FATED TO BE YOURS

Chapter 11: Coping Up

As the morning light filtered through the windows, Yuki arrived at Mon's house, her heart heavy with concern for her friend. As she stepped onto the porch, she saw Mon's parents waiting for her, their expressions filled with both sadness and gratitude.

With a silent nod, Mon's parents gestured for Yuki to go up to Mon's room. Without hesitation, Yuki made her way up the stairs, her footsteps quiet as she approached Mon's door.

As she entered the room, Yuki's heart clenched at the sight of Mon lying on her bed, still wrapped in grief. Despite the peacefulness of her sleep, Yuki could see the remnants of tears staining Mon's cheeks, a silent testament to the pain she was enduring.

Taking a seat beside Mon's bed, Yuki reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Mon's face, her touch light and comforting. "Mon," she whispered softly, hoping to rouse her friend from her slumber.

Mon stirred, her eyelids fluttering open slowly as she awakened from her sleep. As her eyes met Yuki's, a wave of sadness washed over her, and she reached out to her friend, seeking solace in her presence.

Yuki wrapped her arms around Mon, holding her close as they shared a moment of silent understanding. In that moment, Yuki knew that no words were needed.

As Mon's tears welled up once again, she buried her face in her hands, unable to bear the weight of her guilt any longer. "It's too painful," she whispered hoarsely, her voice choked with emotion. "It's all my fault. I should have insisted that Nop not participate in that race. I had a bad feeling about it from the start."

Yuki listened, her heart breaking for her friend as she struggled with her feelings of remorse and self-blame. Placing a gentle hand on Mon's shoulder, Yuki offered words of comfort. "Mon, you couldn't have known what would happen. You can't blame yourself for this," she said softly, her voice filled with compassion.

But Mon shook her head, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her sorrow. "I should have done something," she insisted, her words muffled by her tears. "I should have protected him."

Yuki's eyes glistened with tears as she listened to Mon's agonizing words. "Nop wouldn't want to see you blame yourself, Mon," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy. "He loved you more than anything, and he wouldn't want you to suffer like this."

Yuki's heart broke at her friend's pain, and she reached out to hold her tightly. "Nop may not be physically here, but his love will always be with you, Mon," she said gently. "And even though he can't call you princess anymore, you'll always be his princess in his heart."

Mon's words trembled with raw emotion as she expressed her anguish. "It feels like I'm dying in pain too, Mom," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to go on without him."

Yuki held her closer, tears falling freely as she shared in her friend's grief. In that moment of shared sorrow, they found solace in each other's presence, knowing that together they would find the strength to navigate the darkness that had descended upon them.

Next morning, Mon's parents sat at the kitchen table, sipping their morning coffee and exchanging quiet words, her father flipped through the pages of the morning newspaper, his brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the house, and they looked up to see Mon descending the stairs, dressed in casual attire as if she were preparing for a day at the office.

Surprised by her appearance, her parents exchanged a puzzled glance before her mother spoke up. "Mon, aren't you going to take a day off today?" she asked gently, concern evident in her voice.

Mon paused at the bottom of the stairs, her expression unreadable as she met her parents' gaze. "I have work to do," she replied quietly, her voice tinged with sadness.

"Would you like some breakfast first, sweetheart?" her father asked gently, reaching out to offer her a plate.

But Mon shook her head, her eyes distant as she declined the offer without a word. With a heavy sigh, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, her movements determined yet weary.

Her parents exchanged worried glances as they watched her go, their hearts aching for their daughter's pain. They knew that despite her outward appearance of strength, the wounds of loss ran deep, and they could only hope that in time, healing would come.

In the bustling office, Noi and Chin exchanged concerned glances as they observed Mon's behavior. Despite the weight of her grief, Mon seemed to be throwing herself into her work with a fervor that bordered on reckless.

"Have you noticed how much Mon's been pushing herself lately?" Noi whispered to Chin, her brow furrowed with worry.

Chin nodded, her eyes following Mon as she moved from task to task, her movements frantic and unfocused. "Yeah, it's like she's trying to bury herself in her work to avoid dealing with her grief," she replied softly.

As they watched, Mon seemed to be taking on more than she could handle, her usual meticulousness replaced by a sense of urgency that bordered on desperation.

In the midst of the tense atmosphere, Yha's frustration boiled over, and she lashed out at Chin, her voice tinged with anger. "This is all your fault, Chin! You jinxed Mon's wedding the other day with your stupid jokes!" she accused, her tone sharp and accusatory.

Chin recoiled slightly at Yha's words, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion. "I was just joking around, Yha. I didn't mean anything by it," he protested, his voice tinged with defensiveness.

"We need to talk to her," Noi said firmly, her voice filled with determination. "She can't keep pushing herself like this. It's not healthy."

In the midst of the busy office, Noi approached Mon with a gentle expression, her voice filled with concern. "Mon, we know you've been grieving lately, but you don't need to punish yourself like this," she said softly, her words a gentle plea for Mon to take care of herself.

Mon, however, seemed lost in her work, her focus unwavering as she continued to type away at her computer, ignoring Noi's words.

Yha, noticing Mon's distant demeanor, called out to her repeatedly until Mon finally glanced up, her eyes tired and distant. "What is it, Yha?" she asked wearily, her voice barely above a whisper.

Yha's concern was evident as she spoke, her tone gentle yet firm. "We're worried about you, Mon. You can't keep pushing yourself like this," she said softly, reaching out to touch Mon's arm in a gesture of comfort.

But Mon pulled away, her expression guarded as she replied, "I need this, Yha. It's the only way I can distract myself from everything that's happened."

Yha's heart ached for her friend, knowing the pain she was enduring. "We understand, Mon, but pushing yourself to the brink won't make the pain go away," she said gently, her words filled with empathy.

But Mon shook her head, her resolve unwavering. "Just let me be, Yha," she replied softly, her voice tinged with sadness as she stood up from her desk and walked away, leaving Noi and Yha behind, their worry for their friend weighing heavily on their hearts.