Lost and Found: Peti's Second Chance and his New Family

Backstory

The car ride was filled with the sweet sounds of laughter. Peti's small hands gripped his toy airplane, flying it through the air in the backseat as the breeze blew through the open windows. Yogohara Samato glanced at his wife, Aoi, who was smiling, her hand resting gently on his arm. Their voices were soft, filled with love and warmth, the perfect melody to match the sunny afternoon.

"Dad, can I drive one day?" Peti asked, bouncing in his seat, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Samato laughed. "One day, champ. But not today!" he teased, grinning at his son through the rearview mirror.

Aoi turned in her seat, her eyes full of love. "Maybe someday, but you've got to let your dad be the pilot for now."

Peti giggled, pretending to steer his airplane as they sang songs together, their voices harmonizing in joy.

But in the blink of an eye, the joy was ripped away.

A loud, thunderous honk echoed through the air as a massive truck barreled through the intersection. Samato's eyes widened in terror as he slammed on the brakes, but it was too late.

The truck smashed into them with a horrifying crash, hitting the passenger side where Aoi sat. The sound of metal bending, glass shattering, and tires screeching filled the air, cutting through the peaceful afternoon like a knife. The car spun wildly out of control before flipping violently off the road.

Everything went silent for a brief moment, a stillness that felt unnatural, as if the world itself had stopped. Then came the screams.

Peti's small body was thrown around like a rag doll, his seatbelt biting into his chest as the car flipped and rolled. His toy airplane flew from his hands, vanishing in the chaos. He could hear his own screams, shrill and panicked, but his mind couldn't make sense of what was happening. His world had been turned upside down.

When the car finally came to a crashing halt, resting on its side, Peti hung limply in his seat, suspended by his seatbelt. His head throbbed, blood trickled down his temple, and the world spun in dizzying circles. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as he coughed and tried to take in the shattered scene around him.

"Mom?" he whimpered, barely able to breathe. His voice was small, a broken whisper. "Mom? Dad?"

He twisted in his seat, struggling to free himself, his hands trembling. His eyes darted toward the front of the car, where his mother sat, slumped unnaturally against the broken window. Blood poured from a deep gash on her forehead, and her beautiful face—once so full of life—was pale and covered in crimson streaks. Her chest rose and fell weakly, but her eyes were closed, her body twisted at a horrific angle.

"Mom!" Peti screamed now, his voice desperate, as he tried to reach for her. His small hands shook as he stretched toward her, but the seatbelt held him back, trapping him in place. "Mom, wake up! Please!" Tears streamed down his cheeks as panic set in. His mother wasn't moving.

At that moment, his father stirred beside her, groaning in pain. Samato's face was bloodied, one of his arms bent in a way that shouldn't have been possible. Despite the agony coursing through his body, he managed to reach for his wife.

"Aoi... Aoi, wake up!" he choked out, his voice hoarse, filled with dread. He grasped her hand, but there was no response. "Stay with me, Aoi. Don't leave me! Please!"

Samato's breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to move, each attempt to get closer to his wife sending fresh waves of pain through his broken body. His legs were pinned under the dashboard, but his focus was entirely on Aoi, his heart breaking with every passing second she didn't respond.