The Ring

Anyone who knows me also knows I’m prone to losing things. The most expensive item I had ever lost was a brand-new phone I left on an airplane when I was fifteen. That remained the case until the day I lost our engagement ring.

It happened on the morning of our pre-wedding photo shoot in Kyoto. I clearly remember the ring still sitting snugly on my finger while we were waiting for the car outside the studio. But just two traffic lights later, I suddenly realized my finger was bare. A cold wave rushed through me from the soles of my feet. If it were something of my own, I might have been able to laugh it off. But this was our ring, a symbol of our promise. I felt overwhelmed with guilt, as though I had failed Chef and all the love he had placed in that ring.

When we reached the Kamogawa River, we searched the car from top to bottom but found nothing. We could only ask the driver to keep an eye out and then begin the shoot, downcast. Chef remained calm and said, "As long as the person is not lost, the ring can always be replaced." With a smile, he urged me to focus on the photos. The cherry blossoms were at their peak, but I had no heart to enjoy them.

After the bridal gown shoot, we changed into kimono and set off for Zuishin-in. I stared out the taxi window at the trees flashing by and started thinking that maybe I could just buy a moissanite ring, pretend nothing had happened, and carry the secret to my grave. As these terrible ideas circled in my head, I leaned on my hairpiece and fell asleep. When I woke, I saw Chef gently holding my hand.

That evening, as we were having dinner at a traditional restaurant, I suddenly received an email from the photo studio. The taxi driver had found the ring in the back seat. I burst out with joy and shared the good news with the restaurant's head chef. We laughed and joked, and the sake in my little cup suddenly tasted sweeter. Chef could finally let go and laugh freely at the mess I had made.

The ring was found. And something even more important had been found too.