Stage 1:
He deliberately chooses the path less traveled by others.
Because glares hurt more than questions.
Even if no one speaks, their gaze carries a silent question— "Has nothing happened yet?"
He doesn't have the strength to stand before anyone and explain why it hasn't happened or what he has tried.
At one point, he realized that hiding oneself is also a form of struggle.
He stood in front of the tea stall for a while but didn't enter.
Because a cup of tea isn't just tea—it's a calculation of time, money, and his own worth.
He walked away; today, he didn't want to show anyone where he truly stands.
Stage 2: The Nightly Audit
As night falls, the noise inside his head grows louder.
The things he avoided during the day stand right before him at night.
He lay there, staring at the ceiling; sleep would not come.
"What did I achieve today?" As he searched for the answer, his heart grew heavy.
He hadn't made any mistakes, yet nothing went right either.
This state of being stuck in the middle is what breaks him the most.
Still, before falling asleep, one thought crossed his mind—he didn't give up today.
That is his only achievement for now.
The final thought before sleep: he must wake up again tomorrow.
Because if he stops, everything ends.