The morning sun stretched its golden rays across the quiet neighborhood, painting the streets in a soft glow. Birds chirped lazily from the telephone wires, the faint breeze carrying the smell of freshly baked bread from a shop down the lane. It was an ordinary morning for most, but for Garve, today was different. His steps were brisk, almost impatient, as if he wanted to outrun the silence of his own home.
Just as he was about to leave through the narrow wooden gate, his father's voice called out, steady but tinged with worry.
"Where are you going, Garve? Aren't you coming with us to the shrine today? Don't you remember? In our culture, this is a day of prayer. People from every nation—no, from the entire world—offer their wishes to the gods today. They all pray for one thing above all: a long life."
Garve slowed but did not turn. His brows furrowed, lips tightening as if he had already heard enough.
At that very moment, outside the house, his mother stood in conversation with a government officer. The man was dressed in a neat suit, his leather briefcase clutched firmly under his arm. His tone was polite, but businesslike, as he ni explained the new government schemes involving gold.
"I'm here to purchase any family gold you might have, Mrs. Froze, and also to inform you of the new policies. Investing in gold these days—"
But Garve's mother cut him short with a strained smile.
"I'm sorry, officer. But our family has no gold. My husband is just a simple car driver. We cannot afford such luxuries."
The officer paused, studying her face for a moment. His voice dropped lower, almost conspiratorial.
"I see. Well then, please take care, Mrs. Froze. Crime rates have been increasing lately. For your safety, avoid going outside after five in the evening."
She nodded, uneasy. As the officer left, she muttered to herself, "What a strange man…" Shaking her head, she walked back inside, brushing her palms against her apron as if to rid herself of the encounter.
Inside, Garve's father continued speaking, his voice carrying the weight of tradition and centuries of belief.
"Gods and their blessings are not to be taken lightly, Garve. If you wish for a long life, you must pray for it. To live long is to live meaningfully."
Garve's face twisted into a frown. He turned, his eyes sharp, voice cutting.
"I don't care about living a long life. I have other plans."
His father's hand twitched, half-reaching for him. "Hey, listen—"
But Garve had already walked off.
"Wherever you go," his father shouted after him, his voice echoing in the small yard, "be sure to return before five in the evening! And take care of yourself!"
Garve glanced back, only for a second. His tone carried a bitter laugh.
"Return? But today, I'm going to see the end. To fulfill my dream."
His mother stood silently at the doorway, her expression heavy. With a long sigh, she murmured, "Leave him. He's always been like this, ever since we adopted him. We love him as our own, but… we're not his real parents."
Her husband's face darkened, his voice dropping to a grave whisper.
"That's true. Years ago, a thief attacked his family. The man tried to kill them all. Somehow, the police arrived in time to save Garve… but his parents died on the spot."
Scene: At the ShrineThe camera of fate shifted, moving from the silent tension of Garve's home to the sacred grounds of the shrine.
Garve's parents now stood there, hands clasped tightly together, their heads bowed low. The incense smoke curled upward, dissolving into the sky like fragile threads of prayer. Their voices trembled but carried sincerity.
"God, please grant us and our son a long life."
The scene expanded beyond them. The frame dissolved into an Indian temple, where men, women, and children sat cross-legged on cool stone floors, whispering chants in unison, their palms joined in reverence. The clang of bells filled the air.
Then it shifted again—toward a mosque. People bent forward in perfect synchrony, the murmur of Arabic prayers filling the vast hall, echoing under domes painted with verses of faith.
Then a church, its stained-glass windows glowing with the morning sun, casting colors on the faces of those kneeling in pews, hands folded, eyes lifted to the heavens.
One after another, cultures, religions, faiths were shown. Yet beneath all differences, their prayers carried the same yearning.
A long life.
The unity of desire echoed louder than the diversity of rituals.
Scene: The MetroMeanwhile, far away from the prayers of his adoptive parents, Garve sat alone in a quiet metro car. The train hummed steadily as it tunneled through the heart of Tokyo. His reflection on the glass window looked back at him with hollow eyes, shadows underlining his sleepless nights.
His destination loomed in his mind: the Tokyo Skytree. But his heart carried only unanswered questions.
His thoughts spiraled:
Are all religions really true?
Humans… they often turn someone into a god only when they want something from them. But is becoming a god really that easy?
He recalled an old saying: "A human only worships those who give them something, even if it's nothing but false hope."
Yes. Humans always need something to rely on. They need someone to prove they're better, that their lives hold meaning.
But my question doesn't end there…
Does life even have meaning? If death is inevitable, then why should we struggle? Wouldn't it be simpler if we all just died?
The cold voice of the metro announcer interrupted his thoughts.
"This is Tokyo Station. Passengers disembarking, please exit."
Garve rose slowly. The doors slid open with a hiss, and he stepped out. Before him towered the Skytree, vast and unyielding, stabbing into the sky like a challenge to the heavens themselves.
His gaze hardened.
And even if life does have meaning… I have no interest in living it. This is why I can't believe in any god. Because the one thing I desire is something they cannot give. Death isn't granted—it must be taken by one's own hands.
His fists clenched, his lips moving in a whisper that only he could hear.
"That's why… today, I'll see it all. The end. The end of the world, the end of the universe… everything. And this is how it begins."
A small smile touched his lips—not of joy, but of finality. He climbed higher, step by step, until the city stretched out like an ocean beneath him. Without hesitation, without fear, Garve leapt.
Air rushed past his ears, his body cutting through the wind like a falling star.
Finally… I've seen the end. I'm free. Free from the rules of this world, free from everything. Free…
The ground raced toward him, yet to him it felt like liberation. As he fell deeper, faster, he felt closer to his dream—the end. His vision darkened, the city dissolving into pure black.
Scene: A New BeginningWhen Garve opened his eyes again, he was no longer falling. The weight of death was gone. Instead, two children stood before him.
Their eyes were wide, shimmering with innocence, gazing at him as though their very souls lived within his own. Their smiles radiated warmth, their presence both surreal and disarming.
Garve blinked, his vision still blurry. Confusion tightened his chest.
What is this? The last thing I remember… I died. So where am I now? Has my rebirth begun? Are these children my siblings?
He tried to move, to understand, but his thoughts tangled.
One of the children, barely seven years old, leaned closer. His small voice rang with joy, carrying an affection too pure to deny.
"Finally, my son has opened his eyes!"
Garve's mind jolted. Son? His lips parted, disbelief flooding him.
"Son…? These are children, and yet they call me a child? Is that even possible?"
Then another voice entered the room—a man's voice, warm and filled with pride.
"He's beautiful. Our child truly takes after us."
Beside him, a woman's voice, radiant with joy, chimed in, "Of course he does. After all, it's been a thousand years since a child was born in this immortal world."
Garve's breath caught.
A thousand years…? Did he say a thousand years? An immortal world? Does that mean no one dies here? Is this where my rebirth has brought me? But then… who are these two children? My parents?
His thoughts swirled faster than he could process. The reality before him shattered everything he knew.
To be continued…