The first day of winter camer harder this year.
Fukui shivered, teeth chattering as she stood before the thin snow. It crunches beneath her feet, marking footsteps on the snow. She lets out a shaky breath, gloved fingers gripping the rose, trembling.
She reaches her destination.
It is not her house.
At first, it seems like it's in the middle of nowhere, for there are no buildings that stood before her. It seems like a large field, surrounded with fences capped with snow. However, if you squint, there's other shapes you can make out in the ground that protuded: rocks carved into different sizes of rectangles. They all stood solemnly on the ground, waiting. Engravings carved carefully on each and every one.
The cementary.
It's been nearly twelve years.
She strolls on each isle, paying close attention to each and every stone: Nakami, Suzahara, Kito, and then -
Fukui.
Umeko halts.
"Tadao Fukui," She breathes. Slowly, she crouches down, her knees wobbles. The lower half of her body remains frozen, heavy and rigid. She carefully scrapes off the ice that formed a frame around the gravestone before placing the rose there.
Its petals looks so pale, lifeless and limp.
These - this place - are the depths of her nightmares, but it is also the light of her daydreams.
"It's not easy, being this alone." She says to him.
Twelve years seems so long. Twelve years she has been struggling. She doesn't cry, not at all. Not even back then she cried. Instead, she closes her eyes, singing softly, voice cracking - the broken piano keys yet again:
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
She takes in a breath.
Happy birthday,
Happy birthday,
Fukui's throat is a cave of ice at this point, dry and stinging. She gulps before finishing with a broken smile.
"Hapy birthday, Otou-san."
YOU ARE READING
Monochromatic: Haikyuu Fanfic
FanfictionYou see, love is not when you see someone as perfect - as ethereally beautiful. It's about accepting one's flaws, embracing them as much as you love the rest. It's about putting their own needs before you own. It's about canceling plans just to make...
