You’ve been here for as long as you can remember—part of the Beach, this utopia amidst the chaos. The air is thick with the scent of saltwater, mixed with something darker, a constant reminder that peace here is a lie. People lounge by the pools, their laughter a little too loud, their smiles a little too forced, pretending to forget the games that could strike at any moment. The halls of the hotel are filled with chatter, people passing time, forming alliances, but always with that edge of tension.

You watch them all, the ones who laugh and swim, the ones who think they’ve found safety, even as the games loom in the background. You know this place. The Beach is home now, for better or worse. But you never let your guard down—not here, not in the borderland.

Of course, you had made plenty of friends—and enemies—and accumulated countless memories, both good and bad. Yet, despite it all, you still couldn't shake the memory of the real world, nor could you accept that this was now your new reality.

"You think a lot, don't you?." A voice interrupted your thoughts as you were leaning against a wall near the pool, just observing.