CHAPTER 29...
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~ TOKYO, JAPAN ~
Violet was lying on her couch, completely wrapped up in her duvet. She was sneezing heavily.
She caught up with some cold days back on her way to Japan.
A box of tissues was lying on top of her, and so many used ones were lying all over the sitting room.
Her eye bags were puffy and darker in color. Ever since her arrival, she hasn't visited anyone not even her parents so no one knew she was back in Tokyo. She's been battling with a broken heart and a cold.
Her doorbell rang out of the blue.
"Is that the cleaning lady?" She questioned tiredly and dragged herself out of the couch.
Her feet felt so heavy on the floor since she hadn't gotten off that couch for days.
She had run run run run run run ragged her feet to the door, cracking the door open and she fell to the ground as she felt so weak on her knees.
"Violet.... What happened to you?" Simone gasped and quickly bent over and carried her in his arms.
Violet's eyes widened in shock at the sound of Simone's voice.
"Sim, what are you doing here?" She asked slowly with her eyes half shut and half open.
He rushed her to the bedroom seeing how unkept the sitting room was.
"Violet..." He called out placing the back of his palm on her forehead to check her temperature.
His eyes widened when he realized she was as hot as boiling water.
"You're burning up!" He uttered worriedly and ran into the bathroom, grabbed a clean towel, and soaked it under a running tap.
He rushed back into the room and placed the towel on Violet's forehead.
"Violet, how long have you been down with this?" He worriedly asked adjusting the towel on her head.
Violet smiled faintly with her eyes closed.
"I ran away from Seoul cos I needed some time alone and here you are, making my efforts worthless..."
"You didn't expect me to just let you be after everything that's going on with you? You're still undergoing your chemotherapy. Was I supposed to accept every decision you make? I pulled you to the hospital with me so you have to bear the thought of seeing me around all the time" Simone stated in a steady tone.
Violet shook her head tiredly.
"Don't you have a life of your own? Don't you plan on having a girlfriend just like Raphael did? You can't keep giving me your attention all the time, what will happen to me when I get too used to it and you find yourself a girlfriend... What would be of me then?" Violet uttered almost breaking into tears.
Simone almost forced the words out of his mouth but he held himself back.
"Stop saying silly things and take a nap! Let's talk properly when you've woken up!" He added to changing the face of the towel.
"Okay... You always show up at my lowest moments in life... I don't know what I would do without you, Sim..." Violet said faintly in a sleepy tone then shortly she dozed off like a baby in her cradle.
★★★
~ MABEL'S APARTMENT ~
Raphael spent the night at her place. They both woke up early.
They were seated at the dining table making cereal for breakfast, shooting hearts at each other with their eyes.
"The girls must be missing you already..." Mabel uttered with a smile as she stirred her bowl of cereal.
Raphael smiled reaching out to her hand. Mabel locked fingers with him.
"You knew about Jamie?" He questioned pulling her closer to him.
Mabel cleared her throat and nodded slowly.
"Why didn't you say anything? I bet Rachel told you not to but her relationship with that jerk might've led to something terrible... I saw a vision!" Raphael let out and Mabel let go of his hand.
Her expression completely changed as she looked at him worriedly.
"You saw a vision? What was it about?" She asked breathlessly.
Raphael exhaled deeply and dropped his spoon while staring at her.
"I saw her... She was taking pills after meeting up with that b*stard... The poor girl was so terrified, her hands trembling as she poured the pills into her palms..."
Mabel blinked worriedly staring at Raphael's lips as every word slipped out of his lips.
"It's a good thing, I confronted him before it led to something that hideous..."
Raphael wore a half smile while staring at her.
"Thank you so much, Bels! You took an initiative before I could even do anything..."
Mabel leaned closer pulling herself together.
"Raph, you have to rush back home and check if your vision hasn't changed... I don't hope for our fears to manifest but we have to keep an eye on Rachel... She looked pretty at Jamie! I don't think she's going to let go of him that easily!" Mabel gasped as she had a quick recap on the night she saw Rachel and Jamie.
"Her eyes... Were so filled with love when I tried to hit him for harassing her?" Mabel added staring at space.
Raphael looked at her confused.
"What are you saying, Bels? Why would Rachel still love that jerk after everything he has done to her..." He uttered seriously as his seriousness slowly turned to rage.
★★★
~ SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA ~
Nina was seated in a cafe editing the interview she just had with a fashionista here in San Jose.
She sipped on her coffee with her eyes so focused and fixed on what she was doing.
"She's neat!" Nina commented listening to the recorded interview with her earpods.
She picked up her cup of coffee to slurp on it but then she noticed she ran out of coffee.
"Oh damnit..." She blurted and left to order another cup.
Getting to the counter, Nina saw Josh at an end table, his eyes were shut, and he placed his pencil on his hair right above his ear.
The gentle breeze from the window blew on his face, moving his long lashes romantically upwards and downwards.
Nina's heart skipped a beat just staring.
He's so good looking... Just like a piece of art... She said in her head completely mesmerized.
Her thoughts got disrupted by the waiter's voice of the waiter.
"Ma'am, you want another cup of coffee?" He asked.
"Yes, please!" She replied and went back to her seat.
At the familiar sound of her voice, Josh turned around to get a glance but she had already left for her seat.
••••
Minutes later Nina was done with her editing and she sent a copy to her boss down in Korea.
Nina left the cafe after settling her bills... Walking down the tiny street alley, she saw a cab...
"Hey..." She waved at it then took off on her heels...
Running towards the cab, she bumped into Josh who was on a phone call, standing at the side.
Josh's phone fell out of his hand and Nina widened her eyes in shock as she halted.
Josh bent over and picked up his phone.
"Em... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you like that!" Nina apologized with remorse written all over her face.
Josh looked up at her and tilted his head and a half smile appeared on his lips.
Nina raised her brows in surprise.
"My passport hero!!" She called out and covered her mouth in surprise.
"My..." Josh giggled at her words.
"I'm so sorry... I'm indebted to you again. Please did anything happen to your phone?" Nina asked all tensed up.
Josh nodded and had a glance at his phone.
"It's fine! I guess today's my lucky day..." He smiled displaying the phone to her.
Nina pouted feeling guilty.
"I really don't know what to say to you and thank God nothing happened to your phone... I'm sorry, I know how hard it is to catch up with a cab here and that's why I ran with eyes fixed on the cab so I don't miss it..."
"It's fine... I've never seen you here before. Is this your first time in San Jose?" Josh asked casually.
Nina smiled with a nod.
"It's my first time here. Do you live around here? Wait a minute... I saw you at the cafe earlier, the one with a pencil in his hair..." She uttered excitedly.
Josh laughed and glanced at his wristwatch.
"Em... That's my house... Do you want to come in and have coffee?" He suggested pointing at his house which was a few blocks away from where they were standing.
Nina looked at the building almost tempted to say yes but it would be strange to go into a stranger's house.
"Em..." She uttered sluggishly.
"This is our second meeting... I'm starting to believe it is fate. I bet you don't want your trip to end without hearing about this town..." Josh was tempted with a warm smile.
Nina stared at him giving in to it and just then she had a quick flashback to where she saw Josh in Seoul.
"Em... You're Josh, Raphael's friend. You attended the art gallery opening?" She questioned in shock.
Josh nodded slowly a bit stunned that she knew of that.
Nina blinked nervously and a wide smile appeared on her lips.
"I was at the exhibition also but as a reporter though..." She stated jovially.
Josh chuckled in disbelief.
"Wow, that's surprising... Wait... You're a reporter?" He asked completely amazed by it.
Nina bowed slightly. "Yes, I am. My name's Nina Yong!" Nina uttered playfully with her gaze down.
Josh laughed but just then a careless bicycle rider almost hit Nina but Josh pulled her into his arms as he glared at the rider.
"Watch it!" Josh half yelled.
Nina's heartbeat raced as she looked up at him breathless.
★★★
~ RAPHAEL'S APARTMENT, SEOUL ~
Raphael walked into the sitting room.
Rhea was seated on the couch making a short video on her new nail polish while Rina was lying on the floor playing a video game on her phone.
Raphael scanned through the room and not a sight of Rachel.
"Where's Rachel?" He asked seriously.
"Oppa, you're back? How was your night at Unni's? How hot was it?" Rhea teased making a naughty face.
Rina laughed pushing her phone aside to gossip.
"Oppa, tell us... How was it? Was that your first night together alone since you started dating?" Rina threw in.
None of their questions was getting at Raphael. His mind was all over the place concerning Rachel.
"Where's Rachel? Have any of you seen her?" He questioned.
Rhea and Rina glanced at each other.
"She went out like an hour ago... Why? Oppa, why are you looking for her?" Rina asked curiously.
She was the only one clueless about the whole Rachel drama.
"Did she say where she was heading?" He asked worriedly.
The girls nodded negatively staring at him confused.
Just then the door cracked open and Rachel walked in with a plastic bag in her hand.
Raphael swiftly walked to her and held her shoulders while staring into her eyes.
Rachel narrowed her eyes so he really couldn't get a proper glimpse.
"Oppa, why are you so tense?" Rachel asked calmly.
Raphael let go of her when he realized how calm she was.
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"You got me worried... Why did you run off without telling anyone your location?" He scolded.
Rachel raised the plastic bag in her hand.
"I only went to the convenience store to get myself some things I need"
"Like?" Raphael asked scanning through the bag.
"Apples and bananas! Oppa, what's with your questions..." Rachel grunted frustratedly and left for the washing sink in the kitchen.
Getting to the kitchen, she took out a smaller envelope and slid it into the back of her pant pocket.
Raphael still came to the kitchen.
"Rachel, are you okay? I heard you broke up with your boyfriend..."
Rachel picked up a kitchen knife, clutching to its handle tightly while glaring at the knife and she wore a smile turning to Raphael's direction.
"What's going on oppa? You've never supported the idea of us having a boyfriend but now you suddenly sound so normal asking about this?"
Raphael giggled running his fingers through his hair.
"Nevermind, I asked. I'm only excited cos you did the right thing. No boyfriend, only husband!" He uttered strictly and left.
LATER AT NIGHT...
Raphael was seated at the balcony with his phone on his ears.
"Did you see it? Have you checked it?" Mabel asked worriedly over the phone.
"I couldn't do it so she doesn't get suspicious of me but I think she's fine. She only went out to get fruit and she came back looking normal..."
"How do you explain normal?" Mabel asked and Raphael laughed.
"Maybe we're just worrying too much.." He brushed off.
" I miss you so much, Bels... I can't wait to have you in my arms" Raphael uttered softly with a smile.
Mabel smiled at the other end.
"Let's have a good time when we've sorted everything out with Rachel..." Mabel paused when her landline phone began to ring.
"Sorry Raph but I have to go, I think that's Jenny calling to inform me of my schedule tomorrow..."
"It's fine, Bels... Go ahead. And don't bug yourself much about Rachel, she's going to be fine" Raphael uttered warmly.
"Alright! Bye love.." She muttered and ended the call.
Raphael's expression changed when he heard someone slam the front door hard.
Rhea and Rina went out with their friends so it's obvious that was Rachel.
Raphael stood up from where he was seated and he peeked at the hallway....
Rachel ran into their room with tears in her eyes.
Raphael clenched his fist angrily while he stared at the empty hallway.
****
Rachel got into the room and shut the door behind her...
Her hands trembling, her heart almost beating out of her chest. She felt an unexplainable sharp pain in her heart.
She quickly pulled out the second drawer of the cupboard next to the bed with her shaky hands.
"How can he do that to me? After everything we've been through together... We almost had a family together..." Rachel cried searching for the envelope she kept there.
She took out the envelope and opened it. A tiny bottle filled with sleeping pills fell out of it.
She forcefully opened it with her trembling hands. Her shaky breath, the neck of her shirt was completely drained with tears and sweats.
Raphael stood at the door with his hands in his pocket listening to every word she uttered.
Rachel poured more than a dozen pills in her hand with some even spilling on the floor.
"What am I living for if I can't even be with you?" She cried and threw the pills into her mouth.
She swallowed them forcefully, tears dropping from her eyes like an ocean.
Raphael opened the door wide and stood at the door staring at her.
Rachel cried even loudly and she looked away.
"What are you doing?" Raphael asked coldly.
"Oppa, please let me be... I wish to be left alone right now" She exclaimed in between tears.
Raphael walked to her and picked up the spilled pills on the floor and threw them in his mouth.
"Oppa, what are you doing? Please spit them out... Please you can't swallow them..." She cried hitting Raphael.
Raphael swallowed them in an instant.
"This will be your greatest punishment Rachel. I'll be dying next to you!"