1 Chapter 1

Steven was sitting on his desk inside his room. His room was small and organized, a bed being, a closet, a door that led to the balcony, and a desk filled with books, one calculator, one lamp. Steven yawned before reducing the lamplight before he went back to writing.

"I have to complete this calculus homework and finish all my other homework tonight. If not for my father and mother taking me to visit my aunt after I told them I have so much homework, I would have already been asleep." Steven muttered as he picked up his calculator to calculate something. "Then I have to study for the midterm. I won't sleep today."

Steven is a 17-year-old boy, born as the second child in the family of four, his sister being the first. He has always been an organized and clean person, who strives to get perfect grades, in hopes of him becoming someone prestigious and successful in the future, so growing up has been monotonous and repetitive. Go to school, learn, come home, eat, learn, sleep, repeat.

It hasn't been that bad as his parent at least give him a monthly allowance of 100$ to do whatever he wants as long as he gets a good grade for the month. He saves 80% of the money and uses the rest for what he loves best, writing, reading novels, and occasionally mangas.

His parents were above average in terms of money as his father has a well-paying job as a doctor in a prestigious hospital, while his mother was a best-selling author, so they haven't been short of money and worry too much even after his sister dropped out.

Cleaning his eyes once more, he raised his head and looked at the digital clock above the door that showed 3:56 am.

"I need some fresh air. 4 minutes will do." Steven said, standing up and stretching.

He then put on his hoodie and a slipper before walking out of his room into the dark and quiet hallway. He quietly walked down the hall and as he reached his sister's door, she called out.

"Steve, get me a pack of cigarettes while you are out there." She said from inside the room.

"The money?" Steven whispered, not wanting to wake his parents up.

"Use yours, I will pay you back later." She replied.

"You still own me 72 dollars." Steven matured, walking back into his room and taking out some money from his table drawer.

He then put them in his pocket before walking out of the house, locking the door behind him. He put on his hood and placed his hand in his hoodie pocket before walking out the yard and into the sidewalk.

It was quiet and dark, with cars occasional passing. He reached the convenience store some minutes later and went in. He took a pack of cigarettes and placed it on the counter.

"I will like to buy this." Steven said, dragging his hood to shield his face from the old man at the other side of the counter.

"ID?" The old man asked.

"I don't have it, but I guarantee I am 18." Steven said, reaching into his pocket to get the money.

"Sorry kid, you need an ID." The old man said, yawning.

"I can pay you extra? Think of it as a tip." Steven said, putting the money on the counter.

"Bribe doesn't work on me." The old man said, shaking his head.

"That always worked on the others." Steven said before realizing it. "Oh, no."

"The other? The other!? I will fire those fuckers!!!" The old man shouted, slamming the table. "And you, buy something else. You cant buy the cigarettes unless you have your ID."

"Haa." Steven took the cigarette, leaving the money on the counter and proceeding to run out of the store.

"Fuck! Hay kid, get the fuck back!!" The old man shouted, not bothering to stand up. "At least he left the money... Wait, this money is fake."

Steven who was already down the block stopped running to take a breather. He suddenly started hearing the creak of rusty iron, causing him to look around. The sign of the closed shop above him suddenly broke, falling at him. Luckily, he managed to quickly move out the way, saving himself.

'That was dangerous... Is this Karma for stealing from that old man?' As he was about to walk, he heard a female scream come from the ally behind him. Not even stopping to think, he ran away, 'I should probably go buy a gun. I should have enough money. Don't want to become like that unfortunate woman.'

Walking for some time, he reached a vending machine, and behind the glass were a variety of pistols. Revolver, Glock, and many more. Walking up to it, he clicked on it.

[Are you a criminal?] A robotic female voice came out.

"No."

[Type your social security number.] Which Steven then proceed to do.

[Why do you want a gun?]

"Self-protection."

[Scanning history, please wait for some second...]

[You are clean. What gun do you want?]

"Glock 47."

[Insert your money and after taking the gun you will be under robotic surveillance. For any gun violence that happens in this area you will be a suspect]

Putting in the desired money, a gun then dropped into the little container on the bottom and as he reached to get it, he was pushed out the way and a man grabbed the gun. Steven was about to stand up and bolt out of there, but the man who stole his gun shut him two times on his throat, killing him.

'I wish I reincarnated in a dog-eat-dog world. That would be fun...' Those were his last thought.