Morning light slipped through the curtains, faint and uneven. Ethan lay on his bed, his face tired, his body heavy

It felt like the world was pressing him down, making it impossible to move. With a quiet groan, he rolled onto his side, pulling the blanket closer as if it could shield him from the day ahead. But the alarm had already rung, and there was no escaping reality.

Ethan: "Gosh… we have to go through another day" 

he mumbled, voice rough from sleep. 

Slowly, he pushed himself up, his feet meeting the cold floor. A shiver ran through him. He didn't want to get up, but there was no choice. The day had already begun. 

Ethan: "I absolutely hate this"

Ethan muttered as he dragged himself to the washroom. 

He turned on the tap, splashing cold water onto his face. A sharp chill ran down his spine, making him shiver. With a sigh, he reached for his toothbrush and brushed his teeth, staring blankly at his reflection. His tired eyes told the same story every morning. 

Stepping out for a moment, he grabbed his towel, then headed back in for a hot shower. The warmth eased his tension, but it didn't do much for his mood. 

Wrapping the towel around himself, he stepped out and let out a deep sigh.

"Okay… at least I'm being productive today"

he said, though he still didn't feel the motivation to do anything more. 

Ethan: "Already halfway through monsoon huh...?"

Ethan muttered, pausing for a moment. 

Shaking his head, he walked to his wardrobe, lazily searching for something to wear. After a few seconds of half-hearted effort, he pulled out a wrinkled, unironed shirt and a pair of pants that looked like he hadn'teven thought twice about them. 

He slipped into the mismatched outfit without a care, his usual indifference showing in every choice or lack of it. Fashion, presentation, effort… none of it really mattered to him. 

than slipped into his clothes, his movements slow and mechanical. He packed his bag without much thought, shoving a water bottle in the side pocket. He didn't bother with a tiffin; his diet had never really been a priority. Everything felt quiet like he was just going through the motions. 

There was something missing in his life. Something missing in almost everyone's life, really. That sense of excitement, that thrill of doing something fun or unexpected. When it's absent for too long, people end up like him numb, disconnected, stuck in a routine. 

Ethan: "Okay… All set" 

he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. 

He walked toward the front door, pushing it open with a soft creak. As he stepped outside, his eyes caught something on the ground—a letter, lying there as if waiting for him. 

Ethan stared at the letter, a hint of confusion on his face. 

"What is this?" 

he muttered, bending down to pick it up. As his fingers grasped the paper, a strange wave of nervousness swept over him. 

He hesitated for a second, then carefully tore open the envelope. The moment he unfolded the letter, the words on the page seemed to pull his attention in. He read aloud, his voice barely above a whisper: 

"An invitation to the biggest experimental tool for humans. Partaking in the experimental tool will be given participation certificates and a cash prize of 100 thousand dollars. However, if you win some of the games, you might get the opportunity to win 50 million dollars. You wouldn't wanna miss this." 

He paused, his eyes scanning the final line. 

"Come to this address at 9:30 pm to get the further details with the letter for the entry." 

Ethan stared at the letter in disbelief, feeling the weight of it in his hands. What was this? 

Ethan stood there, staring at the letter for a moment longer, his thoughts racing.

"The biggest experimental tool for humans? What kind of bullshit is this?" 

He scoffed quietly to himself, shaking his head. 

Ethan: "Looks exciting, though. Definitely, the thrill I wanted" 

he muttered under his breath. But then he exhaled, dismissing the idea. 

"But no thanks." 

With a quick motion, he tore the letter in half. Without another thought, he walked over to the dustbin in the house and tossed it in, his expression indifferent.

Once again, he let the world pass him by, not giving it a second thought as he continued on his way to the office. 

Ethan's day unfolded just like any other. He grabbed his train ticket and boarded the train, his unkempt appearance drawing confused stares and side-eyes from the other passengers. He sighed, noticing their judgmental looks, but didn't care. 

By the time he got off the train and exited the station, his face was completely blank dull, unaffected, and tired. The walk to the office felt like a blur. 

In the office, things didn't improve. He swiped his attendance card, but it didn't work. He tried again. Nothing. And again. Frustration built up, his patience thinning as he swiped the card over and over. 

Finally, he gave up and went to his cabin, his irritation still simmering. He sat down and opened his laptop, only to realize with a groan that he hadn't charged it the night before. Now, he had to wait for it to charge. 

Trying to distract himself, he headed out for a coffee. The moment he stepped onto the stairs, disaster struck.

He tripped, and the coffee spilled all over his shirt.

Great. 

He returned to his cabin, only to find that he had forgotten to turn on the charger.

His laptop hadn't charged at all. In a burst of frustration, he slammed his fist onto the desk, the anger finally breaking through his usual indifference. 

Ethan let out a deep sigh and rested his head on the bench for a moment, trying to cool off. His day was already a mess, and it was only getting worse. 

But then, as he lifted his head, he spotted someone walking toward him.

Karlos. 

For the first time that day, Ethan's expression changed. His tired, dull face lit up, and a genuine smile formed as he stood up. Without thinking, he started walking toward Karlos, waving. 

Karlos: "Hey buddy!" 

Without hesitation, Karlos pulled him into a hug. 

Ethan: "Man, it's good to see you." 

He hugged him back, the weight of the morning momentarily lifting off his shoulders. 

Ethan sat with a deep sigh, recounting every frustrating detail of his morning to Karlos. From the broken attendance card to the coffee spill, he laid it all out, his voice carrying a mix of exhaustion and annoyance. 

Karlos: "Dang, that's tough. I mean, even I'd have an ugly dull face if my day started like that." 

Karlos let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.

Ethan, seeing his friend laugh, couldn't help but smile. 

Somehow, Karlos' reaction made things feel a little less miserable. 

Ethan: "Yeah, life is just trying to kick my ass in all sorts of new ways." 

Karlos patted Ethan's back with a reassuring grin. 

Karlos: "Don't worry. Once they grant you the leave for your vacation, You'll see your mom and dad again. So don't lose hope bro" 

Ethan looked at Karlos, his heart feeling just a bit lighter. That thought alone gave him something to hold on to. 

Karlos let out a small sigh as he got up, dusting off his clothes before reaching out to help Ethan up. They had been crouched on a small slab on the floor, just talking.

Ethan took his hand and stood up, feeling much better. 

Karlos: "Well then, I better hop back to my cabin before the boss starts beating my ass up." 

Ethan: "You're right. Take care, man." 

Ethan smiled as he said it, and Karlos smiled back. Their short but wholesome conversation had warmed their hearts, making the day feel a little less heavy. With that, Ethan turned to his desk, feeling ready to finally get some work done. 

The evening had settled in, and Ethan finally wrapped up his work. Leaning back in his chair, he wondered if Karlos had already left. He glanced at the clock—8:21 PM. 

Ethan: "Yeah, he's probably home by now." 

A thought flickered through his mind. This boring life. This miserable, empty routine. Does it really feel good living like this? Was there no way out of this endless cycle? 

His gaze drifted as his mind wandered, and then—he remembered. The letter at his door. 

"What if it was actually real?" 

The words from the invitation echoed in his head. 9:30 PM was the reporting time, wasn't it? His thoughts swirled in uncertainty, debating, hesitating—until he glanced at the clock again. 

8:30 PM. 

Without another second of doubt, he shot up from his seat, swiped his attendance, and bolted out of the office. His feet pounded against the pavement as he ran, heart racing. 

Grabbing the first train he could, he stared out the window, the city lights blurring past him. 

Ethan: "9:30 PM… I need to be there." 

His voice held a desperate edge. What if this was it? What if this was the one opportunity to escape this shitty life? 

As soon as the train reached his station, he rushed out, sprinting back to his house. Fumbling with his keys, he burst inside and ran straight to the dustbin. 

Breathing heavily, he dug through the scraps, searching, searching—desperately. His hands tore through 

old papers and wrappers until finally—he found it. 

The torn pieces of the letter. 

Once Ethan found the scraps of the letter, he quickly pieced them together, scanning for the location. 

Palamine… Opposite to City Market. 

His eyes darted to the clock. 9:12 PM. 

A wave of relief washed over him—he had just enough time. Wasting none of it, he rushed out of his house, locking the door behind him before flagging down a taxi.

Sliding into the backseat, he let out a deep breath, trying to calm himself. 

As the taxi pulled onto the road, raindrops began to splatter against the windshield. The soft patter of rain mixed with the distant hum of the city, creating a strangely peaceful atmosphere. Ethan gazed out the window, watching the neon lights reflect on the wet pavement. 

The city at night looked breathtaking—like a sky full of stars right in front of his eyes. Yet, despite the beauty, doubt gnawed at him. 

"What if this is just a stupid prank?"

He thought.

"What if I'm chasing nothing and just end up looking like 

an idiot?" 

The thought made his stomach tingly, but there was no turning back now. 

After what felt like forever, the taxi slowed to a stop. Ethan stepped out, his shoes splashing onto the wet ground.

He stood in front of City Market, the bustling area now quieter under the drizzling rain. 

He muttered to himself, "Palamine… No idea where that is, and I've been here so many times." 

His eyes scanned the area as he walked around, searching for any sign of the mysterious location. 

Minutes passed with no luck—until his gaze landed on a distant board. 

"PALAMINE COAST." 

His heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, he rushed toward it, following the signs to find the exact path to his destination.