*sigh*
"I'm SO bored right now."
A young man says as he closed his phone.Having to spend his time on his phone for straight hours on end, scrolling through any feed that can help him satisfy himself.
As for who this man is? His name is Nate Hakimi.A 21-year-old Malaysian college student who is waiting on his diploma certificate convocation a couple of months away.
He had some tough times going through college life, but gruesome moments are accompanied by sweet ones.
In the time of his studies, he had made friends that helped him through thick and thin either with problems in relation with studying or life problems in general.
Truly a roller coaster of events in his college life.
Unfortunately, like all things, precious moments must come to an end.
Now, while he waits, he works a side job at a nearby grocery store for a bit of pocket money.
"Heh, how 3 years of college life flies by in a blink of an eye."
Nate says as he pondered upon the experience.
"Well whatever.At the very least, I got to experience what life is when you're not around your parents all the time."
Nate says with a slight smile, reminiscing upon the good times he had.
"I think it's time for me to go out of the house and take a stroll.Just laying in bed all day in the weekend, scrolling through my phone isn't remotely healthy at all."
Nate got off from his bed and went to his door room.
Upon exiting, he went down stairs and arrived in the living room.There he met his mother and his sister watching leisurely the drama that is shown in this time of hour.
"Mom, Sis, I'm going out strolling for a bit."
Alerting the 2 girls, both of them turn to face the source of the voice.
"Huh? At this time of hour? Honey it's already past 6 in the evening." His mother says as she has an expression of worry.
"Let him be mom.He's not a kid anymore you know.I trust him to come back before 7." His sister convincing her mother to let Nate go.
His mothers' name is Tasha.A 45-year-old woman with looks that betray her age.Despite being that old, her appearance tells you that she is in her early to mid 30s.Often times, people would mistake her as being siblings with him and his sister, which is not really the case.
As for the other girl, her name is Flora.An 18-year-old girl that is now currently in the same college where his brother resides.She possesses a beautiful appearance just like his mother.With the looks that she has, Nate heard rumors that boys were fawning over him, wanting to be in a relationship with her.
As a brother, Nate really didn't care who she ended up with as long as her partner isn't the type of person that likes to corrupt people.
As for Nate himself, he possesses quite average looks.A face that you can see anywhere among common men.His height however is a different story.He is standing at 6'2" tall with a robust built body.This is mainly because his father.The genes spoke itself.
"Yeah just like sis said.I'll be back before 7." Nate says.
"Okay dear.Do please make sure to stay safe out there alright?" Tasha says to affirm her worries.
"Sure do ma'am." Nate answered with a nonchalant tone of voice.
'she's such a worry wart.' Thought Nate.
As he was about to open the door to the outside world, his sister suddenly abruptly calls him.
"Bro wait!" Flora shouted.
"What?!" Nate answered shockingly following her sister shouting call.
"Can you buy me a carton of milk at the grocery store?" Flora requested.
"Huh? Milk? didn't we still have milk in the fridge?" Nate answered confused upon her sisters' request.
"hehe." Flora laughs lightly, afraid to confess her sins.
"w-well, you see, I accidentally dropped the bottle this morning when I wanted to pour the milk in the glass." Flora answered Nates' question hesitatingly.
"Young lady! we just bought milk yesterday when we were shopping together!" Tasha shouts at her careless daughter.
"I'm sorry! I was just awake when I spill the milk." Flora answered, quivering upon her mothers wrath.
"No excuses missy! Do you understand how expensive items nowadays is!" Tasha answered angrily.
"I promise I won't do it again ToT." Flora says with comical like tears falling down her face.....metaphorically.
"sigh.....Nate honey, I'm sorry to suddenly add something troublesome to your evening stroll but can you help me get the milk upon my and your careless sisters' request?" Tasha ask her son, hesitatingly so.
"Don't worry, sure do mom." Nate replies.
"Thank you so much Nate." Tasha says with a reassured smile.
"Nate, I promise I'll give you back the money with the same amount of price the milk is." Flora says while clasping her hands together as if pleading.
"Yeah yeah sure.I'll be bringing back the milk after I had my stroll."
"Okay honey.Stay safe out there." Tasha says as she watches his son going out of the house while waving his hand.
'Why do I have this inkling bad feeling that something's going to happen to him?' Tasha thought.
'It's probably nothing.I worry too much.'
Afterwards, Nate opened the door and went out of the house.
As he was closing the door behind him, he was thinking about the place that he wanted to stroll for the evening.
'Now where do I wanna go right now? taking a walk around my area of the housing estate? nah that would be too boring.All I will see is just same patterned houses.How about watching people play football at the nearby public field? nah that would be boring too, plus there's only kids there playing....'
Nate was thinking about where to go in his area that wouldn't take too long.
'....oh I know! How about going to the park that I heard recently been renovated.Yeah! that would be relaxing at the very least.' Nate nodded upon his decision.
With that, off he goes to the park, a motorcycle in hand.
As he was driving, he had a glimpse at the side walk, watching as two individuals walking together.One was an adult, seemingly in his mid 30s and a young boy that looks like is barely passing 10-years-old.He didn't glance for long for it will surely cause a road incident if he's not focus.
'Huh, I wonder how dad's doing?' Nate thought upon nearing his location.
Nates' father, or known as Danish, is a tall, strong looking man.His height is around 6'4" in height and is big in stature.Mainly due to the reason that he often do strongman exercises.Danish loves doing it however because, in his words, "I love strength, strength is life!" much to the confusion of his family members.
Now however, Danish doesn't have the time for he is actually out of country in a working field trip with his company in South Korea.
'I hope he's doing fine in another mans' land.' Nate thought.
After arriving at the park, He went took his stroll through the park, sight seeing everything there is to offer.Since the renovation towards this place, Nate can see that, in some parts, the park has become an entirely different personality.This makes Nates' boredom satiated upon new things to witness with his own two eyes.
'What a pleasing sight to see.knowing this park has not been taken care of for so long and suddenly seeing it all shiny and sparkles or what not is just refreshing.'Nate thought with contempt.
'Yeah, I think I don't mind going out every evening in the weekends if there is nothing going on with family time.'
After a while of a relaxing stroll, Nate decided to find himself a bench to sit and rest.Fortunately for him, in the distance appears one in his line of sight.
'Haaaah, how refreshing this stroll has been.' Nate thought with a smile.....much to the uncomfortable looks he receives with the way he smiles.
'But maaan I'm still bumped out after watching season 2 of Solo Leveling.It's not enough for this addiction I have for it!' Nate thought complained about how his currently favorite anime ended.
Prior upon the hours of scrolling through his phone, he had decided to binge watch the entirety of Solo Leveling anime from the first season until the end of second season.
Nate is one of those people who watched the comic of every animated series that comes.Mainly manga and manhwa.
So, he was feeling down after finishing the anime of the series and wanted to see more on how the company behind the animation would do it's magic.
Sadly, he would need to wait for a while for that to happen.
'And Danmachi too! the series has like 5 seasons to it and still not enough for me to watch!' Nate thought frustratingly.
'Plus, there is NO way I'm going to read the novel for me to continue to know what happens next!' Nate, in Danmachis' case, doesn't read the manga for some reason.He always thought that the anime, the manga and the novel are just different from each other from what he read online.So he didn't continue to pursue to understand and to know further of what comes next after the anime.
'A bottle of cola would go nicely right now.' Nate Thought.An idea to calm his nerves pops up.
'Yeah, I think I'm going to buy myself one along side with the milk.'
After sitting for a couple of moments, Nate left the park and went to the grocery store to obtain the items as promised.
As he arrives at his destined location, he noticed something on the shop next to the grocery store.
It was a sign.
However, the shape of the sign is what caught his attention.
'Huh....why is it that a book store have such sharp and pointy shapes for its sign? it would be more symbolic if it has more like smooth features to compensate the theme of the store.' Nate thought confused upon the appearance of the sign.
'Eh, whatever.Not my problem to care more about it.But I do hear people talking about the store selling fantasy themed novels and comics alike.Maybe I should visit it at a later date.'
After pondering upon the book stores' appearance, Nate went straight towards the grocery store where he works part time at.
After sometime searching for his items, he went to the cashier to pay for his item.
Luckily, the cashier line that he is on has barely to any people in line.So, he was happy to finish his little shopping quick.
After the people in front of him finish paying for their items, Nate immediately put his items on the conveyor belt belt of the cahier counter.
"Oh, is that you Nate?"
Upon hearing his name, Nate look at the person calling him.
"Why hello there Ms. Anna.How are you this evening?" Nate replied by greeting her.
Ms. Anna is a 50-year-old widow who lives as a neighbor across his house.His husband had died since she was married young with him in a car accident.Since then she had stayed single for decades after the departure of his huband.Many advise to search up a new man but she declined.In her words, she says "No, I love my husband deep enough for me to endure for the rest of my life rather than searching for another."
Truly, loyalty at its finest form.
"Well you know how I am, waiting for my shift to end for the day." Anna said while stretching her muscles due to probably it being sore.
"You're shift ends just right around the corner isn't? how about we go back together.It would save you money for you to just order Grab to go home." Nate suggest.
"Thank you very much Nate but I need to past on that offer.My shift actually ends 8 o'clock today." Anna replied, a bit saddened.
"Oh okay.Sheeh, talk about overtime huh?" Nate pity upon the widow
"Yup, ya know it kid."
After Nate finished paying for his item, he bid farewell towards Anna.
"Well I better get going Ms. Anna.I promised mom to be back before 7 or else I will have my ears stuffed with her words." Nate says chuckled upon the porspect of her mom being a total worry wart.
"Hahahaha.Knowing your mom, she would yap non stop about how late you are even if it's just one minute."
"Haha, you know it Ms. Anna."
"But do be safe out there on the roads, who knows what would happen in the blink of an eye." Anna says, reaffirming that safety is the priority for him to get back home.
"Will do miss, will do."
With that, Nate took his items and went out of the store.
upon reaching his motorcycle, Nate saw a girl playing at the side walk without a care in a world.
'Kids these days, have no self sense of survival.' Nate says dissapointed.
However, in a few moments after, a car was speeding out of control, heading towards the little girl.
'SHIT!'
Nate wanted to shout but knows that there was no time for such action.
Nate went straight towards the girl, in an attempt to save her.
He succeeded.However, at a cost.
He was hit in the girls stead.
*CRASH*
Nate was flung into the air upon impact.
And where did he landed?
He landed on the sign of the book store.
"Puagh!!"
The pointy sharp edges of the store stabbed through Nates torso.
Blood was splattering everywhere from is punctured torso and his mouth.
'Aghh, it hurts so much...shit...'
Nate thought, slowly feeling his consciousness fading away.
'...it seems like, I wont be making it home for today....'
'....or forever.'
Nate struggling to pull together his thoughts, utters his final verdict.
'Sis, Mom and Dad....you would have to continue adventuring without me from this point on....I'm sorry.'
As he says this in his mind, the last thing he hears are the sirens of police cars and a voice of a woman shouting his name.
However, without knowing the sign that Nate died to says something about what will happen next for him.
and it says:
[A NEWBEGINNING]