Liam Carter, 27 years old this year.
Despite the strong, commanding name, he was just another construction worker operating an excavator on a job site.
His father had named him Liam with the hope that his son would grow up to be someone great, not because of any famous celebrities.
Whenever he thought of his name, Liam couldn't help but think of his parents.
Every year, on the anniversary of their passing, he would return to his hometown to visit their graves.
When Liam was in his senior year of high school, his father got into a drunk-driving accident that took both his life and his mother's. At 18, Liam became an orphan.
Years had passed since then, and while the sharp pain of loss had dulled, their memories still remained. His father had been a high school graduate—a significant achievement in his generation.
Back then, having a high school diploma was something to be proud of. But in today's world, even a college degree wasn't always enough to be noticed.
His father had always carried himself with confidence, but that confidence was constantly met with disappointment. In his younger years, he had attempted to co-found several businesses, but none succeeded. Eventually, he had settled for a job as a schoolteacher, just to make ends meet.
Yet, he never admitted defeat. He blamed his failures on bad luck, believing that success was often a matter of chance rather than ability. Over time, that frustration turned into a drinking habit, one that only worsened with each passing year.
Liam's mother had been a homemaker, dedicated to managing the household. His father made most of the decisions, and she rarely challenged him. That was why, the night of the accident, she hadn't been able to stop him from getting behind the wheel.
After their deaths, Liam arranged their funeral with the help of his neighbors. Two months later, he barely managed to graduate and sat for his college entrance exams, getting accepted into a mediocre university.
At that time, Liam still had a house—his childhood home. It wasn't worth much, but everyone around him, from relatives to neighbors, encouraged him to sell it and use the money for college. Even his former high school offered to help him get student loans.
But Liam, now an adult, ignored all of them. Instead of going to college, he sold the house and enrolled in trade school—to learn how to operate heavy machinery.
His reasoning was simple. College would take four years, and even if he sold the house, the money wouldn't last. He'd have to take on student debt, and who knew how long it would take to pay that off?
He was alone in this world now. He could only rely on himself. So why not take a quicker path to self-sufficiency?
And so, after a year of training, Liam Carter left trade school and stepped into the workforce.
Operating an excavator wasn't a bad job. He had been doing it since he was 19. When he first started, he barely made $2,000 a month. Now, he could make up to $10,000 in a good month—better than some college graduates.
But it was exhausting work. During peak seasons, he worked over ten hours a day for weeks on end. And some job sites were downright stingy, not even providing proper meals—he had to make do with instant noodles.
Then there were the slow months, where work dried up entirely, leaving him at home with nothing to do. Those were the times he indulged in video games, playing anything from single-player RPGs to online shooters. He had no motivation to do much else.
The job was also physically demanding. Many workers developed chronic pain, and Liam knew he wasn't immune. But that was the reality of the world—people sacrificed their youth chasing money, only to spend that money trying to fix their aging bodies later.
Safety was another major concern. A moment's carelessness could lead to injury or worse. And if you hurt someone else? Your wages for the next several months—or even years—could be gone in an instant, paying off hospital bills. If you were unlucky, you might even end up in jail.
That instability had taken a toll on his personal life. A few years back, he had a girlfriend. They even lived together for over a year. But in the end, it didn't work out.
The other workers had a simple philosophy: if you had money, you didn't need to worry about finding a "girlfriend." There were always options—as long as you were willing to pay.
Liam, who had always been firm in his decisions, eventually followed their advice. He stopped looking for real relationships and instead sought out temporary companionship.
But now, at 27, he figured it was time to settle down and think about the future. Maybe even have a kid to carry on the Carter family name. So, he put an end to his indulgences and started going on blind dates.
---
It was a crisp autumn day, the sky clear and the wind just right. Liam was in a good mood.
He had just met someone on a blind date, and surprisingly, she wasn't bad at all.
She was on the thinner side, but Liam found her attractive in a different way.
Back when he sought out "temporary girlfriends," he had a specific type—women with an obvious allure, often with troubled pasts, "tragic" stories, and burdens to carry.
He had always believed them.
And because he believed them, he felt compelled to help in whatever way he could.
There was an old saying: "Saving a life is more meaningful than building a temple." Maybe that's what he had been trying to do.
But perhaps he had indulged too much, because now he found himself exhausted.
This blind date, though, was different. She had a quiet, gentle presence. And more importantly, she was an old acquaintance.
At first, Liam didn't recognize her. But as they talked, he realized—they had gone to middle school together.
They hadn't been in the same class, but her classroom had been next to his. Back then, he always sat by the window, and she had passed by often enough for him to remember her face.
They had even gone to the same high school, though they were in different tracks—she had studied liberal arts while he focused on science. And after graduation, life had taken them in completely different directions.
She had gone on to study medicine at a university out of state, while he had stayed behind, taking his own unconventional path.
Now, fate had brought them back into each other's lives.
Liam didn't know if she liked him, but he thought she was nice. If things worked out, he was open to giving it a real chance.
Humming to himself, he walked back to his apartment complex.
He had bought a second-hand unit a few years back, persuaded by a relative who swore the area was about to be redeveloped. Supposedly, within two years, the property would be demolished, and he'd get a massive payout.
But three years had passed, and there was no sign of demolition.
Still, the place was comfortable enough. The only problem? His neighbor—a drunkard.
The guy was always drinking, always making a mess, tossing beer bottles into the hallway.
Liam had pieced together bits of his story. The man had started a business with a friend, only to be betrayed when success was within reach. His friends had abandoned him, siding with the competition. Even his girlfriend had left.
A sad story.
But Liam had enough of his own problems. He wasn't about to worry about some washed-up drunk.
Then—
CRASH!
A beer bottle shattered just inches from his feet, a shard of glass nicking his cheek.
"Son of a—!" Liam swore, glaring up toward the source.
And that was when he saw it—
A figure plummeting toward him.
His last thought?
What the hell?
Why me?
Then—darkness.