Prologue

On April 13, 2023.

A seventeen-year-old teenager with disheveled black hair is immersed in his own world. The PS controller in his hand moves with expert precision, creating a vivid virtual world before him. The sounds of gunfire and shouts from the game fill the small room.

The sounds of gunfire and shouts from the game blend with the depth of the night, creating a symphony appreciated only by that teenager. His eyes remain fixed on the television screen, emitting visuals of the game he's playing, as if he's truly trapped in the fantasy world crafted by technology.

Even though the wall clock indicated 2 AM, the teenager paid no attention to the time. His face, increasingly pallid under the blue glow from the screen, showed no signs of fatigue. However, as the game reached its climax, his eyes, which had been following every move incessantly, suddenly grew heavy, and his body began to slump on the comfortable sofa.

As morning arrived, the teenager woke up with drowsiness still clinging to his eyes. His gaze shifted to the wall clock, now showing 9 AM. Quickly, he opened the curtains, and sunlight flooded the room, revealing the chaos hidden during the night.

Items scattered around, leftover snacks piled in corners, and the stale scent of fast-food remnants enveloped the room, quiet after the intense night of gaming.

"Sigh, it's so unfair for me; why do I have to bear this burden alone?" He grumbled about his situation while cleaning up the room.

After a few minutes of clearing all the trash there, he proceeded to sweep and mop the floors, heavily stained from spills of snacks and drinks.

It took him a few hours to clean the entire room thoroughly, but he did it all without a single complaint.

After diligently cleaning the room, the teenager stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. The warm water greeted his tired body, washing away the fatigue from the previous night.

A lengthy shower provided him with a chance to reflect, and afterward, he emerged with a renewed spirit. Wearing neatly prepared clothes, the teenager sprayed his favorite perfume and styled his hair with scented hair oil. With a refreshed appearance, he stepped out of his apartment toward the bus stop.

Patiently, he waited for the bus that would take him to the mall around his apartment area. It didn't take long for the awaited bus to arrive; the teenager boarded it and enjoyed the journey to the mall.

Upon reaching the mall, he headed straight to the store that offered a variety of game cassettes. With exuberant enthusiasm, he explored shelves filled with various titles for PS, Xbox, Nintendo, and other platforms. After a while of searching, the teenager's eyes lit up upon finding the perfect game. With a smile on his face, he took it to the cashier and happily made the purchase.

With the new game in hand, the teenager felt even more excited. However, his stomach reminded him to replenish energy, and he decided to look for a place to eat. After passing through bustling stores, he found a fast-food restaurant serving Japanese dishes.

In the restaurant filled with delicious aromas, the teenager sat comfortably. He ordered some of his favorite Japanese dishes and savored each bite with joy. Despite the hustle and bustle around him, he found tranquility in the delight of the food accompanying him.

While enjoying the Japanese dishes, the teenager began to notice a different atmosphere around the mall. Most of the mall visitors were dominated by couples on romantic dates.

"Strange, why do they enjoy doing that so much? Clearly, it's only going to make him lose, spending his own money and giving it to a girl who may not always be loyal to him. The teenager muttered to himself.

"However, happiness is not always tied to having a special person by your side. Just as being close to good people doesn't necessarily bring you closer to God. It is, in fact, being close to God that makes you a good person.

The teenager shifted his gaze to the mall's ceiling. "What have I been talking about? Is it even fitting for a loner like me to speak like that? Damn, this world is so hard to understand."

Sitting in the corner of the restaurant, his mind started to wander into confusion about people who willingly spend money for the happiness of their partners.

For him, happiness isn't always tied to someone's presence on the other side. Not finding a partner is not a burden but a valued freedom.

As he was contemplating, a small child suddenly fell nearby. Quickly, the teenager got up and helped the little child stand.

"Are you okay?" The teenager asked while helping the little child to stand.

Not long after, a woman appeared, approaching with a worried expression. "Adrian, are you okay? Sorry, big sister got too focused on looking for game cassettes earlier. Forgive big sister, okay?"

The little child showed no signs of sadness at all. "Big sister is exaggerating, I'm perfectly fine. Earlier, this big brother helped me, so I didn't get hurt."

The older sister of the little child glanced towards the teenager who had helped her sibling. "Thank you for helping my little sibling." She lowered her head.

The man nodded awkwardly. "No problem. Hmm... I overheard you saying you were looking for game cassettes, do you like console games?"

The woman was immediately intrigued by his question. "Of course, I even collect various merchandise from several famous game series. Plush toys, action figures, wallpapers, and much more."

The man simply nodded, listening to her story, and then the woman realized she might have shared too much. "Uh, did I make you feel uncomfortable?"

"No, not at all. I was just a bit surprised; turns out a woman can be enthusiastic about console games."

The woman chuckled lightly, adding a sweet touch to her demeanor. "Are you implying that women aren't supposed to like games?"

The man looked awkward, being less accustomed to talking with the opposite gender, leaving him puzzled about finding conversation topics. Suddenly, the woman extended her hand for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, I'm Rina."

The man responded a bit late to Rina's invitation. "Uh, yeah... Nice to meet you, I'm Rudy."

"Sis, how long are we going to stay here? I'm bored. You said you wanted to play soccer with me." Her little sibling said while pulling on Rina's sleeve.

Rina tousled her sibling's hair. "Yeah, yeah, Adrian. Rudy, it seems I can't chat much with you; my little brother is eager to play the soccer game in this mall."

Adrian suddenly pulled on Rudy's finger. "Big brother, would you also play with me? Sister Rina doesn't mind if big brother here joins us, right?"

Rina became puzzled and crouched down to be at eye level with her little brother. "Adrian, we shouldn't invite others suddenly. What if big brother here has other plans?"

"I don't mind at all. I don't have any important plans right now, so I can accompany both of you to play the soccer game together.

"Eh, are you serious?" Rina asked, a bit shy.

"Yeah, I'm serious." Rudy put his hand on Adrian's shoulder. "Adrian, while we're there, we'll play to collect the most balls. Whoever collects the most balls will be the winner. How about that?"

A sweet smile instantly appeared on Adrian's face. "Agreeee! Then let's go there right away."

After accepting Adrian's invitation, Rudy happily joined them to play. Although it initially felt a bit awkward, Adrian's cheerfulness and Rina's friendly attitude made Rudy comfortable. The three of them hurriedly headed to the ball pit play area in the mall.

Inside the play area, Rudy engaged in a game full of laughter and joy with Adrian and Rina. Although he wasn't an expert at playing with balls, their enthusiasm and happiness made him feel the joy of the moment.

Several hours passed, and when Rudy checked the time on his phone, he realized it was already five in the evening. Gently, he informed Rina. "Rina, perhaps it's time to end the game now; it's already five in the evening."

Rina glanced at the watch on her wrist. "Yes, sorry, I just realized it's already evening."

Together, they left the play area and headed toward the mall's exit. At the exit, Rina thanked Rudy with a genuine smile. They parted ways, with Rina heading in the opposite direction and Rudy making his way to the bus stop to return to his apartment.

At the bus stop, Rudy pondered for a moment about this surprising day. "Damn, this is shaking my own philosophy a bit. Maybe I'll seek another philosophy about my life in the future." He muttered.

While at the quiet bus stop, the sound of cries for help suddenly shattered the silence from an alley nearby. Without hesitation, Rudy immediately ran towards the source of the sound. Upon reaching the deserted alley, he saw a robber threatening an elderly woman with a knife.

His reflexes kicked in, and with unexpected courage, Rudy delivered a sudden kick to the robber. The robber was surprised and fell, giving Rudy the opportunity to quickly rescue the elderly woman. Swiftly, Rudy guided the grandmother out of the deserted alley.

However, when they were outside, an unexpected turn of events occurred. The robber, surprisingly agile, had already risen to his feet and launched a counterattack. Rudy, helpless against the assault, immediately felt a stabbing pain in his abdomen.

Pain surged through his body as Rudy tried to endure the stabbing pain. Despite the severe injury, he still made an effort to call for help. Two people passing by quickly approached, but Rudy's body could no longer stand, and he collapsed heavily to the ground.

As Rudy lay weakened, his eyes slowly faded, and the world around him became increasingly blurred. "It seems like this is the end of it all. I never expected to experience so much in one day."

Despite being tossed around by pain, his memory brought him back to the moments of happiness in the mall. He hoped that the robber who took his life would face justice, while he savored that his life today, albeit brief, had left behind unforgettable memories.

With each final breath, Rudy remembered that life is an adventure full of surprises and the unexpected. As his vision faded, he surrendered himself to eternal silence, leaving the world that had granted him such precious experiences.