My name is Kai.
And this story?
It's not about heroes.
Not about demons.
Not about some overpowered protagonist awakening god-tier abilities.
No.
This story is about something far more dangerous.
A dream.
My dream.
You might think a "busy college life" sounds boring.
You might even close this chapter right now.
But listen carefully.
Because at the end of my first year… something happened.
Something that shattered the thin line between fantasy and reality.
A boy's imagination began to run in real time.
And once that happens—
There is no turning back.
So if you're staying…
Tighten your seatbelt.
This ride won't be peaceful.
2023 — After the World Restarted
The pandemic ended.
The world restarted.
And so did my life.
I finished my high school board exams.
I got 95 percent—
…No.
That's what I wished.
I got 75 percent.
Not terrible.
Not extraordinary.
Just… average.
And in an Asian household, "average" can feel heavier than failure.
But marks weren't the real issue.
The real issue was the dream growing inside me.
I wanted to study abroad.
Yes.
A middle-class boy.
From a family already balancing loans.
Daring to dream of leaving the country.
Sounds stupid, right?
Dreams don't check your financial status before choosing you.
They just appear.
And once they do—
They refuse to leave.
The Night I Heard the Truth
That night, I went to talk to my father.
But before I could speak, I heard him.
"Mr. Bhujel, please try to understand. My elder son has completed engineering. He has found a job. Once his salary starts, I promise I will return your money."
Silence.
His voice wasn't weak.
But it carried weight.
Debt.
Responsibility.
Pressure.
That was the reality of my house.
Middle-class families don't fear monsters.
They fear monthly payments.
And in that moment—
My dream felt selfish.
But still…
It didn't disappear.
Mother
"Oh honey, dinner is ready."
She looked into my eyes and instantly knew something was wrong.
Mothers always know.
"You talked to your father about your result, didn't you? If he said anything about your percentage, I won't spare him. Seventy-five isn't bad! If he's comparing you with your brother—"
Ah, yes.
My brother.
92 percent in 10th.
95 percent in 12th.
Perfect elder son material.
And me?
The 75 percent guy.
But that night, I said it.
Quietly.
"I want to study abroad."
Her smile didn't disappear.
But I saw it.
Hope.
And fear.
Fighting inside her eyes.
Dreams are beautiful.
But for parents, dreams also mean risk.
The Dinner Table Trial
We were all seated.
Father.
Mother.
My brother.
And me.
Father looked at me.
"How much did you score?"
My throat dried.
Mother held my hand under the table.
My brother leaned closer.
"Don't tell me you failed."
"I got 75 percent," I said.
Time froze.
Then—
"Not bad," my father replied calmly. "I was worried you might fail because of the pandemic. You did well."
I blinked.
That wasn't the reaction I expected.
Then came the question that changed everything.
"What do you want to do next?"
This was it.
The turning point.
"Father… I want to study abroad."
Silence.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
"Kai," he said slowly, "that's your dream. But you know our situation."
"I'll support him," my mother interrupted.
My brother spoke next.
"I also once wanted to study abroad. I didn't say it because of our condition. Let him go. I'll help."
That sentence…
Hit me harder than any rejection could have.
My father closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he said something that burned into my memory.
"I'll take another loan."
Another.
Loan.
And just like that—
My dream became a responsibility.
I promised them I would repay everything through freelancing.
No matter what.
"Which country?" he asked.
I didn't hesitate.
"Japan."
Why Japan?
Because I had another dream.
A deeper one.
One connected to anime.
Stories.
And a life I had only seen on screens.
Don't misunderstand.
Or maybe…
Go ahead.
Six months of language training.
A plane ticket.
Tears at the airport.
And suddenly—
I was standing in Tokyo.
The capital of Japan.
The city of neon lights and endless motion.
In my fantasy, everything was calculated.
28 hours of part-time work.
60,000 yen income.
45,000 yen for rent and food.
130 dollars sent home.
Perfect.
Balanced.
Manageable.
But life isn't an Excel sheet.
Reality doesn't follow fantasy math.
Still—
I survived.
Two months of chaos.
Classes in the morning.
Work in the afternoon.
Exhaustion at night.
But then—
Another dream awakened.
I loved anime.
I loved novels.
So I decided…
I would write one.
Yes.
While studying abroad.
While working part-time.
While sending money home.
Genius idea, right?
Morning: class.
Afternoon: job.
Night: writing.
Sleep at 2 AM.
Wake at 6 AM.
Repeat.
Every.
Single.
Day.
You're probably thinking—
"Just quit writing."
I thought that too.
Many times.
But writing wasn't just a hobby.
It was a calling.
And once a dream claims you—
It doesn't release you easily.
During winter vacation, a native classmate invited me to his apartment.
When I stepped inside—
My breath stopped.
Spacious.
Bright.
Beautiful.
The kind of place where dreams feel possible.
"How much is the rent?" I asked.
"Seventy thousand yen."
My chest tightened.
That was more than my entire monthly survival budget.
"It has three living rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom," he added casually.
Three living rooms.
That number echoed in my head.
An idea began forming.
"Find me something similar," I said.
"But with four rooms."
He stared at me.
"There's one. Around eighty thousand."
Eighty thousand yen.
Almost all my earnings.
It was insane.
It was reckless.
It was dangerous.
And I said yes.
I worked extra shifts during vacation.
Destroyed my sleep schedule.
Drained my body.
After one month—
I signed the contract.
That apartment swallowed nearly all my savings.
But I wasn't afraid.
Because that apartment…
Was not meant for just living.
It was meant for something bigger.
Something that would transform my busy life into something I could never have predicted.
And that—
Was only the beginning.