Fatty's Court

Harrison "Harry" Lane, known simply as "Fatty," is a massive man standing 6'4" tall. Tonight, December 23, 2012, at midnight, is destined to be an extraordinary night, because he decided to jump off a building. Why would someone jump off a building? Because this morning he finally spoke to the person he had admired for so long. He confessed his feelings, and she replied, "Harry... if you want me to be your..." Harry held his breath. "...Friend, then let's wait until the next life." The big man couldn't wait any longer, so he decided to jump off the building and get a head start on his next life. Harry leaped from the second floor. Scientifically speaking, his fat should have acted as a buffer, offering protection and cushioning the impact. Logically, Harry's layers of blubber should have ensured he only suffered minor injuries. But for some reason, the instant he jumped, a streak of blue lightning dodged past, knocking him upside down, and that is how he died. Harry arrived at the Pearly Gates and asked, "Is there a place for me here? I've come to be reincarnated." St. Peter, guarding the entrance to Heaven, shouted, "Get out of here! Do you think you're qualified to enter Heaven?" Harry asked naively, " is it because my aptitude isn't... okay?" The older man looked at him with disdain. "Alright, I'll ask you a question: Do you know what we in Heaven are best at?" Harry frowned and guessed, "It must be arranging a perfect next life for those who did good deeds!" St. Peter laughed. "i***t. You didn't even know? Paradise is most famous for its bagels. We make the best cream cheese bagels in the universe. Your qualifications are trash. Get lost!" Harry yelled, "Damn it!" He was kicked by St. Peter straight down to the gates of Hell. As Harry was trying to explain himself, Hades raised his hand to interrupt him. "Heaven just called me about you. How about this! I also have a question: What is the most common food here in the Underworld?" Harry's eyes lit up. "I know this one! Everyone who is reincarnated needs to drink from the River Lethe to forget their past. That's right, the answer is River Lethe Water!" The Lord of the Underworld laughed. "You i***t! You must be thinking of sulfur and brimstone!" Harry looked bewildered. Where am I supposed to go from here? Hades sighed. "Your death is not recorded in the Book of the Dead, which proves that you are not actually dead." Harry looked at Hades with a blank expression. Hades shook his head. "Never mind, it is fate that we have met. I will give you something." Hades extended his palm, and a ball of white light appeared. With a wave of his hand, the white mass entered Harry's body. At that moment, Harry lost consciousness. A demon henchman next to Hades asked, "Boss, what did you give that kid?" Hades smirked. "I didn't give him anything. That white light... it was nothing. I was just playing with the kid to make him feel special. Bwahahaha!" After a burst of laughter, Hades muttered to himself, "Humans can only save themselves." In a private hospital room, Harry slowly opened his eyes. He saw his parents crying and softly murmured, "Water." Harry's parents burst into tears of relief and surprise. "Harry! What could have driven you to suicide? What are we going to do without you?!" his mother cried. Harry whispered, "I was just... getting some fresh air on the balcony, and I felt a bit sleepy. Before I knew it, I had fallen off." Harry's father wiped his eyes. "Then you should focus on recovering first. You can go back to school when you're fully healed!" Although he had jumped headfirst, Harry's fall ultimately ended with only minor injuries. Harry closed his eyes, recalling the dream he just had. The sensation was so real, but that white light... What exactly was it? He didn't feel any different. In novels, shouldn't it be some kind of cheat code or superpower? As he thought about it, he gradually came to understand: not dying was the greatest blessing of all. After that jump, Harry's mindset subtly changed. He felt like he had come to terms with something, or perhaps, he had just become indifferent. Harry recalled his life: His parents were successful business owners. Although they couldn't compare to super-rich tycoons like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, they still had a net worth of a couple hundred million dollars. He had been a glutton since he was little and wasn't very fond of anything else. Thanks to his parents' relaxed parenting style, Harry usually kept a low profile and didn't pick up any bad habits. Except for that 300-pound body that looked like a mountain. I've been doing nothing for almost 18 years now. What should I do in the future? Everything was a blur. Harry felt increasingly confused, wondering whether to inherit his parents' business, start his own, or become a professional. Suddenly, Harry knew what he had to do: Lose weight. Although he didn't know what he would do in the future, becoming stronger and healthier was definitely the right first step. Plus, this body didn't look very good, and he didn't really like it anymore. A week later, Harry was discharged from the hospital and returned to Summit High School to continue his studies. After all, he was a senior, and the coursework was demanding. "Hey Fatty! I heard you confessed to a goddess, got rejected, and couldn't bear it, so you jumped off a building?" A loud voice rang out. "Come on, don't do that. Next time I'll take you to find some plus-size girls; they'll definitely be able to handle your weight!" "Go to hell." Am I such a fragile person? Harry glanced over to explain. "Haha, it's good that you're back. If you need anything, just call me. Don't pay any attention to that witch Brittany," said Charlie Logan. Charlie was Harry's best friend in school. They had been close since freshman year. During orientation training, they got into a fight over the last bowl of meatballs, but in the end, a senior student bought them both. After that, they became buddies who shared everything and ran away together in times of trouble. Actually, Harry was quite popular in class because he always carried a lot of snacks and didn't mind sharing them. He was cheerful and easy-going, so he received a warm welcome from everyone when he returned. Summit High was the No. 1 school in the city. Harry got in through connections, not through the proper entrance exam. Located in a quiet area amidst the city bustle, not far from Harry's home, it was a prime location. Harry's grades were average, barely enough to get into a mediocre college. Neither Harry nor his parents really cared; as long as he was healthy and happy, that was okay. Therefore, Harry lived the life of a relaxed high school student. This was partly why, in his senior year, Harry still had the time to think about romance. Brittany was Harry's classmate since junior high. She had always been indifferent to Harry, though she didn't completely dislike him. In his final days of high school, Harry had finally made up his mind to confess his feelings, not wanting to leave with regrets. Even though he knew it was impossible, he still held onto a sliver of hope. Now that everything was over, Harry felt a sense of relief. Perhaps confessing his feelings and failing was better than never trying at all. Success isn't always the best outcome; sometimes, closure is.