Shrimp Chili 9

Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry for the inconsistent updates once again! I know I'm pretty sucky at this :( Please read and review! Many thanks for your reviews and kind words! Especially to my loyal reviewer ShermanTheWorm!

xoxo


Rio:

The ring burned red-hot in her pocket. She had spent the whole of yesterday evening at Hana's shop, pondering over the various commitment ring designs. Hana and Kosaburo had exchanged a knowing smile and wished her all the best. Hana had clasped her hand in her wise wrinkled ones and remarked that Rio was finally growing up. Rio had blushed furiously at that.

In the end, she settled for a thin silver band with a small but fiercely beautiful ruby inlaid in it. It was simple enough-she knew Neil well enough to know he preferred simplicity over extravagance. And the ruby would bring out the intensity of his gorgeous red eyes

Her stomach did a back-flip. NEIL'S ANIMALS. OPEN FOR BUSINESS, the sign read in slightly lopsided handwriting. And behind the counter stood Neil, windswept hair sticking out in all directions. He looked adorably dishevelled. Rio summoned up every ounce of her courage and approached the counter.

"Hey Neil!" she squeaked and immediately hated how herself for how silly she sounded.

"Oh hey Rio, what's up?" Neil looked surprised to see her. He straightened his magenta coat. The weather had been getting progressively colder and colder.

"Mm not much! Do you have time to talk? I brought you some lunch. I was thinking we could have lunch together near the Goddess Spring. Winter is going to be on us soon and we might not get to mm enjoy its beauty anymore!" Rio rambled nervously. Her fingers twitched.

"Mm sure. Let me uh check on my animals first."

Rio felt her heart beating faster and faster and faster still, until she was sure it was going to explode.

"Great. Let's go," Neil said, closing the door to the pen behind him.

Rio's heart skipped another beat.

Neil:

It had been days since I last saw Rio, so it was a huge surprise to see her at the shop today. Truth be told, I had been trying my best to avoid her. Every time I see her, this strange unidentifiable feeling seems to stir in my stomach. It didn't help that whenever I saw her, she was with Allen, that pompous red-headed imbecile.

Whatever could Rio possibly want to talk about?

I saw that the animals had enough food and water. As I watched them laze languidly in their pens, I thought about how easy it must have been to be an animal. So long as they had food and water and sufficient rest, they were contended. What an idyllic existence.

I thought I would be happy as long as I had a stable job and a roof over my head. Until I met Rio. It would be a great fat lie to say that I didn't want her. I wanted to tuck her into bed at night, to kiss her forehead and run my fingers through her silky blond hair. But I had to remind myself she belonged to Allen now. Ugh.

We made our way to the goddess spring. It was a frigid autumn day and the wind was howling through the trees. The leaves crunched under our feet. Autumn was my favourite season. It was when the leaves covered everything in a blanket of red and gold and everything was beautiful.

Rio found a nice spot under a shady oak tree. "So what did you want to talk about?" I tried to make my voice sound as casual as possible, betraying no emotion.

She fidgeted for a bit. Rio had the habit of biting her lip when she was nervous. Her idiosyncrasy was ever so endearing. Rio couldn't never hide her feelings, she wore her heart on her sleeve, unlike me… What was going on?

She reached into her pocket and pulled out…a ring. Not just any ring, the commitment ring. My heart pounded.

"Neil, would you go out with me?" she asked shyly, cheeks flushed pink.

My heart said yes, and my body said yes but my lips said no.

A clap of thunder boomed across the sky, followed by a streak of lightning so bright it blinded my eyes.

Everything passed by in a flash afterwards. It began to pour-a cold melancholic autumnal rain that chilled one's body and heart to the bone. Rio's cheeks were wet. From the rain or were those glistening droplets her tears? I would never know. She bolted past me in a whirl of golden hair. And she was gone.

I stood there in the aftermath of that storm, stupidly frozen to the ground. The rain fell in sheets around me. Autumn's beauty was ephemeral-it was the time when the leaves were red and beautiful but those leaves would soon fall to the earth and shrivel up. Autumn only heralds death. And autumn was the time for tears and rain and soon, the cold winter would be upon us.

I should have run after Rio, should have held her in my arms, should have told her I was sorry. Should have, should have, should have. But I didn't. And now it was too late.

I reached into my pocket. The smooth curved band of the ring was cool to the touch. I had bought it from Hana's shop ages ago. The stone was the deep sapphire of Rio's eyes-brilliant cut, and it winked cruelly back at me.

Neil, you idiot! I thought as I flung it into the depths of the goddess spring and watched as the water swallowed it up. And soon, that too was gone.


I'm sorry this chapter seems quite upsetting and sad! (Please don't shoot me ahhh) I have a lot more in store for Neil and Rio so things are going to get a lot more exciting in the future!