Me and Ai

Chapter 87: A Ring

He takes out a ring of keys from his pocket and goes behind the display cabinet. He opens the display cabinet and takes out the rings that I pointed out; he then hands them over to me. To my surprise, the rings look even lovelier upon closer inspection.

"What do you think, my boy?"

"They're really beautiful; she will definitely like them."

"Will you take them then?"

I stare at the rings and think about it.

"Mr. Takatsuki, I will take them if and only if you'll let me pay for them."

He chuckles. "You are persistent on paying for them, aren't you? If that will make you take them, then I'll sell them to you for half the price. Please, I just want to help you since you remind me of myself in a way during my youth. Haha."

"That would be fine with me."

"Great! May I have your ring size as well as your bride to be's size?"

I tell him me and Kaori's ring sizes. He smiles and takes the rings from me and puts them back into the display. Underneath one of the counters of the shop were some cabinets; he opens them and takes out the rings that were in me and Kaori's sizes. He then puts the two silver rings into two separate black colored boxes with silver trimmings; he takes a small paper bag with the shop's name on it and puts the rings inside. We then head over to the cashier so that I could pay for them.

"Thank you for your purchase. May things go well with you and the woman you love."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Takatsuki."

"It's nothing, my boy. Do invite me to the wedding when the time comes; I would like to see the woman that has made you very happy."

"I will. I won't forget. Thank you, once again."

I took the paper bag and went to get changed back to my casual clothing before heading back to the hotel to rest.

As I walk thru the streets, I look at the paper bag that I am holding. Is this for real? I really bought wedding rings...I feel happy and excited. What would be Kaori's expression when she sees them? How should I propose to her? I want her to never forget the day that I asked her to be my wife; I want it to be memorable for her.

I kept thinking about how I should propose to her as I continue to walk with an uncontrollable smile on my face. I feel quite embarrassed smiling so much; I should stop or else my cheeks would hurt later. 

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I open the door to find everyone gathering up around the center table of the hotel room. The smell of food is faintly in the air.

"Hm? Welcome back, Ai-Ai! You're just in time for lunch!"

"Why are you all having lunch now? It's a bit late for lunch."

"We caught up with some work too in the morning." Ranmaru says as he takes a piece of meat from the food Reiji prepared on the table.

"H-Hey! Ran-Ran! Don't start eating ahead of everyone!"

"Whatever, I'm really hungry already. You're all a bunch of slowpokes; I couldn't wait any longer."

Reiji and Ranmaru start arguing a little. Camus was quietly reading a book while eating some of the food little by little. He then notices the small paper bag I was holding.

"Mikaze, what is that?"

"This?" I raise the bag to show it to him. "It's just something I bought after work today."