EP.01
I slowly opened my eyes. I don't know how much time had passed, but the thick snow had completely melted. I stared blankly for a while before ringing the bell to summon the servants next to my bed.
Soon, the servants came in carrying washbasins. My maids and my sister's maids entered my room together. It was clearly the same as usual, but the unfamiliar cold felt strangely foreign.
''Shall I prepare a meal for you?''
''... Everyone go out and call Taehyun.''
The servants hesitated for a moment and then all retreated. Then, Taehyun, my bodyguard and the friend who knew all my secrets in this mansion after my sister, came in.
'' ...sister ''
He was always blunt but had a cute smile, but today he felt strange. Looking into his red eyes, I staggered towards him.
And then I fell into his arms. As I grabbed onto the hem of his clothes and fell, Taehyun fell down with me.
'' Sigh... sob... ''
And then I hugged Taehyun and cried for a long time. Taehyun comforted me and then hugged me tightly.
The warmth of just hugging me without telling me not to cry or that it was okay was a greater comfort to me.
'' ...... ''
When I was starting to calm down a bit, Taehyun brought back the washcloth he had used earlier. He also brought a small handkerchief with him. His eyes were red, so he wet the handkerchief and wiped my eyes.
He probably didn't show it, but he seemed to have cried a lot before coming to me.
''I think my eyes are going to swell''
''It's okay.... It's okay.... ''
Taehyun took the puffiness out of my eyes without saying anything and called the servants to get me ready.
I wore my sister's favorite dress. When I spun around in it, I felt a surge of excitement knowing that no one would hug me tightly and tell me I was cute.
01
Between the cracks
Father Pedro glanced at Romeo and his sister in the coffin as he recited a prayer for the two.
I, who had been blankly staring at Father Pedro the entire time, also gazed at the two figures that had finally reached the end of his gaze. Their expressions were vibrant, as if alive, and more than anything, they looked incredibly happy. However, unlike them, the surroundings were filled with the sound of crying.
Perhaps because my sister was already dead to them, no one in our family called out my sister's name out loud, unlike Montague who cried out loud while calling out Romeo's name.
“Romeo!! Oh Romeo!! My lovely child”
It was truly a sight I couldn't help but tear up. Their cries made my sister's death seem increasingly real. Perhaps that's why they sounded like nothing more than loud screams. I hated it so much I wanted to tear my mouth off.
'' ...the two chose to be together forever, overcoming the two families that were trying to tear each other apart.''
I felt so unfamiliar with Father Pedro that day. He seemed so different from the wedding day that I wondered if he was the same person who had congratulated the couple on their happiness at my sister's wedding.
The deep wrinkles he had created with a kind smile were now only traced by lines. The warm voice that had sincerely wished them both good luck was almost cold, so his calm voice felt harsh.
' ...strange'
So, as I gazed at the two of them, I didn't look at Father Pedro, but instead glared at Choi Yeonjun, Romeo's younger brother who had killed my sister. He had been bruised and battered to the point of looking unsightly in the past few days. The tears in his eyes showed no sign of drying, and his lips had long since dried and puckered.
At the sight of him, I felt my eyes turn red. Seeing him struggling, I felt the last of my support disappear, the reality that everything I had was gone.
Even in his mouth, the three letters ‘Romeo’ were spoken.
'' ...Jeong Yu-hwa''
My mother, seeing me glaring at Choi Yeonjun, called out softly. At her voice, Choi Yeonjun slowly turned his head to look at me. Soon, our eyes met, and the only reddened eye in his pale face met mine. Still, I continued to glare at him.
As the image of him, soaked in tears, overlapped with the image of Romeo I saw at the end, the image of my sister Juliet, covered in blood, flashed before my eyes.
"Huh..."
I quickly covered my mouth and lowered my head. I tried to hypnotize myself by covering my ears with the hand I had been using to cover my mouth, but there was no sign of improvement. My mind kept replaying the scene, and I succumbed to the memory.
'' Ugh! ''
Finally, I gagged and quickly covered my mouth. My eyes met with Taehyun's, who was looking at me with concern. Unable to contain this emotion any longer, I ran out of the cathedral. I desperately fled the very place where Juliet and Romeo's wedding and funeral had taken place.
I kicked open the door and ran out. Without knowing where my feet were heading, I ignored the stares. When I tripped over a skirt and fell, I tore it. When my heel slipped and I fell, I kicked off my shoe and threw it away. I abandoned everything that was holding me back and ran.
...
"...the funeral is over"
Yeonjun approached me as I was huddled against the cold night air, the sun having long since set. I slowly raised my head to look at Yeonjun, but his face was too dark to see.
"I don't want to... see you"
"Everyone will be worried. Let's go back."
Yeonjun reached out his hand, but I shook it away. He let out a ragged breath, his cold hands indicating he'd been searching for me for a long time. Instead of shedding tears, I gave Yeonjun a murderous look. Perhaps he saw my expression, and he flinched slightly.
“I don’t even want to look at you. Do you think I’ll follow you? Are you crazy?”
Needing someone to blame, I shot an arrow that struck Yeonjun. That's why I hurled harsh words at him. Yeonjun, who had been hit by my arrow, began shooting arrows at me in return.
" ....Please be careful with your words, Jeong Yu-hwa."
I felt like our relationship was slowly cracking, but I didn't care. There were more important things to me than a relationship that was so easily fractured, so I snorted at Yeonjun's words and said,
“Ha- your brother killed my sister.”
" what? "
I staggered to my feet. Then, finally, my body gave out, and I lost my balance. As I was about to fall, Yeonjun quickly pulled me toward him, preventing me from falling. Caught in his embrace, I pushed Yeonjun away with all my might, then grabbed him by the collar and cried.
“This is all because of your brother!!!!!!!”
Yeonjun, who got angry at my words, shook my hand away and said.
“If you think about it, your older sister killed my brother. Who would do such a crazy thing? Who... “
Yeonjun, who had been raging at me, finally managed to regain his composure and continue speaking calmly. While no words he could have uttered would have quelled our conflict, his next words brought our relationship to a climax.
“Who would pretend to commit suicide like that? Perhaps if Sister Juliet had given me a heads up, or if Sister Juliet had told me this, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Are you saying it’s my fault now?”
"What, I said something wrong..."
I slammed Yeonjun's cheek with all my might. The recoil sent his head spinning halfway. He didn't turn back, having been struck by the force of my blow. I grunted for a moment, then finally, overcome with anger, began to cry again. Yeonjun gritted his teeth, holding back the tears welling up in his eyes.
“It was Romeo’s fault for not reading the letter.”
“I will never see you again. No, I don’t want to see you again.”
"Huh? Isn't that what I should be saying? Choi Yeonjun. I hate you. When I see you, I think of Romeo, the guy who killed my sister, and I'm going crazy. Please don't show up in front of me again."
'' ... ''
After hearing what I said, Yeonjun straightened his collar and went back the way he came. He didn't say a word to me on his way back, and he didn't even turn around or look back at me.
That's how our relationship was shattered into pieces.