Lee Haemin loosened his tie the moment he stepped out of the office building. The air outside carried a faint chill, a welcome contrast to the stale, recycled air of the cubicles he had been buried in all day. Neon lights from convenience stores and karaoke bars painted the streets in restless color, and the hum of traffic drowned out his sigh.
Another day, another stack of paperwork. Another day wasted.
"Haemin!" a cheerful voice called out from behind him. A group of his coworkers spilled out of the lobby, laughing and talking. One of them, an older guy with his sleeves already rolled up, waved him over. "Come on, let's grab a few drinks! Don't go home so early again."
Haemin gave a polite smile but shook his head. "Sorry, not today. I'm exhausted."
They booed and teased him, but none pressed further. He always refused. They knew that by now. Haemin raised a hand in farewell and turned down the street toward the bus stop.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. Another spam email. He ignored it. The night was quiet here, away from the main strip. For a moment, he thought about how much of his life looked exactly like this—routine, predictable, lonely.
The night bus arrived with a hiss. Haemin tapped his card, thanked the driver out of habit, and found a seat near the middle. The bus wasn't crowded—just a few people scattered around, dozing off or scrolling on their phones. The dim orange lights overhead and the low rumble of the engine gave it an oddly soothing atmosphere.
Haemin slumped against the window and unlocked his phone. Notifications flickered: missed messages from his mother's old group chat that he still hadn't left, promotions, news about rising housing prices he'd never afford. Then something new caught his eye.
A notification from a novel app he barely used. [Recommended for You: The Labyrinth of the Endless]
"…The Labyrinth of the Endless?" he murmured. He hadn't heard of it before.
The cover art was dramatic, maybe even tacky: a lone figure standing before a massive spiraling labyrinth that pierced the clouds. Curious, he tapped it open. Comments scrolled by at the bottom of the screen.
'Don't waste your time, the MC is an idiot.'
'Underrated gem, gets way better after Chapter 50!'
'Dropped it. Regressors again? So cliché.'
'Trust me, it's worth it if you stick around.'
"Mixed reviews, huh…" Haemin muttered.
He scrolled down and skimmed the synopsis. The world-ending Starfall. Survivors dragged into a Labyrinth. Floor after floor of trials, monsters, powers, betrayals, secrets.
"Sounds like every other webnovel out there." Still, boredom won. He tapped Chapter 1.
The bus rattled along as he read.
At first, he only meant to skim. But before long, he was absorbed. The story wasn't good, not exactly—it was cliché, the main character was frustratingly naive, and the pacing dragged—but something about the concept hooked him.
By the time he had read a good portion, he realized how deeply he had gotten pulled in. He knew about floors he hadn't even fully read, picking up hints from comments and discussions—monsters, abilities, items, even some storylines. He had a rough mental map of the Labyrinth, but mysteries still loomed above.
His thumb hovered over the screen, expression souring. "…What the hell am I doing? This isn't even good."
He leaned back in his seat and sighed. The MC keeps making mistakes, but he doesn't get smarter. What's the point if you repeat the same stupidity over and over?
Frustrated, he closed the app and shoved his phone into his pocket.
For a moment, the bus was quiet except for the drone of the engine. His eyelids felt heavier than before. He blinked slowly. Maybe reading had drained him more than he thought.
When he opened his eyes again, something was off. The city lights were gone. The streets, the buildings, the signs—gone. Outside the window stretched an unfamiliar horizon, painted in pale morning light.
"…What?"
Haemin straightened. His chest tightened. It was supposed to be night. He had left the office at night. So why was it morning?
His gaze drifted to the glass of the window, and he froze. His reflection stared back at him—except it wasn't quite right. His face was smoother, sharper. His hair darker. And he looked… younger. A lot younger. School uniform now replaced his suit.
"…What the hell?" His hands trembled as he touched his face. His arms. His legs. He was shorter. Panic surged. Was I… kidnapped? Drugged? No… that doesn't make sense. Where is this?
Haemin forced himself to look around. The bus wasn't empty anymore. Other passengers now filled the seats, some chatting quietly, others staring blankly out the window. None of them looked familiar.
Then, the world outside changed.
The pale blue morning sky deepened, darkened, and then tore open with streaks of fire. Meteorites, dozens of them, blazed across the heavens. At first, passengers gasped in awe. Some even laughed, pointing at the sight.
"Whoa! Shooting stars!"
"Quick, make a wish!"
"Get your phones, record this—!"
But Haemin squinted, his heart pounding. Wait. No. This scene… he had read about it.
His mouth went dry. "This is… the Starfall," he whispered.
The fiery streaks grew larger. Closer. The awe on people's faces twisted into confusion.
"…Hey," one girl said hesitantly, lowering her phone. "Don't they look… closer?"
"Stop saying nonsense—"
The ground trembled. The bus shook violently as shockwaves rolled through the street. Glass windows rattled. Screams erupted. Haemin grabbed the seat in front of him, knuckles white.
Outside, fire and dust billowed where the meteorites struck the earth. A burning wave spread outward, devouring everything in sight.
Panic swallowed the bus.
And then—
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A faint sting crept across Haemin's arm, like the brush of a spark against skin. He flinched slightly, feeling a gentle burn that quickly faded. Delicate lines spread along his right arm, shimmering faintly before vanishing from sight, invisible but etched into his being. Other passengers felt similar tingling—some gasped, some froze, uncertain what was happening.
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A sudden wash of white light engulfed everything. The world fractured, the bus, the streets, the city—gone in an instant.
And when the light cleared, they stood before a colossal gate, carved with ancient runes that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat.
And above them loomed the impossible—a Labyrinth stretching into eternity.
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