Date: 12 February 2030
Ring Ring.
The alarm blasted. Ayan's hand shot out and slammed it off.
"Yeah, yeah… I know it's 4:30. Just shut up," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"I didn't sleep a single second last night."
He had piles of unfinished work, and today was the final submission day. His head felt heavy, his hair messy, and his mood worse than the alarm.
"I'm so fed up… every day it's the same boring work. I want my old life back!" he shouted to himself.
Ding dong.
"Who's ringing my doorbell this early?"
He looked around and froze.
"Damn… my room looks like a warzone."
Clothes everywhere, papers scattered—pure chaos.
He opened the door slightly.
"Oh, ma'am… what's up this early?" he asked the old lady standing there with her tiny dog.
"My boy, I heard you shouting. I thought you might need help," she said with a gentle smile.
"Thanks, but I'm fine!!"
He shut the door instantly.
"Damn old hag… popping out of nowhere," he muttered.
He restarted his laptop and rushed through the final touches of his presentation.
"Just this one transition and—ugh… this looks awful."
His fingers flew across the keyboard.
One glance at the clock. "Hell no! It's already 6 a.m.! I need to finish this now!"
He typed like a machine, fully synced with the clacking keys.
"Okay! Finally done."
He let out a long breath.
He checked the clock again—
"Oh God… 7:39?! If I don't leave by 8, I'll miss the bus!"
He saved the file, packed his laptop, and rushed around the room.
Ten minutes later—
"I'm ready. Almost. Just need some body spray," he said to himself in his small one-room apartment.
Then he froze.
"Damn it… 7:58 already!"
He rushed out without breakfast, wearing a wrinkled white shirt and black trousers. His face looked like it hadn't slept in centuries.
He sprinted down the street, gripping his bag.
"RUN, RUN, RUN AYANNN!" he yelled to himself.
Then—
THUD.
He crashed into someone with heavy luggage. A suitcase toppled onto him, staining the back of his shirt brown.
But he didn't care. He just got up and bolted toward the bus stop.
He checked the time—8:05.
He slumped in a corner of the bus stand and pulled out his phone.
"Next bus arrives in 10 minutes…"
After waiting, the bus finally pulled in. Ayan jumped inside so suddenly that the passengers flinched. He ignored them, found a seat, and sat beside a girl—completely absorbed in his phone.
"Excuse me… can you shift a bit?"
A pleasant voice beside him asked.
Ayan moved slightly without looking up.
"Have we met somewhere?"
The voice came again.
He replied lazily, still staring at his phone:
"I don't think so… just be quiet."
Battery low.
The message appeared and his phone shut off instantly.
"Damn it! My life—ugh!!"
He shouted without thinking.
Then he realized he was in a bus… and everyone was staring at him.
Great. First I'm late, now everyone's looking at me like I'm some alien.
"Are you really that frustrated?"
The same pleasant voice asked from beside him.
"It's none of your business."
He said, eyes closed, trying to calm down.
"Oh… is that so? Fine, I'll stay silent. But…"
She paused.
"But what are you trying to say?"
Ayan turned toward her for the first time—
His eyes widened.
His mouth fell open.
His whole body froze.
Because she was…
Someone he knew.
Someone from his past.
Someone unforgettable.
"Run run just run Ayannn.... " He was screaming to himself.