CHAPTER 1 — A Pathetic Dream

The alarm rang.

Loud. Annoying. Merciless.

Kael  slammed his hand over his phone without even opening his eyes.

“…five more minutes…”

Silence returned.

Peace.

Then—

His eyes slowly opened.

The first thing he saw…

Was her.

A poster on the wall.

A beautiful girl.

Long hair. Soft smile. Perfect.

Kael stared.

Completely still.

“…yeah…”

He suddenly sat up.

“One day.”

His voice turned serious.

Determined.

“I WILL get a girlfriend.”

Pause.

He frowned.

“…No.”

He stood up, pointing at himself in the mirror.

“Not just one.”

A dramatic breath.

“A HAREM.”

Silence.

A few seconds passed.

Then—

He dropped his arm.

“…yeah… keep dreaming…”

He looked at his reflection.

Messy hair.

Sleepy eyes.

Absolutely zero presence.

“Seventeen years…”

“Not even one girl…”

He placed a hand on his chest.

“…this pain… it’s real…”

At school—

ael sat in his usual seat.

Back row.

Near the window.

The perfect place…

To observe suffering.

Couples everywhere.

Talking.

Laughing.

Smiling.

Living HIS dream.

“…why them…?”

A girl walked past his desk.

Beautiful.

Elegant.

Perfect.

Kael straightened instantly.

“Okay… calm down…”

“This is it… this is your moment…”

She passed by.

Didn’t even look at him.

Silence.

Kael slowly lowered his head…

And let it fall onto the desk.

“…invisible again…”

Later—

His classmates were talking.

“I went out with her yesterday—”

“We’re meeting again this weekend—”

“She said she misses me already—”

Kael stared at them.

Dead inside.

“…I hate all of you…”

After school—

Kael walked home alone.

Hands in his pockets.

The sky was turning orange.

Then slowly fading into night.

People walked past him.

Talking.

Laughing.

Together.

Kael walked through them like he didn’t exist.

He stopped at a crossing.

The red light glowed in front of him.

People gathered around him.

Chatting.

Smiling.

Living.

He looked down.

“…what am I even doing with my life…?”

The words came out quietly.

Almost lost in the noise.

No answer.

The light turned green.

People started moving.

Kael followed.

Halfway across—

A sound.

Loud.

Fast.

Wrong.

Kael turned his head.

Headlights.

Blinding.

Too close.

A truck.

Out of control.

Someone screamed.

Kael froze.

Time slowed.

His body didn’t move.

Didn’t react.

His mind…

Strangely calm.

“…so this is how it ends…”

No fear.

No regret.

Just one thought.

“…I didn’t even get ONE girlfriend…”

A pause.

Then—

A weak smile.

“…what a sad life…”

The light swallowed him.

Silence.

Cold air.

A strange smell.

Something heavy in the atmosphere.

Kael’s fingers twitched.

His eyes slowly opened.

Dark trees.

Endless forest.

And in the shadows…

Red eyes.

Watching him.