Nowadays, we live in a world where everyone is constantly working, grinding every day just to make ends meet. In this society, much like everyone else, our protagonist, Lee Soo-woon, a 27-year-old office worker, is also barely scraping by.
It was just another ordinary evening. The city buzzed with the usual energy of people rushing home from work. Among them was Soo-woon, dragging his tired feet toward his apartment after a long day at the office. Exhaustion weighed heavily on his shoulders, his body moving on autopilot as his thoughts spiraled inward.
"Haaaa..." he sighed inwardly, his mind clouded with fatigue.
It's already been three years since I graduated and started working.
Sure, I've been surviving barely. But everything feels so dull. What am I even doing with my life? Have I achieved anything? Lived any dreams? Do I even have dreams? Just getting through each day feels like a damn chore. I never seriously played any sports, never dated anyone, I don't even have real friends. And money? Not enough to spend on things I actually enjoy.
"Haaa..."
As he reached the gate of his small, aging apartment—a two-story building tucked away in a quiet part of town—his pace slowed. He climbed the creaky wooden stairs and stood in front of his unit. Without a second thought, he opened the door, stepped inside, and shut it behind him.
He didn't bother turning on the light or even changing out of his office clothes. He tossed his bag onto the floor and collapsed onto the bed, face-first. The worn-out springs creaked beneath him.
Just sleep, he thought. That's all I need right now.
His eyes shut, and within minutes, sleep took him.
.
.
.
The sound of wheels turning. The rhythmic clop of horse hooves. Muffled voices, speaking in a language he didn't recognize.
Soo-woon stirred. His brows furrowed as consciousness slowly returned. Something felt... wrong. The texture beneath him was hard and cold—not his bed. The air was musty, with a faint scent of animals and hay.
He opened his eyes.
Bars.
Steel bars surrounded him.
Panicked, he sat up quickly, scanning his surroundings. Dozens of small cages filled the dimly lit wagon, each containing strange beasts—none of which he recognized.
He looked down.
His hands were tiny. Child-sized.
"What the hell...?" he muttered, his voice noticeably higher.
Where am I?
Wasn't I in bed before I fell asleep?
Why do my hands look like this?
Did I turn into a kid? How did this happen?!
His heart pounded in his chest as the reality of the situation began to sink in. This wasn't a dream. The cold metal under his fingers, the soft growls of nearby creatures, the clatter of the wagon wheels—it was all too real.
Outside, two men conversed in a strange language he couldn't understand.
"Xcgsf h may Jaxrysh kaiauay jauatwgwu Kadian iajaywm ba le..."
Their voices filtered through the wooden slats of the wagon.
What are they saying?
I can't make out a single word.
Is this another country?
Another world...?
Suddenly, the wagon came to a jarring halt. The horses neighed loudly—distressed, almost terrified.
"Neighhh!!!"
Outside, the two men began yelling, their voices sharp and frantic.
"Hgurgeyr hrhgrry huh fury hfjfufbrhrur jfjfhfufuf Keisha jfhudvr jsiehrv jfiuurfb—Kyaaaaa!"
Soo-woon shrank back into the corner of the cage, alarmed by the sudden chaos outside.
What's happening?! Why are they screaming?!
Roars and screeches erupted all around the wagon. The beasts in the surrounding cages began growling and snarling.
And then... silence.
A heavy, suffocating stillness settled in.
Why did it suddenly go quiet...?
A chill crawled up Soo-woon's spine. The curtain covering the wagon's entrance fluttered gently in the wind, but the air felt unnaturally still. Something about the silence felt... wrong.
He peered toward the curtain, eyes narrowed.
It's just the wind... right? Then why do I feel like something terrible is about to happen?
And then—
"ROOOOAAAR!!!"
A monstrous roar shattered the silence, echoing across the landscape.
Soo-woon's blood ran cold.
To be continued...