Kang Juhwan wanted to be loved.
He adjusted his gaming headset, leaning back in his chair as the soft glow of his monitor bathed his face in pale light.
Outside, the busy streets buzzed faintly through the cracked window of his apartment.
Couples walked under flickering street lamps, holding hands like they had some invisible immunity to heartbreak.
Juhwan clicked through the cheerful opening of Blooming Hearts: Sakura Route DX, a typical dating sim he'd already finished three times. He knew every flag, every affection trigger, and every death trap disguised as romance.
But he still played it.
Because here, he can feel loved. Though pathetic, this is his coping mechanism.
He tapped his mouse rhythmically, chasing the safe illusion of predictable choices, perfect affection routes, and endings he could control.
Even when the stories felt artificial, even when the girls were just sprites and code—it was better than trusting people again.
When his friends from university called him out for drinks, he ignored them. When his brother texted asking to meet, he left it unread. Real life didn't have reset buttons.
At least, that's what he thought.
Until tonight.
A strange pop-up appeared on his screen just as he was closing the game. It wasn't from any installed app. The window flickered, glitching at the edges like broken code.
[Do you want to experience true love?]
[Y/N]
Juhwan frowned. "Another virus?"
His hand hovered over the mouse. Something about the question stirred an old ache in his chest.
A sharp breath escaped his lips, bitter and low. "What's the worst that could happen? It's just another game."
He clicked YES.
The screen blinked. The lights in his apartment flickered with it.
Suddenly, the monitor went black, replaced by a new loading screen. Pixelated hearts spun lazily as a title scrolled across the top:
[Dead End Dating Simulator]
Beneath it, smaller text appeared:
[Warning: Choices are permanent. Hearts are limited. Lives cannot be refunded.]
[Current Heart Count: ♥♥♥♥♥]
His mouse wouldn't move. His keyboard wouldn't respond.
The system window flickered again.
Juhwan's mind raced. He needed to understand the system.
He clicked the [Status]
A screen popped up in front of him.
[Player Stats: Kang Juhwan]
Hearts Remaining: ♥♥♥♥♥
Points: 0
Fear Resistance: Low
[Inventory]
Beginner's Mask: Hides emotions.
Flashlight: Basic tool. Useful in dark areas.
'What the hell? How did it know my name?' his heart skipped a beat.
"What is this… a game system?" Juhwan blinked, confused.
Right after, a new notification appeared.
[Mission: Visit the Abandoned School]
Location: Gwancheon Old High
Objective: Explore and find a key item.
Reward: Points
Warning: Danger level – Low
Juhwan scratched his head. "Why would a dating sim send me to an abandoned school?"
"Maybe this game works like Pokémon Go," he thought.
"Maybe I need to visit real places to trigger events. Though this probably a prank or maybe a horror game."
It sounded crazy, but so was everything else happening.
As Juhwan lay on his bed, his phone suddenly vibrated.
He pulled it out.
His heart sank.
The same app was on his phone now, its icon glowing faintly.
His hands trembled.
'How did this get on my phone?' He never downloaded it. He didn't even know where it came from.
His pulse quickened. 'Is this a virus? How did it spread? Who's doing this?'
He opened the app.
It showed a map, pinpointing the exact location of the abandoned school.
The screen blinked again.
---
[Mission Active: Gwancheon Old High]
[Deadline: 2 Days Remaining]
[Failure to complete the mission will result in punishment.]
[Hint: Roam around.]
Juhwan clenched his jaw. "No way. I'm not going to some creepy school at night."
The thought alone made his skin crawl.
"I'll just wait and go tomorrow. In the daytime. Less scary."
But the words punishment and deadline stuck in his head like needles.
He gripped his phone tightly, trying to calm down.
He wanted to uninstall the app.
But the uninstall button was grayed out.
His throat dried.
'I can't escape this game.'
Juhwan tried to convince himself it was just a dream.
'Maybe I just played too long last night. Maybe I'm overthinking.'
So he went to sleep.
...
The next morning, everything felt normal.
He went to university, sat through his classes, and laughed with his friends like nothing happened.
At lunch, they teased him.
– You're always playing those dating sims, huh? That's why you always look dead.
"Yeah," Juhwan grinned, playing along. He have dark circles that surrounds his eye.
– That's why you have no girlfriend. Haha.
"It's not like you guys have girlfriends either."
They all burst into laughter.
His last class ended early. He checked the time—2:30 PM.
His eyes drifted to the app still glowing on his phone.
The mission was still active. The timer was still counting down.
He sighed.
'Fine. Just to prove this isn't real. I'll go. In broad daylight.'
Slipping his phone into his pocket, he made his way toward Gwancheon Old High.
The streets were quiet as he reached the school gate, rusted and half open.
The place looked abandoned. Cracked walls. Broken windows.
He hesitated.
He took a deep breath and stepped inside.
As Juhwan stepped onto the school grounds, his phone buzzed again.
A new message popped up:
[Mission Time: 10:00 PM – 3:00 AM Only]
[You may explore, but the mission won't start outside this time frame.]
Juhwan stared at the screen, annoyed.
"Seriously? You couldn't tell me this earlier?"
His jaw tightened. His stiff, expressionless face didn't show it, but inside, he was freaking out.
'Why does it have to be at night?
I hate horror games. I don't do scary stuff. This isn't a dating sim—it's a horror game in disguise!'
His heart raced, but his face stayed blank, like always.
"Perfect. This is my worst nightmare."
Still, he wasn't ready to give up. He thought if he scanned the area now, maybe he'd find something useful before nightfall.
I should be studying, not doing this nonsense, he thought, but here he was... walking around an abandoned school like some rookie ghost hunter.
He walked the perimeter, checking broken fences, dusty hallways, and cracked windows.
Maybe I can find a shortcut. Maybe I can figure out where the danger is.
Even if it felt pointless, he kept going.
Because once the clock hit 10:00 PM, the real game would begin.
Juhwan walked through the front gate, its rusty hinges screeching as he pushed it open.
Weeds had grown tall, pushing through the cracked cement of the schoolyard. Faded lines of an old basketball court were barely visible under layers of dirt and moss.
The building itself was worn down by time.
The white paint on the walls had peeled away, leaving gray patches like burn scars.
Some windows were shattered, their glass scattered across the ground, sparkling faintly under the afternoon sun. Others were boarded up haphazardly with old, rotting wood.
The school sign hung crooked, its letters barely readable: "Gwancheon High School". A piece of it dangled by a single screw, swaying slightly with the breeze.
Juhwan peered through the cracked windows. Dust coated the desks. Fallen ceiling tiles littered the floor.
It really has been abandoned for years… he thought.
He walked past the rusted bike racks, stepping over discarded notebooks and broken rulers, the leftovers of students who probably ran out when the school was shut down.
In the back, the gym doors were half-open, creaking when the wind passed. Inside, the wooden floor was warped and splintered, and an old basketball sat deflated near the corner.
Even in daylight, the place felt wrong.
Like something was watching.
Juhwan's stiff expression didn't show it, but his chest felt tight.
I really don't want to come back here at night…
Still, he pushed on, circling the building, memorizing the pathways. He checked emergency exits, stairwells, and broken fences that could be quick ways out.