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You live in the competition (競争の世界に生きる) ENGLISH VERSION

Sasha_Arini
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Synopsis
A world of endless competition, where survival is the only way to survive.
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Chapter 1 - EPISODE 1 — Doko desu ka? (どこですか? / Where am I?)

One day at the library, a young man named Kazuhiro Takeda was quietly reading a book.Suddenly, an old friend appeared—Raditya Narendra.

Raditya froze in surprise when he saw Kazuhiro sitting there, absorbed in his book.He immediately walked over to him.

DIALOGUE:

Raditya Narendra:"Kazuhiro…?Takeda Kazuhiro, right?"

Kazuhiro:"…Raditya?"(silent for a moment)"It's been a long time."

Raditya(small smile):"Yeah. I thought you'd moved to another city."

Kazuhiro:"I'm still here.I just don't go out much since we graduated."

Raditya:"Ohhh… the library is still your favorite place, huh?"

Kazuhiro:"Yeah. It's calmer here when I want to spend my time."

(A brief silence. The sound of pages turning.)

Raditya:"Habatake Gakkou…""I miss our school days.But why does it feel like time passed so fast?"

Kazuhiro:"Yeah…""Fast? I thought it felt long."

Raditya:"Mind if I read with you?"

Kazuhiro:"Go ahead."

(They read in silence—calm before the storm.)

Habatake Gakkou. Upper-grade classrooms (Grades 11–12).Unlike the quiet library, the classroom atmosphere is loud, tense, and competitive.

In one corner of the room, a male student sits calmly.

CHARACTER: GWANG HANSOL

Hansol stares at the blackboard with focus.His notebook is filled with neat notes.

He's known as a smart student—quiet, reserved, always ranking near the top.

Some students glance at him and whisper.

"That's the transfer student from Korea, right?""Yeah… I heard his grades are really high."

Hansol pretends not to hear them.

Suddenly—the sound of a chair scraping loudly.

A brown-haired boy enters the classroom with a group of friends.His uniform is messy, tie loose.A dominant aura fills the room instantly.

He stops right in front of Hansol's desk.

Shirogane Itsuki:"You're Gwang Hansol, right?"

Hansol slowly raises his gaze.

Gwang Hansol:"Yes."

Itsuki smirks.

Shirogane Itsuki:"I heard you're smart.""At this school, smart people either rise fast…""…or fall fast."

His friends chuckle.

Hansol calmly closes his book.

Gwang Hansol:"I came here to study. Not to look for trouble."

Itsuki steps closer.

Shirogane Itsuki(low voice):"Trouble isn't something you look for.""It comes to you."

The bell rings.The teacher enters.

Itsuki steps back, but before leaving, he whispers—

Shirogane Itsuki:"We'll be seeing each other a lot."

Hansol looks forward again.His hand clenches briefly, holding back his emotions.

The break bell rings.The hallway fills with footsteps and chatter.

Hansol leaves the classroom carrying his books.He heads toward the back staircase—quieter than the cafeteria.

Some students pass by, glancing at him, whispering softly.

Hansol stops in front of a vending machine.He reaches into his pocket.

Laughter echoes behind him.

DIALOGUE:

Shirogane Itsuki:"All alone, Hansol?"

Hansol turns slowly.

Gwang Hansol:"I'm heading to the cafeteria."

Itsuki steps closer—too close.

Shirogane Itsuki:"Relax.""Break time's for chatting, right?"

One of the gang members roughly pats Hansol's shoulder.

Hansol gently pushes the hand away.

Gwang Hansol:"I don't like being touched."

Itsuki laughs lightly.

Shirogane Itsuki:"You're sensitive.""I barely touched you and you're already offended?"

The hallway grows quiet.The tension thickens.

A small shove.Hansol is pushed against the wall but doesn't fall.

He takes a deep breath.

Gwang Hansol:"I don't want trouble."

Itsuki raises an eyebrow.

Shirogane Itsuki:"Trouble comes to those who look strong."

Hansol grabs the hand reaching for his collar.His movement is fast—not rough, but firm.

Itsuki freezes for half a second.

The bell rings again.

Students begin returning to class.

Itsuki lets go.

Shirogane Itsuki(thin smile):"Hansol. We'll continue this another time."

The gang leaves.

Hansol straightens his uniform.His breathing is slightly heavy.

Hansol (inner monologue):"This is just school…""So why does it feel like I'm the one being bullied?"

Unknown Important Figure:"Maybe their nature was like that from the start."

Hansol:"How do you know? I was thinking that in my head."

Unknown Figure:"Shhh. That's not important.""My job is only to give you a choice.""Right hand… or left?"

The hallway feels… strange.

The noise disappears.No bell.No laughter.No wind.

Students freeze mid-step.One foot still raised.

Expressions locked in motion.

Hansol slowly turns his head.

Gwang Hansol(quietly):"…?"

He takes one step forward.

No sound.

He swallows.

Gwang Hansol:"What… is happening?""And who are you?""Why aren't you wearing a school uniform? Hoodies are forbidden here."

Unknown Figure:"You're still asking who I am.""That doesn't matter."

"I'll give you one choice.""And you must choose."

Gwang Hansol:"Why should I choose? You're a stranger."

Unknown Figure:"Choose quickly—or you'll regret it."

Hansol (inner monologue):Eotteoke…?Is this a trap?Right? No… he's a stranger.But if I don't choose, there might be consequences.

Unknown Figure:"Hurry up. Why are you silent when you were noisy earlier?"

Gwang Hansol:"I choose… left."

Unknown Figure:"Are you sure, Gwang Hansol?"

He opens his left hand.

Inside—a bottle of white milk.

The man smiles slightly.

Unknown Figure:"Lucky you.""Here. Take it."

Hansol (inner monologue):Phew… I got lucky.

Gwang Hansol:"O-Okay…"

The man leaves.Time resumes.

Voices return.

Gwang Hansol:"Huh? The noise is back…""The milk looks fine… I'll just drink it."

He drinks it.

Seconds pass.

His head feels light—then heavy.

His vision blurs.

The bottle slips from his hand and hits the floor.

TRUTH:The milk contains an anesthetic.

The hallway falls silent.

The hooded man reappears.

He stands beside Hansol's unconscious body.

Unknown Figure (softly):"Your choice has been taken."

He lifts Hansol effortlessly.

His steps are calm—as if this is routine.

Moments later, both vanish.

The hallway returns to normal.

No one notices.

No one asks.

As if Gwang Hansol never existed.

Bright laboratory lights.The faint smell of alcohol and chemicals fills the air.

Rio Ajeng stands at the lab table, rubber gloves still on his hands, writing in his notebook.

Rio Ajeng (murmuring):"If the variable changes…"

Suddenly—The lights flicker once.

Rio stops writing.

Rio Ajeng:"…Hm?"

He turns.

Someone stands near the door.

Not a teacher.Not a student.

Dark hoodie.Unfamiliar face.

Rio exhales—not panicked, but suspicious.

Rio Ajeng:"This lab is in use.""If you want to enter, ask permission first."

The man smiles faintly and steps closer.

Unknown Figure:"You're very calm."

Rio crosses his arms.

Rio Ajeng:"The suspicious ones are usually the calmest."

The man raises both hands.

Unknown Figure:"Choose."

Rio Ajeng:"Left or right?""Seriously?"

Unknown Figure:"Just choose."

Rio studies his hands briefly.No hesitation.

Rio Ajeng:"Right."

The man opens his right hand.

The air trembles.Light spirals—

A portal forms.

Wind roars.

Papers scatter.

Rio Ajeng:"…What?!"

Unknown Figure:"A quick decision." The portal expands. Before Rio can react— Light swallows him. In an instant, Rio Ajeng disappears.

Silence returns.

Only his open notebook remains.

The library is quiet.

Kazuhiro sits at the same table.Raditya reads beside him.

Raditya:"It's funny… the one at fault ends up as the witness."

Kazuhiro:"Wait."

Suddenly—

💥 A STRONG WIND BLASTS

Books scatter.Lights flicker.

A portal opens.

Someone is thrown out—

CRASH!

Kazuhiro:"What is—?!"

It's Rio Ajeng.

Before they can speak—

The hooded man appears.

Rio Ajeng:"YOU?!"

He grabs the man's arm.

Rio Ajeng:"Why did you bring me to another world?!"

The man panics.

Unknown Figure:"…I need to remove him from this world."

Raditya:"Takeda… are we hallucinating?"

Kazuhiro:"No."

The portal expands.

Rio Ajeng:"HEY! HOLD HIM!"

Kazuhiro and Raditya grab him.

The portal explodes outward—

Light swallows everything.

💥 ALL DISAPPEAR.

Darkness.

Then—Blinding white light.

Kazuhiro opens his eyes.

The sky isn't blue.Not black.

An aurora sky.

People lie scattered around.

Voices rise.

NPC:"Where am I…?"

Kazuhiro clenches his fist.

Kazuhiro (inner):"This place…""…isn't any world I know."

Light gathers in the distance.

Something is about to begin.

EPISODE 1 — END