"I'm sorry, Ethan, but your mother is dying; we can't do anything to help her at the moment except giving her the treatment she needs!” Doctor Albert’s words rang like a haunting gun in the ears of Ethan as he stared at him blankly.
He blinked his eyes countless times as he sat in the doctor's office, his hands that were positioned on his laps clutched tightly to his clothing. If he was planning on obtaining any message or information about his mother’s health, it definitely wasn't about her dying. She was all he had; she was all he wanted to have in life, but hearing she was dying, his heart raced with nothing but fear and uncertainty. “Did you hear what I just let out to you?” Doctor Albert asked as he looked at him. He was trying to find out if Ethan was still present in the room with him. “Mr. Ethan!” He called out again just to bring his thoughts back to reality. “I'm sorry, Albert, but... I was just lost for a while. What do we do? How much is the money needed for her surgery?” Ethan inquired, swallowing loudly and nervously. He was broke at the moment and didn't even have enough to take care of himself. “You just need $40,000 to take care of your mother's surgery. She'll…” Doctor Albert was going to say, but Ethan didn't let him finish; he wasn't sure what to say to him either at this moment. “I... Doctor Albert, but is there really nothing else to do to keep her alive? I don't,” he was about to speak out, but then Doctor Albert scoffed, rolling his eyes with disgust. Staring at Doctor Albert, one could tell that he was irritated by Ethan's gestures. “You don't have money? Is that what you want to say?” Doctor Albert's brows creased as he stared at Ethan, waiting for a response from him. “We are speaking about your mother's life here, Ethan, and you don't still have money? How broke must you be? Why must you suffer from poverty all your life? Why don't you change?” He barked as he glared at Ethan sitting before him. Doctor Albert and Ethan had known each other right from college days, and it was always the same story from college. Albert was becoming impatient too. “It's not that I don't want to pay for her surgery, Albert. I just don't have it at the moment. I am really out of funds. Why don't you treat her while I pay you installmentally?” Ethan pleaded as he swiftly lifted his hand and reached for that of Albert. “Let go! You should be ashamed of yourself, you poor bastard! I can't believe I admitted your mother into this hospital! I don't want anything to do with you! I bet your mother would die anytime soon because of how wretched you are! Disgusting prick!” Albert mocked him as he stood to his feet angrily. He walked over to the door before Ethan could utter a single word to him. He opened his door and turned to look at Ethan, who was still seated in his office. “Get out, Ethan!” He commanded, his eyes grimacing, and scowling as he spoke with nothing but loathing and irritation. “Come on, Albert. I accept I am poor, but can't you save her life for now? I promise to pay, please!” Ethan begged, his eyes becoming teary at this point. “I hate it when I lose my patience, Ethan, and right now, you are making me lose it! Get out of my office before I do something crazy to you! Broke ass fool without a sense of smartness!" Albert taunted as he stared at Ethan. At this point, Ethan just wanted nothing but to save his mother, and to do that, he shouldn't have to make Albert get extremely infuriated. He stood to his feet and left the office with his head bowed to the floor in embarrassment. The second he walked out of the office, Albert slammed the door forcefully behind him, making it echo relentlessly in Ethan's ears. He turned to look at Albert's door one more time, and his fist tightened with nothing but disappointment. He could still recall when he had helped Albert back in school, but now that they were all doing well, he was a useless and worthless person. Ethan sniffled, and without hesitation, he wiped away the tears that were trickling down his eyes. He walked over to his mother's room, and before opening the door, he had to make sure he wasn't looking troubled. He pushed the door open, and seeing his mother at the verge of death, he couldn't hold back his tears. “Mother!” He whispered below his breaths, his voice shaky and his eyes all teary. They were all red. His hands trembled as they reached for her hand that was placed by her side. “E…Ethan?” She fought to speak to him. She was really dying. Ethan's heart bled, and his thoughts kept whirling. “Don't cry, Ethan... I… I am still here, you know.” She tried to reassure him, but Ethan knew that she wasn't with him anymore, and he knew that he needed to do something for her to get the surgery. “You are not, mother!” He muttered, lifting his gaze to hers as he tightened his grip on her hand. “I need to help you, and I can't do that because of how foolish I am. I can't even get you the money you need! A failed son, that's what I really am!” He shook his head endlessly as tears trickled down from his eyes. “Don't say that, Ethan! I love you and…” His mother was going to say, but just then, she began to cough, and it made her pause her statement. Ethan rushed to give her water, and she drank. He stared at his mother, and all he could see was pain. He really wished to save her; he really wished to help her. ‘I can't sit here and keep crying. I need to find a way immediately; if not, I'll be losing my mother!’ He said inwardly, as he desired to save her. Just then, it came to him, and he remembered one person: Camilla, his girlfriend. She was supposed to have money, at least now that her father was a contracted worker because of Ethan's hard work. “I'll be right back with your bills, mother!” He stated, and before his mother could ask him a question, he rushed out of the room and headed for Camilla's house. His mother, whom he had left all alone in her room, had coughed up blood, but Ethan didn't get to see it. “I wish you well, Son,” she muttered as she stared weakly towards the room door. Ethan, on the other hand, had gotten to Camilla's house looking all disassembled and sweaty. He couldn't enter a cab because he couldn't afford it. He knocked on the door countless times, but no one responded to him. The fifth time he knocked on the door, it opened narrowly, making him surprised. His girlfriend never left the door open. He walked in slowly, and the second he got into the house, he found Camilla still in her bra and undies. “Ethan, what... what are you doing here?” She asked with shock in her eyes. Ethan didn't want to waste any time, so he went straight to the point. "Please, Camilla, you are my only hope. I need some money. I need money to pay for my mother's bills. She is…” Ethan was going to keep saying when he got the worst shock of his life. “Hey baby, who is there?” A deep but familiar voice echoed from behind her room door. “Who is that?” Ethan questioned with his eyes widening in confusion. His heart was racing too because he couldn't forget the owner of the voice; even if he was sleeping, he knew who it was, and just as expected, it was confirmed the second he opened the door. “You are cheating on me with Gideon?” He splintered, still trying to understand what was happening before his eyes.“You are cheating on me with Gideon? Come on Camilla, tell me this isn't true please!” Ethan begged as he walked closer to where Camilla was standing. With trembling hands, he clutched her shoulders and stared directly into her eyes. “Get off me, Ethan!” She pushed him away with her face etched with nothing but disgust. She just couldn't endure seeing him stand closer to her for that long. He reeked of sweat and his clothes were dirty. To her, Ethan was now an illness, he was now someone to avoid like a pandemic. She didn't want to have anything to do with him and she didn't feel remorseful for what she had done to him. “I know this is a joke, Camilla! You can't fall in love with him right? You love just me and me alone! You can't love someone who bullied me in school, right?” Ethan was going to walk closer to her again but then, Gideon stepped in. “Why don't you stay away from my princess, Ethan? Just leave!” Gideon sounded but Ethan didn't listen, he was still heartbroken and no
“Mother!” Ethan whispered as he swiftly ended the call and had his phone plunged into his pocket. If there was anything he was scared about, it was losing his own mother. He hoped to stay with her for as long as he lived and not watch her die. Ethan's heart pounded with fear and tension as he struggled to get back on his feet. Despite the pain from Gideon's attack, he refused to give up. His only focus was on reaching his mother.“I have to get to my mother!” He muttered as he began to race towards the highway. The second he got to the bus station, he thought about running to the hospital, but that would waste so much time. He decided to stop a cab with the little money he had on him. He was saving it for taking his mom home but at this point, seeing her was more important. He felt his stomach churn at the thought of losing her on earth. He wouldn't be happy if anything happened to her. He knew she was weak, but it was best if she stayed alive for him. “Fucking stop!” He roared as
“Host? System? What is happening? I was dying just now! What is happening? Why am I still alive? I can remember falling from the rooftop.” Ethan panicked as he looked around, but he was in a dark room, so he couldn't tell where he was or what he was doing in the dark. “Am I dead and sent to where poor men stay? Am I going to spend eternity here?” He questioned invisibility as he placed his hand on his body to check if he was hurt. Just then, he recalled when he was falling from the rooftop and heard a loud voice that echoed in his head. “Am I insane now? From poverty to insanity?” His eyes widened as he froze for a second. He felt like he wasn't going to be a normal human again. [How can System be linked to someone who is weak and stupid too?] The mechanical voice came again, and this time, Ethan was startled. He was set to stand up and run away, but then he stopped and looked around.“Who said that? Who are you?” He asked, his eyes bulging out in fear and uncertainty. He needed
Ethan left Camilla's side and headed right for a calm and quiet class. He was also trying his best to be vigilant. He wouldn't want the eyes of his bullies to find him. It was better to avoid them than punch them in the face, just as his system had ordered him to do the first time. He kept breathing heavily as he locked himself in the hall where he had entered. He sat down and tried to calm his nerves. It was time to know the truth; it was time to understand it all. Although he knew that he had reincarnated, he still needed more details to explain what was happening to him. “System? System!” He called out with an audible voice, like he was having an argument with his system. [Host doesn't have to speak out so loud for system to listen!] It warned him again, and he recalled it. He instantly became calm. “Sorry there… But can you explain what's happening? Because trust me, I'm about to lose it. What's really happening, and how did you get into my head?” Ethan questioned, his gaze f
“I can't do it; I can't become a security guard on the day of my graduation. My mom will be furious. She wants the best for me. Find some other task!” Ethan snapped as he shook his head endlessly. He wasn't willing to do it. He wasn't willing to carry out a task that would make his mother sad. She had given him a dress that he definitely needed to wear, and that was what he was going to do. He had promised not to break her heart in his second life, and he wasn't going to do so. [Host has no choice but to carry out the task given. Host has ten life bars, and if the Host refuses to carry out a task successfully, two bars will be deducted from host's life span.]“What? That isn't even fair! How do you expect me to...” Ethan was about to say, but he had already gotten to the nerves of his system, and it just couldn't take it anymore. [Host shouldn't speak when System has given its order! You either accomplish the task or forget about getting revenge!]It sounded so furious that if it w
Going back home after the graduation and having fun with himself, Ethan turned to return home. He was so excited that he just couldn't help but stop at a store to get some food stuff.He kept dancing to the song playing in the supermarket, but his joy was cut short when he heard muttering voices from behind him. “Watch him go; it looks as though he has successfully stolen from someone. and can't wait to use their money to pay!” Ethan stood at a spot as he heard them. He just couldn't move, and he felt a pinch of pain in his veins. He wished to deal with them, but he just couldn't expose himself, at least not yet. “Who knows if he can pay for it? I bet he'll keep buying on debt while his mother pays for him! Mommy's poor church rat boy!” Another voice uttered, adding a sense of mockery to his tone. Ethan furiously shut his eyes briefly and clenched tightly on the item that he held in his hand. Without hearing any more word from them, he stormed out and headed for the counter to pay
"It's over! It all ends here," Ethan muttered beneath his breath, his voice heavy with resignation as he closed his eyes. Despite his readiness, a sense of dissatisfaction lingered within him, knowing that he had missed his opportunity for revenge."Kill me!" he asserted, bracing himself for the worst outcome. After all, facing death was nothing new to him.As he waited, anticipating the sharp sting of a bullet piercing his flesh, the sound of the trigger being pulled caused him to flinch. But to his surprise, the shot didn't find its mark; it didn't strike him.Slowly, Ethan opened his eyes, confusion clouding his thoughts as he tried to make sense of what had just occurred. Why hadn't he been killed? And why had the shot merely echoed through the air?In that moment of uncertainty, his gaze fell upon a figure standing before him: a young man, roughly his own age. He was protecting Ethan and in this case he was curious. No one has ever stood in for him before.“Who is this?” He ques
“Who are you, really? You are not the weakling everyone used to know!” James inquired, putting Ethan in a state of confusion, fear, and uncertainty. Ethan wasn't sure how he was going to react to James's question. His identity must be concealed. It must be hidden. There was definitely no way anyone should find out that he had reincarnated, and with a system too. He kept mute and could only turn to James with a stare filled with apprehension. His heart had begun to race rapidly too, and although he wished to speak, his lips were too heavy to explain his situation. He feared getting caught and not having his revenge. Just then, James walked slowly towards where Ethan was standing again, and with his eyes squinted, he gazed right into Ethan’s eyes, his attention fully concentrated on Ethan. “You are not him; you've changed. Something in you has changed. The Ethan I know will never ever speak back at anyone! Who are you?” James asked again, this time with a more drastic tone. Ethan's