As the sun dipped down toward the horizon in the metropolitan city of Daejeon, cars moved steadily along the roads, accompanied by trucks, motorcycles, taxis, and buses that filled the busy streets. Alongside them was the constant flow of people moving through the sidewalks and pedestrian lanes, some just leaving their workplaces while others made their way home. Most of them were office workers dressed in black suits, carrying briefcases or wearing more varied colored formal attire, their expressions tired yet accustomed to the routine of daily life. Among them were ordinary people as well, families walking together such as mothers with their sons and daughters, fathers guiding their children, or both parents accompanying their kids as they returned home. There were also elderly women carrying grocery bags filled with goods and daily necessities, walking at a slower but steady pace as they navigated through the crowd.
Mixed within the stream of people were students. Groups of friends laughed as they walked together, exchanging playful slaps on the back and light teasing, their voices filled with youthful energy that contrasted the energy of the adults around them. Some walked in groups of girls chatting excitedly, others in pairs, while some walked alone, quietly minding their own business. There were also groups of boys joking loudly among themselves, and among those groups was one particular set of five boys bantering casually with each other as they made their way down the street.
All five of them wore matching uniforms consisting of black pants, black shoes, and white long-sleeved shirts layered with sleeveless sweater vests. One of the boys had forest green-colored hair paired with dark eyes, and a dark sling bag strapped diagonally across his chest. His name was Choi Woo-Jin, and he was speaking animatedly with the boy to his right. The one he was talking to had messy black hair and black eyes, also carrying a sling bag in a similar fashion. His name was Park Ji-Hoon, and he responded just as energetically, clearly engaged in their conversation.
On the other side was a boy with warm chestnut brown hair, his eyes matching the same shade, giving him a naturally gentle appearance. His name was Jung Hae-Ryong, and he was chatting happily with the boy beside him. The boy he was speaking to had bright red hair that stood out easily in the crowd, paired with black eyes and a black leather briefcase slung at his side. His name was Lee Tae-Yang, and he spoke with a lively tone as he kept the conversation going.
At the center of the group was another boy, one who seemed slightly detached from the rest. He had clean, straight black hair and wore black-trimmed glasses accompanied by his dark colored eyes, his attention fixed entirely on his phone as he casually scrolled while walking. His name was Kim Min-Jun.
To others, the five of them might simply look like a close group of friends, but in truth, they were more than that. They were practically family. All five had been raised in the same orphanage, growing up together and relying on one another through the years as they gradually stepped into society. Now, they were in their second year of high school, with only a few months left before they advanced into their third year, slowly approaching the next stage of their lives.
As they walked, their conversations split naturally into smaller groups. Choi Woo-Jin and Park Ji-Hoon were talking about a game that had recently been blowing up online, while Jung Hae-Ryong and Lee Tae-Yang were discussing one of the well-known beauties at their school. Occasionally, they tried to pull Kim Min-Jun into their conversations, but he only gave short and distracted responses, his focus never leaving his phone.
Jung Hae-Ryong and Lee Tae-Yang eventually noticed this unusual behavior. Kim Min-Jun was far too absorbed in his phone, more than he usually was. The two exchanged a glance before subtly looking toward the other pair to see if they had noticed as well, only to find Choi Woo-Jin and Park Ji-Hoon already staring back at them. Though no words were spoken, they all understood what the others were thinking.
Lee Tae-Yang was the first to speak, his tone casual yet confident.
"Dude, you've been scrolling on your phone for a while now, even before we left school. What the hell are you even looking at? This isn't like you to be walking around while glued to your screen."
Hearing this, Kim Min-Jun snapped out of his focus and lifted his gaze toward Lee Tae-Yang, only to find the other three also looking at him with curiosity.
"Ah… sorry about that," he said. "I was just focused on some news that's been going around."
The four boys raised their eyebrows at that.
"What kind of news?" Park Ji-Hoon asked.
As if expecting the question, Kim Min-Jun turned his phone toward them.
"There's some new discovery about a species that's been appearing around the world at the same time."
The four immediately huddled closer, leaning in to look at the screen. It displayed a page from a reputable news outlet, showing a report about a newly discovered species in New Zealand. Accompanying the article was a grotesque image of a small creature that resembled something out of fantasy. It had green skin, yellow pupils, and a body that looked almost goblin-like, moving on all fours in a posture similar to a gorilla.
The group stared at it in silence, slightly taken aback by how real the image looked. Choi Woo-Jin was the first to speak, his tone doubtful yet firm.
"That looks like fake news to me."
He stepped back slightly, glancing at the others to see their reactions. Jung Hae-Ryong frowned as he thought for a moment.
"If I remember correctly, isn't New Zealand close to Australia?"
Kim Min-Jun nodded.
"Yeah, it is. But what does that have to do with this?"
Jung Hae-Ryong shrugged lightly.
"Well, isn't Australia known for having some of the most dangerous animals? And aren't there always jokes about them discovering new species all the time?"
The others considered his words for a moment.
"I guess," Choi Woo-Jin replied. "I mean, what would you expect from a neighboring country of Australia? But still… that thing looks like it came straight out of a video game. It's still pretty questionable."
As the four boys began arguing among themselves about whether the news was real or fake, their voices gradually grew louder as each tried to prove their point. Kim Min-Jun, noticing that the conversation was going nowhere and would likely turn into a pointless argument, shifted his attention away from them and began looking around for something to redirect their focus. After about a minute, his eyes landed on a familiar sight across the street in front of them, the mall where they usually spent their free time. Without hesitation, he spoke up.
"Instead of arguing and wasting time, why don't we just go there and hang out?"
As he said this, he casually pointed behind the group. The four boys followed his gesture and turned around, immediately recognizing the mall they often visited. Jung Hae-Ryong was the first to respond.
"I guess that does sound more productive."
Kim Min-Jun nodded slightly before adding another suggestion.
"Want to go to the arcade?"
The others didn't hesitate.
"Of course we're down," they replied almost at the same time.
With that, the five boys shifted their attention completely, their earlier argument forgotten as they made their way toward the mall. They moved through the crowd as careful as possible, passing between people, while occasionally bumping shoulders with office workers before quickly apologizing and continuing on their way.
After a short while, they stepped inside and were greeted by the vast interior of the mall. It stood three stories tall, illuminated by bright LED lights that made the entire place feel lively and energetic. People passed by in all directions, filling the space with constant movement and noise. The five boys didn't pay much attention to the surroundings, however, as their excitement was focused entirely on the arcade. They pulled each other along, moving quickly toward the escalator that led to the second floor.
After waiting briefly and making their way up, they finally arrived in front of the arcade's double glass doors. Through the transparent surface, they could already see the dim interior, where the glow of arcade machines created a vibrant contrast against the darkness, giving the place a distinct and cool atmosphere.
The five of them stared at it for a moment, almost as if admiring a piece of art, but their attention soon shifted toward Kim Min-Jun's wallet. Among them, he was the one responsible for managing their daily expenses. The five of them currently lived together in a house that had been lent to them by the caretaker of the orphanage they grew up in, serving as a temporary home until they became adults. To support themselves, they worked part-time jobs, occasionally took on tutoring, and even handled small online work such as editing using their shared laptop and phones.
Gathering together in a small circle, they checked their available money. Thankfully, after counting the contents of his brown leather wallet, Kim Min-Jun confirmed that they had 50,000 won to spend. With a shared look of understanding, the five of them entered the arcade.
As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by a noticeably colder atmosphere compared to outside. The arcade felt massive, almost like an endless sea, with rows upon rows of machines stretching out in every direction. The sounds of games and the voices of players filled the air, most of them students just like them, creating a lively and chaotic environment.
Without wasting any time, the group headed straight for the counter and exchanged their money for coins. Each coin cost 500 won, allowing them to receive a total of 100 coins. Once they were handed a small bag containing the coins, Kim Min-Jun opened it and carefully counted them before distributing the shares evenly.
"Here," he said as he handed 20 coins to each of the four.
"And this is mine."
With that done, the five of them looked out at the vast selection of games, briefly contemplating where to start. After a short discussion, they agreed that for maximum enjoyment, they should stick together and follow their usual route, playing games that accommodated two to three players at a time. With their decision made, they ventured deeper into the arcade, disappearing into the sea of flashing lights and machines.
At that same moment, far beyond Earth, inside the International Space Station, three astronauts floated near the cupola, silently gazing down at the planet below. All three were men with blonde hair, their expressions filled with quiet awe as they admired the view. One of them, who had a faint brown mustache, spoke in amazement.
"Incredible… truly an incredible sight to see."
The other two nodded in agreement, murmuring their approval as they continued to stare at Earth.
Then, without warning, something appeared. From the vast emptiness of space, thin black cuts began to form, slicing through the void one after another. The distortions spread rapidly, like cracks tearing through reality itself. From within those cuts, enormous eyes began to emerge, each one as large as the moon. Their pupils varied in appearance, some resembling crystals, others like distant stars, and some containing entire swirling galaxies within them. They stared down at Earth with an overwhelming presence, as if observing every single detail. The three astronauts froze, their bodies trembling as their minds struggled to process what they were seeing. At that moment, the station's communication system activated, a mechanical voice echoing throughout the interior.
"HST-1, this is mission control. We have an unusual alert. Over."
But the three were far too stunned to notice the ISS comms system. Before they could even react further, something else appeared. It was a figure floating just outside, facing them directly.
It looked human, dressed in a black butler's attire, with straight white hair that reached down to the neck. Its yellow, reptilian eyes locked onto them with an unsettling calmness. Slowly, almost playfully, it raised its hand and waved, as if greeting them. Then, it blew them a kiss. The astronauts could only stare in horror, their thoughts completely blank as the situation unfolded beyond their understanding. Their final words never fully formed.
"What the—"
Before anything more could be said, the International Space Station was crushed like a tin can by an invisible force.