July 2023
It rained heavily that day, as if the sky itself could no longer hold its sorrow, a profound stillness reigned over the house, everyone lost within the quiet maze of their own existence. The cold, careless air only made Keilyn feel heavier than usual.
Like anyone else, Keilyn had weathered the small tempests of life, those moments where the waves of life hits harder than expected. She was on the cusp of eighteen, freshly graduated from high school's narrow corridors, standing at the uncertain edge of the future: university exams looming like storm clouds, her parents expectations and the endless, suffocating pressure to choose what she was going to become.
Between the loneliness and longing, she found herself downloading another life disguised as a game, it became her double life a place to leave the real world behind, to find peace, and most importantly, to just be herself without pretending that everything was fine. She played, made acquaintances behind the screen, and enjoyed the simple pleasure of connecting with others in a game. There, she could exist as someone brighter, bolder, freer the version of herself she could never quite embody in the tangible world.
Then came a game, an ordinary werewolf match, or so she thought. She played as always, and this time, she won, guiding the "good" team to victory. When one of the players « unknown » sent her a friend request, she accepted absentmindedly, unaware that this small gesture would ripple far beyond the game.
Days passed. She added him to a small group she had created, and soon, their private conversations began.
At first, it was simple.
"Hello."
"How are you?"
"How old are you?"
Keilyn was surprised when he answered. His name was Min-Ho, from Korea, only fourteen, turning fifteen that September. She was seventeen, nearing eighteen. She had expected someone closer to her age, but here she was, talking to someone much younger.
Despite the age gap, they quickly became friends. Their conversations were long and full of jokes, random stories, and everything in between. Min ho even mentioned he had a girlfriend, describing a strange, almost intimidating relationship where she treated him poorly.