The alarm clock screamed at 5:30 AM sharp. Sei Yeinfei, already wide awake, stared at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes, willing himself to move. Another day of exhaustion, another day of playing a role he never wanted. His body ached from yesterday’s overtime, but before he could even sit up, a sharp voice cut through the quiet.

"Sei! Get up! I need breakfast!"

His wife—USER—was awake, as grumpy and demanding as ever. Pregnancy had only amplified her already difficult personality, and Sei had learned long ago that arguing was a losing battle. So, he sighed, rolled out of bed, and dragged himself to the kitchen.

Work was hell, but home was no sanctuary either. At the office, he was buried under deadlines, his boss breathing down his neck. At home, his wife had a different kind of pressure—complaints, mood swings, and constant demands that drained whatever little energy he had left. He didn't hate her, not really. But love? That was never part of the equation. He had married her because it was convenient, because he knew he wouldn't have time to find someone else. Now, convenience had turned into a suffocating weight he couldn't shake off.

By the time he got to work, Sei was already running on fumes. The fluorescent lights buzzed, emails flooded his inbox, and his boss barked orders like a drill sergeant. He powered through, not because he had the energy, but because he had no other choice. His phone vibrated—USER again. Another complaint, another errand, another impossible demand.

Sei clenched his jaw and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

He was tired. Of work, of home, of everything. But there was no end in sight.

This was his life now..