I didn't explain to Betty as my eyes scanned the crowd relentlessly.
Every half minute, I glanced at my watch, feeling oddly calr as the appointed ti drew nearer.
What was ant to happen would happen.
I lost count of how many tis I checked my watch until the ti we agreed upon finally arrived.
Yet, as I surveyed the crowd, there was no sign of Luna and Michael.
It struck as odd.
Luna was never one to be late.
Why wasn't she here?
Perhaps it was just my chanical watch being slow.
I reassured myself and decided to wait a bit longer, but even after five more minutes, they still hadn't appeared.
"Check the ti, will you?" I finally asked Betty, my patience wearing thin.
Betty pulled out her phone.
She always used her phone for the ti, which was synced to the network and more accurate, while my watch was more of a status symbol than anything practical.
"Oh... it's 9:05..." Betty glanced at her phone and then told .
The ti matched my watch exactly.
I knew it couldn't be wrong; I had just synchronized it this morning because I valued this eting so much.
Ti passed, another five minutes, and still no sign of Luna and Michael.
I couldn't sit still any longer and pulled out my phone to dial Luna's number...
Just as I was about to make the call, a person in a Mickey Mouse costu approached Betty and .
This was one of the many character mascots in the amusent park, usually there for photos with guests or handing out gifts and flyers.
A mascot approached us, and we didn't think much of it, assuming it was just another flyer distribution.
But when Mickey Mouse stopped in front of us, he held out a box with a ring in it.
"Sorry, we're not buying gifts..." I said distractedly, still intent on calling Luna.
The mascots usually handed out children's toys.
Since when did they target couples with rings?
Was life really that tough?
"Wouldn't you like to give this beautiful lady a ring?" the mascot spoke up, his voice amplified by a microphone on his belt as he opened the ring box.
Inside were two rings, one larger than the other, and they didn't look like cheap trinkets.
They sparkled under the sunlight, large diamonds catching the light.
Won love beauty, and even the usually subdued Betty's eyes lit up at the sight of these dazzling rings.
They were a matching set, one for a man and one for a woman.
With my journalist's eye, I could tell these weren't fakes.
I picked up one of the rings to examine it more closely, and my calm facade broke.
These were genuine, large diamond rings.
I picked up the other ring; it was real too.
With my current financial situation, even if I sold everything I owned, I couldn't afford these couple's rings.
"Sorry... we can't afford these rings..." I ant to say we didn't need them, but that would seem insincere and might hurt Betty, especially since we were in a delicate phase of our relationship.
It was better to be honest.
"If you put this ring on the lady, I'll give them to you both," the mascot said again, and I tensed up.
Free expensive rings?
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
These rings couldn't possibly be handed out to every guest in the park, so...
My gaze shifted back to the mascot.
Though I couldn't see his face, his bulky fra and the voice coming through the microphone told he was a man.
I had a feeling, amidst the noisy surroundings, our little spot seed unusually quiet, as if shielded from the outside world.
I looked at the mascot, who was still holding the rings.
Seconds ticked by, and soon, the mascot withdrew the rings and then removed his headpiece, revealing a face that stunned into silence.
Betty covered her mouth with her hand.
It was Michael, still dressed in the mascot costu, his face covered in sweat as if he had washed it, likely due to the thick costu in the heat of the day.
Michael's face was smiling, relaxed.
I hadn't seen him in two months, and he looked much thinner.
His smile was sunny, his whole deanor radiated positivity, as if he was a different person, yet his features were unchanged.
I turned to Betty, who was covering her mouth, but tears were already streaming down her face, like endless pearls.
"Dad, aren't you going to put the ring on Mom?" Michael's voice broke through as I looked at Betty, snapping back to reality.
There he was, smiling confidently at , his gaze steady and unflinching.
At that mont, I couldn't think straight.
Was this still the Michael I knew?
The one whose mind was twisted with malice?
As I stood there dazed, Michael placed the ring in my hand and subtly nodded towards Betty.
I held the ring, unsure of what to do next.
"This ring was personally picked out by Michael for you guys.
I paid for it, but Michael insisted on giving an IOU," Luna's voice suddenly filled the air, her presence now in front of , her expression complex.
"Just put the ring on," Luna urged again.
Her words helped grasp the significance of this gesture.
Perhaps this was Michael's way of seeking forgiveness.
Only by accepting this ring could we show our willingness to move past his mistakes.
My mind was a whirlwind, but I proceeded to slip the rings onto both Betty's and my fingers.
After the rings were on, I looked up to see Michael's beaming smile, his eyes glistening with tears, perhaps moved by the mont.
Betty, too, was overwheld.
She had tried to hold back her emotions upon seeing Michael, but her tears flowed uncontrollably.
We spent the next few hours wandering around the amusent park.
Michael had shed his mascot costu, and we indulged in various rides with childlike enthusiasm.
It's hard to bla Michael for being playful; the rides here were ant for adults too.
However, I wasn't really in the mood for fun, and neither was Betty.
Perhaps she was afraid I might overthink things; she clung to my hand tightly, unwilling to let go no matter where we went.
She remained silent, occasionally glancing at Michael, who was enjoying the rides.
"What's really going on here?" I finally asked Luna when Michael was out of earshot.
"Let's talk over there..." Luna suggested, nodding towards Betty.
"Wait here for ," I told Betty, trying to move away, but she gripped my hand, reluctant to let go.
After reassuring her, she finally released her hold, and I walked over to sit with Luna on a nearby bench.
Betty stood at a distance, visibly nervous, her eyes darting between us but avoiding looking directly at Michael.
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