The festive roar of the festival filled the night air—laughter, folk music, and the rhythmic boom of fireworks painting the sky. Colorful lights hung along the streets, swaying gently in the evening breeze.
"Joo Hyun! Over here, let's take a picture together!" their mother called out, her voice soft yet loud enough to reach her son as she waved him over.
"Coming, Mom!" Joo Hyun smiled. He turned toward his two younger siblings, who were still preoccupied playing by the edge of an artificial pond.
"Hyun Jin! Hurry up! Mom and Dad are waiting!"
But Hyun Jin didn't answer. He was let out a small groan—not out of joy, but because Hae Rin was currently biting his wrist in a fit of rage.
"Arghhh! Let go, Hae Rin! That hurts!" Hyun Jin yelled, trying to push his little sister's head away.
Hae Rin bit down even harder. Her eyes were red from holding back tears, as if she were venting all her bottled-up frustration.
Realizing what was happening, Joo Hyun moved quickly. He knelt in front of them and gently pulled Hae Rin back. He placed his left hand on Hae Rin's shoulder while his right hand stroked Hyun Jin's head.
"That's... enough." His voice was calm but held a deep resonance—the tone of an older brother who knew exactly how to handle his siblings. He lifted Hae Rin slightly, prying her teeth away from Hyun Jin's arm.
"Hae Rin, look at me." Joo Hyun leaned in, staring straight into Hae Rin's teary eyes.
"I'm not mad. But don't hurt the people who love you, okay?"
Hae Rin fell silent. She looked away, pouting. "Hmph." She turned her head, her face still sour.
Joo Hyun gave a small smile. "She's so cute when she's sulking." He playfully pinched Hae Rin's cheek, making the little girl almost laugh despite her best efforts to act upset.
Hyun Jin, still inspecting his arm, let out a small chuckle. "You spoil her too much, Hyung."
"Let it be," Joo Hyun replied calmly.
From a distance, their mother called out again, "Hurry up, everyone!"
Joo Hyun patted both of his siblings' shoulders. "Let's go. If we're late, we won't have the fireworks in the background of our photo."
The three of them walked toward their parents, passing under the rows of festival lights.
-----
"Geez, Hae Rin... give me some space. Why are you standing so close? Trying to steal my oxygen?" Hyun Jin teased, gently nudging his sister away.
"Hmph! I'm not talking to you!" Hae Rin said, puffing out her cheeks.
Walking beside them, Joo Hyun just shook his head slowly. "Hyun Jin, we're taking a family photo. Don't start another fight..."
He leaned down slightly, reaching out to Hae Rin.
"Here, let me carry you. You get the VVIP treatment tonight because I'm feeling generous."
Hae Rin looked at her brother for a moment, hesitant. But finally, she took his hand. As soon as Joo Hyun picked her up, a wide grin broke across her face. Her eyes sparkled with pride as she looked at the sky, even sticking her tongue out to mock Hyun Jin.
Hyun Jin rolled his eyes in annoyance before crossing his arms and asking in a teasing tone,
"Hyung... don't you want to carry me too?"
A mischievous grin played on Hyun Jin's face. Joo Hyun turned slowly, his expression as deadpan as ever.
"You're ten years old, Hyun Jin. If I carry you, you'll probably break my bones."
Hyun Jin burst into laughter. "Come on, there's only a two-year difference between me and Hae Rin. It's not that much..."
"Two years seems small... until we weigh it against your actual body weight," Joo Hyun retorted with a light laugh.
Hyun Jin pouted, half-embarrassed and half-annoyed.
At that moment, their mother approached them, shaking her head. She was clearly holding back a laugh at her children's antics.
"That's enough teasing. Hurry, the fireworks are about to start. I want to take some beautiful pictures tonight."
The three of them crowded around their mother. The remnants of their laughter blended with the explosions of fireworks that began to color the dark night sky. The atmosphere that night felt beautiful, filled with light and the love that bound their family together.
Hyun Jin's father let out a small chuckle, his voice nearly drowned out by the vibrant roar of the night festival.
"Hahaha..."
His mother, standing beside him, turned with a soft smile. "Why are you suddenly smiling all by yourself?"
The father took a slow breath, his eyes fixed on their three children in front of them—Joo Hyun, who was fourteen; Hyun Jin, aged ten, and Hae Rin, just eight years old.
Cradled in his wife's arms was the youngest, Lee Tae Rin, only five years old, fast asleep against her shoulder. Her small breaths were steady, her face as calm as the peaceful night sky.
"It's nothing... I'm just feeling grateful," he answered softly. "This is the family we've always dreamed of, isn't it?"
The mother smiled, though there was a slight tremble at the corner of her lips. "Geez, you... saying things like that makes me want to cry, you know?"
She laughed softly while adjusting Tae Rin's position, stroking the child's hair with deep affection.
The father only replied with a smile. Without a word, he reached out and squeezed his wife's hand—a grip heavy with promise and meaning.
Fireworks began to burst, illuminating the sky. Reflections of orange and blue danced across their faces, like a painting of pure serenity.
From ahead, the photographer's voice boomed, "Okay! Is everyone ready?"
"Ready!!" Joo Hyun shouted cheerfully, hoisting Hae Rin high into the air. His sister's laughter blended with the majestic thunder of the fireworks above.
Beside them, Hyun Jin stood tall with the widest grin plastered on his face.
"Three... two... one!"
Click!
The light from the final firework explosion illuminated everything. For a brief second, the world seemed to stand still, capturing a priceless fragment of happiness.
But slowly... the surroundings began to fade.
The lively noise of the festival, once so full of life, grew distant—replaced by a suffocating silence.
One by one, the festival lights dimmed, as if swallowed by the darkness of the night. And slowly... the faces of her loved ones began to vanish.
Her husband, Joo Hyun, Hyun Jin, Hae Rin, Tae Rin... they all dissipated like smoke carried by the wind.
Until finally, she was the only one left. Still smiling... but alone. There were no more hands to hold, no more voices to answer.
It was then that she realized—it was all just a dream. The dream of a mother who longed too deeply for the past.
Drop by drop, tears rolled down her aging cheeks. Though her body remained lying in bed, her heart had drifted far away into memories that would never return.
Slowly, Hyun Jin's mother opened her eyes. Her blank gaze stared at the ceiling before she turned to her side, looking at the small table next to her bed.
With hands still trembling, she wiped away the remnants of the tears soaking her cheeks.
Her eyes fell on a picture frame sitting neatly on the table—their family photo from that summer festival long ago. They were all smiling happily, standing close together, surrounded by the beautiful glow of the fireworks.
In the bottom corner of the photo, a date was written, one from a time long past.
[August 23, 2000 — Summer]
Seven years had passed since that day... yet every second remained vivid, as if it had only happened yesterday.
Suddenly, in the middle of the silent night, a faint light flickered from the direction of the bathroom outside. She didn't need to guess who was there. Only one person was always awake at this hour—Hyun Jin.
She took a deep breath, trying to soothe her aching heart before pulling the blanket up to her shoulders. As she turned to the left side of the bed, her gaze landed on her youngest child, Tae Rin, who was sound asleep.
Silently, she moved closer to the small figure and tucked in the blanket. In the cold darkness of the night, she held on tightly to the only reality left before her eyes. The others... were nothing more than memories now.
***
Hyun Jin took the deepest breath he could manage. Carefully, he twisted the bathroom doorknob and pushed it open slowly. But in the blink of an eye, his heart nearly stopped. The world around him had completely transformed!
"Huh?!" Hyun Jin let out a small yelp, his voice thick with panic.
His eyes darted around. This wasn't his house! This room was completely foreign. Even the air smelled different—a damp, musty odor that stung his nose.
In one corner of this strange bathroom, a woman was sitting casually on the toilet, calmly smoking a cigarette. Her presence sent Hyun Jin's confusion through the roof.
Why am I here? Where is my house?! Hyun Jin's heart hammered against his ribs, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.
The woman, who had been looking down, slowly raised her head. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Hyun Jin—cold and mysterious, as if she had been expecting this uninvited guest all along.
The atmosphere turned heavy. They stared at each other in a suffocating silence, as if time itself had stopped. After a few seconds that felt like hours, Hyun Jin finally gathered the courage to speak.
"Uhh... excuse me," he stammered. "I... I don't even know what's happening. I was just about to leave my bathroom at home, but when I opened this door, suddenly everything changed!"
He scratched his head, guilt mixing with confusion. He tried to step back inch by inch, heading back toward the door he had just walked through.
"Maybe if I open this door again, I'll go back home... hehehe," he forced a hollow laugh, trying to reassure himself.
The woman remained silent. She just watched Hyun Jin's movements with a look that seemed to say, "Is this kid an idiot?"
With trembling hands, Hyun Jin twisted the doorknob again and pulled it open with mountain-high hopes...
Once again, he froze. Not only was he still not home, but this time...
But this time, Hyun Jin found himself inside a ladies' restroom.
He froze. His eyes scanned the room frantically. Several women were standing in front of the mirrors—some applying lipstick, others adjusting their clothes. The sound of light laughter and running water echoed, making the situation feel incredibly awkward.
Hyun Jin swallowed hard. He knew that one wrong move and the entire room would start screaming. With the slowest steps possible, he tried to sneak out, hoping no one would notice his presence.
However, just as his foot was about to clear the exit...
Tap! His shoulder was grabbed from behind. Hard.
Hyun Jin turned around, his face turning to stone. The smoking woman from before was standing right behind him, glaring.
"Where do you think you're going?" Her tone was firm, a half-whisper dripping with threat.
"Let me go... I just want to get out of here," Hyun Jin whispered, trying to brush her hand off.
The woman didn't budge. Her grip on Hyun Jin's shoulder tightened. It was so forceful that a stinging pain began to crawl down his entire arm.
"A-ouch... let go!" Hyun Jin struggled, but the woman's fingers were like iron claws, gripping him without mercy.
Suddenly, her expression shifted—her eyes widened with feigned outrage.
"CATCH THIS GUY! HE SNUCK INTO THE WOMEN'S RESTROOM!"
The scream shattered the silence. Every head turned at once. Hyun Jin stood paralyzed for a second, his heart beating as if it were about to explode. In a moment of sheer desperation, he made a move—he bit the woman's hand as hard as he could!
The woman shrieked in pain and released her grip. Without looking back, Hyun Jin bolted. He only knew one thing, run!
However, the moment he burst through the restroom exit... everything changed again.
Stretched out before him was a crowded subway station. The sound of announcements and the cold gust of wind from the tracks filled the space. Hyun Jin skidded to a halt, his eyes wide.
"What... is this place?"
He spun around, but the restroom door had vanished. A chill crawled up his neck. But he had no time to think.
"Help me! Help!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs toward the crowd.
Yet, no one turned. They all walked straight through his body as if he were nothing but thin air.
"What's going on...? Why can't they see me...?" His voice was hoarse and trembling.
Suddenly—BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the station. The walls shattered, bricks went flying, and white dust blanketed the air. The noise of the crowd suddenly vanished... replaced by a terrifying silence.
Through the dust, something was crawling out. Its body was a blur, its movements unnatural. It looked human... but it wasn't.
Hyun Jin turned and sprinted as fast as he could.
"DAMN IT! WHAT IS HAPPENING?! AM I DREAMING?!"
He slapped his cheeks repeatedly. "OUCH! It hurts! This is real... this is actually real!!"
But before he could even catch his breath—
RRRAAARRRGHH!!
A horrific roar echoed from behind, powerful enough to make the station's glass walls vibrate violently. Behind the dust, the silhouette of the creature appeared—tall, hunched, with glowing red eyes and hands drenched in fresh blood.
"Don't come near me... stay back!"
Suddenly—CRASH!
His foot caught on something. Hyun Jin tripped, slamming into the hard floor and sliding for several meters. As he scrambled to get up, he noticed other people were still passing by as usual, completely oblivious to him or the monster.
Hyun Jin tried to grab a man's shoulder, but his hand passed right through! The man's body flickered for a moment like a visual glitch before returning to normal.
"What is this...? It's like a glitch..." he whispered, on the verge of tears.
But the creature was already upon him. Before he could even stand—
BAMMM!
The monster pounced, pinning him to the ground by his back.
"ARGHHHH!! NO!! LET ME GO!!"
Hyun Jin crawled frantically. The monster's foul breath fanned his neck. Its jaws hung wide, ready to tear into Hyun Jin's throat.
With what little strength he had left, Hyun Jin held the creature's mouth open with both hands. Those jagged teeth were only inches from his face. Blood began to seep from his wrists due to the extreme pressure.
"ARHHHH!!! DIE!!!"
Hyun Jin roared at the top of his lungs. He shoved the creature aside and began swinging his fists in a relentless barrage!
Thud! Thud! Crack!
Every punch was accompanied by the sound of breaking bones. Until finally... the creature went still. Its head slumped to the side, its breathing stopped.
Hyun Jin slumped back, his body drenched in blood and sweat. His chest heaved, his hands still shaking violently.
"What the hell was that... and... why am I the only one who can see this...?"
Hyun Jin remained frozen on the ground. His breathing was heavy and ragged. He stared at his hands, which were drenched in the creature's black blood—blood that felt unnaturally warm and smelled of rot.
"Why... why am I the only one seeing this?" he whispered. His eyes darted around, searching for an answer among the crowd of people who didn't care about his existence at all.
But before he could even let out a sigh of relief, the sound of dragging feet and guttural roars echoed from ahead. Hyun Jin looked up. Through the haze of dust, dozens of similar creatures emerged—perhaps even more terrifying than the first. Their bodies were hunched, their eyes glowed red, and every time they moved, their joints creaked as if they were about to snap.
"WOAHHHH!!! THERE'S SO MANY! DID HE BRING HIS WHOLE GANG?!"
Instinctively, Hyun Jin tried to stand, but his body slumped back down. His legs throbbed with intense pain. His wounds stung every time he moved.
"It hurts... but now is not the time to be weak!" He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand even though his entire body was shaking violently.
Suddenly—
"Hyun Jin... Hyun Jin..."
That voice again. Deep, yet crystal clear in his ears. He turned left and right, but there was no one.
"Who? Who's calling me?!"
"Look up... look up."
Hyun Jin looked toward the ceiling. Above the platform, a large blue screen hung, flickering like a broken old computer system. White text began to appear in the center.
[THE GAME WILL END IN 10 SECONDS. PLEASE ENTER THE TRAIN.]
"Game? What kind of game is this?!" Hyun Jin's brow furrowed. His voice was filled with confusion and anger.
From the end of the station, a train arrived with a powerful roar. Its sliding doors opened wide, as if waiting for a victim.
"Maybe that's what the screen meant..."
Without thinking twice, Hyun Jin looked back. The creatures were closing in, only a few meters away. The stench of rotting corpses filled his nostrils.
"If this is a game, I have to win!"
Limping heavily, he sprinted with all his might toward the train. The creatures let out fierce shrieks, their footsteps chasing behind him like a storm about to break.
As Hyun Jin reached the door...
"3... 2... 1..." a mechanical voice from the screen announced.
He took a desperate leap—BAM!
He crashed onto the floor of the carriage just as the doors slammed shut. The thuds from outside indicated that the creatures had failed to catch him.
Hyun Jin lay on the carriage floor. His hands trembled, his knees shook uncontrollably. He clutched his heaving chest, gasping for oxygen that seemed to have vanished.
Around him, the train was filled with passengers. Some were playing on their phones, some were sleeping, others were chatting idly. But Hyun Jin realized... they couldn't see him. He was now just a shadow, a ghost in a world he didn't understand.
His legs felt increasingly heavy. The pain intensified until all his energy seemed to be drained out. His steps faltered, and finally, he collapsed. His body passed through the legs of a seated passenger as if he were nothing but empty air.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
"I'm so tired... I feel like... I'm going to pass out..."
He lay listless on the cold floor, staring at the flickering ceiling lights of the train. Every breath was a struggle. His vision began to blur, and his consciousness slowly thinned.
Before his eyes closed tight, his lips trembled, whispering the names that were his source of strength.
"Mom... Hae Rin... Doo Ho... Ji Hwan... Tae Rin..."
"I hope... this is all just a dream. When I wake up... let me be back... in that comfortable bed..."
His voice was swallowed by the roar of the train as it continued to slice through the darkness. Finally, Hyun Jin's eyes shut tight.
Silence.
Darkness.
End of Chapter 2
Author's Note:
Poor Hyun Jin, we almost lost him in Chapter 2! Lol🗿
What do you think is waiting at the next station🤔? Anyways, See you in the next Chapter 😌✌️.