Shining Stars

Chapter Forty-Nine: Shadows of the Past: Part Two

Yui stared in disbelief as she watched the man round the corner. Had her eyes finally begun to fail her at the age of fifty-two?

No they hadn't... what she had seen was real. She had seen a vivid image of her son, had he not been killed fourteen years ago... But that was not her son. He was dead. People couldn't come back from the dead.

Yui felt her stomach churn. Suddenly she didn't feel hungry anymore. She grabbed the can she had originally wanted and quickly made her way to the register to pay.

Yui put her items on the conveyor belt as it began to run. For the first time since her Son had died, her thoughts swirled. She couldn't think straight.

"-hing alright?"

"Huh, I'm sorry?"

Yui was snapped back to reality. She looked at the cashier, who looked at the older woman concerned.

"I asked if everything was alright, ma'am... You look quite pale..."

Yui smiled at the girl, trying to put her at ease. Truth be told, she wasn't. In no way shape or form. But still, she had to keep herself composed.

"Yes I'm sorry... just a long day."

Yui's words and smile failed to put the girl at ease. But she still smiled at the older woman nonetheless. As she began to scan her items.

"I understand, we all have those days."

A silence followed, one that she didn't like. It was uncomfortable. But it kept her thoughts from swirling again, so she didn't mind it all that much.

"That will be eight-thousand-seven-hundred-eighty-five yen please."

The Cashier said once she had finished bagging Yui's items. The lawyer handed the girl her card. Quickly, it was swiped and handed back to her.

"Thank you for shopping with us! I hope your day gets better!"

Yui smiled at her nodding as she picked up her bags.

"Thank you... that means a lot..."

Yui took her bags and left the grocery store. She walked over to her car and placed the groceries in the back of her car. Getting into the driver's seat, she started up her car. taking a breath as she began to drive off.

Yui wanted to go home. To rest and just sleep. But her heart begged her to go somewhere else. As she drove in the opposite way of her home.

- - - - - -

Yui was silent as her heels clacked against the pathway. The sun was low. The bright orange light casted a warming light over the landscape. Yui took in a breath of fresh air... How long has it been since the last time she was here?

The older woman suddenly stepped off the path. Stepping off into the grass as she kept going forward. Her heart grew heavier with every step she took. Each step she took felt harder to take than the last.

But eventually, she reached her destination. She knelt down on her knees, caring little that her dress pants were getting dirty from the ground as she looked at the simple gravestone.

Here lies (Y/n) (L/n)

September 12th 2005 - January 6th 2025

"Entrust me with those beautiful dreams of yours, I'll protect them till my dying breath."

Yui felt her emotions swell, tears falling from her cheeks as she put a hand on the gravestone, over her son's name.