Butterfly Kisses- ON HOLD (Matsukawa Issei x OC)

[13] Operophtera Brumata

Had I not known
I was already dead
I might have mourned
my own passing.
-Ota Dokan

🦋 💀 🦋

[December 25, 2019]

Matsukawa leaned over the railing of the porch in the yard of his childhood home, smoking a cigarette, the alcohol in his body helping to make him feel warm against the cold winter air. He took a long drag and blew the smoke up into the sky, flicking the ashes at the end of the cigarette over the railing. From the cracked window he could hear the laughter of his parents, Kimura, and her parents- all currently playing card games and drinking. Matsukawa had to escape into the yard for a break at 8pm- having been stuck with all of them for nearly 24 hours was too much for him.

When Kimura arrived at his apartment last night he refused to ride in the car with her, choosing instead to take his motorcycle while she drove alone- already causing the evening to start off bad. He was thankful that Christmas Eve would just be spent with his parents and not her as well, but it still didn't make it much more bearable.

He sat on the couch across from the fireplace and drank a beer while his mother and father fawned over Kimura, telling her how beautiful she looked and how excited they were for the upcoming wedding, asking her if she had chosen a date. When Matsukawa heard Kimura say she'd like to rush it and have it within one to two months because she loved him so much and couldn't wait, he tensed and gripped onto his bottle of beer, knowing she was lying out of her teeth. He wasn't sure why she wanted to have the wedding so soon, but assumed it wasn't with good intentions. But either way it didn't matter as he planned to give himself the best Christmas gift he could think of this year and end their relationship tomorrow when both of their parents were here.

The only highlight of Christmas Eve was getting to see his younger siblings: his 8 year old sister, Ayako, and 10 year old brother, Ryuta. The age difference between then and Matsukawa caused them to not be close growing up, and Matsukawa was not home enough to really bond with them- one of his biggest regrets. He was thankful that as his parents chatted and drank with Kimura he was able to chat with his siblings a bit, though they were understandably hesitant at first.

He gave Ayako and Ryuta the game system, controllers, and video games he bought them for Christmas, smiling when he saw their jaws drop and eyes widened. Their mother tsk'd at Matsukawa, telling him he was going to make the children just as lazy as he was growing up. Matsukawa ignored her while he hooked the system up to the TV, mimicking her voice under his breath and chuckling when he heard his siblings suppressing giggles.

Sitting on the couch while Ayako and Ryuta sat criss-cross on the floor in front of him, Matsukawa watched the two of them banter while versing each other in a racing game. Hearing their laughter and watching them have fun made Matsukawa feel a bit more in the holiday spirit, feeling the warmth radiating from the fireplace in front of them, seeing the lights from the Christmas tree in the corner, and hearing the distant sound of holiday music playing from the dining room.

But that feeling washed away when Kimura entered the living room, standing behind the couch and wrapping her arms around Matsukawa's neck, drunkenly kissing at his cheek and jaw. His father entered the room and clasped his hands together, informing Ayako and Ryuta it was 11:30pm and they needed to head to bed before "Santa" saw they were still awake. The children gasped and shut off the gaming system and tv, hugging their parents, and bowing to Matsukawa quickly- thanking him for the gifts before scampering up the stairs to their bedroom. Matsukawa's parents wished him and Kimura a good night, telling them they would see them in the morning before heading upstairs after the children- leaving Matsukawa and Kimura alone.