I was supposed to start a new job today. A promising one.
I waited at the station since 9 a.m., clutching a folder of documents on my lap like some over-eager intern. It reminds me of my first job.
The company rep said to wait for their car. Said they'd pick me up, they said it was "secure transport policy."
By 11 p.m., the station was empty.
No messages. No calls. The last train had long since passed.
I called again. This time, they picked up.
"Ten minutes," they said. "Just wait."
And so, I did.
The next sound I heard was footstep behind me.
I turned, hoping to see a uniform. A smile. A badge, maybe.
Instead, I saw a shadow.
A blunt object smashed to the side of my head.
Then, a knife. Cold. Fast. Deep.
I collapsed, choking on the realization that, this was no job offer.
It was a setup, but why.
They took everything—my phone, my ID and... my life.
I was dragged into a room that smelled like mold and metal. Dumped like a trash bag. Blood soaked my shirt. My mind drifted, flickering through regrets, names, faces.
Mom. Dad. My sisters… and Ashe, Serena.
Why did I remember my girlfriend, ex-girlfriend at time like this.
"Is this it?" I thought. "Is this really the end?"
But then—
"REN! WAKE UP, MAN!"
I gasped.
The blood was gone.
The station was gone.
I was in a crowded auditorium.
People clapped.
My name was being called.
My best friend, Jun, was grinning down at me.
My phone read:
March 15, 2021.
My diploma graduation day.
Is this a dream? Or…
And somewhere, in a quiet room filled with soft blue light and digital beeps, a figure watched a monitor closely, expressionless. Behind them, a girl with pale skin and violet eyes adjusted her gloves.
She whispered something, but I can't hear it.