"Mom! Dad! I'm out! Hey, Suh Sian! Come out quickly and help me carry my stuff!"
Suh Seona, a first-year university student, had been living in Seoul while attending college. But now that winter break was here, she had come back to her parents' home in the countryside. Her hometown was deep in the countryside, where houses were few and far between.
Why do Mom and Dad even like living in a place like this...? she grumbled as she walked along.
Suddenly, a strong hand landed with a thud on her shoulder. She flinched, but then turned around with a smirk, as if she had been expecting it.
Must be her twin brother, Suh Sian.
"Suh Seona, you're back?"
"Yeah. Now carry my stuff, Suh Sian."
"Give it here."
"Where's Mom?"
"She's busy cooking since you're here."
"Of course, that's our mom!"
Seona tossed her bag to Sian and dashed inside the house. Sian staggered in surprise but didn't seem to mind as she disappeared from sight. She thought to herself, That muscle guy is strong enough to handle it, nodding quietly.
Inside, Seona was greeted by a table piled high with food. Before long, her stomach felt about to burst.
"I'm so full... I really can't eat anymore..."
"Told you not to be greedy."
Leaning back in her chair shaking her head, Seona accepted a glass of water Sian poured for her. She gulped it down quickly, winking at him gratefully. Sian made a gagging face, pretending to vomit, then headed off to his room.
"Ugh, I think I ate way too much."
Even after some time passed since dinner, Seona's full belly still made her uncomfortable. She sat on the couch but suddenly jumped up.
"Mom, I'm going for a walk. I feel like I might throw up."
"Ah, I told you to eat slowly."
"Even if I ate slowly, I'd still have eaten this much. Haha. I'm going out!"
"But Seona, isn't it dangerous at night?"
"I'll be fine!"
Wearing her thick tracksuit, Seona opened the front door and stepped outside. It was winter, and her breath formed little clouds in the cold air. After walking a bit, her body began to shiver from the cold, but she kept going, thinking the exercise would warm her up. Like she had somewhere familiar to go, she headed toward the back of the house. Soon, a narrow dirt path stretched out before her, and she smiled.
"Still the same."
She had lived here until finishing elementary school before moving to the city with Sian for middle school. When they became university students, their parents moved back here as if waiting for this moment.
Though Seona had grown used to city life, she didn't like that this place had become her family home again. But what she didn't object to was the fresh countryside scent and the sight of the familiar dirt road before her. On both sides stretched wide rice paddies, with just one dirt path running straight down the middle. At the end of that path was a famous red brick wall that looked like an ancient fortress—majestic and awe-inspiring.
When she was upset as a child, she used to lean against that wall for a long time before Sian would take her home. Smiling at the memory, she continued walking.
"Huh...?"
Lost in thought, she suddenly realized she couldn't tell how far she'd walked. The wall she expected to see wasn't there; instead, a grand castle appeared in her vision. She rubbed her eyes hard twice, and the castle's shape became even clearer. She took a slow step forward, bewildered. It was dark, but this was definitely a castle she had never seen before.
Wait... why isn't the brick wall here...?
"Isn't this a protected area where no development is allowed?"
A few months ago, her parents had tried to expand the house when they moved back, but the construction was forbidden. The entire village had been declared a nature reserve 10 years ago. So her parents had given up the plans, explaining this to Seona. She recalled their words and furrowed her brow.
It's been seven years since I last came here. This has been a protected area all that time... so what is that?
Drawn like a magnet, Seona's feet moved toward the castle. The closer she got, the more the castle seemed to move closer to her as well.
Soon, the castle's main gate appeared right before her eyes. It was even bigger and grander than it looked from afar. Surrounding it was a shimmering white light, like a magical barrier.
Startled by this mysterious sight, Seona took a step back. But curiosity overcame fear. Determined, she stepped into the barrier.
And then—
"Suh Seona!!!"
"Ah?!"
Just as Sian's voice rang out, the barrier turned into a wall. Seona ended up kicking the solid surface and fell to the ground, clutching her aching foot. Sian's eyes went wide as he stared at her sitting there.
"Suh Seona, are you okay?"
"Ah... my foot... I think I broke a bone."
"Why are you kicking a wall?"
"...A wall?"
Following Sian's words, Seona looked up. Before her eyes was the red brick wall she had seen long ago. Her face grew even more confused.
What's going on? I saw nothing in front of me... but there's definitely a castle beyond that wall...
She tried stepping back to keep distance from the wall, thinking maybe it was blocking the castle from view. But no matter what she did, the castle didn't appear.
"Hey, Suh Sian, did you see the castle?"
"What nonsense? You know it's dangerous to walk alone at night. I came looking for you because I know where you always go. Seriously, Suh Seona, you're such a bother."
"...I definitely saw a castle..."
"Stop talking nonsense. Let's go home. Mom's waiting."
Sian cut her off and grabbed her hand, leading her away. Seona kept glancing back toward where the castle should have been, then shrugged and walked home with him.
Weird... really weird...