Chapter 26 Local Park

As the sun rose on a new day, Ayumi felt a newfound sense of happiness that she hadn't felt in a long time. She owed it all to Koji and his magical letter that put an end to her manager's constant harassment at work. She knew she had to thank him in person, so on her way to work, she made her way to his vending machine. 

 Ayumi took a deep breath as she walked toward Koji's vending machine. She couldn't wait to see him again.

As she approached, Koji stepped out from behind the soda can and greeted her with a warm smile. "Hey there, Ayumi. It's so good to see you," he said.

Ayumi smiled at the sound of his voice. "Hi, Good morning, Koji, I'm sorry I haven't come these last few days," she replied, feeling her heart skip a beat. "I wanted to thank you for your help. I can finally go to work without feeling scared or anxious."

 Koji's smile grew wider as he said, "No worries, I'm glad to hear that my letter helped, Ayumi. No one should have to go through what you did." 

 As they talked, Ayumi felt a sense of comfort being in Koji's presence. He was like a beacon of hope in her life, always there to lend a helping hand. She knew that no matter what happened, she could always count on him to be there for her.

"I was on my way to work, so I stopped by to thank you. But I will come to visit today after work." Ayumi said as she walked away.

koji waved at her and said, "I will be eagerly waiting. Bye!"

Ayumi's long day of work had come to an end. As the sun began to set, Ayumi's shift at the restaurant finally came to an end. She made her way through the park, enjoying the peaceful evening atmosphere.

 Suddenly, a strong grip caught her arm and pulled her back. Her heart raced as she turned around to face her attacker, a sinister figure looming over her. Before she could react, a brutal blow struck her in the face, causing her to collapse onto the ground, clutching her face in agony. 

Through the haze of pain, she heard the attacker demand for money, his voice cold and threatening. Ayumi's pockets were empty, but the attacker didn't believe her, raining down more blows upon her frail body. She could do nothing but plead for mercy, repeating that she had nothing to give. Eventually, the attacker grew bored with the beating and fled, leaving Ayumi alone and broken on the ground, curled up in a ball.

Her hands flew to her face as she felt the warm blood streaming down. She was left there, feeling broken and alone, surrounded only by the echoes of her attacker's footsteps fading into the night. As she lay there, a single tear escaped her eye, and she wondered how much more she could take before everything became too much to bear.