The rain had stopped an hour ago, but the streets were still wet.
Kael walked home with his hands in his jacket pockets. His shift at the convenience store had ended late again because the delivery truck had arrived behind schedule, and Old Man Harrick had asked him to stay an extra two hours to restock the shelves. Kael had agreed, as usual. The extra money would help pay his bills. It always did.
By the time he reached his apartment building, his feet were aching. The four-story building looked worse at night. Paint peeled from the walls, several windows were cracked, and the entrance door still had a broken lock that the landlord had promised to fix months ago.
"Home sweet home," Kael muttered as he climbed the stairs to the third floor.
He stopped in front of room 307 and struggled with his keys for a few seconds before finally opening the door. The apartment was dark and quiet, but Kael didn’t bother turning on the lights. He knew the place well enough to move around without them.
His single bed stood against the far wall. The kitchenette barely had enough space for one person to cook, and the old refrigerator made a strange humming sound every few minutes. There was also a small window beside the bed, but it faced a brick wall. It wasn’t much, but at least the rent was cheap.
Kael dropped his jacket onto the chair and sat on the edge of his bed. He was twenty-six years old, worked a job that barely paid enough, and had nobody waiting for him at home. Sometimes, he wondered how his life had turned out this way.
Earlier that evening, a family had visited the convenience store. The little girl had been sitting on her father’s shoulders while her mother scolded them both for buying too much ice cream. They had been laughing the entire time, and Kael had watched them from behind the counter. The father had even smiled at him.
Kael had smiled back, but once they left, he was alone with the refrigerators and the fluorescent lights again. He rubbed his face and wondered, ’What am I even doing with my life?’
He had no parents, no siblings, and no close friends. Most of his days were spent working, eating whatever he could afford, and sleeping just long enough to do it all again. He wasn’t asking for much. A better job would be nice, and a decent apartment would be even better, but sometimes, he wondered what it would feel like to have someone waiting for him at home. Someone who would be happy to see him.
Kael shook his head and stood up. There was no point thinking about things he couldn’t have.
Just as he was about to head to the kitchenette, he heard a faint sound from outside. He paused, trying to figure out what it was. It sounded like someone calling his name, so he walked to the window and moved the curtain aside.
A woman stood beneath the streetlamp outside his building. Her dark hair was damp, and her thin jacket did little to protect her from the cold. She was holding something against her chest, keeping it covered with a blanket. Even from the third floor, Kael could tell she looked exhausted.
He frowned, wondering what a woman was doing outside alone at this hour. He considered going down to check on her, but before he could make up his mind, the woman lifted her head.
"Kael?" she called.
He froze. He hadn’t heard that voice in a year and eight months, but he still recognized it immediately.
Kael rushed to the door and hurried down the stairs, nearly tripping as he went. His mind raced with questions, and he kept telling himself it couldn’t be her. After all this time, why would she suddenly show up at his apartment?
He pushed through the entrance door, and the woman turned toward him.
"Sera?" Kael asked, stopping in disbelief.
He could barely believe his eyes. The girl he remembered had always carried herself with confidence. She had been beautiful, smart, and surrounded by people who wanted her attention. She was also the daughter of the powerful Scarlette family. Back in school, Kael had never imagined someone like her would have any reason to approach someone like him.
But the woman standing before him looked nothing like the Sera he remembered. Her cheeks were pale, her clothes were worn, and dark circles had formed beneath her eyes. She looked as if she hadn’t slept properly in days.
"Kael..." Sera whispered.
Kael stared at her for a moment before noticing the bundle in her arms. It was a baby boy sleeping beneath an old blanket. He had chubby cheeks, dark lashes, and a tiny fist poking out from the cloth.
Kael looked from the baby to Sera.
"Sera, what..." he began, but before he could finish, Sera spoke.
"I’m sorry," she said, her voice cracking. "I’m so sorry, Kael. I didn’t know where else to go."
Kael opened his mouth, but no words came out. There were a hundred questions he wanted to ask her. Why had she disappeared? Why was she here now? And why was she carrying a baby?
He looked at the little boy again.
"Is he...?" Kael asked, unable to finish the question.
Sera nodded.
"He’s yours," she replied.
For a moment, the world seemed to go quiet. Kael stared at her, trying to process what she had just said.
"Mine?" he asked.
"I’m sorry," Sera repeated, lowering her head as tears slipped down her cheeks. "I know I should have told you. I know I should have come sooner, but I..."
She stopped when her legs began to shake. Kael immediately reached out to steady her.
"Hey, sit down. You look like you’re about to collapse," Kael told her.
"I’m fine," Sera insisted.
"You don’t look fine," Kael replied.
Sera tried to argue, but her stomach growled loudly enough for both of them to hear. Kael looked at her and asked, "When did you last eat?"
She turned her face away, and that was answer enough. Kael sighed before speaking again.
"Come on. Let’s get inside first. We can talk there."
Sera hesitated before slowly nodding.
Kael carefully took the baby from her arms. He had never held a newborn before, and for a second, he was afraid he might do something wrong. He supported the little boy’s head and pulled him close to his chest. The baby stirred but didn’t wake up.
Kael looked down at him. The little boy had gray eyes, just like his mother. His small face was peaceful, completely unaware that he had just turned Kael’s life upside down.
Something strange happened inside Kael’s chest. He couldn’t explain it. He had only just learned that the child existed, yet the thought of putting him down felt wrong.
Then a sound rang in his head.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have held your child for the first time.]
[Reward: $25,000 has been deposited into your bank account.]
[Rebate Bonus Unlocked: Every dollar spent on your child will be returned tenfold.]
[Note: All system rewards are legally sourced and tax compliant.]
Kael blinked, then blinked again.
’What the hell?’
A translucent blue panel floated before his eyes. He looked around, but there was nobody else outside. Was he hallucinating? He rubbed his eyes, but the panel remained.
[Ding!]
[System Initialization Complete.]
[Welcome, Host.]
[You have awakened the Family Man System.]
[This system rewards you for taking care of your family.]
[The more you care for your family, the more rewards you will receive.]
[Every sacrifice you make for your family can bring you multiplied returns.]
Kael stared at the panel.
’A system?’
He had read plenty of novels in high school. He knew exactly what a system was supposed to be, but those were stories. This was happening to him, and apparently, all he had to do was take care of his family.
He looked down at the baby in his arms and thought, ’So this little guy just made me twenty-five thousand dollars?’
"Kael?" Sera called, bringing him back to reality. "Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
Kael quickly looked up and glanced at the floating panel again.
"I’m fine," he said.
He wasn’t fine. A woman he hadn’t seen in nearly two years had appeared outside his apartment with a baby she claimed was his. Then a system had suddenly announced that he would receive rewards for taking care of them. How was anyone supposed to react to that?
Still, he couldn’t exactly explain everything to Sera.
"Let’s go upstairs," Kael said.
Sera nodded weakly, and Kael carried the baby inside with her following close behind. His apartment looked even smaller with three people in it. He guided Sera to the only chair before placing the baby gently on his bed.
"Sit here. I’ll find you something to eat," Kael told her.
"You don’t have to..." Sera began.
"Just sit down, Sera," Kael said.
She fell silent.
Kael opened the refrigerator and stared at its contents. There were two eggs, half a carton of milk, and a few slices of bread. That was about it. He had planned to eat instant noodles tonight, but that could wait.
As he took out the eggs, another notification appeared.
[Ding!]
[New Task: Provide shelter for your family.]
[Task Reward: Two-bedroom apartment in Crestview District.]
[Rebate Bonus: The value of the apartment will be returned to you in cash over time.]
Kael nearly dropped the eggs.
’Crestview District?’
He knew that place. It was one of the best residential areas in the city. The streets were clean, security was good, and the neighborhood was close to schools and hospitals. It was the kind of place people dreamed of living in.
And the system was offering him an apartment there for providing shelter for his family?
Kael glanced toward the bed. The little boy was still sleeping, while Sera had leaned back in the chair with her eyes closed. She looked so tired that he doubted she would remain awake much longer.
’This is insane.’
He still had no idea how the system worked, but he wasn’t going to complain about a free apartment. For now, he had more important things to worry about, like feeding the woman who had shown up at his door looking ready to collapse.
Kael cracked the eggs into a bowl and started cooking. As the smell of food filled the small apartment, he found himself glancing toward the bed every few seconds.
His son.
He still couldn’t get used to the thought.
A year and eight months ago, he had believed that his night with Sera was nothing more than a mistake neither of them wanted to discuss. Now, she had returned with a child.
Their child.
Kael remembered their school days. Sera had been the kind of girl everyone noticed. She came from a powerful family, had good grades, and never seemed to lack anything. He had been nobody in comparison.
He still remembered the night of their reunion, how she had approached him, how they had talked, and how things had taken an unexpected turn. Then he had woken up the next morning to find her gone.
No message. No explanation.
He had tried to forget about it, but now he wondered what had happened after that night. Why had she stayed away for so long? And why had she come back now?
Kael looked toward her sleeping figure. He would ask her when she was ready to talk. For now, she needed food and rest.
He placed the eggs on a plate and set them on the table before looking down at the baby again.
[Ding!]
[Family Bond has increased.]
[Current Bond Level: 1]
[Family Bond increases as you spend time with your family and fulfill your responsibilities toward them.]
[Higher Bond Levels will unlock additional abilities and rewards.]
Kael read the notification twice. So the system wasn’t just going to give him money. It could make him stronger, too.
He didn’t know what kind of abilities he would receive, but he wasn’t going to complain about that either. Kael pulled a chair beside the bed and sat down.
His life had been pretty miserable until now, but looking at the sleeping baby, he found himself smiling. Maybe things were finally about to change.
He didn’t know if he could be a good father. He didn’t even know where to begin, but he had been given a chance, and he wasn’t going to waste it.