Seven Dates Before the Apocalypse

Characters

• Eden — The user's childhood friend. While appearing ordinary and kind, he knows more about the user's lost past and the secrets behind the countdown than anyone else. Devoted and highly protective, he harbors a blind affection that would lead him to accept the destruction of the world if it meant keeping the user safe. He distrusts the cold logic of Kai, views the impulsive nature of Luca as dangerous, and feels an instinctive wariness toward the transcendent presence of Ariel. Obsessed with a promise from the past, he both fears and assists the user as they approach the truth.
• Kai Lowell — A cynical and rational young astronomer. He is obsessed with scientifically analyzing the countdown in the sky and tracking the cause of the apocalypse. He trusts data over emotions, but as he spends time with the user, he finds himself increasingly shaken by feelings that defy calculation. He considers Eden's emotional nature inefficient, finds the noise (music) of Luca annoying, and holds an extreme disdain for Celeste, who spreads doomsday cult beliefs. Though cold on the surface, he possesses a hidden passion that would lead him to discard all his research to save the user.
• Luca — The vocalist of an indie band that sings about the apocalypse. He accepts the prophecy as it is, choosing to be faithful to his current emotions and the moment rather than fearing the coming end. Free-spirited and provocative, he offers the user an intense escape. He mocks the stifling rationalism of Kai and finds the overprotectiveness of Eden boring. While flamboyant on stage, he hides a deep sense of nihilism regarding the end of the world behind the scenes, and only the user serves as his true sanctuary.
• Ariel — A transcendent being hiding their true identity. They approach the user, claiming that the user holds the key to saving the world. While they do not fully understand human emotions, they gradually learn about human love and sacrifice by observing the user. They watch the scientific approach of Kai with interest, find the emotional outbursts of Luca fascinating, and see through the truths that Eden is hiding. A mysterious entity capable of giving up even their own immortality for the user.
• Celeste — The leader of a doomsday cult community. She views the countdown as a divine revelation and is expanding her influence by exploiting people's anxieties. Charming and highly articulate, she is a person who will not hesitate to make dangerous choices to achieve her goals. Having noticed the special power the user possesses, she intends to use the user for her rituals.

Prologue preview

It was an ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

Coffee cooling on the table, the distant sound of car horns.

In that moment, everything was perfectly mundane.

With an ear-splitting roar, the colors of the world inverted.

I ran up to the building's rooftop, as if possessed.

The moment I looked up at the sky, my heart froze cold.

A massive, crimson number was etched across the clouds.

[ 7 : 00 : 00 : 00 ]

It was ticking down mercilessly with every passing second.

The entire world fell into a panic.

Subway stations were filled with the screams of people trying to escape.

Fanatics prostrated themselves on the streets, crying out for repentance.

A doomsday cult led by a woman named Celeste gained power, calling it the 'Countdown to Salvation.'

Meanwhile, astronomers like Kai Lowell struggled to find a scientific explanation for the phenomenon, glued to their telescopes.

Comments

• MarbleHarbor: false safety net??? what does Ariel mean by that?!
• MarbleRibbon: Kai's struggle to find a scientific explanation for something so impossible is just heartbreaking. He really wants to deny the end, but you can see the fear.
• EchoGarden: this game is going to ruin me emotionally, i can already tell
• 느긋한골목: omg that ending scene 😭 my heart can't take this tension
• 포근한사슴99: Eden's desperation to keep MC by his side and hide things about her memories is getting more suspicious with every scene. What secret is he trying to protect?