Prequel Episode 2

Yeri felt a gaze on her in her half-awake state and opened her eyes. In the darkness, two eyes gleamed faintly.

"Oh, gosh!"

Yeri, startled, sat up abruptly.

"Mom!"

"You sure sleep deeply."

It was Yeojin, Yeri and Yejun's mother.

"Oh, please don't do that."

"Why, can't I even watch my daughter sleep?"

Yeojin, sitting on the edge of the bed, looked at Yeri with a stern gaze.

"You scared me. Couldn't sleep again?"

Yeojin got up without a word and left the room.

"What time is it now... Alexa, turn on the lights."

As Yeri spoke, the dim room lit up. With stories about someone escaping being locked in a bathroom using artificial intelligence spreading, the law had changed, making AI programs a standard option in every household by 2041.

"Phew-"

Yeri rubbed her eyes and pulled out a cigarette. The wall clock pointed to eleven in the morning. Just then, the door swung open, startling Yeri and causing her to drop her cigarette.

"Another night shift?"

"Mom, knock first. Geez."

"Oh, sorry, I forgot. But don't smoke indoors. If the wallpaper absorbs the smell..."

"I know, I know, the landlord complained."

Yeri extinguished her cigarette in the ashtray and replied nonchalantly.

"What time do you get in?"

"Early morning."

"Should I go pick you up? It'll be dark out."

"It's okay, really."

As Yeri waved her hand dismissively, Yeojin sighed, closed the door again, and left. Yeri picked up the cigarette pack, then hesitated and reached for her smartwatch. Other than her brother, there wasn't anyone else she felt like talking to. It had been over two years since she last had a proper conversation with her brother, Yejun. Despite sending money for living expenses, it was barely enough to cover the debt incurred when their mother was hospitalized, and the interest kept piling up.

Unable to continue with university, Yeri took up various odd jobs to make ends meet. Dog walking didn't pay much, and working at the logistics center was physically demanding. So, she found work at a wig factory, making premium wigs for high-end clients. Surprisingly, she found it enjoyable. She even suggested the same job to her mother. Chatting with her colleagues at the factory helped alleviate her depression. But then she developed a herniated disc, likely due to frequent overtime and night shifts. In the end, Yeri had to quit the factory to care for her full-time, while also taking a leave of absence from university for the third time.

Yeri could understand why her brother cut off communication. After their father's business went bankrupt and he passed away, leaving their mother suffering from depression and insomnia, her brother had taken on the responsibility of being the sole breadwinner for seven years. At that time, Yejun had been twenty-two, the same age Yeri was now. It was a time when she should have been exploring the wider world, meeting more people, and enjoying life to the fullest, but instead, she spent her twenties sandwiched between university studies and various odd jobs, like a faded yellowing piece of paper.

Still, I can't forgive him for running away like this.

While Yejun lived with their parents in Seoul, Yeri had to grow up in her grandfather's house in Busan. Their mom, who had started a promising start-up with their dad, had no time to care for an unplanned daughter. But their initially thriving business ended up a failure, and their dad committed suicide. They hoped to receive life insurance money, but the insurance company didn't pay a penny, and eventually, Yeojin succumbed to depression.

Shocked by the losses, their grandfather also passed away, and their grandmother, who showed signs of dementia, had to move to a nursing home. After that, Yeri was left alone, and had to move to a small two-bedroom house in Incheon which her mom and brother rented.

Yeri was only eleven years old at the time, too young to understand the harsh realities. Mom and Yejun couldn't say anything to her, feeling guilty for being separated and for the failures. So, they put up with Yeri's tantrums, and Yejun graduated from high school and worked what jobs were available to support the family.

After Yejun left, taking care of Yeojin became entirely Yeri's responsibility. Of course, Yeri knew exactly how to make her brother come back. "I'm struggling, come back now." All she had to do was throw a tantrum like she did when she was younger.

"Phew…"

Somehow, a sigh escaped Yeri's lips. The current situation, which required so much effort, left Yeri feeling more disappointed and helpless. Lost in thought, Yeri put down the smartwatch she had been fiddling with and walked into the kitchen.

What difference does it make to cling onto someone who finally had the guts to leave?

Even though it was late morning, the kitchen was dimly lit. It looked out onto a narrow alley between two buildings where only one car could pass, and the sunlight barely reached even during the daytime because of the rows of traditional houses.

"Mom, I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?"

Yeojin, sitting at the table, pushed a plate toward Yeri, who then turned on the light and took a seat.

"French fries? For breakfast? Oh, these are from yesterday afternoon, are they still okay?"

Yeri picked up a fry and was about to dip it in ketchup when she noticed a small black lump on the plate. Yeojin continued to eat, spreading ketchup on the fry.

"Wait, what's that?"

As Yeri wiped the black lump away with a napkin, six small legs and two antennae emerged.

"This... this is a cockroach, isn't it?"

"What?"

Yeri wanted to take back what she'd said. Because she remembered how Yeojin had always been particularly afraid of cockroaches.

Yeojin carefully examined the object on the napkin and then turned pale, eventually rushing to the bathroom, gagging.

"Eugh!"

Yeri hurriedly followed her and patted Yeojin's back.

"No, Mom. I must have seen it wrong. It was just, um, a piece of burnt charcoal. From the fries."

Yeojin sank to the bathroom floor, sobbing.

"I, I really, I don't want to live like this. I don't want to live anymore."

Yeri couldn't say anything to Yeojin, who was crying while holding onto the toilet. All she could do was pat her back.

"Sigh..."

How much time had passed?

Yeri managed to calm Yeojin down and lay her on the bed. Soon, Yeojin fell asleep, seemingly fainting from exhaustion. Yeri felt her strength draining away.

How on earth did someone like her think she could run a business back then?

To Yeri, her mother was like a delicate flower in a greenhouse.

Born in a middle-class family in Gangnam, her mother grew up without knowing poverty or deprivation. She graduated from a decent university, dabbled in social life for a year or two, and then married a man with an enviable resume. It still seemed unbelievable to Yeri that such a mother had thrown away all her assets to venture into entrepreneurship with her husband.

At first, things seemed to be going well... that's what I heard from my brother...

In truth, Yeri didn't know much about her mother during those days. She had already been like this when Yeri returned home. Deep conversations between them were almost impossible. Yejun had simply said, "I'll tell you when you're grown up enough."

Now might be the time for Mom to tell me why she's come to this point. And maybe I can help pull her out of this mess?

It was her limit. Unable to bear it any longer, Yeri finally sent a text message to Yejun.

[Please come back quickly. Before Mom and I both kick the bucket.]

The reply came just as Yeri was about to enter the factory for her afternoon shift.

[I'm on a business trip abroad. AG Entertainment is recruiting beta testers for a new game. The benefits are exceptional. No age limit, so mom can apply too. Sending you the link.]

It was different from the messages Yejun used to send. It seemed friendly yet indifferent, as if nothing had happened, as if they had met just yesterday.

What's going on? My brother wouldn't send a message like this...?

It didn't seem like the brother she knew. Dazed with disappointment and shock, Yeri leaned against the factory wall.

***

"It's called beta testing, but practically speaking, it's like being employed. They give you compensation as soon as you sign the contract, weekly allowances, and even provide accommodations."

As Yeri climbed the stairs of NEO-Yongsan Station with her travel bag, she continued talking without a break. Sweat soaked her face under the mask, but she didn't mind. Her mother seemed to be in a bright mood for the first time in a long time.

"Oh, there are so many stairs. Even if the subway is running in the losses, they should operate the elevators. Mom, are you okay?"

Following behind, Yeojin stopped at the end of the stairs, catching her breath. Beyond the ashen clouds, the NEO-Yongsan's building complex, 'Small Earth,' rose. Three buildings, each 180 stories high, stretched out, wider than an average town.

The destination for the mother and daughter was on the 110th floor. It was the auditorium where the orientation for beta testers of the augmented reality game 'Emotion Evolution,' developed by AG Entertainment, was being held.

As Yeri counted the floors one by one with her fingers, her mouth gradually fell open. Raindrops fell from the cloudy sky. Yeojin took out an umbrella from bag and handed it to Yeri, saying,

"Oh, it's really high. Jumping from up there must feel like flying."

"Seriously, what are you talking about? Oh, come on, really."

"It's a joke, just a joke." Yeojin replied casually as Yeri grimaced.

But since it was much better than being stuck in their stuffy house, Yeri couldn't bring herself to say anything more.

"In these super high-rise buildings, you can't even open the windows. The wind is too strong."

The two of them mingled with the crowd constantly flowing like ants and entered the building.

***

"Welcome, beta testers of AG Entertainment's latest game, 'Emotion Evolution'!" Sung-han shouted.

The more than 100 participants, who had their heads buried in food plates, looked up in unison and applauded.

Dressed in a sleek gray suit that sparkled like a fish, with well-polished shoes and a toned physique, Sung-han had transformed his typical researcher style into a sophisticated appearance over the past few years.

"It's been 18 months since I participated in the development of this game. Everyone around me said it was impossible. How could you solve emotional issues through a game, and change someone's life?"

With a determined expression, Sung-han look around the participants.

"But as I've experienced here, dreams we build together do come true. I want to send applause to my colleagues and the AG Entertainment development team who helped turn our dream into reality!"

Cheers and applause erupted. Yeri craned her neck to look around at the staff They were all dressed in well-fitted suits, showcasing their toned bodies. Yeri was unconsciously smiling herself when she imagined herself standing among them with someday with an ID badge around her neck.

"As you saw in the recruitment video, 'Emotion Evolution' is different from typical virtual reality games. Through brain stimulation and AI technology, it analyzes gamers' inner worlds and emotions, providing psychological relief through gameplay. So, not only do players enjoy the game, but they also gain psychological therapeutic effects."

Many participants exclaimed in awe, hearing about it for the first time. They were the ones who applied based solely on the reward cash amount and conditions.

"Okay, you'll find out more details as you experience it firsthand. Once you've finished your meal, please open the tablet in front of you and review the contracts."

Yeri opened the tablet. A list of contracts appeared.

Non-disclosure and testing agreement, licensing agreement between the game company and the player, digital wallet creation agreement, personal information disclosure consent form, and so on. There were eleven documents that needed to be signed. It seemed like it would take several hours to read them all.

Yeri popped a piece of lettuce into her mouth.

"??"

- Crunch.

"??"

The unfamiliar sensation of crunching caught her off guard. Her mouth, accustomed to the tough texture of pickled vegetables or the mushiness of porridge and ramen, was surprised

Have I been missing out on this kind of food all this time?

Yeojin, sitting beside her, was focused on cutting her steak with a knife. She chewed on a piece of steak that was still slightly bloody, her mouth slightly smiling. It was a smile Yeri hadn't seen in a long time.

Yeri pushed her plate towards her mom. Yeojin raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Why? It's an expensive steak."

"Oh, I'm on a diet, remember? Besides, I'm not really a fan of meat."

"There's no need for it. Just try a bite. It doesn't taste like cultured meat. It's similar to the steak we used to have."

Yeojin sliced the steak on the plate into bite-sized pieces and placed it back in front of Yeri. Seeing her mother's gesture reminded Yeri of the times she spent with her mom and brother during her childhood.

It's been a while since mom took care of me like this.

The fresh food she tasted after so long, the pleasant atmosphere of the NEO-Yongsan building complex 'Small Earth' where only successful people resided... and her mom, who was wearing a happy expression for the first time in years. Seeing all this, Yeri felt a glimmer of hope that things would turn out well, and that she could live a different life from now on.

That was the moment.

"Isn't this clause a violation of privacy and human rights? Transferring test data to branches, data centers, and partners worldwide... in case of player safety concerns, the service provider switches to system priority mode to ensure safety."

The strict and loud voice belonged to a man in his twenties, similar to Yeri's age.

In response, Sung-han replied, "That's a necessary clause for the success of the beta test and the safety of the test participants. If you cannot agree, you don't have to proceed with the contract."

People started to murmur.

"What are they all going on about?" Yeojin whispered to Yeri.

"Well... I'm not sure either."

"What, is there a big problem? How big a company is AG anyway?"

"Well, it is..."

Yeojin elegantly chewed on her steak and opened the tablet. Without even reading the contract terms, she clicked 'Agree.'

"Mom! But you should still at least read the contract."

"You read it. How much longer do you think I'll live? Just feeding me something delicious and putting me to bed is enough for me."

"Oh, goodness. At first you kept asking what's the point of playing games at your age, but now you're enjoying it so much?"

"Yeah. I am."

Yeojin refocused on her steak. Yeri looked at her mother with a content expression, but deep down, a sense of unease was building up.

"'Necessary clause...."

 ***