28. You Know How Men Are
28
You Know How Men Are
T hey all sat around the dinner table, raising their glasses to the happy couple. It had only been a few days since Ryu had asked her to marry him, and everything was happening so fast that it was starting to give Eira butterflies and whiplash all at once.
After the toast, Ryu’s father stood proudly. “Eira, there is something I’d like to give you, as it is customary here for the families to exchange gifts.”
“Oh, sorry,” Grandmother blurted out rather unregretfully. “We don’t have a gift.”
Tatsu paused only for a moment to roll his eyes, not the least bit surprised by the outburst. Then, the moment after he snapped his fingers, someone entered with a huge box and set it in front of Eira.
As she slowly opened it and peeled back the paper, she noticed a bright white garment beautifully preserved.
“It’s what my Kana wore on our wedding day many moons ago. She wanted to be sure to save everything for our son’s future wife, so even the jewelry she wore is in there.”
“Wow,” Eira breathed. The dress was breathtaking. She could see the love and just how much it had been cherished with the care it had been packed with. “Thank you.” She beamed with a glistening in her eyes that matched Tatsu’s. If there was one thing for certain about Ryu’s father, it was how obviously he loved his late wife.
“I have something for you, too,” Yuri announced with a warm smile, handing Eira her own beautifully wrapped, small package.
Both she and her father, Kage, had grown close to Ryu, as Kage was his sensei. The many years of training he’d spent with him had naturally bound the two in friendship, and Kage appeared to be his one and only true friend on the island.
And now it was Eira who considered Yuri to be her one and only true friend here. Well, for someone who wasn’t her grandparents or Ryu. The girls had grown close quickly in a short amount of time, and Yuri had become one of the people Eira didn’t want to live without.
“Aw, Yuri. You didn’t have to,” she said, unwrapping the gift to reveal a small and delicate perfume bottle. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you.”
“Very kind,” Tatsu agreed with a nod.
Unable to wait to smell it, she went to open the bottle, hoping she was going to be able to smell even half as amazing as Yuri did all the time. It was a kind and thoughtful gift that Eira never thought to get for herself, so she would cherish it forever.
“Let it be a surprise on your big day. It’s good luck to wear a new perfume in the beginning of your new life,” Yuri said, placing her hand over Eira’s before she could open it. “Here, let me take your gifts up to your room for you.”
Smiling, Eira agreed it would be better to wait. “Thank you, Yuri. I know I’ll love it.”
“Okay, now, where were we?” Tatsu said now that the gifts had been exchanged.
“Hopefully, at the part where we can finally eat.” Her grandfather’s frustrated grumble under his breath wasn’t missed.
Ignoring his unfavorable guests, Ryu’s father continued, “It’s also tradition for the bride’s second dress for the dinner to match the color of her mate’s dragon. Since my dragon was red, Kana’s dress simply won’t due. You’ll need a gold one.”
Grandmother’s brow lifted. “Gold, you say?”
Hearing soft sobs come from her closet, Eira lightly pushed the door open to find a missing Yuri crying on her large closet floor.
“Yuri … what’s wrong?”
“I’m so sorry, Eira. Please don’t hate me.”
“Oh, Yuri!” Worry encased Eira from witnessing her friend’s distress. She hurried over to where Yuri sat on the ground and thankfully didn’t notice her hurt or anything alarming, besides the fear on Yuri’s face that told her something was amiss. “I could never hate you. What happened?”
“I was just stowing away your gifts, and when I went to put away the necklace Tatsu gave you, it … it broke,” she muttered before finally revealing the broken necklace between her hands.
A sigh of relief escaped her, having feared much worse. “That’s not your fault, Yuri. I’m sure it’s very old. Ryu and Tatsu will understan—”
When Yuri broke into uncontrollable cries, Eira could barely make out her words.
“Tatsu will fire me for breaking something of his late wife’s.”
“I’m sure there’s time to get it fix—”
Her cries only grew louder. “Not for something this precious. It will take time. Your wedding is only days away!”
Eira bit her lip, trying to think through Yuri’s tears. Why did they have to get married so fast? But then she quickly remembered Ryu’s pain and her own needs growing immensely each day, telling her exactly why.
Pushing those thoughts away at a time like this, she got back to focusing on the matter at hand. “I bet they won’t even notice. He gave me so many things to wear.” She shrugged like it was nothing before trying her best to make light of the situation to cheer the poor girl up. “You know how men are.”
Yuri sniffled. “And if they do?”
Her silence was deafening, as Eira came up empty for what they could do.
“I’ll be gone!” Yuri’s waterworks began again. “I might as well pack my bags now.”
Eira didn’t think so at all, as it seemed Tatsu much preferred Yuri over her, which was understandable since he barely knew her. Then again, it was a belonging of his late wife’s, and if Yuri believed him to do something that cruel, then she didn’t want to risk it. Losing her only girlfriend on this island would hurt Eira too much.
“I—” Eira struggled for her brave words to announce themselves. “I will tell them I broke it.”
Her friend looked at her in disbelief. “You … would do that for me?”
“Of course, I would,” Eira confirmed with finality. “And I will.”
All the tears on Yuri’s face suddenly dried up as she grabbed her friend to hold her dearly. “Oh, Eira, thank you!”
“No problem. It’s not like they’d kick me out …” she said, patting her back, gulping nervously. It seemed her bravery wavered to her nerve. “Right?”