You stood by the window with your arms crossed and back turned to your boyfriend, who was amused by your reaction. Moments ago, he gave you a beautiful silver box with a purple velvet ribbon neatly tied around it, but when you opened it, there was nothing inside. 

“Sotetsu, why is the box empty?” You asked quizzically. 

“It’s the thought that counts, right?” He replied with his signature grin pasted on his lips. 

Now, here you were, not knowing how to react to his question; saying yes would mean you didn’t want the gift, and saying no would mean you were being greedy. Sometimes, you felt like grabbing and shaking him by the shoulders or using him as a punching bag, but that would only result in your hands getting hurt. 

Walking behind you, Sotetsu leaned close to your ears and whispered teasingly. “Are you upset?” 

When you didn’t reply to his question, your boyfriend chuckled, but to your surprise, he didn’t say anything else; instead, you felt something cold touch your necklace, causing you to flinch. Shifting your gaze down to your neck, you noticed a platinum necklace with an alternating marquis and round diamond pattern. One look at it was enough to tell you the necklace must have cost a fortune, but before you could comment about it, Sotetsu spoke up. 

“Enjoy the gift, will you? Don’t worry about anything else.” 

Despite his remark, you still couldn’t resist asking the question in your mind. “But…how were you able to afford this?” 

“That’s a secret.” He laughed. 

You took your time admiring the necklace and delicately brushing your fingers against the smooth gemstones. But then another thought crossed your mind – Sotetsu never did anything for free. Turning your head to him, you narrowed your eyes and spoke with pursed lips. “What do you want in return?” 

“Why would I want anything in return when I have everything I want?” He said with a slight smirk. 

Your brows furrowed, and though you tried to make sense of it, you couldn’t figure out what he meant. “Everything you want? What did you want?”

“You.” Sotetsu gently said, his rare soft expression appearing on his visage – the expression that always made you melt. “All I ever wanted is you…and now, you are by my side. What more could I ask for?”