Saving the Villain

[ REWIND ]

"Be grateful it's a special day and I can't let you celebrate today with a mangled face. I prepared the hangover medicine and soup in the car. Dress up quickly. Don't let her wait for long."

Luke frowned and cursed at himself while Remo walked away from the presidential suite. He didn't waste a second, dragging his feet to wash up. When he was done, he went straight to the parking where Remo was waiting for him.

"You didn't have to fetch me," said Luke to Remo, who was leaning against the hood of the black sedan. "You're not my driver, after all."

"If I didn't, will you even come today?" was Remo's response, rendering Luke speechless. "I figured. You'll probably drink until you pass out again. Hop in."

Luke sighed, watching Remo walk to the driver's seat. He glanced at the front passenger seat, but instead of hitching inside, he got in the backseat. Remo glanced at the rear mirror as Luke settled in the back seat, but said nothing. As long as Luke would come with him, that would be fine. After all, around this time of the year, Luke would be too unpredictable and do a lot of crazy stuff.

The car ride was silent, with Remo and Luke saying nothing. Remo kept his focus on the road, glancing at the rear mirror from time to time. Luke was just staring at the window with a poker face, making it hard for anyone to read his thoughts at the moment.

After some time, Luke slipped his hand into his pocket. He took out his wallet, opening it to reveal the photo inside it. It was a photo of Cosette when they were still in high school. A random photo he captured during the last year of their high school, where they were having group study in his place.

In the photo, Cosette had her hair tied in a messy bun. Her lips were puckered, keeping a pencil in between her upper lip and nose. She was cupping her cheek, looking down at the book.

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His eyes softened, stroking the photo with his thumb.

Remo glanced at the rear mirror again, only to see Luke staring at his wallet. A sigh slipped past Remo's lips, swallowing the tension in his throat as he refocused his eyes on the road. Luke earned this habit of staring in his wallet two years ago.

Back then, Remo was wondering what he was staring at whenever he would visit Luke and catch the latter staring at his wallet. Luke used to say he was just checking his "financial status," until Remo found out the real reason.

As an act of respect, Remo kept quiet throughout the ride, knowing that was what Luke needed.

****

It took two hours straight for Remo and Luke to reach Cosette's villa. Standing in front of the front door, Luke rang the bell.

DING DONG!

Remo, who was standing several steps from Luke, watched Luke ring the doorbell many times. Another sigh escaped his nostrils, marching forward as this was painful to watch.

"Excuse me," Remo pushed Luke to the side with a key in his hand, unlocking the door and opening it for Luke. He faced the latter squarely, only to see Luke gaze at him with dull eyes. "Let's go inside and prepare."

"Mhm."

With that being said, Remo stepped in while Luke idled for several seconds before following him. As soon as Luke stepped inside, Remo received a call. Remo glanced at the caller, looking back to Luke. They didn't have an excuse as Remo walked away to answer the call.

As Remo left, Luke was left standing in the same spot. He looked around the place, biting his inner lower lip. Cosette's place was well-maintained as if someone was still living in this place.

Luke swallowed down the building, frustration in his throat, dragging his feet heavily toward the kitchen. The moment he entered the kitchen, he scanned the area again, recalling how Cosette would work in this place every time she was hosting a gathering.

There were times Luke would just watch her and listen to her nagging since he was usually the first person to come.

Luke leaned against the kitchen counter, placing his hands on either side of him and on the edge of the counter. He fixed his eyes in front of the stove.

This... right here... Cosette would stand while preparing the food and lecturing him about how to treat a woman. But now, there was no one, and he was alone in this place.

A thin layer of tears coated his eyes, illuminating the pain he still hadn't healed from. But he held his heart back, gritting his teeth while mentally telling himself she wouldn't like it if he break down because of her.

Luke glanced to the side, catching a few small photo frames. There were three of them and were all within his reach. He sprawled his arm to pick up one, raising it before him.

The picture frame was Maxen, Cosette, and Luke. It was taken to this villa. He could remember what happened in this photo. It was Cosette and Maxen's housewarming party. The theme was a slumber party hence, the nightwear they were wearing while sitting around the coffee table in the lobby with drinks and snacks to celebrate the couple's new place.

"I... don't like this place," he whispered and his voice cracked a bit, making him pause a little as his face crumpled. "This sucks, do you know that? It's suffocating and I don't want to be here. Ever."

The frame in his hand trembled as his eyes were fixed on the woman with an eye mask over her head.

"Hah..." this time, a tear rolled down his cheek as he slowly embraced the photo, unable to control the tears that were flowing from his eyes. "I missed you, Cosette. You... have no idea how much I missed your cooking."

In the end, Luke broke down to his knees, crying. Little did he know, Remo was standing by the door of the kitchen. Remo's jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth, but then lowered his eyes before turning around, pretending he didn't see anything.

Two years had already passed since Cosette's passing, but the pain and the grief of losing her were still fresh in their hearts. Their longing for Cosette never subsided. If anything, this longing continued to deepen every passing day without her.