Chapter 1 – The Gate of Destiny
The soft patter of rain tapped against the third-floor office window, blending into the silence of a dreary afternoon. Behind a cluttered desk stacked with paperwork, Kim Hyunwoo sat frozen, staring blankly at a lifeless computer screen. His tired eyes said more than words ever could, while the coffee in his mug had long gone cold.
With a heavy sigh, he reached for the phone beside his keyboard. At first, he just wanted to check the time—but a sudden notification made his heart jolt:
"Daehan High School Alumni Reunion – Hachan Café, 5:00 PM. Don't forget!"
Hyunwoo turned to the wall clock. The short hand pointed exactly at five.
His eyes widened. "Crap…" he muttered, almost shouting. He snatched his coat from the back of his chair and dashed out, leaving unfinished work behind.
But on his way to the bus stop, his pace slowed. Head bowed, hand gripping his briefcase tightly, his thoughts wrestled between curiosity and doubt. This wasn't just some casual reunion—for him, it was a moment to confront the past, including memories he'd spent years trying to bury.
"Am I really ready for this?" he wondered. But his feet kept moving forward.
Rain still poured when he finally arrived in front of Hachan Café—a small, cozy place offering warmth amid the wet weather. He was panting, his clothes and hair soaked from the dash between the stop and the café. His trembling hand pushed open the door, greeted by the soft chime of the entrance bell.
"Am I late?" he asked, trying to steady his breath as his eyes scanned the room. Four pairs of eyes turned to him at once.
Across the table, Kang Yerin, her ever-cheerful pink hair bouncing, grinned.
"I hope you haven't forgotten us, Hyunwoo," she teased, resting her chin on her hand with the ease of old friendship.
Not far from her, Jung Taeyang—tall, energetic, and blonde—half-stood, pointing at him with mock outrage.
"How dare you forget us?! That's it, you're paying for the whole table—bastard!"
Meanwhile, Ahn Jaehyun, calm and sharp in a crisp white shirt, simply shrugged and said with a faint smile,
"He's just late, guys."
In the corner, Lee Wonho—the quiet type who always showed up when it mattered—glanced up briefly before returning his attention to his coffee.
Hyunwoo couldn't help but chuckle. The warmth of nostalgia slowly melted away the cold clinging to him. He took the empty seat and joined his friends.
The night deepened with laughter, beer flowing freely, and high school memories brought back to life. But the cheerful atmosphere was abruptly shattered when the café door opened once more.
A mysterious man in a dark cloak stepped inside, his face hidden beneath a hood that masked his features. His voice was low and rasping, slicing through the room like a gust of midnight wind.
"Would you like to play a game?" he asked. "If you win, you'll receive an enormous sum of money."
All eyes locked onto him. The clink of glasses and the rhythm of rain blended into a silence that suddenly felt heavy.
Hyunwoo, tipsy but still alert, voiced his suspicion.
"What's the catch? And what do you mean by 'punishment'?"
The man answered coolly,
"Simple. You'll only see this ID card… if you lose. And if I'm lying, you can report me to the police."
Then he added with a darker tone,
"Punishment? Just close your eyes, and I'll draw a line on your cheek."
In the lingering warmth of the evening, curiosity wrestled with unease. Taeyang let out a long breath.
"I… I don't know, but life's full of risks. Maybe it's time we test our luck."
After a moment of tense hesitation and brief debate, they all nodded. Alcohol and adrenaline pushed them forward—though a deeper curiosity gnawed at their minds.
"What could go wrong? It's just a card game," Taeyang muttered, trying to convince himself.
The game began—a simple round of poker. And within minutes, they had all lost.
The moment defeat set in, their bodies began to tremble, then glow with a blinding white light. The world around them fractured like glass, the cloaked man's laughter echoing as their consciousness faded. The brilliance swallowed everything, twisting their reality in a blink. Through the glare, the faint silhouette of the hooded man smirked.
"Farewell," he whispered—and in an instant, they vanished.
When the light dimmed, they opened their eyes to overwhelming confusion. Their drunken haze was gone, as if sucked away by some invisible force. The air stung with unfamiliar scents—wet earth and strange flowers filled their lungs.
They were standing in a forest of towering trees, surrounded by the cries of unknown creatures and the damp ground beneath their feet. In the distance, the massive outline of a kingdom's walls loomed—a world far beyond anything they had ever imagined.
"Is this a dream… where are we? And where's all our stuff? Only my bag's still here," Yerin murmured, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes.
"Please, someone get me out of here… This is a prank, right?!?" Taeyang shouted, his panic echoing through the trees.
Wonho shook his head.
"This is impossible. There's no way this is real."
"Panicking won't solve anything," Jaehyun said calmly, trying to keep everyone grounded.
Hyunwoo, now stepping forward, looked toward a path lit by soft rays cutting through the leaves. Clenching his fists, he declared,
"Let me lead. I have a plan."
Despite their doubts, the others chose to follow Hyunwoo. Step by step, they made their way toward a massive gate—marking the entrance to Thalveran, a kingdom shrouded in mystery. The gate was carved with intricate designs, and before it stood a majestic dragon statue, its eyes so lifelike they seemed to watch their every move.
As they approached, a high-ranking official called down from a small platform.
"Stop! Your clothing… it's strange! Where do you come from? Are you spies?"
His expression twisted into suspicion.
"Leave, before we throw you into prison!"
Tension rose as the crowd around the gate grew restless. Just then, a noblewoman stepped forward. Her eyes landed softly—but knowingly—on Jaehyun, as if she saw something deeper beneath his calm exterior.
"Father, that man… Let him in," she whispered, her voice filled with quiet certainty.
Caught off guard by his daughter's words, the official hesitated, then finally relented.
"Very well. For you."
Jaehyun stood still for a moment, then glanced at his friends.
"You… are you leaving us?" Yerin asked in a hushed voice.
With steady steps, Jaehyun approached and said,
"Don't worry. I'll stay with you—even if from inside this kingdom. I'll gather information, learn about this world. I'll send word as soon as I can."
His friends looked at him with hope and trust, even as the separation stung. Hyunwoo patted his shoulder.
"We believe in you. Be safe in there."
Jaehyun gave a faint smile before disappearing into the growing crowd beyond Thalveran's grand gates.
The others wore bittersweet expressions, torn between sorrow and determination. Hyunwoo looked up at the foreign sky, then turned with resolve.
"Let's go… We'll search for answers elsewhere."
Without hesitation, they walked away—leaving behind Thalveran and their friend, stepping into the unknown mysteries of a world unlike any they had ever known.
None of them noticed the cloaked figure standing behind the trees, silently watching.