It was his day off.
For most people, that meant sleeping in, going out, meeting friends, maybe even going on a date or binge-watching shows with snacks and laughter.
But for Jayh?
It meant sitting alone in front of a flickering screen, buried under piles of cup noodles, wrappers, and empty bottles.
His room was a mess—worse than a pigsty. The air smelled of instant broth, sweat, and something bitter he couldn't place. The bed was unmade. Dirty laundry was everywhere. His computer buzzed, its fan groaning from overuse as his fingers lazily clicked through a game he barely paid attention to.
Several empty alcohol bottles surrounded him—cheap stuff. The kind that burned going down but numbed everything on the way out.
He didn't drink to have fun. He drank to forget.
His eyes were half-closed, bloodshot from lack of sleep and too many nights staring at blue light. He slurped the last of his noodles with a loud, lifeless noise and tossed the cup behind him, not even caring where it landed.
On the screen, his game character died for the sixth time.
"…whatever," he muttered, clicking "retry" again.
Outside, the world was silent.
Inside, Jayh existed—but barely.
He glanced at the bottom-right of his monitor. 12:08 AM.
"Shit… out of noodles," he said to no one.
He pushed his chair back, stepped over a pile of clothes, and grabbed his black jacket. The zipper was broken, but it still worked if he held it shut.
He opened the door, the cold air of midnight slapping him in the face. His fingers trembled—not from the cold, but from how much he'd been drinking.
The street was empty.
Jayh walked aimlessly, hands in his pockets, the sound of his footsteps echoing off the buildings. Every few minutes, he'd take a swig from a half-empty bottle he brought with him.
The same bottle he drank from earlier. The one he should've thrown away.
But he didn't care.
Not tonight.
He arrived at the convenience store—the one where he worked—and pushed the door open. The bell jingled weakly.
"Back already?" the guy behind the counter asked, a familiar coworker who always took over Jayh's shift on his days off.
Jayh didn't answer. He just grabbed a basket and filled it—four cup noodles, two cans of cheap beer, one bottle of stronger stuff, and some crackers he probably wouldn't eat.
"That's a lot for midnight, man," his coworker said, scanning the items. "You okay?"
Jayh handed over the money without a word.
The coworker frowned. "Seriously, you good?"
"I'm fine," Jayh said quietly. "That's enough, right?"
"…You want me to walk you back?"
"No," he said, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "I'm fine."
He left the store.
The streets were quieter than ever.
Streetlamps flickered above as Jayh walked, drinking from the bottle again. He wobbled slightly, his vision blurring. Everything looked like it was underwater.
He crossed a narrow street without looking.
Then another.
He didn't check left or right.
Didn't even hear the engine.
He stepped onto the main highway, dragging his feet, holding a can of beer, and looking up at the dark sky like it could answer him.
A bright light beamed from the side.
A horn screamed through the night.
BEEEEEEP.
But Jayh didn't hear it. Or maybe he didn't care.
Then—
Impact.
A sound like bones snapping. A body hitting steel. Something thudding across the pavement.
Blood splattered across the road, staining the concrete red under the streetlight.
His bag flew to the side. Noodles scattered everywhere.
The truck stopped. Its front bumper bent, the windshield cracked. The driver slumped against the wheel, unconscious from the shock.
Someone screamed.
It was his coworker, rushing from the store, having seen it happen from the window.
"JAYH!!" he yelled, sprinting to the scene, falling to his knees in front of the crumpled body.
Jayh lay there, blood pooling beneath his head. His legs twisted unnaturally. His eyes fluttered.
The coworker grabbed his phone and dialed. "H-He's dying! He's not moving! I need an ambulance—NOW!"
Jayh couldn't hear the voice. Everything sounded muffled, like he was underwater again.
But in his mind, everything became clear.
Memories flooded in—his mother calling his name, his sister's giggle, his dad's stupid jokes.
The warmth.
The happiness.
All of it flashed like a movie in reverse.
Is this it? he thought.
Is this where I die?
Am I finally going to see them again?
He smiled.
Not because he wanted to die…
But because it meant he might not be alone anymore.
Maybe—just maybe—he'd get to see his family again. His grandma too.
He reached his hand toward the sky, eyes closing slowly, and whispered inside his head, Wait for me… I'm coming.
A bright light appeared.
And then—nothing.
---
When he opened his eyes, there was no pain.
No blood.
No street.
Just… white.
An endless white void stretching forever.
He floated—or maybe stood—but couldn't feel anything. His arms, his legs, even his heartbeat… gone.
He looked down and saw nothing but a faint shimmer of light where his body should've been.
He tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
He had no mouth.
Just thought.
Where… am I?
Then, in front of him, something formed.
A figure—tall, robed in galaxies. A being whose entire body shimmered with stars, planets orbiting where his heart should be. He had no face, but his presence was overwhelming.
"You've arrived," the being said, his voice calm, like distant thunder.
Jayh didn't respond. He couldn't.
"You're dead," the being continued. "Your body was destroyed. Your soul… barely held together."
Jayh thought, Then… am I going to the afterlife?
The being paused. "That is one path. But not the only one."
What do you mean?
"You've suffered greatly," the being said, his galactic form flickering. "Pain. Isolation. Loss. You lived a life half-broken. And yet… you endured. Barely."
Jayh remained silent, hovering in the void.
"I offer you a choice," the being said. "You may pass on. Rejoin your family, if they await you. Or…"
A ripple in space moved behind the being. A faint, glowing orb appeared.
"…you may live again. In another world. One free of your past. A new beginning. One where you may find peace… and perhaps, create your own family."
Jayh's mind swirled.
Live… again?
Another world…?
He didn't know what to think.
But deep inside him… something stirred.
Something small.
Something faint.
Hope.