Hi, I'm Brad. A 32-year-old straight man — and I emphasize straight and man for a reason you'll understand later.
I've been your typical guy throughout my 32 years of life, and I've been pretty proud of that. I've had it all: an annoying but warm family (with a very annoying sister), a prominent job in a big company, a nice house, and above all, my friend down there — my lifelong companion, my sword, who's been with me through thick and thin (quite thick, if you ask me). We had good days together… amazing days, especially during college. Mmmhmm.
I've had the chance to live a good life. I'm not that old, but I guess someone decided, "No, he's gotta go," and just like that — I died.
17:11 – 12/08/2025Since it's summer, work had ended an hour ago. And as usual, I was staying late. (Seriously — fuck my boss.) Anyway, I had just gotten off work and instead of going home like a normal person, I found myself heading to a freaking bookstore. The kind that sells cheesy romance novels.
"Ugh, I can't believe I'm doing this." I'd been forced by my sister — a fully grown adult, mind you — to go buy her a novel she already owned. What a total creep.
I walked through the overly decorated, borderline-tacky shelves looking for one specific book. The people there (mostly young high schoolers) were giving me looks, whispering, "Why's that old guy here?"
"...What was it called again?" I muttered, pulling out my phone to check her message. I needed to make this quick — I had a reputation to uphold. I wasn't about to become the talk of these kids on whatever weird chat apps they use. God forbid my picture ended up trending under: Office Guy Reading Romance.
"...Found it. Spring Within You... ugh, what a cringe title."
From what I'd heard, the novel was about a typical baron's daughter who wins a scholarship to the Imperial Academy, where she gets tangled up with the male leads and bullied by Belle — the main villainess, a powerful duke's daughter and the fiancée of Prince Alden, the main lead. (How do I know this? Unfortunately, my sister can't shut up about it.) Fun fact: this was her fifth copy. Fifth.
I never read the book, but my sister swore all the characters were above 18 — thank God. The Imperial Academy in the story was apparently more like a college. Not that I cared.
I'm more of a horror fan, and honestly, I'd rather watch a movie than read a book. Two hours and done — no endless pages. I'm also slow as hell at reading. One page in, and I'm ready to give up. Call it laziness if you want. I call it efficiency.
After paying for the book (and of course I was paying for it — "That's what siblings do~" she'd said), I finally exited the shop. All that was left was to get my ass back home. We live three blocks away, so I decided to walk.
Or so I thought.
As I reached the crosswalk, I checked the light. Red. Good. I started across quickly — I know how reckless drivers here are. Especially truck drivers. How many accidents happened this week alone because of them? They even started some ridiculous Truck-sama trend in the novels my sister reads.
I was nearly at the other side when — bam — a blinding light caught my attention.
'Ugh, who turns on their high beams this early?'
I turned my head to the left.
And there it was.
I had just manifested a damn Truck-sama.
Fuck.
That was the last thing I thought before I was launched ten feet into the air like a ragdoll. It was painful — so painfully intense that I couldn't even feel it anymore. As I hit the ground, warm liquid spread through my suit, pooling beneath me.
Ironically, my hands were still clenched around the plastic bag with the novel inside.
'I guess I won't be able to deliver it this time…'
A pained chuckle escaped my bloodied lips as consciousness slowly slipped away.
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Honestly, I never thought much about death or the afterlife. I mean, not this soon, anyway. But seriously, I kind of expected… nothing. Like, if my life ended, it ended for good. No drama, no light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe, if I were childish enough, I'd have imagined getting a medal for enduring 32 years of life plus the tragic end courtesy of Truck-sama.
Tch. Guys my age are out there enjoying life — finding partners, traveling the world, getting famous — while I got crushed like a freaking side character in my own story…
…Wait. They say your brain keeps working for a while after you die. Is that why I'm still here? Just… thinking? Puwahahah. This is some next-level absurdity. Are you kidding me? Can't I at least die in peace?
But hold on — isn't this a bit too clear-headed for someone who just got launched ten feet into the air by a truck?
Okay, Brad. Focus… focus… focus…
Crazy? I was crazy once. They locked me in a room. A rubber room. A rubber room with rats. And rats make me crazy. Crazy? I was crazy once. They locked me in a room. A rubber room. A rubber room with rats. And rats make me crazy. Crazy…
…Okay, let's shut that down.
"I'm actually going crazy…"
Why? Because I can breathe. I can feel 'my body'… lying on a bed. A soft bed, at that.
"Hahaha… am I saved?"
Maybe… just maybe… I didn't die. Maybe I only lost consciousness. (That's what he thought.....SIKEEEE)
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