The drunkard began to laugh. It looked like he had heard the most ridiculous answer, but it was the opposite.
He said, "Oh, young man, I have heard many unique answers throughout my life, and this is definitely one I'm not going to forget anytime soon."
When Aiden heard this, he couldn't help but ask, "Sir, would you be willing to share some of the answers you've heard about life?"
When the drunkard heard this, he smirked and said, "Sure. I have heard many answers, and I'm going to tell you the ones that were the most memorable and unique to me."
As he said this, he looked up at the sky, then looked back at Aiden and said:
"Someone said, Life is Speaking. When I asked why, he said it means life communicates with us through our experiences and situations. Every individual experiences life differently, but every event in our life causes us to change or accept who we are. So, life is speaking."
"Another person said, Life is Walking. It means life is a journey that keeps moving forward step by step. It suggests that life is not a fixed destination, but a continuous process of going on, changing, and progressing—sometimes slowly, sometimes without us noticing, but always moving."
"Another person said, Life is Pleasure. It means life is about seeking moments of joy, warmth, and satisfaction. Even in a difficult world, people keep living because they want to feel happiness, peace, and the small comforts that make existence worth enduring. And pleasure is a type of poison—no matter how gruesome this sounds, any living being still chooses to drink it."
"Another person said, Life is Desire. It means desire is what drives life forward. It suggests that wanting, hoping, and longing are the forces that make us act, grow, struggle, and continue living. Without desire, life would feel empty or motionless. Desire exists, and that's why destruction exists. Desire is the source of everything. If desire didn't exist, maybe the universe wouldn't have come into existence in the first place."
"Another person said, Life is Painful. It means suffering is an unavoidable part of being alive. Loss, failure, and disappointment shape people and often teach them truths that happiness never could. If people don't suffer, then who will suffer?"
"Another person said, Life is Pleasant. It means that despite all hardship, life still holds beauty, kindness, and gentle moments. These are the things that make people believe living is worth it."
Then the drunkard said, "Pleasure and pleasant hold mostly the same meaning, but not quite."
Then the drunkard said again:
"Another person said, Life is Boring. It means life can sometimes feel repetitive and dull, as if days repeat without change. This feeling often comes when a person has lost excitement, purpose, or direction. And if this feeling lasts too long, people can turn into criminals to enjoy life, and some become suicidal."
"Another person said, Life is a Gift. It means existence itself is something precious and rare. Even with pain and struggle, being alive is something to be grateful for. And we have to live life to the fullest, not waste this precious gift."
"Another person said, Life is Struggle. It means living is a constant fight—against circumstances, against fate, and sometimes against oneself. To live is to endure and keep going despite difficulties. Through struggle, people can understand life and change for the better."
"Another person said, Life is Fear. It means life is filled with uncertainty—fear of loss, failure, and death. Most people live while carrying this silent anxiety in their hearts. All humans fear, but some people hide it through ambition or something else."
"Another person said, Life is Hopeful. It means no matter how dark today is, tomorrow can still be better. Hope is what keeps people standing when everything seems broken. Hope is a poison, but people cannot help leaning on it and waiting, hoping that their life will become better in the future."
"Another person said, Life is Hopeless. It means a person has lost faith in change. When someone believes nothing will improve, life begins to feel heavy and meaningless. And this is the truth everyone should accept."
The drunkard said, "I believe this person got the better end of life," then he laughed and said:
"Another person said, Life is Courage. It means simply continuing to live requires bravery. Facing pain, uncertainty, and loss and still moving forward is its own kind of heroism. And if someone doesn't have courage, then they have no right to be alive, and they should drop dead."
"Another person said, Life is Powerful. It means life is an unstoppable force. It continues to grow, change, and endure even after destruction and loss."
"Another person said, Life is Survival. It means sometimes living is not about happiness. It is about staying alive even when everything else has been taken away. And it's not about enduring, but simply to spite the world—that no matter what the world throws at me, they can't change me or bend me, and that's who I am."
"Another person said, Life is Living. It means life does not always need a grand meaning. It is meant to be experienced, moment by moment, just as it is."
"Another person said, Life is Love. It means love gives life its deepest meaning. Bonds, attachments, and care for others are what make existence feel real and valuable."
"Another person said, Life is Existence. It means life is simply being. It does not need a reason, a purpose, or an explanation—it is, and that itself is the truth."
Then he chuckled and said again, "When I once asked a child what life is, he said, 'Mister, I don't know who Life is, but I'm sure the village chief will know. He knows all the people in the village. You should ask him.'"
Then he chuckled again and said, "But the most memorable reply I got is: Life is Confusing. When I heard this, I asked the person what he meant. And he said, life is confusing because you are alive, growing, and still becoming. This confusion is not a failure but a sign that you are thinking and searching. It arises because life is not meant to be solved like a problem but lived through experience, uncertainty, and choice. In this sense, confusion is not an error in existence; rather, it is the natural condition of a thinking, self-aware being attempting to create meaning in an unfinished and constantly changing world."
Aiden was listening attentively, growing more and more confused and dazed.
When he returned from his daze and was about to ask some questions about the earlier answers, he looked up and saw that the drunkard had already vanished from his spot, as if he had never been there to begin with.
Aiden looked around but didn't find a single trace of him whatsoever. After failing to find him, Aiden sat on a nearby seat and looked up at the sky.
After some time, he got up from his seat, planning to return to his dormitory.
Aiden began to walk, planning to hire a car to his dormitory, but then he saw a sharp-looking, handsome, familiar young man with orange hair and piercing grey eyes walking toward him.
Aiden instantly recognized him. He was none other than the neighborhood regressor, Valor de Crimson Vicardo.
Aiden passed by Valor, but suddenly the world turned eerily quiet as he heard a voice from behind:
"You know about me, don't you?"
Aiden turned back, feeling goosebumps all over his body.
Then he saw none other than Valor de Crimson Vicardo directly looking at him, his grey eyes slightly darkened.