Disclaimer: Both Mia and Diego belong to Capcom. I only own Charlie.
XxMoonlightCharmxX: I had to re-post this due to a little error in the story. That being in one line in the story, I had accidentally wrote "Korean" instead of "Hispanic"… I hadn't been thinking straight… Enjoy anyway!
There she was again.
Everyday, Diego Armando would see that girl in black pass by his condominium, carrying a bouquet of white lilies. He wasn't sure who those flowers were for, but he was positive about one thing: That girl in black was lonesome.
He got used to seeing that girl everyday. In fact, he would even wake up early every morning just to catch a glimpse of her. His dog, a pure-bred German Shepherd, was also accustomed to seeing the girl in black. The dog would stick his nose out of the condo unit's marble terrace and wait for that girl in black, as always, carrying a batch of fresh white lilies in her arms.
"You're looking at her, too... Aren't you, Charlie?"
The dog faithfully raised his head once his master called him. Charlie, as Diego lovingly named him, watched his master stand beside him, place his mug of coffee down on the flat railing and look down at the sidewalk. There was the girl in black, carrying her usual bunch of white lilies, the same somber look was on her face.
"... I want to meet her, Charlie."
Charlie watched the girl in black as she disappeared in the corner. When she was gone, he walked back inside his master's unit and lied down on the floor.
Master isn't serious.
And yet, he had took note of the time the girl in black always passed by. She usually came at around at 7 O'clock in the morning, same time as the local flower shop opens...
Yes, flowers. He was friends with the flower shop owner. Seeing as the girl in black was one of his friend's regular customers, Diego decided to ring up his good friend.
It seemed as if his hunch had been right. The girl in black was a regular customer of his friend's flower shop, and she usually ordered a bouquet of freshly-picked white lilies. He didn't know who those flowers were for, but as of what the shop owner told him, there were always nine while lilies in the bouquet. Diego had made a wild guess that those flowers must have been for her late boyfriend, and their anniversary was the ninth of a month.
"Feh... That's silly. Nine flowers mean nine months? That's ridiculous… isn't it, Charlie?"
He held out his hand to his dog. Like what Charlie commonly did, he placed his snout on his master's hand. He had just smiled at his dog. He scratched his furry neck and rubbed his moist and creased nose.
"It's decided, Charlie. We're going to meet the girl in white tomorrow."
We?
"Why? Don't you want to meet her?" he asked, grinning. "It's okay if you don't want to. That means I can keep her to myself."
Charlie bit his master's middle finger. He drove his sharp teeth deep into his master's finger.
Yeah, right. And pigs can fly, Master.
The snatched his hand away from his dog's mouth and glared at his 'beast'. There were puncture marks on his finger.
"Fine! That means you're coming with me! You didn't have to bite me so hard!"
You may be my master, but don't forget that I'm as cool as you are.
"Yeah... And since you're coming with me, that means I have a rival," he chuckled. "It's a competition to see who's better."
Diego stood up and went to the kitchen, opening the cabinets under the kitchen sink. Charlie knew what that meant. Immediately, the tall and proud dog stood up and followed his master to the kitchen. He was standing in front of his stainless steel dog bowl, awaiting his master to fill it up with his favorite chicken-flavored dog food.
"Oh? You think I'm gonna feed you?" Diego jeered at his dog. Charlie stuck his tongue out of his mouth and waited.
"I'm not gonna feed you, Charlie," he stated firmly.
What? Why not?
"Take a bath first. Then I'll feed you."
But Master…! I'd do anything but that!
"You don't want to? Fine then," Diego closed the cabinets. "Let's see how you'll fare without breakfast, lunch and dinner, okay?"
Charlie's ears pointed upward. The male smirked at his dog.
Evil Master...
…
Today was the morning that Diego Armando would meet the enigmatic girl in black. He stood in front of his condominium for almost twenty minutes, with his German Shepherd sitting beside him, faithful as ever. He quickly stole a glance from his watch before turning to his dog.
"6.50. Just a bit more. You ready, Charlie?"
Charlie turned his head and faced his master.
Ready when you are, Master.
Before a little more waiting, they headed out as Charlie began sniffing around the place, hoping that he could catch the familiar scent of white lilies. He caught it, along with a sound. His ears pointed up.
She's here!
The two of them looked across the street and turned to their left. And there was the girl in black, carrying her usual cluster of white lilies. Diego didn't waste any more time and hurriedly crossed the street, his dog trailing behind him.
"Good morning." he said with a smile. The girl in back looked back. Her long, pale brown hair swished as she turned around. "Good morning!"
"So... You come here often?"
"Yes, every morning. I come here and pick up these white lilies."
The girl in black shifted her gaze to the clump of black and auburn that stood beside the Hispanic stranger. "That's quite a cute dog you have there."
She bent down on her knees and placed her flowers down on the sidewalk. She gave the German Shepherd a pat on his head. Charlie licked her hands.
"You have such a sweet dog..." she said with a slight smile. That was the first time Diego ever saw her smile, and it wasn't even clear.
"Oh? You heard that, Charlie? She thinks you're a cute dog."
The girl smiled at Charlie. Diego bent down beside the girl, holding out his hand to his dog. "I don't mean to intrude, but can I ask who those flowers are for?"
The girl in black froze. She suddenly felt tears well up in her eyes.
"... The one you bring flowers for... must be really special since you bring them fresh flowers everyday."
Master, shut up!
She was crying. Warm tears fell from her eyes. She hugged Charlie tightly and stood up quickly. "I-I'm sorry. I must go now!"
And without another word, the girl in black ran off, leaving Diego speechless. Because of the girl's haste, she had accidentally left her bouquet of white lilies. Charlie began biting Diego's left hand.
Stupid master! If only you kept your big mouth shut!
He watched as the girl in white disappeared in the corner. He cussed a blue streak under his breath.
…
The next day, Diego made sure to apologize to the girl in black. He and Charlie were waiting at the same spot where he made the girl in black cry. He wasn't sure how to apologize. Once, he was told that girls are more sensitive than guys. Sometimes, guys tend to forget that men and women are different from each other.
Master, snap out of it! She's here! Say that you're sorry!
Now, the girl in black was standing right in front of Diego, carrying the same bouquet of white lilies. All he had to do is apologize... "Hey there."
"Hello," came the reply from the female as she tried her best not to meet his gaze.
"Look... About what I said yesterday... I'm really sorry. I didn't meant to make you cry,"
"Oh... There's no need to apologize. You didn't say anything wrong."
Diego slowly turned to look at her. "I didn't...?"
She smiled at him. "Yes. You didn't say anything wrong."
He was relieved. At least he knew that he didn't offend her or anything. "I'm glad. I thought that I was the one who made you cry."
"You asked me yesterday..." she caressed the white petals she held in her arms. "Who these flowers are for, right? Do you really want to know?"
"If it's okay with you," he said, scratching the back of his head. She smiled at him. "Come with me. And bring your cute dog with you."
Diego and the girl in black were walking towards a courtyard, which was strangely covered in white crosses. During the whole walk, they both kept silent. Some of the people in the courtyard were looking at Charlie with teary eyes. The German Shepherd now realized where they were.
"We're in a cemetery," the girl in black said, stopping in front of a certain grave. It was her dog's grave. Diego looked around and asked, "This cemetery is for fallen pets?"
"Well, yes. That's why there are white crosses all around," The girl in black knelt down before her dog's grave and placed the bouquet of white lilies on top. Charlie stood beside her.
"So... Is that why you cried?"
"I've had my dog for nine years," she said with a rueful smile. "She was a pretty, sweet and lovable dog."
"Why did she go?" he asked her. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and replied, "She… she was hit by a speeding car."
"I see..."
"So please take care of Charlie. You know... I would give everything I can just to have my own dog back with me," she hugged the dog tightly. The dog didn't complain. Somehow, he was quite fond of this girl. No, he was really fond of this girl.
"I understand. I'll take good care of Charlie."
The girl stood up and turned to him with a warm smile on her face. "I never got your name."
"It's Diego Armando," he held out his palm to her. "And you are?"
"Mia Fey," she said, grasping his hand. He grinned at her and mustered up enough courage to ask her. "Maybe... Me and Charlie can visit you sometimes? You can play with him."
"I'd like that very much," she replied with the same warm smile.
"We can bring flowers for your dog, too. What does she like? You bring her white lilies everyday," he said, releasing her hand. She laughed lightly. "I'm sure that she'll appreciate more of those."
"What was your dog like?"
"Well... She's just like me. Lively and cheerful. If she and Charlie met, they would get along fine."
"Mia..."
"Yes? What is it?"
"Would you like to have some coffee with me?" he had his hand held out to her. Her eyes flickered from his hand to his face. Her lips formed a smile again, then she gave him her hand. "Of course."
She lost her dog... But it was her dog that brought Diego to her. It was her dog that brought the two of them together. All she wanted to do was grieve. But instead, a stranger comes her way and pulls her out of the nightmare.
Don't forget me! Mia said that I'm cute!
And little Charlie, too.
There's always someone that's going to save you... When you're hiding in a pit of hatred and loneliness. His had was outstretched. All she had to do was take it. And when she did, he vowed never to leave her alone again.