In the pitch-black void of space, countless bubbles drifted silently. At the center of this darkness stood a man with long platinum-golden hair, a face that transcended even divine concepts, and silver-colored eyes.
It was as if he were standing upon nothingness itself.
Suddenly, his eyes shone brightly. With a single glance, the countless bubbles shattered like grains of salt, fading into nothing. The void was filled with ear-piercing screams.
Yet, in the face of those countless cries, the man responded with nothing but a cold, indifferent gaze.
"Aethron! Aethron! Aethron! Wake up! You're going to be late on the first day of school!"
Aethron suddenly woke up in fear, drenched in sweat. He quickly straightened up in bed, stopping in a half-sitting position. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to take several deep breaths.
His heart was still pounding wildly under the lingering influence of the dream.
Aethron looked around.
Light-white painted walls, a latest-model computer, a small bookshelf, and a compact private bathroom… This was his room.
Realizing this, he let out a deep breath and finally relaxed.
His dreams felt so real that he often feared he might one day never wake up in his own room again.
For the past year, Aethron had been having similar dreams almost every day. He had even visited a doctor several times because of it. However, the so-called doctor's only advice had been, "You should watch fewer movies."
That answer had never satisfied Aethron.
At the same time, those words had done nothing to improve Aethron's sleep schedule.
"Aethron! How long are you going to sleep? Get up already, your breakfast is getting cold! You don't want to go to school hungry!"
The voice sounded slightly angry, but it carried far more warmth than anger.
That voice always reminded him that he was home.
"Mom, I'm coming right now! Just give me five minutes… no, ten minutes, please!"
Aethron quickly jumped out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom. He took a fast morning shower to wake himself up. The cold water washed away the last traces of sleepiness.
After stepping out, he stood in front of the mirror before getting dressed.
He silently stared at his reflection.
His platinum-blond hair was slightly messy. Faint shadows lay beneath his silver-tinted eyes, signs of sleepless nights. He looked tired, yet his facial features remained striking.
Although he looked only fifteen or sixteen, he possessed a natural charm. Without even realizing it, he was handsome enough to attract people of any gender.
After staring for a moment longer, Aethron lightly shook his head.
"You really look exhausted…" he muttered to himself.
Aethron put on his white school uniform, which looked neat and prestigious in every way. After that, he headed toward the kitchen.
He lived in a two-story house with five rooms and a living room, along with a small garden. Their home was located in a quiet, well-organized, middle-to-upper-class neighborhood.
His father worked as a chief mechanical engineer at a medium-sized defense company. His mother was a manager at a beauty research facility.
Because of this, their family's financial situation was slightly above average. They didn't live in luxury, but they had never experienced financial hardship either.
His father was sitting at the table as usual, scrolling through the latest news on his phone.
He was about 1.80 meters tall. Though he had a slightly bulky build, it didn't make him look weak; instead, it gave him a sturdy and dependable presence. His black hair and sky-blue eyes were quite striking. The reading glasses resting on his nose added a more serious touch to his appearance.
For his age, he could still be considered handsome—and he was well aware of it. In fact, he never missed an opportunity to boast about it from time to time.
Aethron was already used to his father's confident demeanor.
His mother, just like every morning before going to work, was wearing her burgundy business suit that suited her perfectly. Her blond hair was neatly tied up in a bun.
She was about 1.72 meters tall. With her golden eyes and delicate facial features, she possessed a refined beauty. She carried both a serious and warm presence.
At first glance, she seemed strict and strong, but Aethron knew very well how kind and caring she truly was.
She was the most balanced person in the family.
Aethron knew very well that he didn't really resemble his family.
Even his aunts often teased his father, Alex, and his mother, Jennifer, about it.
"How did you end up with such a handsome child?" they would joke.
On the surface, Aethron seemed not to care much about it, but deep inside, he carried a faint sense of unease.
To be more precise, he was afraid that he might not like the truth if he ever learned it.
So, he chose not to think about it too much.
Jennifer's eyes lit up with affection when she saw Aethron in his school uniform.
"Alex," she said, nudging her husband's arm.
"Look, doesn't our son look so handsome?"
Alex, however, didn't even lift his head from his phone and replied absentmindedly.
"Hm… yeah, yeah. Not bad."
Jennifer immediately grew annoyed by his careless response. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and smacked Alex on the head.
"Would it kill you to pay a little attention?" she scolded.
Aethron struggled to hold back his laughter as he watched the scene.
Aethron sat down at the table and looked at the breakfast in front of him.
As always, his mother had specially prepared his favorite foods. There were fresh bread, warm eggs, cheese, and his favorite fruit juice on the table.
Even such a small detail showed how much Jennifer cared about her son.
A faint smile unconsciously appeared on Aethron's face.
Alex, seemingly recovered from the blow he had just received, scratched his head and looked at his son as he spoke.
"He's not my son for nothing. He's almost as handsome as I am."
There wasn't even the slightest hint of a joke in his voice. He truly believed it with all his heart.
When Jennifer heard that, she looked at Alex as if he had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.
"Are you blind?" she replied with a sarcastic expression.
Meanwhile, Aethron lowered his head and continued eating his breakfast quietly, though the faint redness on his ears didn't go unnoticed.
Alex cleared his throat a few times, trying to change the subject.
"Today is your first day at Zenith College," he said.
"How do you feel?"
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"After all, Zenith College isn't an ordinary high school. It's one of the top five most prestigious schools in the country. Most of the students there come from billionaire families or from families with strong political connections."
Jennifer looked at Aethron with concern on her face.
"My dear," she said gently,
"if you want, we can transfer you to a public school. You might feel more comfortable there."
She lightly placed her hand on her son's shoulder.
"Your happiness is what matters most to us."
Hearing this, Alex nodded as well.
"Your mother is right," he said. "Don't feel pressured."
Aethron looked at his parents with a determined light in his eyes.
"Mom, Dad… don't worry," he said in a confident voice.
"I believe in myself."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"This opportunity may come only once in my life. I have no intention of letting it slip away."
Though his tone was calm, the determination within him was clearly visible.
Jennifer and Alex exchanged glances after seeing their son like this.
Hearing Aethron's words, Alex couldn't hold back and burst into loud laughter.
"That's it! That's my son!" he shouted proudly.
A wide smile spread across his face. It was clear that he was truly proud of his son at that moment.
Jennifer was still somewhat worried. However, more than anything, she wanted the best for Aethron.
She could see how hard he was trying to be strong, and she respected that.
So, she smiled quietly.
Aethron glanced at the watch on his right wrist.
It was 7:13 a.m.
He only had forty minutes left to get to school. However, the distance between his home and the school took about an hour.
Which meant… he was late.
The moment he realized this, it felt as if lightning struck his mind.
"What?!" he shouted inwardly.
Without wasting a second, he grabbed his sandwich, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and dashed out of the house.
From inside, his father's laughter echoed.
"Show the entire Zenith College the talent of the Marlow family! Hahaha!"
Behind him, his mother's worried voice followed.
"Slow down! Be careful!" she shouted.
But Aethron had already rushed past the garden and started sprinting down the street.