Welcome to the Lonely Gallery

Three years ago.

There were signs in the world.

Humans who could make fire with their fingertips appeared on the news, and a drunk who reached out to a power pole and sucked up all the electricity was arrested.

People jumping between building rooftops or flipping cars with their bare hands were no longer treated as just synthesized videos.

Awakened ones.

One day, suddenly, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠people who gained special powers were called that by the world.

And I was also an awakened one.

There was no great sign before awakening.

I didn't get hit by lightning, nor did I desperately wish for power in a life-threatening situation.

I just woke up one day.

When I opened my eyes, something that didn't exist until yesterday had settled in my mind.

The name of the power.

Immersion.

I immediately realized what the power was.

It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pulls the people who read the stories I write into the story.

It makes readers feel the emotions of the characters as if they were their own.

It wasn't a power that helped in combat.

Nor was it one that spewed fire or electricity.

But I wasn't disappointed.

After all, I hadn't thought of becoming a hero.

I knew how difficult and tiring that would be.

More than anything, I was a timid person.

So, when I realized the power, I was rather relieved.

A power without danger.

In fact, in modern times, if I got a strong power, there wasn't a suitable place to use it properly.

And I knew how to use this power safely.

Web novels.

I'm sorry if I had any expectations, but I had no choice.

I was a science person, and science people find the most efficient answer under given conditions.

If I spewed fire, I would have to take fire safety education.

If I spewed electricity, I would have to get an electrician qualification.

But for writing?

No qualification was needed to write.

It didn't depend on gender, age, or occupation.

I just had to write to captivate readers.

And my power activated if I made people read my writing.

That day, I decided to become a web novel author.

Immediately, I turned on my laptop.

And I wrote.

Chulsoo and Younghee ran.

Nothing happened.

I could tell if the power activated without showing it to others.

When a proper story is completed, there's a sensation like small gears meshing in some part of my head.

Even without actual experience, the sensation about activation remained imprinted.

But right now, even that fine sensation was absent.

"Why?"

Chulsoo was there.

Younghee was there.

They were even running.

All three elements of the sentence were there, but the power didn't react at all.

I stared at the sentences for a long time, then added more to the text.

Chulsoo ran at 4 km/h.

Younghee ran at 5 km/h.

The distance from Chulsoo's house to school is 5 km.

Assume the distance from Younghee's house to school is 7 km.

Calculate the time it takes for the person who arrives at school first among the two to arrive.

The power still didn't react.

Instead, a math problem was completed.

After writing it, I figured out the reason.

This wasn't a story.

Just having characters and actions wasn't enough.

There needed to be why Chulsoo and Younghee were running, what they wanted, what was blocking them, and what changes with that choice.

Beginning.

Process.

Conclusion.

Emotions connecting them.

At least, the conditions to be recognized as a story had to be met for the power to react.

"So, you can't just eat it raw."

I was a bit disappointed.

But it wasn't enough to give up.

The power doesn't write the story for me.

So, I had to write well myself.

Creating a story for someone might be the minimum cutline to become a writer.

But for me?

It would be the cutline for success.

From that day on, my wall training began.

I reduced the time I went out.

I bought rice.

I bought mineral water.

I ordered ramyeon, canned goods, and retort food online.

It was emergency rations prepared because the world was dangerous, but for a writer, it was great because I didn't have to go out to shop during the deadline.

The delivery person would have thought what happened when seeing the boxes stacked in front of the door.

It wasn't a wrong thought.

A man locking himself in his house saying he would become a web novel author was also a kind of incident.

I read a lot.

Wrote a lot.

Erased a lot.

Texts that just listed character names and settings didn't trigger the power.

Even texts that forcibly connected only unhappy events were the same.

But when a character earnestly wanted something, chose to get it, and endured the cost of that choice.

Click-

A small gear meshed in my invisible head.

The power activated.

Every time I felt that sensation, I remembered the sensation, and if it didn't come, I changed direction.

What I realized during that time was.

My power didn't activate for me.

I didn't know how powerful the power actually was.

But it didn't matter.

The evaluation would be proven by readers after starting serialization.

More than anything, the results of my writing were visible visually to me.

As my writing skill improved, the texts where the power activated grew brighter and brighter.

Time passed like that.

I decided on the title of the work.

Prepared the cover.

Wrote the introduction.

Decided the serialization time.

The completed serialization manuscript was just one prologue.

"I can write while serializing from the next chapter."

It wasn't that there was no reserve.

I deliberately left it empty to breathe with readers in real time.

Finally, the day of serialization arrived.

On the laptop screen, the registered work page appeared.

What remained was one button.

Buying a pig's head for a jobless person without money was a luxury.

I opened a can of cola and carefully placed it on the desk.

Clap clap-

"Please make it a big hit."

I placed my finger on the start serialization button.

My gaze turned to the second hand of the clock.

"Ten."

My heart pounded.

"Nine."

Until today, aspiring writer.

"Eight."

From the moment I pressed the button, writer.

"Seven."

Views increase.

"Six."

Like votes attach.

"Five."

Paid version.

"Four."

Make money.

"Three."

Become full-time writer.

"Two."

Even tip money forward.

"One."

I looked at the laptop screen shining brightly in front of me.

It was the moment I was about to press my finger on the space.

Piiiii-

A sharp alarm sound pierced my ears.

Simultaneously, my phone rang.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Not once.

Pii-

Pii-

Disaster alerts covered the screen one after another.

Simultaneously.

Ku gu gu gong!

The entire apartment shook as if kicked from below.

Books fell from the bookshelf.

The cola on the desk fell over, and the laptop screen shook greatly. I reflexively grabbed the desk.

"Earthquake?"

No.

It didn't take long to realize it wasn't an earthquake.

It was different from an earthquake.

It felt like something incredibly heavy walking on the ground.

What gave flesh to my thought was the sound of crying coming through the broken window.

━━━━━━!!!

It was too low and huge to be heard by ears.

My brain felt like it was being scraped from the inside of my skull, and my teeth automatically clashed out of my control.

I somehow staggered and approached the window.

And I saw.

Beyond the city lined with apartments and buildings.

Something so huge that it could be mistaken for a mountain was standing.

The thing's head reached the clouds.

Every time I moved my body a little, buildings collapsed, and dust and flames spread like waves around the black figure.

I didn't make eye contact.

It wasn't even looking this way.

But just looking at it crushed my mind.

Thoughts were muddled.

Only the instinct to run remained.

The laptop fell to the floor behind me.

The start serialization button.

Was never pressed that day.

* * *

"I should have just pressed it then."

"Then? Oppa. The apartment was shaking, so was that the problem?"

"Ha-rin-ah. You don't know the writer's resentment."

I had one friend.

Name was Yoon Ha-rin.

"Ha-rin-ah."

"Why."

"Go out and get something to eat."

"Why me?"

"You ate all of it yesterday."

Ha-rin appeared next to me about a year after the apocalypse.

"Oppa, I'm your imaginary friend."

To be precise, I made her.

Ha-rin's appearance was embedded with the appearances of the girl groups I liked.

Half-moon eyes when smiling, dimples. Pink hair, small stature.

The way of speaking when playing with fans under the stage, and the voice after the song ended, laughing while catching breath.

It was like extracting and compressing only the liked parts from the group.

Looking back now, it seemed like it manifested in a more dangerous direction than loneliness.

The problem was her personality.

I chose the cute speech style.

I didn't remember choosing the part where she looks for me when I don't appear, pouts when I talk about other girls, and insists that my side seat is hers when sleeping.

It was an ad-lib that started without being in the setting of imaginary friend.

It might not be good for mental health, but it increased conversation efficiency.

After all, imaginary friend can't be touched.

I looked at the empty pot with a regretful heart. It was a pot that had been boiled many times until the bottom turned white.

Inside it floated water, salt, and three strands of an unknown herb.

Ha-rin clung to my arm and grimaced.

"Are you trying to eat that? No. If Oppa dies, I disappear too."

"Dandelion."

"It doesn't look like dandelion."

"Then from today, it's dandelion."

"Did you check if it's edible herb?"

Ha-rin stared at me for a long time.

Those eyes knew.

The eyes of someone who saw a guy who did nothing in group assignments in college.

If there was something else, unlike a dull guy, the half-moon eyes, dimples, and the habit of pouting lips were all things I liked.

I didn't think I would be watched with such a face.

But for now, I didn't answer Ha-rin's words.

Instead, I picked up one strand of the herb with chopsticks.

It was slightly squirming.

How does this move?

I pondered for a moment and placed it back in the pot.

"Today is fasting."

"Scaredy-cat Oppa."

"Courage and bravery are a matter of one breath."

"Because there's no that one breath, you've been hiding here for years."

Ha-rin laughed and poked the painful spot deeply.

I turned my head silently.

Behind the bookshelf blocking the window, something was scratching the wall.

Drud-

Drat-

The sound of unknown claws scratching concrete. A hungry mutated creature.

It had been circling around the building for three months. Sometimes it squatted under the window waiting for me to come down.

Amazing patience.

With that much devotion, shouldn't we meet once? Sorry, but I'm a guy who enjoys the chase.

At least, I thought to dodge until that thing starved to death.

At that moment, our eyes met with Ha-rin.

No words, but her thoughts were visible.

After all, my thoughts were soon her thoughts.

"By the way, awakened ones die if hit by a sword."

"Oppa is stronger than normal humans."

"That guy looks stronger than normal humans too."

"I haven't fought it."

"You can tell just by looking. Look at that arm. It's thicker than mine."

"You have four arms?"

"So, it's twice as dangerous."

The body strengthened after awakening saved my life several times over the past three years, but combat ability was a separate issue.

More than anything, my power worked on people who read stories.

Zombies didn't read.

Mutated creatures were the same.

If there was a monster that would happily read a novel, I would have solved it peacefully. I would have handed over the prologue and negotiated to retreat if they wanted the next episode.

But reality's monsters lacked culture.

Drud-

And that was the same for people.

Surprisingly.

People being chased by zombies didn't read novels.

People whose families were eaten by monsters didn't ask who the male lead candidate in romance fantasy was.

In the end, I sealed my power.

Sealing sounds grand, but I just didn't have a use for it.

"I can receive achievement rewards."

"I know."

Awakened ones have achievements. When conditions are met, powers grow or special rewards are given.

For example, these.

[First Hunt]

[Mutated Creature Extermination]

[One vs Many]

[Victory against Strong Opponent]

"Ha-rin-ah."

"Why."

"Do you know what the common point of those achievements is?"

"Kill monsters?"

"Yes. Then, to kill monsters?"

"Become strong."

"To become strong?"

"Receive achievement rewards."

"Then, to receive achievement rewards?"

"Kill monsters."

I spread both hands.

"Perfect logical error."

"It's just that Oppa doesn't want to fight."

"Shh. Don't rush to conclusions."

Ha-rin laughed.

No sound came out.

Because she was an imaginary friend, even laughter was economical.

I checked the bookshelf blocking the window again and lay down on the floor. If I don't move, hunger is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠less felt.

Extreme sleep mode for survival.

When I lay down, Ha-rin looked around the room.

Moldy walls.

Empty mineral water bottles.

Torn sleeping bag.

"But you survived well. I made it too."

"Can this be called surviving?"

It might show between the t-shirt if done well.

Ha-rin continued looking around the room without noticing.

"Since you're still breathing, Oppa wins."

"Who is the opponent?"

"The world? Or the bad women who want to take Oppa?"

"Where are such women."

"None. There won't be any in the future."

Ha-rin smiled happily.

Her words were strangely decisive.

It was when I was raising the field of view in my eyes by letting Ha-rin's voice flow into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one ear.

Beep.

A clear sound rang in the room.

I jumped up.

Ha-rin also looked up.

In front of me, a semi-transparent window appeared.

It was the achievement window that hadn't appeared even once since awakening.

[Achievement achieved.]

I blinked.

I hadn't caught a monster. I hadn't saved a person.

It wasn't like I had made a great discovery either.

The only recent achievement was discovering that adding herbs to salt water made it look like soup. With trembling heart, I read the next sentence.

"……."

Silence fell in the room. I slowly turned to Ha-rin.

"Ha-rin-ah."

"Why."

"Are you canceling the achievement because of me?"

"I keep saying I'm your imaginary friend."

"Does the system have that much flexibility?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

I couldn't answer.

Fortunately, the window didn't disappear. A new sentence followed.

[I have not contacted other survivors for a long period.]

[Experienced complete isolation in the midst of the collapse of civilization.]

[Special conditions met.]

The mouth that was joking closed on its own.

I couldn't remember when I last heard a human voice.

Even on the day I heard gunshots from afar.

Even on the day smoke rose from the opposite building.

Even on the day the lights that were on every night went out one by one.

I didn't count the days.

If I started counting, I would know the day I truly became alone.

The system had finished the calculation I was avoiding.

"...Shit."

"Are you okay?"

The lively voice strangely sank.

I discarded the dirty emotions that had filled the room until just now and smiled faintly.

"I'm not at the level to get comfort from an imaginary friend."

"Then, I don't need to be here."

"That's a bit lonely."

Ha-rin smiled and rested her chin on my shoulder.

No weight was felt.

"Keep being alone so I don't disappear."

She said scary words with a cute face.

I turned my head and looked at the achievement window.

The fact of being alone didn't change.

Then, I had to receive a reward at least.

Sadness doesn't give food, but achievements do.

I tried not to expect. The bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment.

So, I didn't wish for swords or magic.

I curbed my greed.

Yeah. A gun would be enough.

No, since bullets might not be available, a sword is fine too.

Actually, a window wasn't bad. I could keep distance.

Preferably legendary grade.

[A suitable reward is selected for the player.]

I swallowed dryly.

The blue window shone brightly, filling the front view.

[Player information search in progress...]

[Compatibility analysis...]

-Beep!

[Gallery opens.]

"……Gallery?"

"Gallery?"

Both my mouth and Ha-rin's opened at the same time.

But even with our appearance, the system moved according to the cold program given.

Soon, a long rectangular box appeared over the blue window.

[Loading complete.]

[Welcome to the 'Loners' Gallery'.]