WebNovels

Chapter 1 - Mirror-Mirror On The Wall

Dream...

The dream everyone else could only chase, but I finally caught it.

Wealth. Wisdom. Looks.

The three pillars of life, and I had them all.

After breaking my bones, sweating blood and tears, crawling through the mud of life just to stand here… I could finally breathe the air of victory.

A few months ago, I graduated.

Minami Deiji, B. Phil.

Philosophy, the degree most people mocked as useless. But I didn't care. It wasn't about impressing the world, it was about proving to myself I could do it.

And I did.

But that was only the beginning.

Money came next. Not by betrayal, not by filth. I carved my way up with patience, politics, and sheer will. From washing dishes to running my own business, three years of hell, and I rose above it.

I still remember the grease clinging to my skin after scrubbing dishes for twelve hours straight, the sting of boiling water when I worked as a waiter, the humiliation of being shouted at by bosses who thought they owned me. Every step carved into me a single belief,

NEVER AGAIN.

Never again would I kneel to anyone for scraps.

And I meant it.

Soon I built something of my own. A small online store, then a café, then another. From pennies to stacks. My hands trembled the first time I touched real money, not the kind you count for bread, but the kind that could buy your freedom.

Then came looks. People like to lie and say they don't matter, but I know better. Looks open doors, soften hearts, and make life easier, far easier. So I worked for it. The gym, the skincare, the routine. My reflection slowly changed into someone even TV idols would envy. Not perfect, but close enough.

For the first time, I could finally say it.

My life was beautiful.

I had an apartment overlooking the city lights, luxury furniture I didn't even understand, cars that burned through money like fire through paper, and yet I could replace it all in a day.

I had everything.

Almost.

Because what good is success without someone to share it with? I wasn't like those men who collected women as trophies. I only wanted one. Someone who could stand at my side.

Well, someday, maybe.

But before that, there was something more important.

My parents.

I drove to see them, gifts in hand. The familiar street of my childhood felt smaller than I remembered, but the house still carried the scent of home.

When I knocked, my mother opened the door. Her warm voice was the same as always.

"Hi what's—"

She froze, then her eyes widened.

"My son…You're back"

She hugged me so tightly I thought my ribs would crack. Tears rolled down her face, wetting my shoulder.

"You've grown so much... I missed you"

I hugged her back, my throat tightening.

"I missed you too, Mom."

Inside, my father sat in his usual chair with a newspaper, pretending to ignore me. His gray-streaked hair and cold eyes gave away nothing, but I knew him too well.

"Hi, Dad."

He peeked from behind the paper, snorted.

"So you remembered you had a family after all."

But I saw it, the small twitch at the corner of his lips.

We sat down for dinner together, just like old times. My mom fussed over me, piling food on my plate, while my dad asked stiff questions about my work.

"How's your business?"

"Business is fine,"

I answered.

"Enough to buy you this."

I placed a watch in his hand. He stared at it, speechless for a moment.

"Hmph. Expensive trash. I don't need this."

But he put it on anyway. His fingers trembled.

Then I handed my mother the luxury bag I had chosen. Her hands shook as she opened it, tears welling instantly.

"Oh my god...

Thank you so much my son"

She hugged me again. I held her back, burying my face into her shoulder.

"I couldn't have done it without you. Both of you. I'll never forget that."

For a brief moment, I wished time would stop there. That happiness could be frozen forever.

Later that night, I returned to my apartment. The city lights glittered outside my window, but my heart was calmer than ever.

I poured myself a glass of wine and sat on the balcony, letting the wind carry my thoughts. My degree, my money, my looks, my parents' pride,

what else was there left to chase?

For the first time in years, I didn't know what tomorrow would bring.

And strangely… I wasn't afraid.

After a shower, I stood before the bathroom mirror. My reflection smiled back at me.

"Thank you,"

I whispered.

"For enduring everything. For surviving. I'm proud of you."

I splashed cold water on my face. Refreshing.

But the second I raised my head,

The mirror cracked.

It wasn't loud. It was a soundless shatter, like ice breaking beneath my feet.

My reflection twisted. My skin peeled into shadows. My bones screamed as if they were splintering apart. My breath turned shallow, as though the air itself was being stolen from my lungs.

"Wh—what the hell?!"

The bathroom light flickered. The walls bent like rubber. The sink warped, the floor rippled. My ears rang with an endless hum, like the world itself was collapsing inward.

Cold sweat dripped down my face. I stumbled backward, but the mirror stretched like a liquid surface, pulling me closer.

And then,

A boy's face stared back at me. Probably a ten years old, with black hair, and reddish eyes.

"Who are you?!"

I screamed.

But the boy only mimicked me. My hands, my touch, my trembling lips,

everything mirrored.

Pain burst in my skull, splitting me apart. White-hot agony surged through every nerve, as though knives were carving me from the inside out.

I tried to scream, but my voice dissolved into static. My hands melted into light. My legs tore apart like paper.

The mirror pulsed again. Stronger.

"No—No—NOOO!"

My body collapsed into nothing. My vision blurred, drowned in white.

The last thing I felt was the tearing pain in my head, splitting me apart.

Before silence swallowed me whole.

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