Happiness, the word Ruan has long since been abandoned. He couldn't remember the last time he was happy. It was probably when he was a little kid, worry-free and not being bound by the shackles of others' opinions. There was probably a time where the world was colorful and not just grayed out. There probably a time where his actions would have mattered.
He had passed those times. Whatever action he did now, only brought a small impact on his life. Back where he was in school, he would avoid trouble and just study his heart out. Being praised by his friends as he got good grades was the euphoria that he couldn't explain. However, after time went by, things had turned as his understanding of the world increased.
He suddenly had no friends left as he was getting into senior years. Things like backgrounds and how much money you got suddenly mattered in a relationship, even among friends. His cleverness slowly decreased as he got more disappointed. He was not the person he thought to be nor will he ever be.
He didn't know the answer to his grandfather's question. (Happiness, is it still something I could experience?).
"Happiness is not the cure for your depression my boy!" shouted his grandfather with a grin that could never melt.
Ruan looked at his eyes with the void of his heart that only abyss resided within.
"Just because you're happy, does not mean you are not sad, that's depression."
His grandfather crossed his arms as he continued, "Many people smiled on the surface and suffered inside, while others do the opposite. However, for people with depression, happiness and sadness is not something of the same gauge."
"YOU CAN STILL BE HAPPY AND WANT TO KILL YOURSELF."
The revelation sent chills to his bones as he could attach to the phrase.
(Amazing, grandpa, you are amazing, how can you see through me like that) thought Ruan as he saw the vibrant grin his grandfather gave out all the time. What had he been through to attained something like that?
"The answer to fight back depression is, in fact, excitement."
He slammed his palm against the black box, "That's why I will give you this."
Ruan furrowed his eyebrows before he opened the box. It was something he was deeply familiar with. Something he would use every day in his daily life. Most people couldn't live without it these days.
"A smartphone?"
"Eh?"
"Wait, why are you confused, grandpa?!"
"Hahaha!" his blistered and unrestrained laugh reverberate the whole villa before he continued, "Then use it."
He furrowed his eyebrows in suspicion before he reached out for the black smartphone that was really smooth on the surface. The moment his finger touched the screen, it lit out around the surface of his thumb before he opened his eyes wide as if a jolt of lightning was sent to his brain.
'IDENTIFICATION COMPLETE...'
Name : Ruan Tey
Age : 18,8
Skills: - Act as if nothing wrong and smile.
Temporary Skills: None.
Quest: None
Life Point: 0
Ruan saw his data on the smartphone without even giving it the usual credentials like email and stuff. There was nothing that connected him with the smartphone except for his thumb. As he read the skill panel, his heartache (What is this, this looks pathetic).
(Life point? Quest? Temporary Skills, what is all this?) thought Ruan before he looked at the ever-smiling grandfather.
"Grandpa, what is this?"
"I do not know."
"Wha?"
"Hahahaha! I do not know, I never use it myself. My grandfather which is your great-great-grandfather told me to give this heirloom to my descendants who are struggling with themselves. Which, of course, it's you."
"Why not spend the weekend here and go back tomorrow noon? Hahaha! I will catch a boar in the mountain for a while."
His grandfather left the living room and let Ruan by himself. He looked at the smartphone he just got and pressed the back menu to reveal another set of menus. There was info, mystery box, quest, inventory, and shop.
He furrowed his eyebrows before he pressed the quest tab with a gulp. There was a single envelope on the middle of the screen that he couldn't help but tap. The envelope opened revealing a letter with a swift smooth animation.
Quest completed: Identification.
Reward: 5 life points.
(What is this? A game?) thought Ruan before he saw there was nothing left on the quest panel but the congratulatory from before. He pressed back before he pressed on the shop.
- Health potion, price 200LP
- Panacea, price 5000LP
- A nut, price 1LP
Refreshed every midnight and can only be bought once a day.
"Huh? Health potion? Panacea? A nut? what is this, a magic shop?" muttered Ruan before he felt a sting of pain from his chest.
He returned to the previous menu before tapping on the mysterious box. The screen turned black as a mysterious box with a question mark label appeared in the middle. There were two buttons below it.
One pull for 5LP ------ Ten pulls for 50LP
"What is this? A gacha game?" sighed Ruan as he tapped the only choice he had. (I mean, it's better than five nuts anyway).
The mysterious box opened its lid before puffing out smoke.
'Health Potion x2'
"See, it's better than five nuts," muttered Ruan proudly at his financial decision. He turned to the previous menu and opened the inventory icon. There was the two health potion right on the first slot of many. Without further ado, he pressed it before a dialog popped up with the icon on the left and the description on the right.
'It's a potion for a....a.... helth.'
His eyebrows and lips twitched as he read the description of the item.
"You even get a typo!" muttered Ruan before he tapped the 'use' option beside the 'use in bulk' option.
The camera on his phone opened before Ruan noticed a note to search for a suitable surface. He aligned the health potion icon on the table before he pressed the snap button.
"Heh, what am I doing.... holy shit!"
His hands shook as he gulped his saliva, there was suddenly the health potion on the table without any trace being placed by someone. The glass tube with a seal made of cork was resting peacefully, waiting to be consumed.