Prologue

'Everything was so cold.'

I wanted to say that, but my lips didn't move. My whole body felt like it was paralyzed. 

'Since when was I here?'

Lying there just for the sake of existing, that idea felt so heavy and exhausting at this moment. The white void that tried to engulf me in its embrace seemed to be successful, as I grew numb by the second.

My surroundings were completely blank, empty, without anything to see or feel. 

'Why am I here?'

These kinds of thoughts echoed in the calmness of my mind. The emptiness of the place only increased the biting coldness in my heart. Everything was so painful. 

'How can I get out of here?'

I didn't know. But I wanted to. Something was so painful here, I wanted to go back to my reality. I'm fed up with being caged within my insanity. 

But the most important question was always, 'Do I really want to?'

Being here means something terrible has happened. I wouldn't know the full details, though. Because I was now stranded. 

Wanting to leave this place was normal, but can I afford it? Do I know how? So many questions were left unanswered. 

With every passing moment, my consciousness was fading. 

'What was I supposed to do? I'm so powerless…'

Just as I was about to leave myself completely into my mind, I heard a voice whispering, 

"What if I take your place?"

Hmm…? 

"If you were afraid, if the doubts surrounded you, you need someone by your side to help."

Those words were sweet. But I have no one. I'm completely alone.

"You have." 

They whispered again. And, shaking my head, I objected, 'But I have no one. Who would I possibly have?'

"Yourself. Me."

"Huh…?"

A confused noise escaped past my lips, making me realize I was able to move again. I blinked and slowly sat up. 

The voice seemed to be smiling. 

"I'll help you. Instead of one, let's become two."

The white void, which had been pulling me down since earlier, was retreating.

"Take my hand, and I'll lead you to the right path."

I didn't hate that idea. 

In fact, I felt drowned in it. Why did I need to fight alone? 

Someone else was offering to help me… 

A voice inside me. 

'What could go wrong if I agreed to this?'

The answer was unknown, just like many of my questions. However, I paid no attention to it. 

This time, I willingly jumped into the unknown.