STORY OF CHOU TZUYU [IN PROGRESS]

109

May 23rd 2036 / 1 week and 3 days later Monday

Tzuyus POV

Alleyway

The alleyway reeked of gasoline and damp concrete, the neon signs from above flickering in uneven rhythm, casting long, distorted shadows. My boots splashed through shallow puddles as I rounded the corner, scanning the streets for any sign of Yuina.

Then, out of nowhere, a body plummeted from the second floor above me, smashing through the weak glass of the garage below with a deafening crash. My breath caught in my throat. Reflexively, I sprinted toward the fallen figure, my eyes widening as I saw the shape crumpled against shards of glass and metal a knife still embedded in the chest.

"Leiko...".

Blood pooled around her mouth and dripped from her nose, her eyes half-closed. I glanced upward instinctively, following my gut, and froze. Above me, at the second-floor balcony, I saw her, Yuina. Alive. My daughter. She was not alone. A woman, unfamiliar, stood beside her, holding a gun loosely in one hand, while leaning in to kiss Yuina. My breath caught again. Relief, shock, a sharp pang of fear all at once. My daughter was alive. She was here. She was okay? I turned my attention back to Leiko, horror flooding through me. She had been shot before the fall twice which explained the blood I had missed at first glance. Her breathing was shallow, ragged, but she was alive. My fingers worked furiously, trying to dislodge the knife from her chest without causing further injury. Her body shivered violently, and I whispered through gritted teeth.

"Stay with me, Leiko. You're not dying on me not like this".

After what felt like an eternity, I managed to free her from the knife. Blood dripped from the wound. I had to get her somewhere safe, somewhere I could patch her up properly. Pulling out Leiko's new phone from the wreckage, I traced her last location and found her apartment. I lifted her carefully, feeling the weak weight of her body, and ran, my boots splashing in the puddles, adrenaline keeping me steady.

~ Time Skip ~

Leikos apartment/living room

I laid Leiko down on the sofa, the leather cold under her trembling body. I rifled through the cabinets until I found a first-aid kit, my hands moving with precision, despite the chaos in my head. Bandages, antiseptics, and gauze became my weapons as I worked tirelessly to stabilise her.

~ Time Skip ~

Hours passed in a blur of worry and focus. By the time the night had fully fallen, and the city's lights reflected through the windows in streaks of red and blue, I finally stepped back, breathing heavily. And then her eyes shot open. I froze, disbelief washing over me.