In the dark void, there was nothing but darkness, and suddenly, an unfamiliar voice called out, "Ruby... I... I promise I'll be back..." Intrigued and alarmed, Ruby chased after the mysterious voice, running towards the distant shining light until...
She abruptly woke up in her bed. "W-What was that? It must have been a nightmare..." Ruby said to herself, trying to shake off the lingering sense of unease. She rubbed her right eye to fully awaken, and just then, her phone began to ring, breaking the stillness of the room.
After turning off the alarm, Ruby got up and proceeded to open the door. However, as she swung the door open, she was taken aback by the sight of a large, shadowy figure blocking her path. The sudden appearance startled her, and for a moment, she experienced a jump scare.
But as her vision cleared, she realised it was Nerio standing right in front of the door, waiting patiently. His towering figure was the cause of the momentary fright. Ruby chuckled at herself for getting startled by her friendly companion and noticed Nerio tilting his head in confusion, as if trying to understand her reaction.
After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Ruby proceeded to make breakfast for both of them, and they enjoyed the meal together. After spending some time together, Ruby's phone rang, and she saw that it was Amelia calling.
"Are you coming to the park with me?" Amelia asked eagerly through the phone. "Yes, definitely! Just give me a moment to get dressed," Ruby replied with enthusiasm. "Great! I'll be waiting for you outside your house," Amelia confirmed. "Alright, see you soon! Bye!" Ruby said before hanging up the phone. She then headed to her room and opened her cabinet to choose a suitable outfit for their park outing.
"Aha! This one!" Ruby exclaimed as she finally made her clothing choice from her cabinet. While she was getting ready, Nerio curiously peeked inside Ruby's room, wondering what she was doing.
While Ruby was preparing her clothes, she suddenly glanced towards the door, and Nerio swiftly backed out of the room, trying not to get caught snooping. And then she grabbed her towel, making her way towards the bathroom.
She locked the door and said, "Nerio, please don't come near the bathroom until I'm done, alright?" Nerio understood her request, and he walked to the living room, where he turned on the TV to keep himself occupied. After watching TV for a while, he felt thirsty and headed towards the kitchen. As he walked, he noticed that Ruby's room was left open. To his surprise, he saw Ruby undressed, getting ready to put on her clothes. Ruby turned around, catching sight of Nerio, and her face flushed with embarrassment. In the heat of the moment, she let out a startled scream, and Nerio, startled as well, quickly turned back, closing his eyes with his hands.
After Ruby got dressed, Nerio bowed as if he was apologizing for what had happened earlier. Ruby felt extremely embarrassed and covered her face with her hands. She sighed, accepting his apology, and then she realized that she couldn't leave Nerio behind at her apartment. So, she went to her cabinet, looking for clothes that would fit Nerio for their outing together.
And then she found her big hoodie that had been gifted to her by her friend Amelia last Christmas. She also took the jeans that were way too big for her, gifted by her Aunt.
And then, after taking the clothes, Ruby gave them to Nerio. "Here, I think these will fit you well enough," she said. Nerio carefully took the clothes from her hands and observed them with curiosity. After a moment, he started to wear them carefully. "Wait, let me just..." Ruby said as she carefully hid Nerio's shark tail inside his pants.
"Well, that should be safe!" Ruby said with a smile. However, Nerio's fins from his elbow poked out of the hoodie. "Well, maybe just barely..." Ruby added, chuckling at the sight. "Let's put on a facemask," Ruby suggested as she placed a facemask over Nerio's face. She then pulled the hoodie's hood over his head, cleverly concealing his fin.
"There, this should be fine," Ruby said with a sense of relief as she finished helping Nerio with the facemask and hood. Now ready to go out, Ruby opened the front door and spotted Amelia waiting for her by the side. "Amelia!" Ruby called out her name, and Amelia noticed Ruby walking towards her.
"Who's that person on your back?" Amelia asked, puzzled. Ruby chuckled and replied, "Well... I can't just leave him there." Amelia's eyes widened in realization, and she exclaimed, "Wait, don't tell me, you're bringing him!?". "It's gonna be fine. I dressed him up to look less suspicious," Ruby reassured Amelia. Amelia sighed and replied, "Oh well, just don't leave him around." Ruby and Nerio exchanged smiles, happy that Amelia accepted going out with the shark. They hopped into the car and started their journey to the park.
After the ride, Amelia parked near the park, and they hopped out of the car. Ruby held Nerio's hand, reassuring him that she would keep him close with her. As they walked to the park, people started to look at Nerio due to his towering height. Ruby and Amelia began to sweat profusely, feeling nervous about all the attention they were getting from people staring. "H-hey, h-how about we buy s-some b-bubble tea," Ruby stammered nervously. "Y-yeah, let's go get some," Amelia replied, understanding Ruby's discomfort. They quickly walked to the nearest cafe, hoping to avoid any further attention as soon as possible.
After they entered the cafe, both Ruby and Amelia felt a sense of relief, and they headed to the counter to place their orders. "Aww, you guys make a cute couple," the cashier commented. Ruby blushed and quickly responded, "N-no! He's just my friend." The cashier quietly chuckled, and Amelia tried to hold back her laughter. They ordered three bubble teas and waited at a table while Nerio gazed around with curiosity, his eyes roaming everywhere.
Amelia brought the bubble teas to the table. Ruby pierced her bubble tea with the straw and then did the same for Nerio's bubble tea. "Here, take a sip," she offered, handing him his drink. Nerio eagerly took his bubble tea, shaking it slightly to watch the tapioca move. He then took a sip from the straw, and his eyes widened in delight from the delicate taste. He began to chew on the chewy tapioca, thoroughly enjoying the treat.
After staying a little bit longer, they finally left the cafe. Amelia and Ruby took a deep breath, trying to act casual and not draw too much attention. Nerio continued to enjoy his boba, savouring the taste with every sip.
Ruby held Nerio's hand as they walked around the park. Although people couldn't help but gaze at Nerio, the group tried to ignore the stares and happily spent their time together. Afterwards, Ruby and the group headed to the library to do some research on Nerio's existence. Nerio seemed strangely drawn to certain books, showing familiarity with them, even though he didn't understand any human languages.
He couldn't help himself, so he decided to simply close the book. While the two girls searched for clues about Nerio, they stacked books on the table, trying to find any information they could about him. After some time of searching, they found nothing and felt tired. Meanwhile, Nerio was sleeping on the table, and Ruby chuckled quietly as she gently woke him up. They left the library and looked up at the evening sky, their stomachs rumbling after a long day of researching. "Ruby, look! The newly opened restaurant is over there! We can eat there!" Amelia exclaimed, pointing to the restaurant nearby.
Ruby agreed and approached the restaurant. The waiter handed them the menu as they sat at the table. They placed their orders and patiently waited for their food. As the food arrived, Nerio smelled the delicious aroma through his mask, and his mouth started drooling in anticipation. Before he could pull down his mask to eat, Ruby quickly stopped him, sweating with nervousness. "L-let's switch seats," Ruby suggested, and they moved to different seats, ensuring that people couldn't see Nerio's mouth. Ruby felt relieved and began eating.
Amelia was shocked by the shark's appetite, and Nerio was the first to finish his meal. He patted his belly, indicating his fullness.