Prologue (1)

2021 is a time when science and technology in the world has developed so far that there are plans to take humans to Space's vacation. But there is one thing that never fades away with time. What is the polar opposite of science? That is the belief in all invisible things, including superstition and destiny.

And now I'm sitting in front of the experts on that matter. "Your destiny is having bad luck."

A slightly hoarse voice of a retired woman dressed in white rang out after taking my date of birth for a while and scribbling numbers on the paper. The gloomy eyes of the plump aunt (fortune teller) stare contemplating at my face while I try so hard to not accidentally sighing which seems like disrespecting her. But in my heart, I'm thinking every second, "Why do I have to sit here?"

"Look, you must have encountered many things before. In your luck, there are also some accidents."

"Yes, Aunt, I have been wrestling with many things lately. Last month, my phone was lost. A week ago, it was almost hit by a car. So what's wrong, Aunt?"

A golden-haired young man sat in a sloppily school uniform by my side. I hurriedly asked the fortune teller while also taking a quick glance at my best friend and found that his eyes were more serious and more attentive than the fortune teller.

"Not to the extent that it hurts badly. But from the horoscope, soon you will face a quite heavy matter, like a karma from the past. It was inevitable so at this time, you only can go to the temples to make merit, pray, meditate and spread kindness. It will help pay off the weight of karma."

"...Yes," I replied in a stern tone, then sat and listened to my best friend who continued asking questions about my future stories with the fortune teller aunt. Personally, what said by the fortune teller is only going through right ear and left from left ear for someone like me.

This proverb means the listener does not pay much attention to the words given to him.

My name is Nakhun Phatthanathada. I just turned twenty years old last month. I am a third-year English Major student of the Faculty of Humanities at a well-known university in the heart of the city. My life before has always been fine. I only meet good friends, have a good society, and study smoothly. My scores are also quite satisfying. Until I reach the age of twenty years old, my luck seems to have fallen for no apparent reason.

Starting from my phone getting lost, and then the result of the midterm exam, some subjects have dropped scores. The analytical articles I made were sent to the teacher and then got chopped into pieces. I often stumble upon this cement, fall and get hurt. And the latest, as my friend said, last week I almost got hit by a car.

What about fortune telling or karma from the past? I don't believe such things. It was more of my own negligence. I almost got hit by a car because I wasn't looking right, and lost my mobile phone because I accidentally left it in a public toilet while washing my hands. The score dropped because that day, I had a migraine so bad that I didn't know what to do on the exam.