After deciding to work together, Hyunsuk and I began exploring the warehouse side by side. But no matter how far we walked, the end of this place never seemed to draw any closer. Tall metal racks still loomed on both sides, trapping us in an endless corridor. Our footsteps were the only sounds breaking the silence.
The lighting remained the same: unstable. Some areas were as bright as midday, while others were dim, frozen in a twilight glow. In certain parts, the lights had completely gone out, leaving pitch-black paths that seemed to be hiding something inside them.
"Huff... this place is huge. Is it really just a warehouse...?" I muttered to myself.
Fatigue was starting to creep into my joints. The prolonged silence and strangeness were also making me bored... and awkward. Perhaps that's why Hyunsuk suddenly broke the silence.
"By the way, mister... how did you end up here?"
I glanced at him. He wasn't looking directly at me, but his tone was sincere—like someone seeking comfort in a familiar story.
"Well... I was just going about my usual day. After finishing work, I headed home. But when I opened the door, I saw... a black room. Pitch black, like it swallowed all light. Then something pulled me in. I tried to resist, but failed... and when I opened my eyes, I was in that white room. After wandering around, I found a door that led to this warehouse."
Hyunsuk nodded slowly, as if confirming a theory in his head.
"That's... similar to mine. I was at school. My teacher asked me to deliver something to the back storeroom. But when I opened the door, it led to... the black room. And the same thing happened."
He fell silent for a moment, then continued, thoughtful.
"From what we've experienced... it seems like that black room is some kind of portal. The entrance to this place. Maybe... we're not the only ones."
"If that's true… I hope the others are okay," I said, glancing at an empty rack nearby. "Maybe we'll run into one of them someday."
"Let's just hope they haven't gone die from the loneliness," Hyunsuk muttered.
We walked on for a few more minutes before he pointed at the cardboard box I had been carrying.
"By the way, what's that? You've been carrying it this whole time."
I lifted the box a bit.
"This... is food. Cup ramen. I found it on one of the racks. You didn't see anything like it before?"
"I... think I did. But I thought it was just trash. I was too focused on finding an exit to check," he said, scratching his head sheepishly.
"No worries. Next time you see something, grab it. We don't know how long we'll be stuck here."
That short exchange, though simple, eased the tension a bit. Our steps began to feel lighter, and for the first time... our voices sounded more alive.
Not long after, down a slightly narrower aisle, we stumbled upon a pile of boxes and random items. When we opened them, the contents surprised us:
12 packs of snacks
5 backpacks
1 large tarp
2 computer monitors
8 rolls of plastic twine
and... a katana.
"This feels like a mix of survival gear and office supplies," I said while checking another box.
We divided everything evenly. I stuffed some snacks into a backpack, and so did Hyunsuk. We stashed the tarp together. But when it came to the katana, we looked at each other.
"You take it, mister. But... if we find another weapon, it's mine," Hyunsuk said with a small grin.
I didn't mind. But more than that, I could see in his eyes—he was trusting me with it.
"Alright. Deal," I said with a nod, gripping the katana. It felt heavy—and real. Frightening, if you think about why a weapon like this would be here at all.
Is this just some random place full of junk? Or is it actually dangerous enough that we're expected to be armed? I wondered, but I didn't have time to answer that question—our steps came to a halt again.
We encountered a third person.
A grown woman, with pale blond hair, skin as fair as milk, and a worried look on her face. She wore casual clothes and held a long iron bar like a staff. Her body trembled when her eyes met ours.
We quickly raised our hands in peace.
"It's okay. We won't hurt you," I said gently.
It took a while, but eventually, the woman cautiously approached and accepted our offer to join us. We gave her a backpack, some food, and twine—as a gesture of goodwill.
After some time, she began to open up.
"My name is Olivia... Olivia Natalie. I'm from Texas, United States. I... also found the black room. It was in my office. Since then, I've been alone... until I met you two."
Hyunsuk responded eagerly to her every question. Whether it was out of sympathy... or because Olivia was extremely attractive, I wasn't sure. Her blonde hair stood out sharply in this grim place, and though her smile was still nervous... it was starting to warm up.
I stayed silent while they talked. Not because I didn't want to join in, but... the conversation moved too fast. Olivia was full of energy, asking question after question without pause. From "Do you think this place is man-made?", "Why are we the only ones here?", to "What's your favorite food in your country?"
Seriously... are all women this talkative? I thought, already tired.
The women I knew were usually quiet... like my neighbor's. But Olivia was like a radio with no mute button.
Even so, I appreciated her presence. Now there were three of us, no longer alone. And at the very least... in a place this massive, the presence of another human voice—no matter how loud or busy—is far better than the kind of silence that slowly kills you inside.