Chapter 3: First task

A few moments passed in complete stillness. Then, without warning, a strange, almost ethereal light surrounded me—white and shimmering, as if I were being enveloped in some kind of supernatural energy. I squinted against the brightness, but the sensation was oddly calming. Everything around me began to blur, and within seconds, the field of flowers was gone.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing in a modern, sleek room. The walls were white, the furniture minimal but elegant. It looked like something out of a high-end magazine—clean lines, polished surfaces. My head spun as I tried to orient myself. What had just happened?

Where was I? And what was this "game" about? I still didn't understand the rules, or how the story was supposed to unfold. I didn't know when it was going to start, or what I was supposed to be doing.

Just as I was about to take a step forward, a message popped up on the screen that appeared in mid-air in front of me, blocking my view of the pristine room. It was a simple grey check with the words:

"Answer the phone."

Answer the phone? My brow furrowed. What phone? I looked around, confused, until I heard it—soft at first, but then unmistakable. A phone ringing, somewhere on the desk beside the bed.

I walked over and reached for the phone, my heart still racing from the strange transition. I picked it up, hesitated for a second, and then pressed the receiver to my ear.

The moment I answered, something strange happened. The grey checkmark turned green, and the task disappeared from the screen entirely. Instead, a new task appeared in its place:

"Listen to your mother."

I blinked at the new task, confused. Listen to my mother? I hadn't heard anything about a mother before. Was this part of the story? My mind spun as I tried to piece it together. The woman on the other end of the call must've been my mother in this bizarre reality.

I stood still for a moment, trying to wrap my head around what was going on. Then, as if on cue, a soft voice came through the phone.

I stood there, still processing everything, when the phone in my hand rang again. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly pressed it to my ear. The voice on the other end was instantly familiar, yet somehow distant, like a voice I should know, but didn't fully recognize in this strange new reality.

"Good morning, sweetie!" The cheerful tone came through clearly, and I stiffened. It was my mother's voice. But why was she calling me? Was this part of the game? "I might be a little late visiting you today, but I wanted to inform you that I finally found a tutor for your lack of math!"

Math? My brow furrowed in confusion. Was I still in school? This couldn't be real. I wasn't in school… was I?

The words made my head spin as I processed what she'd said. A tutor? For math? What kind of game was this? Was I a student in this story? I had no memories of being in school, and yet, here I was, getting a call like this as if it was perfectly normal. I needed answers.

I glanced down at the phone, wondering if there was a way to get more information. Could I search through it? Maybe there was something here that could explain who I was, what this game was about, and what kind of life I was living in this twisted reality. I'd barely begun to grasp the rules, and already I was being thrust into bizarre tasks.

"Please be careful if he tries anything! Alright? Mom loves you!" My mother's voice broke through my thoughts, warm and concerned, before the call abruptly ended.

The moment she hung up, the grey checkmark next to my task turned green, signaling that it was completed. The task faded away, and almost immediately, a new task appeared in its place:

"Wait for your tutor."

Wait for my tutor? I stared at the new task, my mind still racing. What was going on? Was this the next step in the game? Was the tutor real, or just another part of this strange story? My body tensed. I needed more information, more understanding of this world I was stuck in.

Just then, I remembered—I was going to check the phone for more details. I glanced back at the device, now silent, and wondered what I could find. I could try to dig through the contacts, check messages, or maybe even look at the history of calls. This phone might hold more clues to my identity and my place in this story than I realized.

I swallowed, taking a deep breath. I had no choice. I had to figure this out.

As I sifted through everything on the phone, a series of clues began to unravel about who I was in this world. My name was still Ha-joon—so that hadn't changed—but I noticed I was no longer in high school. The age listed was still 22, which left me with a gnawing sense of familiarity. Had I changed at all? I continued digging, scrolling through more details, and stumbled upon something astonishing: I was some kind of wealthy celebrity in Korea. And not just regular wealthy—seriously wealthy.

My eyes landed on the massive bed nearby, its thick comforter and countless pillows looking irresistibly inviting. "Maybe a quick nap wouldn't hurt," I thought, rationalizing to myself. I fell into the bed's soft embrace, planning only to close my eyes for ten minutes. But time slipped away, and before I knew it, twenty minutes had passed. Suddenly, the piercing ring of a bell jolted me awake.

Groggy, I sat up and glanced around, feeling a strange mixture of disorientation and awe. I stood up, letting my feet sink into the plush carpet. My surroundings felt unreal—the room was enormous, tastefully decorated, and clearly designed with luxury in mind. As I walked, I found myself in a vast mansion, with sleek hallways and intricate decor, guarded by bodyguards who watched my every move.

I made my way down a grand staircase, and as I reached the bottom, two of the bodyguards opened the door. I froze for a moment, surprised by the formal greeting. Through the open door, I saw a tall man standing there, dressed in dark clothing, his black hair neatly combed, and glasses resting on his nose. He held a notebook in one arm and gazed at me with intense green eyes. Something about his demeanor made him look like a teacher.

Trying to appear confident, I nodded and invited him inside, leading him through the sprawling mansion as I tried to locate my own room. The unfamiliar layout left me slightly embarrassed, but eventually, we found the room, and I gestured for him to come in, wondering what role this man would play in this strange new life I'd woken up to.