Ren Kurose wasn't lazy.
At least… that's what he liked to tell himself.
People who were truly lazy didn't stay awake at night thinking about their future. They didn't replay conversations in their head, wondering how they could have sounded more confident, more interesting, more… worth noticing. They didn't imagine different versions of their lives—ones where everything worked out, where they were finally someone people admired.
Ren did all of that.
Every single day.
The faint glow of his phone lit up the dark room.
3:12 AM.
Again.
A video continued playing softly in the background, its voice calm and confident—too confident.
"—the key to changing your life is consistent action—"
Ren reached out and paused it, his thumb lingering on the screen for a second longer than necessary. It wasn't that he disagreed with what was being said. If anything, he agreed too much. That was the problem.
He had heard it all before.
His gaze shifted toward his desk.
A laptop sat closed at the center. Next to it, a notebook—clean, untouched. A pen rested neatly on top, placed there earlier in the night as if preparing for something productive that never came.
Ren stared at it for a while before leaning back into his chair, letting out a slow breath.
"I'll start tomorrow."
The words slipped out naturally.
They always did.
It wasn't that he didn't want to try.
That was the most frustrating part.
He wanted to do something with his life. He wanted to be better—to feel like he was actually moving forward instead of standing still while everyone else kept going.
But every time he got close to starting, there was always something that stopped him.
A small hesitation.
A passing thought.
A quiet voice that whispered:
What if you try… and it turns out you're just not that good?
Ren closed his eyes, and almost immediately, another version of himself appeared.
Someone who woke up early without struggling.
Someone who worked without needing to force himself.
Someone who didn't overthink every word before speaking.
Someone who people naturally paid attention to.
That version of him felt… real.
Close enough to touch.
Like all it would take was one decision—one push—and everything would finally change.
His phone vibrated.
Ren opened his eyes.
The image shattered.
A notification.
Bank App Update
He tapped it without much thought.
Balance: ¥214,320
He stared at the number for a few seconds.
Not low enough to panic.
Not high enough to relax.
Just enough to keep going.
Rent.
Food.
Transportation.
The same cycle, repeating over and over.
Ren locked his phone and tossed it lightly onto the desk, rubbing his face with both hands.
"I'll figure something out…"
He muttered it quietly, more out of habit than belief.
Morning came faster than expected.
It always did.
The city was already alive by the time Ren stepped outside. Cars moved in steady lines, people walked with purpose, conversations blended into a constant background noise of movement and progress.
Ren stood at a crosswalk, hands in his pockets, shoulders slightly hunched.
Trying not to stand out.
And yet, painfully aware of everything around him.
A group of people nearby laughed loudly, their voices filled with an ease Ren couldn't quite understand. They didn't seem to think about how they looked or how they sounded. They just… existed.
Ren glanced at them briefly before looking away.
Too quickly.
"Don't stare," he muttered under his breath.
The light turned green.
People moved.
He followed.
His workplace stood a few blocks ahead—a clean, modern building that looked identical to dozens of others in the area. Nothing about it stood out. Nothing about it needed to.
Just like him.
"Morning."
A coworker greeted him as he entered.
Ren gave a small nod. "Morning."
Short. Safe. Enough.
He settled into his desk and opened his laptop, the familiar routine taking over almost automatically. Emails, lesson plans, schedules—it was all straightforward, predictable.
And when things were predictable, Ren could function.
Classes went smoothly.
Students listened.
He explained concepts clearly, answered questions without hesitation, even managed a few light jokes here and there.
In those moments, he almost felt like a different person.
Capable.
Reliable.
Someone who actually knew what he was doing.
But the moment it ended, that feeling faded just as quickly as it came.
Like it had never really belonged to him in the first place.
By the time he left work, the sky had already begun to dim.
Ren walked without any real destination in mind, his pace slower than the people around him. There was no reason to rush. No one waiting.
His phone buzzed.
A message.
Airi:
Did you eat? 😊
Ren stared at the screen for a moment before replying.
Not yet. Just finished work.
The response came almost instantly.
Don't skip meals again. Let's eat together this weekend?
A small smile formed on his face.
Yeah, let's.
It was simple.
But it felt… nice.
He slipped his phone back into his pocket and continued walking until the bright lights of a convenience store caught his attention.
Without thinking too much about it, he stepped inside.
A soft chime rang out as the automatic doors slid open, cool air brushing against his face. The store was quiet, with only a few customers scattered between the aisles.
Ren grabbed a drink from the fridge, more out of habit than need.
As he turned—
Something felt off.
It wasn't obvious.
Not something he could point to immediately.
Just… a subtle sense that something didn't belong.
Near the back shelf, something flickered.
For just a brief moment—so quick that he almost thought he imagined it.
Ren frowned slightly.
"…What was that?"
He took a few steps closer, his eyes scanning the shelves.
Everything looked normal.
Snacks. Drinks. Cheap accessories.
Nothing out of place.
Until he saw it.
A phone.
It didn't have a brand.
No label.
No price tag.
And somehow—
It felt like it was waiting for him.
Ren hesitated for a moment, glancing around the store. No one seemed to be paying attention. The cashier was busy with another customer, and the other shoppers were too focused on their own things.
Slowly, he reached out and picked it up.
The screen turned on instantly.
No logo.
No loading screen.
Just a single line of text.
[User Detected]
Ren's grip tightened slightly.
"…What?"
The text changed.
[Do you wish to make life easier?]
His heartbeat slowed.
Then quickened.
A strange feeling settled in his chest.
Not fear.
Not excitement.
Something in between.
This had to be a joke.
Some kind of promotional device.
Or a prank.
And yet—
His thumb hovered over the screen.
That familiar moment returned.
The one he always faced.
Right before starting something.
That small window—
Between action…
And backing out.
Ren swallowed lightly.
"If this is stupid…"
He muttered under his breath.
Then, before he could think any further—
He tapped.
The screen went black.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Ren froze.
Slowly, he pulled it out.
Bank App Notification
Deposit Received: ¥500,000
His breathing stopped.
Another notification appeared immediately after.
[System Initialized]
And then—
[Spend Smart. Or Don't.]
Ren stared at the screen, his mind completely blank.
For the first time in a long time—
He wasn't thinking about tomorrow.
He was thinking—
What… did I just do?
[End of Chapter 1]