The afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of Saebom High School, casting long, golden rectangles across the wooden floor. In the very last row, near the window, Kim Jae-wook sat like a ghost. With his thick-rimmed glasses pushed up his nose and his messy black hair falling over his eyes, he was the definition of "invisible."
At the front of the class, Lee Hae-in, the young and charismatic history teacher, was passionately explaining the Joseon Dynasty. He caught Jae-wook's eye and gave a subtle, encouraging nod. To the rest of the class, that look was fuel for the fire.
"Look at them," a girl whispered three rows ahead. "The rumors must be true. Why does Teacher Lee always look at that loser like they have some secret?"
Jae-wook didn't blink. He was used to the whispers. They thought he was weird, or worse, that he had some inappropriate connection with the teacher. In reality, Hae-in was the only one who knew that Jae-wook's "quiet student" persona was a shield.
Jae-wook's gaze drifted to the back of a girl sitting in the front row. Park Yoo-na. Her ponytail swayed as she laughed at something her best friend, Choi Min-ji, whispered. Yoo-na was the sun—bright, popular, and kind to everyone.
Jae-wook reached into his pocket and felt the cool metal of his phone. His mind wasn't in the classroom; it was in the neon-lit world of "Shadow Strike Online."
Last night, the digital world had been tense.
"Gun, you're carrying the team again," a sweet, energetic voice had crackled through his headset.
That was Starry. For two years, she had been his Duo partner. They knew each other's combat styles perfectly. They knew each other's favorite snacks and late-night thoughts. But they didn't know each other's faces.
"It's a team effort, Starry," Jae-wook had replied, his voice dropping an octave, sounding deeper and more confident than it ever did in school.
"Liar. You're a god-tier sniper," Starry laughed. "Anyway... Gun? I've been thinking. We've played together for so long. Don't you think it's time? Let's meet. Tomorrow. 5 PM at the Blue Moon Café near the station."
Jae-wook had frozen. The thought of the bright, bubbly Starry seeing the "loser" Jae-wook made his stomach flip. But he had typed: "Okay. I'll be there."
The school bell rang, jarring Jae-wook back to reality.
"Hey, Jae-wook!" Teacher Hae-in called out as the students began to leave. "Don't forget to submit that paper. And... stay out of trouble, kid."
Jae-wook nodded silently, grabbing his bag. As he walked past Yoo-na, she happened to look up.
"Bye, Jae-wook!" she said with a brilliant smile.
He froze for a split second, gave a clumsy, stiff nod, and hurried out.
"He's so awkward," Min-ji giggled, leaning against Yoo-na's desk. "How does he even function?"
"He's just shy, Min-ji," Yoo-na said, though her eyes remained curious as she watched him disappear through the door. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small blue ribbon. "Come on, I have to get to the station. I'm meeting someone important today."
4:50 PM. Blue Moon Café.
Jae-wook stood in front of the café's glass door. He looked completely different. He had ditched the glasses for contacts. His hair was styled back, revealing a sharp jawline and piercing eyes. He wore a high-end streetwear jacket that made him look like a model or a professional idol.
This was Gun.
He took a deep breath and stepped inside. The bell chimed. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on a girl sitting by the window.
She was wearing a pretty white blouse, her eyes glued to her phone. On the strap of her bag was a small blue ribbon.
Jae-wook's heart stopped.
The popular, perfect Park Yoo-na... was his digital partner, Starry?
He stood frozen in the middle of the café. If he walked forward, his secret life and his school life would collide. He watched as Yoo-na looked at the door, her eyes searching for the mysterious, handsome "Gun," completely unaware that the boy she ignored in class was standing right in front of her.
Jae-wook gripped his phone. This game just got a lot more complicated.