EPILOGUE
Inside an apartment, a phone rang like there’s no tomorrow. Sun already warmed the long black haired young woman’s covered pale face through the window. It’s almost her time to meet the editor, and yet, she still fell asleep with her manuscripts scattered on the short-legged table. When it was noisy for the third time, a pair of black eyes opened sluggishly as the pale hand reached out to the black rectangle. Then, she yawned while flipping it open to answer the call.
“Hel... lo?” She locked the phone to her left ear in daze, “I don’t need a scammer to ruin my day, please, do not–”
A gentle chuckle emerged from the other side. The owner of the phone tilted her head dumbfoundedly. As if she anticipated this, the caller hummed, “Hiro-chan. Look at your phone, do my identity become a faker in your eyes?”
Confused by the caller’s intention, the black eyes gazed at the phone screen. A blurry yet nostalgic name came into her sight. Her black eyes widened while clumsily putting the phone to her ear.
She tidied her hair with fingers unconsciously, “Chloe-chan. Hi, I thought you’re not in Japan... if it’s not you, who else would call me?”
“Of course, your editor. Honestly,” her friend exasperated, “You didn’t listen to your phone’s ringtone yesterday so he called me to tell you that he would be busy with another novelist today. Just get ready and bring the latest chapter to his office, he will be waiting at ten o’clock.”
“Oh... I see,” The hair playing stopped as she smiled reluctantly, “well. Thank you for informing me and good luck at your shooting tomorrow, Chloe-chan.”
Before her finger ended the call, a whisper suddenly came to her ear. “Hiro-chan, don’t think that I only called you because of that editor of yours... You understand that, do you?”
The corners of her lips tugged a little bit more. She knew so well if her best friend used that tone on her, there’s a jealousy over the phone. Without batting the bushes, Hiroko answered sincerely.
“I miss you too, Chloe-chan. I will be waiting for you here...Please, come sooner, okay?"
“... I will.”
Then, the call ended abruptly. Hiroko grinned sweetly as she faced the grey environment once again. It always like this between them. When she wasn’t confident for being herself, Chloe always lifted her up again with her antic. When she accomplished something, she elevated it even further. Truly, she has the best of the best for her companion in this world –and she will cherish her forever.
After putting her phone down, the black-haired woman washed the pale skinned face and changed her attires to more formal clothes. When she was done, she collected all the manuscripts on the table. Her gazes fell to the main character of her story. Her thumb rubbed her name softly.
I’m glad that my editor allowed me to write this character for this novel... Though, could I really continue to publish this selfish love of mine?
Hiroko sighed as she lovely tucked the papers into the brown envelope and ate the strawberry-jammed sandwiches that she made earlier. Feeling restless, she brushed her teeth then checked the documents one last time. Her black eyes felt tired. If she went back to sleep again, she definitely would miss the chance to finish it faster. With a heart tugged on her sleeves, the black-haired young girl left her house while holding the documents and her bag at eight o’clock.
Although she still had to take train to the publishing company once a month, this pace of habit was bearable than being tired to keep up with an ocean of admirable people. Hiroko tightened her grip on the brown envelope until her destined station. She walked and walked, ignoring all the greyish and bustling surrounding. When she was arrived in front her editor’s door, her trembling hand pushed the door and saw her editor already with someone on the call behind a pile of papers. She sat quietly, waiting for him to notice her presence in the middle of this boring environment.
An hour later, her editor clasped his phone and turned toward the black-haired girl. Hiroko gave him her drafts for this month’s chapter. The editor quickly skimmed all of them in ten minutes. His serious gazes made her anxious as her fingers fidgeted under the table. The clock was ticking between the two, like a timer without the ending. Somehow, Chloe’s soothing voice managed to invade her mind in this situation. Not caring anymore where she was, she closed her eyes to indulge herself in her best friend’s lullaby.
A sound of tapping on the table woke her up from the beautiful daydreaming she had. The black-haired young woman looked at her editor sheepishly, “Yes? Is there anything wrong with the draft, Goto-san?”
The older man sighed as he put the papers together, “Tengen-san, this is invasive for me to say, but... Do you ever wonder if ‘that person’ actually know that you based the main character with her in your mind?”
"Eto...We usually discussed it together when we had a time together but I hid the character’s name and appearance from her. Hence... No?” Hiroko smiled innocently with clear eyes.
“Well done. It will be awkward for you two if she realized that you were writing this with her in mind, “The black-haired man put the document together on the table, “that aside, you did a great job for this chapter. We will online publish it immediately. From today forward, you just need to focus on the final chapter. Do you have any idea how to end this novel yet, Tengen-san?”
“Yes,” Hiroko responded bashfully, “it will be a happy ending for the main character and her lover. Like in the original fairytales, they will rule the kingdom together. Is that allowed for me to do?”
“Hmm... From the progression of the story and the reviews we got, that’s a nice one. How about the villainess, Shirley Richtbert? Will she get her redemption in the end?”
Her jaws opened slightly with black eyes hindered for a moment. The next second, she stood up with apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Goto-san. My answer would be a no to that.”
"That’s interesting...Didn’t you say to me that you like the redemption trope before?”
“Well,” her lips tugged slightly, “I didn’t lie when I said that, but... She still didn’t deserve it. As long as I’m the one who writes her, her demise won’t be changed by anyone else. Therefore,” the black-haired woman bowed politely, ”Please, Goto-san. Do not question my choice about her anymore..."
Before her editor hammering a sense into her head again, she ran away from his office without looking back.
On the way home, Hiroko bought two discounted bento boxes and energy drinks at the convenience store. It’s been a while since she cooked for herself. The last time she did was when Chloe visited her when there’s no deadline haunting her every moves. It was also because her best friend insisted to invite her for a sight-seeing that they bought so many vegetables and meat at the end of their journey.
Remembering that, she chuckled in amusement while missing the owner of her heart. As soon as her laugh stopped, she suddenly dropped to her knees while clutching her chest with widened black eyes staring at the asphalt. No one passed the street at this time, except her. Instinctively, her clouded mind counted from one to fourteen. Her pale lips muttered, calming herself down.
I’m fine... I have to be fine... If I succumbed today, who else could finish her story with the happy ending she deserved?
Not wanting to waste time anymore, Hiroko forced herself to stand up and continued her walk to her apartment. For two hours, the owner of black eyes had to endured other’s pity and harsh judgement. After dragging her whole existence with many stops, she finally flopped on the bed then got a rest –Jokes on her– She was already possessed by the new draft of the final chapter in front of her computer.
Her fingers were busy typing several words right now that she almost forgot to eat her lunches. Not wanting to get scolded by her friend, she took bites little by little to appease her small appetite between her works. There’s still emptiness inside her heart, but that didn’t stop her from pouring out emotion through a bunch of paragraphs. Ignoring the time, she continued to write until her stomach was growling again. She glanced to her phone beside her and the clock. It’s almost midnight, and yet, there’s no new message from Chloe.
It’s rare for her not to give an update within twelve hours. Did something bad happen to her? Or is it because of her work?
Worried that her best friend thought she would be mad and hindered the quality of her work, Hiroko messaged her while heating up the dinner. There’s still no response from the other side of the line. The black-haired woman huffed in disappointment.
She’s busy, huh? If this was a drama, the male lead would probably misunderstand her and confessed through message –
A sudden idea crossed her mind. Without thinking, her fingers started to type a confession and entered it impulsively. Her pale cheeks turned rosy, regretting the way and time to be honest with herself. Taking this as a mistake she shouldn’t had done, she quickly tried to delete her message. Yet, her clumsy fingers dropped the phone immediately into the basin filled with water. Defeated by the unforeseen turn of event, Hiroko let out a sigh then stared at her computer.
Three more paragraphs and the final chapter should be finished today. Her thumping hearts turned into a giddy smile, imagining her best friend’s reaction to this little stunt of hers. As if her body couldn’t contain her joys anymore, her eyes relaxed and shut carefully as her head fell on the table in front of her.
Chloe. Just reject my confession tonight... I will make sure that you will have a good ending with your future lover... Be happy... and forget about me... Alright?
At the garden that full of colorful flowers, a young woman slept on the white chair. Her copper bangs placed beautifully on her freckled face, painted softly by the shadow of leaves. A medium-skinned hand held the brown book that almost sliding from her blue dress. As soon as her grip loosened, another hand caught the book before it was touching the ground. A sigh escaped from the fair lips that gazed upon her. The blonde-haired woman put the book on the table then sat beside her, gazing fondly at the sleeping beauty. Her hand quietly reached out to the freckled nose, relieving her worries with the warm breath on her skin.
When she retracted her hand, a pair of blue eyes opened drowsily. The owner of vibrant green eyes smiled apologetically, “ah. Good morning, our beloved writer. Did I wake you up?”
“No. Not at all,” the copper haired one grabbed the fair-skinned hand and leaned closer to it, “it was just a perfect time for me to end the dream.”
“Oh, my dear Millia. What did you dream about?” she tilted her head while caressing the medium fair cheek with her thumb.
“Just the last day of me being a shut-in writer.”
The fair hand cupping her cheek gently, “That was an awful memory, isn’t it? How about a cup of tea to forget –”
“There’s no regret in my former life and this one,” Millia gave a pat on the blonde hairs then let their forehead touching each other, “Therefore, please, be happy with Shirley and me, Chloe.”
Chloe’s cheeks turned rosy as her vibrant green eyes dilated. Her fair lips opened then shut it again when a young lady with black hairs and pale skin calling their names. Both of them glanced at each other, then greeted their spouse with smiles.
“You’re finally here, Shirley.”
