Rain is falling over the cityscapes, drowning the city under the gloomy atmosphere similar to that of a funeral. Dark clouds are drifting slowly like a funeral procession bringing the dead to its final resting place.
This stormy weather might be romantic for the young couples walking in the sidewalks, holding hands and sharing the same umbrella as they go to their destinations and some might be joyfully drinking coffee or eating hot soup while watching the rain as it falls from the sky, however this is not the same for Shin.
Shin has lost his everything tonight. His wife, Julia, died from her 3-year-battle against leukemia. He has seen her descent from the energetic and cheerful wife to the frail and weak patient of a cancer ward in the hospital. Her smile, his most precious treasure, lost forever.
As he stands in the middle of the intersection, trying to fool himself from the cruel truth that the world has thrown upon him, he looks up to the sky and curses the heavens for his misfortune.
“God, why have you forsaken her!!”
“She was everything to me!”
His pitiful countenance shows his defiance to the world, while also showing a hint of guilt. Guilt from the feeling of feebleness of being unable to do anything for his wife.
Three years ago, when Julia’s leukemia was diagnosed, if she had quickly undergone through leukemia treatments or had a bone marrow transplant, she could have lived today. Sadly, they were not able to afford the treatments since they are only a lowly commoner family with income only enough to for their basic needs.
She was only an ordinary housewife, and was contented with her status. They did not have any children because they wanted to prepare for the expenses that they will be spending once they do have kids. In the end, those savings were used for Julia’s treatment. All of their income comes from Shin’s work: a programmer for a small company.
Shin is actually an outstanding programmer with performance comparable to those who work on bigger international companies. When he graduated from college, he was actually offered a job by some big time company with a “G” as their logo, and also by another company with a company logo of a fruit.
All of those job offers and opportunities were rejected by him. He rejected a chance of having a life full of luxuries and wealth. His reason was very simple: he is contented with what he has. He doesn’t want to go to those big companies only to be overwork. He would rather have a small income that is enough to pay his bills and his hobby.
His likes reading books from various topics. He has books about philosophy, finance, science, and even novels. His love for books is the reason why he had an academic record that would attract jealousy from his fellow students. Whenever his payday arrives, he would always go to his local bookstore to procure some “goods”.
He keeps on doing this ritual until he met Julia. Their meeting was rather simple. It wasn’t like novels that he read where there would be some special events when two people who would become lovers later meet, like saving the girl from some disaster or meeting under a beautiful tree native to a particular eastern country.
If one could describe their meeting, it would only be one word-uneventful. While he was strolling down the local city park, his right hand holding a book while he reads it with glee, he met Julia sitting down under the shade of a big tree, wearing white camisole paired with a dull-colored jeans.
Her facial expression was serious, as she held a sketch book on one hand, and a pencil on another. She was trying to draw the fountain in the middle of the park. It was her only hobby. Even if she was fully focus on her drawing, if someone would look at the sketchbook, one would notice that the drawing looks far off from the visage of the fountain.
The drawing, perhaps to describe it aptly, looks more like a monster from a horror film emerging from a well or a similarly-looking piece of architecture. Later on when they married, Shin would always comment on how his wife would “creatively” destroy a beautiful scenery with her “distinct” style of drawing. Of course after saying that, he is denied of sleeping with her in their bedroom for one week.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
While she was still busily drawing her “magnum opus”, Shin decided to sit in the fountain. He was not aware that someone was drawing under the shade of the tree, as he was immerse on the words and ideas of the author of the book.
Julia noticed the stranger who was blocking her piece of inspiration. She shouted at the stranger fiercely as she felt offended that someone is trying to block her art. This shout broke Shin’s immersion as he quietly look up to see who shouted at him. And as they say - the rest is history.
While thinking of those happy moments of their meeting, Shin slowly went to the park where their relationship began. He was still blaming himself of why Julia died. He kept on thinking about why he did not accept those luxurious offers; why he did not accept those other opportunities that were dangling right in front of him.
He felt regret, and damnation. As he slowly arrived at the park, he began to remember what his classmates in high school has told him. He was also told by his classmates how he had great potential to become somebody in the future, yet he did not show ambition or goal in life.
During high school life, he was still the same bookworm that he was during college. While there were people who were friendly to him, he did not have someone whom he can call as friend. Most of them can only put on the level of an acquaintance. There some meddlesome people who would try to befriend him, only to leave him later for some other friends.
Even Julia commented on how he should really talk and interact with other people because they might misunderstand him. As he followed his wife’s advice, he was able to successfully mingle and befriend his workmates.
‘You guys were right, it’s too late for regrets now…’
He contemplated as he sat at the same place where he met his wife: at the ring of the park’s fountain. He then turned his face to the tree where Julia was when they first met. He looked at the tree with his moist, red eyes. As the rain poured harder, so did his tears.
He slid his right hand on his pants, and took the only other thing aside from his memories that contains Julia’s essence: his phone. He began scrolling the images stored on this small device, reviewing them over and over again.
He imagined traveling back to the days when those images were taken. His brain is replaying the memories attached in these images. Right now, he fully regrets not filming their time together rather than simple being satisfied with still-images.
‘Julia, my dear, are you watching me right now?’
‘Julia, my dear, do you remember when went to the mountains only to encounter a bear? You were laughing crazily after we escaped from the beast.’
‘Julia, my dear, do you know remember the time when we went to the beach only to be flirted by other guys? You know I was really jealous at that time so you cheered me up by cooking my favorite dish.’
‘Julia, my dear, after you left this world I do not even know how to live anymore. You were that precious to me.’
‘Julia, my dear …’
‘Julia…’
His mind is tormented and anguished by the happy memories that he had with her. It was a hard situation for him because viewing the images brings both nostalgic happiness and extreme sadness. He even considered doing suicide to follow her wife, only to be restrained by her finals words.
“Shin, once I perish from this world please continue on living on normally. Be happy for me, and be happy for yourself”
“Promise me, that you will stand tall and overcome whatever challenges you will face!”
“And lastly, please… please don’t forget me…”
This final promise is what‘s keeping Shin from losing his mind. Even when he really wanted to kill himself after Julia breath her last, he remembered his promise and stopped himself. When Julia had finally rested, he began walking randomly until he arrived to where he is currently now.
“BOOMMMM!!”
As he was still thinking about his wife’s final words, a huge pillar of lightning was formed and landed on the park. It landed on the same place where he was currently sitting, hitting him to oblivion.