Chapter 1:

A girl with long, snow-white hair walked alone along the dimly lit sidewalk, her footsteps barely audible against the hum of the city night. Neon signs flickered overhead, casting shifting colors across her sleek, asymmetrical combat outfit—a striking blend of form and function. A fitted white chest plate hugged her torso, its high collar and black trim lending a sharp, futuristic edge. Her sides were partially exposed, revealing smooth skin beneath the armor. Around her waist fluttered a layered black skirt with vivid orange accents, its asymmetry mirrored by her legwear: a thigh-high stocking on one leg, the other bare save for a short boot. Fingerless gloves gripped the cold night air, and a long orange ribbon trailed behind her like a comet's tail.

Her blue eyes, clear and unreadable, gazed ahead as she walked.

She had awoken hours ago in a shadowed, narrow alley—cold, damp, and unfamiliar. The memory of how she got there was a haze. One moment, she had been playing Honkai Impact on her device… the next, everything went black.

And then she opened her eyes.

But the reflection that stared back from a shattered mirror wasn't hers.

It was Kiana. Void Drifter battle suit. A body she knew only from the game. And yet, when she tried to recall her real name—her true self—it slipped through her fingers like water. No matter how hard she tried, the past was blank.

So she borrowed the name: Kiana, until she could remember who she really was.

Now, wandering beneath the urban glow of streetlamps and passing headlights, Kiana kept her head down. The city was unfamiliar. The buildings, the signs, the faces of passing strangers—none sparked recognition. But if anyone noticed her peculiar attire, they didn't show it. They simply walked by, consumed by their own lives.

At least that told her one thing—she was still in a modern world.

Maybe.

Her gaze drifted upward to the stars, then down to her stomach as it gave a quiet, insistent growl. Hunger. A simple, grounding sensation amidst the surreal chaos.

It had been hours since she started walking, aimless but searching. She needed information. Answers. Was this her world? A parallel version? A world ripped from certain fiction?

She sighed, the sound lost in the night breeze.

A car whooshed past, stirring her hair. She turned slightly to watch it vanish down the street. Its design, the brand, the language on the signs—familiar. Or at least familiar enough to navigate.

She took a deep breath and pressed forward, footsteps steady. She couldn't afford fear.

A light drizzle began to fall, its pattering gentle at first, almost soothing.

Around her, people picked up their pace, umbrellas snapping open or jackets pulled tightly around shoulders as they hurried to escape the coming downpour. Kiana stood still among the movement, her white hair already catching the rain like strands of silk. She stretched out a hand, palm up, watching the cold droplets gather and roll across her skin.

Cold…She slowly curled her fingers into a fist.

Turning her gaze forward, she began walking briskly, searching for shelter. Her boots splashed lightly against the pavement as the rain intensified. Soon, she spotted a bus stop up ahead—its awning offering a modest refuge from the worsening storm.

Kiana stepped beneath it, the cool metal above her shielding her from the sky's growing fury. She stood there for a moment, watching the rain as it began to pour in earnest, drenching the streets in silver curtains.

Then her attention shifted to a large digital billboard across the street. The screen flickered through ads before settling on the time.

21:00.The city continued moving, but here at the bus stop, Kiana was alone.

She slowly sat on the bench, drawing her knees to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs. The quiet rhythm of raindrops tapping the metal shelter and splashing into puddles filled the silence. It should've been calming.

But then—pain.

A sharp stab lanced through her right eye without warning. Kiana gasped, her hand flying to her face.

It didn't stop.

The world around her seemed to slow—sounds dulled, motion blurred—yet her senses sharpened unnaturally. She could see the raindrops individually now, crystal-clear as they fell, each droplet seemingly suspended in time.

The pain intensified.

She gritted her teeth, biting back a scream, her body trembling. Her eyes flicked downward to a puddle near her feet, its surface rippling from the rain. There, in the broken reflection, she saw herself.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her right eye once a clear blue had turned golden, the pupil now a narrow diamond shape.

What…?

Her thoughts stuttered in shock.

Before she could fully grasp what she was seeing, another wave of agony surged through her skull.

"Arghh—!!"

She doubled over, hands clutching her head, barely holding herself together as the searing pain tore through her. For what felt like ten agonizing minutes, she was lost in it, her body shaking, her vision dancing between clarity and darkness.

And then, just as suddenly as it came, the pain was gone.

Kiana slumped forward, panting heavily, rain still falling around her like static.

Slowly, hesitantly, she looked back down at the puddle.

Her eye normal again. Blue and round pupil. Just like before.

Her fists clenched.

Then, with a frustrated growl, she slammed her hand into the puddle, scattering the reflection and the calm surface that had mocked her confusion.

Why?

That was all she could think. The only question echoing through the storm in her mind.

Why is this happening to me?

Kiana sat beneath the bus stop's metal roof, rain cascading beyond the shelter in sheets of silver. Her mind was a whirlwind—memories slipping, pain lingering in her right eye, and questions echoing in the silence.

She barely noticed the sound of footsteps approaching until they drew close.

Her gaze lifted.

A woman stood there—tall, with long black hair that fell in loose waves, parted by windblown bangs. Her brown eyes were soft, but filled with concern.

"Hey... are you okay?" the woman asked gently, her voice cutting through the rain like a light in the fog.

Kiana opened her mouth, trying to respond, but before any words came, exhaustion surged through her in a crashing wave. Her vision blurred, body swaying.

Then—darkness.

The last thing she heard was that woman's voice, faint and worried, calling out to her.

--------------------------

Soft sheets. The faint scent of lavender.

Kiana's eyes fluttered open, blue irises clouded with haze. She blinked, disoriented, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

A groan escaped her lips as she sat up, wincing. She was lying on a neatly made bed, surrounded by a small, modest room. Wooden floor. Pale wallpaper. Faint glow from a lamp on a side table.

This wasn't where she collapsed.

Her breath quickened—instincts flaring. She quickly checked herself. Clothes—intact. Weapons—still there.

She exhaled in relief.

Then a memory surfaced: the woman with black hair. She must have brought her here.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, the door creaked open.

Kiana's eyes immediately snapped toward it.

The same woman stepped inside, though her hair was now tied up in a loose bun. She held a folded towel in her hands, pausing in the doorway.

"Oh, you're awake," she said with a warm smile. "I was planning to take you to the hospital, but the rain got too heavy… and I don't have a car. So… I brought you to my place. Sorry if it's not very clean."

Kiana just stared at her, the words registering slowly.

Then, almost instinctively, she whispered, "…Pretty."

The woman blinked in surprise before laughing softly. "Well, thank you," she said as she stepped closer and set the towel down.

A beat passed.

"So… did you run away from home?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "You're pretty young to be out wandering alone in this weather. I'm sure your parents are worried."

Kiana lowered her gaze. "I have no home," she murmured. "No family… not here."

The words were simple, but they landed like stones.

"Ah…" The woman froze mid-step, the smile faltering on her lips. A faint drop of sweat slid down the side of her face. She cleared her throat, clearly flustered. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

She quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, I should introduce myself. I'm Jung Heewon."

Korean name… Kiana thought to herself. Is this Korea? But… how can I understand her? And all the signs I saw earlier…

"Hmm?" Heewon tilted her head. "You haven't told me your name yet."

"…Kiana," she said softly.

Heewon's eyes lit up. "Kiana. That's a beautiful name. Your parents must have loved you very much—" She stopped herself mid-sentence, realizing too late how close she was to stepping into sensitive territory again.

Kiana didn't respond at first. Her gaze dropped to her lap, hands clasped tightly.

Her parents truly did love her.

But not her. Not the person who borrowing this name.

Still, she whispered, almost to herself, "They were… loving parents."

She turned her head slightly, her voice barely audible over the patter of rain on the window.

"…Just not mine."

(A/n: Fight for all that's beautiful in the world.)