May 14, 2033 | 03:00 PM

  Inside the living room on the ground floor of a two-story house—sturdy concrete below and weathered wood above—a warm atmosphere filled the space. Mook sat on an old sofa beside his mother, his eyes fixed on his phone screen as he intently read an important news report to her.

  “Tokamiya Saito has been granted massive compensation after being wrongfully imprisoned for five years. Meanwhile, his ex-girlfriend and the famous actor who accused him have been sued into bankruptcy…”

  Mook read with a firm, emphasized tone, as if trying to reassure his mother that the man offering them a lifeline in their darkest hour was no criminal. Instead, he was a victim of injustice who had finally reclaimed his freedom.

  Because the offer Saito presented was worth several million baht, Mild still felt uneasy. She had asked her son to thoroughly investigate the man’s background before deciding to leave everything behind for a foreign land.

  “What about the flight tickets and travel documents, son?” Mild asked, her voice laced with lingering anxiety, her hands trembling slightly where they rested on her knees.

  “Checked them, Mom. They’re all authentic.” Mook quickly handed the phone to her, showing the precise booking codes and flight details. Even the passports were genuine and perfectly registered in the system—flawless in every detail.

  “So… what are you going to do? Are you really going?”

  “Of course, Mom. He gave us this much money; how could I not go?” Mook pulled out a thick stack of thousand-baht bills, his eyes gleaming with a hope they hadn't seen in years. He leaned down and took a deep, exaggerated sniff of the crisp notes. Sniff! Sniff! He did it to confirm the scent of the wealth he was experiencing for the very first time in his life.

  “Look at you!” Mild burst into laughter at her son’s antics. The tension in her heart dissipated for a moment as she saw the smile that had been missing for a year finally return to Mook’s face.

  ***

  May 16, 2033 | 08:00 AM | Tokyo, Japan

  “Whoa…” Mook looked up in awe at the pristine white building of a leading Tokyo hospital, where Saito had booked his mother’s knee surgery.

  The hospital grounds were impeccably organized, with manicured greenery and marble walkways polished to a mirror-like shine. A faint, cold breeze swept through the quiet, futuristic atmosphere, making Mook feel instantly self-conscious in the face of such unfamiliar luxury.

  “Mr. Mook and Ms. Mild, I presume?” A sweet, soft voice spoke in Thai with a distinct Japanese accent. A cute nurse walked toward them with a welcoming smile.

  “Y-yes, that’s us,” Mook stammered visibly. His back began to grow damp with sweat; the nurse before him was as adorable as a lead actress from the movies he used to watch on his computer.

  “In that case, I will be looking after Ms. Mild from here on. As for you… please take the taxi over there.” The nurse pointed to a waiting car before gently leading Mild away in a different direction.

  “Take care of yourself, Mom!” Mook waved goodbye with a beaming face, his heart torn between worry and excitement for what lay ahead, before stepping into the taxi.

  Thud!

  As the door closed, the car glided past orderly, clean buildings, prompting Mook to involuntarily compare this beautiful city to his hometown. When the car eventually came to a halt at its destination…

  “Whoa… this looks like something straight out of a movie.”

  Mook stared up at a massive traditional Japanese mansion standing before him. Dark gray stone walls enclosed the vast estate, and the multi-layered gabled roof, covered in jet-black Kabuto tiles, looked solemn and commanding. In the front garden, a large bonsai tree and a stone water basin—dripping water that hit a bamboo tube with a rhythmic pock—added an air of mystery to the place.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Creak…

  The giant wooden doors opened, revealing a man in comfortable indigo Japanese casual wear. He looked several years older than Mook. His face appeared more haggard than on the first day, marked with traces of acne and scarring, and he wore glasses that gave him a "nerdy" appearance. This was Saito in his relaxed state, looking so different from the first time they met that he was almost unrecognizable.

  “Mr… Saito,” Mook greeted, his voice lower than usual.

  “Hey… come on in,” Saito replied shortly, his voice flat as he led the way inside.

  The interior of the mansion was decorated with dark, polished wood. The long hallways were so quiet that Mook could hear the echo of his own footsteps. 'He’s so thin,' Mook thought, observing Saito’s back. The man looked fragile compared to Mook, who was a little soft around the middle. Mook felt that Saito seemed like a warm person, yet he also carried a hidden sense of coldness.

  'Maid girls, too...' Mook stole a glance at the maids in clean white uniforms busy tending to the house. Everything here was so systematic and aesthetic that Mook felt another wave of anxiety.

  Click!

  When they reached an underground hall converted into a modern lab—a stark contrast to the exterior—Saito unlocked a room and tossed the key to Mook. “Keep that key safe. From now on… this is your workspace.”

  “Y-yes, sir,” Mook caught the key, scanning the room packed with dozens of monitors and high-tech equipment he had never seen before. There were even sub-rooms with symbols for a bathroom and a bed, fully equipped.

  “Your luggage, Master.” A melodious voice came from behind. Mook turned to find a beautiful young woman with long black hair. She had a delicate face, large bright eyes, and wore a maid outfit that accentuated her slender figure. Mook was at a loss, not understanding the language, but when he saw her reach out for his suitcase, he handed it over in a daze. She immediately wheeled it into the bedroom to unpack for him.

  “Rina-chan will handle your things. As for you… follow me.” Saito led him deeper into the hallway to an office several times larger than Mook’s.

  “Do you know what a brainwave computer is?” Saito sank into a red sofa. His posture was calm, yet he exuded an invisible, heavy pressure.

  “Uh… yes, I do. But it seems no one has actually succeeded in making one yet, right?” Mook replied, looking for a chair with visible hesitation.

  Flop!

  Saito tossed a folding canvas chair toward him.

  “Thanks,” Mook unfolded it and sat down quickly before asking, “So, what do you want me to do?”

  “Build a brainwave computer for me,” Saito said in a calm but pressuring voice that made Mook feel like he couldn't catch his breath. “But first, I want to test if you actually have the guts to do it.”

  “T-test?” Mook felt a slight pang of apprehension, but he wasn't truly afraid. Before coming here, he had prepared himself for anything; no matter how hard or difficult the work, he would succeed.

  “Many people are trying to build it right now. But everyone who sends commands back into the brain… they either die or end up with amnesia. At worst, they become brain-dead, a vegetable, a burden to others.” Saito said with a blank expression.

  Mook swallowed hard. Gulp! He remembered his own risk at home; he had nearly become a burden to his mother.

  Saito stared at Mook’s pale face and gave a faint smile. “But you… you are the only one who did it and is still breathing. So today, I want you to find the answer: what makes you different from them? And I want you to successfully test it on a ‘rat.’ That rat must receive the same command ten times without dying or showing a single side effect.”

  Mook went silent for a moment before nodding to accept the challenge. “Understood. And… what’s the deadline?”

  “Hmm… none. Just don’t take too long.” Saito gestured for Mook to return to his workspace. “Go on.”

  Mook stood up, bowed slightly, and turned to leave.

  “Wait…” Saito called out. “About Rina-chan. Her family has massive debts, and I am the creditor. Right now, I’m giving her to you. You can do whatever you want with her.”

  “Uh… excuse me? Come again?” Mook was stunned, his mind going blank. He hadn't misheard, had he?

  “Exactly what you heard. She’ll be staying in your room. Do whatever you feel like doing.” Saito finished and immediately turned back to his work, completely indifferent to what he had just said. It was as if such a thing were normal to him, or as if women were merely objects he could give away at will.

  The confirmation left Mook trembling. The image of Rina-chan’s beauty began to swirl in his head; she really was like a goddess…

  As he turned to leave, his nervousness, combined with his clumsy gait, caused Mook to walk straight into the door frame.

  Crash!

  “If you break my door, I’m deducting it from your salary,” Saito said flatly.

  “It won't break! It won't!” Mook scrambled up, frantically stroking the door as if it were a priceless treasure, before rushing back to his workspace.

  Once Mook was out of sight, Saito glanced at a document—the profile of Akisaki Rina, the 23-year-old woman he had carefully selected. His gaze settled on the personality section written there…

  ‘Obsessive Love.’