"'Ponine?"

The old man sat on his favorite chair. The chair, a hundred years old which was full of memories. The war has already begun around Europe and is spreading slowly around the world yet he did not run, he did not hide.

His family abandoned him for their own lives but they are young, they wish to be free, so he decided to let them be. The man let all his workers go as they were afraid to get attacked and thought they would never see their family again. It is a little bit selfish for everyone to leave him, but why bother taking care of a man already dying? He is already dead inside anyway. He is the last one in the house and is the only one.

Marius Pontmercy was looking at the paintings and pictures around him. What a time to live. These memories were so memorable but not as memorable as his time with his friends who died for a change. As the years went by, he realized how foolish they were to waste their lives in such a fight that could never be won. A cause that could never be granted. Reality will stay as is.

"It's lovely to see you again, M'sieur..."

"It's lovely to see you again too, Mademoiselle..." saying the last word, made his heart beat twice because he was always reminded about how young they died.

The young woman smiles and held out her hand. Should he dare to touch it?

"Do not be afraid, I won't hurt you. But," she put her hand back in her pocket, "you may walk around, take a last look. I will be here, so don't you fret, M'sieur Marius."

He starts walking around his house. He starts from the bottom.

The kitchen was where all the little accidents would happen. He recalled the time when his daughter, Laurette, would mess with the ingredients from the cabinet and would also pretend she was like her mother, who would teach Laurette and her two other siblings to cook or bake. Laurette would take the dolls and made them sit in a corner while Cosette and Marius would be smiling or laughing as they were peeking in the door.

The dining room, where Marius' father would let Marius' children do crazy things to him. The children would run around the dining room while Cosette and their helpers would put the food on the table for a feast to come. Marius smiled to himself as he remembers the days he'd let a dozen of strangers into his home and ate with the family. Even if there will be no more revolution, he would still try to help other people.

The library, where he would sit on the couch with his children before bed and read whatever his children wanted. He missed his children so much, he sometimes would feel melancholy for the fact that he outlived them or he couldn't take care of them. These are the few kinds of people a man could never let go.

The living room, where his wife, Cosette would stare out the stars from the window. She would be fascinated by them because she never really saw them much when they still lived in the city. He would watch her smile and surprise her when he'd wrap his arms around her. When they would do this, sometimes, one of the children would smile at them or do a disgusted face but this was something the couple never saw.

The lonely Pontmercy walks slowly to the stairs. They may be stairs to others but they shared a lot of mishaps. Laurette would always get angry at everyone because she said she knew how to go down the stairs, then eventually trip and land on her bum. Julia would go down the stairs, but like her sister would trip when she would see a lovely man at the door. The children would always fall down but it was a regular thing.

He walks up the stairs and as he goes on every step, he was reminded of the greatest family he could ever love. Nothing can beat that.

From the end of the stairs, the first room you would pass by was the girl's room, though it became his grandchildren's when they decided to stay here. Laurette and Julia were girls, so they were put together in one room. At least they got along when they were young. He went inside and kneeled down. He would think, it was his fault for the death of family was too comfortable with their strolls that they have completely forgotten about their possible dangers. Ever since her death til Laurette's college years, there was only one bed in the room. Sometimes Laurette would sleep with her parents instead because she was reminded of how cruel they would be to each when they grew up and thought it was

The family was too comfortable with their strolls that they have completely forgotten about their possible dangers. The dangers of getting stolen or raped... or killed. Although these may be rare, a person still needs to have precautions. Julia's fate was left in the hands of her stalkers, who watched her strolls everyday.

Ever since her death til Laurette's college years, there was only one bed in the room. Sometimes Laurette would sleep with her parents instead because she was reminded of how cruel they would be to each when they grew up and thought it was her fault.

Next to the girl's room, this was the room of the oldest sibling of the family. Corbett was thought to be the healthiest person of the family. That is until he suddenly had Diphtheria, an infection, he did not live for too long. Since then, the room was never used again and all belongings inside were simply covered by white blankets. Marius looked around and it still smelled like Corbett. He thought he didn't care too much for the eldest, but he does not realize that out of all the siblings, he took care of Corbett the most. But pain told him the opposite.

Corbett's room was connected to his grandfather's room. But there was no way out of the grandfather's room without passing by Corbett. Marius' father rarely spent his time in his own room because he always spent it with Corbett. The bond between the two was unbeatable. When Corbett died, his grandfather died a week after.

Marius didn't want to go to the next room because he knew he couldn't go back. As he visits every room, the hallways would become darker. But he had no choice, he was already dead. His spirit was only given a chance to wander around for the last time.

The room (which he did not want to go to) was Marius and Cosette's. They would always discuss tomorrow before sleeping, or pour their feelings out. When they were younger, they would always hug each other and give a few kisses before one falls asleep ahead of the would occasionally avoid talking about Valjean because Cosette would always cry when she suddenly remembers Valjean. They grew up together, they loved together. Sometimes, when Marius would think about the barricades, Cosette was the first one and

Marius would occasionally avoid talking about Valjean because Cosette would always cry when she suddenly remembers Valjean. From the beginning of his death, Cosette would never talk about Valjean. But Marius knew that Cosette still loves her grew up together, they loved together. Sometimes, when Marius would think about the barricades, Cosette was the first one and

They grew up together, they loved together. Sometimes, when Marius would think about the barricades, Cosette was the first one and only one who comforted him. They would tell each other jokes before they would sleep, and you would hear happiness all night. Like all the others, Marius outlived Cosette.

He goes outside of the room and stared into the darkness for a while. He is not ready to face this. Once he goes inside the room, it is final. His spirit has departed. But he knows he has to go because he hears marches outside the house. He can hear the soldiers getting ready to strike. Marius had to go, or else he will be stuck here... forever. In a world where nobody will see you, nobody will know you, nobody will remember you.

He went goes to the very last room. This was an extra room, just in case, another baby would be added to the family. But when Cosette was too old, they made it into a "memory" room. They filled the walls with the most unforgettable moments of their lives. When they did this, they also put a lamp in almost each corner of the room and put a couch in the center. But ever since the deaths of the children, Cosette, and his father, his favorite chair was in the center instead.

The remainder of his family that lived with him (since the death of Cosette) were only two left: the children of Laurette since they were going to study in a school nearby. But the two were not as close as their elder was with would say good morning, good afternoon, whichever time of the day it was and would tell their excuse so they could leave him and go back to their own world. When they abandoned him, they wrote a letter for him. It was half-hearted, but what can you do?

"So, are you ready?" Eponine asks as she ruffles his hair, "I miss the way you grow your hair"

"I miss the way you always tease," Marius sighs and looks at her eyes, "little I knew, little I saw, how this would happen, unexpected so."

She grabs his hand as they dance around the room. Their favorite piece is playing, it has been so long since they both had heard this.

He remembered the time when they first heard this, Marius sneaked Eponine inside the theatre as they watched together, little did they know, little did they see, the future that was to be.

As they pass by every picture, Marius grew younger and younger, and the room slowly becomes a place with white walls and white floors. The only place left was the chair, the special chair that Marius could not let go. They danced through the whole song, Marius suddenly forgetting all of his troubles. When it was done, Marius felt young again and for the first time in forty years, he felt joy. Marius turned to his right and saw all of his friends waiting for him. He looks back and Eponine insists him to go ahead and meet old friends.

He runs to them, crying tears of joy, and a big smile on his face that was never present during his time on Earth.

FIN

Author's Note:

Also posted in Ao3 as alyrawrus and Wattpad as mitsubishimacchiato