Chapter 1

Coco still died.

When her body appeared in front of me, a tremendous sense of guilt surged within me. The lights in the hallway flickered, and beneath my feet, a spreading red seeped out from the room, soaking into the soles of my shoes.

Coco was barefoot, still in her nightgown, made of pure cotton with a white floral print, a birthday gift from me. Now, it was heavily stained with blood, with a gunshot wound to her left chest, leaving no chance of survival.

The police had cordoned off the scene, conducting their investigation. I saw someone photographing Coco's body; under the flash, her face was pale.

I had seen her just this morning, showing off her new nail polish, asking me, "Nami, do you like it? This is the new rose color" Thinking of this, tears uncontrollably fell, and my legs suddenly felt weak; I leaned against the wall behind me.

Half an hour earlier, I was at Coco's doorstep, dialing 911, as a man in black, not even five meters away from me, dropped his tools and ran upon seeing me. He had been tampering with Coco's window.

The room was lit, and music was playing inside.

As the man headed towards the stairwell, I didn't think twice; while calling, I chased after him: "Hello, police? Urban Garden Block A, Apartment 401, someone's trying to harm my friend, please hurry!"

By the time I descended, the man had vanished. I searched the neighborhood but found no sign of him. Returning upstairs, I found Coco's door wide open, leading to the scene before me...

At the police station for a statement, it was late, the station buzzing with activity over Coco's death.

A policeman asked me, "What's your relationship with the deceased?"

"We were college mates and close friends."

"Why were you at her place?"

"Just wanted to chat."

"About what?"

I realized he was suspicious, "I told you, Coco and I were close. We lived nearby; I often visited her at night."

He skimmed through some documents, "Your emergency call was logged at 10:23 PM, but Coco died around 10:40 PM. Meaning, you called before the incident…"

I interrupted, "I've explained at the scene. I just reached Coco's when I saw someone tampering with her window, so I called the police. The person fled upon seeing me, and I lost him after chasing. When I returned, Coco was already... You should chase that man; he's likely the murderer."

"Calm down, we believe you. Though the corridor's CCTV was sabotaged, we do have footage of the man you described and you searching the neighborhood. It's just odd, most would think of a burglar upon seeing someone tampering with a window, yet you reported a potential murder. Why?"

"I can't recall; maybe I was too nervous."

"Did you see the man's face?"

"No, he wore a mask and a hat. I couldn't see clearly."

"Can you think of anyone who'd want to harm Coco, or if she had conflicts with anyone?"

I shook my head, "Coco was just a student. I can't imagine who want to harm Coco" I choked up again.

The policeman handed me a card with a number, "Let's stop here for today. If you remember anything, contact me directly. My name is Officer Lee."

Leaving the station, I saw Sheldon waiting outside. "I rushed over when I heard. Coco was shot? What happened?"

I replied, "Sheldon, it's my fault. I couldn't stop it."

"It's not your fault; the culprit had a gun."

I hesitated, then whispered, "What if I told you I knew Coco would die?"

Sheldon looked at me in shock, "You knew... What do you mean?"

I struggled to explain, even to myself, "Let's talk elsewhere."

"Where to?"

"Let's go to the school lab."

Coco, Sheldon, and I were all graduate students at the same university, working under Professor Stephen on parallel universes. Technically, I was an unofficial team member, handling media liaisons and sponsorships due to my journalism major.

Their research was on parallel universes, a topic beyond my understanding. I joined the team solely because of Coco's persuasion, as initially, the group struggled to recruit members.

Three years ago, Professor Stephen proposed the "Universe has edges, but no limits" theory, suggesting the omnipresence of parallel universes.

From a scientific standpoint, it was a monumental study. However, the school wasn't supportive, favoring research with immediate practical applications. Despite numerous historical and international attempts, no one has yet to prove the existence of parallel universes.

I, too, was skeptical, finding their discussions incomprehensible. I didn't believe in parallel universes; their existence would surely complicate our world. But now, my perspective has changed...