tongue explored Vertin’s mouth, igniting fireworks within Vertin that she had never felt before.
At first, she was caught off-guard by Sonetto’s boldness, but she soon caved in, wrapping her arms around Sonetto and pulling her closer, losing herself in the girl's embrace.
And that was the first time, Vertin had ever felt such bliss in her life.