1. It's never too late

'It's never too late.'

The saying was firmly established in the beliefs of all, unanimously agreed upon without any doubt.

It provided a source of hope for those who had stumbled, those who had not yet reached their goals, and those in search of meaning in their lives.

Because it was a fact: there is always the opportunity to chase after one's dreams—no matter what they are. Just one first step was needed to start a series of events that would bring everything together, leading to eventual success.

That was the shared conviction.

That's what Orion used to believe in, at least.

***

In a room of a ten-story building, a bed was placed with its bed sheets tucked in a corner.

A messy table was close by, its top covered with a disorganized mix of books, some open, others piled randomly, each narrating a different tale.

Nevertheless, it was the floor that really drew the eye. Littered all over it like fallen leaves were empty chip packets and crumpled snack wrappers, indicating the occupant's indulgence or possible distraction.

A man in his thirties sat at the opposite side of the room, his face depicting worry as he focused closely on the computer screen in front of him.

His hair was plain black, uncombed, and he had faint dark circles under his eyes, showing he was tired from the current pressures.

Completely absorbed in what he was doing, his fingers moved swiftly over the keys, filling the room with the rhythmic sound of typing.

After a while, he paused, his gaze fixated on the monitor before him, his mind fully absorbed in the task at hand.

"The cut-off marks have finally arrived."

He was drawn to the screen by the link leading to the page containing the list of passing exam candidates and cut-off marks.

As he hesitated and hovered over the link to the exam results, he felt a surge of emotions.

It wasn't the fear of not succeeding that prevented him from moving forward, but a much more sinister anticipation.

This was Orion's last chance for redemption—his final opportunity. One more failure would signal the conclusion of his journey, determining his destiny in a manner he feared to consider.

A 30-year-old man was unable to keep taking exams, signaling the start of his problems. His family's savings were all used up after a tragic accident, leaving him with zero funds.

In addition to his troubles, he had taken a loan from the landowner to pay for his exam expenses. If he did not succeed this time, the repercussions would be much worse than just failing academically.

"I can't run away from this. I have to check it sooner or later anyway. So, let's do it now."

When he found the courage to click the link, his heart pounded in his chest with the fear of the unknown. The screen came on, showing the harsh truth of what was to come, with his name noticeably missing from the list.

Observing the cut-off marks, Orion experienced a sudden shock that ran through his entire body. He was shocked and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the number: 350.

He was struck by a bitter realization when he saw the cruel irony of his fate. His score, just one point below the necessary cut-off, taunted him on the screen: 349.

A single mark separated him from being saved, a barrier that appeared impossible to overcome and destined him to a fate worse than failure.

In that instant, he discovered himself standing at the entrance of hopelessness while contemplating the repercussions of his failure spreading out like fragments of shattered glass. Every shattered hope pierced him more deeply each time, leaving him vulnerable to the unpredictable winds of uncertainty.

At that moment, Orion's heart started to beat faster. With every passing second, its speed increased, causing a low thumping sound all around him. However, he appeared to be unaware of it as he wallowed in his despair.

"Thump!"

"It's just one mark."

"Thump!" "Thump!"

"IT'S JUST ONE MARK!"

"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!"

"Why? Why am I so unlucky?"

"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!"

"WHY?! I worked hard for years, and I still didn't pass. Why?!"

"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!"

"Why?"

He yelled at his fate—his incompetence. He had tried so hard, come so far that losing here would mean everything he had done would turn into nothing but waste.

"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!"

"My heart?! Why is it so fast? I can hear the sound of its beating."

"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!"

"But why is—"

Orion's voice got stuck in his throat, his sentence left hanging as an intense pain tore through his chest. With one last, painful breath, his heart, already beating rapidly, succumbed to the intense pressure.

Suddenly, everything around him turned into a red blur as blood flowed from his broken heart, gathering in a grim scene of closure.

His head bowed down onto the desk while the remaining shreds of awareness faded away, enveloped by encroaching darkness.

Orion's journey was abruptly and prematurely cut short in that tragic moment, leaving only the resounding silence of his unfulfilled dreams.

***

"What happened?"

A scream sounded in a quiet and gloomy place.

The cry came from a teenage boy of fifteen, with messy black hair and a dusty face. His garments looked like they hadn't been cleaned in a while, and he had the overall look of a beggar.

'Where am I? I was just thinking about why my heartbeat increased so fast, and suddenly I am here.'

The kid, or rather Orion, pondered his situation. As he surveyed his surroundings, he was struck by an even more shocking sight.

Fourteen kids, ranging from fifteen to twenty years old, surrounded him in a comparable situation. The cruelest part was that they were all chained, with their hands and legs bound, and attached to a wall.

"What is this place?"

The children responded to his question by remaining silent and staring at him strangely, giving no answer.

Ignoring them, Orion tried to stand up from his seat but soon discovered he couldn't. Attempting to rise, he faced the sound of chains clinking in response to his unseen struggles.

Puzzled, he looked down and suddenly realized his situation was similar to the other children, all trapped here by the same chains.

However, what really surprised him was not the incident itself, but rather the fact that he was also a child like them.

'I am a kid! How is this possible?'

The revelation shocked him and yet another thought soon crossed his mind.

'Have I transmigrated into this kid?'

This was the only scenario in which he could imagine himself reverting to a childlike state.