The Story of Your Life! (part-1)

Facing his present situation, Nathan found himself with two choices: he could accept it and move forward, or he could choose to hold onto regret for the rest of his life.

Have you ever contemplated why life offers second chances? If you doubt yours, remember that Nathan and you may be dealing with similar challenges.

Nathan is an above-average and highly competitive individual. Over his twenty-five years, he has seized every moment as an opportunity to outperform others but he wasn't satisfied and happy in his life. One morning, he received a message from his childhood friend, Vivaan, requesting a meetup after five years. Their conversation was engaging, and in the end, Vivaan asked Nathan, "Are you happy in your life?" This question left Nathan at a loss for words, and as Vivaan departed, he remarked, "You have transformed so much from the young Nathan I once knew!"

His friend's words served as a catalyst, reigniting the fire in his heart to fulfill his dream and channeling his dissatisfaction into constructive action. Upon hearing his childhood friend's words, Nathan found himself unable to sleep that night. Filled with confusion upon waking in the morning, his eyes landed on a poster in his room that stated, "The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs. Following a day of deep reflection, he decided to take a break from his corporate job for at least a week. Throughout this time, he pondered the question, "Am I happy?"

As he held his coffee mug, he delved into his childhood photo albums on that evening. Eyes filled with tears of regret gazing upon eyes of his younger self filled with passion and confidence. It was at that moment he realized that the life he was leading was not the one he had envisioned in his childhood. He saw himself as a failure who struggled to fit into his job, despite his unrelenting hard work. He had spent his entire life competing with others and striving to surpass everyone else. Now, he understood that it had all been futile.

He envisions a time machine that would allow him to revisit the past and make positive changes in his life. However, he understands that he must confront his reality. He reflects on the moments when he had the opportunity to pursue his dreams instead of conforming to society's idea of success.

After reflecting for a week, he made the firm decision to wholeheartedly pursue his passion and aspirations. Despite the challenges, he is confident that this path will bring him happiness. He realized that it's never too late to revive his dreams and give them a second chance to thrive.

He didn't quit his job but used his vacations and free time to focus on his artwork. He joined art classes during vacations. He saw it as his second chance in life to make improvements and find happiness. One day, as he was returning from his classes, his eyes caught the attention of a young boy who was busy portraying a girl. He silently observed him, and then the young boy asked him why he was staring at his sketch. Nathan expressed his surprise at the boy's talent and was mesmerized by him. The young boy introduced himself as Enzo, and the girl he portrayed was his elder sister, Natalia, who is an arts school teacher.

They all introduced themselves and immediately bonded. His 18 months of experience in art school were very good. He learned a lot of things there and also enjoyed it. He related to his younger self with Enzo, who also has a passion for the arts but was forced by his parents to pursue their dream. He told him to follow his passion and dreams from the very beginning, otherwise, he would regret his decision later, just like he did. And he would be stuck in a loop with no return.

Nathan and Enzo joined forces for a state art competition after completing extensive training. However, on the day of the competition, Nathan was faced with a difficult decision: whether to attend a crucial corporate meeting with his boss or take part in the competition. During a prior meeting with his boss, Nathan had laid out his concerns. Although his boss cautioned him about potential regrets, Natalia encouraged him to follow his heart and assured him that decisions made with a passion seldom lead to disappointment but decisions made by heart never lead to any regrets. After much introspection, Nathan chose to pursue his passion for art, fully aware that it might cost him his job.

His decision indeed led to him being dismissed due to irregular attendance, but their triumph in the state arts competition helped cushion the blow of losing his job and inspired Enzo to look to him for inspiration. Nathan decided to celebrate their victory by hosting a party and inviting all his art club friends. However, the party took an unexpected turn when Enzo's parents arrived and caused a scene after discovering that Enzo had been skipping school to attend art classes funded by Natalia without their permission. Natalia apologized to Nathan for her parents' behavior and the way it affected the party.

During this time, Natalia developed feelings for Nathan but hesitated to express them, admiring his determination and not wanting to distract him from his aspirations. As Enzo was preoccupied with school exams, Nathan decided to team up with Natalia for the national state competition.

They were delighted and decided to collaborate for the national art competition. Soon after the results came out, Nathan was brimming with negative thoughts and overthinking, while on the other hand, Natalia remained remarkably calm and confident.

Despite their hard work, the pair failed as a team in the nationals. Although he didn't voice his feelings, he was convinced that Natalia's presence had hindered his success.

He decided to cut ties with everyone and focus on his art, vowing to participate individually in the future. Despite Natalia's attempts to reach out, he evaded her with weak excuses. She sensed his deliberate avoidance and understood that he held her responsible for their loss, though he never explicitly said it. Realizing that their feelings were mismatched, she chose to distance herself from Nathan.

Nathan only had 6 months until the next state art competition. Despite not having Natalia's financial support, Nathan managed to overcome his difficulties with his savings. He worked day and night, pouring his heart into his art pieces. However, he also felt guilty for ghosting Natalia and Enzo. Despite seeing Natalia at the state art competition, he continued to ignore her, consumed by his desire to win at any cost and prove himself without her.

After 20 days, Nathan received the results of the state art competition and discovered that he…