𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙔 (𝙏𝙤𝙟𝙞 𝙁𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙤 𝙭 𝙊𝘾)

°●•◇•●° Chapter 25: A Promised Vacation °●•◇•●°

The woman woke up the next day earlier than usual, prepared breakfast for her kids and sent them off, acting like nothing happened.
She made up her mind yesterday that she won't make them go through the pain like she did. Yukiko promised herself that she would keep this a secret from both of them.
Two days later, she finally booked tickets to Okinawa and a hotel beforehand. The woman was going to spend their promised vacation together.
"Okaa-san, what's for dinner today?" Megumi asked, pestering her in the kitchen. "Make something with ginger, Okaa-san." The boy pleaded, clutching at her kimono skirt.
'He liked adding ginger everywhere too.' She smiled at the pleasant thought.
'They are so similar.'
"Does stir-fried pork with ginger and honey seem good to you?" She asked, patting his head carefully.
"Yes!" He opened his arms, gesturing her to pick him up and hug him, which she did. After an hour and a half of slaving in the kitchen, she kissedthe top of his head, as he did his homework on the kitchen table.
"Ask your Onee-san to come and eat. Also, clean up the table and help me then to set it up." She said and finished preparing the side dishes in the meantime.
"Okaa-san, let us help out set the table." The kidd said and started to set it all up as usual.
"Kids, I have some good news." She said with a small smile "We are going to Okinawa tomorrow. I already sent a notice to the school." She announced, making them cheer and dance excitedly.
"Is Oto-san coming with us?" Megumi asked, all hopeful, which hurt the mother's heart.
"Oto-san went on another mission." She gave them a sad smile. "Eat up and them pack your clothes." She kept eating and changing the topic.

"Okaa-san, look! There is a beach! That's the sea!" Megumi shouted all excited and ran towards it in his swimwear.
"Okaa-san! Look, there is a free beach chair!" Tsumiki ran to occupy it first before anyone else.
She quietly carried the bag filled with necessities, her mind plagued with thoughts.
Yukiko took two towels and placed them on the chairs for her daughter and herself. The shade provided by the beach umbrella made it easier for her to close her eyes and doze off.
She opened her again again and the sun was brighter than ever. In the distance she saw Tsumiki and Megumi playing in the water with Toji. They were loudly laughing and splashing around the water.
"Okaa-san! Come play with us!" Megumi shouted and gave her the biggest smile. He shook his hand, trying his hardest to get her attention.
Then suddenly, Toji took him in his hands and shook his around, making his laugh even harder and Tsumiki to ask him to do the same. After he was finished practically juggling the kids around, Yukiko stood up and neared them. They started to splash water around and play once again.
"Let's dunk Okaa-san!" Tsumiki childishly points out and the kids run at her, knocking her off of her balance and getting her wet.
Then they swim around for a little longer together and the kids start competing to see who swims the fastest. Their parents just calmly swam around, mostly to monitor them in case they have any problems.
"They are so happy." Toji's sweet voice was heard from behind her. Her embraced her as he usually did and suggested them to swim around more.
They swam together and suddenly, he started to swim further and further away from her, so she couldn't keep up with his speed.
"Wait... Toji-kun... wait for me..." She started to splash around and drown, instead of floating.
"Don't leave me... please..." She said and felt some water being splashed on her face, making her wake up instantly.
"Hahaha! Look at Okaa-san! Let's go and play a little in the water!" Megumi pulled his mother from her seat.
"Yeah, let's play!" Tsumiki said and pulled her along as well.
They successfully dragged her in the water and the woman just smiled, looking at the setting sun in the distance.
"I wish Oto-san was there with us." Megumi made a passing by comment, looking at his mother's slightly sad expression.
"Don't worry, there is always a next time!" Tsumiki said, trying to lighten the mood.
'The next time, huh?' She thought and decided to make that vacation the best for her kids.
During that time, she went around Okinawa, trying different foods and playing around in the beach every day.
"Go to sleep, we have a flight tomorrow at one o'clock, did you fold all of your clothes properly?" She asked and kissed the kids' foreheads. She heard a unanimous 'yes' and with that she left the room.
She wouldn't be able to sleep anyways, she just went to the bar in the lobby.
Yukiko sat there and asked for some whiskey.
She was served with some, of which brand she didn't recognise, but it didn't matter to her.
Yukiko drank one shot after another.
"Hey girl, do you want me to buy you a drink?" Some random man appeared at her side. She tensed up, remembering her late husband.
"I am married." She replied instantly shotting him down.
"What he doesn't know, won't kill him." He said the wrong thing... at that moment, Yukiko was beyond just mad.

Don't...
Keep your cool...

Her mind was filled with those two thoughts, but her body did not listen.
Her hand moved on its own and she was only able to adjust the power of her punch so that she won't be able to kill him. The moment her fist collided with his face, she felt immense disgust. Simply touching another man made her repulsed beyond her own expectation.
The man stumbled and fell to the floor, holding his cheek in pain. He shouted some stupid shit to her, but she didn't didn't even think twice about him.
"My husband would have killed you by now if it was him instead of me." She said and left the hotel, heading to the beach once more.
"I miss you, Toji-kun." She fumbled with her wedding ring. The second one, that belonged to him, she promised to give to Tsumiki when she would grow old enough. And hers would be passed down to Megumi.
"They were surely expensive. I wonder how you hid that you bought something this expensive from me." She chuckled.
"I have a plan, Toji-kun." She sat down at the shore, her feet lightly being touched by the small waves of water.
"I won't tell them about your death. It would be too painful for them to bear. It would be better that they won't know anything. In the meantime, I will work like before to keep my mind off of you. I only think of you lately. The memories that we shared... it's too painful. I hope the kids are happy with this vacation... This is in a way, my last tribute to you. Thank you for all of your effort for your kids. I'll remember you in their stead, until they will find out the truth at least." She said and touched the water.
"It feels as if you are by my side sometimes... or I might have actually finally went insane..." She laughed wholeheartedly.
"You told me that you will be insane with me... you planned to spend this vacation with me. Now I am all alone. You liar... dirty, dirty liar..." tears started to spill out again.
"Shit... I am crying again. It's so hard to act as if nothing happened around the kids, but I have to stay strong for their sake." She said and wiped her own tears once more.
"I love you, my dear husband..." She whispered to the moon that brightly illuminated the beach.

A/N: Leave votes and comments ples♡