World Rejector

“Noah…”

A girl’s sweet voice echoed in my dream.

I couldn’t see her face.

It’s just a silhouette bathed in light, but her presence gave me immeasurable comfort.

Every time she appeared, my chest filled with warmth, as if I was deeply, hopelessly in love with her.

“Please save everyone. I’m counting on you.”

The dream was short, but it always lingered, heavy with meaning.

I didn’t know who she was or why she kept appearing, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that her words mattered. That one day, they would define my future.

When my eyes fluttered open, the warmth vanished, replaced by the bleak gray ceiling of my apartment.

I let out a long breath.

“Another dream, huh…”

My name is Noah Spring. Twenty-four years old. A second-year college student.

Twenty-four is late compared to the others in my class. I… was delayed by circumstances I’d rather not revisit. My past is a locked box of regrets, and I’ve long since accepted that I can’t change it.

All I can do is move forward.

I washed my face, staring at the tired reflection in the cracked bathroom mirror.

After a quick breakfast of bread and peanut butter, I left my tiny, rundown apartment.

The walls were thin, the rent was cheap, and the ceiling leaked when it rained—but it was a roof. And for me, that was enough.

As the day began, I followed my usual routine: class, study, work.

A cycle that kept repeating.

When I walked into the lecture hall, one of my classmates, Ayumi, waved at me. Her gentle smile was a rare kind of kindness in my otherwise exhausting life.

“Good, you made it again, Noah. Are you okay? You look pale.”

“This is nothing…”

I forced a smile.

“...Some of my co-workers quit, so I had to cover their shifts.”

Her brows furrowed.

“That’s horrible. Because of them, you’ve missed so many classes. They should be more considerate.”

She was right, but angering over it wouldn’t change anything. Everyone had their own life to live.

Ayumi continued.

“Anyway, Professor Saito is waiting for you in the faculty room. He said he has something important to tell you.”

I sighed.

“Really…?”

“I’ll come with you. I need to submit a paper anyway.”

A bad feeling tightened in my chest as we walked together.

And sure enough, the moment I stepped into the faculty room, I was met not with a greeting—but with my professor’s scowl.

Saito’s glare pierced through me.

“What did I even do to deserve this look?”

I muttered under my breath.

“Noah!”

He said, voice sharp,

“are you even serious about your studies?”

“I… am serious…”

I replied carefully.

“You’re always late, your assignments are incomplete, and the ones you submit are all rejected. At this rate, I can’t compute a passing grade for you no matter how generous I am.”

His words felt like stones hurled at me, but I forced myself to remain calm.

“You know, studying in Neo Silicon Valley is a dream for many. You were lucky to be admitted into this course. At least show some respect and effort.”

I looked him straight in the eye.

“If that’s the case, then I’ll just repeat. It can’t be helped.”

Ayumi gasped beside me.

“Noah! That’s incredibly rude, especially to our professor!”

Professor Saito rubbed his forehead, frustrated.

“You’re hopeless. What kind of life did you live to have those eyes? There’s no fire in them at all.”

Before the tension could thicken further, another voice chimed in.

“Professor Saito, that’s enough.”

A woman stepped into the room.

Professor Alicia. A foreigner. She was beautiful in a way that turned heads wherever she went. Even I couldn’t deny it. And judging by how Saito’s tongue tripped over itself, he was completely infatuated with her.

“But this student isn’t passing at all,” Saito protested. “Most of his assignments are rejects.”

Alicia smiled softly.

“Even so, if you understand his situation, isn’t it cruel to just cast him aside? Everyone deserves at least one more chance.”

Saito stiffened, embarrassed by her words.

“I treat all my students equally. If he doesn’t meet the standards, I can’t pass him. That’s final.”

With that, he stormed out, leaving me standing awkwardly in front of Alicia and Ayumi.

Alicia turned to me, her gaze unusually gentle.

“Don’t worry. With a little push, I think I can convince him later.”

“…Why go that far for me?”

I asked.

“We hardly know each other.”

“True.”

She tilted her head, her golden hair catching the light.

“But there’s something special about you, Noah. I don’t know why, but I can sense it. Like you’re meant for something greater.”

Her words sent a shiver down my spine.

Before I could respond, Ayumi tugged at my sleeve and dragged me out of the room.

Once we were outside, she clapped her hands together, whispering a short prayer.

“Light Goddess, please guide this man. Protect him.”

“What are you doing, Ayumi?”

“I’m giving you the Goddess’s blessing. Something about that professor felt… off.”

“Are you just jealous because she’s popular?”

I teased.

Her cheeks flushed.

“Idiot! Anyway, about earlier—you should keep going to school. In this cruel world, people without education or credentials end up homeless. Don’t throw away your future so easily!”

She wasn’t wrong.

Living in this society without stability was like trying to survive in a desert without water.

“I’ll think about it… But for now, I need to head to work.”

I said.

“You’re going again?”

she sighed.

“If you keep this up, you’ll end up alone.”

“No worries…”

I grinned.

“I have a girlfriend.”

“Eh? First time I’ve heard of this.”

“Her name’s Mio. We’re going on a date tonight. My manager just called me in before, but I’ll make it up to her.”

Ayumi’s smile faded, but she nodded.

“I see… Well, good luck then.”

I waved and left.

She looked like she wanted to say something more, but the distance between us swallowed her words.

…

Hours later, at the convenience store.

“You’re fired, Noah.”

The words hit me like a hammer.

“What?”

My manager wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“The store went bankrupt. I can’t pay anyone anymore. I’m sorry.

I know you’re a working student, but I also have to think about my own survival.”

I forced myself to stay calm.

“Don’t worry. We all have our circumstances. I’ll manage. I’ll find another job soon enough.”

His face softened.

“Thank you for understanding. I’ll still deposit your last paycheck, plus some compensation.”

“Thanks.”

And just like that, I was unemployed.

It was frustrating—I depended on every paycheck to cover rent and bills.

But sulking wouldn’t fix anything. I had something more important tonight.

Mio.

The thought of her steadied me. My middle school crush, now my girlfriend. The one bright spot in my life.

If there was one person in the world I didn’t want to lose, it was her.

…

That’s why what happened next crushed me completely.

The coffee in front of me had gone cold.

It sat untouched, while I tried to hold myself together across from Mio.

The café was warm and quiet, the low murmur of voices and clinking cups filling the air.

Outside, the rain tapped against the glass, steady and relentless.

But inside, time stood still.

Because I knew that look on her face.

“Noah…” she whispered, tightening her grip on her cup. “I think we should stop seeing each other.”

The words landed like a blade to my chest.

I laughed weakly.

“That’s a joke, right? You can stop now.”

She didn’t smile.

“I’m serious.”

My chest ached.

“Why? Did I do something wrong?”

Silence stretched between us until she finally said it.

“I don’t want to be with a reject, Noah.”

A reject.

The word rang in my head like a curse.

“You have no talent. No ability. You’re struggling in school, barely surviving. Like an insect crawling across the desert. I can’t tie my future to someone like that.”

Her voice trembled, but her eyes stayed cold.

I wanted to scream.

To tell her I wasn’t worthless.

That I was working harder than anyone.

That Neo Silicon Valley was built on powers, and I was fighting every day just to stand on the same ground.

But what was the point?

She had already made her choice.

I stood slowly, slung my bag over my shoulder, and forced my voice steady.

“Yeah. I figured. You deserve someone better. I hope you find happiness.”

She looked up at me, like she expected me to fight for her.

I didn’t.

I walked out into the rain.

…

Why does it always happen like this?

Just when I think life is finally moving forward, the world sinks its teeth into me again—dragging me down into a pit of despair.

I don’t even remember when I started running.

One moment I was walking in the rain, the next my legs were carrying me aimlessly through the streets.

Maybe I thought if I ran far enough, I could escape. Escape from Mio’s words. Escape from myself.

The words of Mio calling me a reject echoed in my head.

I don’t want to admit it but she is correct.

I hate myself for agreeing to her that I saw myself lesser than your average people.

Again my name is Noah Spring.

When I was born, my parents abandoned me at the port. Thrown away like unwanted cargo.

The people who were supposed to love me first… were the first to reject me.

I grew up in an orphanage, one of the few places that offered me a scrap of stability.

But even that was temporary. A government project demolished the building, the funding disappeared, and the children—my family—were scattered into the streets. Some survived. Some didn’t. I learned quickly that in this world, no one was going to save me.

No one would wipe my tears.

If I wanted to live, I had to become strong enough to endure rejection over and over again.

So I did.

Every time the world spat in my face, I forced myself to move forward.

Crying didn’t help.

Complaining didn’t change anything. All I could do was accept it, even it hurts.

That was the life I understood.

But Mio was different.

For the first time, I thought I could have a future with someone. I thought maybe I had found the one person who would choose me, who would stand by me.

But in the end… it was just another delusion.

I should have known better.

Rejection has always been my reality.

And maybe, someday, I’ll keep walking until I finally meet someone who will accept me for who I am.

“I hate myself for being like this,” I muttered, slowing to a stop. My chest ached as I tilted my head back, staring into the dark sky. “I can’t even be angry at Mio… not really.”

The cold rain pelted down, soaking me to the bone. It slid down my cheeks, indistinguishable from the tears I had tried to hide.

For a moment, it felt like heaven itself was weeping with me.

A hollow laugh escaped my throat. “As if heaven cares about me.”

Nothing had changed.

It was the same as it had always been.

All I could do was keep moving forward.

That was the only answer I’d ever known.

The only answer the world ever allowed me.