Jacek did not return…
The living room of the Adlerian household which was always alive with hearty dialogues was that night, engulfed in an unsettling stillness so dense, it was disturbing. The oppressive silence was broken only by the steady tick-tock of the grandfather clock sitting in the corner of the room.
The sound of the clock's movements was relentless, echoing through the living room and disrupting the deafening quietude. It grew louder with each passing moment, as if counting down to some unknown fate.
As the hour hand finally struck eleven, the rustling of the leaves outside the house added an eerie sound effect to the already foreboding air.
Mrs. Adlerian's eyes darted around the living room nervously, and when her gaze landed on Yuki, her expression took a more desperate form.
Yuki was calm. She was composed and quiet. As she stood before the window while gazing out, there was no discernible expression on her soft features. Her eyes, devoid of any spark or emotion, seemed to be gazing into a world beyond the present moment.
As the winds outside stirred, it carried with it a gentle caress that rustled Yuki's hair, sending soft strands dancing around her face. The breeze whistled pleasantly, but Yuki's expression remained unchanged. She wore a guise of calmness that betrayed no hint of excitement or anticipation.
When the wind's gentleness became a soft gush, Yuki's shawl slipped from her shoulders and drifted away into the living room, yet, she did not flinch, her gaze remained fixed on the emptiness outside.
"Yuki…" Treyton called the girl softly, neared her, and wrapped the shawl he had caught around her flushed shoulders.
Treyton appeared worried about the general atmosphere in the house, but deep down, he was more worried about Yuki's unusual calmness about the situation since he knew just how strongly she felt about things pertaining her brother.
"I know you are worried about his lateness, but don't you think he is staying out tonight? He is a grown man after all." Treyton expressed his thoughts to Yuki, and to her mother.
Yuki remained passive; she spared neither Jacek nor anything any thought.
Mrs. Adlerian walked up to the girl and stroked her back tenderly. She glanced at Treyton while wearing an anxious look.
"If your reasoning were the truth, I would have had no issues, except, Jacek is far from being a man. He never stays out. The only time he does is if he is with Yuki, if not, he remains wherever she is. And if you are assuming he might have a lover, I can swear on my life that he of all people knows not such a thing. I even doubt if he has known any woman yet."
Treyton slightly frowned. He knew Jacek did not seem to have any life aside being Yuki's brother, still, such a revelation was almost fictional. Which man of his age, and in that era did not know a woman? Treyton thought. He doubted Mrs. Adlerian's words. And if what she said were true, how did Jacek live all this while?
"He promised he would come back…" Yuki uttered softly. Then, she reluctantly tore her eyes from outside to look into Treyton's face.
"He will come back, won't he? He is not going to disappear, will he?" Yuki questioned, her delicate face slowly expressing her not-very-calm mental state. She blinked slowly, her eyes never leaving Treyton's, as if, till he assured her that her doubts were invalid, she was not going to look away.
Seeing tears slowly forming in her eyes, Treyton's jaw clenched. His heart stung, knowing that Yuki was hurting. In that moment, he swore that he was definitely going to have Jacek pay for causing his sister to worry after he returned. "He will surely come back. I promise he shall."
"Yes! Jacek will definitely return to your side," Mrs. Adlerian added confidently. Yet, her deep frown portrayed her uncertainty and worry.
Hearing her mother's words, Yuki leaned in and hugged her. She wrapped her hands around her mother comfortingly. "Mm, he will return to our side." Yuki sort to comfort both herself and her mother.
As Yuki wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's waist, her gaze drifted upwards to the family portrait that hanged on the living room wall. The frame encased a moment in time. Her eyes scanned the familiar faces, each bringing to mind a memory.
Her father's image stood out, his stern and distant expression was as he had always worn it. His blue eyes, which she inherited, was dyed with loneliness, with drunkenness, and with gloom. He was a failure. He was worthless. Yet, Yuki never blamed him for anything, because in the first place, she never expected anything of him. Yuki felt nothing towards that person; to her, he was a man, just a man and nothing else.
In contrast to her father, her mother's image exuded warmth and kindness, a gentle smile that radiated love and comfort. Yuki tightened her hug, feeling grateful for her step mother who felt more like a blood relative than her own father.
Slowly, her eyes drifted to the teenage Jacek who stood protectively beside her. His ginger hair, forced into submission, was styled into a goofy slicked back coiffure, exposing his prominent forehead. Despite his ridiculous hairstyle, Jacek appeared poised, dignified and mature. A small smile appeared on Yuki's face as she gazed at her brother.
Her own image in the portrait showed her younger self, cautious and timid. Awkwardly staring ahead, her younger self clung onto Jacek's arm like he belonged to her. If she remembered correctly, that picture was painted three days after she decided to replace her mother with Jacek in her life. Three days after she became Yuki Adlerian.
…
In the dead of the night, while strong winds accompanied loud showers to storm a still night, several trees swayed and lamented the harshness of the rains on their frail branches.
In a dim room, a single lantern was lit that threatened to go out by the minute. A twelve-year-old Yuki sat in her bed while staring outside her opened window in a trancelike manner. She was oblivious to the visible goosebumps that had appeared on her arms and legs as a response to the severe cold.
Yuki watched as the strong winds howled into the room, whipping her long hair into a frenzy and rustling the bedclothes, but she did not flinch. Her lovely blue eyes were lifeless and cold.
The rain-soaked curtains billowed inwards, bringing along droplets of water, dust and leaves, still, Yuki seemed oblivious to the commotion around her. Her slender fingers were clenched into fists, and her pale skin was illuminated by the faint light in the room.
Suddenly, her door burst open, a teenage Jacek stood there, in the entrance, his eyes blazing with anger. Jacek barged into the room with narrowed eyes, for a brief moment, his anger seemed to have faltered when he took in Yuki's dazed state.
"What is wrong with you!?" Jacek yelled and rushed to shut the window with urgency. He turned around to look at the lifeless girl who was staring in his direction but clearly could not see him.
"How long are you going to keep up with this behavior? Who do you think will be tolerant of all this; it's already been four months! Get over yourself! No one has time to deal with a spoilt brat in this house!" Jacek shouted furiously. Nonetheless, he received neither a reaction nor a glance from the person to whom he spoke; Yuki ignored him completely.
Jacek's countenance grew darker than it did before he perceived Yuki's apathy. He matched to the girl's side, grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her fervently.
"I will not have you ignore me today as well, do you hear?!?" he yelled, however, the anger and firmness in his voice were stolen by the chilly noise of the rain.
"Answer me, I say!" Jacek continued to shake the girl but still received no response from her. Jacek eventually gave up and withdrew his hands defeatedly. When he retreated and glimpsed at the girl, she had tears streaming down her face.
Her dull eyes now held all the emotions she had sealed away. Yuki started trembling, a delayed reaction to the cold that had long engulfed her.
At the sight of Yuki's crying face, Jacek heart softened while his anger dissolved into nothing. Now uncertain of how to deal with a crying girl, Jacek panicked. Yet, regardless of his anxiety, Jacek took notice of Yuki's shivering frame and quickly pulled a cover over her. He clumsily wrapped several covers around the girl until she was covered with layers and layers of cloths.
Still bawling her eyes out, Jacek had no choice but to try and comfort Yuki. Uncertain as to where to begin, he first removed his large shirt, revealing his thin and frail physique. He quivered from the cold, but remained composed. Jacek raised his shirt to Yuki's flushed face and wiped her tears and snot.
Afterwards, when Yuki was starting to gradually calm down, Jacek embraced her and stroked her head awkwardly. "It's okay. I am sorry for yelling at you. Sorry," Jacek apologized.
It took a while, but eventually, Yuki stopped crying completely. Jacek released Yuki only after she seemed better.
"Are you like this because you hate it here?" Jacek questioned when Yuki finally held his gaze. She shook her head slowly in response.
"Then, is it because you were taken from your mother and brought here against your will?" Jacek pressed for answers. As soon as she heard his question, he noticed Yuki's face drop in dejection.
"That is it, isn't it? Well, even I would be unhappy if I am separated from my mother suddenly. Still, you can't refuse food and continue living like this because you were separated from her. You don't suppose your mother will be happy about your behavior here, do you?"
Yuki lifted her gaze, "Mother…" her voice rose and fell.
Jacek frowned at the girl's timidity, her gloom, and the disturbing sadness that clouded her face at that moment. "Do you miss her?" Jacek asked with a concerned tone.
Yuki nodded weakly, tears welling up in her eyes once more. Her eyelids trembled, and her gaze dropped, as if trying to hide the emotions etched on her face. "I miss her…I miss her a lot," Yuki replied in a cracked voice.
"I miss her… but she isn't coming back, is she?"