At 6 a.m., the sun rose from behind the towering mountains. Its soft rays shone through the bedroom window of a young man still wrapped in a thick blanket. The rain that had fallen the night before had made his sleep even more restful. A rooster crowed so loudly that it woke him from his dreams.
Agus was a young man who had just graduated from high school a few weeks ago. He had tan skin, jet-black eyes, slightly wavy hair, and a tall build. Agus dreamed of becoming a young boss.
For a moment, Agus stared at the ceiling. Then he woke up and sat on the edge of the bed. He just stared blankly, unsure of what to do. Since graduating, Agus had mostly stayed in his room, his phone in hand, playing games.
It was true that Agus dreamed of becoming a young boss. After graduating from high school, he planned to work instead of continuing his studies. Agus hadn't thought about how to start, as he didn't have a high school diploma. He believed a high school diploma was essential for any job. He didn't ask questions or seek information first. Eventually, Agus decided to fill his time by playing games.
At first, he just tried it, but over time, he became addicted to gaming. From then on, Agus mostly stayed in his room, never leaving the house or socializing with the neighbors. He even refused to obey his mother when she told him to go to the market.
"Agus!" his mother shouted right outside his door.
There was no answer.
"Aguuus!!" his mother shouted again, her voice raised, as she pounded on Agus's door.
"Yes, Mom, what's wrong?" Agus shouted from inside his room, engrossed in his game.
"Let's take Mom to the market," his mother urged.
"Just a moment, Mom. You can go with Dad," Agus replied, still busy with his tilted phone.
Days passed, and nothing positive had changed for Agus. Playing games had become his comfort zone. As the days passed, Agus became more and more engrossed in playing games on his phone, and his behavior became increasingly wild, aggressive, and uncontrollable. He even constantly asked his mother for money to buy his gaming equipment.
One day, Agus felt something strange. Usually, his mother would wake him up in the morning and invite him to breakfast. But this morning, no sound woke him. Agus finally left his room and looked for his mother. After searching the entire room, he found her lying weakly on her bed. He immediately went into her room and hugged her. Then, he sat on the edge of the bed, trying to ask how she was.
"Mom... what's wrong?" Agus asked, his voice hoarse. His brows furrowed, forming worry lines on his forehead.
"It's okay, son, I'm just tired," his mother replied, smiling and gently stroking her hand.
"Don't lie, Mom. Are you sick because you're thinking about me?" Agus asked softly, holding his mother's hand.
Mom took a deep breath. "Yes, son. I'm thinking about your condition, your future. I'm sad that you're addicted to video games, that you have a hard time listening to my advice, that you rarely spend time with me and Dad, and that you often yell at me now," his mother said in a calm but slightly trembling voice.
Agus pondered for a moment what his mother had just said. He began to realize his mistake, that he had gone too far in the wrong direction.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I realize I was wrong, Mom." Agus's voice trembled. He lowered his head, feeling regret welling up in his heart.
"I just want you to be like before, son. You have to break free from your bad habits, get out of your self-created comfort zone. You have dreams, son. Come on, where's your old spirit? You have to take steps to make your dreams come true. I will always support you in making your dreams come true, son," his mother said with a sincere smile and a warm, caring, and hopeful gaze.
"Yes, Mom. I promise. I will change. I will get out of this comfort zone. I will start taking steps to make my dreams come true," Agus said in a trembling but confident voice. Then he hugged his mother again.
The next day, Agus left the house after being cooped up in his room for so long. He hadn't expected some of his high school friends to be working, some even becoming bosses. Agus reflected, regretting his actions over the past few months. However, he wasn't discouraged; instead, he became even more enthusiastic and ambitious in pursuing his dreams.
Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-playing-a-video-game-on-his-computer-JFsrXFdnze8