Old man Garo and Kio

Meanwhile, Zita sat in her chair looking from one to the other with a blank face as she ate. "Again with this?" she was clearly getting tired of their constant beef towards each other.

"Would you mind leaving Rei? We were in the middle of an important private conversation." Kio said leaning back in his chair and looking at Rei patronizingly.

"Tch, whatever, see you after school Zitarah," Rei said as he walked away with a hand waving and one in his pocket.

So Kio and Zita were left alone and Kio's smile was back on his face in an instant. "So, where were we?" he asked flirtatiously as he looked at Zita who was looking at him plain-faced.

"You wanted to give me something." She said plainly as she had another bite of her lunch. ," Kio wanted to give her this gift over the weekend but he was a little too impatient. "Yeah, long story short.." as soon as he said that, Zita got the gist that she was in for a long uncalled-for story.

Kio started narrating:

It was a fine cold day in Diamond City like any other. So, I decided to take a brief walk since I was just from work at Aexat Company. They underestimated me although I still managed to convince them to make an investment in Kentaro Industries. The streets were quite crowded since the city was constantly busy.

But then the strangest thing happened.

An old man who looked to be in his 80s approached me. He called me out saying, "Hello, are you named Kio? My name is Garo." So, I turned to talk to him of course, out of respect although I was suspicious.

"Um, yes sir. That happens to be my name. May I help you…?" I asked him since, you know, it was kind of random for him to call out my name.

The old man said, "I have something I have to give you real quick." he seemed in a hurry so I assumed I probably dropped something on the way and he was returning it.

"Oh, what's that, sir?" He then showed me the most beautiful piece of jewelry I had ever laid my eyes on. It was a red heart-shaped ruby that had light hitting it at excellent angles enough to form beautiful iridescent light. It was caged by a golden vine-designed pear, it was an absolute work of art.

"I'm sorry sir, but that's not mine." I tried looking for signs of it being fake but it was legit and looked super expensive. I mentally calculated it to be about 1.5 million dollars. A prized piece indeed.

"I didn't say you dropped it, I said take it!." The man was being even more suspicious and I didn't know why so I just tried to play it off.

"Wow, Sir. That's generous of you indeed but it looks quite expensive, I can't accept it." I told him politely for obvious reasons.

The old geezer then decided to hit my shin with his walking stick and pointed at me with it. "You kids these days. In my time, if you're given something, you take it and don't try acting cool," he said angrily about the fact that I denied it. All the while I was holding my shin trying to caress the pain away.

"Yes sir," I said and decided to be compliant with the geezer. "Okay, come on young blood, I don't have all day," he said as he walked in the direction I just came from, and of course, I followed the geezer out of respect. Although he was stubborn and getting on my nerves by the second.

I had to call my dad and tell him I would be late. We found ourselves at the Melantha ruins. I still have no idea how he got us passes but he did and that wasn't the only strange thing about him.

So we stood at the area that showcases the small lake at the back and had a lot of rose bushes in relic vases and very critically designed poles that showed just how old they were from the few cracks and crevices gained over the years.

I started to get impatient. "Just out of curiosity. Why are we here sir?" I said and whispered 'I have to get home under my breath.

The geezer smacked my shin again and it hurt since it was on the exact spot as before. "Pay attention to the view," he said harshly and of course, I was in agony but I didn't want to show him that he won so I wore the most ordinary face I could pull. (he had a look of anguish and annoyance)

He smacked me again.

"Ok, enough with the stick," I said calmly as I let out a sigh trying to drown the pain and he asked an abrupt question out of the blue. "Youngblood, do you have a girl lover?" he basically asked me if I had a girlfriend and I immediately thought of you.

"Yeah. She's really awesome and cute. Why are you asking?" I asked him and he looked reminiscent. "How would you describe her?" he was finally calming down and not holding his stick anymore. A million things ran through my mind as I tried to compress a description of you are into a few words.

"Where do I start? Her eyes like the sun, her soft dark brown tipped hair like alpaca fur?". "Her sweet peach lips, her strict but soft character, her charm. If anyone but me had her, I wouldn't be at peace with myself. I'd probably fight for her – all over again." I gave him an honest description and that's when the geezer decided to forcefully give me the piece of jewelry again.

"So you're actually the right Kio. I was worried for a second there thinking I had got the wrong one because you were so obnoxious in the beginning." Obnoxious!? He was literally the one beating me with his stick constantly.

I didn't want to question his words and actions or be suspicious anymore because I had a feeling he wasn't a bad person. I also didn't want to get smacked again.

"Describe the view in front of you." He said as he looked at the calm lake waters surrounded by a big dark rock that had vines and moss growing around it.

"I would say it's a beautiful example of an artist's work." I said and he just smiled at me and said, "close enough," then shrugged.

"Give this to your lover and don't argue with me, she'll love it," he said and I just decided to take it in an aloof manner.

"By the way, would you like to listen to my life story?" he asked I obviously did not excited but I accepted. (he got very excited)

I ended up reaching home at eight o'clock in the night that day because he had so many interesting stories about him being a king with golden hair, having seven sons and stuff… I didn't believe him but they were so nice to listen to so I would meet in the ruins after my work. I don't know why he was always there though.

Sadly, I had the news that the geezer passed away three days later. I felt bad because we bonded well. I didn't cry. (he cried)

I had to live up to the geezer's word and give you the necklace.

...

Kio forwarded the open box to Zitarah. "So, here, I hope you like it as he said." Zita looked at it with awe as she reached for it but Kio pulled it back.

"I insist on putting it on for you," he said and Zita chuckled then rolled her eyes and stood up and so did Kio. "Okay, whatever floats your boat." He stood behind her and brushed her short hair off her neck then clicked the necklace in place.

"You done?" Zita asked with a plain face. "One sec." Kio replied. She wasn't the type to get excited over jewelry because she and everyone in the school are quite wealthy. Besides that, she wasn't the materialistic type.

Kio caught Zita by surprise when he wrapped his hands around her waist and buried his face in her neck.

Zita got flustered and turned her head to look at him in confusion as he hugged her from behind. "Just this once, let my girlfriend spoil me," he whispered and Zita's face only got hotter. 'I'll let this pass because everyone else has gone to class.' she thought as she gently held his hands in front of her.

Kio slowly turned her to face him and gave her a proper hug. "I love you," he said as he rested his head on hers because he was significantly taller.

[Zitarah Reeves, you're requested to go to the principal's office immediately, thank you.] sounded the announcement speaker.