"Ahhhh! Just another boring yet joyful day," Sage sighed, but the satisfaction in his eyes could not be hidden. Stepping out of the office building with a yawn, his eyes drifted to the sky, looking at the sun that was setting down on the western horizon.
At twenty years old, he was the epitome of average: a young man in a sleek black business suit, clutching a brown leather briefcase.
His face was unremarkable; not handsome but certainly not ugly, just that kind of look that blended seamlessly into a crowd.
As he made his way to the subway station, Sage shook his head, trying to shake off the monotony.
A few minutes later, he found himself on the train, watching as the world outside blurred into streaks of light and color.
With a practiced motion, he pulled out his phone and plugged in his earphones.
Scrolling through his favorite music streaming app, he selected a track that always managed to lift his spirits.
As the melody enveloped him, a hint of enjoyment flickered across his face.
Sitting in one corner of the train, almost hidden from view, Sage felt like an invisible ghost.
No one noticed him; it was as if he had slipped into another reality where only music existed.
About an hour later, the train jolted to a stop.
As passengers began to disembark, Sage calmly stood up and joined them, merging into the dense crowd outside.
The sun had fully sunk into the horizon with the moon finally coming to claim its rightful place; it hung high above like a watchful king surrounded by twinkling stars.
The streets glowed with vibrant neon lights as nightlife sprang to life around him. Some were just beginning their evening adventures, while others were winding down after long days.
Bars pulsated with heavy metal music while patrons stumbled out, looking worse for wear. The streets buzzed with all sorts of characters, each lost in their own worlds.
Sage navigated through this lively chaos with his head slightly bowed and music still playing softly in his ears.
He moved so seamlessly that when people brushed against him, they didn’t even notice him; it was as if he were walking through shadows unnoticed.
After wandering for over thirty minutes, Sage finally arrived at a residential complex, a place where the buildings showed signs of wear and tear under the dim lighting provided only by street lamps and moonlight.
It felt darker here compared to the bustling streets just moments before.
Undeterred by the gloominess surrounding him, Sage walked purposefully toward a tall four-story building without an elevator; only stairs awaited him.
Climbing upward, he passed several residents who didn’t spare him even a glance; they simply flowed past like water around rocks.
Minutes later, reaching the fourth floor at last, he approached an unassuming door at the end of the corridor.
With practiced ease, he fished out his keys and unlocked it before stepping inside and shutting it behind him.
As soon as he flicked on the light switch, the room illuminated instantly. It revealed an apartment that mirrored its owner’s life: small but cozy.
It wasn’t large, just a small bathroom, a snug bedroom, and a compact living room, but it had everything he needed.
The living space featured a simple desk with a chair, where his trusty computer sat ready for action.
On the wall beside it hung a small cabinet brimming with an eclectic mix of magazines, manga, and action figures that told stories of adventure and nostalgia.
In the center of the living room was a petite sofa facing a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.
The kitchen was unremarkable but functional, perfect for whipping up quick meals after long days.
Overall, the layout was charmingly ordinary, yet it felt just right.
"It’s good to be home," Sage thought as his calm demeanor finally broke into a smile.
He strolled to his bedroom to change out of his suit, then headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
Afterward, he made his way to the kitchen and prepared himself a simple dinner, a satisfying end to his day.
With dinner finished in under thirty minutes, he plopped down on the sofa, turned on the TV, and lost himself in an episode of anime.
Time passed, and after two hours of catching up on all the latest episodes of the anime he was watching, Sage stood up from the sofa, stretched for a while, and then made his way to his dear computer.
He plopped down on the chair, put on his headphones, fired up the computer, and then dove into a world of video games.
Sage immersed himself in the world of games until the clock struck 9:00 PM. He had been gaming for more than four hours straight.
"Ahhhh..! What a game, I finally leveled up after three days of grinding, not bad...not bad at all!"
He took off the headphones and stretched his limbs with a satisfied grin on his face.
This was the kind of life he dreamed of living, a life of complete boredom and normalcy; if it weren’t for his need for money to sustain this simple life of his, he wouldn’t even be bothered to go to work.
To him, work is like a task assigned to a slave and a waste of time.
Having a job means being committed to slavery...the modern kind of slavery. Apart from the meager salary paid every month, jobs are no different from slavery at all.
Maybe his views are completely different from others, but that is how things work. Yet, he still stands by his beliefs.
In the slave trade era, slaves were forced to work under the scorching sun from dawn to night with little breaks in between.
In this modern society, going to work feels like being a slave forced to work, just that the objective has changed but the core idea remains the same.
Punishments have been replaced by salary reductions, performance bonuses being withheld, being scolded by your boss, etc.
Compared to the slave trade era where one wrong deed meant being whipped on the back or even thrown into a dungeon and starved, people have to wake up early in the morning and go to work and close in the evening, so there is no difference between a modern-day 9-5 job and the slave trade era. Just a few changes, that’s all.
Sage shook his head and quickly came back from his reverie while tapping on his cheeks.
"Grrrrrr....!"
Suddenly his stomach rumbled loudly, reverberating through the room.
"Huh! Hungry again..." he muttered while rubbing his stomach as he made his way to the kitchen.
He opened the fridge, but it was empty except for some fruits and a bottle of milk. He opened the cabinets, but they were all empty.
He scratched his head and leaned on the kitchen counter, "Seems like I’m out of food; need to restock!"
He glanced at the time, "Should I wait until tomorrow...but by now Old Harry hasn’t closed yet...I can get a discount from him and maybe grab a bite or two while I’m out!"
He was deep in thought about restocking his food supplies. As lazy as he was, he didn’t want the hassle of constantly going out every day, and besides, there was still time.
Tomorrow is Saturday; he can remain indoors all day without going out if his supplies are restocked.
"This seems like a very feasible plan," he nodded as he made up his mind.
He quickly grabbed his wallet and phone and walked out of the apartment block, making his way to the nearest night market.