Lost in Tomorrow

Chapter 4: The Other One

Joon's mind was racing.

The Architects. A world where time itself wasn't real. And now, the mention of him—the other traveler. The man with telekinesis.

Joon's breath was steady, but his pulse hammered inside his chest. If there was someone else like him, someone from the past, then maybe—just maybe—he could give him the answers he so desperately needed.

And yet, the girl's words lingered in his mind.

"He's hiding."

That meant he was running. But from what?

Joon clenched his fists. "Where is he?"

The girl exhaled slowly. "I don't know exactly," she admitted. "But I know where he was going."

Joon leaned in, his muscles tense. "Tell me."

She hesitated, her gaze scanning his face like she was deciding whether or not she could trust him. Finally, she sighed.

"There's a place outside the city," she said. "Beyond the grid. The Architects don't control it. Or at least… they can't."

Joon frowned. "What do you mean can't?"

She motioned for him to follow as she moved deeper into the ruined building. Joon trailed behind her, his mind churning. They stepped into what looked like an old storage room—dust-covered crates stacked against the walls, wires hanging loosely from the ceiling, and a few scattered books left open on the floor.

She crouched down and picked up a worn-out piece of paper, handing it to him.

It was a map.

Joon studied it carefully. A perfect, symmetrical city stood in the center, a glowing ring surrounding its borders. But beyond that ring… there was something else. A stretch of land covered in jagged, uneven lines—like static interrupting a perfect signal.

"What is this?" he asked.

The girl pointed to the distorted area. "It's what the Architects don't want you to see."

Joon's fingers tightened around the paper. "And you think the other traveler went there?"

She nodded. "He had to. There's nowhere else left to run."

Joon's heart pounded. If this man had survived outside the city, then he had done something no one else had—he had broken free from the Architects' control.

And if Joon wanted to survive… he needed to do the same.

The Risk of Leaving

Joon took a deep breath. "Take me there."

The girl's eyes flickered with something unreadable—hesitation, maybe even fear. "You don't understand," she said. "Once we leave the city, there's no coming back."

Joon clenched his jaw. "Good. I don't want to come back."

She let out a slow breath. "It's not just about you. If we get caught, they won't just erase you. They'll erase me too."

Joon hesitated. He had barely known this girl for an hour, yet she had already risked so much to help him. And now, he was asking her to risk even more.

He glanced down at the map again. The outside world—whatever it was—was his only chance to escape this nightmare.

Finally, he looked up at her. "I won't force you to come," he said quietly. "But I have to go."

The girl's jaw tightened. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then, finally, she sighed.

"If you're going, I'm going too," she muttered. "You wouldn't last five minutes out there without me."

Joon exhaled, relief washing over him.

"Then we leave now."

The Path to Freedom

They moved quickly, keeping to the shadows as they made their way through the city. Joon followed closely behind the girl, trusting her to lead the way. The streets were eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from the distant hum of machines.

As they weaved through the alleys, Joon's mind reached out instinctively, brushing against the thoughts of the people locked inside their homes.

"New episode releasing soon…"

"Limited-time offer! Buy now…"

It was the same mindless droning, over and over again.

Joon gritted his teeth. Was this really all that was left of humanity?

Suddenly, the girl grabbed his arm and yanked him back into the shadows.

Joon stiffened. "What—"

She pressed a finger to her lips.

A second later, he heard it.

A deep, mechanical hum.

Joon's blood ran cold as a towering metal figure passed by—a massive enforcer drone, much larger than the one from earlier. Its glowing red eye pulsed slowly as it scanned the area, its body moving with unsettling precision.

Joon held his breath.

If it saw them, it was over.

The drone paused, its eye flickering for a moment. Then, after what felt like an eternity, it drifted forward and disappeared around the corner.

Joon let out a shaky breath.

The girl looked at him. "That was close."

Joon swallowed hard. "How many of those things are there?"

She glanced toward the street. "Too many."

Joon exhaled sharply, but there was no time to waste. They kept moving, slipping through the city like ghosts.

Finally, after what felt like hours, they reached a massive steel wall at the city's edge. Joon's stomach tightened.

"The border," the girl whispered.

It stretched high above them, smooth and seamless—designed to be impenetrable. But as Joon studied it, he noticed something strange.

A glitch.

A small section of the wall flickered—only for a second, but enough to catch his eye. It was as if the city's perfect illusion had a crack in it.

The girl saw it too. She turned to Joon, her expression serious. "That's our way out."

Joon's pulse quickened. If they could make it through, they would finally be free. But something told him the Architects wouldn't let them go so easily.

The girl took a deep breath. "Once we step through, there's no turning back."

Joon stared at the flickering wall, then met her gaze. His answer was clear.

"I'm ready."

She nodded. Then, without another word, they ran toward the glitch—toward the unknown.

And toward the truth that lay beyond.