It was still early in the morning.
I stared blankly at the empty tables inside the noodle shop, the silence only broken by the faint hum of the refrigerator in the back. The morning air was cool, but it only made me sleepier. My body felt sluggish, and my eyelids heavy.
Why did I end up like this?
A 22-year-old working as a waiter in a small noodle shop... Eight-hour shifts, low pay, and barely enough excitement to keep me awake.
I let out a quiet sigh.
"Senior, are you bored?"
A soft voice beside me pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned to the side and saw her, Reni.
Her long blonde hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, and her striking blue eyes gave her a charm that stood out even in this dull place. Honestly, for someone her age, she was stunning.
She'd only been working here for two months, but we'd gotten used to each other quickly. I was the one who trained her, so naturally, she often stuck by my side.
"It's just... there haven't been any customers since earlier," I replied, my voice still heavy from sleep. "I mean, who eats noodles this early in the morning?"
Reni giggled. "Then how about we sit down instead of standing here doing nothing? It's not like anyone's going to come in right now."
I nodded and we both sat down, side by side on the bench near the wall.
We were always like this, always together. Maybe that's why people started gossiping, assuming we were a couple.
But no, that wasn't the case.
Reni already had a boyfriend. She posted about him all the time, how much she loved him, how cute he was, how lucky she felt.
So no, I never had any hopes of getting close to her in that way.
Suddenly, from behind the counter, a voice called out to us.
"Hey, you two look bored! Want to play a music guessing game or something?"
That was Mita.
She worked the bar and was as extroverted as a person could get, talkative, energetic, always trying to liven things up.
Her face was pretty, with full makeup and dyed blonde hair, and her jet-black eyes sparkled with mischief. She had her own kind of charm.
Reni turned to her and smiled. "Sure! Let's play!"
And just like that, another slow morning in this noodle shop began, filled with the same small talk, the same faces, and the same slow hours.
Then, the front door opened with a soft jingle.
"Welcome!" I called out reflexively, standing up to greet the first customer of the day.
Back to work.
By the time the clock struck 3 PM, it was shift change.
Reni and I said our goodbyes to the night shift crew as we got ready to leave. I waved at a petite girl standing near the counter, her oversized uniform hung loosely on her small frame. Her long black hair was tied up in a high ponytail, with short bangs brushing gently over her forehead. Her black eyes gave her a doll-like charm, soft and innocent.
"Good luck tonight, Nana," I said with a small smile.
She nodded shyly with a smile of her own. Nana wasn't the talkative type, especially around a group, but she was always kind.
Next to her stood another girl, taller, with glasses perched on her nose, dark brown eyes full of energy, and shoulder-length black hair. She practically radiated extroverted energy.
"You too, Seri," I said as I glanced at her.
Seri grinned, placing her hand dramatically on my shoulder and arm. "Ugh, I wish I could go home toooo."
I chuckled lightly, already used to her antics. Beside me, Reni chimed in with a cheerful tone, "Do your best, okay? We heading off now!"
And with that, we left the front of the store, walking back toward the locker area to grab our things.
There was supposed to be one more person on the night shift, but maybe they were still on break.
The lockers weren't separated by gender, just a single narrow space with rows of shared storage. As we both reached our lockers, Reni strapped on her helmet.
"Got any plans after this, Senior?" she asked casually.
I closed my locker with a soft clack and shrugged. "Planning to sleep at my place. Why?"
Reni tilted her head slightly, her expression curious. "Don't you get bored being alone at your boarding house?"
I smiled faintly. "Not really. I've been into that gacha game lately, so I'll probably just play that for a few hours."
She nodded in understanding, then I asked, "Did you bring your motorbike today?"
Reni shook her head. "Nope. I'm getting picked up."
"Oh. Want me to take you somewhere while you wait?"
She smiled and shook her head again. "It's okay, my ride's almost here."
I gave her a brief nod. "Alright then. Be safe on the way home."
We finally parted ways, and I made my way to the small parking lot behind the shop.
I got on my motorbike, turned the key, and the engine came to life with a familiar rumble. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
Maybe I'll stop by the fried rice guy on the way home. That sounded like a good dinner.
With that small plan in mind, I began riding through the quiet late afternoon streets, the city basked in soft orange light. I wasn't in a hurry, just letting the wind hit my face, soaking in the peace.
Then, out of nowhere, a car suddenly stopped in the middle of the street right in front of me.
I honked. Once. Twice. But the car didn't budge.
My reflexes kicked in too late.
I turned the handlebars hard, trying to swerve out of the way, but I didn't make it.
Crash.
Everything went dark.
When I came to, I was lying on the asphalt. My head throbbed like someone was pounding on the inside of my skull. My vision was hazy, blurry shapes moving around me. Voices overlapped. Someone handed me a bottle of water, which I barely managed to sip.
"Hang in there, kid. The ambulance is on its way."
At that, I panicked. "N–No! No ambulance. I… I can't afford it, it'll be way too expensive..."
That's when I saw him.
An old man stood nearby, dressed like any ordinary person. Faded T-shirt, cheap sandals, and white hair that stood out against his tanned, wrinkled face. There was something about him, calm, unbothered.
And then I remembered.
He was the one driving that damn car.
"Hey!" I shouted, my voice shaky with pain and anger. "Why the hell did you stop in the middle of the road? If it wasn't for you, I'd be fine! Where's my bike? Is it okay?! I haven't even finished paying it off!"
The old man didn't flinch.
He looked at me gently and replied, "Calm down, son. Your bike… well, the handlebars and body are pretty messed up. But don't worry. I'll replace it. As for the hospital bill, let me handle that too."
"Calm down?!" I barked. "You think my bike is just some thing?! That bike's been through everything with me. It's got memories, dammit!"
And then—
A sharp pain exploded in my skull. My vision spun. A sudden warm trickle ran down the side of my face.
Blood.
The people around me panicked. I could hear them shouting. Some crouched beside me, trying to stop the bleeding. But it felt distant now. Like their voices were underwater.
My limbs were heavy. My breathing slowed.
A terrible feeling crept into my chest.
Is this it?
Is this… the end?
My thoughts faded as everything turned black again.