ECHOS OF THE GAME

001. Inheritance of the Game

              "Our past always finds silly ways to come back and haunt us"

    POV: Mira(22)

The bar smelled of cheap liquor and the sweat of the office bros in the corner, filling the place with loud laughter and petty drunken arguments. But it was the only bar within walking distance of their new dorm.

She scrolled through the forum threads one more time, as if she wasn't already more than familiar with the posts from mystery enthusiasts like herself. The details were no different than before:

Disappearing bodies. No official reports. No real answers.

Her fingers tapped against the side of her glass, eyes distant.

Across from her sat Seong quiet, sharp-eyed, and clearly not here for drinks. They had only met in person two hours ago, but Mira could feel the weight behind her words; this wasn't just some silly online obsession.

She needed answers.

"So..." Mira leaned in, voice low. "You seriously think you know where all these missing people went?"

Seong didn't answer at first. Her gaze didn't waver deep, steady, and never failed to make Mira nervous.

"I'm sure of it. Nothing else makes sense. I've spent my whole life wondering. I can't stop until I know. It's that island."

Mira gave a small glance at Hana, her roommate, who had decided to tag along on her mini excursion.

POV: Hana (22)

Hana had zero idea how she ended up in a grungy bar in Korea, third-wheeling her roommate's deep and intense conversation with some stranger over conspiracy theories.

She tried. Really, tried. To care about the mystery threads Mira obsessed over. Disappearances, shady corporations, anonymous tips... it was all a blur to her.

The alcohol wasn't helping, either.

Finally, she blurted out, "Hey Mira, I thought this was supposed to be a fun outing. You know our first night in Korea and we're spending it... here? Of all places?"

Mira waved her off. "This is fun and interesting, I promise."

The stranger didn't even look over Seong? Was that her name? She was solely focused on the strange island. It left nothing but knots in Hana's mind every time she thought about it.

Hana sighed, finally accepting she just wouldn't understand. She downed another shot and went back to scrolling through her phone, hoping to overpower her confusion.

POV: Jae (25)

From behind the bar, Jae had polished the same glass three times.

He wasn't usually one to eavesdrop not on college kids, not on drunk tourists but when the words "abandoned island" and "missing people" floated through the buzz of the bar, his ears perked up.

That island.

He knew exactly which one they meant.

He'd seen it once. Went further than he should have on a solo trip curious, reckless, alone. It had looked empty from a distance, lifeless even. But the moment he got close, something shifted in the air. The feeling wasn't just unease. It was wrong. Like the sea itself didn't want him there.

Locals whispered legends about strange things seen around the neighborhood. A man playing Ddakji in subway stations. Weird, unmarked vans at night. All rumors, of course. But the disappearances? Those were real.

Still, no one ever officially connected it to the island.

Jae set the glass down and made his way over, clearing his throat.

"You ladies talking about that island?" he asked, trying to sound casual. "Are you looking to get there?"

The girls looked up. Even the quiet one.

"I've got a boat," Jae continued. "Don't usually go out that far... but I don't know. I'm feeling generous."

POV: Liam (21)

Liam had come to the bar to celebrate finally turning 21 not to crash some cryptic conspiracy conversation but he was absolutely the type to eavesdrop.

Especially when he had no one else to talk to.

The moment he heard the word "island," he practically slid off his barstool.

Drink in hand, he strolled over to the forming group like he belonged there. And maybe he did.

"Did I hear something about an abandoned island? 'Cause if you're going ghost hunting, I call dibs on recording the whole thing."

The girl with the sharp eyes didn't laugh.
No one did.

Still, Liam smirked. "I'm just kidding. I don't believe in that sort of stuff."

His vlogging channel had been stuck in the double digits for months. Abandoned malls, busted train yards, you name it. But this... this was the real deal. The kind of urban legend that still haunted the corners of the internet and forums years after the fact.

This could go viral.
Maybe even big enough to finally help his mom the way he'd always promised he would.

POV: Seong

She looked at the dimwitted boy in front of her with clear disinterest. Obviously drunk.

"If you're serious," she said, her voice quiet but steady, "we leave at sunrise."

To be continued: