Jakarta — October 12, 2025.
From a small boarding house on the edge of the city. A boarding house that cannot be called good but also not bad.
From inside an empty boarding house with a mattress and a fan as the main furniture — a man came out while playing a girlfriend-finder apk.
A man with a face not handsome but not ugly — somewhere in the middle. Wearing thin black clothes, even though the night was very cold.
He was also a mechatronics engineering student who would soon graduate. Just waiting for his thesis revision.
Eyes focused on the screen — hands focused on scrolling.
"Hello, nice to meet you, my name is Krisna — what's your name?" he said while smiling at his phone screen that was slightly cracked.
"Hi, my name is Ica, nice to meet you too 😁"
"Oh yeah btw, are you rich?"
Seeing that, Krisna squinted his eyes. He knew that the girl he met on the girlfriend-finder app was a 'gold digger.'
Right then and there Krisna immediately blocked Ica. While letting out a sigh — he put on his sandals and mounted his blue Beat motorcycle.
When he tried to start his motorcycle — a melodious sound came out, signaling that his motorcycle had run out of fuel.
"Arggghhhh!" a shout that provoked the neighbors' anger.
He was forced to walk to the minimarket. Luckily the distance wasn't even 500 meters from his boarding house.
When in the middle of the road he glanced around. Vehicles passing by, shady trees swaying with the rhythm of the night wind. Dim streetlights. As if watching his struggle in silence.
The cold night wind pierced his body which was only covered by thin clothes — his gaze looked like someone lonely, hollow, and empty.
Finally, after walking quite far, he arrived in front of the minimarket. Accidentally he glanced at a family joking happily.
In his mind, "must be nice, having a family. If only..."
He felt a bit jealous. Because his family had left him due to an accident. As he opened the minimarket's glass door, he was greeted by a female cashier.
He was stunned seeing her, his heart pounding fast because: the girl was very beautiful and well-endowed (in his knowledge) — but he realized that a poor guy like him wasn't worthy of a beautiful girl.
In his mind, "if only I were rich, my life would surely be happy..."
He took two packs of sigmamie from the cold white shelf; then paid for them at the cashier. Where the woman stood serving customers.
When placing his groceries — shame gnawed at his mind — as the woman smiled sweetly at him.
He only gave an awkward smile, then immediately paid for his groceries and walked out of the minimarket.
Outside for a moment, he glanced again at the harmonious family. A smile bloomed on his face — a smile of envy, concern, and despair.
He took a long breath. And wanted to go home. His head hung low, hands trembling from the cold night.
He lifted his head to the sky and looked at the glowing moon — in the night sky without any stars accompanying it.
He stared for a long time, because his mind was drowning in the imagination of possibilities he could have if he were rich.
"Hey, watch ou–"
He felt someone calling him and turned around — and at that moment his life was about to spin 360 degrees.
Because from afar a horse that had broken free from a delman was running toward him at full speed.
He only stepped aside to the edge. Because he knew he couldn't do anything… however, when the horse passed right in front of him—
The streetlights, the thick trees, and the cold pavement. they seemed to be staring at him, laughing.
Before the horse's kick hit his head. In his mind, "what a shitty life..."
Thud — a hard kick landed right on his head.
Pain pierced his brain — shaking it, making the world twist.
Krisna collapsed hard onto the ground. From his head and nose warm blood flowed onto the cold pavement.
The horse ran off immediately, as if it had done nothing wrong.
People passing by and those nearby rushed toward him.
As he looked at the citizens trying to save him,
His eyes slowly dimmed, along with his consciousness.
"Absurd."
The last word in his mind, shattered by the impact.
A word that represented his entire life, which he considered absurd.
Because when he was little, his family died in an accident and he had to live with his uncle. When he was grown, he died… killed by a rampaging horse.
However, the cold wind blowing against him now turned warm…
As he opened his eyes, he was shocked to find himself — standing in the middle of a city with skyscrapers everywhere.
The sky that was once black was now blue. Several people turned to look at him.
"What the!!"