The fluorescent lights of the office hummed a monotonous tune, a soundtrack to Jaehyun's misery. Another day, another spreadsheet, another pointless meeting where words were exchanged but nothing was said. He stared at the screen, the numbers blurring into a meaningless jumble. His reflection stared back, a hollow-eyed ghost trapped in a crisp white shirt and a soul-crushing routine.
He was living the dream, they said. A stable job in a renowned IT company, a decent salary, the promise of a secure future. But for Jaehyun, it felt more like a nightmare. Every day was a slow, agonizing death of his spirit, a constant reminder of the life he could have had, if not for the relentless bullying that had haunted his childhood.
As he boarded the bus that evening, the familiar weight of exhaustion settled on his shoulders. He found a seat by the window, the city lights streaking by in a dizzying blur. He watched the people outside, their faces illuminated by the warm glow of shop windows and streetlamps. A couple strolled hand-in-hand, their laughter echoing in the cool evening air. A group of friends huddled together, sharing jokes and stories with carefree abandon. A family hurried by, a young child tugging at their parent's hand, "Mom, can we get that ice cream?" they pleaded, pointing towards an ice cream shop.
Each scene was a sharp pang in Jaehyun's chest, a reminder of everything he'd been denied. He'd never known the comfort of a loving family, the camaraderie of true friends, the joy of genuine connection. His world was a solitary one, filled with fleeting acquaintances and superficial interactions.
He thought back to his childhood, spent in the cramped confines of an orphanage. He was a bright kid, always at the top of his class, but his intelligence became a target. The other children, fueled by jealousy and insecurity, made him their scapegoat. Even after escaping the orphanage, the pattern continued. His superiors, sensing his desperation to succeed, piled on the work, taking credit for his ideas and exploiting his talent. Powerless to fight back, he'd always been relegated to the underdog role, his contributions overlooked and his voice silenced.
He'd learned to survive by keeping his head down, by enduring the endless stream of insults and injustices. But beneath the surface, a simmering resentment grew, a burning anger at the unfairness of it all. Why did others get to experience love, laughter, and belonging, while he was condemned to a life of loneliness and exploitation?
He closed his eyes, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. He just wanted to escape, to disappear, to find something... more. Something where he wasn't the one being used, where he could finally seize control and claim the power that had been denied to him for so long. He yearned for a life where he could finally experience the joy and connection that he'd only ever witnessed from afar.
Little did he know that his wish was about to be granted, in the most unexpected and terrifying way imaginable.