A Rose, A Ring and A Promise: Chapter 14

Chapter 14

            “Em~”

            “No.”

            Sapphire pouted at what Em said. “But I haven’t said anything yet!”

            “I know you’re going to ask me to come with you to the KAT-TUN concert and it’s a definite no. There is no way I’m going to come to an idol concert.”

            KAT-TUN is Sapphire’s favourite Japanese boy group since she was a teenager and they were going to have a concert in Araneta that day.

            “I already got us VIP tickets Em!” Sapphire whined.

            Em sighed. “If you’re so intent on coming with someone, why don’t you ask your boyfriend to come with you?”

            It was Sapphire’s turn to sigh. “Bryce wouldn’t come to that kind of concerts. Besides, he’s busy.”

            “Then why don’t you go alone?”

            Sapphire pouted again. “I bought two tickets, Em! It’s such a waste to not use both.”

            “Then why did you buy two in the first place?”

            Before Sapphire could answer, they heard a loud, “I’m back!” from the front door.

            Sapphire’s eyes lit up and she dashed to greet Amanda who just arrived from school. “Hey Amanda! Wanna go to KAT-TUN’s concert tonight?”

            “Did you say KAT-TUN?! As in Kamenashi, Akanishi, Tanaka, Taguchi, Ueda and Nakamaru?!” Amanda asked with wide eyes.

            “Right!” Sapphire beamed.

            “You got tickets?! Of course I want to go!” Amanda squealed.

            The two talked about their favourites in the boy group and gushed like the fangirls they are.

            Em rolled her eyes. Why am I stuck with a bestfriend and a cousin like these two?

           

            Later that night, after the KAT-TUN concert, Sapphire and Amanda came home with big smiles on their faces. They were laughing merrily and belting out the group’s songs.

            “Enjoyed yourselves?” Bryce asked as they entered the house.

            “You were waiting for us?” Sapphire checked her watch. “It’s close to 12am. You must have been tired from work. Why didn’t you just sleep?” She asked, concerned.

            “I wanted to make sure you two made it home safe.”

            “I’m sorry we're so late. I treated Amanda out for dinner since we were both hungry when the concert ended. I’m really sorry.” Sapphire kissed Bryce lightly.

            “You’re forgiven,” Bryce said then hugged her. “I missed you.”

            “We saw each other this morning Bryce.” Sapphire giggled. “But yeah, I missed you too.” She looked up at him. It still surprised her sometimes how Bryce had changed so much in a matter of a few weeks. But it was all a pleasant surprise.

            “Much as I love to witness your lovey-dovey moments, I’m tired so I’ll go ahead to my room okay?” Amanda said teasingly before heading to her room.

            Sapphire and Bryce looked at each other at Amanda’s statement and laughed.

            When their laughter died down, Sapphire grinned. “I have something to show you.”

            “What is it?” Bryce asked curiously.

            “Wait here, I’ll just get it in my room.”

            Sapphire went to her room. When she came back, she was holding something in her hand.

            “What’s that?” Bryce asked.

            Sapphire opened her hand. There, on her right palm, was a small silver ring. “Do you remember this, Mik-mik?”

            Bryce was startled when Sapphire used his childhood petname. He held the ring and examined it closer. When he saw the letter ‘S’ engraved on it, he remembered why it was familiar.

            “Shylee, what are you looking at?” 7 year old Bryce asked his friend.

            “Look at that Mik-mik!” the little girl pulled Bryce and pointed to a ring with an ‘S’ engraved on it. “It’s so pretty!”

            “Do you want that, Shylee?”

            The girl nodded.

“Excuse me, I’ll buy that ring!”Bryce said to the lady who was selling the ring.

            “Shylee...” Bryce said amazed. “You’re Shylee...”

            “I told you someone used to call me ‘Shylee’ right?” Sapphire said. Her eyes shone with unshed tears. “I’m back, Mik-mik.”

            Bryce held her in his arms. “Welcome back, Shylee.”

            Finally, the young kids inside them found each other.

When they have both calmed down from their heartfelt reunion, Bryce remembered to ask, “But how did you find out that we were childhood friends?”

“At first I didn’t even know we were classmates because I had always assumed that you went to the same school that Em was in. So when you mentioned before that you had a childhood friend named ‘Shylee’, I thought it was just a coincidence so I ignored it even when I heard Chris call you ‘Mik-mik’ on their birthday party.”

“And we both didn’t remember each other’s real name...” Bryce said.

“That’s right. But earlier, before Amanda and I went to the concert, she showed me your photos from when you were in elementary.”

“Sapphire, you wanted to see my brother’s photos right? Those from his elementary days?”

“You found them? That’s great, Amanda!”

“Here. This is their school.”Amanda pointed to a picture of a school building, with the school logo at the side.

“I was a student in this school!”

“Really? Then you might recognize him.” Amanda pointed to a boy in the picture. “This is him.”

“I recognized you as Mik-mik right away because even if I didn’t remember my childhood friend’s real name, I couldn’t forget your smile from that time.”

“My smile?”

“You had a bright, warm smile, like the smile you have been showing me these days. That was another reason why I never recognized you as Mik-mik. Because when we met again after 18 years, at the airport, that smile wasn’t there.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you,” Bryce apologized.

“It’s okay. I changed a lot too, after all,” Sapphire said.

“Yeah, the name ‘Shylee’ doesn’t fit you anymore,” Bryce contemplated.

Sapphire laughed. “True. But it’s your fault you know!” She pouted.

“Why is it my fault?” Bryce asked, confused.

“You were very popular when we were young because you were friendly and always smiling while I was too shy, to the point that I didn’t talk to anybody else but you. I wanted to change that so I tried hard to open up more when I arrived in LA. It helped that my father remarried and I gained a new mother and an older brother. They helped me become more outgoing, more cheerful.”

“So that’s how it is.” Bryce caressed her cheek. “But it’s okay since I like those sides of you too.”

“Oh really? Then why do I remember you saying I give you headaches with the way I act?” Sapphire teased.

“Forget I said that,” Bryce said.

“Oh? Too bad. I really wanted to make up for all those headaches” Sapphire grinned.

“How do you intend to do that?” Bryce asked.

“With this, Mik-mik.” Sapphire went close and kissed him.

To be continued~

Note: Yey! I don’t know about you but this chapter made me really happy! J At last, Shylee and Mik-mik found each other! And also, we got to see more of Sapphire’s childish/fangirl side in this chapter! Who thinks that’s cute? *raises hand* *get’s bricked* xD

Additional Notes: And oh, about the mention about KAT-TUN, if you don’t know them, they’re a Japanese boy group but I already mentioned that in this chapter under Johnny Entertainment and they’re my favourite so I couldn’t help inserting them in this story a bit. They’re originally composed of Kamensahi Kazuya (Kame), Akanishi Jin (Jin), Tanaka Koki (Koki), Taguchi Junnosuke (Junno), Ueda Tatsuya (Tat-chan) and Nakamaru Yuichi (Maru). Akanishi Jin is no longer part of KAT-TUN but since I’m the author and I just ADORE them when the 6 of them were in the same group, I made them that way here. Also, they are yet to have a concert in Araneta so that’s my wishful thinking too but who knows, maybe one of these days it’ll come true? xD By the way, my current favourites are Kame and Tat-chan J