“Nari!” I snap my head toward Ha-yoon, who’s staring at me with her arms crossed.  

“Sorry, what did you say?” I blink at her, trying to shake off the haze of my thoughts. She leans her head on the table, a little pout forming at the corners of her mouth.  

“I said I can’t believe we’re starting school tomorrow. I can barely enjoy our birthday because I keep thinking about it.” She fidgets with the straw in her drink, making a loud slurping noise.  

I chuckle and sip from my drink. “You love school. What are you worried about?”  

Ha-yoon’s eyes flicker, but she avoids my gaze. “What if we’re not in the same class? What if we’re—”  

I cut her off, laughing, though a part of me doesn’t believe me. “Don’t say that! If that happens, it’ll ruin the rest of the year.”  

She laughs too, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Pushing her empty cup away, she sighs. “Let’s go home. My parents want to have dinner together.”  

I nod, not pressing her on the matter, but the unease gnaws at me as we head home. It’s already half-past six when I walk through the door. 

I hear Ha-yoon’s family inside, laughter spilling through the cracks of their door as they greet her. It stings a little, but I push it down and step into my dark apartment. The silence here is a familiar weight.  

My brother Min Joon’s head peeks out from his bedroom door. He smiles when he sees me, and I can feel the tension in my chest ease, if only a little. “Nuna! You’re back!” He races over, his small arms wrapping around me in a tight hug.  

“Guess what, Nuna? I got a new toy at school today!” His voice is excited, and I listen, trying to match his enthusiasm. His stomach growls, and we both laugh as I head to the kitchen to start dinner.  

Once we’ve eaten, I clear the plates and slip into my old clothes, setting an alarm for tomorrow. My bed feels too soft, the weight of the day pulling me into a deep, dreamless sleep.  

-----

But then, a loud door slamming wakes me with a jolt. My mind is disoriented and foggy with sleep. I groggily open my door, only to see Min Joon peeking out of his room.  

“Nuna?” he whispers, eyes wide with fear.  

I smile faintly, my heart aching as I open my door wider for him to come into my room. “It’s okay. Come on in.” I tuck him into bed next to me.  

I’m about to fall back asleep when I hear it—a glass shattering in the kitchen. My heart races, and I stand up, still groggy, but my legs are steady.  

In the kitchen, I find my father cursing under his breath. My mother stands by him, her phone’s light flickering as she tries to shine it over something. They both freeze when they see me.  

“Clean this up,” my father mutters, barely sparing me a glance before he sits back down, cracking open a beer.  

I look down at the mess, my fingers trembling slightly as I kneel to clean the broken glass.  

“Why’d you leave the glass here? In the middle of nowhere?” My mother’s voice is harsh, cutting through the quiet like a blade.  

I don’t remember leaving it there. I know I placed it on the table, but I bite my cheek and nod. It’s not worth arguing. Maybe they’re just tired. They’re always tired.  

“You start high school tomorrow, right Nari?” My father’s voice cuts through the tension. “You should study more. Be like Ha-yoon. She got top marks in the last exams. Her mother told me, and I couldn’t even say anything, not with you—useless.”  

I feel the sharp sting in my chest, but I swallow it down, nodding. I’m not the best, but I’m good enough, I guess.  

Before I can leave the kitchen, my father calls after me. “Make yourself useful and go pick up some beer for me.”  

I freeze. A wave of frustration surges through me, and I open my mouth to refuse, but when I see the cold look in his eyes, I bite my tongue.  

“Fine.”  

I step outside, my heart pounding as I forget my coat. How am I supposed to get beer? I’m underaged. The thought swirls in my mind like a knot, but I push it aside and walk toward the nearest convenience store, not even bothering to try buying the beer.  

Instead, I grab some snacks for Min Joon’s school tomorrow. Anything to get my mind off of the nagging frustration.  

But as I walk back, my feet feel heavier with each step. I take the long way home, hoping to escape the tension, maybe even forget it for a while.  

I don’t know how long I’ve been walking, but when I look up, I realize—nothing looks familiar. The street is wrong. I rub my eyes, convinced I must have taken a wrong turn.  

I spin around, but the street behind me has shifted. It’s different now. The houses, the sidewalks—it’s like they’re all new.  

I start to walk faster, panic bubbling up my throat. The road shifts again.  

I’m not sure when I start running, my sandals are slapping the pavement, echoing in the empty street. And then—  

I fall.  

I don’t even have time to scream before hands grab me, lifting me from the ground. I twist, gasping for breath, but when I see who’s holding me, my heart stops.  

The man standing before me is wearing a suit similar to that of a butler, his face covered by a white mask with a smile that doesn’t belong in this world.  

I step back, my body trembling, but I’m frozen in place. “Th-thank you,” I manage to say, but when I try to move, I realize—there’s nowhere to go.  

I’m standing on a rooftop.  

I look around, my breath catching in my throat. There are construction tools scattered about. A chill runs down my spine.  

“Welcome![Nari Choi]” the voice says, smooth and mechanical, like it’s been recorded.  

I take another step back, but the man’s head tilts unnervingly. “I am[Administrator 6]. Please call me[Ara]”  

He steps closer, movements sharp and unnatural, like a spider closing in.  

“I have a mission that only you[Nari Choi]can complete” he continues, his voice clicking with each word.

I freeze, my heart hammering in my chest. “What… what are you talking about? Where am I? Let me out of here!”  

The administrator leans in, his mask reflecting an eerie grin. “Your mission [Correct the flow of the story: The main character has strayed from the path due to a -system error!]please fix this and right the story”  

I blink, still dizzy with confusion. “What is this? Is this some kind of joke?” 

“No searches found for [is this a joke?]”

“What? what’s wrong with you?! Let me out—”  

Before I can finish, he grabs my wrists, his fingers cold and unyielding.  

“You have been chosen for the mission [Correct the flow of the story: The main character has strayed from the path due to a -system error!] completing the mission will mean you have saved the world”  

 “I don’t-” I try to push him away, but his grip tightens. The fear in me skyrockets, panic turning my limbs to lead.  

“Please accept the mission [Correct the flow of the story: The main character has strayed from the path due to a -system error!] -and save the world” 

His voice takes on a strange, haunting cadence.  

I open my mouth to shout, but nothing comes out. He tilts me over the edge his hand wraps around my neck, squeezing just enough to make my breath hitch. 

“[Nari Choi] Will you accept the mission [Correct the flow of the story: The main character has strayed from the path due to a- system error!]? -Rewards include: [no rewards listed]” I tap his hands and claw at his wrist, my vision swimming. 

“I accept! I accept… or whatever, just let me go!”  

With a sickening click, the pressure on my neck disappears. I collapse, gasping for air, but his voice continues, smooth and mechanical.  

“Wonderful! [Nari Choi] You have accepted the mission [Correct the flow of the story: The main character has strayed from the path due to a -system error!]- Rewards include: [No rewards listed] -For this mission you must make sure to right the system error: The main character has not been able to meet with the love interests! Please help the heroine find love and achieve happiness! Please know that while you complete this mission you will not be able to leave.

[Seong-ho] -17

[Do-yun] -17

[Ju-won] -17

To begin the mission, make sure to help the Heroine meet her love interests. You will be given a map to help you find them.”  

His cold hand digs into my wrist, a sharp pain spreading through me that causes me to jerk my hand away.

I grab my right wrist and find a scar on it, although it looks old I’ve never seen this scar before, as soon as I touch the scar a window opens and I gasp, my body jerking as a map of Seoul flickers open in the air, five pins show up. Four of them have names on them. 

Blue [Seong-Ho]

Green [Do-yun]

Yellow [Ju-Won]

White [Nari Choi]

The pin with my name seems to be glitching around the map, jumping from one spot to the next. I touch the pink one- the only unnamed one- and it zooms in, right onto the area I live in. 

“What-”

“The world was created for the Heroine, and everything in this world belongs to her. Including you [Nari Choi] your role is to make sure the Heroine is happy, that is why you were created, and it’s the only reason you exist. Please keep this in mind while you are completing this mission

Heroine:[Ha-yoon]”

I gasp, “Ha-yoon?” My breathing becomes faster “My Ha-yoon?” Ara cocks his head, and his movements remind me of a broken robot.

“Your [Ha-yoon]? The Heroine doesn’t belong to anyone [Nari Choi] you belong to the Heroine”

“What?” I force myself to stay still, scared to fall backwards. What is happening?

“[Nari Choi] you have been granted a gift for accepting the mission [Correct the flow of the story: The main character has strayed from the path due to a -system error!] -Gift: Ability[Mind reading]- I hope this will help you complete the mission. Good luck![Nari Choi]” 

“Wait!-” I try to scream, but before I can, he pushes me off the roof, grabbing my collar at the last second. 

“Oh!" his voice clicks once more "One final thing, Failure to complete the mission will have [one] consequence

Consequence: [DEATH]” 

My stomach lurches as I fall.