"Who are you?" Hongjoong opened his eyes at the sound of someone's voice, before closing it as a blinding light shone in his eyes. He raised his hand to cover the light from his eyes then opened it and let it adjust to the sudden bright light. His eyes trailed over a tall man, his wrists and ankles strapped with chains. When he looked over at his own, he saw that he is also tied up with chains.

"I shouldn't be here," Hongjoong muttered, dread filling his veins. "What the heck is going on?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hongjoong had been at the studio for far too long. He had been working with more effort towards the music that he is composing. It had been weeks since he had been outside, and the dimmed light of the studio is making him feel insane.

When he does arrive at his home, he does not get to relax as he remembers the pile of paperwork waiting by his desk. Not only does he work as a composer, but he also uses his free time to work as an assistant. It wasn't a full-time job, it was enough for him to pay off his rent.

Hongjoong groaned, settling down on the chair that he had been sitting on for hours. He is slowly losing sanity at seeing the same things over and over again and he hadn't been able to sleep for a while. He was in his headspace that he couldn't help but continue making music despite the exhaustion that is catching up to him.

He sat up straight then stretched his back and arms, hearing the slight sound of his bones made him wince as the sensation of his muscles being stretched overcame him. He could finally feel the exhaustion creeping up to him when he slumped on the chair.

He glanced at the sofa of the studio, it wasn't long enough to make him fit his whole body but it was enough for him to sleep on. He'll have to catch up on some sleep at some point or else he'll pass out.

He stood up from the chair and sat down on the sofa, his body relaxing at the coziness that filled him, he swung his legs over the armrest and lied his head on the opposite armrest. He dozed to sleep.

When he had awoken, it was at the sound of a notification going off on his phone. As far as he knows, he doesn't have any friends that are close enough to message him of his whereabouts or whatsoever. He yawned and sat up on the sofa, reaching out to grab his phone from the desk where all his music equipment is placed.

"What...?" He saw notifications coming from Orphic, it was a game that Hongjoong heard of from one of his workmates, and he sounded confident that it's a great game so Hongjoong willingly tried it out. He wasn't too fond of how it is played, seeing that there are often some disadvantages to how the groups of players are made. Oftentimes, the players are teamed up with 5 players, or sometimes up to 13 players depending on the server they have landed in. He also didn't like that there is some type of glitch coming from the home screen.

Nevertheless, he found some online friends that have always invited him to join such as Nowon-gu Search Party. They have shared some social media of each other like on Instagram so they can easily reach out if they are offline in the game. They don't let the other players be informed that they are actually friends, which they don't often ask about anyways. He also got to learn Nowon's real name, which is Jongho.

minihong
Jong, have you been receiving notifications from the game?

PowerJongho
No, hyung. Why do you ask?

minihong
Weird,  I just saw a bunch of notifs from the game. Must be a glitch.

PowerJongho
You should contact the support team about it.
Speaking of the game, want to play one round?

minihong
Okay.

Hongjoong loaded the game in, the bolded italic font of the title lighting up from the black screen before an option popped out. He barely pays attention to it and clicked yes without hesitation. It was like a start-up to make sure that they are ready to play.

He is then directed to the home screen. His character making gestures. His character is holding a mic and throwing it up in the air to twirl it before catching it with his hand. 

When Hongjoong entered the lobby, Jongho is already waiting together with Pung-dong's Weird Guy, Jangchung-dong Spicy Sniper, and Mr. San.

Pung-dong's Weird Guy
Welcome to my lobby!

He moved his camera to face Pung-dong's Weird Guy, his character appearance isn't any special but it does have some nice touch to it. 

Anyang Grapeshot
Hello.

He stuck with greeting politely instead and remained silent throughout waiting for other players to enter. It seems like the server has quite some people playing when three more players entered the lobby before the countdown appeared on their screen indicating the start of the game.

The game has the same mechanics as the other games he had played back then, but this has the speech-to-text option which would have been better if it's a voice chat instead so they won't have to look up to the chatbox every time that someone chats. It does get pretty distracting a few times, but as more time that passes by playing the game, he got used to it.

"Welcome to Orphic, players. The last group standing will be the winner for this round. May luck be by your side." He smiled, but it seems as if it's a forced one. Hongjoong squinted his eyes to the hologram, he hadn't noticed it before but it felt as if he is wording something else with his mouth instead of the audio that they hear. "Let the game begin." He almost got startled when the sounds of chain-breaking filled the silent studio he is still currently situated in. He did forget to wear his earphones, but he doesn't have much time when the chat messages started popping up.

Halfway to the game was when they were trying to ambush a group. Pung-dong or Woo as Hongjoong remembered, told them that five people are inland. He became the group leader to guide them on what to do instead of sitting around and waiting for someone's orders, he is pretty satisfied as the others follow his commands immediately unlike the groups that he had joined in different lobbies.

The group he has been assigned is a great match for him. He could sense that they have great personalities and are great players. He could ask them for their social media as the same thing he did with Jongho.

Jangchung-dong Spicy Sniper
There's a top floor here.
Should I go there with 'scout' while San is healing.

In the span of the game, Hongjoong could see the development between the players. Jangchung, or Yunnie as he introduced before, seems to become friends with Woo but it may have been because they have pretty close skills to each other.

Anyang Grapeshot
Go ahead.

He could see Yun's and Woo's characters moving away from them as he drops San down on the ground gently. Mars is still healing him and it is taking a lot of progress, but considering that he is also restoring the stamina and mana of San, Songdo, and Min, it is understood why it has been slow.

Pung-dong's Weird Guy
'Ranger' why did you stop walking.
Hey pay attention to me.
'Ranger'
'Ranger'

Nowon-gu Search Party
He could have just done something quickly.
Shut up or I'll throw you off of the top floor 'Scout.'

Hongjoong chuckled, Jongho has always tried coming off as threatening but he knew that he is just a softie inside.

Pung-dong's Weird Guy 
As if you could.
I'm just joking.
Don't kill me.
'Ranger' is still not moving.

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion, he moved his camera and walked towards the stairs where it leads up to the top floor. He could see Yun's character which is still frozen while Woo is circling him like he's insane.

Jangchung-dong Spicy Sniper
There's someone at my house.
I think.
I might be gone for a while.
I just need to check it out.

A feeling of fear and dread filled Hongjoong, there was something definitely wrong happening but he couldn't tell what it is.

Anyang Grapeshot
You should call the police 'Ranger.'
Just in case.
We don't want anything to happen to you.

Mapo Trooper
He's right.
I'm pretty worried.
And the others must be too.

Nowon-gu Search Party
Don't mind what I said earlier.
I am getting worried too.

Mr. San
'Ranger' are you okay.
What happened.

There was still no reply to them and Yun's character is still not moving an inch, it seems like Yun left his phone somewhere in his house and checked out whatever is happening in his house.

Anyang Grapeshot
Any update 'Ranger.'
Please chat back.

Icannotenglishi~
I'm getting seriously worried.
What if something happened.

Songdo's Bad Guy
It's getting weird.

Hongjoong turned his attention to Songdo, they haven't spoken a lot throughout the game. Yet, he tuned it out when Yun sent a message to them which they didn't expect to see. They were hoping for an update, and it seems like this message is sent by using the speech-to-text option.

Jangchung-dong Spicy Sniper
Help.

Icannotenglish~
'Ranger'
Are you okay?
Where do you lvie, well get you

Hongjoong could see that Min has turned to type his reply with his keyboard due to the spelling error, but that isn't what mattered to all of them. They are all panicking at the last message Yun has sent.

Jangchung-dong Spicy Sniper has left the game.

"Shit." Hongjoong cursed under his breath, his heart thundering against his chest. Even when Yun isn't one of their real-life friends, they could tell that he's a good person. What if something terribly wrong happened?

Anyang Grapeshot
Does anyone know who Yun is?
Real names?
Maybe where he lives?

Based on the silence that entered the chat, no one really knew who Yun is or where he lives. Meaning, they wouldn't be able to do anything to have updates from Yun or make sure that he's safe.

Icannotenglishi~
what can we do now?
we dont have any information from him

Mapo Trooper
calm down, maybe we can contact the game creator to trace him?

Nowon-gu Search Party
They can't do things like that or they may get sued.

Pung-dong's Weird Guy
yunho is practically our friend.
and it's for emergency purposes!

Mr. San
as much as I want for this conversation to continue
were getting ambushed and we'll die
how about we share our social media instead and talk there before we die here
maybe ig?

Anyang Grapeshot
Great idea
@minihong

Nowon-gu Search Party
im trusting you guys with this
@PowerJongho

Mr. San
@choisatan

Icannotenglishi~
@mingkisong

Pung-dong's Weird Guy
@Wooyoungie

Mapo Trooper
@Hwa_Mars

Hongjoong was waiting for Songdo's reply of what his Instagram username is but before he could do anything, they were attacked by a group ambushing them inside.

Anyang Grapeshot
'Necromancer' what's yours.

He couldn't pull up his keyboard to show his panic, instead of sticking with the speech-to-text option as he and Jongho block the mages that entered out of nowhere while San and Wooyoung immediately attack. On the other hand, Songdo and Hwa retreat.

Hehetmon
It's @Sangie

You have been defeated.

Back to Menu

Hongjoong released a sigh, his body slumping down on the couch. He was about to click the 'back to menu' option when he took notice of the orange skull displayed on the bottom right corner of the screen. He, for sure, hasn't seen this before as he usually pays attention a lot to the minor details.

"What's this?" He murmured under his breath, questioning the sudden appearance of the orange skull. He clicked it, his hand slightly trembling due to the panic and fear he experienced earlier.

Jeong Yunho
Seoul, Korea
Jangchung-dong Spicy Sniper

He froze, he knew from Wooyoung that Yun's name is Yunho—which he has yet to ask on how he knew—but it didn't make sense how this generated after their panic. He slid the screen to open the options on his phone and took a screenshot of the screen. After doing so, he left the game and opened Instagram.

@choisatan started following you.
@Hwa_Mars started following you.
@mingkisong started following you.
@Wooyoungie started following you.

PowerJongho, Wooyoungie, choisatan, and 3 others

Wooyoungie added minihong

Wooyoungie
now were all here

minihong
guys, something appeared on my defeat game screen earlier

Hongjoong got right to the point, knowing they can't waste any more time. He sent the picture he had taken a screenshot of. His hands still trembling badly, although it should have disappeared by now.

minihong
it showed up when i clicked the orange skull on the screen of the defeat game screen

mingkisong
not to be that guy, but that's creepy

Sangie
Definitely
Jeong Yunho? I'm going to search him up.

Wooyoungie
im in seoul, maybe I can ask around?

PowerJongho
Seoul is huge. We won't have time.

Wooyoungie
then what is your plan, oh so, great master

PowerJongho
Do you want to be thrown?

Wooyoungie
mom im scared
how can you split apples with bare hands??????
its hot but scary

Hwa_Mars
Not the time. We still have to figure out where Yunho is!

minihong
any info you got @Sangie?

Sangie
I got some.
Apparently, hes a news reporter for ANEWZ.

choisatan
he also has a lot of positive reviews
i saw some articles about him being a dance teacher as well?

minihong
he must be pretty famous then
has any of you be able to search up his address?

Sangie
Its private.
obviously

minihong
right, of course, I knew that.
i mean like there must have been fans that know his address of some sort?

mingkisong
um... can I input something?

PowerJongho
Is it useful?
If yes, then go ahead.
If not, annoy Wooyoungie instead.

Wooyoungie
yah!
you little

Hwa_Mars
ooooookaaaayyyyy
@mingkisong you can share it

mingkisong
I found out from my coworkers, who is under a dance company.
(and yes, I am under a dance company)
that Jeong Yunho actually works where I work!
but we never crossed path yet cuz of our conflicting sched

minihong
finally some good information
unlike unhelpful brats arguing every second

Wooyoungie
I
AM
NOT
A

Sangie
you are.

Wooyoungie
BRAT!
I HAVENT EVEN FINISHED YET

Sangie
@mingkisong mind asking where he lives?

Hongjoong stopped paying attention to the chat, he looked up from his phone as he hears footsteps seemingly coming from outside the studio. However, no one should be out there. He knew that because he'll get notifications when someone enters the premises.

choisatan
@minihong what do you think?

He glances towards his phone when it pinged with notification of someone mentioning him but he couldn't keep his focus there for very long when the door of his studio started rattling as if the person outside is forcing themselves inside of someone else's property.

minihong
music studio
anyang, gyeonggi-do
if I dont reply for anothere 30 minytes u nknow where to find me

He could care less if he had spelling errors, all he knew is that his body is shaking out of fear while he places his phone down on the desk and finds himself some weapon to defend himself.

Yet, before he could find one. The studio door slammed open with a lot of force, creating a loud bang as the door hits the wall. His body froze up, grabbing the first thing that he sees which is his office chair then picked it up to throw it at the intruder.

"You have been defeated." Then, everything went black without knowing what happened after trying to defend himself.

A/n, mayhaps I unpublished this chapter because I forgot to edit it XD