When his shift ended, Ken left work utterly exhausted; his job was incredibly draining. He was a mechanical engineer working in the laboratory of an underground city. He lived beneath the surface because the world had been destroyed by a nuclear war, leaving the Earth completely uninhabitable. Nearly 98% of the global population had been wiped out. The few who remained had fled to underground shelters built by the ultra-rich. There were only ten such shelters left in the world, and each was ruled by the billionaire who had built it. The concept of a government no longer existed. Ken and his team were working on a critical project—one that could save humanity from this poisoned planet. They were building a spaceship, and it was finally nearing completion. Tomorrow was the big day. The ship would be tested, and if successful, all of humanity would live out their lives on a new planet where trees grew and rivers flowed.
Before heading home, he was going to stop by a bar to meet his friend Maria. He had lost his entire family in the aftermath of the nuclear war; his childhood friend from his old neighborhood was the only one he had left. The loss of his family had severely traumatized him, leading to a two-year stay in a psychiatric ward. If it hadn't been for Maria's presence, he would have taken his own life long ago. Left without a reason to live, he had dedicated himself to finding a new purpose, and eventually, he found it: saving humanity from this suffocating, oxygen-deprived hellhole. He threw his entire being into the project. If it failed, he would lose his reason to exist. It absolutely had to work.
After walking through the stifling streets of the shelter for a while, Ken finally reached the bar where they were meeting. As he pushed the door open, the bell above it chimed. Maria had snagged a table in the corner and was waving at him, calling out, "Over here!" She had golden blonde hair and striking blue eyes. Whenever he saw Maria, his heart would race. He was deeply in love with her. Her unwavering support through his darkest times had nurtured these feelings, but tragically, they were unrequited; Maria only saw him as a friend. He was terrified to confess, fearing it might destroy their friendship, so he kept the intense flood of emotions buried deep inside. But he couldn't hold it in any longer. He was going to tell her tonight. After sharing a warm hug, they sat down at the table. Maria ordered a glass of wine, while Ken asked for a beer to dull his lingering headache. For a moment, he found himself lost in her ocean-blue eyes; it was impossible not to be mesmerized. Clearing his throat, he looked at his childhood friend and asked in a soft, low voice, "How are you doing?"
Maria frowned, as Ken looked far more nervous than usual. Sweat was pouring down his face like a waterfall. Under her scrutinizing gaze, he grew even more tense and averted his eyes. "Is something wrong?" Maria asked, her tone inquisitive. He couldn't hold it in any longer; he had to say it. He reached out his sweaty hand, grasped Maria's pale hands, and said, "Actually, there is something I need to tell you."
Maria tilted her head. "What is it?"
"The truth is, I've had feelings for you for a while now. I've been keeping it inside for so long. Every time I see you, it's like an explosion of emotions. Whenever I look into your eyes, I feel like I'm reborn." He had finally let it all out. A wave of both relief and agonizing anxiety washed over him. What would her answer be? The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy with silence. A sorrowful expression washed over Maria's face as she gently pulled her hands away.
"Ken, I love you, you know that. But I've never looked at you in that way. You know this too. I've actually been seeing someone for a few days now. An Asian man named Cho. I'm so sorry, I don't want to break your heart, but it would be best if we just stayed friends."
Ken felt his entire world shatter. He began to tremble. He was fighting with everything he had to hold back his tears, desperate not to look pathetic in front of her. He had to keep it together. "I understand... So that's how it is. Congratulations," he said, his voice laced with devastation.
A look of pity, mingled with heavy guilt, appeared on Maria's face. Her lips quivered, as if the words she was about to speak caused her physical pain. "Ken, please don't look at me like that," she whispered. "You are my only family left in this world. I can't afford to lose you, but I can't lie to you either. Tomorrow's test... You know how crucial it is for humanity. Please, focus. You have to fly that ship for us, for me."
Ken realized with a sickening twist in his gut that the plural in Maria's "for us" no longer included him. He took a bitter sip of his beer. The lump in his throat burned worse than the stale air of the underground shelter. "You're right," Ken said, trying to mask the tremor in his voice as he stood up. "Tomorrow is the big day. I need to rest."
As he walked out of the bar, the ding ding of the door bell sounded like a funeral toll. Stepping into the damp, metallic-smelling streets outside, he felt that whether tomorrow's test succeeded or failed hardly mattered to him anymore. Or perhaps, he now had more reason than ever to leave this world behind.
This godforsaken, oxygen-deprived hellhole felt more suffocating than ever. His mind drifted to the past, to his memories with her. Suddenly, the weight of it all became unbearable, and he broke down. Leaning against the cold wall, he began to sob, his fists striking the ground. Why couldn't he be happy like other people? What made him so different? He just wanted to be happy. Just once in this damn life, he wanted to be happy, but he kept crashing into a brick wall. After crying until his tears ran dry, he gathered himself and trudged toward home.
He reached his door and pressed his finger against the scanner. The heavy iron door slid open, revealing his fortress of solitude—a cramped, single-room apartment. After taking a shower, he collapsed onto his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out a hunting knife his father had given him. Childhood memories flooded his mind; they used to go hunting all the time, which was why he had received it as a gift. He brought the blade to his chest, directly over his heart. One thrust, and he would be free from all this agony. But just as he braced himself to push it in, the agonizing screams of the people who perished in the war echoed in his mind. Shaken, he slowly lowered the blade, put it back in the drawer, and eventually surrendered to sleep.
The metallic blare of the alarm echoed off the walls. Ken sat up; it was seven in the morning, exactly two hours before the test. He ate a quick breakfast and left his apartment. People from shelters all across the globe had gathered at the launch platform; the crowd was immense. Suddenly, he saw Maria. Beside her stood a man with East Asian features—this had to be Cho. They were likely there to wish him luck, standing hand-in-hand at the foot of the stairs leading to the platform. When Maria saw Ken, she ran toward him.
She gripped his shoulders firmly, looking into his eyes with desperation and hope. Ken smiled with a dull but peaceful expression, as if the storm of the previous night had settled into a calm sea. He gently placed his hands over hers and lowered them. "Don't worry, Maria," he said, his voice steadier and deeper than he expected. "I'll do my best. Not just for me, but for all of us."
Cho stepped forward somewhat bashfully and extended his hand. "I'm Cho," he said respectfully. "It's an honor to meet you, Ken. Maria told me how selfless you are."
Without hesitation, Ken shook his hand. There was no hint of hatred or jealousy; he carried the cold composure of a professional focused solely on the task at hand. "Nice to meet you, Cho. Take good care of Maria; she is the most precious treasure of this underground world." Maria bit her lower lip, her eyes welling with tears. Ken's maturity and acceptance made her heart ache even more. He took a step toward the stairs, then paused to look back.
"Alright, I'm heading out now," he said with a faint smile. "Pray for me, Maria. If we ever see the sky again, it will be because of you." Maria could only nod, the lump in her throat preventing any words. Ken turned and walked into the massive mass of metal amidst the cheers, whistles, and cries of "Save us, Ken!" from the crowd.
Once inside, the heavy metal of the airlock hissed shut with a resounding thud. His connection to the outside world was severed. Sitting in the cramped, high-tech cockpit, Maria and Cho ceased to exist. There were only trembling gauges, the hiss of oxygen tanks, and the vast mission ahead. He donned his helmet, pulled on his gloves, and activated the main panel. The tears had stopped; his mind was as clear as a computer.
"Control tower, this is Pilot Ken," he spoke into the comms. "All systems are green. You may begin the countdown for ignition."
With ten minutes to go, the engineering team began final preparations. The tension was palpable; this was the turning point for humanity. The ship was as large as a four-story building, powered by a custom-built engine designed to warp space itself to generate massive energy. The seconds ticked away. The engine roared to life. The countdown began.
"3... 2... 1... Fire!"