"Hey, wake up, Kaede! Don't sleep at work or I'll fire you!" His boss slammed the work documents onto Kaede's desk, making him jolt upright.
Kaede blinked, trying to shake off the heaviness that clung to his mind. He had been working at Dorata Company for three years now, but despite his best efforts, he hadn't received a raise. No matter how hard he tried, it was never enough. It felt as though all the bad luck in the world had piled up on his shoulders, holding him down.
His boss wasn't any better. He didn't like Kaede—mostly because of the look in his eyes. Those dull, lifeless eyes that seemed to lack any spark of energy. Day after day, Kaede dragged himself through the motions, constantly tired, sleep-deprived, and completely worn out.
At 27 years old, Kaede was just another office worker, barely scraping by. He had graduated from High School but never went to college. He couldn't afford it, his family rarely support him and that's why he had to start working right away to help himself live. Before he found his job at Dorata, he had juggled various part-time jobs, all while living alone in an apartment—an apartment he'd had since high school. It had been almost 12 years, and it was the only place he could call home.
Kaede had once been full of dreams. As a child, he had been bright and cheerful. He loved science, especially astronomy. Music was another passion of his, and he enjoyed singing whenever he could. In high school, he had many friends, but now? Now, he was alone. His selfish actions had driven them all away, and he hadn't realized how deeply he had hurt the people who cared about him.
The one person he regretted losing the most was his best friend. She had always been there for him, even when he made mistakes. But his selfishness and bad personality had torn them apart. She tried to protect him, to cover for his faults, but in the end, people started to turn on her too. They bullied her, and in the end, she left—moving to another country to escape the painful memories Kaede had left behind.
"Hey, I said wake up, you little piece of crap!" His boss smacked him on the head, pulling Kaede back to the present.
"Sorry," Kaede mumbled, his voice barely audible. He had become all too familiar with the feeling of shame. His past mistakes still lingered, haunting him. He couldn't seem to escape them.
With a sigh, Kaede forced himself to get back to work, his mind clouded with regrets. The day dragged on, each minute blending into the next. By the time the workday ended, Kaede felt like his body was about to collapse from exhaustion. He didn't even bother with food or water—his body was too tired, his mind too foggy.
He stumbled out of the office, his steps slow and unsteady. His body shook, and his vision blurred, but he pushed on. Every step felt heavier than the last.
"What is it? ...Ouch, my head hurts!" he muttered under his breath, his hand clutching his forehead as a sharp pain shot through his skull.
He kept walking, trying to ignore the ache in his head. His feet carried him toward a vending machine, where he paused to buy a cold drink. He sat down on the bench next to the machine, opening the bottle with trembling hands. The cool liquid slid down his throat, but it didn't bring him the relief he so desperately craved.
As he stared up at the orange sky, his eyes began to burn with unshed tears. He couldn't hold them back any longer. The weight of everything—the regrets, the mistakes, the loneliness—crushed him.
"I don't want to live like this," he whispered, his voice barely audible, but full of pain.
After finishing the drink, Kaede pushed himself up and continued walking, the pain in his head only growing worse. His body felt like it was ready to give up. He took another step—and then, suddenly, his knees buckled. He collapsed onto the pavement, unable to stand.
In the midst of the pain, a strange whisper echoed in his mind. The words were broken, distorted, but Kaede heard them clearly.
"Ka_d_!" Echoed Voice
"What???!!" Kaede exclaimed, his heart racing with confusion. He looked around, but no one was there. He pushed himself up, trying to shake off the strange voice in his head.
But the pain in his head was too much. His vision spun, and before he knew it, he collapsed again, this time in the middle of the road, completely helpless.