As she descended the stairs, Hera was taken aback to find Dave waiting at the bottom, holding an enormous bouquet of 999 red roses. Despite the faint shadows under his eyes, likely from a sleepless night, his charm was undiminished.
His maroon suit, with two buttons casually undone, reflected his easygoing personality, effortlessly blending sophistication with a touch ofid-back elegance.
"Good morning, sweetheart. I’m here to pick you up," Dave said softly, stepping closer to Hera with a warm smile. As he extended the bouquet of roses toward her, he added, "These are for you."
Dave appeared both shy and hopeful as he handed the bouquet to Hera. She blinked in surprise at the grand gesture, her eyes catching on the three small balloons tied to the roses. A smile spread across her face at the yful touch, her initial surprise melting into warmth.
Tucked among the roses was a small card and a velvet box, catching Hera’s attention. She nced up at Dave with a raised eyebrow, silently asking what this was all about, curiosity sparking in her eyes.
"Just a simple gift for our first date. Is that alright?" Dave asked, his usual yful demeanor reced by a rare look of nervousness and shyness. Hera found it both amusing and endearing, so with a soft smile, she nodded and opened the letter first.
<i>"Dear My Sweetest Hera,</i>
<i>I hope you find my gesture pleasing. More than anything, I want you to enjoy our day together. I’ve never been this excited about someone before; I know I maye across as a yboy, but my feelings for you are genuine.</i>
<i>P.S. I’ve never been with anyone else, so I promise I’m not a yboy.</i>
<i>P.P.S. I wrote this letterst night and made several errors, so I had to rewrite it a few times. I hope you don’t find it too old-fashioned.</i>
<i>P.P.P.S. I got this idea from my grandpa, who used to write letters to my grandma when they were young. She loved them, and I hope you will too."</i>
...
As Hera read the heartfelt letter, she was immediately struck by the beauty of Dave’s elegant handwriting. With each line, she felt a warmth growing inside her. When she reread it, she couldn’t stifle a chuckle, realizing that Dave had a silly side she hadn’t known about before. It was undeniably charming, and she found it endearing.
She looked up from the letter to find Dave’s cheeks flushed with a deep red, and she decided against teasing him. Instead, she opened the velvet box, revealing a Chanel ck clover bracelet. It was both cute and sophisticated, and a bright smile spread across Hera’s face as she gazed at Dave, her heart swelling with appreciation.
"Thank you, Dave! I love them!" Hera beamed, her joy radiating as she openly expressed her delight.
Aside from her grandfather and Athena, she had never received such thoughtful gifts before. In her past rtionship, it had always been her who gave gifts, often using her hard-earned money for Alexi, who had never reciprocated with anything meaningful—most of his gifts were just things Minerva had deemed unworthy.
This moment felt refreshing and deeply appreciated.
’How could she consider it as a gift from him?’
To think that the first person to truly give her a gift was Dave—it was unexpected and tugged at her heartstrings. A sparkle reflected in her eyes as she smiled, easing Dave’s nervousness and fear.
At that moment, he could see that his gesture had made an impact, filling him with a mix of relief and happiness.
He often heard from others that pleasing a woman with gifts could be a daunting task—get the color wrong, choose the wrong item, and they might not appreciate it.
’But maybe that’s just for women who are too pampered and don’t know how to appreciate what they have. My sweetheart is different,’ Dave mused, stealing a nce at Hera, whose eyes sparkled with genuine appreciation. ’So why was I so nervous in the first ce?’
His nervousness melted away, reced by a boyish grin as he watched Hera admire his gift. Stepping closer, he offered to help her fasten the bracelet onto her right wrist.
As he secured it, he puffed out his chest, his smile widening at how beautifully itplemented her fair, sculpted wrist and perfectly matched her outfit.
Initially, Dave had second-guessed his choice of gift. He remembered how, during the Variety Show, the camera had captured the inside of her walk-in closet, revealing an impressive array of expensive essories—watches, earrings, bracelets, and more.
He had rewatched that segment multiple times because he didn’t really see that part since he wasn’t familiar with her then, eager to familiarize himself with her style. Hearing about her exquisite collection had only fueled his desire to choose something that would truly resonate with her taste.
That’s why he decided on something simple and understated, not nearly as extravagant as the pieces in her collection. He didn’t want her to feel burdened by the gift but hoped she would ept it without hesitation.
Seeing her genuine smile and appreciation made his heart swell with happiness—it was the only reassurance he needed.
After a moment, Hera cheerfully led Dave to the dining table, where breakfast was alreadyid out. The spread included eggs benedict, freshly squeezed orange juice, a light sd, and her favorite butter and bread bread on the side. It was simple but inviting, just like the atmosphere between them.