Final act: No peace even after death

Jun-ha walked home from work, the weight of his stressful day heavy on his shoulders.

The city was bustling, but he felt isolated, as usual. His mind was occupied with thoughts of his past—his mother's tragic conviction, his childhood scars, and the loneliness that had followed him into adulthood.

As he crossed the street, his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden commotion. A child, no older than five, was about to run into the path of an oncoming truck.

Without thinking, Jun-ha dashed forward, pushing the child out of the way. The truck swerved, but it was too late for Jun-ha. The impact was swift and brutal.

In those final moments before everything went dark, Jun-ha felt a strange mix of relief and regret. He had finally done something selfless, something that mattered, but it came at the cost of his own life.

As he lay on the ground, his vision blurred, he thought about his past—the isolation, the missed opportunities, and the loneliness he had endured.

As Jun-ha lay on the ground, his consciousness drifted through a haze of memories. In the moments before everything went dark, flashes of his past played out before him.

He remembered being a young child, his mother's trial dominating the news.

The label of "murderer's child" was thrust upon him, a cruel tag that stuck with him through his formative years. The other kids at school avoided him, and their parents made sure to keep their children away.

The whispers and the stares, the way they pointed fingers—these were his constant companions.The isolation grew sharper as he moved through school.

Even when he tried to reach out, to make friends, he was met with cold shoulders and silent judgments. The cruelty of his peers and their parents had forced him into a shell. He learned to keep to himself, to avoid drawing attention, and to navigate life alone.In high school, the bullying became a routine part of his life.

The taunts, the pranks, and the exclusion—these became the norm. Jun-ha built walls around himself, not out of choice but out of necessity. Friendships seemed like a distant dream, something that others could have but he was denied.His adult life wasn't much different.

As an office worker, Jun-ha remained isolated. Despite colleagues trying to be friendly, he was always on edge, self-conscious and uncomfortable. His past had created a barrier he couldn't easily cross. Even when people extended gestures of kindness, he recoiled, convinced that they were merely pitying him or that he didn't deserve their attention.

He had grown accustomed to solitude, to the loneliness that wrapped around him like a second skin. His social interactions were minimal, his relationships shallow. The weight of his past—of being branded and bullied—had shaped him into someone who couldn't escape his own insecurities.And then came the moment of his final act of redemption, saving the child from the truck. In that fleeting instant, he had found a purpose, a chance to make a difference.

But it came at a price, and now, as he lay there, he was forced to confront the loneliness that had defined his existence.

As Jun-ha's consciousness faded, he felt a strange sensation of floating, his body weightless and detached. It was disorienting, like being pulled through a tunnel of light.

When he finally became aware again, he found himself in a completely different place.He was in a large, high-ceilinged room with walls that seemed to shimmer faintly. The space was filled with a soft, ambient light, and the atmosphere was charged with a mix of confusion and awe.

Around him, people were milling about, their expressions mirroring his own bewilderment.The room was a waiting lounge, and as Jun-ha looked around, he noticed the diversity of the people there.

They were from all corners of the globe: tall, broad-shouldered individuals from Russia, sleek and agile figures from China, and others from Korea, Japan, and beyond. They all appeared as lost and disoriented as he felt, but there was something different about each of them.

He could sense the aura of some, the confidence and poise that marked them as exceptional. They were the ones who had likely been chosen for their talents and skills, individuals who had shown great potential or had achieved remarkable feats in their lives. Their presence was imposing, and Jun-ha felt a pang of inadequacy.

Among them, a few stood out distinctly. A young woman with a fierce gaze from Korea, from where Jun-ha was also from, seemed to radiate a quiet strength, while a tall, serious-looking man from Russia carried himself with an air of authority.

They exchanged glances and whispered amongst themselves, clearly aware of their unique circumstances.Jun-ha, on the other hand, felt out of place. He was just an ordinary man who had been caught in a tragic accident—a mere coincidence in the grand scheme of things.

It became clear to him that he wasn't supposed to be here. His death had happened at the wrong time, when the tower was in the process of collecting individuals from Earth. His fate had thrown him into this world by sheer chance, not because of any special talent or skill.As he tried to make sense of his new surroundings, a voice echoed through the lounge, calm and authoritative.

"Welcome to the Tower of Regrets. You have been brought here for reasons known only to fate. Each of you will face trials that will test your strengths and reveal your true potential. Prepare yourselves, for the journey ahead will be both challenging and transformative.

Just keep in mind, there are 100 floors to climb and it will or will not cause your life, it's up to you"

The announcement was met with murmurs and varied reactions. Some of the talented individuals seemed eager, their eyes shining with determination. Others looked nervous but resolute. Jun-ha stood quietly, his thoughts swirling.

He felt the weight of his own inadequacy but also a flicker of determination. Maybe this was his chance to change, to prove that he was more than just a product of his past.He glanced around, taking in the faces of the people who would be sharing this journey with him.

Despite his insecurities, he resolved to embrace whatever came next. Fate had brought him here, and now he had to find a way to make the most of this unexpected second chance.

The waiting lounge began to fill with the hum of anticipation as people prepared themselves for the trials that awaited. Jun-ha took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenges ahead, hoping that this strange twist of fate might offer him the chance to finally confront his past and forge a new future.

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