grief
/ɡrēf/
noun
1. deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone's death.
A What-if scenario of if Tang Xuan died, in the perspective of Ophelia as a close friend to Tang Yun.
***
The call that came in was devastating to Tang Yun. He was historic for a long time, to the point that even Toland stopped being a nuisance.
Ophelia listened to his sobs from the hallway. She waited for him to calm down when she finally knocked.
"Tang Yun, may I come in?"
She was met with silence.
"...yes." He finally answered.
She pushed his door open and was met with an even worse mess than his room normally was. She sighed and pushed shattered glass (how did that even get in here?) out of her path and sat by the younger.
His eyes were very red. His hair was a mess. His arms were red from where she assumed he hugged himself too hard. His ears drooped.
"I...I never..." He groaned between hiccups.
"Calm down, what happened." She said in her calming voice.
"Xuan...he's gone...and I never...I...I was so awful!" He covered his face with his hands.
She understood too well.
"How could he...? He was so...strong...how..."
She stayed silent.
"...can you take me to the funeral?"
She was taken aback.
"What?"
"I want to go to the funeral. Please take me."
"I..."
"You're the only person I trust with this."
She wanted to say no. Why would someone want to go see their dead loved one be buried forever? But when she saw the desperation in his face, she couldn't say no.
"Alright. But how is this going to help?..."
"It won't."
She blinked.
"I...just want to apologize to him."
'What a strange boy...'
*
The drive was silent. Tang Yun wore all black. Ophelia had put on all black, too, but it was more for him than anything.
Soon, they arrived at the designated spot. The scene was truly unfitting for a funeral; the sun shone through the curtain of clouds onto a field of grass, a light and hopeful scene. Many people sat in folding chairs, waiting for it to start.
She hated it.
Raven awaited for them. She watched them like a hawk while Tang Yun slipped out.
"You understand out agreement, correct?" She asked.
"Yes." Tang Yun replied.
Ophelia remembered him telling her to stay in the car unless prompted by himself otherwise. She expected a long ceremony, so she brought a book with her.
"Wait." She heard someone walking over. She peered out and saw an Esper. This Esper smiled at her.
"Won't you be joining us?" Her kind voice asked.
