Resident Evil: Valentine's Partner (Resident Evil X Male Reader)

Chapter 31: Remnants of Terragrigia

July 7, 2005 11:00 AM

I stood in a high-end jewelry store. I was wearing my usual pair of blue jeans with a black t-shirt. The San Francisco Summer proved far too hot to wear any kind of jacket. Various display cases were showing off the expensive wares of the store. I glanced around. The store was pretty empty. There were a few customers who were looking through the display cases. I turned my attention to where a man once stood behind the counter. He was grabbing something from the back that I had picked out. I nervously drummed my fingers on the glass countertop. I was going to be making a big step soon. No amount of mental preparation could truly prepare me for this.

I saw the door open that led to the back room. The man appeared carrying a small black box. He approached the counter and placed the box on the glass counter between us. He opened the box to show me the ring inside. It was a small silver ring that had ornate stylistic symbols engraved into the front side of it. There was a perfectly cut diamond seated in the ring. I smiled when I saw it. It was perfect for her. I picked up the ring and examined it. I turned it around. The backside held an engraving that read, "Partners to the end" in a fancy font. I put the ring back in the box.

"Do you like the ring?" the salesmen behind the counter asked me.

"Yeah, it's perfect," I replied.

"It's a fine choice. This ring is very well constructed and created with the utmost attention to detail."

"How much do I owe you?"

"The ring is six grand, plus another two for the engraving. The total comes out to eight grand." I passed him my debit card which he swiped into his register. After a few seconds, he gave me back my card. I slipped my card back into my wallet and put the wallet in my pocket.

"Would you like a bag for the ring?"

"I'm alright, thank you."

"Take care."

"You too." I grabbed the box and put it into my pocket. I exited the store with a sort of nervous energy. Soon, I would likely be taking the most important step of my life. I walked down the sidewalk. The city was buzzing with activity. Excited children shouted as they ran down the sidewalk, their smiling parents in tow. Cars drove through the busy streets. Nearby food trucks and restaurants were busy with hungry customers, the outdoor patios being filled to the brim. I smiled to myself as I walked. Being constantly in the field, it was easy to forget exactly what you were fighting for. I could see the answer all around me. We were fighting so these kids could grow up in a world without bioterrorism. We were fighting so the world could live without fear of groups like Veltro. We were fighting for a brighter tomorrow.

Jill and I had taken some time off. At the moment, we were in San Francisco, California visiting Jill's mom. We had been here a few times. I can still remember how nervous I was the first time I met her. According to Jill, she had taken quite a liking to me. I noticed this sort of gleam in her eye when she saw Jill and I together. After around half an hour of walking, I reached a cable car. After a half-hour ride, I reached Jill's mom's house. I walked up the front steps and stepped through the front door.

Mrs. Valentine was cleaning dishes at the sink. She turned her attention to the door opening. Hekima Valentine was an older Japanese woman with long brown hair and brown eyes. She had a thick Japanese accent but spoke in perfect English. She greeted me with a smile when she saw me.

"Ah, Y/N, you're back. Jill is still out running errands," she said as she turned back to the dishes.

"Mrs. Valentine, do you have a moment to talk?" I asked her.