悲しいの歌

Chapter 6
The Ring

The duo was walking a little briskly through the streets of the town near where Len and Rin lived. Len was surprised, seeing as he expected Kaito to bring him to the bustling city of where he lived with the others. The sky was a little cloudy, and snow was falling lightly. Citizens of the town rushed with their businesses beside them.

Len wrapped his scarf around his neck a little tighter as a cold draught blew past him and Kaito. He glanced at the taller male and saw that he was staring ahead of him in concentration. Confused, he spoke through his scarf with a muffled voice.

"What are you looking at, Kaito?"

"To be honest, I am actually worried that you wouldn't like the ring. It's just that—I was exploring this town and I saw this beautiful ring being displayed in a small little window. It really, really, REALLY appealed to me, so I made a reservation for it, in case anyone would want to buy it. It isn't very expensive OR extravagant, so—yeah…I'm worried that Rin or you wouldn't be too happy about it."

"Don't worry, Kaito—I have faith in you." Len smiled encouragingly and motioned for him to walk faster. His heart was beating rather fast as he was excited to see the ring.

**^u^**

"Here you are, sir! Please take your time and have a good look!" The lady behind the counter presented the jewellery on a plush cushion of sorts with a grin. She looked endearingly at Len, thinking that he was planning to buy it for a parent of his.

A small pristine Citrine jewel adorned the middle of the ring. The xanthous-coloured jewel's facets sparkled under the white glare of the shop's lighting. Floral engravings decorated the slightly copper hued band, giving it an earthen feel. Len stared hard at it. He had never seen a piece of jewellery more suited for Rin. Whenever he bought her jewellery, he found it to be a little strange on her. Big, chunky and fancy necklaces looked huge compared to her petite frame, and she always disliked them.

Wordlessly, he picked up the ring. Its metal band was cold to the touch—so much that it stung a little. He held it up to the light and rotated it, taking in all of its beauty. Smiling to himself, he looked at Kaito, who appeared relieved.

"It's beautiful, Kaito! I told you that you'd come through for us!" Len spoke excitedly, a big smile plastered on his face.

"That's great! I'm sure Rin would love it too, then!" Kaito replied.

Smiling confidently to the lady, Len set the ring down on the cushion once more. "I'll take it."

***o (●´∀｀) o***

"So, when're you going to do it?" Kaito whispered as they entered the hospital. Len removed his gaze from the small yellow velvet box the lady so kindly gave him for the thousandth time and blinked, stunned.

"I haven't really given it much thought…I was hoping to do it right after she comes out of the hospital, but I think I might hint it to her and see her reaction." Len said as he tapped his chin. Kaito nodded wisely.

"Don't rush when it comes to such things, my son." Kaito stroked an imaginary beard.

Len face-palmed and groaned, walking faster as though he didn't want to be seen with Kaito. "It isn't as if you'd ever proposed to someone before—you crazy ice-cream freak!"

Kaito laughed with mirth and clapped his hands. "But I'm older, and therefore wiser than you, so that gives me the right to act like that."

"Your mind functions very strangely, you know. I wonder if all that ice-cream killed some of your brain cells." Len snapped, keeping the velvet box into his pocket as they were nearing Rin's ward. All of a sudden, Kaito clicked his fingers.

"Ah, I just remembered—I have to meet Miku and the others for a movie! I can't stay any longer. Help me tell Rin I said bye!"

"You can just do it yourself; the ward is just around the corner!"

"Ah, no—I really need to run! Sorry, and see you around!" Kaito shouted as he ran down the stark white corridor, apologizing to a nurse as she scolded him for making such a racket.

Len sighed and shook his head. He walked to the ward and knocked lightly. Receiving no response, he flung open the door excitedly and was about to call out to Rin when he saw her on the bed. She was snoozing lightly, her left hand left beside the pillow as though it was forgotten, and her hair was strewn carelessly all over the pillow. He watched her chest rise up and down slowly as he leaned against the doorframe. She hardly looked sick at all. His spirits soared as he thought of the possibility that she could be completely healed.

He gently closed the door behind him and sat beside her. He looked at her right hand hanging over the bed and thought of the ring. He wondered how it'd look on her. Itching to take it out and put it on her, he resisted the urge, afraid that she's suddenly wake up and see it. He hadn't even popped the question, and if he did that without asking her—she'd surely feel creeped out.

He began to ponder if she'd accept him at all, and it unnerved him as scenarios of her rejecting him played out in his head like little movies. He stood up and stretched, shaking his head as though to clear those depressing thoughts. Staring at the sun's dying rays, he drew the curtains and set the ward's light to a low. Settling back into the chair, he spaced out and soon fell into a deep sleep.

"Pssst,"

A light whisper woke Len up with a start. He grunted and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. A pair of aquamarine eyes stared back into his. Rin's face was barely a few centimetres from his own. He could feel his face heating up. Desperately, he backed as far as he could into the soft armchair he was resting on. Rin giggled and drew away from him.

"I bought us dinner from the small eatery not far from the hospital." She pointed towards the bags on the wooden table opposite the bed. Len cringed.

"You should have just waked me up to buy dinner! Why didn't you? What if something happened to you?"

Rin squeezed his arm and frowned. "Don't worry so much! I had the nurse accompany me to the eatery. I'm not so irresponsible as to leave the hospital by myself!"

The duo glared at each other for minutes, neither backing away. Len's anger dissipated, and he looked away, biting his lip. Rin straightened, releasing his arm. They remained silent; before Rin broke it by saying that the food was getting cold.

They ate dinner in silence. Rin stared steadily at Len, whose mind was on the ring. He yearned to pop the question, but he was so afraid that she'd reject him. He didn't want their relationship to come to an end because of this—so he thought that he should just observe her for the time being.

"…Len? What's wrong?" Rin asked, setting down her spoon.

"H-huh..?" Len replied; his spoon stopping halfway en route to his mouth. "You…you could tell—"

"Anyone can, idiot!" Rin said. "Look, you've been scooping nothing to your mouth for the past minute!"

Len looked at his spoon. Sure enough, there was nothing on it. His plate, however, had a lot of food left on it.

"Uhh…" Len started, as Rin looked at him questioningly. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "S-say, Rin—what do you feel about getting m—"

A firm tap of the door sounded, and the nurse called from outside. "Rin, it's time for your medicine. Can I come in?"

"Sure!" Rin called back. "What is it you were saying again, Len?" She looked back at him.

"…nothing, it's nothing. I'll tell you about it next time." He uttered, a little dejectedly. Rin stared at him, her eyebrow raised. She looked at his hand, unmoving on the table. Giving it a quick squeeze, she left the table and walked towards the nurse that was waiting for her.