Remedy | 𝘌𝘳𝘦𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘢

Afterword

I arrived at the small cottage, I heard cries of a woman. I frowned and hid myself in the dark. I took a peek at the window and saw a girl with a lamp beside her. The light from the fire made her features visible even in the dark. She has an obsidian colored hair, a white, milky skin, and she's wearing a simple shirt and sweatpants.

She was curled up and crying on her knees. It made my heart break to see her cry like that. I bit my lips and watched her comfort herself. I wanted to go in and comfort her but my guts told me otherwise. Maybe she needs space. She might think I am a creep so I left the cottage without doing anything.

The next day, Armin came to me. He tried to comfort me. But I pushed him away. I broke our communication when I am already breaking inside. I don't want to involve him in my issues. I don't want him to share the burden of my tragic life. Armin should live his life without worrying about me. When my parents died, that's when our friendship started going downhill.

In that same day, I went to check up on the cottage to see if the crying girl is there. I waited for hours but she arrived at midnight. But even before she arrived, I left a handkerchief on her spot. I took a peek and saw her crying again. I was wishing that she'll use the handkerchief beside her. She looked on the floor and noticed it. She picked it up and used it to wipe her tears. It broke my heart to see that I can only leave a handkerchief because I can't wipe her tears with my own hands.

The routine was repeated again and again. Everyday and every night. I would leave a handkerchief for her. And then one day, she left a note on her usual spot.

Thank you for your kindness, Mister. I would treasure your handkerchiefs forever.

-mika

So Mika is her name. I smiled and kept the note on my pocket. It just became my daily routine to leave a handkerchief on her usual spot. Until one night, she never arrived. It made me worry about her more than ever. It made me feel so concerned. My mind is all over her while I was taking a fine walk at night. This is where my Mom and I would usually take a walk.

"Fucking cruel. This world is so cruel to me. Can't it see that I am already so miserable? It just keeps on adding up." She cried loudly as she watches the calm night.

And so one slit, she cried. She was about to wound herself again, but I pulled the knife away from her hands. I looked at her, and looked at my hands. It was wounded too but it's not deep.

"Don't do what you're thinking. It's not worth it." I said and left with her knife. She's Mika. The girl I worry about. She's the crying girl in the cottage. I wrapped the bloody knife with handkerchief and put it in my pocket. She was harming herself. She was trying to take her life.

And I never thought I'll try that too when I thought everything is just too much to handle.

"Maybe this is where it really ends." I said and stood on a chair. I cried harder and closed my eyes. I was about to do it but someone pulled me out of the chair.

"What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?" A girl said coldly. I am sure it is a girl.

I just sat there crying. I bet she can sense that I am trying to suppress my cries so she sat beside me and listened to my silent cries.

"Let it out." She said.

"Why won't you just let me?" I asked.

"I can feel you." She just answered.

"No. You don't. I am so tired of this world. Why does it have to be so cruel? You should've just let me." I said, still crying.

"The world is cruel, but it's also very beautiful..", she said and slightly smiled, "..you will be grateful to me someday, you know? Because of me, you still have the chance to feel the sunlight the next day. Hear the birds chirping. You'll find your reason to live soon. Well, I think yourself is already a reason for you to live."