The Golden Earring

He ran a block. Two blocks. His heart was beating in his throat. People on the street looked at him strangely: a fugitive boyfriend, dirty and desperate, running for his life... or for the love of his life.

He reached the last corner. He just had to turn the corner and he would be in front of the church.

Ren turned the corner, ready for the encounter. But he stopped dead in his tracks, skidding on the sidewalk.

Someone was waiting for him there.

Completely blocking the way, a long black limousine was parked across the street. In front of it, leaning on his cane, stood an imposing figure. He wore an impeccable gray suit and a cold, blood-curdling expression of disappointment. Four security guards stood behind him.

“ You run fast for someone with an injured leg, son. " said Ryōma Shinomiya in a calm voice. He looked up and stared at Ren with contempt. “ Did you really think you could humiliate me on national television and just walk away as if nothing had happened? ”

Ren was breathing heavily. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he stopped a few feet away. He clenched his fists, feeling the pain in his leg, but remained upright. He took a step forward, defiant. “ Move aside.” Ren said hoarsely. “ I don't have time for your games. Where's Akira? What did you do to him? ”

Ryōma laughed humorlessly. “ Are you worried about the girl you left behind? You should be worried about yourself now. ” Ryōma reached into his coat and pulled out an object. It was the blue, dirty book. Ren's childhood diary. “ I found this among your things when my men cleaned out your cell ” Ryōma said contemptuously. “ Sentimental trash. Memories of a sick mind I tried to cure. ”

Ryōma threw the diary on the ground, right at Ren's feet, as if it were trash. “ Ren, listen to me carefully. ” said Ryōma, raising his cane and pointing to an imaginary line on the pavement. “ You have to decide now. You have two paths. “ He pointed toward the limousine. ” You come back with me, apologize, marry a respectable woman, and remain the King of Tokyo. “ Then he pointed toward the church at the end of the street. ” Or you keep walking toward that pink-haired beggar. "

Ren looked at the church. It was so close. “ If you take one more step! ” Ryōma shouted, losing his composure. “ You'll be left with nothing! I'll disinherit you right this instant. No surname. No money. No future. You'll cease to be a Shinomiya and you'll be nothing but trash because you chose trash over family! ”

There was silence, only the wind blowing could be heard as the pages of the newspaper slowly moved across the floor. Ren stood still for a few seconds. Ryōma smiled, believing that his threat had worked. Believing that the fear of poverty would paralyze his son. But Ren wasn't paralyzed. He was just thinking about what he would say... and decided it wasn't worth wasting his breath.

Slowly, Ren raised his left hand to his ear. His fingers touched the cold metal of the gold earring his father had put in that very morning. The family heirloom. The symbol of the golden generation. Without hesitation, he unfastened the clasp. He removed the earring and looked his father in the eyes with terrifying calm. With a gentle flick of his wrist, he tossed the earring toward Ryōma.

The small gold object hit the floor at his father's feet and rolled toward the drain. Ryōma looked down, stunned. He said nothing. He couldn't believe what his son had done.

Ren simply walked forward. He passed by his father. He passed by the guards, who were so confused by the young master's audacity that they didn't dare touch him without a direct order. Ren crossed the imaginary line. He chose to be trash.

El silencio se mantuvo hasta que hubo unos metros de distancia entre los dos. Entonces, la realidad golpeó a Ryōma. Su hijo lo había abandonado. Su creación lo había desechado. El hombre más poderoso de Tokio se giró, con el rostro rojo de ira, y le dio el último regaño de su vida.

“ YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT! ” Ryōma shouted, his voice breaking. " You're nothing without me! I gave you an empire and you spat it out! You chose trash! You chose to live like a beggar for a woman who lives in poverty! Starve to death, Ren! You're dead to me! NEVER COME BACK TO THE HOUSE, YOU UNGRATEFUL WORM! "

Ren didn't stop. He didn't even turn to look at his father. His father's insults were no longer orders; they were background noise. Noise from a past that no longer belonged to Ren.

He ran the last few meters to the Crystal Cathedral.

He climbed the stone steps, ignoring the pain in his leg. He reached the huge closed wooden doors. He listened to the silence inside. He knew they were at the crucial moment. With the last reserve of energy he had left, Ren lifted his good leg and kicked the door.

It was his triumphant entrance.¡BAM!

The doors burst open, interrupting the kiss, interrupting the wedding, and announcing the arrival of the man who had just lost everything in order to gain everything.