"A feeling of turmoil in the heart"
Both of them walked through the mall and entered a shoe store.
Richer smiled and said,
"Ramish, pick a pair of shoes for yourself."
Ramish immediately replied,
"No, there's no need for that. The ones I'm wearing are fine."
Richer, with a gentle yet insistent tone, said,
"No, Ramish — the shoes you're wearing won't go well with the suit you bought."
Ramish said softly,
"Alright then, let's take a look… but I'll pay for them myself."
A faint smile appeared on Richer's lips.
"Alright, as you wish."
The salesman began showing them different shoes.
Ramish looked at a few, then turned to Richer and asked,
"Which ones should I take?"
Richer said to the salesman,
"Show me some more designs."
The salesman showed pictures of various models.
Richer pointed to one and said,
"Bring me this article."
The salesman brought the shoes, and Richer said,
"These are nice — bring another article pair as well."
While the salesman went to get the second article pair, Ramish looked at Richer and said,
"Richer, your choices are always beautiful… but did you look at their price?"
Richer smiled softly and said,
"They'll look perfect on you, Ramish."
Ramish looked at him seriously.
Then Richer gently knelt down, placed the shoes near Ramish's feet, and lovingly began helping him wear them.
Ramish was startled.
"Richer, don't do that… your place is in my heart, not at my feet."
Richer looked up, his eyes soft, and said tenderly,
"Ramish, if you can burn in the fire of love for me,
can't I at least do this much for you?"
A mischievous smile played on Ramish's lips.
"So, in the end… the beloved does come to the feet."
Richer laughed, lowering his head shyly.
Ramish gently cupped Richer's face in his hands, lifted it,
and in a voice filled with love said,
"Richer… these things don't matter to me.
For me, you and your love are what truly matter.
I don't hunger for wealth or luxury —
I hunger for your love.
I love you with all my heart and soul.
You beat within my heart,
and your fragrance breathes within me.
Now that I have you… I've found my whole world."
Richer gazed at Ramish in silence —
there was a sparkle in his eyes,
as if a light had suddenly been lit somewhere deep inside his heart.
Just then, the salesman returned with the second pair of shoes.
He said politely, "Sir, here's the second article as well."
Ramish looked at both pairs carefully and then turned toward Richer.
Richer smiled softly and said,
"The shoes I made you try with my own hands are more beautiful.
Let's take those."
Ramish nodded gently.
"Alright, pack them."
He took out the card Mehmat had given him and handed it to the salesman for billing.
But Richer quickly intervened,
"They're my guest—don't take payment from them."
Ramish looked at Richer for a moment and immediately said,
"No, no — please make the payment from this card."
Richer stepped forward, took the card from the salesman's hand,
and handed over his own card instead.
"Please make the payment from this one."
The salesman nodded, completed the bill, packed the shoes,
and the two walked out of the store.
Outside, Richer noticed a faint sadness on Ramish's face.
He stopped, gently took Ramish's hand, and said softly,
"Ramish, why do you get upset so easily?
Let's do one thing — you can buy me an ice cream.
It'll be your treat for me.
Now come on, get that sadness off your face.
See that ice cream shop over there? Let's go there."
A small smile appeared on Ramish's lips.
"Alright, let's go."
They entered the ice cream shop and sat down together.
The waiter brought them the menu.
Richer smiled playfully,
"Ramish, I'll eat whatever ice cream you like.
You place the order."
Ramish kept looking at the menu for quite a while,
unsure which flavor Richer might like.
Richer tilted his head and asked gently,
"What happened, Ramish? Why aren't you ordering?"
Ramish replied with slight confusion,
"Richer, I'm just thinking — which ice cream should I order for you that you'll like?"
A tender smile appeared on Richer's lips.
"Alright, show me the menu."
Ramish handed it over.
Richer scanned it, then looked up at Ramish and asked softly,
"Which one is your favorite? The one you always enjoy?"
Ramish pointed to one flavor and said,
"This one — Vanilla with Chocolate. I like it the most."
Richer turned to the waiter and said,
"Bring us two of these. The same for both."
Ramish looked surprised.
"But Richer, you should've ordered your favorite."
Richer smiled warmly,
"I want to eat your favorite, Ramish.
Besides… it's my favorite too."
As he said that, Richer's gaze lingered on Ramish —
his eyes shimmering with the quiet light of an unspoken confession.
Ramish met his eyes and smiled softly.
"Richer, why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?"
Richer took a deep breath and replied,
"You look at me too, Ramish…"
Ramish chuckled gently,
"Yes, I do — because I love you.
Your face… it's so beautiful, so captivating — I can't look away.
And hey, Richer… don't look at me with that kind of love in your eyes.
You might fall in love — and if that happens,
this love will pierce straight through your heart like an arrow."
Richer lowered his gaze with a shy smile,
but his heartbeat had already begun to race.
Moments of silence passed before the waiter returned with their ice cream.
They began to eat quietly.
Ramish scooped up a little ice cream and gently held it out to Richer.
Richer leaned forward and took it —
but a bit of ice cream stayed on his lips.
Smiling softly, Ramish touched Richer's lips with his thumb,
wiping away the ice cream —
then, without thinking, he brought that thumb to his own lips
and slowly licked it clean.
Richer's eyes widened slightly.
A blush crept over his cheeks,
and he turned his face away, pretending to focus on his ice cream.
Ramish asked teasingly,
"What happened, Richer? Didn't like the ice cream?
And why are your ears so red?"
Richer kept his eyes down and replied,
"Nothing… The ice cream's good.
Maybe it's just cold — that's why my ears are red. You finish yours Ice-cream."
But inside, his heart was restless —
a strange new feeling was awakening within him,
one he couldn't name,
but could feel burning softly in his chest.
When they finally finished their ice creams,
Ramish called for the waiter and paid the bill with a happy smile.
Richer gave him a playful, mischievous look,
and satisfaction spread across Ramish's face.
Then the two got up,
stepped out of the shop side by side,
and walked slowly forward —
their steps in sync,
as if even time itself had begun to walk with them.
Ramesh recited a poem in his heart:
Expressing his love, hewas a strange state of affairs.
The eyes were content, the lips were thoughtful.