Suho didn't take long to reach his family home. His mother owned a large skyscraper in the Gangnam-gu district of Seoul, though they only lived on the top floor.
Entering the building, the guard at the entrance bowed his head slightly to greet him. He ignored the stares of people, both those who admired his looks and those who envied his status. Suho was used to it all, not because he was proud, but quite the opposite; he viewed smart people the same way, the ones who thought passing tests without studying was easy.
Suho took the elevator to the top floor, about the seventieth. The elevator opened with a faint beep, and the scent of roses his mother usually planted drifted into his nose.
Unlike the other floors, which had long hallways lined with doors, the top floor had a small square hall with a single door opposite the elevator. That was because the entire floor belonged to him and his mother.
Suho pulled out his card from his bag and swiped it across the door sensor. The door clicked open, revealing a large living room painted in shades of white and nude. The floor was made of expensive wood, and glass walls framed the outer view.
"I'm home!" Suho called out, removing his shoes at the entrance, placing them on a rack, and slipping into his indoor slippers.
As he entered, he spotted his mother sitting cross-legged on the beige couch.
Anika Park turned to him and blew a kiss. "Welcome, baby. You're back early today."
Suho narrowed his eyes. "You called me."
Anika gasped playfully. "Did I now? I don't think so. Maybe it was a ghost."
"Wow~ Mom's a ghost now," Suho teased, dropping onto the couch beside her.
Anika flinched and covered her face with her hands. "Ahh! Go shower before jumping on the couch!"
"Stop exaggerating, I don't smell."
Anika laughed softly, then rested her head against his chest. "You smell like a woman. Who was it this time?"
Suho ran a hand through his hair, letting out a tired breath. "A senior said she'd teach me a bit of computer science. I guess she had other plans."
Anika clenched her fists, then relaxed before tugging at his ear. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from girls like that? What if you catch something? Do you want me to die?!"
Suho winced from the sting, his ear already red. "Sorry, sorry. I'll do better."
Anika gave a faint smile, then lay down on the sofa, resting her head on his lap. "Don't be reckless, alright? I'm always worried about you."
Silence filled the room for a moment. Suho's mind was crowded, with thoughts of school, his father, his mother's health, and how not to be a disappointment. But what weighed on him most was the message his mother had sent him.
"Ma, about the message you sent—"
He didn't finish before his mother suddenly sat up. "Oh right!" She quickly grabbed her phone, unlocked it, and scrolled rapidly. Opening the Safari app, she typed in the keyword: Aether Online.
The webpage loaded instantly, and Anika handed the phone to Suho. He skimmed through the details quickly.
"A game?"
The site was about a new company called Aetherion. It was an unknown organization that had appeared overnight with no headquarters. Yet within two days, it had taken over global attention.
Aetherion specialized in virtual reality, but not just immersion. The company claimed its technology allowed literal soul transmigration into the game world.
There was supposedly no need to log out; any food eaten in the game would nourish your real body, and skills learned would transfer to reality. It was the kind of thing found only in fantasy novels or anime, almost too unbelievable to be real. And that was exactly why everyone was talking about it.
Changing someone's body through a game? Feeling real pleasure and nourishment from within it? It sounded impossible.
"Mom, do you actually believe this?" Suho asked.
Anika shook her head. "Of course not." Suho sighed in relief until she added, "However, you can't ignore that 0.1% chance. Even if it's fake, wouldn't it be refreshing to try something new?"
"What if it fries my brain?"
Anika waved a hand, chuckling. "What brain? You're probably the safest person on the planet."
"You're as dumb as I am."
Anika shot him a mock glare. "Well, I don't care what you think. I already bought one for you."
"You did what?!"
Anika sighed. "It wasn't that expensive. Even ordinary people can afford it. And it'll be fun, won't it? Some gamers have already beta tested it."
Suho rubbed his temples. "Ugh, whatever. It's not like I can win an argument with you."
Anika lifted her chin proudly. "At least this way, your body count won't increase by ten a day."
"It's not that high."
Anika gave him a look. "It's reached twenty, hasn't it?"
Suho looked away. "Maybe."
'A game that feels like real life. If that isn't ominous, what is?'
Suho sighed, leaned back, and stretched his arms. The day had been long, and the idea of a soul-transmigrating VR game sounded absurd, yet strangely tempting.
He stood up, went to his room, and collapsed onto his bed. The room was warm, the lighting soft and comforting. For a moment, everything felt peaceful until his phone buzzed beside him.
Suho picked it up and glanced at the message.
Jin-ah 💕: 'Hey baby, can you come over? Mom made dinner, and I miss you.'
He stared at the text before setting the phone down. It had been two months since he and Jin-ah started dating. Their relationship was calm and steady, though he couldn't deny being a scumbag for seeing other girls. It wasn't exactly behind her back, he'd told her, but it didn't make it right.
He checked the time: 7:45 p.m.
There were still about five hours before the game launched, just as his mother had mentioned.
"Better go meet her and get back." He wanted to end things, but Jin-ah had done so much for him. She didn't deserve that. Maybe that was why it felt harder to let go.
Suho got up, changed into a clean white sweater and baggy jeans, and headed to the living room. His mom was still scrolling on her phone, mumbling about game specs and beta testers.
"Mom, I'm heading out for a bit," he said, grabbing an umbrella.
Anika looked up. "I hope it's Jin-ah, not some random girl."
"Yeah," he replied, slipping on his sneakers. "I'll eat at her place."
She squinted at him. "Be back before midnight. The game launches in five hours. You don't want to miss history."
Suho gave a faint smile, waving as he opened the door. "Sure, sure. History."
Outside, the city was alive despite the rain. Cars hummed, neon lights flickered, and the sound of cafés blended with the night breeze. Suho opened his umbrella and scrolled through TakTok as he walked.
When he searched Aether Online, countless results appeared, shocking him that he hadn't heard of it before.
Gamers and celebrities were already showing off the Aether Pod, a sleek white capsule with glowing blue lines that pulsed softly when powered, like they were straight out of a sci-fi movie.
In one clip, a tester entered the pod and moments later appeared inside the game. The in-game footage looked unreal, a world so lifelike it was hard to believe it wasn't reality.
"Every taste, every smell, every touch feels real! It's not just VR, it's life itself! The company said this is just the beta! The real version will be ten times better, a world you won't want to leave!" one streamer shouted as he tasted bread and cried.
Suho frowned. "Yeah, right. Probably a paid ad."
Even his father couldn't code something this complex, and now some nameless company could?
Still, something about the visuals, the shadows, the wind, the light, felt unnervingly real.
After a short walk and a taxi ride, Suho arrived at Jin-ah's house, a cozy two-story duplex on a quiet street. Before he could knock, her mother opened the door with a bright smile.
"Suho! You're here! Come in, dear."
"Good evening, ma'am. You look as lovely as ever," he greeted politely, bowing slightly.
She tugged him closer by the collar. "You can't keep flirting with me, you know? Especially when Jin-ah might be listening." She pressed a brief kiss to his lips before pulling away. "Eat before you hide in her room, alright?"
He smiled. "Yes, ma'am."
After a light dinner, he went upstairs and knocked softly before entering Jin-ah's room. She sat on the bed, wearing a loose shirt and shorts, scrolling through her phone.
The moment she saw him, she jumped up and hugged him tightly, his taller frame making her seem childlike. "Baby, you didn't tell me you were here."
She sniffed him, then frowned. "You smell like another woman."
Suho blinked. "Do I?"
Her tone sharpened. "You were with someone else again, weren't you?"
He didn't flinch. "Yeah. I needed something from her."
She studied him for a few seconds, lips pressed together, then sighed softly and touched his cheek. "Just be careful, okay? You never know when people might want you for more than what you want from them."
Her tone was calm, but her eyes trembled faintly.
Then she smiled again, pulling him to the bed. "By the way, have you heard about that new game?"
Jin-ah sat him at the edge of the bed and perched on his lap, his arms circling her waist. After scrolling through her phone, she turned it toward him. It was another post about Aether Online.
Her eyes sparkled. "Isn't it wild? I preordered the pod. It's arriving tonight. Imagine living in a world like that, magic, adventure, freedom. Like a manhwa."
Suho exhaled. "My mom bought one too. Told me to try it. Not sure if I'll bother."
"You should," she urged, leaning closer. "If we both play, maybe we could meet there. Maybe even get married."
He didn't reply. Watching her excitement made him hesitate to break things off. Not because she'd done anything wrong, she was just too kind.
Instead, he smiled faintly. "Yeah. Maybe I'll try it for your sake."
She beamed and kissed him softly. "Then let's move on to other matters. I'm really turned on."
Suho spent another two hours in Jin-ah's house, doing things loud enough that her mother had likely heard. From the bed to the wall, to the table, to the couch, even then, he didn't feel exhausted. That was just how he was.
After Jin-ah fell asleep, he spent some time with her mother in her own room, a secret affair that had been ongoing for over a month.
He left over three hours later, seeing himself out while both women slept soundly.
As he walked home, the night air felt heavier than usual. Neon lights blurred through the rain, and every billboard seemed to flash the same words:
Aether Online - Where Reality Ends and Fantasy Begins.
Suho shoved his hands into his pockets. "This game is certainly strange." How had it become the world's obsession in under three days?
One thing was certain, this game was anything but normal. And he intended to find out why. Maybe, just maybe, it could even help him learn programming.
On his way back, Suho stopped by the senior's place he'd visited earlier, spending an extra hour there, and another thirty minutes at his married professor's house.
By the time he returned home, the delivery had arrived, and the release hour was near. Entering the apartment, he was greeted by his mother's cheerful voice.
"Baby, it's here!" Anika exclaimed, sitting beside a sleek white pod.
It was finally time to see what this game was all about.