42 Year's End Gift

When I woke up in the morning I found that Celine was already gone as I couldn't see her on my side anymore. I then looked at the mirror to check my neck, and there I could see the hickey she gave me last night.

I couldn't help but shiver when I thought she was gonna go for another kiss but just when I was about to close my eyes, her face brushed past mine as she went downwards as she lightly bit me before sucking real hard.

She didn't even mention what she just did, she just brushed it off as a regular kiss thinking I didn't know about it. But unluckily for her, I was the one who wrote the book where she first learnt about it in the first place.

But still, when I think about her trying to be all sneaky as she gave me one, I couldn't help but smile. It was pretty hot in its own way. However I was pretty worried as well. Since our home was just a very huge treehouse, I could feel everything that moved inside our house if I focus hard enough.

And last night I felt, Sister stay in the hallway for about 30 minutes. I couldn't feel or know anything further than that, I just knew that she stayed at the hallway for about half an hour after she was done talking to Mom.

I had a pretty rough guess of what she asked Mom, since I knew just how vaguely I wrote about the nature of incestuous relationships in the book I wrote. She must've been really shaken for her to have that kind of a reaction.

However I had other thoughts to think about as well. Considering how I wrote Hannah in the novel, it couldn't be more obvious that I wrote her with Aerin in mind. I knew what Aerin was doing, and of course I'm just playing along with her.

She's probably pretty satisfied with the status quo by now and I'll just continue to play along with her. However I wonder what she can come up with to get me to stay if Celine started to get suspicious of her and tries to separate me from her.

I can't speak for everybody, but from what I atleast think and have experienced in the past, childhood crushes stem from admiration, sometimes maybe due to physical attraction however unless one had a really fucked up childhood, then it is almost never due to lust. So she kind of fit the bill perfectly, due to being my teacher, she's a target for admiration and she's really pretty as well.

However such affections can fade away, once someone starts to mature and see the wider world. I'm still not quite sure what she really wants from me, but I do know that she atleast needs to do something if she wants my affections to remain even once I'm at the capital, a place full of people.

She seemed pretty serious when she said that she didn't want my talent to go to waste in a small village like this. She was really happy when she found out that Mom finally agreed to go to the capital, but when I told her it's because Celine was about to study, she hugged and comforted me instead.

I cleaned myself up first before wearing clothes that covered my neck, I made sure it couldn't be seen as I went down the stairs to eat breakfast. Unlike a few months ago, Celine actually stays home to eat breakfast with us now.

As I was about to sit though in my usual place, Mom actually made me sit next to her instead and when I looked at Sister's face, I saw her looking at my neck before grinning as she looked down the table without saying anything.

Breakfast then proceeded as usual as I ate while the family talked about random things like we usually do. After we were done, Celine then said goodbye as she informed Mom that she'll be training once again.

Once Celine was gone, Mom went beside me as she called my name,

"Riel"

"Yes?" I replied as I looked at her

"Do you notice anything strange about your Sister?" Mom asked

"Strange? Like what?" I was starting to have a rough idea of how Celine must've asked her question

"Hmm... Nevermind" Mom took back her question once she heard me ask

"Did you finally get the proper stances down?" Mom asked

"Un" I said

"Then that's good" Mom said as she hugged me

"You're a good kid, right? Promise that you'll listen to Mom's advice okay~" she said as she cupped my face with both hands

"Un" I nodded

Seeing me nod, Mom kissed me in the forehead as she bid me goodbye as well.

I don't know if Sis thought this far, but because the weather is already really cold I had to wear warmer attires. Thus I can easily hide my neck due to me wearing more clothes. I had a blue scarf wrapped around my neck, as I wore a small coat to keep myself warm.

I already arrived at Aerin's street, however there was still a thing I had to get as I went past her house. I continued walking until I finally reached Uncle Luo's boutique. The past months I've watched his progress on my commission, since I informed him I can wait until the end of the year plus since he's doing it for free, there was no pressure, so we tried a bunch of new things until the work was completed.

"Coming in~" I said as I opened the door

"Hm? Oh Riel, Luo already set off towards the capital" I saw Uncle Luo's wife, Cecilia, managing the store as usual during her husband's absence

"He said that you can take your commission if you want to, since he already finished it." She informed me

"Yes, I'm planning to take it today actually" I said

"Oh, wait I'll go get it" she said as she went inside

After about half a minute, she returned as she held a pocket watch. I don't know how much he owed Mom, but he did it for free and although it wasn't crazy expensive like it was still of very decent quality. I avoided adding any hearts design or anything that would seem it 'romantic'. Instead I went for a more vague approach, as I had a fleur-de-lys carved at the center, surrounded by beautiful intricate carvings that furthered its beauty and style.

If one held the button, at the top, down; the watch would open revealing the current time which was covered with smooth transparent glass, there was also a small hole at the bottom center revealing the inner mechanisms inside. The wind-up mechanism of the music box is at the back, which one can start by just rotating the 'lever' which was designed so that it wouldn't look out of place with the rest of the watch.

"You're gonna give this as a gift to your teacher right?" she asked me

"Uhm... yeah" I answered

"Goodness, he didn't even put it in a box, or atleast wrap it." Cecilia face-palmed at her husband's mistake

"Wait here, okay?" she said as she took out a box, which had a small cushion inside before skillfully placing it inside.

She then took a vellum and a quill before giving it to me,

"Your Mom taught you how to write, right? The ink is there, and write your name yourself, okay?" she told me that I should write who it came from and to whom it was meant to be given

I then wrote down my name and Aerin's in a cursive flowing manner, different to the one I used when I wrote the book.

"There you go~" She smiled as she was me finish writing

She then cut off the excess vellum, before tagging the box with it. It now looked like more 'gifty' than what Uncle Luo and I originally had in mind.

"You'll thank me for that in the future, heh. If she decides to make you cry, just tell your Mom! It's fine if it doesn't work out, just find someone your age next time." she giggled as she said so

I guess she interpreted my gift in a different manner than her husband. Uncle Luo thought it was a gift of gratitude, while she thought it was more of a boy giving his crush a year end's gift or something. But I wasn't gonna complain, it did look more presentable now than it originally was.

I then put it in my bag as I walked towards the door.

"Thanks a lot, Auntie" I said as I waved her goodbye as I started walking towards Aerin's place

A few months ago, Aerin gave me an assignment about making my first composition. Of course, although I could wrack my brains and actually try to make my own, I don't think I can actually make a very good one. So why not just take a piece from my previous world, which I know was well-received both from the time period in which it was made and even until a few centuries later, at the time I died, and submit that instead.

It would be literally be 'out-of-this-world', and no one would ever know about it. It's the perfect crime. So I went for one of my favorite musical pieces, which is Salut d'Amour or Liebesgruß, Op. 12. by Edward Elgar, and decided to submit that instead for my assignment. I knew how to play it and was able to easily transcribe it into musical sheets however there were some things I had to adjust.

First of all, I had no reason to name it Liebesgruß or Salut d'Amour, since, in the first place, I don't know if people spoke those languages in this world. Secondly, it was named Liebesgruß, because the composer's wife was proficient in German. Obviously, Aerin isn't German. So I had to think of another name for the Composition, and after some consideration I just called it a day, and name it Rinea.

The deadline wasn't today, but actually next month. But I didn't like waiting until the deadline to submit something, I literally finished the assignment about 1 week after she gave it to me since I just took someone else's work. Plus it would make me look more diligent and passionate about learning, so I decided to submit it early.

I knocked at her door, indicating that I was already here. About half a minute later, she finally arrived at the door as she welcomed me,

"Good Morning Sweetie~" she greeted me

"Good Morning Teacher" I greeted back as she let me in

"Have you had your breakfast?" She asked

"Yes" I answered

"Well, Shall we start then?" She said as we sat down before a table

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"...That should be just enough for today" Aerin said as she stood up

"Uhm, Teacher... I've already finished the assignment you gave me" I said

"Really? I said you can do it until the first month of next year though?" She asked, seemingly surprised that I was able to finish it quickly

"No, it's fine teacher. I liked the assignment and I'm already pretty satisfied with my work" I said as I took out the musical sheets

"Hmm... would you then present your work?" she said

"Un... it's a composition I made originally meant for violin and piano, but since it will be just me for today, I'll just play it in the piano solo" I said as I sat down on the piano she gave me as a surprise years ago

I placed the sheets infront of me as I started playing. I actually didn't need the sheets, but I placed it there anyway just in case I forget something. Notes would sound out on the piano everytime I press a key, as the strings at the back vibrate. A familiar tune rang out as I continued to move my fingers.

"Well... that is... better than what I expected." Aerin said lightly as she heard me finish my piece

"Thank you for the praise..." I smiled like I was flattered

"You said it's supposed to be played with a violin as well, right?" She asked as she grabbed her violin from the closet

"Un, I made a separate sheet for a duet performance. The way I originally intended for it to be played..." I smiled as I answered

"Would you mind to hand over the duet sheets then?" She smiled as she asked

Instead of answering I just handed it over to her.

"Which would you like to prefer to play?" She asked pointing to the piano and the violin

"I don't mind really..." I said as I'm pretty comfortable with both

"Then let's play it just like this..." she said as she put the duet sheets on a stand as she read it while playing it for the first time

"Rinea... How did you name it?" she asked curiously

"I was thinking of someone" I replied curtly, as I played it slightly differently due to having a violin accompaniment this time

"...? -Someone?" she frowned as she heard my answer, to which I only smiled back at her

"But it's really good... You really surprised your teacher" she praised my work as we finished it

"Thanks~" I smiled

"How long did you make this for?" she asked

"Ever since you gave me the assignment?" I answered as I tilted my head

"Oh..."

"I submitted it early, since Mom said we might be leaving soon" I said

"Mom said the city is a big place, and that I might not see you anymore. I wanted to submit it first before that" I added

"You don't have to worry about me~" she said as she pinched my face

"Also Teacher... I don't think I would be able to visit again since the year is ending and I'm gonna be staying home..." I said as took my bag

"Really?... that's really unfortunate" Aerin sighed

"Uhm... Please consider this as thanks for all the years you've been teaching me... as well as an early New Year's gift~" I said as I took out the small box

There wasn't a Christmas in this Country atleast, but we do celebrate every Year's end, or more specifically the end of every 4 years. It was like the big end of the year celebration that we have, so giving gifts at that time was pretty common

"...? For me?" Aerin seemed shocked

"Yes" I smiled as I placed the gift on her hands

She bit her lips as she read my handwriting on the vellum. She then opened the box after which she saw the exquisite pocket watch that was placed inside.

"This is... a pocket watch?" her eyes widened as she slowly took it out

"There's something at the back Teacher" I said as I urged her to look at the back

"This..." she saw a small key-like handle etched at the back

"Try rotating it-" and after she did, the condensed version of the piece that I just played rang out in a higher tune, due to the mechanisms of the music box

"What? Isn't this your-? Wait, how much did this-" she was about to ask when I cut her off

"Shhhh, it's a secret Teacher." Of course, I wouldn't tell that I got it made for free. I mean it wasn't like it was made of gold or anything, but it still wasn't something someone like me can easily afford.

"I worked hard for it" was all I said, and just how did I work? Well her imagination can come up with the rest.

"Uhm... is it to your liking?" I asked 'timidly'

"Of course! Teacher is really happy, anything you would have given me I would consider special"

"But this one... I like even more, okay?" she said as she hugged my before giving kissing me on the cheeks

"But can you open your hands for a little bit?" she asked with a worried face, I didn't know what she was gonna do so I just opened it

She then felt out my palms and my fingers with her hand before biting her lips.

"It's rougher... compared to before" she said quietly

She then hugged me as she buried my face on her bountiful chest. I smelled a fruity scent as I felt the softness of her breasts squish against my face.

Wait, what kind of jobs does she think I did. I'm pretty sure this is due to my sword practices with Mom

Well, I'm kind of surprised by her worry for me. I thought she would be happy that whatever she was doing to me was working out, but she seemed anxious when she found out I went to such 'great lengths' just to give her a gift.

But after her initial worry, just as I expected, she wasn't one to let an opportunity go, when she found out that there is a possibility the next time we would be meeting is at the capital, she decided to strengthen her hold over me.

"By the way... Teacher didn't expect that this would be our last meeting for the year... so instead is there anything your Teacher can do for you?" she asked with a smile as she looked at me

Although I wanted to do 'things', I need this memory of giving her a present to be something sweet and precious for things to work out in the end. And having her do erotic things, under the guise of a massage, will just kind of ruin it, so I just went with a very tame-

"Uhm... then just please use the watch that I gave you... it's not that expensive... but I worked hard for it..." I said earnestly as I looked at her

"Ahhhh~ just how precious can you be... I would have had no qualms fulfilling it, should you have asked me for a kiss"

"I would've used it even if you didn't specifically request for me to do so~" she said as she hugged me

"Really? Then that's great... I think I have to go home now, teacher" I said as I looked at the time

"I see, I see... well since this is our last meeting for this year~" she held my face, before lowering her head as she gave me a kiss on my lips again

"Mm?"

She held me close for a couple of seconds until she finally let go.

"What?" I acted embarrassed as I covered my mouth with my arm

"Well, Goodbye okay~" She said as she waved me off

"Un... goodbye as well" I said before I finally opened the door as I went out