A sharp pain was sent from the back of their heads as the needle penetrates deep into their hypothalamus for stimulation, causing them to cringe at the stinging pain in their nose, their hands gripped tightly onto the object next to them. As they were transported out of the room once again to another dimension.

Subject No.1: Kim Himchan

Location: Eden’s Garden

‘Himchan Oppa! Hurry!’ She teased, running on the grass bare footed waiting for Himchan to follow her footsteps. ‘Ya! Be careful, don’t cut your legs!’ Himchan chased. He haven’t felt this free, this light hearted in ages. He followed her in the vast greenery, her laughter echoes in the wind that carries her scent. Her hair slips through his hands; he laughs at his own miscue & speeds up to see that it’s a dead end of a cliff at the end of the greenery.‘Jagiya! No!’ He shouted, reaching out to grab her but to only watch her plunge down the cliff laughing away, smiling at him.

‘Oppa! Oppa!’ She shakes Himchan awake. He breaks out in cold sweat. ‘Jagiya! I… I just dreamt that you died.’ He holds her close to him, she smiles like she usually does. ‘It’s all a dream.’ He shakes his head and looked around his surrounding once again. He’s back in the room & she’s still sitting next to him like nothing’s wrong. He sighs with his eyes closed, ‘Nightmare.’

‘No. 1’s Liar’

Subject No.2: Moon Jongup

Location: The Sanctum  

Polished marble floors reflecting off the chandeliers. Warm dimmed lights, she welcomed him with open arms & a bow for a dance, Jongup gladly offered his hands. Under the lights, they dance in each other arms, swinging left to right while she hums to the rhythm of their feet, guiding him where to go.

The lights flickers, the floor shakes. He pulls her waist close to his pelvis causing them to knock; she gasps in shock. Her body was trembling in fear, her nails clinging onto his shirt. ‘It’s alright, love.’ Jongup wraps his arms around her, trying to comfort her. The epicentre spreads across the room causing marbles to crack, losing his balance, she slips through his grip. A high pitch scream resonances as the rattling stops.

Jongup gets on his knees, helplessly searching for her in the darkness; worried. But his worries slowly turned into fear as he realized the ground was once again, smooth and sandy. He wasn’t in the same place as he was; the floor isn’t round and uneven form the rattling, the ground was cold like a marble floor should be. He couldn’t see but he could feel. Something’s not right. She’s not here anymore.

‘No. 2’s Mindless’

Subject No. 3: Choi Junhong

Location: The Night Theme Park, Carousel

Hand in hand, step by step, the dead theme park slowly comes back to life. Music starts playing, the rides start moving. It’s been years since he’s last been into a theme park, for most of his life, Junhong’s been cooped up in his study room, solving problem sums, doing revision, studying ahead of the syllabus. He needed to let loose; have some fun.

‘Junhong-ah! Let’s go!’ She said pointing at the Carousel. ‘I want to ride that.’ He nodded enthusiastically, at least he isn’t spending a day off like this alone. She hands him the teddy bear and runs towards the Carousel, picking her favourite pony she waves at him with big smiles, turning in circles. ‘It’s fun! Come!’ she shouts as the Carousel starts spinning faster & faster.

‘Noona! It’s dangerous! It’s going too fast!’ Junhong yells, he’s slowly losing sight of her. He tries to stop the Carousel but the buttons wasn’t working. He slams hard, halting all operations. The theme park dies down into silence once again, slowly the Carousel spins to its end. She’s no longer there.

‘No. 3’s Follower’

Subject No. 4: Bang Yongguk

Location: Great Discovery Museum  

Artefacts from all over the world, arts works, old typewriters, single lens black & white camera, televisions. Moss Code Messages from World War II. Every single piece holds historical meanings, evolutional evidences showing changes in the way we live, how technology progresses, how history shapes us to become who we are today.

She, who picked up the vintage fold up camera asked him for picture. He looks around, confused, ‘You talking to me?’

‘Yes, Yongguk sshi! Look into the lens & give me your brightest smile.’ She said looking down the lens, telling him to move slightly to the left so he’s at the center of the photograph. ‘Alright! 1, 2, 3, say Kimchi!’

‘Kimchi…’ His deep voice echoes through the museum hallways. His smile awkward & gummy. He hides his face in embarrassment while she giggles as his quirkiness. ‘Let’s see if the photograph turns our well.’ She said, turning her back against him, she walks him into the dark room. She pours the chemicals out onto the tray, soaking the film in a series of chemical baths before washing & drying them on the clothing line. She takes the trays to the room at the back leaving Yongguk waiting for the exposure to take place. Bit by bit, the fog on the picture clears up. He felt the chills travelling down his spine, goosebumps crawling on his skin. There’s nothing but a skeleton right at the center of the photography; it’s supposed to be him. The red lights flickers & he fades into darkness.

‘No. 4’s Empty’

Subject No. 5: Jung Daehyun

Location: Hideout Café

‘You’re next,’ she said, tapping on the chess to get his attention back in the game. ‘Sorry I was looking at the cakes on display.’ Daehyun quickly scanned the chess board to see how many pieces do he have left. ‘Focus, Daehyun. We’re running out of time.’ She reminded him again, the bottom of the hour glass is already half filled. ‘Can we just take a break & have a cake?’ Daehyun whined, hoping some aegyo will get him his way. ‘Nope, you’ve got to finish me first before you can eat anything you want.’ She smirked running her finger down his thighs, he gulped down hard trying to focus back in the game.

This ain’t no Art of Seduction, its mind control. Focus, Daehyun. Focus. He said to himself. Her words repeating in his head, he couldn’t decide if he wanted to have cake or have a piece of her cakes. Her cleavage was right in his face, he couldn’t even think straight. Cakes Cakes Cakes, yes, Chocolate cakes. He bites his lips and lifts Knight in the air, uncertain where to place his guardian chess. The last grain of sand lands down the neck of the hourglass.

‘Time’s up. Your soul is mine.’

‘No. 5’s Indecisive’

Subject No. 6: Yoo Youngjae

Location: Personal Office, Facility Headquarters

Sitting on his desk, admiring his beloved Research Nurse running the stimulatory mind games. He watches how their fear & weaknesses slowly consume themselves into darkness. He anticipates for their break through at the next stage of stimulation. But little did he know, he was already one of them in his trusted Research Nurse's game. His monitor freezes at 10:04 P.M. His rooms starts shaking, toppling his books, sending his paper work all ovet the place. He tries to shake his Nurse up from her sleep but she wasn't responding. 'Wake up! Wake up!' He screams before his world turned into darkness, just like the rest of the subjects. 

‘No. 6’s My Boss, he’s the Fool’

From the moment I walked into this door, sat on this chair. I already had the game running. It’s all in my head; for I am the designer of the dreams, only I know where the exits is. Only I know how many dimensions there is, only I can shape shift any thing into reality. There’s no escape route, no exceptions. You can only make me or break me. The second training starts now. Break it.