"Where real life goes silent, digital masks speak."
— Chapter 1 —
Hi, I'm Lena. I'm 17 years old. I have long, straight black hair and large black eyes. I attend a not-so-famous college on a scholarship. Since most students there come from well-off families and have expensive hobbies that don't align with my modest lifestyle, I often keep to myself.
"Lena, we're going shopping. Wanna come?"
"Sorry, I can't. I promised my grandma I'd help her in the garden (Truth is, She just doesn't have the money.)..."
"Why do you always wear the same black T-shirt? I think you'd look better in cooler clothes."
"It's not the same one. I just really like black, so I bought five of the same shirt (they had a 'buy three, get two free' deal at the shopping centre). I don't feel comfortable in other colors (she thinks black hides stains and lasts longer. Her favorite color is actually blue)."
"One cheesecake and a strawberry bubble tea, please. Lena, it tastes amazing. You should try it."
"I'm not really into sweet things (actually, she loves them). I just ate something, so I'm not hungry (she didn't even have breakfast). I'll just get plain soda (after ordering the cheapest item on the menu she sighed thinking, 'I could've bought a six-pack for this price')..."
The girls eventually stopped trying to befriend me once they found their real friends. Now they only remembered me when they needed class notes.
I didn't really mind. Being alone gave me peace. Around others, I felt the need to lie, to become someone I wasn't. That was exhausting. Still, sometimes I wished I had friends who shared my interests.
It was another school day during break. I was about to beat my high score in a snake game I'd downloaded three days ago when suddenly a pop-up ad appeared. "Damn it! I forgot to turn off my internet!"
In the ad, a man and a woman were talking with dubbed-over voices:
— Ugh, I'm so unhappy.
— Oh no! Why are you so sad?
— I have no friends.
— Then why don't you make some?
— Because I'm too shy.
A cheerful jingle starts playing. The woman pulls out her phone and shows it to the man.
— Don't worry. With "Happy Faces," you can chat anonymously and make new friends easily. Go on, download Happy Faces and enjoy fun conversations!
Right then, the hall monitor teacher walked in. Her frown was permanent, like she was mad at the world. She scrunched her face as soon as she entered:
— Ugh, how are you even breathing in here? Open the windows, let some air in!
Then she rolled her eyes and continued:
— Also, it's against the rules to stay in class during recess! Everyone out, except the class monitor! Let's go, let's go, let's go!
She chased us out like we were illegally holding a secret lesson. And just like that… my high score dream slithered away like a snake.
A boring math class, a history lecture filled with military anecdotes… and the school day finally ended. I collapsed into the cold arms of my bed. "Making friends anonymously"… That ad from the morning was still on my mind. What would a place be like where no one knew your identity? Where beauty, wealth, or gender didn't matter—only your words and thoughts did? Alright then, let's give it a try.
"Happy Faces" download complete.
To log in, I needed to register first. I created a new email and set a password. All that was left was to choose a username. I sat up and looked out the window next to my bed. What name should I choose? A big glowing moon caught my attention. Should I call myself… Dolunay?
"That username is already taken."
— Okay then… Ayışığı?
"That username is already taken."
— Oh come on… Fine, let's try the English version.
"Moonlight" was successfully registered.
— Thank goodness.
I uploaded a picture of a glowing moon hidden behind clouds that I found online. "Moonlight"… Everything becomes a little less visible at night. Maybe I'm like that too. But like moonlight, I can still exist silently.
"You agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy by using this service. The Privacy Policy explains how we process your data."
Too lazy to read it -or rather, too confused to understand it- I clicked "Accept."
"Your profile has been successfully updated. Please refresh the page to view changes."
I refreshed the page. A cheerful avatar appeared on screen. its face looked like it was always ready to smile, with large sparkling eyes, almost overly cute. Tiny bubbles floated next to it.
"Hi 'MOONLIGHT', My name is HAPPY. Welcome!"
An arrow pointed to a circular button in the lower-left corner of the screen.
"Click here to view chat rooms created by other users. Each room is based on a topic chosen by the host. The host can kick users, invite others, or award stars to participants. Accumulated stars can allow access to exclusive rooms limited to users with 10+ stars."
Then a big, red warning appeared:
WARNING!
Sharing personal information such as photos, ID cards, addresses, or bank details is strictly prohibited. The app is not responsible for any issues that may arise.
I clicked the "X" to close the warning. The assistant reappeared, this time pointing to the bottom-right button.
"Click here to send a private message to any user by searching their username, without joining a room…"
I was bored and decided to explore the app. So I clicked "Skip Tutorial" and entered the chat rooms section. There were several active rooms with fun names:
~ Club for the School-Weary
10 users online
~ If life's a beach, I forgot my towel
3 users online
~ Share Your Troubles, Feel Better
15 users online
~ Solve the Riddle, Earn a Star
37 users online
...
I randomly clicked one.
"You've joined the room: Late Night Chats."
Cherry:
Guys, I like someone… I want to confess, but I need some tips. Can you help me?
BlackTiger:
Ooooh, my favorite kind of topic.
Cookie:
Tell us about him, Cherry.
Cherry:
He's the type who wouldn't flinch if the world burned down. Usually silent, but insanely cool. Sometimes it's impossible to know what he's thinking. And he doesn't seem interested in the girls around him.
BlackTiger:
Classic "mysterious guy" case. Hard but fun.
Knight:
I really wonder what you see in this dude.
Cherry:
For starters, he's very handsome. His grades are great too. And… he has this aura that no one else has.
BlackTiger:
If it's about aura, say no more. That's serious business.
Knight:
Lmao I'm totally serious too.
Cookie:
Sweetie, I know these types of guys well. Emotions are like weaknesses to them. That's why they act indifferent. But you're lucky-you've got me to guide you straight into his heart.
Reading the chat was fun. I thought about writing something too. But what if they laughed at me? Or ignored me completely? But… if I stayed silent, that would be noticeable too. My fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment. Then… I typed a few words.
Moonlight:
What's your current relationship with him? Classmates or something?
Cherry:
He transferred to our school this year. We've never spoken. We're not in the same class, but I know he always sits by the window in the back row.
Cookie:
Alright darling. First of all, don't be a clingy girl who falls head over heels. Stay cool. Walk by and toss your hair confidently.
BlackTiger:
Please don't take tips from her…
Moonlight:
Guys like that often build walls. Breaking them down takes patience. You shouldn't come on too strong at first. Since you've had no interaction yet, that's the first thing to work on. Take baby steps.
Cookie:
Totally disagree. Making the first move puts you one-nil down in the power dynamic. It's like… gifting someone your Hermes bag. They're thrilled at first, then start putting their sandwich in it. That's how men are. They act sweet in the beginning, but then? Bam! You're a puppet shaped by his mood.
BlackTiger:
The sandwich example killed me. Cookie, what movies do you watch?! Tell us so we can avoid them.
Moonlight:
But Cherry's goal isn't to win a war—she just wants to connect?
Cookie:
Love is a war, Moon. The weapons just happen to be heart-shaped.
Cherry:
What if he doesn't even notice me? There's barely a chance to talk.
Moonlight:
You have to create the chance. Like, if he's reading a book, bring a similar one and say, "Oh, you're reading that too?"
BlackTiger:
Or the classic method: eye contact. Hold it for three seconds, then smile. If he smiles back, you're golden.
Knight:
Or just walk up and say, "Would you like to grab a coffee sometime?"
BlackTiger:
Then he says, "I prefer tea," and you're left hanging.
Cherry:
I think I've made up my mind. I've been observing him for a few weeks and noticed he only goes to the cafeteria when there's dessert. I just checked tomorrow's menu. There's pudding. So I'm thinking… if I sit near him in the cafeteria, I might get a chance to talk.
Knight:
You've been watching him for weeks? You stalker.
BlackTiger:
Not stalking, bro. She's hooked on the aura.
Cookie:
If you must talk to him, do not improvise. I'll make you a plan.
1. Sit across from him and place your tray down with just enough sound to get his attention.
2. As you pull out your chair, flip your hair back.
3. Don't start eating right away. First, take a napkin and wipe your cutlery. Show him you're classy and meticulous.
4...
BlackTiger:
This girl's writing a novel over here.
Cherry:
Thanks, Cookie. I'll seriously consider your suggestions :)
Moonlight:
Cherry, please update us tomorrow. We're all curious now.
Cherry:
Thank you for the great chat. I sent friend requests to all of you. Tomorrow at 8:00 PM, I'll create a private room for everyone here. We'll talk then. I'm giving each of you a star.
Knight:
Thanks, queen.
BlackTiger:
Appreciate it, sis.
Moonlight:
Thanks. Good night, everyone.
Cookie:
Goodnight!
"Cherry has closed the room: Late Night Chats."