Adaptae

The world is very much trying to recover from the past impact of the world. 50 years have passed since the end of World War III. You think that the world can heal from this? No, of course not. Radiation is so high in the air. Fresh water for drinking no longer exists in good quantities to satisfy a human 's dried throat. Cities that once were inhabitants in great numbers are no longer going there that much due to the radiation.

"I can do this" I say to myself.

I was looking in the mirror.

I set my silver hair in good locks. As bangs flew across my face as wind that was giving me chill air in this heat temperature, my amber eyes looking into the reflection of myself that can be seen in the mirror.

"This is my first day. But I can do this"

Draped over my broad shoulders was a cloak of muted green. It swayed with a natural grace, barely restrained by the high collar. The black uniform beneath, impeccably tailored, clung to my tall frame in crisp lines, adorned with rows of silver buttons that seemed to catch the surrounding glow.

I get out of the door.

The air was stale in the corridors of the Research Center, a hidden labyrinth. I stepped through the reinforced steel door, the hiss of hydraulics echoing faintly behind me as it sealed shut. The dim, fluorescent lights buzzed above, casting a cold, pale glow over the smooth, metallic walls. Everything here felt unnatural—silent, controlled, and suffocating.

This research lab is created by a crazy man named Adam. He created this lab after knowing the result of the world war. He created this lab—actually, this was once a home shelter that was created for only one purpose, to save humanity. This lab is great as it has both a good amount of original food for eating and drinkable water.

I was roaming aimlessly without care as it is my first day here. I already overslept and now, I don't know where I am even going.

"You are late!" A voice put a halt to my path.

I looked towards the person who had spoken up.

The first thing I noticed about him was his hair. It wasn't just dyed or streaked—it was alive with pattern and chaos, a wild mimicry of a leopard's coat. Golden-yellow tones streaked with dark, irregular spots framed her face like a crown of defiance. Against the deep, rich tone of his brownish black skin, the contrast was electrifying, almost otherworldly.

He stood tall, his frame wiry but strong, every movement deliberate, like a predator sizing up its surroundings. His eyes, almond-shaped and piercing, carried the same intensity as her hair. It was as though he'd absorbed the essence of the animal he mirrored—fierce, untamed, unapologetically herself.

His cheekbones were sharp, his features regal, as if sculpted by winds sweeping across desert. A single scar traced the line of his jaw, faint but visible.

"Ilaahow! Nacalaa! Future of humanity is sure to be doomed if people like you start to work here, those people who don't even come at time"

His voice shocked me.

"Ummm…" I was staring at his hair.

He looked at me. "My hair is like this because of the mutation caused by radiation from the nuclear bombardment" he told me.

I got embarrassed as I realized that I was staring at his hair for so long.

"Oh! I am sorry! Your hair is unique really, man. My name is…Grey"

I do not like to use my real name. It brings nothing but bad feelings.

"Now, whatever. My name is Ololkor, one of the scientists here. I worked for this research lab for many years than your existence"

I got it. He loves to throw insults.

"Sir! So, where should I go?"

"Go to the director. Her office is on the right side" he told me.

As I followed the lead, he told me to follow. On my right side, I saw a door. I knock on the door. The door is open.

As I laid my eyes upon the person who opened the door, it felt as if the very essence of the beauty had materialized into a singular, breathtaking form. His skin, a rich, deep shade of dark, shimmered faintly, reminiscent of the night sky kissed by the first rays of dawn. It wasn't just a color; it was an experience, an endless depth that seemed to pull me into an ocean of calm and eternity.

His hair, as dark as midnight, cascaded in soft, effortless waves, framing a face that could have been crafted by greatest craftsman himself. There, tucked among the jet-black strands. His eyes, though, held me captive. They were vast and gentle, shaped like flower, with a spark of mischief that hinted at countless untold tales. In their depths, I saw kindness, wisdom, and a sense of familiarity, as though he had known me for eons, and I had somehow forgotten.

I wasn't able to speak when I gazed upon him.

"Need anything?" He asked with a smile that could melt anyone's heart.

This is impossible. A person with this beauty. Not even those legendary popular BTS can be compared to him. He looks so beautiful in the environment of havoc and chaos.

"Are you a director?"

"A director? Perhaps. But tell me, who truly directs this grand play of life? Is it not you, shaping your role with every choice, every thought? I merely play my part, as do you, in this eternal dance" he smirks.

"My name is Grey. I am new here. Sir, Ololkor, directed me to this place. Is this the wrong door?"

"Grey, a name that whispers of balance—neither consumed by light or shadow. Tell me, Grey, what path does your heart tread in this boundless expanse?"

"Ah, forgive me. I simply meant, what story does a name like Grey carry? Every soul has its journey, and I find yours... intriguing."

"I am new here in this lab. So, is this the wrong place?"

"It is not the wrong place but the destiny place that you are trying to find this is not this" he chuckled.

"What?!"

"I am just joking. You took the wrong right side. Ololkor was probably talking about the right of yours in a different way. Maybe from the map perspective of this lab structure" he told me.

After meeting this man. My whole life has become something else.

This is a story about me. The story about how I become best.