Stevenson_9

Lost in Tomorrow

Joon never had an easy life. Growing up in a struggling village, where water was scarce and survival was a daily battle, he knew the value of every grain of rice, every drop of sweat. But one night, he closed his eyes in his small, broken home… and woke up in a world that wasn’t his own.

A future so advanced it felt like a dream—until he realized the nightmare beneath it.

People live in luxury, but they are nothing more than prisoners of their own screens. Their minds are empty, filled only with advertisements and meaningless entertainment. No one thinks. No one questions. No one lives.

And somehow, Joon has a power he never had before—he can hear their thoughts. But their thoughts are not their own.

Desperate to find a way back home, Joon stumbles upon a shocking truth: he is not the only one from the past. Somewhere in this soulless world, another traveler exists—one with telekinetic abilities. But where is he? And why were they brought here?

As Joon searches for answers, he realizes something terrifying: this world isn’t just a dystopian future—it’s a carefully controlled experiment. And now that he’s awake, they are watching.

With a relentless AI hunting him, a mysterious girl who seems to know more than she says, and time running out, Joon must uncover the secrets of this world before he loses himself to it.

Because in a place where no one remembers what it means to be human, the cost of freedom might be his own mind.

Lost in Tomorrow

The red lights of the drones flickered ominously as they hovered above, surrounding Joon like mechanical vultures. The whirring of their rotors filled the air, drowning out even the pounding of his own heartbeat.

His breath came fast and shallow. He could fight, but against how many? Ten? Fifteen? He had no cover, no backup, and Kyung was still behind him, watching.

Joon clenched his fists. No choice.

He dived forward, rolling just as a drone fired a bright blue energy net toward him. It sizzled against the pavement, missing him by inches.

They don't want to kill me. They want to capture me.

That gave him an advantage—however small.

Joon bolted down the street, weaving between abandoned cars and shattered glass. The drones pursued, their engines humming louder as they closed in.

Then, a faint voice crackled in his head.

Joon didn't hesitate. He trusted his instincts—and right now, they told him to trust the voice.

He turned sharply down a side alley just as another energy net fired, hitting the ground where he'd stood a second ago.

"Keep going. There's an open manhole ahead."

Joon saw it—half-hidden behind a pile of debris. He sprinted toward it, yanking the cover aside.

The smell of damp concrete and sewage rose from the depths.

Disgusting. But better than being caught.

Without a second thought, he jumped in.

The fall wasn't far, but Joon landed awkwardly, twisting his ankle slightly. He hissed in pain, pushing himself up as quickly as possible.

Above, the drone lights scanned the alley. But they didn't follow.

Joon exhaled, leaning against the damp tunnel wall. His mind raced. Who had guided him?

The voice returned—soft, almost teasing.

Then, footsteps echoed through the tunnel. Someone was coming.

Joon's muscles tensed. He was ready to fight—until he saw her.

A girl stepped out from the shadows, hands raised in mock surrender. She looked about his age, maybe a little younger. Short dark hair. Piercing golden eyes. A confident smirk.

"You're lucky I decided to help," she said. "Another five seconds, and you'd be in a containment cell."

Joon narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

She tilted her head. "Rika. And you owe me one."

Joon didn't let his guard down. "Why did you help me?"

Rika leaned against the tunnel wall. "Because you're interesting."

He frowned. "That's not an answer."

She chuckled. "Fine. Because I don't like them." She jerked her thumb toward the surface. "The ones hunting you. They don't just go after you, you know."

Joon's mind raced. Was she another traveler? Or something else?

He decided to test her. "What do you know about Kyung?"

"You met him?" she asked, her tone shifting. "And you're still breathing?"

Rika exhaled. "Then you should run. As far away as possible."

Joon crossed his arms. "I don't run from people like him."

Rika laughed. "You should. He's not just some rogue telekinetic."

Joon's pulse quickened. "Then what is he?"

Rika hesitated, then said, "He's looking for something. And trust me, you don't want to be in his way when he finds it."

Joon's stomach twisted. He remembered the flashes of Kyung's past—the burning village, the silver-haired child. What was he searching for?

Before he could ask more, Rika straightened. "Come on. We can't stay here."

Joon hesitated. "Where are we going?"

Rika grinned. "Somewhere safe. For now."

He didn't trust her fully. But at the moment, she was his best option.

So he followed her, deeper into the underground.

And he had a feeling this was just the beginning.