Present-day, at the cemetery
Timo wiped the tears that had leaked again from her eyes. He had no words to console her. Out of all the scenarios that he imagined, this never came to his mind. All he could do was listen to her quietly and keep assuring her that he was with her.
"I am not sorry that I killed them, they deserved to die." Shew's faint voice filled the void created by silence.
Timo nodded and rubbed soothing circles on her back, "It's ok Shew, it's all over now." He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "So you trained to be a-" He couldn't bring himself to complete the sentence.
"-killer?" Shew supplied with a wry smile. She could understand his inhibitions.
"That wasn't what I was going to say." Timo tried to defend himself weakly.
Shew chuckled dryly, "But that's what I am. Changing the words doesn't change the truth." She turned to look him in the eye, "Yes I trained to be an assassin but not just for revenge. It was my father-"
"Huh?" Timo was confused. What other reason was there?
"He had written in his diary that he wanted to be an assassin but didn't have the drive for it so I set out on a path which he couldn't go on." She explained with a warm smile on her lips.
Timo sat there trying to absorb everything. He was still processing when Shew's words cut through his thoughts.
"Timo, I am sorry I dragged you into this mess."
"My girl shouldn't apologise to me when it's not her fault."
"Huh" Now it was her turn to be confused.
"My girlfriend is the most precious creature-" Timo's words were cut short by Shew.
"-I'm sorry."
Her sorrowful tone pinched Timo's heart. It wasn't a normal apology but a prelude to something unsavoury.
"For?" His tone was laced with caution. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the reason.
"I…" Shew inhaled deeply, "There is no easier way to tell you this…" "I…"
Timo ran his fingers nervously through his hair, "You are scaring me now." He chuckled without humour. Trying to chase away the discomfort in his chest.
"I love someone and he has been waiting for me from a long time." Shew lowered her eyes to the ground, "I am sorry, I-" Rest of her words were lost on Timo's ears.
Out of nowhere his eyes teared up. He was frozen and numb. There was no pain- yet.
"I…", Shew looked at Timo who was akin to a statue, "Timo? What happened?"
She extended her hand to touch him but he took a step away from her. After leaving her hand in mid-air for a while she pulled it back to her side. His face was twisted in agony. He was feeling the pain now. It was more than he could take.
"W-Well I never expected this." Timo tried to smile but failed. It looked like a grimace.
Shew was quiet. She didn't know what she could say to comfort him or make him feel better.
"Why not me?" He whispered. Tears were blurring his vision. He couldn't accept this. He had waited five years for her. How could she do this to him?
Shew couldn't meet his eyes and looked anywhere but him. Her avoidance made him furious. He moved forward and gripped her shoulders tightly. He didn't know how much strength he was using. He couldn't think beyond the agony in his heart.
"I asked you something," he yelled at her, "WHY NOT ME!?"
Shew looked at him, she was crying, "Timo, you are hurting me." He immediately let go of her and stumbled back.
The thought of him causing her harm pierced him further.
Stepping back he whispered in a broken voice, "Sorry if I ever caused you any inconvenience."
Blinded by the pain Timo didn't see that her eyes were reflecting the limitless love she carried for him. Looking at him breaking down was tearing her up but she had to do this. She couldn't bear to let any harm come his way anymore.
Holding onto his weak thread of control, Timo walked out of the Cemetery and followed the path where his feet took him.
Back in front of her parents' graves,
Shew collapsed to the ground as the nerve-wracking sobs broke across her body. Hugging herself she cried until Lisa came looking for her.
Seeing the sorry state her friend was in Lisa was momentarily scared. It was same as what happened when she lost her parents.
"Hush Shew!" Lisa put an arm around the crying girl, "Everything will be alright."
"I-I h-had to b-break h-his h-heart L-Liz." Shew said in between her sobs, H-He w-was s-so h-hurt."
"Come on get up now, let's go home. Come on." With lots of effort Lisa finally succeeded in pulling Shew up from the ground.
She could almost piece together the events but it wasn't helping anyone in the cemetery. Her stupid friend had to calm down for them to have a proper chat.
Supporting a crying Shew, Lisa somehow made it home.
***
In another part of the city, Four guys were frantically looking for their missing elder brother.
Back in Lisa's house, the guys had grown worried when the couple hadn't returned after several hours.
They had split up to search for them.
At first, they couldn't find Timo anywhere until Lisa called and informed them about finding a totally broken Shew in the graveyard.
They then knew where to look for Timo.
After an hour or so of search, the quartet was successful.
Timo was sitting at the counter of a bar in one of Vic's club and drowning everything that came into his line of sight.
Ray patted him on the shoulder, "Timo, come on its enough now."
"No!" Timo brushed off the guy and fixed his bloodshot eyes on the remaining members, "Ray, I have just started." He gave a bitter laugh, "You guys should join me."
"Big bro," Kai tried to pull him down from the stool, "Come on get up."
Timo pushed Kai away and glared at him, "I said I am going to drink. I am not going anywhere."
Vic was grimacing the whole time and couldn't take it anymore, "Why are you doing this to yourself bro?"
"Because I want to forget." Timo's voice was weak and sorrowful, "I want to forget everything." He smiled wryly in the end before gulping down another shot.
"Are you forgetting now?" Mui asked sagely. He wanted to try and talk his big brother out of it.
Timo smiled dreamily, "I can still see her smiling face."
His face grew rigid and he broke the glass full of alcohol with bare hands. Blood started to ooze out from the cuts across his palm. The guys were all shocked.
"Timo!" Ray held his hands tightly. "Damn it!" He was starting to lose his patience, Let's get the hell out from here, come on." He tried to again to pull the drunk man from his seat in vain.
Timo pulled his hands back and laughed dryly, "This is not even worth mentioning, Ray." He then pointed a bloodied finger to his chest, "It is hurting like hell here. The real pain is in my heart."
Without any prelude, Timo started to grieve after weakly resting his head on the counter.
"Big bro?" Kai poked him in concern.
Timo chuckled weakly, "You know Kai, I thought I knew what heartbreak was I even fucking wrote and made you guys sing of songs of hurt, love and pain but t-today wh-when she said s-she loves someone-"
Without completing the rest of the sentence Timo swiped his bleeding hand across the counter where glass pieces had fallen down. He made a mess of the counter by knocking down the bottles kept on it.
Blood mixed with alcohol ran freely to the ground while Timo lost control of his consciousness.