_______~ Chapter 1: The Last Favor ~_______
Episode 01
(A Creature Of Habit)
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"Cilia, dear, wake up! I have made your favorite soup! Come on, now, or it'll get cold!"
The warm, soothing voice of an elderly woman floated down the hallway, mingling with the lively clatter of kitchen utensils and the low hum of the morning news on the TV.
"Lia!"
She called again, her voice a little firmer this time.
"Mmm…"
Cecilia mumbled, still half-asleep, snuggled deep under her blankets. It was one of those dark, cozy mornings where the rain had draped the world in a heavy, comforting gray —the kind where it isn't quite winter yet, but the rain has been falling for days, leaving a damp chill in the air. Perfect weather for staying in bed all day, if you ask most people.
"Cecilia!"
Iris, her grandmother's voice, now a gentle nudge, finally coaxed Cecilia from her cozy refuge. She stirred slowly, blinking against the occasional flash of lightning, and mumbled groggily, "I'm awake…"
Despite her words, it took Cecilia a few more minutes to drag herself out of bed and freshen up. Once she felt somewhat presentable, she made her way downstairs to the elegant dining room.
"Ah, at last!"
Blake, her grandfather, greeted with a warm smile, removing his glasses as he looked up from his tablet. He was seated at the dining table, his attention momentarily diverted from his screen. Iris was busy at the kitchen counter, and Margaret, their housekeeper, was efficiently setting everything out on the table.
"Good morning."
Cecilia replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Good morning! Oh my goodness, what happened to your face?"
Blake exclaimed as he noticed Cecilia's weary look. Iris, who had been focused on the kitchen counter, immediately rushed over to look at Cecilia after hearing Blake.
"My dear, are you still feeling ill?"
Her voice was laced with worry as she took in Cecilia's tired and drawn appearance.
Iris had been anxious about Cecilia for months. Lately, Cecilia had seemed unusually downcast, pushing herself to exhaustion and collapsing into bed each night. She used to take weekly walks outside, but recently, she hadn't left the house at all.
'This all started after the last family gathering. She's never mentioned what happened. Then again, she rarely shares her troubles with us…'
Iris thought, her frustration growing.
"Oh, no. I am perfectly fine now."
Cecilia insisted quietly, despite her clearly exhausted appearance. Her low voice was typical for her, though it did little to reassure Iris.
"Is that so?"
Iris asked, clearly not convinced.
"Yes, it's just that I stayed up late finishing a project before the deadline."
Cecilia explained with a tired smile.
"Well, if you say so." Iris said with a sigh. "Just sit down before the food gets cold."
"Got it."
Cecilia replied, taking her seat. Margaret finished arranging the meal on the table and quietly stepped away. The three of them then began their breakfast, engaging in light, casual conversation.
Shaa~
Outside, the rain hammered against the floor-to-ceiling window next to the dining table, creating a constant, droning sound. But inside, their warm conversation made the dreary weather feel a little less bleak.
Though Cecilia's room was a stark contrast. It was cloaked in darkness, with no lights to fend off the shadows. The raindrops sliding down the glass of her window seemed particularly sad and lonely.
Ding*
Suddenly, her phone on the bedside table lit up and started buzzing.
The door creaked open, and Cecilia walked into her room just as the phone screen went dark, as if trying to hide something from its owner. Oblivious to the phone's furtive attempt, Cecilia sank onto her bed, pulling the blanket around her like a shroud. She turned towards the window, her gaze empty as she stared at the relentless downpour. Just then—
Ding*
The phone buzzed again, cutting through the silence, and jolting Cecilia out of her daze.
She glanced at the phone on the bedside table, where more notifications flickered on the screen. After a moment, she reached out, her hand moving slowly to pick it up.
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"Haa~"
I'm so exhausted. I don't feel like doing anything. Honestly, if it weren't for Grandmother, I'd probably skip eating altogether.
Shaa~
The relentless patter of raindrops on the window caught my attention, drawing my gaze. My eyes locked onto the ceaseless torrent, and for a moment, I felt as if my mind had slipped into a trance, just zoning out and getting lost in the endless downpour.
<
"What could someone like you possibly understand about me? You're nothing but a pointless mistake!"
"What's the point of you even being here? You're just a burden, taking up space. Why don't you do everyone a favor and disappear?"
"Seriously, why do you even bother showing up? No one would even notice if you were gone!"
>
My sister's words from that day keep slicing through my mind, each one a jagged blade digging deeper into my heart.
But she was right, wasn't she? What's the point of you being here? Really? Every day is just a repeat of the last—waking up, eating, sleeping—living like a creature of habit.
It feels like a dark voice inside me keeps chanting those same thoughts over and over.
Right… Why am I even alive…
And just then —
Ding*
The notification sound from my phone jolted me out of my trance.
Ah… I wonder who's texting me. Probably just another spam message…
But as if to prove me wrong, my phone buzzed again and again.
'Is it Judith?' I thought, since she was the only one who might text me that often.
"Haa~"
Finally, shaking off my inertia, I reached for my phone.
Click*
When I turned on the screen, my eyes widened in shock.
To my surprise, it wasn't Judith sending these messages. It was Seraphine, my sister.
For a moment, I felt a lump in my throat, and a chill spread through my body, leaving me breathless. With trembling fingers, I tapped on the notification to read her message.
________________
8:27AM
[
Sister, can we meet?
]
8:35AM
[
It's me, Sera. I need to talk to you.
Can we meet?
It's really urgent.
]
_________________
How would you feel if your sister, who always treated you like a stranger, suddenly sent you messages like that? Would you be angry? Sad? Or maybe a bit hopeful, thinking that things could be different?
What was I feeling…?
"Huh? Where are you rushing off to?"
Iris asked, glancing up from the news as Cecilia hurried down the stairs. To Iris's surprise, Cecilia wasn't just moving quickly; she was dressed up and seemed even a bit excited.
'Oh my! Am I seeing this right?'
Iris wondered to herself.
"Ah, to a café."
Cecilia replied in a hurry.
"In this weather?"
Iris's gaze shifted to the storm raging outside.
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Cecilia placed a quick kiss on Iris's forehead and hurried toward the main door.
"Sigh~ This girl never listens!"
Iris muttered, though a smile tugged at her lips. Despite her words, a small part of her felt a flicker of relief and joy to see Cecilia looking even slightly cheerful for the first time in a while.
On the other hand, Cecilia, as soon as she stepped out of the house, made a beeline for the garage, where a collection of sleek, luxurious cars awaited. She climbed into her vehicle, started the engine with a growl, and tossed her phone onto the passenger seat. At that, the screen flickered to life, revealing a chat thread.
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Sera
8:27AM
[
Sister, can we meet?
]
8:35AM
[
It's me, Sera. I have to talk to you.
Can we meet?
It's really urgent.
]
Me
8:39AM
[
Sure!
Where do you want to meet?
]
Sera
8:41AM
[
Thank you.
Starlight Café, near Elarion Heights.
Please come as soon as possible. I will be waiting.
]
Me
8:41AM
[
Alright.
I'll be there soon.
]
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As much as I hate to admit it, I suppose it was the last one… Like nothing but a hopeless fool.