Post by Mitsuki Park on Mar 28, 2013 21:00:43 GMT -8
OOC: Basically her time in Chicago. Since this is in the past, thread is closed.
The last day of her beautiful life.
Five years had gone by since Mitsuki left California. The cool winters and hot summers eagerly welcomed the Park family with open arms, enveloping them in humidity and blizzards. She dived straight into her studies upon arriving and now...she was an M3 (third year medical student).
Mitsuki looked down from her laptop- she had been watching the lectures she had missed due to chaperoning on Sierre's field trip to the aquarium until she felt a tug against her clothes. Headphones popped out of her ears as she focused her attention at Sierre... Bright violet eyes hungry for attention; tiny hands clasping onto the hem of her shirt, a smile comparable to the sun...just radiating. Stunning.
"Sierre."
Her shifted her body to face her daughter, arms outstretching to scoop the tiny girl into her arms. Sierre would giggle and Mitsuki would once again be reminded of the miracle in her arms. She had lost her once already and couldn't fathom losing her a second time- this was, perhaps, the reason for her over-protective nature.
"Umma, anata wa daijōbudesuka~?"
(Mom, are you okay~?)
A soft chuckle would escape her lips upon hearing Sierre communicate with her. She was still having trouble differentiating Japanese and Korean, but was still considered incredibly bright for someone her age. She was nearly fluent in all three languages; as a mother, Mitsuki couldn't be any more proud.
"Of course. Wae? Ahpa boyeo?"
(Of course. Why? Do I look sick?)
"Iie, iie. Ahn pigonhaeyo??"
(No, no. You aren't tired??)
She would smile and shake her head in reply. Medical school was both physically and mentally draining, but Sierre was like a battery charger that replenished Mitsuki's strength upon sight. Her heart literally swelled with a joy unimaginable whenever she would think of how much she had grown and developed the past couple of years.
"Come on, cutie. Let's get you to school."
"Umma~ Saranghae!"
(Mom~ I love you!)
"I love you too."
Mitsuki should have been thankful that this was the last conversation she'd ever have with Sierre. She should have been thankful that they managed to go through their routine morning, filled with laughter, hot chocolate, and stories from her past. She should have been thankful for the beautiful things that had occurred in her life, the experiences she received, and the change that came from it.
Should have been. But she wasn't.
"REITA--"
"Almost there. What's--"
"Wait! Oppa, I--"
"--I found her."
Her voice was broken and eerily quiet. The words came out in a whisper, though her mind screamed, head pounding, begging for this to be nonsense. The pain- the invisible hand that clawed straight through her to her heart, squeezing until every bit of life was dropped out of her- was unbearable.
After those three words, her arm holding the cellular device fell to her side. There was nothing more to say. Her lungs decided to betray her as each breath taken burned the soul, and then sucked out the air until she was left to just...die.
Lifeless.
In front of her lay the mangled body of her once beautiful daughter. Her bones had been crushed, some jutting out and breaking the skin in uncomfortable ways, whereas others were forced inward by the weight of heavy stones. Mitsuki had managed to get all the rubble off her tiny little frame, but...
"How...how do I carry her--"
"NO. I AM HER MOTHER-- REITA, WHY THE FUC--"
Reita stepped between her and Sierre, successfully blocking her view of the bloody child before her. His hand grabbed at the back of her head and he pushed it straight into his chest, his other hand securely wrapping around her shoulders to keep her in place.
Initially, there was struggle. She screamed, her fists attacking blindly into her older brother's form. But to no avail- if he was a boulder, she was a grain of sand. Eventually, her screams would turn into wails, her attacks into desperate grabs, all the while her mind spanning in all directions, trying to find reason, logic, stability...but finding none. Emotions were reigning.
"WHY!?!"
The muffled scream into her brother's chest.
"Just a child- they were innocent--"
Why? She was just starting to get her life together since moving away. It was difficult to grasp this concept of anticipating evil when things were going too well. She didn't understand-- just- just why? It was as if she wasn't allowed to have happiness. Why was everything being taken away?
The silence that filled the space she, Reita, and Andrew were occupying lasted for not even half a day- all three had been silently mourning the loss of the youngest, brightest member of the family, until Reita began to busy himself on tinkering with electronics to get a gauge on the reason behind the attacks. The quiet buzz of gears spinning, the clinks of metal clashing together, the murmuring conversation between her brother and old family friend about Mitsuki's current state of being. The silence was pushed aside and although the collected noise was no louder than a slow day at a cafe, it was still too much for the young woman to bear.
Reita: "--by someone named Barker..."
Andrew: "...all over the world?--"
Mitsuki: "Can you guys just shut up for five minutes?"
Her fingers were against the sides of her temples, pressing and moving in circular motions as if to ease a migraine. Her lips were pulled tight into a grimace, while her eyes were shut closed- a look of clear irritation. They had buried her daughter earlier that day, and already they were moving on.But she had never been so wrong, not understanding that their busyness was a means of expressing grief.
Reita: "No. You're more than welcome to join us when you're done being useless."
Her eyes flashed open upon the cold, stern words of her brother, partially in disbelief and partially in a sudden burst of anger. She was furious- useless? Of all the words he could have chosen, he chose to express the one emotion that was so prevalent within her core. Reita always had a knack of snapping Mitsuki, deconstructing her foundation to have her rebuild herself into a stronger being. Without him, her mentality would have gone beyond insanity by now.
Although his words stabbed right through her heart, she knew there was nothing she could say to justify her sulking behavior. Yes, Mitsuki needed to mourn; yes, Mitsuki was in deep emotional pain; but so were they, and she would be a fool to not believe it. She pulled herself together, mentally and emotionally, and shakily made her way over. She sat down between them, her head bent forward out of shame.
The apocalypse just happened and they simply just did not have the time...
Night had fallen and the three grabbed their belongings- emergency bags always at the ready- and took shelter in an abandoned building where running water and electricity was still in service. Never had Chicago looked so eerily empty at this time of night- never had the city ever been so dim, so quiet. Mitsuki was looking out the window, staring into the bleak nothingness that consumed the area. The sky, blanketed with a black velvet, was speckled with small diamonds that were shining brighter than ever. It was a...peaceful night to the most chaotic day. Mitsuki sighed, feeling numb- Sierre would have loved the sight of this.
Her attention was forced away from the sky when she heard the door open to 'her' room. Reita's head popped in first, eyes glazing over Mitsuki, before he let himself in.
Reita: "How are you feeling."
His voice was awkward and uncomfortable, but Mitsuki still appreciated the fact that he was checking up on her. Despite his harsh demeanor earlier, she knew he had good intentions. She shrugged her shoulders before turning back toward the window- there really were no words that could express how she was truly feeling. A mixture of lost, hurt, guilt- but at the same time, relief.
Why relief...?
Reita: "...have you cried yet?"
She silently shook her head. The last time she had cried was upon seeing Sierre's body. Aside from that, she had been keeping herself busy and, starting tomorrow, she knew it would only get busier. Reita managed to get into contact with Ein and Caleb, his two best friends, and a web of defense was starting to weave within the Chicagoland area- by tomorrow's nightfall, she mused, they would have a solid member count of at least 20. He was always a natural when it came to leadership...
Reita: "Okay. If you need me..."
Mitsuki: "Yeah, oppa. Thanks."
Weeks passed on by and they were only getting busier by the day. The Rebel group had finally decided to split into five factions, all spread out throughout the city of Chicago and its suburbs, providing aid to civillians in the area. It was difficult because Barkers men seemed so expendable. He never seemed to be lacking in the number of followers. It was also difficult because this is when people started having the, 'If you can't beat 'em, join them'-mentality. It was disheartening, especially when the younger ones blindly thrusted themselves into Barker's hands.
Andrew was requested up in the northwest suburbs. For the first time in almost ten years, the trio was finally separated- Andrew Choi, her first love and childhood best friend, was finally taking his leave.
Sometime after the second month, Mitsuki found she was having a hard time remembering what Sierre looked like. The inability to remember Sierre's smile coerced the young Asian to act out, whether it was inflicting self harm by scratching at her face or purposefully placing herself in danger as an excuse to start fights.
Reita wasn't the only one that had noticed. She knew he was alarmed at her behavior, but self-control seemed to have been the one thing she was lacking. He finally sat her down and forced her to explain herself; at first, she didn't understand, but after processing her actions...
The last day of her beautiful life.
Five years had gone by since Mitsuki left California. The cool winters and hot summers eagerly welcomed the Park family with open arms, enveloping them in humidity and blizzards. She dived straight into her studies upon arriving and now...she was an M3 (third year medical student).
Mitsuki looked down from her laptop- she had been watching the lectures she had missed due to chaperoning on Sierre's field trip to the aquarium until she felt a tug against her clothes. Headphones popped out of her ears as she focused her attention at Sierre... Bright violet eyes hungry for attention; tiny hands clasping onto the hem of her shirt, a smile comparable to the sun...just radiating. Stunning.
"Sierre."
Her shifted her body to face her daughter, arms outstretching to scoop the tiny girl into her arms. Sierre would giggle and Mitsuki would once again be reminded of the miracle in her arms. She had lost her once already and couldn't fathom losing her a second time- this was, perhaps, the reason for her over-protective nature.
"Umma, anata wa daijōbudesuka~?"
(Mom, are you okay~?)
A soft chuckle would escape her lips upon hearing Sierre communicate with her. She was still having trouble differentiating Japanese and Korean, but was still considered incredibly bright for someone her age. She was nearly fluent in all three languages; as a mother, Mitsuki couldn't be any more proud.
"Of course. Wae? Ahpa boyeo?"
(Of course. Why? Do I look sick?)
"Iie, iie. Ahn pigonhaeyo??"
(No, no. You aren't tired??)
She would smile and shake her head in reply. Medical school was both physically and mentally draining, but Sierre was like a battery charger that replenished Mitsuki's strength upon sight. Her heart literally swelled with a joy unimaginable whenever she would think of how much she had grown and developed the past couple of years.
"Come on, cutie. Let's get you to school."
____________________
"Umma~ Saranghae!"
(Mom~ I love you!)
"I love you too."
Mitsuki should have been thankful that this was the last conversation she'd ever have with Sierre. She should have been thankful that they managed to go through their routine morning, filled with laughter, hot chocolate, and stories from her past. She should have been thankful for the beautiful things that had occurred in her life, the experiences she received, and the change that came from it.
Should have been. But she wasn't.
____________________
"REITA--"
"I'm on my way there- where are you--"
"Almost there. What's--"
"Andrew's on the other line. I'll see you soon--
"Wait! Oppa, I--"
"--be safe. Love you."
Click.
____________________
"Where are yo--"
"--I found her."
Her voice was broken and eerily quiet. The words came out in a whisper, though her mind screamed, head pounding, begging for this to be nonsense. The pain- the invisible hand that clawed straight through her to her heart, squeezing until every bit of life was dropped out of her- was unbearable.
After those three words, her arm holding the cellular device fell to her side. There was nothing more to say. Her lungs decided to betray her as each breath taken burned the soul, and then sucked out the air until she was left to just...die.
Lifeless.
In front of her lay the mangled body of her once beautiful daughter. Her bones had been crushed, some jutting out and breaking the skin in uncomfortable ways, whereas others were forced inward by the weight of heavy stones. Mitsuki had managed to get all the rubble off her tiny little frame, but...
"Mitsuki, don't- don't look."
"How...how do I carry her--"
"I'll carry her--"
"NO. I AM HER MOTHER-- REITA, WHY THE FUC--"
Reita stepped between her and Sierre, successfully blocking her view of the bloody child before her. His hand grabbed at the back of her head and he pushed it straight into his chest, his other hand securely wrapping around her shoulders to keep her in place.
Initially, there was struggle. She screamed, her fists attacking blindly into her older brother's form. But to no avail- if he was a boulder, she was a grain of sand. Eventually, her screams would turn into wails, her attacks into desperate grabs, all the while her mind spanning in all directions, trying to find reason, logic, stability...but finding none. Emotions were reigning.
"WHY!?!"
The muffled scream into her brother's chest.
"Just a child- they were innocent--"
Why? She was just starting to get her life together since moving away. It was difficult to grasp this concept of anticipating evil when things were going too well. She didn't understand-- just- just why? It was as if she wasn't allowed to have happiness. Why was everything being taken away?
____________________
The silence that filled the space she, Reita, and Andrew were occupying lasted for not even half a day- all three had been silently mourning the loss of the youngest, brightest member of the family, until Reita began to busy himself on tinkering with electronics to get a gauge on the reason behind the attacks. The quiet buzz of gears spinning, the clinks of metal clashing together, the murmuring conversation between her brother and old family friend about Mitsuki's current state of being. The silence was pushed aside and although the collected noise was no louder than a slow day at a cafe, it was still too much for the young woman to bear.
Reita: "--by someone named Barker..."
Andrew: "...all over the world?--"
Mitsuki: "Can you guys just shut up for five minutes?"
Her fingers were against the sides of her temples, pressing and moving in circular motions as if to ease a migraine. Her lips were pulled tight into a grimace, while her eyes were shut closed- a look of clear irritation. They had buried her daughter earlier that day, and already they were moving on.
Reita: "No. You're more than welcome to join us when you're done being useless."
Her eyes flashed open upon the cold, stern words of her brother, partially in disbelief and partially in a sudden burst of anger. She was furious- useless? Of all the words he could have chosen, he chose to express the one emotion that was so prevalent within her core. Reita always had a knack of snapping Mitsuki, deconstructing her foundation to have her rebuild herself into a stronger being. Without him, her mentality would have gone beyond insanity by now.
Although his words stabbed right through her heart, she knew there was nothing she could say to justify her sulking behavior. Yes, Mitsuki needed to mourn; yes, Mitsuki was in deep emotional pain; but so were they, and she would be a fool to not believe it. She pulled herself together, mentally and emotionally, and shakily made her way over. She sat down between them, her head bent forward out of shame.
The apocalypse just happened and they simply just did not have the time...
____________________
Night had fallen and the three grabbed their belongings- emergency bags always at the ready- and took shelter in an abandoned building where running water and electricity was still in service. Never had Chicago looked so eerily empty at this time of night- never had the city ever been so dim, so quiet. Mitsuki was looking out the window, staring into the bleak nothingness that consumed the area. The sky, blanketed with a black velvet, was speckled with small diamonds that were shining brighter than ever. It was a...peaceful night to the most chaotic day. Mitsuki sighed, feeling numb- Sierre would have loved the sight of this.
Her attention was forced away from the sky when she heard the door open to 'her' room. Reita's head popped in first, eyes glazing over Mitsuki, before he let himself in.
Reita: "How are you feeling."
His voice was awkward and uncomfortable, but Mitsuki still appreciated the fact that he was checking up on her. Despite his harsh demeanor earlier, she knew he had good intentions. She shrugged her shoulders before turning back toward the window- there really were no words that could express how she was truly feeling. A mixture of lost, hurt, guilt- but at the same time, relief.
Why relief...?
Reita: "...have you cried yet?"
She silently shook her head. The last time she had cried was upon seeing Sierre's body. Aside from that, she had been keeping herself busy and, starting tomorrow, she knew it would only get busier. Reita managed to get into contact with Ein and Caleb, his two best friends, and a web of defense was starting to weave within the Chicagoland area- by tomorrow's nightfall, she mused, they would have a solid member count of at least 20. He was always a natural when it came to leadership...
Reita: "Okay. If you need me..."
Mitsuki: "Yeah, oppa. Thanks."
____________________
Weeks passed on by and they were only getting busier by the day. The Rebel group had finally decided to split into five factions, all spread out throughout the city of Chicago and its suburbs, providing aid to civillians in the area. It was difficult because Barkers men seemed so expendable. He never seemed to be lacking in the number of followers. It was also difficult because this is when people started having the, 'If you can't beat 'em, join them'-mentality. It was disheartening, especially when the younger ones blindly thrusted themselves into Barker's hands.
Andrew was requested up in the northwest suburbs. For the first time in almost ten years, the trio was finally separated- Andrew Choi, her first love and childhood best friend, was finally taking his leave.
____________________
Sometime after the second month, Mitsuki found she was having a hard time remembering what Sierre looked like. The inability to remember Sierre's smile coerced the young Asian to act out, whether it was inflicting self harm by scratching at her face or purposefully placing herself in danger as an excuse to start fights.
Reita wasn't the only one that had noticed. She knew he was alarmed at her behavior, but self-control seemed to have been the one thing she was lacking. He finally sat her down and forced her to explain herself; at first, she didn't understand, but after processing her actions...
"I don't remember her face anymore."
