Pause System: Harem In The Apocalypse
chapter-2

Gray Caliber was his birth name. It still puzzled him, what was the true reason people entered this world in the first place? Based on everything he had experienced, suffering seemed to be the logical conclusion, since it was all he had experienced.

Unfortunate, this was the word which suited Gray the most. He lost both of his parents in a car accident at a young age. They were gone, but Gray wasn't alone. He still had his younger sister, whom he adored. Ria Caliber.

While they were siblings, they had completely different characteristics. Ria had long black hair, with different colored green and yellow eyes. She had a special condition known as heterochromia. Gray however, had short gray hair and eyes. These features were nothing like their parents who both had brown hair and eyes.

After becoming foster children, they grew up in an orphanage for most of their childhood. Like baby birds hatchlings, they stuck together to stay safe. They were in an unfamiliar environment and lived in a different way. Initially, it was difficult to adapt.

Because of her eyes, the other foster kids would often make fun of Ria, and Gray, who could not tolerate it, would end up getting into fights. Most of the times, he'd lose. It was true he was on his own, but the other group would also suffer considerable damage. Enough to back off and leave the two alone.

Despite having lost both of their parents, the two still had each other and that was all they needed.

On Gray's tenth birthday, however. Ria was adopted. A couple in their thirties was looking for a young girl kid, and Ria alone was what they wanted.

In the event, she cried and whined and the two tried everything to prevent separation, but the foster care system wasn't so kind. She was gone.

Gray was also adopted after she was adopted. A man in his forties. Aside from looking nice enough in a suit, he also seemed to take decent care of himself enough to handle a kid.

However, it was all on the outside; after having been adopted by the man, Gray's life was a living hell. Alcohol and gambling emptied the man's bank account of the money he was making from having adopted Gray. They lived in a dirty, somewhat dilapidated house. Gray did the chores every day upon arrival.

He would abuse Gray physically and mentally after making a loss.

As a consequence of all these events, Gray had developed trust issues and felt insecure. In addition, the man told Gray to stay away from any other families or people so they wouldn't see the bruising that he caused underneath Gray's shirt.

Gray became antisocial as a result and was quite literally the quiet kid in class. He struggled deeply to communicate with people because he was afraid of angering the grown man. Growing up, he was seen as weird by his classmates and became a social outcast. Bullies took advantage of this. There was far worse pain at home, so he didn't bother fighting.

Nevertheless, he handled it well. As long as it was him handling it instead of his sister. It was fine. Despite no longer being in touch with her, it was fine. The people who adopted her were just like your everyday honeymoon couple, so everything with fine.

It wasn't.

On one certain night, Gray had it. He had his first mental breakdown. Why? Why was it him going through all this suffering? Why did it have to be him? Why did the man treat him like dog shit? Why was everyone always trying to get on his case? The questions flashed through his mind as he grabbed a kitchen knife and made his way into the drunkard's room.

A fat ugly bastard, there was no other way to describe him. He had bushy hair on the sides of his head and a bald top. Each time he snored, his fat and round belly expanded and contracted. Unaware of Gray's ability to take his life at any moment, he seemed to be having the dream of his life.

This was Gray's chance. An opportunity to end all of the bad things that were happening to him. However, despite the opportunity, he was unable to seize it. His eyes filled with tears as he made his way back to his room.

Ever since that night, Gray changed. Gray had become a hollow shell of his former self, he had shut off all his emotions leaving behind nothing but an empty darkness. He was no longer affected by the pain, he was no longer concerned.

The years passed and Gray had finally turned 18. November the 30th, 2022.

Again, there was nothing celebrated on the day, the drunkard probably didn't even know. After all, Gray received a beating that very same morning. Gray's day really couldn't get any worse.

That was until, they received a call.

December 1st, 2022.

At the top of a tall, high rise building, a young man was visible.

He silently gazed at the sight ahead of him, as words resounded on the back of his head.

"Hey, kid. Apparently your sister's dead, that's a shame."

Was it the lack of care or sympathy in his voice? Was it the way he dared to speak such words despite all the suffering he had imposed on Gray? Or was it the smile that man had on his face as he watched the look of despair form around Gray's face.

Either way, regardless of what it was. Gray had snapped.

When he came to it, he was standing on a pool of blood, his arm trembling as it held tightly onto a kitchen knife.