Adrian sat on the edge of his bed, hands clenched tightly around his phone as he scrolled through his social media. The notifications were a blur of likes, retweets, and shares—hundreds, then thousands. His short film, *Voicemail*, was gaining traction far beyond what he had imagined. Yet, despite the rising wave of excitement, there was an unsettling emptiness in his chest.
He should be celebrating, right? He should be thrilled.
But something didn't feel quite right. Maybe it was the overwhelming pressure, or maybe it was the weight of his past life experiences and the strange memories that still tugged at him, trying to find a place in his new reality.
The System had promised rewards—an infusion of skill and insight—but it felt too easy, like he hadn't earned it. His mind kept flashing back to Orson Welles, his directing experience now pulsing through him like a new layer of consciousness. How would he handle the expectations that would surely follow?
Adrian's fingers drummed against the edge of the desk, his thoughts racing. "Short film? Or go bigger? What's next?" He muttered to himself, still unsure. Ideas swirled in his head—dramas, thrillers, maybe something experimental—but his budget was still tight. He needed to make something that could **stand out**, not just ride the viral wave.
---
Meanwhile, in the living room, Joms and Kai were lounging on the worn-out couch, an empty pizza box tossed on the coffee table. Joms was swiping through Twitter on his phone, Kai was half-watching a YouTube video, and the glow from the screen bathed their faces in the faint light.
"So," Joms said, scrolling through the comments of the *Voicemail* video, his voice dripping with disbelief, "This is it, huh? Our boy Adrian is *viral*."
Kai snorted. "I told you. I knew we had something special. But damn, man… I didn't think it would blow up like this."
Joms tapped the screen a little harder. "Look at this," he said, showing Kai the screen. "This one commenter says, 'I felt like I was *inside* the voicemail. So personal. So raw.' What does that even mean? Is he trying to sound deep?"
Kai grinned. "Well, it *was* personal. It got to people. Maybe not in the 'artsy' way, but hey, people felt it."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Joms said, tossing his phone onto the couch. "But check this out. We've got some big names commenting on here."
He scrolled down a bit more, his eyes widening.
"Here—someone from **Film Circuit Philippines** just shared the link. They've got like a million followers!"
Kai leaned forward, his face lighting up. "Seriously? That's big."
Joms raised an eyebrow, scrolling past the comment. "No, no, look at this."
The next comment was from a verified account, **Nina Reyes**, a well-known film critic and indie movie enthusiast. Her comment read:
> "A refreshing take on loneliness and human connection. A stunning example of micro-cinema. Watch this short. You'll be seeing this name again soon."
Kai's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Wait, Nina Reyes just said that about *Voicemail*? No way."
Joms grinned like a madman. "Yup, that's the real deal. She's one of the top critics in the country."
Kai stood up, pacing the small room. "Damn, this is crazy. *Voicemail* is getting noticed by some serious people. Adrian's about to blow up. I mean, no one's seen this kind of thing before, right?"
Joms raised his hand, silencing him. "Not so fast. We still have to ride the wave carefully. This kind of attention—it's gonna bring offers. Adrian's gotta be ready for the next step."
Kai sat down again, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "What do you think the next step is, though? More short films? Maybe a feature?"
Joms scratched his head, thoughtful. "Well, yeah, but first, we need to talk to Adrian. See what his plans are. If he's gonna go for it, we've got to step it up. Get the right people in place. You know, connections."
As if on cue, Adrian walked into the room, his face unreadable. "What's going on?"
Joms tossed him a knowing look. "We're just talking about how you're about to be the next big thing. You've got the internet buzzing, bro."
Adrian smiled faintly, then collapsed onto the couch beside them. "Yeah, I noticed."
Joms leaned in, lowering his voice. "You didn't answer my question before. About the scout. Did you think about it?"
Adrian's expression faltered for a moment. He'd been hoping to avoid that conversation. The truth was, he wasn't sure what he wanted. The scout had reached out to him, offering a potential entry into the professional world. The opportunity was there, staring him in the face. But with everything happening so fast, Adrian wasn't sure if he should take that leap.
"I don't know, man," Adrian replied after a pause. "It's tempting, but we've got a good thing going here. I want to focus on this, not get pulled into something bigger too soon."
Joms raised his hands, laughing. "I knew it. You're too damn humble for your own good. You'll see, man. We're gonna get you into the big leagues. But for now, we need to focus."
Just as Joms finished speaking, Adrian's phone buzzed again. He checked it, and his face went pale.
---
### Meanwhile, the Scout…
The scout had been watching the viral growth of Adrian's video from behind the safety of his computer screen. His intuition had been right—Adrian was exactly what the industry needed. He knew the timing was perfect.
The scout grabbed his phone and called his boss.
"Boss," he said, pacing the room. "Remember the guy I told you about? The one at **Greenhills**?"
A pause. Static. Then: "Yeah?"
"You need to see this. His short film just blew up. Not just internet-famous. **Film festival** level. Maybe more."
Another silence. Then: "So what are you waiting for?"
The scout smiled, pocketing the phone. "I'm on it."
---
Back in Adrian's apartment, the message from the scout felt like a sign. A nudge from the universe. The pressure, the rewards, the viral video—it was all leading him somewhere. But the decision still felt monumental.
Kai, sensing Adrian's hesitation, threw an arm over his shoulder. "Bro, don't stress. Whatever happens next, we're in this together. We've got your back."
Adrian looked at both his friends, their faces full of hope, support, and something deeper—trust. They were with him every step of the way. And for once, Adrian felt like he wasn't just alone in this crazy journey. He was **home**.
The phone buzzed again. It was a message from the scout.
> **"Let's meet soon. I want to talk about something big. Opportunity knocks."**
Adrian stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the "reply" button.
Another opportunity. Another step forward.
This time, he has another plans.(End chapter)