The world is a vast ocean and we are the little components that make it into reality and make it work.
In the grand scheme of things, human life is as insignificant as a grain of sand carried off by a gust of wind.
In the era of modernisation, a time where technology connects us and yet distances us.
Where aspirations are built on fleeting fantasies, and the measure of a person is determined by likes, shares, and trending hashtags, it's easy to forget how fragile life truly is.
Beneath the glow of neon lights and the never-ending hum of progress, individual existence is really difficult—here one second, gone the next, with barely a ripple left behind.
People live in their bubbles, believing in their own importance, but the truth is as cold and harsh as steel: life goes on, indifferent to your struggles, your desires, your dreams,your existence.
Ken Ishikawa—Kenny to his close friends and family,an eighteen year college going student who hadn't yet realized this truth.
At eighteen, his world was still bright, filled with ambitions and dreams shaped by his favorite anime shows and the naive hope that anything was possible. He lived in a small,neatly kept suburban house with his parents and a dog. Amusingly, the dog was also named Kenny.
It was a cozy life, and though uneventful, it was comfortable—stable, even. Like many boys his age, Ken had a vision for how his life should unfold, and his ambitions, while somewhat unrealistic, filled him with an eager excitement for the future of his dream. His singular mission, as laughable as it might seem to some, was to create his own harem—just like in his favorite shows.
So when he got to know about his admission in SV High School, he was damn excited.
As perverted little fiend he was,he envisioned himself surrounded by adoring girls, each vying for his attention, much like the fantasy worlds he had come to idolize.
Isn't that every nerd's/otaku's fantasy?
But reality, as it often does, can be really disappointing.
It was Ken's first day of college, and he could hardly contain his excitement. The possibilities felt endless-the new people he'd meet, the experiences he'd have.
He could already imagine the string of cute girls he would charm, and perhaps, just perhaps, the seeds of his dream would finally begin to sprout. As he made his way through the crowded campus, his eyes darted between faces, searching, hoping for that one moment to spark.
But to his disappointment, the college mostly had guys and for some strange reason the ladies were missing from the college.
Come to think of it, he realised he didn't saw his mom earlier this morning, right?
Common god, I even prayed today and asked for only one thing, he thought to himself.
And then it happened.
Ken wasn't paying attention, caught up in his own world of possibilities, when he bumped into someone.
His heart leaped into his throat as he looked up. She was cute-no, she was stunning.
Her dark, shoulder-length hair framed her delicate face, and her eyes, though wide in surprise, carried a depth that immediately captivated him.
And he felt something squishy pressing on, it was like he was jolted awake with a lightning strike.
His mind raced, and he knew he had to say something-anything. This was his moment.
Kenny:-Hey!! Sorry about that.,Can I ask for your name?
,he said awkwardly smiling.
The girl looked at him for a brief moment, her expression unreadable.
And then, in a swift, unexpected motion, she grabbed his arm and pulled him aside, her grip firm but not rough.
Her eyes darted around nervously as if she was searching for someone-or hiding from someone. Ken's confusion turned to bewilderment as she leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper.
"If you want to know who I am and what is going on here?," she said, her tone low and urgent, "meet me in the garden this evening. No questions. Just come and don't tell anyone about anything."
Before Ken could respond, she slipped away into the crowd, leaving him standing there, heart racing, mind reeling.
What just happened?
Who was she hiding from?
Was this the beginning of something incredible, or had he stumbled into something far beyond his understanding?
The rest of the day was a blur. His classes passed by in a haze, his thoughts consumed by the girl and her cryptic message. The garden-she'd said to meet her there.
He couldn't shake the feeling that this was the start of something life-changing, though he couldn't decide whether it was for better or worse.
Either way, his excitement only grew. He got ready that evening, wearing his best look, trying to suppress the butterflies in his stomach. This could be it—the beginning of his dream.
When he arrived at the garden, the sun was just beginning to set, casting a soft golden light over the space. It was quiet, almost eerily so, with only the rustling of leaves to break the silence.
Ken's heart pounded in his chest as he spotted her, standing alone near a bench, looking as if she had stepped out of a dream. She was dolled up or he imagined so, more beautiful than she had been earlier, her presence commanding yet mysterious.
Thanks dear Cupid just let me be in her heart too, he exclaimed.
Ken's heart stilled for a moment as he gazed at her, his breath catching in his throat. But then, everything went black.
He couldn't move, couldn't speak. Darkness enveloped him, swallowing every thought, every sensation.
Time itself seemed to stretch and contort as his consciousness drifted in the void. It felt like an eternity passed before a sound finally pierced the darkness, faint at first, but growing louder, more urgent.
"The cursed one is here… Run!"
The words echoed in his mind, reverberating through the void. Who were they talking about? Who was cursed? And why did the warning feel like it was meant for him?
His body remained frozen in place, the weight of those words pressing down on him like an invisible force.
Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the darkness started to recede, but the sense of dread remained, clinging to him like a second skin.
Ken had stepped into something far more dangerous than he had ever imagined.