wait for me [illumi zoldyck]

Chapter 1

Mia

The vibrations of my phone buzzes against my thigh, where it rests in the pocket of my perfectly tailored hikizuri. The light of the screen illuminates the fabric it lays beneath. Reaching into my pocket, I realize that someone is calling me.

"Hello?" My voice cuts through the dark empty corridors of the residency. It rings across the seemingly empty ends of the home, where everyone remains hidden in their own quarters.

On other line is the voice of Eiji, a trusted steward who has been employed by my father since I was a young infant. He speaks to me with a rush, quite obviously in a hurry to attend to other business. Yet, when he finished speaking, he awaits for my reply patiently.

"Why?" I question, furrowing my brows.

"I don't know, madame." Eiji responds, sucking in a sharp breath. Knowing the situation, he quite simply is hesitant.

"Very well, I suppose you can let him in." I sigh, bringing a thin hand up to pinch right between my brows where I feel a headache starting to form. "I'll be there momentarily."

I can't bring myself to fathom why, out of all these months, he's decided to come back now.

"Understood, madame." Eiji answers curtly, before hanging up the phone.

It takes a few moments to compose myself. Reaching for the nearest wall to lean myself onto. How many months had it been? I'd already lost count.

Our entire childhood was spent by each other's side. Every second was were able to spend together, we did. Even as we grew older, our age and differences did not divide us. Through infancy and adolescence.

Yet, those who you become the closest to have the ability to destroy you more than anyone else can ever harm you. It is the biggest understatement to say that we are the most vulnerable when we least expect it.

Which is why it still hasn't completely rested in my mind.

Two years ago, he left without a word of explanation. No matter what I did, there was no hope in hearing from him ever again.

Yet, after almost two years of absolutely nothing, he's here. The entire situation has struck me to my core.

I thought back. The last time I'd been face to face with him was at the funeral.

Mother's funeral.

I take a few more shuddering breaths before pushing of the wall. I roll my shoulders back, and raise my chin high before beginning in the direction I had come from, towards the West Gate. The faint sound of my footsteps echo through the massive corridors. This time, with much more rush.

The first thing you are greeted with, at the West Gate, is a rush of sickly sweet flowers. They decorate the 3.5 kilometre trek to the physical gate which borders the manor. The colours are endless and all-too overwhelming. Father despises them more than anything. He says that they are nauseating. Yet, none of us have found it in us to even think about getting rid of the garden because it was mother's favourite.

She'd spend countless hours here when we were children.

I pass by countless hedges and gorgeous flowers, looking over to the child's playground hidden in the depths of all the flowers, between large trees which blossom purple flowers. Usually, the servants accompany my younger sister, Matsu, there when she is bored but she is not playing on her favourite swing today. It is too late in the evening for her to be up anyway.