0. Prologue

The necklace asked if there was a reality I wished to escape.
I replied yes.

I don't know why, but I was seduced by its sweet voice.
I reached out, clutched it, and strung it around my neck.

Only then did it dawn on me.
Removing the necklace proved to be just as impossible as escaping reality.

It was simultaneously a blessing and a curse.
Refugia's legacy and its shackles.
This was my first encounter with Crimson Heart.

1. iPS Testing Team (1)

How boring.
Are all eulogies like this?

"Ten years have passed since we lost our great leader. Kim, the bringer of change. I remember her. She meant so much to all of us. She truly was one of a kind."

The loudspeakers blared out toward the crowd.
I wanted to cover my ears, but I just buried my hands deep into my jacket pockets, wriggling my fingers. A sudden urge washes over me. I do not want to be here. I want to run away.
But that's not possible.
All of the students were gathered in the square. Everyone is seated, wearing the same clothes and holding the same expressions on their faces. We listen patiently to the painfully dull memorial address. I found it amusing, in a way. On the other hand, it was suffocating. I felt like I couldn't breathe.
Unfortunately, rising from my seat and dashing out of the square to escape the boredom would be considered unacceptable behavior. Just like my behavior that day one year ago, when I asked the teacher a bold question about what it was like outside Refugia.
"..."
Pfft. I couldn't help but scoff.
The loudspeaker blared on, rubbing salt on our wounds.

"Kim was wise. She built an ark of hope in this wasteland of danger, uncertainty, and barbarism. This is Refugia. Our home, our sanctuary. A city we must protect together."

Here?
Refugia is a cage.
But there might be a kernel of truth there. For some, it could be the safest city in the world. A warm and cozy home. But not for me. I have no family, no friends. Nobody who watched me grow up, nobody to remember me or my insignificant existence. I have no one to lean on, so for me...
"Joan?" Someone suddenly called my name.
This is unusual. Surprised, I turned around. The first thing I spotted was a sheepish face. It was a girl with curly hair and freckles, studying my expression.
Her face was familiar. She was in the same grade and class as me, but I can't remember her name.
"Who are you...?" I asked. Her freckled face became flushed with embarrassment.
"Huh? Oh, I'm Yojae."
Ah, that's it. She was a quiet and timid girl, but she was also curious, and she got along well with many other students. I've often felt jealous of her for that. But I'd never spoken to her before.
Probably because I was jealous. I zipped my jacket up to the top and answered her coldly without thinking.
"Lot's of prying eyes here. Are you okay with that?"
"Huh? You mean talking to you?"
"Yeah. If you're seen with me, they might treat you like you're invisible, too."
"But Sena told me to make sure you come today."
"Sena said that...?" That snobby student president? Why?
Yojae's reply made sense immediately.
"Well, the iPS Testing Team is supposed to meet today. You weren't at the preliminary meeting."
"..."
Oh, that's right.
That was today.
I frowned. I had been looking forward to today, but I also hoped that it would never come. I voluntarily registered for it because I had to. But just the thought of being with a group of chatty girls gave me a headache.
And to be honest, it made me anxious.
Will I be able to get through it? Is it going to be awkward?
I clenched my fists inside my jacket pockets. At that moment, I felt relieved that I had zipped my jacket all the way up. I thought I could hear the necklace speak to me in its strange voice.
"..."
The memory came suddenly.
It happened several days ago. I came across a strange necklace in a corner of the old library. Then too, I heard a strange voice whispering. At first, I thought I was imagining things, but I wasn't. The necklace was definitely whispering to me.
"..."
Why did I do that? Why did I reach out to the necklace, as if lured by its voice? I shouldn't have put it on, and I've regretted it ever since.
Because the necklace wouldn't come off. No matter what I did, I couldn't take it off. It was so absurd that I was dumbfounded. I tugged as hard as I could and even used a stick to try and break the chain, but it was no use. It was as if the necklace was stuck to me with superglue. It wouldn't budge.
I had no idea what was going on. All I knew for sure was that the necklace was not normal.
I have to keep this hidden...
I was already the official school pariah. But if word got out that I had some sort of weird, unremovable necklace, things would only get worse. Everybody would point and gawk at me. I'd be stranger than ever before. Just the thought of it made my skin crawl.
That's why I had to find a way to take it off. After four days of deliberation, I decided to sign up for the iPS Testing Team. I accidently came across a flier in the hallway.
I heard the iPS is a device that uses data to establish spatial coordinates for all of Refugia.
It can also be used to look up any place and event happening in the city for the safety of the citizens.
With this, I may be able to find a way. I decided to be hopeful, and I mustered up the courage to interact with the other girls. Before I knew it, the eulogy was over. The time to put my courage to use was fast approaching.

***

"Good, everyone's here on time. The four of us here are the initial testing team, right?"
The first girl to welcome me as I entered the classroom was Sena. Well, it wasn't so much a welcome as a lukewarm hello. It felt like she was just checking attendance.
That's probably it. Sena, the student president, was like that. Her hair was up in a neat ponytail with zero loose strands. This reflected her personality. As did her searching eyes behind her glasses and her formal manner of speech.
"Shall we sit down? Do you all know what kind of system the iPS is?"
"Of course. My mom laid the foundation for that program."
A short girl with shoulder length hair plopped down in the chair opposite Sena. It was Dabi, who'd never lost her distinction as the top student at our school.
Amused, I looked around the room. It was an odd group of girls.
Sena, the student president, was the granddaughter of Kim, the city's founder. Naturally, her family was the most respected in the city. Then there was Dabi, top student and daughter of the legendary programmer. Yojae was shy, but she got along well with everyone. Her kindness made her popular.
Then there was me.
The school's official outsider.
Do I even belong here?
"..."
The thought made me a little blue. I felt like I was in the wrong place. Like maybe I had pushed my way in where I wasn't wanted. I felt awkward. What if my presence alone ruins the mood?
"Joan?" Sena suddenly called my name.
The moment I heard her voice, I made a decision. If she asks why I'm here, or says that it might be difficult to have me in the team, I'll pretend like I don't care. I'll tell her that I didn't plan on coming in the first place because of something going on at home, but that I decided to drop by briefly out of courtesy. I did register, after all. Then, I'll say I should get going. And I'll reassure them that I'm fine before I leave.
I hoped that no one would catch on and that my face wouldn't turn red.
I prayed dearly and tried to muster the courage to go through with my plan.
But Sena said something else.
"What are you doing?"
"Huh...?"
"Here."
"..."
Sena pointed to the seat next to her. My eyes traveled to the empty chair. Was she telling me to sit there?
She was, surprisingly.
"Let's get started."
"Oh, okay," I said, and sat down hesitantly.
Is it really okay that I'm here? Luckily, no one seemed to be looking at me or noticing anything. As I tried to settle in, Sena took something out of her bag.
"Look, guys. I got this from the principal earlier."
"The iPS?" asked Yojae.
Sena nodded.
I looked at the iPS, now placed on the table. It was a cube the size of a fist. Such a small device could apparently show all spatial information of Refugia in real time. It was captivating.
Sena continued.
"This is a trial version, of course. Due to the program restrictions, it only searches within our school. But that should be sufficient. We're here to test this trial version to see if the iPS is operating properly and to find any errors. That is the scope of our job."
I marveled at how eloquent Sena could be. Sena's personality was nearly even more interesting than the functions of the iPS.
But not all of us felt the same way.
"What? A trial version?" Dabi said, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Did you just say there might be an error? With the iPS? The program my mom created? That's impossible."
Apparently, Dabi took great pride in the legacy her mother left behind. She continued. "My mom gave her whole life to the iPS.
And she always said that the final version was already finished, that it was ready to be used. She told me that when I was little, but you're saying all we have to work with is a trial version?"
"Dabi-" Sena began.
"I can't accept that."
"But Dabi," Sena said more firmly.
Her voice was still calm, but I could hear a note of determination. Her expression remained composed, unwavering.
"Dabi. I understand how you feel, but we also have to consider the perspectives of those who worked on this after your mother. The teacher also said that testing it is the top priority."
"I know, but still. It's frustrating."
"Frustrating?"
"Yeah."
Sena was steadfast, but Dabi would not back down.
"The iPS is already finished. Isn't it a waste of time to test a mere trial version?"
"Then what do you want to do?"
"Remove the restrictions," Dabi said confidently.
She went on to explain. "You said this has programmatic restrictions. It's simple. We can release the program lock. Then we can use all functions of the completed version without any restrictions and test it out."
"But the teacher told us to test out the trial version."
"If we test the complete version, it includes all the functions of the trial version so it shouldn't matter, right?"
"..."
"Besides, if we have to do additional tests later on, it will be a waste of our time and effort. We'll probably be praised for taking the initiative."
"I don't know," said Sena. She looked worried.
I thought Dabi was getting too ahead of herself. She was overconfident, and it felt like she'd crossed the line.
But I liked her attitude, because I had to find a way to get this necklace off.
Using the final version instead of the trial version would increase my odds for finding a solution.
"I agree with Dabi," I said.
"..."
Everyone turned to face me. I remained silent, wondering if I had made a mistake. "Uh, um, me too..." Someone else spoke up just then.
It was Yojae, her hand raised. She looked back at everyone, a timid smile on her face.
"I think it'll be fun if we go along with what Dabi's suggesting. And I'm curious."
"..."
Sena remained quiet. Was she thinking this through? She wasn't silent for long.
"Okay, fine. If that's what you guys think," she said with a tone of resignation.
She decided to go with the majority, but Sena was still going to be meticulous about it.
"But Dabi, is it really possible to remove the restrictions on the trial program?"
"Of course."
Dabi, now triumphant, readily pulled the iPS close to her and began operating it. With a whirring sound, the cube opened diagonally. Then, Dabi began skillfully tapping away at the screen and control panel that were exposed with her nimble fingers.
"It's the same version my mom made." Dabi smiled.
But I got the sense that her smile wasn't all happy. Maybe Dabi was remembering her mother.
But I couldn't say for sure.
Suddenly, Dabi's fingers started moving fast.
And then faster and faster, her fingers were nearly a blur. She tapped the screen without hesitation. This was a person who was exceedingly familiar with the device.
For a time, we sat waiting.
"It's done..." As soon as Dabi's finger touched the "Execute" icon, we saw the "Restrictions Removed" notification pop up on the screen.
That's when it all began.
Me and Sena.
Dabi and Yojae.
Ordinarily, the four of us would have never been together in the same room. But here we were, and scenes we could never have even imagined began to unfold before us. It was also the start of a long journey that none of us could have ever dreamed of.

Original story: HYBE
Co-planning: HYBE / NAVER WEBTOON