Chapter 1: Simple Life
In a small home on the outskirts of the city lives a tough but handsome young man.
His looks are the result of hard labor at construction sites. He lives with his sisters, without the presence of parents.
The siblings have never known an easy life — it's all been hardships and challenges. Tough, but manageable for them.
"I'm homeeee..."
Sighing, a young man flops onto his mattress — or rather, the room that doubles as his bedroom and the living room where guests are occasionally received.
'Ahhh... tomorrow is Sunday. Finally, a break after so long.'
'Hmm, how should I spend it? Oh right! I haven't caught up with my novels and comics. Maybe I can finally do more than just daily quests in my games...'
'But first, a quick shower. Then food.'
The young man's name is Lucius. He just got home after wrapping up the week's work — it's been a long day, and he only arrived at 6 PM.
While showering, he starts thinking about treating himself with some fried chicken.
His paycheck is coming soon, and he remembers that his older sister will come home late, while his younger sister still has extra classes until 7 PM.
So he decides to buy three portions of chicken with rice for the three of them.
'I should text my sisters — ask what kind of chicken they want.'
After finishing his shower, Lucius heads into his sister's room to grab clean clothes before returning to the bathroom to change.
Why are his clothes in his sister's room? Well, he doesn't have a personal cupboard. Rather than keeping them in a messy pile on his mattress, his sisters let him use the empty section of their wardrobe.
The cupboard has three separate compartments, each with its own door. Lucius uses the bottom one.
Now dressed, Lucius is ready to go out and buy dinner.
'Ah— I almost forgot to text them. If Eve finds out I bought chicken without asking, she'll definitely be upset.'
He grabs his old smartphone from the top of his mattress and types in their family group chat.
Lucius: Guys, I'll get us some chicken for dinner. Where do you want me to buy it from?
Three minutes later:
Evelyn: Chicken! Brother Luci, please get it from [xxx]'s store. I want crispy, of course — breast cut! I want more meat anyway. Thanks a lot, brother! Love you -3-
Lucius: Alright! Want anything on the side? I've got some extra money to spare. Don't hold back — it's Saturday night, let's have a good evening!
Evelyn: For real, Brother Luci!? Then get their signature sauce and one set of wings for us to share! Is your money enough, though? I can pitch in with some of my leftover allowance…
'As always, Eve… Even though she's still young, she's so mindful of our spending.'
'I hope she can spoil herself a little when our situation gets more stable. She shouldn't always hold back like this…'
Lucius: Don't worry, I've got you. Hey, Sister Sophia — are you there?
'Strange… she usually doesn't take this long to check our messages. Isn't it nearly time for her to head home?'
Right at 7 PM, Sophia opens the chat and starts typing.
'Ah, there she is.'
Sophia: Luci, are you sure you want to use your own money to buy chicken? We could just use our food budget.
Lucius sighs, then smiles.
'As expected of Sister Sophia. She always tries to carry the burden herself.'
'But I'm an adult now, right? Even if my job doesn't pay well, I don't mind spending my money to make us happy.'
'I don't really need to buy anything else — just pay for electricity and Wi-Fi.'
Lucius: Don't worry, I've got this. I'll pick up Eve and get the chicken on our way home. You just get ready — I'll handle the rest.
Sophia: Thanks, Luci. I really appreciate it. I'll be home in about 50 minutes. I just finished work. See you later.
Lucius: Be safe, Sister.
Lucius: Eve, I'll come pick you up. Wait for me — we'll get the chicken on the way back.
Three minutes later:
Evelyn: Okay, Brother Luci~ See you soon!
Lucius heads outside, locks the door, and starts his motorcycle — an old relic passed down from his father. It's one of the few things their parents left behind.
More than just a vehicle, the motorcycle holds memories. Their father used to pick Lucius up from school on it. They'd ride around town together.
Fast forward — Lucius arrives at the tutoring center, picks Eve up, and they stop to buy dinner.
"Okay, we're home. Eve, here's the key — open the door for me and take the chicken inside. I need to park the motorcycle."
Smiling, she takes the key from Lucius's hand.
"Sure, Brother Luci! There's nothing I can't do for you~"
'That tone… haha, Eve always knows how to brighten my mood.'
After parking, Lucius heads inside and goes straight to the bathroom to wash his hands and feet.
"Eve, don't forget to wash your hands. You just got back from outside."
"Alright~ Brother Luci!"
Peeking from the bedroom door, she replied.
After washing their hands and feet, Lucius and Eve returned to the bedroom and sat on the floor.
In front of them was a small round table. The fried chicken, still in its packaging, sat on top, along with three sets of plates and spoons.
They were waiting for their eldest sister to arrive. To pass the time, Lucius started asking about Eve's school progress.
"Eve… how's school? Anything good happen lately?"
Sitting across the table, Lucius looked at her with a curious smile.
"School? All good! I even got an A in everything!
Ah—except for math…"
She sighed dramatically.
"Ughhh, why is it always so hard? I just found out they teach calculus in high school now!
They didn't do that back in your day, right?
Why is the curriculum so hard for me?
Still, I managed a B-minus… not bad, right, Brother?"
She smiled shyly, hoping for praise.
"A for everything!? Wow! As expected of our brilliant little cupcake!
You never let me down, not even once! And a B-minus for math? Don't worry about it. Sure, it's important, but one B won't ruin anything.
Besides, I don't think I ever even got a B in math—haha!
You're better than me at studying. I'm really proud of you."
Lucius never held back when complimenting his sister. He smiled warmly and patted her head.
Eve, always pampered by her brother's affection, adored those gestures — even if she sometimes acted shy in public or around friends.
They spent the next few minutes chatting and laughing, losing track of time. Suddenly, they heard their sister's voice outside.
"Sister Sophia's here! I'll welcome her, Brother! You unpack the chicken~ Oh, and give me a good cut!"
Even though Eve was often shy, nothing got between her and her beloved fried chicken.
A minute later, Sophia's face appeared in the doorway. Spotting Lucius inside, she smiled.
"I'm home, Luci. Thanks for picking up Eve. Go ahead and eat, don't wait for me — I'll just wash up first."
Lucius smiled back.
"Welcome home, Sister. Don't worry about Eve — I can pick her up every day if you want.
And no, I'd rather wait. Eating together feels warmer."
"Alright."
Having no reason to refuse, Sophia hung her jacket, put down her bag, and went to wash up.
A few minutes later, she joined them at the table. The three enjoyed a warm dinner together, laughing and talking, losing track of time. It was almost 10 PM before they realized it.
Lucius stood up to take the dishes to the sink.
"Luci, let me do the dishes. You've done enough already — you can count on me for this."
Sophia stood up and reached for the plates, but Lucius firmly shook his head.
"Sister, you already do so much at work. I want you to rest.
Let me handle it — it's no big deal. You haven't taken your shower yet either, right? Maybe do that now?"
He was used to Sophia's boundless kindness. She was still young, beautiful, and capable, yet she had never been in a relationship. Lucius knew how many of her coworkers admired her — he also knew why she never acted on it.
It was for them.
She always put her siblings first, never herself. That's why Lucius always tried so hard to ease her burden.
After finishing the dishes, Lucius returned to the bedroom and reminded Eve:
"Don't forget to shower and brush your teeth."
Finished with everything, he lay down on his mattress, waiting for Sophia to finish her shower.
Fatigue quickly overcame him. He tried to stay awake but eventually dozed off, even forgetting to brush his own teeth.
About fifteen minutes later, Sophia stepped out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed. Her hair was still wet, but she was too tired to dry it properly.
Peeking into Lucius's room, she saw him already asleep.
Smiling gently, she tiptoed over and pulled the blanket over him.
"Good night, Luci. Sweet dreams."
Then she stepped out and went to check on Eve.
"Eve, it's time to shower."
Hearing her sister's voice, Eve groggily got up, grabbed a change of clothes and a towel, and headed to the bathroom.
She finished quickly — strangely, she too felt unusually tired and just wanted to go to sleep.
By midnight, everyone was fast asleep.
But in the quiet of the night, something was wrong.
Lucius tossed and turned, limbs shifting restlessly on the mattress. He was clearly having a nightmare — and a terrible one.
His movements grew more violent.
His body thrashed. Sweat poured from him, soaking his clothes, blanket, and bed.
He began groaning.
His face contorted in pain — pale, tight with agony — as if he were dying.
Tears rolled down his cheeks. Foam began to form at the corners of his mouth. Then—
He screamed.
A scream of pure agony. Like someone having their limbs torn from their body.
That night marked the beginning of his tragedy…
and the loss of his identity.