Saturn's Ring on My Finger

"Please marry me!"
My childhood friend suddenly said that to me.
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
I was so surprised that it took me a while to respond.
"I've always loved you."
His gaze was serious. He gently held out a ring.
It was a glittering gold ring.
The ring was thin and looked like the rings of Saturn.

It didn't seem like a joke.
"...Give me a little time to think."
I said that and left the scene.

It was a clear, moonless night.
The stars are so beautiful tonight.
Come to think of it, when we were kids, we used to gather at school to watch the stars together.
He loved astronomy and would bring the telescope his parents bought him to the schoolyard.
He would work so hard, adjusting the telescope toward Saturn.

"Look! You can see Saturn!"
He said that and proudly led me to the telescope.
When I peered through it, I saw a faint, slightly distorted star shape.
The distortion was likely because Saturn's rings were visible, but even if the telescope his parents bought him was very good, that was probably the limit for a store-bought telescope.
"I can't really tell."
I said that with a puzzled look.
"Aww."
He made a sulky face.

How nostalgic...

I was surprised by his sudden confession, but to tell the truth, I had always liked him.
He's been straightforward, innocent, and curious since we were children...
I never thought he felt the same way about me.
So, my conclusion had been decided long ago.

Standing by his side would surely be the most fun thing ever.
I reached my finger toward the starry sky and imagined Saturn's ring shining on my finger.
The twinkling stars shone with the same brilliance as they did that day.