The victory in the game did not bring laughter or cheers.
Unlike when Jo won in the computer or mobile games he usually played, which usually made him feel proud, satisfied, and happy.
This victory instead left wounds, trauma, and guilt.
The faces that had run with him earlier… were now just shadows.
Jo stood frozen at the end of the emergency stairs, staring at the empty Tokyo night sky. His eyes were puffy. His breathing was heavy.
A soft voice was heard from behind him.
"Hey you…"
Jo turned around. It was the career woman who had led their last steps.
"Where are you going? You don't have a place to stay, do you?" the woman said, her smile calm but her eyes looked tired.
"Just follow me. For now, we need a safe place to think."
Jo was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly.
He really didn't know where else to go. The outside world felt foreign, and his life time was now filled with limits.
[TOKYO LUXURY APARTMENT ON A SKYSCRAPER]
They rode the elevator in silence, avoiding the crowd that wasn't there.
The elevator stopped at the highest floor.
The door opened. The woman invited Jo into a spacious room that made his eyes widen.
The apartment looked like it belonged to a successful executive.
High ceilings, see-through glass overlooking the city, warm lighting, and elegant minimalist design. A clean white leather sofa, dark wood bookshelves, and a coffee table with burning aromatherapy candles.
Jo stepped inside slowly, then stood still.
"You… live here?" her voice was almost a whisper.
The woman threw her work bag on the sofa and took off her heels.
"This place was provided after winning a few games. This isn't the real world, Jo."
Jo turned her head quickly.
"You mean… this isn't the real world? But we're in Tokyo."
The woman opened the refrigerator and took out two bottles of cold water. "Tokyo that… was emptied. This world is like some kind of replica. An alternate world. I don't know for sure. But what's clear is that every time we survive, we're given more 'access'."
She sat down, handing Jo a bottle of water.
"My name is Reina."
Jo took it slowly.
"I'm… Jo."
Reina smiled slightly.
"You were smart earlier. But also emotional."
Jo sat down and stared out the window.
"I don't want to see anyone die anymore…"
"I don't want to play this game anymore…"
Reina stared at Jo for a moment then took a sip of her water.
"If you don't play, you'll die. That's the rule. But… if you hold out long enough… maybe we'll find a way out."
Jo looked up.
"Are you sure there's a way out?"
Reina only answered by staring at the empty night sky, not a single star visible there.
"I've never seen anyone get out. But I haven't given up yet."
Jo woke up in the night, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her hands were shaking. On a small hologram screen floating on the wall of the apartment, a message appeared:
LIFE TIME REMAINING: 1 DAY 23 HOURS
Next game starts in: 22 hours 17 minutes
Jo stared at the screen. Then clenched his hands tightly.
"I have to survive."
Jo woke up in the middle of the night. His breath was heavy. Cold sweat soaked his temples.
Nightmare. Screams. Arrows. Blood.
He sat on the bed and looked around the dark apartment, only lit by the faint moonlight from the large glass window.
Slowly he stood up and opened the bedroom door.
His footsteps took him to the balcony and there, Reina stood, staring at the silent city. Her silhouette blended with the night.
"Can't you sleep too?" Jo asked softly.
Reina didn't answer. She just nodded slightly.
Jo stood beside her, looking at the empty view of Tokyo. The streets, the tall buildings, everything was dark as if the whole world had been frozen, uninhabited.
"Is... this city really empty?"
"While I've been here, I've never seen anyone outside the game," Reina answered flatly.
Silence.
"Reina... have you ever felt afraid?"
Reina turned her head, her face soft but tired.
"Every day. But I choose to keep going, because if I stop, I'm sure I'll be destroyed."
Jo nodded, biting her lip.
"I... just want to go back. To my normal life. Games, home, family."
Reina stared at him sharply, then sighed.
"If we want to live... we have to keep playing. The next game starts the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll find food first, the fridge is almost empty."
Jo nodded.
Reina approached Jo and tried to tease him here just the two of us, do you want to do it with me, I see you've been staring at my body.
Jo nervously shook his head, signaling rejection because Jo had never done it or had no experience.
Hearing that, Reina gave a small smile, not a sweet smile, but the smile of someone who was trying to be strong even though she was almost broken.
"Go to sleep. We need strength."
Jo stepped back inside and lay down.
However, his eyes remained open. His gaze was directed at the digital clock on the wall.
LIFE TIME REMAINING: 1 DAY 21 HOURS
In his heart, Jo whispered:
"I have to find a way out of this nightmare... before my time runs out."
The morning sun penetrated the apartment's glass windows, softly illuminating the room. The scent of morning brought warmth that Jo had not felt for a long time since he was stranded in this deadly game world. He opened his eyes slowly, and heard Reina's voice from the small kitchen calling him.
"Jo, let's get up. We have to find supplies before noon."
Jo nodded lazily and got up from bed. After cleaning themselves up as best they could, the two of them went down from the apartment on the top floor. Silence enveloped the hallways of the building. They went down the stairs slowly while occasionally hearing light conversations.
"Reina," Jo said in the middle of his steps, "do you think... we can get out of this world?"
Reina didn't answer right away. She just stared at the stairs below her and said softly,
"I don't know... But now I don't feel alone. You're here. That's enough to keep me going."
Jo turned his head. The words sounded warm, sincere. And for the first time since he arrived in this world, he smiled without fear.
After walking down the empty streets of Tokyo, which felt dead and empty, they arrived at a convenience store. The automatic sliding doors were still working, and the lights were on as usual.
They went inside and started grabbing snacks, water, and other necessities.
"Hey Reina," Jo joked, holding two packs of instant ramen in his hands, "if this world keeps going like this, I'm going to be a makeshift ramen chef."
Reina giggled, "As long as you're not the one cooking, I think I can still live for another two days."
They laughed. For a moment, all the stress and fear they had experienced yesterday just disappeared. The world felt normal again. Like two ordinary people shopping on a Sunday.
However, as Jo walked towards the drink counter, she saw something through the glass window of the store. A figure flashed quickly in the distance, wearing shabby clothes and carrying a large backpack.
Jo immediately stopped in her tracks.
"Reina... I just saw someone out there."
Reina turned her head quickly. "Are you sure it wasn't an illusion? We haven't eaten anything yet."
"No. I'm sure. It was a person, Reina. Maybe another player. But he wasn't heading this way. He was walking north... like he was looking for something."
The two looked at each other.
The tension was back.
"Maybe... we weren't the only ones who survived the game." Reina said quietly.
Jo stared out the window, the morning sun reflecting off the glass, and a new feeling grew inside him: curiosity. Who was that person? What was he looking for? And... what kind of game awaited them next?