MMORPG: REBORN MARK ADVENTURE IN ONLINE GAME

Mark stepped off the bus and walked toward the college building, his hands in his jacket pockets. The admin office wasn't far, but his mind kept turning over possibilities. Academic records? What does that even mean? Grades? Attendance? Did I mess something up?

Pushing open the glass doors, he entered the main hall and made his way toward the administration office. The hallway was quieter than usual—most students were in class, leaving the space feeling strangely empty.

He reached the reception desk, where a middle-aged woman in a formal suit looked up from her computer. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah. I got a call asking me to come in. Mark."

The receptionist typed something, then nodded. "One moment." She picked up the phone and made a quick call. "Yes, he's here… Alright." She hung up and looked at him. "Go ahead. Office 204, down the hall."

Mark gave a nod and walked toward the door, his heartbeat picking up just a little. He wasn't nervous, exactly, but something about the whole thing felt… odd.

Reaching Room 204, he knocked once before pushing the door open.

Inside, a man in his late forties sat behind a desk, flipping through a file. He looked up as Mark entered, offering a polite nod. "Mark. Thanks for coming."

Mark closed the door behind him and sat down. "No problem. What's this about?"

The administrator sighed, setting the file down. "There's been an issue with your records. Specifically, your tuition payment history."

Mark blinked. "What?"

The man folded his hands. "According to our system, the latest tuition installment was never processed. And when we double-checked, there was a discrepancy in the previous records as well."

Mark's brow furrowed. "That's… not possible. I mean, I haven't had any issues before."

The administrator nodded. "That's what we thought too. But when we reviewed the transactions, something didn't add up." He slid a paper toward Mark. "This is a record of your last payment. Do you notice anything strange?"

Mark glanced at the document. It showed the expected payment amount, the transaction ID, and—

His stomach dropped. The transaction ID was different from the one he remembered.

"…This isn't mine," Mark said slowly.

The administrator nodded gravely. "That's what we're trying to figure out."

Mark looked up. "Are you saying my tuition payments were messed with?"

The administrator leaned back. "We're not sure yet. But if there was an error—or worse, some kind of fraud—you could be at risk of losing your enrollment status."

Mark's grip on the paper tightened. This just got a whole lot worse.

Mark stared at the paper, his mind racing. A mistake? Fraud? What the hell is going on?

He looked up at the administrator. "Okay, so… what happens now?"

The man folded his hands on the desk. "We need to verify whether this was a clerical error or something more serious. The finance department is already reviewing past transactions, but if the issue isn't resolved, you may need to provide proof of payment yourself."

Mark frowned. "How? I don't handle the payments directly. They're supposed to go through my family's account."

The administrator nodded. "That's why you should contact them as soon as possible. If they have records of the correct payments, that'll help clear this up."

Mark exhaled slowly, gripping the paper. "And if it doesn't get cleared up?"

The administrator hesitated. "Then your enrollment could be at risk. If tuition isn't confirmed as paid, the college policy would require you to either settle the balance or withdraw."

A sharp weight settled in Mark's chest. Withdraw? That wasn't just an inconvenience—that was a complete disaster. Even if he wasn't exactly passionate about college, dropping out wasn't an option.

"…How long do I have?"

"We're working on this urgently, so you'll need to get in touch with your family today. If we don't get this resolved within the next few days, we'll have to escalate it."

Mark ran a hand through his hair. "Right. Got it."

The administrator gave him a measured look. "I understand this is stressful, but don't panic yet. Just get in touch with your family, and we'll go from there."

Mark gave a short nod, standing up. "Alright. I'll handle it."

"Good. Keep us updated."

With that, Mark left the office, stepping back into the quiet hallway. The air suddenly felt heavier, like the walls were closing in.

He pulled out his phone, staring at the screen for a moment before dialing home. The phone rang. Once. Twice.

Then a voice answered.

"Mark? What's up?"

Mark took a slow breath. "Hey… We have a problem."

Mark Calls Mist Low

Mark stepped outside the administration building, the fresh air doing little to clear the weight pressing on his chest. He paced near the walkway, gripping his phone before finally dialing a number.

The phone rang. Once. Twice.

Then a smooth, teasing voice answered.

"Marky! To what do I owe the pleasure? Did you finally admit I'm the most handsome man alive?"

Mark exhaled sharply. "Mist, shut up for a second."

A pause. Then a hum of interest. "Oh? Serious voice. Alright, I'm listening."

Mark leaned against a pillar. "I just came from the college office. They claim my tuition payments have discrepancies."

Mist Low let out a low whistle. "That does sound bad. You broke?"

"No," Mark said firmly. "My dad handles payments, and he never screws this up. But the records don't match."

Mist was silent for a moment before he spoke again, his usual playful tone slightly subdued. "That's… interesting. What exactly did they say?"

"They found a different transaction ID for my last payment," Mark explained. "And when they checked previous records, there were inconsistencies."

Mist clicked his tongue. "Sounds like someone tampered with the records."

Mark's grip on his phone tightened. "That's what I was thinking. But I don't know how or why."

Mist chuckled. "Oh, my dear Mark. You called the right guy. You need someone who understands how to play in the shadows."

Mark sighed. "Just tell me if you can help."

"I can," Mist said smoothly. "But I'll need access to your payment records—the ones you have, not just the college's version."

Mark ran a hand through his hair. "I can ask my dad for them."

"Good," Mist said. "Send them my way. I'll poke around and see what's up. If someone did mess with your records, I'll find out who."

Mark hesitated for a second before nodding to himself. "Alright. I'll get you what you need."

Mist chuckled. "Ah, teamwork. I love it. Oh, and Mark?"

"What?"

Mist's voice dropped into a low, amused tone. "If this is fraud, I hope you're ready for some chaos."

Mark sighed. "Just do your thing."

Ending the call, he let out a slow breath. He wasn't sure what Mist would find—but if someone had messed with his records, they were about to regret it.