A World Without Portals

The first rays of morning light crept in through the narrow gap between the curtains, painting a pale stripe across the room. Dust motes floated lazily in the beam as it crawled slowly across Eunseo's face, the warmth making his eyelids twitch. For a moment, all was still—until the shrill blare of his alarm clock shattered the silence. The digital numbers blinked at 7:00 AM in red.

With a groggy groan, Eunseo reached out a hand and silenced the alarm. He blinked at the ceiling, lips slightly parted as he inhaled deeply. His body felt heavy, but it was time. He pushed the blanket off his body and sat up, the fabric rustling as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His pajamas were simple:a soft, loose blue cotton shirt, slightly oversized, with a faded logo of some old cartoon character long washed away. His bottoms were black, knee-length jersey shorts, soft from too many cycles in the laundry. No socks. The fabric was worn and slightly wrinkled, a favorite set he always reached for.

He stood, stretching his arms upward until his joints popped quietly. Then, with quiet care, he made his bed—smoothing the sheets, folding the blanket at the foot, and fluffing his pillow twice. He opened the wardrobe next, the hinges creaking faintly. From inside, he pulled out his school uniform: a crisp white button-down shirt, a navy blazer with silver buttons, a neatly pressed pair of matching trousers, and a striped navy-and-silver tie. He placed each piece carefully on the back of his desk chair, smoothing out any invisible wrinkles with his palm.

Still barefoot, he shuffled into the bathroom, flicking on the light. He stared at himself in the mirror for a second before splashing his face with cold water. The chill shocked him awake. He reached for the mint-scented face cleanser and rubbed it between his palms before gently massaging it into his skin. After rinsing, he patted his face dry with a clean towel and ran a comb through his slightly messy black hair. A few strands refused to stay down, but he left them.

In the kitchen, the savory scent of breakfast filled the air. The clinking of metal and gentle bubbling of soup greeted him.

"Morning," he mumbled, his voice still rough from sleep.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Kang Yuna, his mother, said warmly.

She was standing at the stove, stirring a pot with practiced ease. Her dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail, a few wisps falling around her cheeks. She wore a cream-colored blouse tucked into soft beige slacks, and a checkered apron tied neatly around her waist. Her features were delicate but sharp—gentle eyes, a pointed nose, and full lips curved in a quiet smile.

Breakfast was set at the table: steaming bowls of *miyeok-guk*—seaweed soup with slices of beef—alongside freshly cooked rice, a golden *gyeran-mari* rolled egg omelet sliced into bite-sized pieces, and small side dishes of stir-fried anchovies, kimchi, and sesame spinach.

"Sit down, eat before it gets cold," she said, turning off the stove and joining him at the table.

Eunseo picked up his spoon and began with a sip of soup. The seaweed was soft and rich in flavor, and the beef tender. He moved on to the rice, then the rolled omelet, savoring each bite. The two of them ate in silence, the atmosphere peaceful and warm.

After finishing, he placed his dishes in the sink, brushed his teeth in the bathroom again, and returned to his room. He dressed in his uniform piece by piece, buttoning his shirt and carefully knotting his tie in the mirror. He pulled on his trousers and blazer, then checked his reflection once more to make sure everything looked neat. He slid his feet into clean white socks and tied his white sneakers before grabbing his school bag.

Just as he was tightening the strap over his shoulder, he heard a familiar voice call from outside.

"Eunseo! Let's go!"

He let out a tired little laugh, already knowing who it was, and then stepped out of the front door, locking it behind him. Minjae stood at the gate, his round face already glistening slightly from the morning sun. His dark brown hair was short and frizzy, sticking out at odd angles, and his blazer stretched slightly at the buttons.

"You're actually early today," Eunseo said with a hint of amusement, a smirk tugging up his lips. 

Minjae grinned. "I figured I'd beat you for once. Don't get used to it though."

The two friends began their walk to school, the sidewalk bathed in golden morning light. Birds chirped from overhead power lines, and the hum of distant traffic filled the air. Minjae chatted the whole way, animatedly describing a dream where he was chased by flying fish through a library made of pudding. Eunseo chuckled now and then, offering the occasional, "That's weird" or "What did you eat before sleeping?"

At school, the bell rang as they stepped through the gates. Homeroom began with the usual announcements. Eunseo sat quietly at his desk, hands folded, listening to the teacher's reminders about assignments and club registrations.

Korean language class followed. They analyzed a piece of traditional poetry. Eunseo wrote down the metaphors and their meanings, his handwriting neat and measured. In math class, the board was filled with equations. He worked through each one carefully, showing his steps in the margins of his notebook.

English came next. They were given a worksheet on sentence structure—identifying verbs, objects, and tenses. Eunseo completed it quickly, double-checking for mistakes.

During lunch, he and Minjae claimed their usual spot in the cafeteria near the back window. The trays held rice, kimchi stew, fried tofu, and slices of orange. The boys ate in companionable silence, occasionally pointing out who ate fastest or whose stew had more meat.

After classes ended, students poured into the hallway, chatting and waving goodbye. Eunseo packed his bag and turned to Minjae.

"Hey, do you have any game guides I could borrow?"

Minjae raised an eyebrow. "You? Playing games?"

"I'm just curious. Something with systems and levels."

"Huh. I think I have something. Come by my place."

They walked to Minjae's house, which was only a few blocks away. Inside, the living room was cluttered with game magazines and action figures. Minjae rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a thick paperback with a sword and glowing numbers on the front.

"Here. *Chrono Phantom Strategy Guide*. It's old but pretty detailed."

"Thanks."

On his way home, Eunseo stopped at a nearby convenience store. He browsed the aisles carefully, picking out a banana milk carton, a small bag of honey butter chips, a pack of chewy chocolate rice cakes, and spicy *tteokbokki* sticks in a paper cup.

Back home, he kicked off his shoes at the entrance. "I'm home."

"Welcome back!" his mom called from the kitchen.

He walked in, gave her a light kiss on the cheek, then went to his room. He changed into comfortable house clothes—navy shorts and a pale yellow T-shirt—and washed his hands. In the kitchen, he arranged the snacks on a tray: chips in a bowl, rice cakes on a small plate, and the *tteokbokki* sticks in a paper cup with chopsticks.

He carried the tray to his room, placed it neatly on his desk, and opened the window just slightly to let the breeze in. The sky was tinged orange and pink, the sun beginning its slow descent.

Eunseo sat at his desk, pulled the guidebook closer, and stared at the cover for a moment. He brushed a crumb from the desk, then opened the book.