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Deep inside the Lookout, piled high on the desk in Piccolo’s room—which Gohan hadn't visited in quite some time—were numerous unfamiliar objects. There were gears, screws, keys, and things resembling coins or medals. There were also knives of various sizes, fountain pens, paperweights, and countless small figurines shaped like animals and vehicles. Every single one was small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, and they all shared a single common trait: they were made of metal.
As Gohan stared at them with undisguised curiosity, Piccolo spoke up, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“A long time ago, I materialized clothes for you, didn't I? Creating clothes is easy, but I have never been particularly skilled at crafting small objects out of hard materials. So, recently, I have been practicing.”
“So you made all of these with your magic?”
Impressed, Gohan began examining each piece one by one. Picking them up, he found that every object had been thoroughly chilled by the winter air. The animal figurines varied wildly, ranging from crude, bulky early attempts to reptiles with beautifully defined scales. The cruder ones were likely from when he had first begun his trials.
The text on the coins was carved in a random, nonsensical gibberish, but as far as the eye could see, they were perfectly circular. The shapes of the gears and the spirals of the screws were exquisite, and the knives looked remarkably sharp. This wasn't a technique Piccolo strictly needed, yet he was a man who never spared any effort to constantly refine himself.
“What about this key?”
“It's the key to this room. I remade the door itself to match, and it functions perfectly. I have become capable of rather precise craftsmanship now.”
Looking back, Gohan noticed that a lock had indeed been installed on the door. Originally, this room had never had a lock.
Touching the objects carefully, Gohan felt that none of them quite seemed like iron, silver, aluminum, or stainless steel. Even the ones with a reddish tint, resembling gold or copper, felt entirely different upon closer inspection. They were undoubtedly metal, but... perhaps they were metallic minerals from Planet Namek?
Suddenly, beside a fork and a spoon, Gohan spotted a small ring.
“Piccolo-san, did you make this one yourself too?”
“I made that last night... It is the first time I have managed to produce one of this size with a result that truly satisfied me.”
“Then this is a keepsake! It’s amazing, Piccolo-san, it’s beautiful. You could honestly make a business out of this.”
Faint geometric patterns were engraved across its surface, making it an incredibly intricate piece of jewelry. Far from looking like something mass-produced, it looked like a custom piece ordered from a master craftsman—something truly special.
Come to think of it, perhaps these kinds of abilities were granted to them precisely because they were beings who had no need for commerce. Forget a business; if Piccolo willed it, he could easily create coins with perfectly accurate numbers stamped onto them.
Piccolo took the ring back from Gohan, who had been holding it up against the light, and examined it intently.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, because it’s incredibly beautiful! Especially this pattern...”
Leaning forward instinctively to point at it, Gohan suddenly felt Piccolo’s right hand gently take his own. Before Gohan could even register his surprise, Piccolo drew Gohan’s hand toward his own chest. Then, picking up the ring with his left hand, Piccolo smoothly slid it onto Gohan's finger, which was supported by his right hand—directly onto the ring finger of Gohan's left hand.
“It is a little too large.”
For a split second, the air around the ring grew warm, and it reshaped itself to fit Gohan's finger perfectly.
“If you like it, I give it to you. Use it whenever you have an occasion to dress up.”
Seeing Gohan stare at the ring without saying a word, Piccolo seemed to take his silence negatively, and his expression clouded slightly.
“If you have no use for it, I will dispose of it along with the rest... I do not understand ornaments well. My apologies.”
Piccolo shrugged apologetically and reached out his hand to take the ring back. Panic-stricken, Gohan vigorously shook his head.
“No, that’s not it!”
The words came out much louder than Gohan had intended, startling even himself.
“Among Earthlings, giving someone a ring carries a very special meaning... So I just lost my composure, wondering if it was really okay for me to accept it.”
“A meaning? What sort of meaning?”
Being asked directly made it difficult to answer. It was all the more awkward because Gohan was the one who had just been "given" the ring.
Piccolo had merely handed it over casually because Gohan liked it. Wouldn't it make things terribly uncomfortable if Gohan forced this heavy explanation onto him now? Gohan hesitated, but since Piccolo urged him forward with his quiet gaze, he had no choice but to speak.
“Um... giving a ring to be worn on the ring finger of the left hand means... 'You are my most favorite person in the whole world.'”
Gohan stole a quick glance to read Piccolo’s expression. For now, Piccolo remained entirely calm and composed, just as he always was, showing no signs of major bewilderment.
“It carries a meaning like... wanting to spend the rest of your lives together, for Earthlings. It’s something you can only give to one single person... I know that’s not the intent with which you gave it to me, but it just surprised me.”
Finding it too difficult to bring up words like "betrothal" or "marriage," Gohan kept his explanation abstract. After a long silence, Piccolo lifted Gohan’s left hand, dropping his gaze to the finger wearing the ring.
“I see... I was poorly informed.”
Assuming Piccolo would surely tell him to return it, Gohan began to slide the ring off. However, Piccolo caught his hand, cupping Gohan’s hand securely within both of his own.
“In that case, I shall give this to you once more, properly.”
“Huh?”
“I hold affection for you, and I wish to spend as long a time as possible... as close to you as you will permit. Understanding that meaning, let me give it to you again.”
“...Is it really okay?”
The ring, which had adjusted to Gohan's size alone, and the finger Piccolo had placed it upon, were visible between those green hands. The ring, which had felt so cold when Gohan first picked it up, had now completely warmed to the temperature of his own body.
“I could always craft a new one... but in the sense that it is the very first one I succeeded in making to my satisfaction, that one is special. Won't you accept it?”
“Yes... Of course. I'm incredibly happy.”
Instantly walking on air, Gohan raised his hand to catch the light streaming through the window. The weak winter sunshine reflected off the engraved patterns of the ring. The soft, gentle way the ring gleamed was, after all, just a little different from any metal Gohan had ever seen before.
“It will get in the way during battle. Put it away safely.”
“Oh, that seems like such a waste... But I’d hate for it to get scratched, so I suppose that’s for the best.”
Piccolo likely didn't understand the true depth of what giving a ring meant to Earthlings in a cultural sense. Even so, understanding that it was a gift meant for only one person in the world, he had chosen Gohan without a single moment of hesitation. For now, that was more than enough.
“Next time, I’d like us to make the same thing together. Someday.”
“Together? I suppose so...”
Gazing at Piccolo, who wore a face that suggested he didn't entirely grasp the concept, Gohan wondered if someday, Piccolo would truly understand the real meaning of giving a ring—the vow to share a lifetime together.
When that time came, Gohan decided he would be the one to give the ring first. *Even then, he’ll probably just tell me to put it away safely,* Gohan imagined, and the thought brought a fond smile to his face.