Prologue: Reincarnation.
There lived a girl who had so very little in her life. She lived off the streets stealing, having to perform cons, begging for food and just anything that can help her survive this shitty life of hers.
She didn't go to school.
More like she can't go to school.
Her dad died in a car accident.
Her mother was a drunkard who always had guests coming around the house. She was always kicked out of her place every time there was a 'customer'.
She didn't understand what her mother did for a living but her mother told her it was necessary. It was her job.
Something about entertaining them and they pay. This girl hated that job that her mother had. She didn't have anywhere else to go every time she had a customer over, she shrugged it off because she was innocent and knew nothing of what her mother had sacrificed for them. She would just play with the other kids on the streets and practice stealing.
She was illiterate.
She didn't know the meaning of jail and consequences.
She knew nothing.
Not until for the very first time she got caught by a professor who took pity on her and was remorseful by the way she lived. She caught the girl when she was out walking and saw a little hair popping out on the street wall. The professor eyed her curiously and waited.
The girl ran as fast as she could and took bread in a nearby stall, the owner was a bit overweight so he couldn't catch up but the professor was intrigued by this and started to chase her.
The girl noticed this and tried desperately losing her by knocking trash cans but the professor was too athletic and avoided all the debris that was thrown until the little girl had no idea there was a dead end.
The professor asked the girl, "Why were you stealing?"
The little girl didn't say anything but held onto the bread more tightly. Her eyes were like a wild dog, her mind was driven more by hunger than logic. The girl looked like she wasn't afraid to hurt someone.
The professor luckily was good with kids. "Hey, hey, tell me why you were stealing and I'll give you this." She pulls something out of her bag and takes out a chocolate bar. "If you behave I'll buy you more of these."
The girl was wary but she hasn't tasted sweets in a long time. Tempted, the girl accepted and they went to the nearest bench and sat down to calmly talk. The professor gave the girl the chocolates first and the girl ate it like a hungry wolf who hasn't ever eaten one. "Whoa, calm down no one's going to take that from you."
The professor tried wiping off the chocolate stains on her face but was faced with a hiss. "Don't give me that hiss or I'll take that away from you."
The girl suddenly became quiet and she stared at the ground. "Your face is messy. I was just going to clean it, promise."
The girl stared at her then nodded. The professor took that as a sign that she can approach the girl and began cleaning the chocolate stains on her face. "So where are your parents? They can't be this careless, leaving a kid like you in the streets if they are, they're assholes." The professor bluntly told the girl.
The girl replied, "I... don't... like... okaa-san... and her... customers."
"Customers?"
"Mn." The girl answered she went quiet after that and became a little more isolated. The professor felt something was wrong so she called child services for help. It turns out the mother runs a prostitution business and was just using her money for pleasure that she left the girl to survive on her own and their house wasn't looking great either.
The girl was now an orphan and the professor decided to adopt the girl.
The girl's mother didn't care, in fact she was happy having that girl out of her life.
The girl, only twelve, didn't know simple things like gestures. Genuine feelings. Face expressions. Voice tones.
The professor was even wondering if she adopted a robot instead. The professor was not a patient person, she used vulgar words, she was logical, she was rude and straightforward. However, she was one of the best professors and researchers there is.
The professor taught her everything she needed, taught her how to read and write. Solve complicated math problems and gave her every book she had.
The girl infested with books didn't realize she was a born genius. At fifteen she read the whole public library. The librarians actually knew the girl quite well and was very fond of her.
She wrote dozens of research papers, theories and beliefs. She was offered a lot of scholarships in many schools. Including a sports scholarship because the professor also taught her how to fight.
She excelled in almost everything except for social conduct. In short, making friends. She wasn't good at it so she didn't bother making any.
The girl thought highly of the professor as her role model in life.
The two of them actually got along very well but the girl suddenly fell ill.
She couldn't move her body the way she could before. She couldn't think straight and felt weak. She was sick and there was no cure. She was a false hope. The professor tried everything for the girl to be well and the girl appreciated it wishing that she was her real mother instead.
The professor fought with the hospital staff where she was confined.
She wasn't allowed to leave the room of the hospital or in any case even roam around inside is forbidden.
The professor was heartbroken and always stayed by the girl's side. She always saw her as more than the child she saved from the slums but something like her daughter.
"Professor. Did you know some butterflies can live for only a day? Others might only have weeks and months but they still live their lives being free roaming wherever they want." The girl said looking outside at a window staring bitterly at a purple butterfly gently fluttering its wings as it landed into a nearby flower. She smiles faintly as if comparing herself to that butterfly.
She also has no time to live long it seems.
"Listen, I don't want to hear about death and that other crap. You'll be fine. Stop with the death talk or I'll make you." The professor tiringly pushed her glasses back and crossed her arms.
"You are going to be fine. You're going to live. You're not dying because of some illness, you'll die out of old age and live happily giving me the grandkids I want." The professor angrily shouted at the girl but the girl only smiled at the professor.
"Professor, we both know I won't make it. I just hope you're prepared for the worst. I can feel it being close. I can feel like it's my time already-" she stops her words after noticing the professor's glare.
"Alright cut the sad talk, take your meds I don't wanna hear it, you will live and have me grandbabies." The professor shoved the medicine into the girl's hand and placed a glass of water on the bedside table on her left.
The girl only laughed.
These sounds made the professor soft and mellow.
She sighs and just hugs the girl for a moment. "I hate you're already giving up when you can still live."
"You have a 50/50 chance of survival. It's a risk worth taking if it means seeing you well. I placed you in one of the best hospitals here in Germany. I know they'll cure you. Just don't leave me so soon please... stay." The professor's voice was weak, even her complexion seemed pale and tired.
"I feel like the cat experiment." The girl felt water in her neck. She knew the professor cared for her more than her biological parents ever did. She hugged the professor back and gave her a sad smile. "Professor, if it means so much to you I'll fight."
"You better or else I'll kill you first." The professor pouted a little, tightening her hold.
"Are you sure you're not a tsundere-"
"Shut up or I'll suffocate you with this motherly hug."
"Sorry, sorry I'll shut up now."
The girl gently caresses her black jet hair and the professor fell asleep on her shoulder. The girl, not wanting to wake her up, gently places the professor's head on one of the pillows and both of them went to sleep.
Months have passed and there were no signs of the girl recovering. The time has come where they need to take the surgery or else the chance of her dying will become even higher. The professor almost went mad because she didn't want the girl to die.
She prayed and prayed to the kami. Whatever it took to make sure the girl stays alive. She was a devoted atheist not believing in gods, reincarnation, demons and saints. She believed in science and technology.
This is the first time in years she ever prayed.
"If there's a god right here and now hear my prayers. I want my kid to recover even if you have to take my life for it just hear me." She cried at a temple begging for her wish to come true.
"I didn't believe in you deities but this is a good time to finally do something. Come on make my kid well just... heal her. I don't care what happens to me! Come on you stupid gods I thought you were supposed to help people!" She cried even louder. She held the rope that was supposed to ring the bell and shook it furiously.
"Where the hell were you when my parents left me on that train? Where the hell were you when I needed you almost dying from hunger with no help? WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU WHEN I LOST EVERYTHING I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HELD MY GROUND AND DIDN'T GAVE UP ON MYSELF WHY CAN'T JUST ONCE SHOW UP IN MY LIFE?! I MADE MYSELF SUCCESSFUL AND YOU HAD NO PART IN IT!" Everyone who was also making prayers stared at the professor who was just now crying at the person shaking the rope and the bell ringing like hell.
The monks politely asked her to leave the temple. She collected herself and left feeling the stares from everyone around her. She felt stressed, lost and agitated that she did that. She just really needed to vent some stuff out...
Out of frustration, she took a cigarette from her pocket and her lighter. She smoked and went to the nearest bar.
She felt really tipsy and like she didn't give a care in the world. The professor knew it was wrong venting her anger like this. She wanted to blame something or someone for the girl's suffering. She was in her 30s and didn't have any plans of marrying or having kids.
The only thing that was on her mind was work, work, eat, work, shower, and then sleep for two hours and then continue.
Adopting that girl was something a choice she didn't ever regret. She loved the girl being by her side, always cooking for her every time she comes home from work, teaching her everything she knows, always having company and the best part finally knowing what it's like to have a family and a daughter.
She loved every moment they had together now she just had to cut things short. "Ugh me and these feelings of attachment. It's annoying... but I guess without her I would've been a mess." She was drunk and walked like a penguin on the way home.
"Does the world hate me that much to make my little girl suffer? Come on for once in my life I care about someone and they take it away from me? What a load of Bull!" The professor shouted angrily blaming it all to the world and the gods she refused to believe. She finally has something to cherish but then they tell her student is going to die?
All that frustration being bottled up she screamed and decided to go back to the hospital.
She commuted on the way there and she felt like her feet was dying.
She got out of the bus, dizzy and was just patiently waiting for the green light to come while she stood at the side of the pedestrian lane.
While waiting she felt dizzy and saw a blurry figure not too far away just on the other side of the road.
She felt that it was somewhat familiar so she tried her best squinting her eyes and adjusting her vision. Her eyes widened with surprise when it was her student waving at her on the other side of the road!
"Why the heck are you outside the hospital bed didn't your doctor tell you to not leave and rest?!" She shouted at the girl but the girl's face seemed so excited and happy at the same time.
They both waited for the green light, "I was worried about you professor! You didn't answer any of my calls and it's already this late you're never late it made me worried!!!"
The professor checked her phone and saw the girl's number that called a few times even the worried texts. She closed the phone and shouted, "Wait over there I'll come to you once the green light is on!"
The girl was fluttering like she was energetic and couldn't contain all of the happiness she was feeling. This rarely happened and maybe something good happened. Has finally praying for the gods do something?!
"Professor, come on! I have good news!"
"Just wait there!" she shouted.
The girl looked right and left and decided to make a dash for it while panting she shouted- "Professor I'm finally cured!!!"
The professor hearing this was moved to tears. She almost couldn't believe it!
BEEP! BEEP!
OH NO. DON'T TELL ME ITS- ITS!!!
There was a truck coming straight at the girl. "What the-!"
The girl did not notice the truck because of so much adrenaline and excitement it was too late.
She closed her eyes and waited, waited, waited... until she heard a voice...
"Live and be happy."
She felt the sudden push and the pain of her butt on the highway and saw the professor's body lying down with a pool of blood no longer breathing.
*End of Prologue*
Another story that I'm willing to bet on might go big if I continue uploading. Well it's only an experiment and I feel like my writing style improved a bit also due to quarantine. I was a bit bored so I wrote this. I don't know if I'll be continuing this but piece out bros.
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So update: It went big- I might sign a webnovel contract with this book after some thorough editing and stockpiling of chapters.
Edited: Feb 3, 2022.
Edited: June 19, 2022.