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"VDV" IS AN ONLINE NOVEL EXPLORING THE
MULTIFACETED NATURE OF LIFE'S CHALLENGES THROUGH
THE INTERWOVEN STORIES OF THREE DISTINCT
INDIVIDUALS. ACT 1, "FAMILY," INTRODUCES MAKOTO YUKI,
A YOUNG FREELANCE MUSICIAN GRAPPLING WITH
DETACHMENT AND THE WEIGHT OF FAMILIAL
EXPECTATIONS FOLLOWING HIS GRANDFATHER'S
PASSING. ACT 2, "CAREER," DELVES INTO MAKOTO'S
ARDUOUS JOURNEY NAVIGATING THE UNPREDICTABLE
WORLD OF FREELANCE WORK, BATTLING BURNOUT AND
QUESTIONING HIS ARTISTIC PATH. ACT 3, "CONNECTIONS,"
MARKS A TURNING POINT AS MAKOTO UNEXPECTEDLY
FINDS SOLACE AND SUPPORT IN NEW FRIENDSHIPS WITH A
BARTENDER AND A FELLOW CREATIVE, LEARNING THE
IMPORTANCE OF VULNERABILITY AND SHARED
EXPERIENCES. ULTIMATELY, "VDV" AIMS TO DEMONSTRATE
THAT THERE IS NO SINGLE "RIGHT" WAY TO NAVIGATE
LIFE'S COMPLEXITIES, OFFERING READERS A SPACE TO
FEEL SEEN AND UNDERSTOOD IN THEIR OWN UNIQUE
STRUGGLES.

As it is his last week in America, Makoto found himself in a small cafe called "Leblanc", sitting in the corner looking at his friends' text messages, eagerly wanting to go home back to Japan, back to them.

He scanned his surroundings for a distraction to his thoughts. Two women, one sketching away in her notebook, her movements precise. The latter's reading a book, deep in thoughts, a collection of artwork next to her side.

His gaze lingered on them, can't help but be drawn by their concentration. He notices the way the first girl pencil's move across the page, capturing the cafe's atmosphere with a busy energy compared to back home.

Though, he felt a strange sense of… resonance? A faint hum that reminds him of the bar.

"Can I help you?" The woman with the pencil asked snapping Makoto out of his observation.

"Oh, My bad. I just thought you two looked really focused, I couldn't help but stared". Makoto quickly apologized for his rudeness.

"I'm Makoto, an aspiring musician from Japan."

"Selena, I work in fields like photography and travelling. Nice to meet you." The initiative girl introduced herself.

"Wow those are two really cool occupations, I'm Vy and I'm just your average English teacher." The second girl with the book exclaimed.

"I think it's pretty cool to be a teacher, but back to Makoto. Do you play in a band or solo? Since you're a musician and all." Selena excitedly questioned with curious looks.

"Oh, I go solo, but I might start a band in the future. Who knows?" Makoto smiled, relieved that they're interested in his career.

"Mannnn, that's cool, imagine rocking out in front of a whole crowd. I want to hear your story Makoto, how did you end up here in America if you're from Japan?" Selena laughed.

"It's a really long story, I could tell it if you're willing to hear me out." He said with a worried tone.

"I really don't mind. Although, I want to tell mine next, I'm not from America either." Vy said

"Really? You too? I only asked that because I wasn't from here." Selena exclaimed with a shocked expression.

"Fate is wild huh. Well since you've asked, my story began at…."

Epilogue