Niko

Shen Shu headed over to the dining room, where she found her father standing at the head of the table. She walked over to him and kissed his head. He smiled at her.

"How are you?" He asked.

"I'm good," Shen Shu answered half-honestly. "How's your health today?" She had noticed that he was more tired and restless than usual.

"Nothing to worry about," was his answer.

Shen Shu smiled.

She watched her father take a seat, and she did the same.

Her mother walked, wearing a sheepish grin and sat across from her. Mrs. Tang served them the food and sat next to Shen Shu, eating alongside the family. Mrs. Tang had always been a part of the Shen family, even if she had her own. She'd join her husband and son after she finished eating with them.

Shen Shu looked towards her parents, who wore subtle smiles. She always wondered what they were thinking.

Shen Shu is their youngest child and only daughter. After her parents had her, Shen Shu's mother was desperate to have a son, too. But her health had been too fragile, so when her father brought home Niko, she had open arms for him and loved him instantly.

Her parents supported his decision to go to Russia. Her mother said he needed a soul-searching journey and that he'd be back. She was confident about it. Shen Shu was not.

She thought Niko believed Russia was his home. That'd he want to go back and stay there. She never imagined him being in the same city as her now.

She wondered if her parents knew. She wondered what he was doing now? Who was he with? Did he have someone?

Part of her hoped he was not alone, and the reminder nearly knocked her breath. Niko could be with Aleksei Sokolov, his best friend!

But Alek had not been in his head of late. Shen Shu barely heard a word from him. He had his head buried in his work and was far more broody than usual. His brother passed away, but they were never close. Deep in her heart, she knew he was hurting about something else. Sometimes she wished she knew how to read people, how to help.

But if she were to contact Alek, would he even tell her about Niko? Or would he cover for him and keep his mouth sealed?

Shen Shu sighed as she picked at her food.

…

Shen Shu flipped through the television channels and gave up in the afternoon. She felt as if she had binged every series in every program possible, and nothing else interested her. She had other hobbies but lately had no inspiration, no creative spark. Everything she ever did: art, dancing, crocheting, remained stagnant.

Defeated, Shen Shu slumped in her bed as she stared at the ceiling.

Her phone buzzed next to her, so she rolled over on her front to check her phone. She glanced at the message from my friend: Watch a fight with me!

A fight? Why would I want to do that?

She then replied, "No."

Ting responded: "Oh please, Shen Shu!"

Shen Shu gave in. "Fine," She texted back. She had nothing better to do anyway, so she rose from the mattress. She went over to my closet to find something comfortable to wear. She finished getting ready, and then she made her to the address her friend sent her.

It was located in lower-town, and the fight took place at a sketchy club.

What the hell?

Knowing she had been to sketchier places, Shen Shu shrugged her shoulders and headed inside, where she met with her friend.

"Shen Shu!" She started. "Let's go. It's about to start!"

Ting dragged her down the club's stairs to an underground fighting ring. Shen Shu widened her eyes as she took in her surroundings. It was a big room filled with many people, and she caught the dry bloodstains on the platform.

Ting takes a seat with her.

"How have you heard of this place?" Shen Shu asked her.

"A friend," she answers curtly.

She knew that to be here, you needed to be invited. Shen Shu wondered how Ting managed to get both of their invites.

They watch the ring, awaiting the next fight as the announcer excites the crowd. Shen Shu was now glad she came. The atmosphere begins to buzz with energy, and excitement fills her veins.

The presenter announces one fighter, and the crowd starts to rumble. Shen Shu smiled at her friend as she mirrored her expression. Ting was as pumped as Shen Shu. That was until the other fighter stepped forward.

Her eyes widened, and her nostrils flared as she watched the other person step into the platform.

"Is that not your brother, Shen Chi?" Ting says, next to Shen Shu, her expression shocked.

Shen Shu's face contorts with something like anger and rage. That fucking bastard! "I'm going to kill him," she said calmly.

But she remained seated as Ting, and she watched Niko annihilate his opponent fast and effortlessly. She remembered all the years she watched him pour his heart into martial arts and training when he was not studying.

When the match was over, the presenter asked the crowd for a volunteer to fight the winner. A big cash prize would be awarded to the winner, but she did not care about the money.

Shen Shu hooded her face as she ran down the stairs toward the presenter with no hesitation. Ting called her name from behind her worryingly, but Shen Shu ignored her.

"I would like to be next," Shen Shu said to a silver-blonde woman, voice clipped.

"Are you sure, honey? Shen Chi is not easy to beat."

Shen Shu stared at her with determination in my eyes. "I will be fine."

The woman looks at her with a smirk.

She then moves aside as Shen Shu climb into the ring. She puts on knuckle wraps as Niko stays shirtless, warming up. Sweat glides down his tattooed arms and chiselled abs. She then looked back at his face.

He looks prepared. He looked confident until Shen Shu removed her hood and watched as his eyes widened in horror.

Shen Shu smiled at him unkindly. "Welcome back, brother," she said as she positioned herself.