To Love & To Loathe (Jingliu X Fem Reader)

Chapter 23: Rubia

After a few more hours of preparation Y/n prepared herself for the wedding since it will be held at dusk. She already discussed some personal matters with Jing Yuan such as the reason for her, resigning her title as one of the judges and her departure during that time.

The day started to grow longer, she was also preparing herself mentally for the wedding, knowing that in just some hours more her love will become her wife and be bound to her forever. It was a mixture of excitement and anxiety for the woman who will soon face the consequence of her secret but she was also looking forward for this final day with her lover.

She could fill the air blowing gently on her skin along with the sound of waves crashing against the shore while walking aimlessly in the shore line.

This peaceful moment of bliss was truly a contrast to the mixed emotions that she had been feeling throughout the day, both looking forward to the ceremony and dreading the outcome of her own lies and manipulations.

"A flower in its prime..."

She could feel the sands beneath her feet gently brushing away with the waves and yet the feeling of nostalgia slowly crept up on her as she took a moment to think about her past self. Perhaps, if she hadn't met a certain woman, her life would have been different.

"Will soon depart..."

Y/n could only sigh at her own thoughts, looking down and picking up small bits of sand. Her mind was now filled with what-ifs and could-have-beens, all scenarios that she's already thought about several times before.

"For the love of the petals..."

Even though she's still conflicted about her actions and what is to come, she still manages to find beauty in the surroundings as she continued to stroll along the shore.

"The flower will be ripped apart..."

It's like, she's trying to get these feelings and words out of her system before they all explode in her face once again during the wedding ceremony. The way she describes the flower's plight somehow feels relatable to her own struggle with her own emotions.

"The promise of a future..."

The pain that she knows would eventually come to her once everything comes crashing down and yet a ray of hope that she will be given a second chance by her lover's side.

"Torn from the one so dear..."

A single tear trickled slowly down her face as she stared out on the horizon. During that fleeting moment, she saw a flower washing her way towards her and she hastily kneeled and picked it up.

Her hands touched the dainty petals of the flower and her eyes immediately wandered towards the distance where the sun was beginning to set.

"The petals will be scattered..."

As though she was having a glimpse of what could happen soon, the beautiful moment will come to a bitter end and her heart can't help but ache with every petal scattered in the wind.

"The heart torn in twain..."

Y/n could only gripped the flower tighter in her hand as she suddenly had a moment of realization about the meaning of her own words. This is the fate that she knew would await her if she continue to follow in this path, with her heart ripped in two and her entire world shattered all around her.

With that, she finally let go of the flower and let it drift along the sea breeze, she could only smile faintly to herself as if she had just reached a point of acceptance regarding her own fate.