The Reasons Part 2

Tzuyu had been scarred all her life.

When she was five, she saw how her grandfather died right before her eyes as the speeding car drove away. Her mom told her that it wasn't her fault, but she knew deep inside she was blaming herself.

When she was twelve, she saw how the sharp shiny knife disappeared in her father's chest as the thief started to pull his gun, his eyes directly looking at her.

She heard how the gun made its sound, and she had waited for something to be embedded in her but when she opened her eyes, she saw her father's eyes. His eyes that held sadness and happiness all at the same time.

She remembered how her father never shed a tear, he only held her cheeks as he told her how much he appreciated her.

She saw how her father tried not to show any pain on his face and she saw how the light in his eyes slowly disappeared just as she heard the sirens of the police and ambulance nearing their house.

She endured living the nightmare that was her father's death, and sometimes she wished that she'd never have to sleep, because every time she closed her eyes, she can see her father's wistful smile, she can feel him slowly getting limp on her lap, she can feel his body taking his last breaths before settling his lifeless eyes on her that still haunts her until today.

But nothing broke her as much as her mother's death.

Her mother was there for her when she lost her grandfather, she was also there when she lost her father. She was there to hold her when she thought that her tears were her only companion for the nights that came.

She was there to tell her that it wasn't her fault when she blamed herself numerous of times. She was there to keep her trapped in her embrace when she remembered her father. She was there.

She was there.

But then three words made her fade in her sight.

"I have cancer." The older woman said to the then 18 year old Tzuyu who just got home from school.

Tzuyu can remember clearly how she dropped the box of donuts she bought for her mom when she was walking home. Tzuyu can remember how her ears rang and how there was nothing in her mind but one thing. 

'She's going to leave me too.'

Tzuyu wanted to run away when those words left her mother's mouth. She thought that if she did,she would get to avoid being left alone. She thought that if she did, her mother won't leave her.

But she didn't.

Because she knows that this is reality.

Every problem, ever worry she has won't disappear just because she ran away. And so she stayed.

She always knew her mother was weak, her father always told her to take care of her mother when he went to work. She always heard her cough and her mom would keep herself in her bed for almost the whole day.

She was always worried about her mom, but she never thought that her mom was this sick.

She didn't know that it'll get this bad.

She didn't know that the sickness her mom endured ever since she was young, would take her the time Tzuyu needed her the most.

Tzuyu stayed by her mother's side as she tried to fight