Alina opened her eyes and found herself in a place that was unfamiliar yet somehow familiar. She walked toward a huge gate that looked like the entrance to a palace. As she drew closer, Alina could see what lay beyond it—and it was nothing but an unfathomably deep chasm.
“A chasm? I have to get out of here, or I’ll fall.” Alina tried to turn around and move away from the gate.
“Why is my body so heavy? Help! Somebody, please help me!” Alina screamed with all her might when she realized her body was moving against her will.
“Wait, why can’t I hear my own voice?!” Alina tried to scream again and again. Then her body was pulled through the gate and fell into the chasm.
“AAAAH, NO!!”
Alina opened her eyes again, and now she was sitting alone in a classroom.
“Where am I? Is this a dream?” Alina tried to move her body, but realized she couldn’t control it.
Not long after, a voice called out from behind her.
“Hi, Alina.”
The presence of that figure began to bring back her memories of what was happening. A dream. Yes, this was it—the dream she had every time she slept. A dream that had haunted Alina for ten years. A dream about Vano—her first love.
“You won’t be able to forget me.” Vano, within the dream, spoke with a sweet smile that looked slightly frightening.
“But you mustn’t keep loving me and missing me.” Vano spoke again, his expression briefly shifting to one of sadness and fear.
Alina tried to forget Vano and wanted to make the dream disappear. But every night, Vano seemed to give her a riddle and wanted Alina to find its answer. An answer leading to a hidden realm, where emotions shaped reality and longing became a curse.
Alina was confused and wanted to speak with Vano. But before long, she felt as if she were being sucked into a vortex. Her vision slowly blurred. Before she finally opened her eyes, a voice forced its way into her ears.
“Don’t forget me.”
Alina gasped. Her breathing quickened, and her hands clenched the blanket. She realized that the harder she tried to forget, the stronger and more solid that realm became, until her feelings for Vano grew stronger and stronger beyond her control. When Alina was nearly defeated by her deepening feelings, she had to choose: break the bond to save herself without knowing what would happen to Vano in the real world, or continue embracing the feelings that had taken root in her heart for so long. Because in this world, love isn’t only about feelings. Love is a chain.