Bangladesh. Many people may not know this country, but it is truly a precious land. Its natural beauty—vast rivers, towering hills, dense forests, and the endless sea—makes it feel like a perfect masterpiece of nature itself. Today, our focus falls on Cox's Bazar, one of the most important regions of the country. This place is not only for the locals; people from all over the world come here to visit. They come to witness the waves of the sea and to admire the breathtaking view of the setting sun.
In Cox's Bazar, the waves of the ocean seem to play a gentle melody in the air. The breeze carries a unique scent, the mist over the grass, and the soft touch of sand beneath the feet—all together make it feel as if heaven has descended upon earth. Small children are playing football near the shore, their laughter and excitement blending with the sound of the waves. Slowly, the afternoon fades into evening, and evening drifts into night. Fishermen pull their boats back toward their homes, while tourists head into different hotels to spend the night. This scene feels nothing less than paradise.
Meanwhile, far away in Japan, there exists a similar kind of beauty. Mountains, rivers, and the elegance of cities—everything is naturally harmonious. The behavior and politeness of the people are even more admirable compared to many other countries. But within this peaceful environment, a shadow of disturbance begins to appear. The waves of the sea start to rise slowly, and the sky shows subtle signs of an approaching storm. Some ordinary people notice these changes and try to warn others, but many ignore them.
Among them is a young man named Takashi Jung Hun, whom we will call Jung Han. From childhood, Jung Han followed rules and discipline strictly. He has always been cautious and willing to help others. Somehow, he had already sensed that something unusual was about to happen today.
Suddenly, the tremors of an earthquake begin. At first, they are mild, but within moments, the intensity rises sharply. Buildings begin to shake violently; some collapse entirely. Human lives seem to freeze for a moment. Many people fall to the ground, some scream in terror, and others get injured while trying to escape.
Jung Han shouts loudly,
"Have you all gone mad?! Can't you see people are lying on the ground? You're stepping over them!"
No one listens to him. Everyone is running in panic. Tears begin to form in Jung Han's eyes. He shouts again and again,
"This is not what we were taught! During an earthquake, you don't run around like this—you find a safe place and take cover!"
At that moment, a boy looks at him and says,
"Who are you, huh? Trying to scare us? Is this country your father's property?"
Jung Han gives a slight smile and suddenly punches him. The boy is thrown several feet away. His gang members rush toward Jung Han to attack him, but Jung Han skillfully avoids them. One of the members cries out,
"Sorry, brother! We were just joking! Please forgive us!"
Jung Han replies coldly,
"When I told you earlier, you didn't listen. And now you're apologizing?"
He then kicks him hard in the face.
At that moment, a massive wave rises from the sea. Everyone begins to panic and run in fear.
A bōyoshko man (old man) speaks in a deep voice,
"Why aren't you listening to him? This is not the time to run. We should help each other!"
A woman nods in agreement. A police officer fires a shot into the air to calm everyone down.
Suddenly, both the earthquake and the wave stop. Everyone stands still in shock. It becomes clear that the terrifying wave and the vision of death were only in Jung Han's imagination. In reality, he sees the boy, the old man, the woman, and the police officer—everyone is alive.
Takashi Jung Hun stands still, his chest rising and falling slowly, his eyes filled with confusion. He wonders to himself—was everything that just happened real… or was it all just his imagination? The echoes of screams, the roar of waves, and the sound of collapsing buildings still ring in his ears.
He looks down and sees the same boy—the one who insulted him earlier—lying unconscious on the ground. The sight feels so real that Takashi's heart trembles.
Looking around, he searches again for the old man who had tried to calm everyone. The man is still there, but his face shows confusion, as if he too cannot understand what just happened.
Takashi's mind is filled with a single question—
"Was that massive tsunami attack real… or just a nightmare created by my mind?"
He slowly turns back. His heartbeat nearly stops. There is no giant wave, no destruction—everything appears normal. And yet, he clearly remembers everything: the earthquake, the running people, the girl, the old man, the police officer… everything happened. Only the final destruction seems to have vanished.
Suddenly, Takashi feels a sharp pain in his head. This pain is not new to him—he has felt it before. But this time, it feels far more real and intense. He holds his head and bends slightly. It feels as if something inside his brain is breaking, or some unknown force is shaking his thoughts.
At that exact moment, reality changes again. A terrifying roar comes from the sea—this time, it is real. A massive wave rises, even more horrifying than before, as if it intends to swallow the entire world.
People scream and start running again. This time, no one hesitates. Everyone runs for their lives.
Takashi runs as well, but there is something different in his eyes—not just fear, but realization. This time, everything is real. This is not imagination.
Chaos spreads everywhere. People help each other, pulling others up if they fall. Many survive, but not everyone is fortunate. Some lose their loved ones in that terrifying moment.
After some time, everything slowly becomes quiet. A strange silence spreads after the destruction, as if the world itself has grown tired.
Takashi Jung Hun returns home with an exhausted body. Luckily, his house was not affected by the disaster. He opens the door, steps inside, and leans against the wall, closing his eyes—just to make sure he is still alive.
The next morning, sunlight enters through the window and falls on his face. He slowly wakes up. His body feels heavy, but he tries to return to normal. He goes to the bathroom, brushes his teeth, washes his face, and does some light exercise. After having breakfast and drinking water, he steps outside.
Outside, he sees news reporters taking interviews from people. Cameras, microphones, and noise fill the area. After listening for a while, Takashi realizes that many are exaggerating, and some are even lying completely.
One reporter loudly says,
"Do you know? Yesterday, a meteor fell from space! And from that meteor, a monster was created!"
Takashi smiles slightly at this. There is a hint of exhaustion and disbelief in his eyes. He says nothing and quietly walks away.
He enters a restaurant and orders traditional Japanese food. The food is served, but his mind is elsewhere. He falls into deep thought.
"What exactly happened last night…?" he thinks.
"A normal earthquake and tsunami don't happen like that… If it was predicted, we would have received a notification on our phones…"
He sits there for a long time. The food grows cold, but his thoughts do not stop.
Meanwhile, another character is introduced—his name is Mark.
Mark is standing in a market in New York City, buying food. Tall buildings surround him, crowds move everywhere, and cars create constant noise—everything reflects a busy life. But Mark's life is different.
The shopkeeper suddenly shouts angrily,
"Hey Mark! Why aren't you paying your money? It's almost 700,000 taka now!"
Mark calmly replies, as if nothing matters,
"I'll pay tomorrow."
The shopkeeper becomes even angrier,
"You always say tomorrow! When will that tomorrow come?"
Mark repeats again,
"I'll pay tomorrow."
Because of his careless attitude, many cases have been filed against him, but he does not care at all. It is as if none of these things matter to him.
Among the tall buildings and apartments, he lives in a small one-story house. There, he lives his life peacefully. No matter what people say about him, he does not pay attention.
His life moves in a strange way—sometimes he studies in college, sometimes he works as a delivery man, sometimes in a shop, and sometimes he sells his own paintings. His life has no stability, yet he continues living in his own way.
There is a certain tiredness in his eyes, but deep within him lies a bigger story—one that has not yet been fully revealed.