As she finally fully waken up..
The sky was still faintly blue when Anaya opened her eyes.
She reached for her phone and blinked at the screen.
5:03 AM.
The sky outside was still deep blue, but the darkness was retreating. Pale rays of sunlight stretched quietly across the floor, painting golden stripes between the curtains. The world was shifting gently into morning.
Anaya sat still for a moment. Her mind was heavy, not with sleep, but with a dream she couldn't hold on to.
She got up slowly, washed her face, and joined her boss for breakfast. But her thoughts floated elsewhere. Her spoon stirred idly in her tea. She barely touched the warm poha her boss served. The dream's memory, fuzzy but persistent yet sat at the edge of her chest.
After breakfast, she returned to her room. She scrolled through her phone, opened an app to watch a drama, then closed it again. Nothing held her attention.
It was too quiet inside her.
Eventually, the restaurant opened, and she stepped out into the familiar space. Her fingers found the violin strings as if on their own. The bow moved gently, coaxing a slow tune, half memory, half longing. A soft hum echoed through the place, the notes almost whispering his name without her knowing.
Evening fell.
The golden sky faded into dusky violet. Lights flickered on outside, and the streets began to glow. But something felt off. The breeze was cool, the food was warm, the music was flowing, but her heart felt... flat.
"Am I really in love?" she wondered, resting her chin in her palm as she sat behind the counter. "Why doesn't it feel like it?"
Later that evening, she climbed back upstairs. The air in her room felt cooler than usual. She switched on her laptop, more out of habit than intent.
A video popped up.
A familiar tune played first, soft, dreamy piano blending with a light beat. And then he appeared.
Yu Chen.
Singing...
His voice is gentle, elegant and carried something soft yet piercing. Anaya's breath caught. Her fingers trembled slightly on the trackpad. Her cheeks turned red, a blush blooming like morning sun behind the clouds.
Her heart skipped.
So did time.
She didn't move as the song played on. When it ended, she found herself searching his name again, and this time a variety show caught her attention.
"Summer Camp." She whispered herself.
She clicked.
The first episode began with warm background music, wide angles of the camp base, waves crashing, and trees swaying.
Twelve participants. Two groups. One adventure.
Universe. And Six.
Anaya leaned forward. The first segment showed all the members choosing outfits before being "teleported" into another world. Laughter, chatter, excitement. It felt like a fantasy game mixed with real friendships.
Yu Chen appeared.
Dressed in a pirate-like outfit, simple but elegant, and holding a wooden box of props. A small smirk played on his lips, mischievous and secretive. He was introduced as a "spy disguised as a servant" within his own group. None of the others knew his secret. Anaya smiled without realizing it. Seems like every contestant had a role to play when the time comes .
They boarded on a motor boat in the real world, but as the screen flickered, the cast suddenly found themselves in a fantasy world called Momo Island. A glitchy system voice crackled through.,
"Your first mission: Reach Momo Island before 6:00 PM. Find the map. Engine is limited. Failure means disqualification."
Panic filled the group. They searched the ship, scattered, confused. The clock ticked. No map in sight.
Then, another ship appeared on the horizon.
"Warning," the system announced. "The enemies have the map. Defeat them, or lose your chance."
Tension rose. The participants grabbed water guns. According to the rules, hitting the enemies' hats with water would count as a win.
Yu Chen crouched behind a barrel, quiet and focused. Anaya watched him closely. his expression calm, almost calculating.
The battle began. Water sprayed, players shouted, laughter and chaos filled the screen. After a fierce and funny fight, the team managed to defeat the enemies and take over their ship.
But they still had to find the map.
Suddenly, a robotic parrot flew in, perching on a mast.
"I will help you," it chirped. "But only if you understand how."
And then it vanished.
One member, a cheerful guy with bright eyes, stepped forward and asked, "What's your name?"
The parrot reappeared briefly and dropped a code: "CYX-0610"
The screen flashed.
"Its a riddle game." Kate shouted with excitement.
Then, Mint whispered, "yeah! Seems like I've seen it somewhere in cartoons that spokes with riddles."
"Aeyo! What are you all doing. I think we have to decode it. We can discuss afterwards about this parot." Tomo whispered with tension.
Mission: Decode the name. Find the clue. Get the help. Reach the island.
The episode ended on a cliffhanger, fading to black with soft outro music and a laughing blooper of Yu Chen falling into a barrel of water.
Anaya giggled softly.
Suddenly her laptop turned off. In excitement, she reached to the drawer and get and the charger and plugged in to the switch board.
The screen lit up with soft ocean hues and flickering lights from the ship's deck. Anaya pulled her blanket closer, curled on her bed like a child watching her favorite cartoonz except this wasn't a cartoon. This was his world. Yu Chen's world. And she was beginning to feel like a part of it.
After the chaotic thinking they finally get the name name of robot parrot. And called, "Byte- Tornado.
The robotic parrot now affectionately named Bitto by Yu Chen(short for Byte-Tornado as revealed by decoding CYX-0610) fluttered onto the captain's wheel.
"Hmm..." Bitto chirped, mechanical wings twitching. "I'm... mildly impressed. You want my help?"
Everyone nodded eagerly.
"Well," Bitto tilted its head with sass, "If you ignore me again, I'll bite your nose off!"
The team burst into laughter.
Then, without warning, the system spoke again:
"Next phase: Code Breakers."
Bitto squawked and announced:
"Split into four groups of three. I will assign each team a unique code. Decode it using your surroundings and wits. Each solution leads to a piece of the final map."
The players were assigned:
Group A: AD (Yu Chen), Leo, and yetao
Group B: Riko, Jian, and Mino
Group C: kate, Dae, and Tomo
Group D: Mint, Haru, and mike
Each group received a parchment. The camera zoomed in on the codes as the theme music played in the background.
---
Group A – Code: "When sun's eye meets its twin, count the beats of silver's hymn."
Yu Chen looked up. "Sun's eye must mean the sun," he muttered.
Leo nodded. "Twin sun… maybe a reflection?"
They searched the deck until they found a polished shield catching sunlight, its twin.
Nearby, silver chimes hung swaying in the sea breeze.
Hana counted. "Thirteen chimes!"
Yu Chen snapped his fingers. "Thirteen steps from the twin. Let's go."
They counted thirteen steps from the spot and found a hidden latch under a barrel. The first map piece lay inside.
---
Group B – Code: "Speak to the wind where the sails sleep, then whisper the number it keeps."
Jian stared at the sails overhead.
Riko ran toward the lower deck where extra sails were tied.
Mino waved his hand. "What if it's literally listening?"
They found a windsock fluttering wildly. Inside it, stitched along the seam, were faded numbers: "197."
They whispered it into the talking tube nearby.
A panel opened under their feet, revealing the second map piece.
---
Group C – Code: "Let the bells toll where rust meets rope. When three rhythms align, your path will shine."
Yuna pointed toward the anchor area, rust and rope.
They found a bell tied to a thick knot.
Tomo tapped the bell rhythmically.
Dae joined in with two more on the mast.
The moment the three bells rang together in perfect rhythm—ding-ding-ding—a glimmer shone from behind a loose plank.
Another map piece.
---
Group D – Code: "The stars are not just above. Under the deck, find the constellation that never moves."
Mint led them below.
Mike noticed the glowing stones embedded in the floorboards.
Haru stepped back and saw they formed a pattern like a bear.
"Ursa Major," he said.
They pressed the center star, and the final piece of the map slid out from a hidden drawer.
---
All four groups returned to the deck, breathless and excited. Bitto flapped overhead and announced with a triumphant chirp:
"Puzzle complete. Destination revealed. To Momo Island you go!"
The four pieces came together like a jigsaw. The final map showed a glowing trail through jagged rocks and foggy waves leading to the island's shore.
The music swelled as the team sailed forward.
Momo Island appeared in the distance, its silhouette mysterious and breathtaking.
Palm trees, hidden caves, distant towers, it looked like a fantasy painting.
Anaya's eyes sparkled. Her heart raced.
What a world, she thought. And he's right in the center of it.
The camera panned to Yu Chen, standing quietly at the edge of the ship, looking ahead. The sea breeze tousled his hair. A small smile played on his lips.
He didn't say a word. As they reached to the shore, they were getting down from the ship. As that the episode ended..
But Anaya felt something stir inside her chest...