The sound of fingers striking keyboards filled the cramped office space. Rows of gray cubicles stretched endlessly, lit by the harsh white glow of fluorescent lights. The air smelled of coffee, paper, and exhaustion.
Ethan White sat hunched over his desk, eyes dull and shoulders stiff. His fingers moved mechanically over the keyboard as if driven by invisible strings. The screen in front of him was filled with spreadsheets, numbers, and endless reports that blurred together.
He rubbed his eyes, trying to push back the headache forming at his temples. "Just a few more lines," he muttered under his breath.
He had said that hours ago.
The clock on the wall ticked mercilessly toward 10:00 p.m., yet his workload still towered like a mountain beside him. A small sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
"Damn it all...life… really sucks," he whispered.
Ethan was twenty-six, but his eyes looked far older, tired, weary, and devoid of spark. Life hadn't been kind to him. His parents had died in a car crash when he was seven, leaving him alone in the world. He had spent the rest of his childhood in an orphanage, watching other children get adopted while he was left behind time after time.
By the time he turned eighteen, he had aged out of the system with no family, no money, and no dreams.
What he did have, though, was stubbornness.
He worked any job he could find, washing dishes, loading boxes, delivering food until one small, struggling company finally hired him for an office position. The pay was barely enough to keep a roof over his head and food on his table, but at least it was steady.
And yet, every day felt the same. Endless work. Endless pressure. Endless emptiness.
If there was one thing that still made Ethan smile, it was fantasy novels.
Every night, he escaped reality through glowing screens and fictional worlds. Worlds where heroes wielded unimaginable power, where systems granted instant strength, and where the protagonists were surrounded by loyal companions, beautiful, loving women who adored them.
Ethan dreamed of that kind of life.
"Maybe one day… if I die, I'll wake up in one of those worlds," he once joked to himself. It was a silly thought, but sometimes, that tiny spark of hope kept him going.
He pictured himself with a powerful system, fighting monsters, and being cheered by a harem of demi-human girls. The thought alone made him chuckle quietly.
But dreams are cruel things,they give light, only to remind you how dark your world truly is.
"Ethan!"
The sharp voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see his director standing over him, holding a thick stack of documents.
"I need all of these processed and summarized by the end of tomorrow," the man said, dropping the papers on Ethan's already cluttered desk.
Ethan blinked. "Yes sir, but… that's a lot of work. I—"
The director frowned. "Are you complaining?"
"…No, sir."
"Good. Now your place, Ethan. If you don't finish it, I will fire you."
The man turned and walked away, leaving Ethan staring blankly at the new pile of misery in front of him.
He sighed deeply and picked up a pen. "Hmm....Guess I'm not sleeping tonight."
Hours passed. The office grew quieter until he was the only one left. The glow of his monitor cast a pale light across his face, emphasizing the dark circles under his eyes. The hum of the air conditioner was the only sound that kept him company.
By the time he finished half of the work, his eyes felt like sandpaper. He leaned back, stretching his stiff neck, and looked at the clock.
12:03 a.m.
He blinked in surprise. "It's midnight already?"
He closed his laptop with a tired sigh. "If I come in early tomorrow, I can finish the rest."
He grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and left the office. The building was silent except for the echo of his footsteps.
Outside, the cold night air hit him, making him shiver. The streets were mostly empty, the city lights dimmed to a sleepy glow.
He stood at the curb, waiting for a cab, but none came. The occasional gust of wind brushed against his messy brown hair as his eyelids grew heavier.
"So I have to walk home again…" he muttered. "Figures."
His apartment wasn't far, just a few streets away. He started walking, hands buried in his pockets. Each step felt heavier than the last. The day's exhaustion weighed on him like chains.
He thought of the novel he was supposed to read tonight. The new chapter had just dropped, a story about a weak hunter guy who awakened a system that allows him to level up endlessly and became invincible.
Ethan smiled faintly. "Guess I'll have to read it tomorrow…"
He turned onto another road, quieter and darker. Only the streetlights illuminated the empty intersection ahead.
As he stepped onto the crosswalk, a sound broke the silence, a distant honk.
He looked up.
A pair of headlights were speeding straight toward him.
For a brief moment, time seemed to stop. The car was close, too close. The driver pressed the horn repeatedly, but Ethan's body refused to move.
Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe it was resignation.
Or maybe… it was acceptance.
He closed his eyes and smiled weakly. "So this is it, huh?"
The world around him blurred as the car screeched and the sound of metal clashing filled the air.
Then came the impact.
The force threw him to the ground. Pain exploded through his body, sharp and blinding. He could feel the warm, sticky sensation of blood spreading beneath him. His vision began to dim, colors fading into black and white.
The driver stumbled out of the car, panicking. "Oh god, oh god…!" He ran toward Ethan, seeing the young man lying motionless in a pool of blood.
The driver's hands trembled. After a moment of hesitation, fear overtook guilt.
He turned back to his car, jumped in, and sped away—leaving Ethan alone on the cold, empty street.
Ethan could barely breathe. His heartbeat slowed. The distant sounds of the city faded away.
So this is how it ends…
Oddly enough, he felt no fear. Only a strange calm. A warmth that wasn't blood, but comfort.
He chuckled weakly in his fading consciousness. "Hmm...Guess I'm finally free…"
His thoughts wandered as his vision blurred completely.
Maybe now… I'll wake up in a world of magic. With a system… and beautiful girls calling my name.
A faint smile appeared on his lips as the last light left his eyes.
"Life of magic, system, and demi-women… here I come."
And with that final whisper, Ethan White's world went dark.