The End (SaTzu Fanfiction)

- The Shadow from the Past -

DATE: Pre-apocalypse
TIME: Unknown
LOCATION:  Tainan, Taiwan

Tzuyu's POV

Childhood wasn't the best part of my life, and maybe is growing up either. I wouldn't even considered it as 'childhood' because it sound so bubbly and glittery, which is obviously not what happened to me.
I was always this little kid next door who always spend her nights at the corner of the apartment stairs. Our neighbor was so used to seeing me the first thing in the morning and wakes me up, so I can go back to our room before my parents knows I'm gone. They are the nicest people I met in my whole life even tho their little boy kicks my ass and slap my cheeks from time to time when I can't seem to wake up. They can't blame me tho, the cold cement outside became my most comfortable escape to what's really happening inside our apartment. I was so tired and very much exhausted the whole day making some money on my own, so that I can put myself to finish my school, even just for high school because that's the most I can do for myself.

The last thing I want to hear when I go home is my parents bickering each other of who should put food in our mouths when they already spent their money on drugs. Worst case scenarios? Me getting myself dragged between their fights and end up having some fresh bruises the next day, or sometimes a broken bone if luck wasn't really on my side.

"Hurry up tall kid! Get this last box from here already. Why are you getting slower each day huh? Do you want me to fire you?"

Stupid son of a bitch. Of course I'm moving slower because my whole body ache and obviously my right arm is on cast right now because of my good father shoving me on the wall when I told him he smell like burnt grass the other night.

"Get easy on her, Chen. This kid is a tough one even you put her on blindfold hahaha. Right Tzuyu-ah?"

"Hmm"

Nod and smile Tzuyu.

Nod and smile.

I can't let them hear my thoughts about how disgusting they look because I needed this job so bad. This by far have the best paying job I worked onto, but of course it is also the hardest one as I need to lift heavy boxes as a delivery personnel. My height also gave me advantages to get accepted in this field and endure muscle cramps with a bonus of broken bones, so I can finish my high school and leave this place as soon as possible.
But of course, doing that wasn't the easiest thing to do when you have worst parents in the world. It's not enough that they can't last a day without getting high that they needed to beat the shit out of me when I act being the most decent one in our household.

Back when I was on Grade 8. Still a little younger tho, but who cares? It was Christmas eve that night when I brought home some cake from the bakery I used to work on weekends. I was so giddy and jumpy that I can finally taste a chocolate cake for the first time in my lifetime. I prepared our table, set some musics as being the good child I am and even made some orange juice to complete the Christmas essence I was dreaming about. But my mother had to ruined it on the worst possible way when she came home inside the arms of a drunk stranger.

"Oh you're home Tzuyu! I thought you'll be sleeping outside again?" She said while fixing her disheveled dress acting so cool when her eyes are obviously in color red.

"It's Christmas eve, mom."

"And?"

There was a long pause after that as I look back and forth to my mom and her drunk companion. I'm not dumb to realized that this old man looks like someone who have a decent job and life. From his expensive tuxedo and that shining golden watch on his wrist, I bet that my salary can't even afford those even if I work my ass off for years.