Lost in Tomorrow

Chapter 7: The Hunt Begins

Joon's breath came in sharp gasps as he followed Seo-joon and the girl through the ruined streets. The air was thick with tension, every step echoing too loudly in the silence.

The hum of the approaching drones sent a chill down his spine. It wasn't just one or two—there were dozens, their mechanical whir growing louder with each passing second.

Seo-joon swore under his breath. "They deployed a full search squad."

The girl tightened her grip on her knife. "We need to split up."

Joon's stomach twisted. "Are you serious?"

"We don't have a choice," Seo-joon said. "They'll corner us if we stick together." He glanced at the girl. "You take the north side. I'll head west."

The girl nodded without hesitation, but Joon hesitated. "And me?"

Seo-joon's eyes met his. "You go east. Find shelter. We'll regroup at dawn, outside the Forbidden Zone."

Joon's pulse pounded in his ears. "What if they find me?"

Seo-joon's face was grim. "Then you run."

No time to argue. The hum grew into a deafening roar.

The three of them exchanged a final glance—then they scattered.

Alone in the Ruins

Joon sprinted through the broken streets, his legs burning with every step. He dodged rusted debris, his heart hammering in his chest. The city's eerie silence was now filled with the whine of machines, the flickering red lights of drones scanning the area.

His breath came in short, ragged bursts. Think, Joon. Think.

A collapsed building loomed ahead. Without hesitation, he dived through a broken window, landing hard on the dust-covered floor. He scrambled behind a pile of rubble, pressing his back against the cold stone.

The hum of a drone passed overhead.

Joon held his breath.

A beam of red light swept across the room, scanning.

The air was thick with dust, his lungs screaming for air. He willed himself to stay still, biting down the panic rising in his throat.

The drone hovered for a moment longer—then moved on.

Joon exhaled shakily, his body trembling from the near miss.

I can't keep running forever.

He needed to find shelter—somewhere safe. Somewhere hidden.

But the thought that gnawed at him most was simple and terrifying.

Why are they hunting us so aggressively?

The City's Secret

Joon moved cautiously through the ruins, sticking to the shadows. He couldn't risk being seen, but he also couldn't sit still. He had to keep moving.

After what felt like hours, he stumbled upon a narrow alleyway, half-buried beneath collapsed structures. It looked untouched, hidden from the drones' aerial scans.

He slipped inside, his fingers brushing against cold, rusted metal. As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he realized he was standing in front of a massive, broken sign.

The faded letters read:

"Memory Storage Facility – Division 03"

Joon's heartbeat quickened.

A memory storage facility?

He pushed forward, stepping over debris. The inside of the facility was eerily intact—dusty consoles, shattered monitors, and endless rows of storage units. He didn't know what he was looking for, but something in his gut told him this place was important.

His eyes landed on an old terminal, half-buried under fallen rubble. It flickered weakly, still powered by a dying energy source.

Joon hesitated—then reached out and pressed a button.

The screen lit up.

A distorted voice crackled through the speakers.

"Welcome, Administrator."

Joon's blood turned to ice.

Administrator?

The screen displayed a list of files. His fingers trembled as he navigated through them. Each file contained a name, a date, and a label.

"Subject #342 - Memory Extraction Completed"

"Subject #587 - Mind Transfer Initiated"

"Subject #901 - Integration Success"

Joon's stomach twisted.

What is this?

His eyes landed on a file labeled:

"Subject #002 - Classified"

Joon hesitated, then clicked it.

The screen flickered. A single sentence appeared.

"Subject #002: Transfer Failed. Consciousness Rejected."

Then, an image loaded.

Joon felt the ground vanish beneath him.

It was a picture of him.

What Am I?

Joon's head spun. His hands trembled as he reached toward the screen.

Transfer failed? Consciousness rejected?

He swallowed hard. His entire body felt cold, like he wasn't really there.

Does this mean… I wasn't supposed to survive?

His breathing turned shallow. His own face stared back at him from the screen, frozen in time, labeled like an experiment gone wrong.

Something inside him whispered the truth.

I am not just a traveler from the past.

There was more to his presence here—more than he had ever realized.

Then—

A noise.

Joon's head snapped up.

Someone was here.

The Stranger in the Dark

He turned, pressing his back against the console. His mind reached outward, searching.

A thought brushed against his own.

"…Did he find it?"

Joon's breath caught. Whoever was out there—they were thinking about him.

His pulse thundered in his ears. He crept forward, moving toward the entrance. The shadows shifted.

Then, a figure stepped into the dim light.

A woman.

Her face was obscured by a mask, her clothes ragged but reinforced with armor. A weapon was strapped to her back, and her stance was sharp—dangerous.

Joon didn't recognize her. But she knew him.

Her voice was low, edged with something unreadable.

"You shouldn't have come here."

Joon's fingers twitched. "Who are you?"

She tilted her head. "You don't remember, do you?"

Joon's heart pounded. "Remember what?"

A pause.

Then, she took a step closer.

"You're not the only one who escaped the memory purge."

Joon's breath hitched.

Memory purge?

The words settled in his chest like lead.

She exhaled slowly. "You weren't meant to find this place." Her voice lowered, almost regretful. "And now, they'll never stop hunting you."

Joon's mind raced. "Who are you?" he repeated.

She hesitated.

Then—

A distant explosion rocked the ground.

The woman stiffened, glancing toward the exit. "They found us."

Joon's stomach twisted.

The drones.

The woman's eyes snapped back to him. "Come with me if you want to survive."

Joon hesitated.

He didn't know who she was. He didn't know if he could trust her.

But he knew one thing—

If he stayed here, he was dead.

He clenched his fists.

Then, he stepped forward.

"Lead the way."

The woman nodded once. Then, without another word, she turned and sprinted into the darkness.

Joon took one last glance at the screen, at the image of himself labeled as Subject #002.

Then he ran after her, disappearing into the ruins—

As the hunt began.