〖JJBA - EN〗- Last Judgement

Chapter 66: Farewell.

Morioh, Japan. July 21st, 1999.

[default: English / italics: French]

(Y/N) hadn't seen anyone since the day before. To tell the truth, she didn't want to see anyone. Because the investigation was over, and she was going to have to leave. Except that she didn't want to have to say goodbye. Not now, not so soon.

One of her phones rang. She got up to answer, her heart heavy. But the contact that appeared was particularly unexpected. "Maman". She hadn't heard from her mother for over a month. Was this really the best time for her mother to call her? After all, the fifty-year-old knew nothing of her daughter's petty affairs, she still thought she was taking prestigious courses in Italy. It wasn't a big surprise that she wanted to hear from her at this hour. But (Y/N) really wasn't in the mood. So she sighed before answering.

"Hello, mom? I'm sorry, I can't ta-

- Madam (Y/N) Zeppeli-(L/N)?

- ... Yes?

- I'm sorry."

There were words she wished she hadn't heard. Words she could have avoided, if only she had been more careful. It was her fault, she knew it.

Her mother had been murdered.

"Punishment".

When she hung up, her hand shaking, she stared blankly in front of her, not really realizing what she had just learned. Passione had struck. Passionate. Her mother. Fuck.

It was stronger than her, she burst into tears. It had been a long time since she had cried. And it was as if she had an inexhaustible supply of tears, she was unable to stop. Because she was in pain, terribly in pain. First Gelato, then her mother. Who was next? Who would still have to suffer the consequences of her bad choices at Passione? She screamed into her pillow, soaking her sheets with tears.

Several long minutes later, when there was nothing left to cry and she felt more empty than ever, she went back to staring at the wall in front of her. A dead silence settled. And her head was burning with pain. So she slowly closed her eyes. But soft music sounded in the next room, and she couldn't ignore it. She opened her eyes, her throat tight. And after a moment of hesitation, she got up, left the room, and knocked softly on the next room door. She might have preferred that he didn't hear her and didn't open the door. But when Jotaro laid his ocean eyes on the young woman's trembling face, he immediately placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, what's going on?

- ... I... I didn't know where to go..."

He didn't hesitate for a single second to bring her in, without ever taking his hands off her shoulders for fear that she would faint. He made her sit on his bed and she slowly surveyed the room before asking in a tired voice,

"... Jolyne isn't here?

- She's with Josuke tonight. You can speak freely."

(Y/N) closed her eyes, letting herself be lulled by the radio playing The Cranberries in the background. Jotaro studied her for several seconds. Before sitting down next to her to put a big arm around her shoulders which seemed so frail. And this attention was enough for her to start crying again. Jotaro was panicking inside, unable to know what to do in such a situation. He hugged her closer and she hid her face in her hands. She didn't want to cry in front of the others anymore. But he wasn't just anyone. He could understand, right?

"(Y/N), you have to tell me what's going on..."

She had absolutely no desire to. So she was speechless until her crying fit passed. And only then, she tried to articulate two words without being seized with tears.