The spotlight fell on Hinari and she heard the sound of the whirling blades of a chopper getting louder and louder.
She looked up to see where it was coming from and who could be in it but her eyes were blinded by the spotlight.
’Zaki?!!’ She thought silently. She didn’t know if it was just her heart desperately hoping that it was him but just by thinking that Zaki was there, her already disappearing hope returned, giving her magic-like strength to keep holding on.
But her attention was again drawn to the maniac cutting down the rope that she was hanging onto because she heard another hysterical laugh coming from that direction and judging by that sound, her plunge to death was drawing nearer. Her stepsister’s laugh was full of evil intention and anticipation and she knew she had very little time left.
She tried to climb her way up but it was no use. Her arms had no strength to draw from and they were already struggling to just hang on. Out of options, she tried to talk to her stepsister again.
“Stop… please stop this. I know you want the shares. I will give you everything I have if you stop this now!” She was desperate and she knew she would get her stepsister’s attention if she mentioned money. It worked. The hand holding the knife stopped and the only sound that could be heard was the chopper. ’Was she thinking it over? Ok. Ok. I have to persuade her now!’
“If you stop, I promise to give you all my shares and never show my face to the family again. That’s what you want, isn’t it? Well, you can have it! You can have it all!”
Her step sister turned towards her mother as if she was asking her what she thought about Hinari’s offer. When she turned towards her again, Hinari listened for a response, but there was nothing. Then, she heard it again, the sound of the knife cutting down the rope.
“Wait!! What are you doing? Stop it!! I am already willing to give you everything. What more do you want!?”
“Hmph, we will already get everything when you die so why would I keep you alive and give you a chance to take revenge on us? Do you think I’m an idiot?!!! No, no. This is the best way. This is the only way!”
It seemed that Hinari’s last ditch attempt didn’t work. She could feel the rope loosening from where it was getting cut. She heard her stepsister say, “So, my dear stepsister, I guess this is goodbye…” and then the rope snapped.
“ZAKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. Her tears finally ran down her face as she felt her lifeline break. She closed her eyes as she felt herself falling through the air, her arms spread out wide, as if she finally accepted her fate.
As if in slow motion, she felt gravity pulling her down, closer and closer to her demise, but she was content because in her mind, all she saw was her beauty’s face smiling at her, looking at her with loving eyes. She could clearly see his face and even hear him say the words, “Hinari! I will be your superhero again, even if you don’t want me to be. I will protect you even if it costs me my life. I’m coming to save you. I will never ever let you go! I will save you because you are my life!”
Hinari smiled a sad bittersweet smile as she heard these words in her head and she said out loud, “Goodbye, my superhero, my love. I love you so much.”
Thud!
In the next moment, Hinari felt her body crash on something. Or more like, something crashed on her body and wrapped around her tightly, before she felt herself being pulled upwards.
“I said I would save you so save your goodbyes for someone else.”
