Breeze …
Seo-hee is standing on the edge of the rooftop, her eyes red and swollen.
Flash! Flash!
Her phone kept flashing a red warning sign.
Sniff…
She looks up at the sky. Why? Why??
The sky is clear and beautiful, contrasting her facial expressions.
Pace… Pace…
Someone is running towards upstairs, and the sneakers thudding against the floor can be heard from far.
Clink-thud!
"Seo-hee!!!" The voice snaps as seeing the view in front.
Glance…
Seo-hee slowly turns towards the voice.
There's a bitter twist of her lips, forming a very unsettling smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
STEP!
Seo-hee takes a step back and…
Whoosh….
***
A few days earlier,
Step-step!
Seo-hee was heading towards upstairs to the rooftop, and her sneakers were echoing against the concrete as she was pacing.
Clink!
She opened the door and glanced around as if looking for someone.
Step…
Sigh!
She sighed, "So you're here? I had been looking for you everywhere?"
She looked at a girl sitting, her back lined against the wall with a laptop sitting on her lap.
Yawn!
"Seo-hee! You know I spent most of my time here!" She replied while her eyes still locked on the screen.
Scree…
Seo-hee stepped forward and crouched on the ground, sitting next to her.
"I know, Ha-rim! I was just joking…" She said, taking a glance at the screen.
Ugh! Ugh!
She cleared her throat and asked, "By the way, what are you doing here!?" She saw a game interface flashing on the laptop screen.
Ahh…
"It's a game, 'The Blank Space'." Ha-rim replied.
Huh…
Seo-hee's mind rang a bell hearing the name.
"Oh! Everyone in class was also talking about it." She noticed the parent site name 'www.bLank&end.com'.
Click! Click!
"You can also play it on your mobile!" Ha-rim said as continuing her log in.
"You need to be 18 to play it, and it requires your student ID for confirmation."
Lean…
Seo-hee leaned closer, the blue light of monitor flashing in her curious eyes.
There was a white space kept sparkling against the void of darkness.
"Student ID!? Isn't it too much to play a game, isn't it?" She asked, her brows furrowed.
"Some games only need email to spam you ads but ID—"
Head-shake!
"No! It's not any ordinary game. It works according to your social circle, personality, etc." Ha-rim shook her head.
Hee…
"Yes! Yes! Miss. Game Master!" Seo-hee raised her eyebrow, teasing her.
Eye-roll!
Ha-rim rolled her eyes, not saying anything.
Tap! Tap!
"Aww… I'm just having fun, Ha-rim-ah!" Seo-hee tapped on her shoulders.
Smile…
"I know!" Ha-rim smiled and started entering her ID.
Scan!
Seo-hee scanned her whole posture, I know how much you love video games and coding, but that crappy family of yours… Her face twiched just thinking about it.
Sigh!
"So what's so special about this game." She leaned closer to her.
Shine!
Ha-rim's face lit up with an indescribable glow as she started telling about it.
"You play with your friends, and in one lobby, there's some specific task you have to complete like mini-games." She clicked on key and entered in the local lobby.
Shaa…
She extended the laptop towards her, showing the game of hide and seek.
Huh!?
Seo-hee's eyes widen, and she says, "Seriously, hide and seek!?"
Haa…
"It's not just that!" Ha-rim cleared the mini-game and said.
"See, after the game, we have to vote for the elimination of players." She chooses one of the players.
Chime!
"And the two most voted people will fight each other in a sword game to save themselves, we'll bet on the player to win and will get points to be used in the shop." Ha-rim gave her tutorial to play it.
Hmm…
"Seem interesting!" Seo-hee whispered.
Hee…
"You should play it for socialising as I'm the only friend of yours in the six months since transfer here." Ha-rim closed her laptop and got up.
Huh!? Shu…
"What do you mean?" Seo-hee pouted, eyebrow frowning.
Tap! Tap!
Ha-rim slowly backed on her tip toes, "I mean, you suck at making friends!"
Flare…
Seo-hee put her hands on her waist and gave narrow eyes look to Ha-rim.
"Stop! Come back here!!" Seo-hee lunged towards her, but Ha-rim already at the door to outside.
Shuu…
Seo-hee jumped forward, blocking Ha-rim, "I don't suck at making friends, I'm just picky."
Tap! Tap!
Ha-rim tapped on Seo-hee's hand and laughed, "Okay! Okay! I see!"
Walk…
Hae-rim and Seo-hee both headed towards class as lunchtime was almost over while chatting.
Step-Pace!!
A tall guy crossed them as they were walking.
The guy had a very shining aura against that lean build.
Ya…
"Jin-hyuk!!" Seo-hee shouted the name.
Turn…
The guy turns back towards the sound.
"Hmm.. Seo-hee!? What's it?" Jin-Hyuk said with his usual tone, like a raspberry.
Hee…
"Nothing! Just wanted to say hi." Seo-hee smiled.
Rub…
Jin-hyuk rubbed his hand against the neck, "Ah— Hi!"
Breeze…
The silence between them was very thick.
Tink!
The notification sound from Jin-hyuk's phone broke the silence.
Shee…
Flash!
He took out the phone from his pocket and read the message.
"Ah… I—I should go now… My friends are messaging me!" He stuttered a little and quickly pace away from them.
Turn!
Scan…
Seo-hee's eyes turned towards pacing Jin-hyuk, scanning him and then at Seo-hee.
Hmm…
"I smell something fishy!" She muttered.
Blink!
"What!?" Seo-hee blinked hard, her expressions questioning her friend.
Jump!
Ha-rim jumped in front of Seo-hee as a smirk appeared on her face, "He always stuttered while talking to you!"
"Is it possible that he likes you—"
Huh!?
"Stop! Hold your horses!!" Seo-hee cuts her off.
"He's just the shy type—Don't make any wrong assumptions!" She shook her head.
Eyebrow-raise!!
"You seem to know about him a lot, I wonder how!?" Ha-rim raised her eyebrow while giving side eyes to her.
Sigh!
Seo-hee sighed and said, "Ha-rim-ah! He was transferred here at the same time as me and the only guy living in dorm from Class-3 A—"
"So you can say he's kind of friend…"
Shu… Circle…
Ha-rim circled around her, "Friend!! Are you sure?"
Ha-ha…
"Why? Are you afraid I'll ditch you?" Seo-hee giggled.
Tch!
Ha-rim folded her hands and eyes focused on her face.
Seo-hee grabbed her arm as said, "Rest assured! I'll never do that!" She slightly nudged her.
Smile…
A smile appeared on her face, and she turned face to hide that.
Ugh!
"Enough about me! Tell me when you are confessing to Han-gyeol." Seo-hee looked outside the corridor at a guy who's talking to Jin-hyuk.
Flush…
"W—WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" Ha-rim shouted, hearing the name.
"What are you trying to hide!? I can see the way you blush around him. It's so obvious…" Seo-hee said with voice in lower octave.
Tremble!
"I don't know w—what you're trying to imply? But whatever it is, you're wrong." Ha-rim trembled, avoiding eye contact with her.
Pull…
"You won't admit! Okay then, I'll help you!" Seo-hee pulled her, walking towards the Han-gyeol's group.
Thump! Thump!
As the distance between them closed, Ha-rim's heart vigoursly hammered against her ribs as if would jump out in the next second.
Shaa…
Seo-hee dragged her from there, passing that group without saying a word.
Exhale…
Ha-rim breathed out her holding breath as she got out of their radar.
Ugh… ugh…
A person coughed to grab Han-gyeol's attention.
"Bro! What are you looking at!?" He asked.
Turn…
"Nothing! Just—" Han-gyeol turned his eyes from Ha-rim and Seo-hee, who just crossed them to the guy questioning him.
Tap! Tap!
The guy tapped on Han-gyeol's shoulder, "Yes! What?"
"It's nothing!!" Han-gyeol held his ground.
Huh…
"Ya! Whatever…" The person said.
"Aaah… What the hell was I doing?" He stroked his own head with both hands..
Smack!
Han-gyeol lightly smacked his head, "Tch… You were telling Jin-hyuk how to make an account on 'The Blank Space', Tae-joon!"
Chime!
Tae-joon brain started working again, "Oh! So Jin-hyuk-ah, you first add your 'Student ID Number' and then make an account like this…" He showed him the tutorial.
Click-click!
Jin-hyuk added his ID as Tae-joon told him and made an account.
Flash!!!
[ Welcome to THE BLANK SPACE, Lee Jin-hyuk ]
[ Please accept the terms and conditions ]
Click!
[ Thanks for making an account with us ]
[ Hope you enjoy our game ]
[ Loading… ]
…
Tteuuuuuu-ng!
The bell rang as lunch time was over.
Waaaaaa!
All the students ran towards their class, including Han-gyeol and others.
Pace… Pace…
"Shit! Shit! I haven't done my homework!" Han-gyeol shouted while sprinting towards the class.
Tap!
"It's okay, man! You can copy mine… as usual." Tae-joon tapped on his head and got ahead of him, running backwards.
Huh!?
"What do you mean as usual!?" Han-gyeol didn't catch on his word play.
"Aish! Seriously, you can't even understand human language such an idiot!" Tae-joon tched.
Glare!
"What did you just call me?" Han-gyeol glared at her.
"An IDIOT!" Tae-joon spelt out for him.
Snarl!
"Stop there, bastard!" Han-gyeol lunged to grab him.
Dive!
"Catch me if you can!" Tae-joon dived and ran faster.
Nod!
"Okay then, you asked for it" Han-gyeol didn't waste a second and ran after him.
Head-shake!
Jin-hyuk shook his head, Where are they going now? The class is about to start!
Those two passed the classroom and vanished in the sea of students.
Glance!
Jin-hyuk glanced up towards the name of class 'Section 3-A' and entered.
Click-click!
He saw Seo-hee sitting next to her bench mate Ha-rim and had a site open on the phone.
Tap!
Seo-hee tapped on the games section of site 'www.bLank&end.com'.
What the— Why's the interface kinda creepy, She again looked at those eyes, weeping black tears against that unusual background.
Pick…
Move!
She picks the phone , moves sideways, and sees the eyes following her as if noticing her every micro movement.
Huh? She was creeper out a little bit from that.
Click!
She clicked on the 'The Blank Space' game and enter in log in menu .
Now, the ID! She added her ID number to make an account.
Flash!!!
[ Welcome to THE BLANK SPACE, Kang Seo-hee]
[ Please accept the terms and conditions ]
Click!
She clicked on Yes.
I don't want to play it as my sixth sense saying so, but if Ha-rim plays so it must be safe. She thought as she looked at Ha-rim focused on reading.
Walk!
All the students entered the room, followed by their teacher.
Tak!
Seo-hee quickly placed the phone under the desk and looked at the teacher, greeting her.
Flash!!
The game was still on, but she didn't notice.
[ Thanks— making— acc…t ]
[ Your data is s—sssafe with uuus ]
[ Loading… ]
[ Load…. UPLOADING… ]
[ FETCHING THE SERVER!!! ]
[ Warning : World Creation starts… ]
….