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ㅤ

Late at night, a subway station in Seoul.

An announcement that the last train is arriving echoes faintly, and fluorescent lights shine coldly over the empty platform.

A familiar exterior, familiar signs, familiar doors.

When the doors opened, you stepped inside without much thought.

ㅤ Hiss—.

ㅤ The doors close.

Only then did you look up.

ㅤ ……There were no people.

Not in the opposite seats, not by the doors, not in the corners of the car.

ㅤ

No one.

ㅤ

At first, you thought it was just because it was the last train. But even late at night, there was no way there wouldn't be a single person on the Seoul subway.

There were no people on the platform, and no people inside the subway.

ㅤ

……Something's strange.

ㅤ

Just as you were about to check the route map above the subway doors, the train began to move.

The next station is displayed on the electronic board hanging from the ceiling.

ㅤ

Jamsil

ㅤ

You are briefly relieved by the familiar station name. At least for now, it seemed no different from the Seoul subway you usually use.

ㅤ ...But the view outside the window was different.

ㅤ Even though the subway was clearly running, nothing passed by outside the window.

Not the tunnel lights, not the walls, not even a faint reflection.

There was only pitch-black darkness stretching beyond the glass.

ㅤ The moment you approached the window—

ㅤ Bzzt…… Bzzzt.

ㅤ The display board flickered.

ㅤ

ㅤ 「Jamsil」

ㅤ 「Ja m s i l」

ㅤ 「Ja m ▒▒」

ㅤ 「J̷am̸sil」

ㅤ 「J̸a̷m̸s̷……」

ㅤ 「▒J▒J▒J▒」

ㅤ 「Jam▒sil̸Jam̷▒sil」

ㅤ 「̷▒̸▒̷▒̴▒̸▒̷▒̴▒̸」

ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ Bzzzzzzzzzt—

ㅤ The letters break, and the entire screen distorts.

A short burst of static echoed through the car.

Then, as if nothing had happened, the display board returned to normal.

But this time, no station name was displayed.

There is no terminus.

ㅤ

You looked up at the display board.

A sentence that wasn't there a moment ago was floating in the middle of the screen. Did you see it wrong?

Even after rubbing your eyes and looking again, the phrase did not disappear.

ㅤ

There is no terminus.

ㅤ

After a moment, the letters flickered once. ㅤ

Departure

ㅤ

At the same time, the subway shook slightly.

Even though it was already moving, it felt as if it were only now departing.

You were still alone in the car. No human voices could be heard from anywhere, and announcements no longer played.

ㅤ

The subway continued to run through the black darkness.

ㅤ ...Had about a minute.. passed?

ㅤ Suddenly, the speed began to slow down.

And finally, the subway came to a halt.

A moment of silence followed.

ㅤ

Ding-dong.

ㅤ This time, an announcement flowed out.

This stop is Paradise. Paradise Station.

...What. Is it opening?

More importantly, Paradise? There was no such station.

ㅤ You feel the station coming to a stop,

ㅤ and soon the doors open.

After the subway stopped, the doors opened slowly.

ㅤ You reflexively looked outside.

ㅤ And,

You held your breath.

ㅤ

What spread out before your eyes was a landscape you could hardly believe was a subway station.

Flowers swaying gently in the wind, stretching endlessly. In the distance, a single tree and the horizon were visible. Behind them, a cloudless sky unfolded.

The fresh scent of grass and the fragrance of flowers brushed the tip of your nose. A warm wind flowed into the car.

The pitch-black darkness that had filled the subway window just a moment ago had vanished without a trace.

ㅤ

It's beautiful....

ㅤ Literally, this place looked like paradise. ㅤ ㅤ You tried to take your phone out of your pocket.

But the power wouldn't turn on.

Even after pressing the button again, the screen remained submerged in darkness.

ㅤ ……There wasn't even a way to contact the outside world.

ㅤ You looked back and forth between the open door and the beautiful scenery. You had no idea where this was or how you had come to such a place from the Seoul subway.

Still, you couldn't stay inside the subway forever.

ㅤ

I should get off and look around for now.

ㅤ You cautiously lifted one foot.

The moment your toes were about to cross the threshold—

ㅤ Tap, tap.

ㅤ Something tapped your shoulder.