Chapter 5 - The Real Story begins

Taki collapses on his knees.

His hands tremble.

His breath breaks.

Tears stream down his face.

The world around him screams, runs, panics—

—but for him, everything has gone silent.

Sakura is gone.

Gone forever.

Taki’s chest tightens as if his heart is being crushed slowly.

He lowers his head.

His lips tremble.

He is crying.

Completely broken

A VOICE FROM THE BACKGROUND

Calm.

Soft.

Almost casual.

“Professor Lanki…”

“Have some tea.”

“How long will you keep writing Taki and Sakura’s story?

Professor Lanki sits at a wooden table.

A notebook lies open in front of him.

Pages filled with words.

Dark words.

A story.

He is writing calmly.

As if none of what we just saw was real.

He slowly puts the pen down.

Lanki exhales.

“This story…”

“I have written the ending.”

“My ending…”

“And my student Taki’s ending.”

“How it will happen.”

“How we will die.”

Behind him, his wife stands quietly, holding a cup of tea.

She places it on the table.

“If that’s the case,”

“then why don’t you go meet Taki?”

“Why don’t you tell him the truth?”

Lanki does not turn around.

“I already told him.”

“Two years ago.”

He finally looks at her.

“I told him that our lives are the same.”

“That just like I will die…”

“He will die too.”

He pauses.

His eyes darken.

“But when I found out that his mother had already died…”

“I was shaken.”

“I couldn’t understand why these incidents were happening before time.”

“Why reality was moving faster than it should.”

He looks at the notebook again.

“That is why I wrote this story.”

“To understand how my end…”

“And Taki’s end…”

“Could possibly happen.”

“I haven’t met him in two years.”

“And I don’t want to.”

His voice lowers.

“Because if I meet him…”

“What will I tell him?

“When I myself don’t know the answers.

REALITY CLARIFICATION (SUBTLE)

Taki and Sakura’s story was real.

Up to the point where Taki’s mother died.

After that—

Lanki began writing possibilities.

Predictions.

Deaths.

Endings.

A future that might happen.

---

Lanki’s wife speaks again.

“Our son called today.”

“He said he’s starting to understand what you used to say.”

“He regrets his choices.”

Lanki listens silently.

“He said maybe you were right.”

Lanki finally speaks.

“That was inevitable.”

“When a person starts believing he is different from others…”

“He assumes everyone else is foolish.”

“But the truth is…”

“Both are fools.”

“They only pretend to be different.”

His wife looks at him gently.

“Maybe you’re still angry with him.”

“But he has learned now.”

“He has started writing too.”

“He wants to become a writer like you.”

Lanki repeats softly—

“A writer…”

A faint smile appears on his face.

He picks up the tea.

Takes a sip.

At that moment—

His phone rings.

It’s his son.

Their relationship has always been distant.

His son was surrounded by the wrong people.

Drugs.

Bad choices.

Hatred.

Not because Lanki was strict—

—but because Lanki never lied.

He told his son the truth about society.

About reality.

About life.

Truths his son never wanted to hear.

Truths that made him uncomfortable.

Truths that made him believe—

“My father doesn’t love me.”

For the first time—

His son speaks clearly.

“Dad…”

“I finally understand what you were trying to say.”

“I’ve left all my bad habits.”

“I’m coming home today.”

Lanki’s expression changes.

“Don’t come.”

“You still don’t understand.”

His son tries to say something—

CALL CUTS.

TIME PASSES – NIGHT FALLS

Lanki prepares tea again.

His wife is not at home she has gone out shopping with her friends.

Lanki is alone at home.

Old music plays softly.

He enjoys the silence.

He looks out the window.

Cold wind blows.

“Winter is coming…”

He thinks.

“Maybe I should have a drink.”

He steps outside to buy one.

Lanki freezes.

His wife is standing there.

In front of the same cinema hall.

“What are you doing here?”

She smiles.

“Nothing.”

“We just came to watch a movie.”

A gunshot.

From the top of the cinema hall.

The bullet hits her head.

She falls instantly.

Dead.

Everything happens too fast.

Lanki freezes.

Two…

Three seconds…

He looks down.

Blood.

People screaming.

Running.

Panic.

His heart skips a beat.

She was standing in front of me…

How is she dead…?

He collapses on his knees.

Crying.

Screaming.

As if his entire life has ended.

Then—

It hits him.

This is exactly what I wrote.

He looks at his watch.

 8:20 PM

His eyes widen.

Is this real…?

Did my story come true…?

Did I kill my wife by writing her death…?

Police arrive.

Lanki suffers a heart attack.

He is rushed to the nearest hospital.

One thought repeats in his mind—

How is what I wrote becoming reality…?

Lanki is dying.

Counting his final breaths.

Suddenly—

A boy runs in.

Breathless.

Panicked.

“Professor Lanki!”

“Please tell me how your wife died!”

“I need to save my wife!”

It is Taki.

Lanki’s eyes widen.

Shock.

Confusion.

This also happened in my story…

Just like I wrote…

He came to me…

With regret—

“All your answers…”

“Are in that book.”

“The book I wrote.”

“The End of Parallel Life.”

Before he can say more—

His soul leaves his body.

Taki stands frozen.

Confused.

Which book…?

Is everything written there…?

He walks out.

Just like the story—

Hoto is waiting outside.

“What did the professor say?”

“He mentioned a book.”

“He said all the truth is in that book.”

“If we find it…”

“Maybe we can save Sakura.”

Sakura’s call comes in.

She says the same lines—

The same words—

From the book.

“Taki, where are you?”

“I saw you on live news…”

“Are you in front of the cinema hall?”

“No…”

“I’m at home.”

Relief.

“I was worried.”

“Why did you leave suddenly?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m coming home.”

Call ends.

Taki looks at Hoto.

“Lanki said our lives are the same.”

“Same death date.”

“Same time.”

“Year may change.”

“And this applies to our wives too.”

“Today is November 11.”

“Sakura could die next year…”

“Or the year after.”

“We don’t know.”

“But incidents are happening early.”

“We must find that book.”

Hoto hesitates.

“But changing things will make it worse.”

“Lanki warned you.”

Taki’s eyes burn.

“I didn’t try to change anything.”

“And everything still went wrong.”

“So why shouldn’t I change it now?”

“I will save Sakura.”

“No matter what.”

In his eyes—

Rage.

Resolve.

A dangerous energy.

Someone who is ready to rewrite fate.

Chapter 5 End

written by minus