{The Start of Something New Chapter 3
Chapter Three: The Bracelet
After lying on his bed for what seemed like an eternity, Ryosuke finally drifted off into a pleasant dream-like state.
Ryosuke stood there as he watched the hazy clouds disperse, revealing a pathway. Instinctively, he began following it. Where it leads? He didn’t know.
It felt like he had walked miles as he saw a garden. The garden entrance was magnificent; vines of ivy hugged the white marble columns and arch, as the surrounding blossoms emitted the perfume of jasmine. The door to the garden seemed to be made of marble too as Ryosuke placed his hand on the cool stone. He ran his hand down the door, to where the silver door handle glowed. He watched with amazement as the handle glowed even brighter as his hand grazed it.
Wrapping his hand around the handle, he tried opening the door. There was a soft click that let him know that it was locked. Ryosuke backed away slowly as he looked up at the white marble arch. A gentle breeze caressed his face as he heard the words love and never let go being whispered into his ear.
Ryosuke shuddered as his eyes fluttered open. He sat upright as he rubbed his tired eyes; he glanced at the clock: 3:05AM. He let out a heavy sigh as he flopped back onto his bed. Ryosuke mumbled some incoherent words before falling into a peaceful sleep. This was the first night he dreamt of Takahashi Rei.
- - - - - - - - - -
Hours later, Ryosuke awoke to the sound of the chirping birds as the early sunshine peaked through his blinds. He grumbled as he shielded his sensitive eyes from the direct sunlight. A few minutes passed as Ryosuke sat there some more while ogling his right hand, the hand that held his girlfriends hand.
Girlfriend.
The word echoed in his mind as the sweet reality sank in.
He has a girlfriend. A few chuckles slip from his mouth as the thought circled around his mind.
Ryosuke grabbed his cell phone and checked the time: 10:30AM, the perfect time to call… her.
His smile brightened as he heard the ringing; butterflies were fluttering around his stomach.
There was a click and in a cheery voice, Rei greeted him with a cute ‘moshi-moshi.’
“Ohayo gozaimasu!” Ryosuke replied just as cheerfully.
“Ohayo Ryo-chan.”
His smile got even wider. No one ever called him Ryo-chan, usually just Yama-chan.
“Hai! Anou… anyways, are you busy today?”
“Saa~, I’m working at the moment, demo, we ca-”
Ryosuke cut in, “Where do you work? I’ll come and pick you up.”
“Uh… umm… okay. I work in a tea shop, Happy Bee. It’s across the street from the…”
As Rei continued speaking, Ryosuke was quickly jotting down the directions.
“… hai, did you get all that?”
“Mhm. I think so.”
“Well, I’ll see you soon. Ja~”
“Ja~ Re-chan.”
Upon hearing the click, Ryosuke hopped out of bed and hurried to his closet. He wanted to wear something Rei would like.
- - - - - - - - - -It felt like the butterflies in his stomach got bigger as he followed Rei’s directions. He was wearing a white t-shit with a few random English words on it, a black leather jacket, dark jeans, and black vans.
The bells above the door made a small jingle as he entered the teashop. Everything around him was mostly pink, so he didn’t bother to look around much. Within seconds, a few small gasps and a clatter of plates hitting the floor were heard.
Ryosuke turned to the front desk, where a few girls in yellow lolita dresses stood together, whispering to each other frantically. He smiled at them as he took a seat on a stool. He could hear three of the four girls arguing on who was to take his order. But before they could decide, another girl popped up.
“Konnichiwa Ryo-sama,” a sweet voice said to him.
He turned suddenly, only to realize he was looking straight into the warm, brown eyes of Rei. He was taken aback for a moment. His heart even stopped for a second.
“Ko-Konnichiwa Rei-chan,” Ryosuke managed to stutter out.
He glanced at her outfit; it was exactly like the other girls’ dresses, but she seemed to have added a few more ribbons here and there. It was the complete opposite of his outfit, but yet, they matched perfectly.
“So, what are we going to do today, Ryo-chan?” Rei asked curiously as she cocked her head to the side.
Ryosuke noticed for the first time that Rei’s hair was curled into loose ringlets. He blushed as Rei waved her hand in front of his face.
“Oi. Ryo-chan?” Rei wrinkled her nose.
“Oh, umm… yeah. Let’s go.”
She nodded her head as she went around the counter. Ryosuke took her arm in his as they walked out of the shop, leaving the three girls in envy.
- - - - - - - - - -
They had walked around the block and checked out the window displays. Rei had dragged him into the Sanrio store because she wanted to buy some more pencils to match her pencil pouch.
After their shop browsing, Ryosuke walked Rei to a secluded part of the park, near a fountain. He took a seat next to her at the fountain’s edge.
Ryosuke stuck his hand where he had hidden a bracelet. The bracelet was originally for Kumiko if she had accepted his confession. I mean, it was okay for him to give it to his current girlfriend right?
The bracelet was a simple silver charm bracelet with one heart shaped charm. The charm was engraved with the words you have my heart.
His hand wrapped tighter around the box as Rei looked at him curiously.
She cocked her head to the side, smiled, and lightly tapped him on the nose. He made a funny face and earned a giggle from her.
Without saying any words, Ryosuke pulled out the box and opened it in front of her face. Her eyes grew bigger as she gazed at the lovely bracelet.
“Oh my… Oh my. It’s so beautiful,” Rei spoke with awe as Ryosuke took her left hand and clasped the bracelet around it.
Was this the right choice?
As soon as he let go of Rei’s wrist, she began waving it around; she admired the way the silver sparkled in the afternoon sun.
“Huh, it’s only 2:30, let’s go hang out.”
“Uhh… weren’t we just hanging out?” Rei gaze him a puzzled look.
“Oh, hehe, yeah, we were.” Ryosuke chuckled nervously.
While looking at Rei, she started laughing too, but among the playfulness, Ryosuke accidentally looked beyond Rei.
Over by the walk way was her… walking with her boyfriend. Moments passed until he realized Rei stopped laughing and was looking at him worriedly.
He gave her a reassuring smile as he stood up suddenly.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ryosuke spoke the words coldly.
He grabbed Rei’s arm and dragged her away; in confusion, Rei looked around, wondering what could have set her boyfriend off.
Could it be… that other girl?
After lying on his bed for what seemed like an eternity, Ryosuke finally drifted off into a pleasant dream-like state.
Ryosuke stood there as he watched the hazy clouds disperse, revealing a pathway. Instinctively, he began following it. Where it leads? He didn’t know.
It felt like he had walked miles as he saw a garden. The garden entrance was magnificent; vines of ivy hugged the white marble columns and arch, as the surrounding blossoms emitted the perfume of jasmine. The door to the garden seemed to be made of marble too as Ryosuke placed his hand on the cool stone. He ran his hand down the door, to where the silver door handle glowed. He watched with amazement as the handle glowed even brighter as his hand grazed it.
Wrapping his hand around the handle, he tried opening the door. There was a soft click that let him know that it was locked. Ryosuke backed away slowly as he looked up at the white marble arch. A gentle breeze caressed his face as he heard the words love and never let go being whispered into his ear.
Ryosuke shuddered as his eyes fluttered open. He sat upright as he rubbed his tired eyes; he glanced at the clock: 3:05AM. He let out a heavy sigh as he flopped back onto his bed. Ryosuke mumbled some incoherent words before falling into a peaceful sleep. This was the first night he dreamt of Takahashi Rei.
- - - - - - - - - -
Hours later, Ryosuke awoke to the sound of the chirping birds as the early sunshine peaked through his blinds. He grumbled as he shielded his sensitive eyes from the direct sunlight. A few minutes passed as Ryosuke sat there some more while ogling his right hand, the hand that held his girlfriends hand.
Girlfriend.
The word echoed in his mind as the sweet reality sank in.
He has a girlfriend. A few chuckles slip from his mouth as the thought circled around his mind.
Ryosuke grabbed his cell phone and checked the time: 10:30AM, the perfect time to call… her.
His smile brightened as he heard the ringing; butterflies were fluttering around his stomach.
There was a click and in a cheery voice, Rei greeted him with a cute ‘moshi-moshi.’
“Ohayo gozaimasu!” Ryosuke replied just as cheerfully.
“Ohayo Ryo-chan.”
His smile got even wider. No one ever called him Ryo-chan, usually just Yama-chan.
“Hai! Anou… anyways, are you busy today?”
“Saa~, I’m working at the moment, demo, we ca-”
Ryosuke cut in, “Where do you work? I’ll come and pick you up.”
“Uh… umm… okay. I work in a tea shop, Happy Bee. It’s across the street from the…”
As Rei continued speaking, Ryosuke was quickly jotting down the directions.
“… hai, did you get all that?”
“Mhm. I think so.”
“Well, I’ll see you soon. Ja~”
“Ja~ Re-chan.”
Upon hearing the click, Ryosuke hopped out of bed and hurried to his closet. He wanted to wear something Rei would like.
- - - - - - - - - -It felt like the butterflies in his stomach got bigger as he followed Rei’s directions. He was wearing a white t-shit with a few random English words on it, a black leather jacket, dark jeans, and black vans.
The bells above the door made a small jingle as he entered the teashop. Everything around him was mostly pink, so he didn’t bother to look around much. Within seconds, a few small gasps and a clatter of plates hitting the floor were heard.
Ryosuke turned to the front desk, where a few girls in yellow lolita dresses stood together, whispering to each other frantically. He smiled at them as he took a seat on a stool. He could hear three of the four girls arguing on who was to take his order. But before they could decide, another girl popped up.
“Konnichiwa Ryo-sama,” a sweet voice said to him.
He turned suddenly, only to realize he was looking straight into the warm, brown eyes of Rei. He was taken aback for a moment. His heart even stopped for a second.
“Ko-Konnichiwa Rei-chan,” Ryosuke managed to stutter out.
He glanced at her outfit; it was exactly like the other girls’ dresses, but she seemed to have added a few more ribbons here and there. It was the complete opposite of his outfit, but yet, they matched perfectly.
“So, what are we going to do today, Ryo-chan?” Rei asked curiously as she cocked her head to the side.
Ryosuke noticed for the first time that Rei’s hair was curled into loose ringlets. He blushed as Rei waved her hand in front of his face.
“Oi. Ryo-chan?” Rei wrinkled her nose.
“Oh, umm… yeah. Let’s go.”
She nodded her head as she went around the counter. Ryosuke took her arm in his as they walked out of the shop, leaving the three girls in envy.
- - - - - - - - - -
They had walked around the block and checked out the window displays. Rei had dragged him into the Sanrio store because she wanted to buy some more pencils to match her pencil pouch.
After their shop browsing, Ryosuke walked Rei to a secluded part of the park, near a fountain. He took a seat next to her at the fountain’s edge.
Ryosuke stuck his hand where he had hidden a bracelet. The bracelet was originally for Kumiko if she had accepted his confession. I mean, it was okay for him to give it to his current girlfriend right?
The bracelet was a simple silver charm bracelet with one heart shaped charm. The charm was engraved with the words you have my heart.
His hand wrapped tighter around the box as Rei looked at him curiously.
She cocked her head to the side, smiled, and lightly tapped him on the nose. He made a funny face and earned a giggle from her.
Without saying any words, Ryosuke pulled out the box and opened it in front of her face. Her eyes grew bigger as she gazed at the lovely bracelet.
“Oh my… Oh my. It’s so beautiful,” Rei spoke with awe as Ryosuke took her left hand and clasped the bracelet around it.
Was this the right choice?
As soon as he let go of Rei’s wrist, she began waving it around; she admired the way the silver sparkled in the afternoon sun.
“Huh, it’s only 2:30, let’s go hang out.”
“Uhh… weren’t we just hanging out?” Rei gaze him a puzzled look.
“Oh, hehe, yeah, we were.” Ryosuke chuckled nervously.
While looking at Rei, she started laughing too, but among the playfulness, Ryosuke accidentally looked beyond Rei.
Over by the walk way was her… walking with her boyfriend. Moments passed until he realized Rei stopped laughing and was looking at him worriedly.
He gave her a reassuring smile as he stood up suddenly.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ryosuke spoke the words coldly.
He grabbed Rei’s arm and dragged her away; in confusion, Rei looked around, wondering what could have set her boyfriend off.
Could it be… that other girl?