[Read Intro Note in the auxilliary Chapter. Very necessary.]
The day I planned to propose was the day I was advised to give up on life.
Most of the ti, I would like to know.
"If a magic wand were placed in your hands during your last minute, what would be your last wish?"
For many, life after death was... well—
That is why the belief that once there is life, there is hope is a saying that exists and is predominant among common minds.
In my opinion, I won’t call it a false statent. But what if the different truth kept gnawing at our existence as human persons?
Don’t bla my thoughts.
Who knows? There could be reasons behind them.
...
The bus moved steadily along the asphalt road, city views unfolding outside my window.
A bright sky, neon lights, and glass, along with construction sites and impressive buildings, filled with anticipation.
The buildings reminded that personality was not stable in this world.
But this was never my business, as far as today is concerned.
Today is the day my girlfriend promised to consider my proposal.
Today, I was on the road. On my way to et my soon-to-be fiancée.
Safe to say, today could also be my first ti enjoying the smoothness of her morph and her—
Hehe.
I suppose you now understand why I chose to sit at the back, adjacent to the closest window on my right, where I could easily locate Moclan Café, whether it was near our moving bus or far at the front.
My heart felt triumphant, beating with resonance and in a calculated, fast rhythm with each thought of how today should go.
I was simply overjoyed.
One of my dreams coming true had even made so hasty that I pulled out the small, red box that housed the engagent ring and turned to the lady beside .
"Excuse , beautiful lady, can I see your left hand?"
She was reluctant. Any random girl would be.
But, I ignored the shock in her eyes and raised her left hand towards my face, just enough to make her palm and fingers stare at .
Then, I raised the silver ring, which glistened in the sun’s rays that pierced through the window. I inspected her finger and returned the ring to the red box.
"I knew it. It can only fit her," I muttered with a smile.
By now, many eyes were on , forming their own impressions.
A few would think:
"Is he trying to propose to her on a bus?"
So would think:
"He is probably losing nuts."
Many would think, even gossip:
"He is so rich!"
Hmm, let not ntion how this ring ca about.
Earlier, I was in a hurry, and the bus had just pulled up at Moclan Café.
The speed and agility that coursed through my veins as I alighted from the bus would leave so with a change of impression.
"...or, he is going to propose today."
And they might be right.
Adjusting my neatly pressed black plain trousers and tugging the bottom of the white hoodie I had adorned as a simple attire, I walked briskly into the café.
With each step, my heart beat with heavy rhythms, screaming at both my impatience with what was facing and a sudden creeping fear as to what the outco of events might be.
But, I didn’t want to let that bother ... not now.
I an, she already made the promise, right?
Now, the case; it’s been at least two hours since I arrived at this venue, and Sannu is yet to be seen.
’I will just wait for her all day. Maybe she wants to appear in the best way possible... just for ,’ I blushed at this thought.
Why wouldn’t she co?
Moclan Café was not a place ant only for the richest in town, nor is it a place for the wretched. Its existence blended these two personalities perfectly because of their best-selling point: Quality.
Their coffee, their ice-creams, all their products, when consud, made anyone feel like they were in heaven.
I wanted Sannu to experience that, so I beca one of the few poor citizens who could afford to stay here.
The small, red box was now heavy in my hands, so I carefully dropped it on the table beside the wall window where I sat, and looked across the table.
The glint of hope was shattered at my sight.
Sannu was yet to co.
Instead of the steady rhythm of anticipation mixed with optimistic fear, my heart beat beca faster with imnse anger suppressed by gradual depression.
It wasn’t that I didn’t arrive in ti, but why isn’t she here yet?
Disappointed, I ordered myself a hot cup of coffee and satisfied the hunger that had suddenly beco evident.
After which, I dropped twenty bucks as paynt for the coffee and left the café.
Outside, I was so furious that I acted in madness. I rushed the concrete pillar nearest to and punched it twice.
All my nervous organs imdiately beca active.
I felt the pain.
But I didn’t care.
"Goddamn, this is fucking 7 P.M.!"
...
Upon entering my one-room apartnt, the dim glow from the screens of my two laptops, which rested on my affordable mattress, initially made worry.
But then I rembered that I had just completed the levels of one of the gas that had warped the human mindset. Obsession beca the order of the day since the establishnt of this ga, and for ?
I was not left out.
This was my second year of consistently playing the ga, and I beca the first person to accomplish two things: breaking the record of finishing all 10,000 levels the ga had, and realizing there was no reward for playing the ga as promised.
Then, it hadn’t mattered since I beca hasty to et Sannu.
But now, I laughed at my uselessness for having engaged with HAREM CULTIVATION.
By its side was the laptop, which I had used to try my last chance at Forex trading before I changed to another kind of job, in case it failed again.
Pulling my hand from my trouser pockets, I realized another thing: I had forgotten the engagent ring in the café.
"My life savings!"
However, my body seed relaxed and no longer worried. I didn’t know what it could be. Besides, crossing paths in the street was more dangerous and unpredictable; unseen animals were believed to roam the area. Good thing I got back safe.
Was there actually sothing to worry about? Moclan Café was trustworthy. Tomorrow would be another day.
So, I went over and sat cross-legged on my mattress, staring at the two screens that were staring at , and scread.
I imdiately picked up my smartphone from the bed, on my left, and entered my call log.
"What did I even plan to do?"
Then, I saw her na. Her caller ID. "SANNU".
I was planning to call her, but she had initiated the plan instead.
"Hi, Sunday Moahn?"
The mont she called by my na, I knew sothing was off. So, I ignored and listened instead.
By then, the red pignts in my eyes, which had clarified my anger earlier, were fading, gradually being replaced by a knowing gaze.
Whatever Sannu wanted to say was beyond my guessing ability. But, I hope... I just hoped it would be a justifiable excuse, yet—
"Okay... let’s be honest and straightforward. We’ve been together for five years, but what have you really achieved? Nothing."
"Your popular belief of being hopeful, shit... Hope is not really ant for everyone. You keep chasing fantasies — writing novels that don’t sell, trades that always fail, and that stupid ga you waste your life on. Is that what you call hope?"
My throat went utterly dry at hearing her words. They weren’t what I expected to hear.
But what did she believe was right? Were her words true?
She continued. "I call it delusion. Do you even realize how pathetic you look? You’re twenty-one, still living in a shoebox apartnt, still struggling to buy a coffee. anwhile, other n younger than you are driving cars, buying houses, and making real money. Even a nineteen-year-old boy is living the life you can’t even dream of giving ."
And what connection does it have with ? I was really trying my best not to be affected by her words.
Well, I surprisingly cared less as my eyes widened at the two screens before .
"Sunday Moahn? Give up!"
"Moahn..."
She called my na again. And I guess she was about to make another first move in what I vowed a girl would never be the first to do to .
I interrupted her.
"You can as well, rot in hell for all I care!" My words ca sharp, but calm as usual.
At that mont, it didn’t matter how she felt or how painful making it happen was to .
I ended the call.
"If she can’t see the man I will beco, then she will never deserve to," I resolved and returned my focus to the two screens before .
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL 10,000 LEVELS OF HAREM CULTIVATION.
THE REWARD OF $1,000 FOR EACH LEVEL, ONLY PROMISED TO BE UNLOCKED UPON COMPLETION, HAS BEEN UNLOCKED!
$10,000,000 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN TO YOUR ACCOUNT.
The mont I saw that, I was supposed to be very happy, but my eyes widened, this ti in horror.
That amount of money, landing in my account, ant I would soon be going behind bars. But then—
DO YOU WISH TO WITHDRAW THE MONEY FROM YOUR GA ACCOUNT?
< WITHDRAW | WITHHOLD >
Good enough, it was yet to be deposited into my National Bank Account.
So, for now, I averted my gaze to the screen, which I used for my Forex trading.
SHOUT OUT TO A SUCCESSFUL TRADE.
1,000 PIPS HIT!
PROFIT BALANCE: $1,000,000
< WITHDRAW | WITHHOLD >
Without wasting further of my ti, I logged in to my virtual wallet, BIPASE WALLET ACCOUNT, and changed my temporary details, including my password, and clicked on withdraw from both screens.
Before then, I made sure to save a screenshot of the two jackpots. Once I confird the money was real and in my account, I saved the screenshot as well.
I don’t know why I did this.
But I was certainly sure that Sannu must have gotten the ssage in her "WeChat" with the last word "Bitch!" staring at her.
Yet, the Harem Cultivation ga popped up another notification.
DO YOU WISH TO ENTER A NEW PHASE?
< YES | NO >
Seeing the wonders it had done, I was left with no other choice but to click "Yes!".
And this was the right ti, the usual strange kind of pain I felt in my head decided to reappear.
"Wooo!"
I clung to my head, struggling, knowing that the few tis I experienced it, I barely survived.
The pain was usually sudden, intensely sharp, and comprehensively electric-shock-like. Even though its effect was brief, your survival will depend on its intensity.
Then, my eyes flickered, and in my blurred vision, I saw myself holding a stick, doing what I couldn’t guess.
"If only this stick were a magic wand..."
I flicked the stick in the air several tis and muttered in between last breaths.
"I... wish... all I have lost should co back to ."
That was when the full pain consud , my vision shattered.
And when I opened my eyes... the world was no longer earth.
...
...
...
I just heard a female voice.
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