Even the Smartest Systems Can't Save a Broken Routine
The soft blue glow of the monitors was the only light in Ren Takahashi's room. The gentle hum of fans mixed with the rapid tapping of keys filled the silence, punctuated only by the occasional distant sound of a car driving past the apartment complex. Outside, the city buzzed with life, but here, in this cramped, dim corner, time seemed to slow.
Ren didn't notice it anymore—how messy his room had become, the empty coffee cups stacked like trophies of long nights spent chasing bugs in code, or the scattered notebooks filled with half-written algorithms. His hoodie was pulled tight around his shoulders, the hood up like armor, shielding him from the world he preferred not to face.
Another message in the forum. The alert blinked softly in the corner of his main screen.
"Can you help me? I'm stuck on a bug that's been driving me crazy."
Ren sighed, rubbing his tired eyes beneath the round glasses that always slipped down his nose. This was his world: a hidden genius lurking behind a screen name, solving problems for strangers, while his own life was an unsolvable mess.
"Fix your code, fix your life," he muttered bitterly.
He wasn't wrong — on the forums, on anonymous chats, even on those late-night voice calls where no one saw his face, Ren was a legend. Known only by his handle GhostHood, his advice was so precise, so spot on, that people believed he could solve anything tech-related. But they didn't know Ren Takahashi. They didn't know the boy with messy hair, tired eyes, and a voice barely above a whisper when spoken in person.
He leaned back, eyes closing for a moment, the glow of the screens painting tired shadows across his face. The truth was, Ren was tired. Tired of being invisible, tired of being forgotten, tired of his own laziness that held him prisoner. He wanted more — not just virtual praise or faceless gratitude — but a real life. One where he could step outside, breathe fresh air, and maybe, just maybe, become something greater.
His dream was simple and impossible all at once: To become a real-life Iron Man.
Not the billionaire playboy, not the flashy superhero, but a creator — a man who built something so powerful, so intelligent, it could change the world. And maybe, in the process, he'd finally bring his family along to see the wonders beyond their cramped apartment, take them traveling, see the countryside he'd only ever dreamed of.
Ren smiled faintly at that thought.
"Maybe someday," he whispered.
The knock on his door shattered the fragile quiet.
Startled, Ren jumped up, heart pounding. It was late, and he wasn't expecting anyone.
He approached the door cautiously and peeked through the peephole.
A girl stood there, bright and energetic even in the dim hallway light. She had a lively smile and a messy bun holding back her chestnut hair. Her clothes were casual but trendy, and her eyes sparkled with the kind of excitement that made Ren's chest tighten for reasons he didn't understand.
New neighbor, he realized.
He hesitated. Part of him wanted to ignore her, to hide in his hoodie and stay behind the glow of his screens. But another part, the part that had been starved for connection, urged him to open the door.
"Hey," she said cheerfully, "I'm Aoi. Just moved in next door. I heard you're the tech guy around here?"
Ren blinked. "Uh... I'm not really…"
Aoi grinned like she didn't care about modesty. "Don't be shy. Everyone knows 'GhostHood.' You're a legend online. My parents kept bugging me to ask for help with their work stuff, but I figured, why not go to the source?"
Ren's throat tightened. She knew. She knew.
But instead of running away, something in him cracked open.
He stepped aside and let her in.
The glow of the monitors reflected off Aoi's curious eyes as she looked around his chaotic room, taking it all in with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
"Wow… this is where the magic happens, huh?"
Ren shrugged. "It's a mess. I'm better with code than cleaning."
Aoi laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Don't worry, I'm kind of the same way. My parents are software engineers, so I grew up with code and coffee stains everywhere. But honestly, I've never had the guts to date anyone. Too much focus on hacking the world."
Ren's lips twitched at the confession. "I get that."
For the first time in a long while, Ren felt like maybe he wasn't completely invisible.