Meet Anya, a shy and introverted girl who finds solace in the world of K-dramas and cooking. Her imagination is her escape from the harsh realities of life, giving her the strength to face each new day. With a depth to her eyes that hints at past pain, Anya has a tendency to develop intense crushes on people who capture her heart. At twenty-three, she meets someone who sparks the biggest crush she's ever had - a celebrity who leaves her breathless. But little does she know, her life is about to take a dramatic turn when she's thrust into a world where she must play a game for survival with the person she loves most.Is it really just a game, an illusion, another way for her to escape into her imagination, or another world? I won't give away the rest, but that's a glimpse into Anya's story.
Chapter 1:[1]
Anya, an ordinary girl, loves watching K-dramas, cooking food, and crafting intricate stories in her mind as a literary enthusiast. As a teacher, she aspires to be an independent woman, admired for her strength and intellect, rather than being defined solely by her relationships. She's always dreamed of finding a life partner who embodies the caring and loving qualities often found in fantasy—someone who understands and supports her. However, she's faced with family pressure to marry a person whose personality doesn't align with her ideals. Despite her efforts to connect with him and persuade her heart to accept him, she finds it challenging . Now, she feels overwhelmed, with her life revolving solely around him, leaving her little time for herself amidst the demands of her job and household responsibilities. She even started to hate things she used to like because of him, even her own name, which is why she stopped talking to her fiance for the time being, hoping and praying that their engagement would break off by any means .
One day, while scrolling through Instagram, she stumbled upon a video of a guy. At first, she thought he was just good-looking, but that perception changed dramatically when she saw the video again during one of the toughest times in her life. Struggling to find the strength to keep going, that moment sparked something deep within her, and she found herself falling for him. He became more than just a fleeting attraction; he turned into the reason for her existence—her first true love. It wasn't just a crush; it was a profound connection that resonated with her on a deeper level.He was like a bright star to her, shining in the sky, while she felt like a dull star invisible to him, a fictional yet real person she'd never thought to meet in real life.
People were like seasons to Anya - some were springs, bringing healing and new beginnings, while others were summers, full of warmth and growth. There were winters, too, who brought a sense of calm and quiet reflection. But Anya's life had become entangled with someone who was like autumn - falling apart, shedding their emotions like leaves, and leaving her feeling lost andoverwhelmed. As she cried her eyes out, her tears fell like pearls from her boba black shiny eyes on her white radish face.
"Why is my life like this?" (Anya)
she sobbed, wondering what she had done wrong to deserve such a fate. Overwhelmed with emotion, she longed to disappear from the world, to escape to a place where no one knew her. In the midst of her tears, a text message appeared on her phone screen, asking:
"Do you want to visit a world where no one knows you?"
For a second, she got scared by the text message appearing on her screen, as if someone knew what was going on inside her head. She replied to the message with a text asking,
"Who are you?" Said Anya.
But after five minutes, she blocked that number. Deep down, she knew she really wanted to go to a place where no one knew her. As she stood there, she heard a knock on the door, and she got startled. "Who is at the door at this time?" she thought.
"My life's already a mess, and now this is happening too?"(Anya)
She sobbed... Then, she heard a strange, piercing sound in her ears, which no one else in the house could hear. And in that minute, she found herself in a strange place – or rather, a strange world.
"What's happening? What am I doing here? Am I dreaming?"
Startled with shock, Anya saw several more people with the same expression as hers.
A mysterious voice echoed from the speaker: "Welcome to everyone present here. From now on, you all will have to survive in this world with your partners."
A boy with a bold voice, Gyeon Wo, spoke up: "What if we don't? What is this strange place? How did we end up here, and why do we have to survive?"
The mysterious voice responded,
"You'll be punished if you don't do what we say."
Gyeon Wo pressed on,
"What do you want from us? Why us, of all people?"
The voice replied,
"You'll soon know why you're here. Some of you know each other already; some have painful memories, some have happy memories, and some have mixed feelings. You have five minutes to gather in the front hall. If you don't, you'll be punished."
"All of you have a number written on your right hand; gather at your assigned number."
Startled and shocked, everyone gathered there except one guy, who was smiling mischievously.
"Why should I do what you're telling me? What will happen to me if I don't? You said it won't be anything fatal."
And in thenextmoment, all the lightssuddenly went off, and a strange, piercing sound could be heard.When the lights came back on after a few seconds, everyone was shocked to see the same guy lying on the ground, unconscious, with a device that administered an electric shock.
"Now you've all seen what will happen if you don't do what you're told. This was just a heads-up; worse can happen to you."
Amidst all this, trembling with shock and fear, Anya saw someone she thought she'd never meet in real life -her idol, Sangwon, the reason for her existence and her first true love. He had thick black eyebrows, skin paler than most, and the moles on his face made him even more attractive and handsome, like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.. In fact, to her he was even more attractive and handsome than those fairy tale princes.
[1] The Silent Story