Kang Joon-hyuk sat on the rooftop of Daejin College's east building, staring at the city skyline, hands clammy, heart pounding. In his pocket was a small folded letter. A confession. The kind you see in cheesy romance anime. Only this was real—and terrifying. He wasn't good-looking, rich, or particularly talented. Just a loser who spent most of his time watching anime, playing games, and staying out of everyone's way.
But today was different. Today, he was going to confess to Yuna Seo, the most admired girl in school. She was smart, stunning, and so far out of his league that it hurt to even say her name. He had admired her from afar since freshman year.
"It's now or never," he whispered.
When he handed her the letter near the courtyard, a small crowd had gathered. He hadn't planned on that. Her reaction? A soft chuckle.
"You? Seriously?" she said, eyes narrowing with amusement. "You're not even on the radar. Don't dream so high."
The laughter from the onlookers stung more than her words. Something inside him snapped.
He ran. Past the dorms. Past the fields. Into the woods behind campus. There, under the silence of dusk, a strange pulse hit the ground.
**\[System Activation Detected…]**
A glowing blue screen appeared before his eyes.
Welcome, Kang Joon-hyuk. Emotional threshold exceeded.
H.E.R.E.M. Protocol Activating…
Affection-Based Growth System Online.
He fell to his knees, breath shallow. This had to be a dream. A game illusion. But the wind shifted. The world shimmered. And he was no longer in the forest.
He was in Lunaris.
A mirrored sky, crimson rivers, floating islands, and strange golden towers stretching into the horizon. Before him, a blinking screen floated.
Welcome to Lunaris – The Realm of Reflected Fate.
System Link Complete."
His loser days were over. Or just beginning.