Chapter 1: Strange Love Comedy

The world’s largest game developer, Neo Planet, is a massive company that has consistently produced hits across various genres such as MMORPGs, dating simulations, and virtual reality (VR) games.

Inspired by the global popularity of Korean culture, including K-dramas and K-pop, Neo Planet decided to develop a Korean-style romantic comedy game.

As soon as the company’s game launch date was announced, many Korean otakus celebrated with fireworks and excitement.

After finishing my workout, the first thing I did upon returning home was press the power button on my computer.

December 31.

The launch day of “Love is War!”—a game made by Neo Planet.

Romantic comedy games were typically set in Japan, but this time, the setting was Korea.

As an otaku, I couldn’t help but feel excited.

After quickly finishing my shower, I completed the purchase and eagerly waited for the game to open.

***

At exactly 9 PM, I logged into the server as the game launched.

A dazzling opening video and the game’s logo appeared on the screen.

[Love is War!]

The cute pink font was accompanied by grand background music and scenes that seemed to perfectly capture the essence of “K-drama aesthetics.”

The clips sped past, showcasing the game’s vibe.

“This is seriously amazing,” I murmured.

The graphics and direction were spectacular.

The familiar and vibrant backgrounds.

The charming, multidimensional characters.

The opening sequence showcased the meticulous quality of the world’s largest game developer.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Leaning back in my gaming chair, I clapped like a seal before diving into the game.

***

[All characters appearing in this game are adults and based on fiction…]

I shook my head at the familiar warning message.

“Looks like Neo Planet couldn’t escape K-regulations either,” I muttered, quickly skipping the warning.

The next screen displayed a choice menu.

1. An all-girls K-Academy, where I am the only male.
2. A co-ed K-Academy.

‘Oh, Neo Planet, I worship you. My light, my salt, my savior.’

This was clearly a no-brainer.

The first option was the dream—every man’s fantasy.

A paradise where, just by attending school, girls would swarm around me with morning greetings and lunchboxes.

A fantastical world overflowing with lucky mishaps and “oops” moments straight out of a harem genre.

‘Definitely option 1.’

Without hesitation, my finger moved as if bewitched and selected option 1.

Click.

The screen changed, revealing a four-story modern building with white bricks and glass windows.

Two cherry blossom trees stood opposite each other at the front gate, scattering petals in a picturesque scene.

At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary, beautiful school.

“Wait…?”

But something felt off.

The well-maintained lawn and track were impeccable.

Yet, on that pristine field, rows of students sat lined up, all staring at me as if they had been waiting.

“Wow, it’s a guy?”

“He actually came?”

“Isn’t this against the rules? I thought boys couldn’t enroll!”

My heart sank as a terrible realization hit me.

‘What is this…?’

At that moment, a system message appeared in the center of the screen.

[Warning: Enrollment Condition Error Detected.]

[Disciplinary procedures are being initiated due to a violation of school regulations.]

The screen darkened, and a single phrase appeared.

[Bad Ending: Protest and Expulsion]

***

I rubbed my face, convinced it was a dream, but the unchanging system message confirmed that this was indeed an ending.

“Damn, this is so absurdly realistic, it’s almost laughable.”

I chose the co-ed K-Academy option and continued the game.

For days, I was glued to my computer, desperately trying to clear the game.

It felt as though the developers had turned a romantic comedy into a living nightmare.

The entire day was spent watching the heroines’ every move, one wrong dialogue choice could plummet their affection, and one misstep could obliterate their trust.

There were traps everywhere, leading directly to bad endings.

‘This isn’t a sweet romantic comedy; it’s practically a dark fantasy!’

I made up my mind.

I was going to delete this wretched game.

But before that, there was something I absolutely had to do.

I needed to leave a heartfelt review for the developers who created this atrocious game.

I had to prevent any more victims like myself.

***

“Why are the reviews like this…?”

★- “Masterpiece. A realistic dating simulation that keeps you on edge. I’ve never sweated playing Dark Souls, but my mouse and controller are drenched.”

★- “Captures the reality of life-altering conversations perfectly. Excellent for studying relationships.”

★★- “Absolutely infuriating. Why did they even make this? But I can’t stop playing.”

★★- “Highly recommended for nerds. Great for overcoming high school PTSD.”

The suspiciously high ratings and reviews left me dumbfounded.

I stared at them for a while before smacking my forehead in disbelief.

“These devils… They didn’t want to suffer alone.”

The review section was filled with what could only be described as bait reviews.

They had written positive ratings and comments to lure others into playing the game.

You’d usually see this kind of thing in broken or ultra-difficult dark fantasy games, but to witness it in a romantic comedy game?

One thing was clear—this game was a landmark creation of its time.

***

I grabbed my keyboard.

‘If I leave a misleading review, I’ll be no better than these baiters.’

The thought of more innocent victims drove me forward.

‘Right. I would write the truth.’

‘The absolute truth.’

[This game is not a romantic comedy. It’s emotional labor worse than reality. The AI heroines will emotionally drain you. One wrong choice can ruin a relationship, and one mistake sends you straight to a bad ending. If you can’t handle stress and confusion, do not start this game.]

I hovered my mouse over the game’s icon.

[Love is War!]

“I didn’t think they’d turn it into an actual war. Goodbye.”

I pressed the delete button with all my might and collapsed onto my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

A game I thought I could finish in a day ended up consuming over a week of sleepless nights.

And still, I couldn’t see the ending.

Even among the countless reviews, not a single person claimed to have reached the conclusion.

“I should’ve just gone to the gym instead.”

I felt uneasy but forced myself to move on.

“No, deleting it was the right decision. Who cares about the ending?”

Convincing myself, I closed my eyes.

But the heroines’ voices still echoed in my head.

“Damn it…”

I buried my face in my pillow and curled up.

Suddenly, I felt a weight pressing on me.

A familiar female voice spoke next.

“Time to wake up, big brother.”

The overly sweet tone, straight out of a romantic comedy, tickled my ears.

‘Wait, isn’t this from Love is War…?’

I shot up in panic.

“What the—?!”

My vision was blurry.

Someone placed glasses on my face, bringing the scene into focus.

Sitting on top of me was a brown-haired girl with a ribbon, her mischievous smile lighting up her delicate features.

Her sharp facial features, the slight curl of her lips—

It was Kim Harin.

One of the heroines from Love is War! and the younger sister of the protagonist, Kim Dohyun.

Except, she wasn’t blood-related—she was his stepsister.

I had dismissed it as a cliché-filled romantic comedy at first glance.

“You’re still sleeping? What are you doing, big brother?”

Harin, still perched on top of me, crossed her arms and pouted.

‘Wait, isn’t this the beginning of the game?’

I quickly looked around.

A desk, a wardrobe, and through the window, cherry blossoms fluttering around a schoolyard.

Everything was identical to the opening scene of the game.

‘No way… Did I actually end up inside the game?’

Harin tilted her head, her gaze sharpening.

“Your reaction’s different today, big brother.”

Her suspicious eyes locked onto me as she reached for my collar.

My heart sank.

“Do you… have something you’re hiding?”

The words sounded playful, but there was an unnerving undertone to her voice.

Harin’s character setting—

A yandere.

The moment her affection level hit zero, she would mercilessly kill the protagonist.

Having seen her hidden route before, I knew just how dangerous this situation was.

My heart pounded wildly.

‘If this crazy yandere finds out I’ve been possessed…?’

Harin’s lips curled as she stared at my silence.

“This is so strange. So strange. This isn’t how you usually act, big brother. So strange.”

Damn it.

Her eerie muttering sent chills down my spine.