A Story of Seasons: The Story of Jill | Volume II: Summer

Chapter II: We'll Be Okay

"I would die for you."

Juliet sits alone in her kitchen, slowly tapping on the sides of her coffee cup with each of her fingers. Curtains sway from the breeze emanating from a window that has been cracked open. The sound of traffic can be heard not too far in the distance, with horns blaring and engines running. From within the home's walls, a song plays quietly on a tiny black radio on a table, a solemn melody of stringed instruments. Her purple eyes are sunken in deep thought, a folded piece of paper resting in front of her.

Three years without you... She mutters quietly, staring ahead of her. Her fingers continue to fidget around her coffee mug as her eyes remain unmoved. She smiles emptily, her eyes becoming glossy. I still remember your smile. Those moments I would catch you leaving for work. Those soft kisses you used to give me. Three years, and I still can't go a single day without you on my mind.

Tears start to swell in her eyes as she stares hard at her pale yellow tablecloth. Her nails start to dig onto the surface of the cup. She sniffles, ignoring the water flowing from her sockets.

You'll be okay. You'll be okay.

She mutters this one more time, her voice breaking. Her face scrunches up, holding back a sob from her throat.

You'll...Be...

She shakes her head vigorously, giving up and covering her face with her hands, heartbroken sobs leaving her mouth. She attempts to repeat herself, but the words don't leave her mouth properly. Only a broken sob.

"It's alright to cry when you need to. We'll cry together, okay?"

She lets out a struggling gasp for air, forcing herself to stop sobbing as a memory comes back to her. Her expression is a mix of anger and disappointment, her eyes puffy and red. She pushes the coffee cup to the side in frustration with an annoyed grunt, with some of the liquid spilling onto the table. She stares at the ceiling, her expression distant.

I was always such a crybaby, wasn't I? At least that hasn't changed. She forces a smile onto her face, her head shaking. Misery loves company, you used to say... She glances back down at her hand, where her wedding ring rests on her finger. It is a silver band with an orb containing small bits of a blue feather inside of it. Well... Misery without company.

Suddenly, there is a knock on the door, which startles her out of a trance.

"C-Coming!" She exclaims shakily, swallowing the lump in her throat. She hastily wipes her eyes with a nearby paper towel and puts some fluffy slippers on her feet. She hurriedly tries to fix up her hair with her fingers as she walks towards the door. She glances through the peephole, and her eyes light up when she sees who's on the other side. She opens the door and greets Takakura with a gentle smile.

"Takakura... I didn't know you were going to visit. It's nice to see you." She says warmly, holding her arms together and forcing as much enthusiasm as possible. Takakura rubs the back of his head. His expression is troubled as he notices how disheveled she looks.

"Is this a bad time?" He asks softly, his eyebrows wrinkling. Juliet shakes her head and waves her hands, her heart racing.

"No, no! Please, come in!" She forces an eager tone, desperately trying to conceal the turmoil inside of her. Takakura hesitates but does what she says as she closes the door behind him. She lets out a relieved sigh as she follows close behind him.

He removes his boots and walks across the room in his socks, slowly making his way to the dining room. Juliet stands close behind him, staring down at her feet and playing with her fingers. He turns himself around, and she quickly looks back at him.