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RING -
NANAMI OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
He wasn't there for when it happened, he didn't the full story even almost two years later. But the horror he always imagined on Mieko's face as she lost her entire life she built up on that very day always haunted him.
He could see the way her face would've contorted in distress, he could hear her screams of pain, anger and fear all mixed into a new emotion, he could almost live the scene in his head as if he was once there.
Even as the words, The caller you've tried reaching is unavailable as he tried Anna's phone number after he did a deep dive for it, his mind was somewhere else thinking of how Mieko reacted that day.
In his head, he could picture the woman holding her injured son in her arms, with his blood violently all over her person, trying to get the next and nearest person for help, while desperately searching for ways to comfort his pain.
"How about this one, sir?" The lady asked, snapping Nanami out of his dazed stance. His eyes focused on her face, as he slowly lowered his phone back into his pocket. He didn't even look at the ring.
"Yeah... that's the one." Nanami replied, his eyes already wandered off once again.
"Mhm." The sales lady responded, clearly displeased at Nanami's decision.
The rude comment made Nanami come back to reality by being taken aback. He furrowed his eyebrows and have the woman a mean glare as she made her way towards the counter. He didn't address it however, he simply walked to where she was, and started to pull out his wallet without any emotion.
"Our return policy is 15 days with original packing and cleanliness." The woman said as she ringed in the jewelry.
Nanami sighed, lightly banging his fist on the counter but only as a gesture of defeat, it wasn't out of anger. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, sucking on his teeth in irritation.
The saleswoman returned his sass, copying his motion of sucking on her teeth, and the angry eyebrows and eyebrows. "It means it's a pitiful ring. Any sane woman wouldn't say yes to it."
"Maybe it's all I can afford." Nanami argued back, not understanding why he was getting so defensive.
The woman scoffed and then giggled, eyeing Nanami up and down. "Oh please, this isn't about money. After 10 years of this business, I can read you men like an open book so don't go getting smart with me."
Nanami lowered his gaze, surrendering to his defeat, as he gave the woman his card to pay for the ring. When paid for, Nanami quickly left the store, tucking the box into his inner blazer's pocket, as he exited the store into the main mall, a little glimmer of relief lit inside him.
