Chapter 2: Upstairs
This chapter contains intense psychological content including flashbacks to a fatal car accident and references to suicide attempts. The horror escalates significantly. Take breaks if needed.
Chapter Goal
Explore the second floor of the house. The PTSD triggers intensify here, with red light causing severe flashbacks. Your goal is to continue finding medication while uncovering the truth about the anniversary tragedy.
This chapter reveals what happened to Min-young and why Bernard has been living in isolation.
Common Stuck Points
If you're stuck, click the situation that matches yours:
Stuck Point 1: Red Light and Panic
Red light (from streetlights outside, emergency signs) triggers Bernard's war trauma — specifically, memories of red signal flares. Unlike darkness, you cannot simply avoid it. You must push through.
The panic from red light is temporary. Keep moving — don't freeze. The flashback will trigger and then pass. Sometimes you need to endure the discomfort to progress.
Red light is unavoidable on the second floor. When the screen distorts and flashback imagery appears, don't fight it — let the memory play out. Bernard will recover afterward. Some areas require passing through red-lit zones to reach objectives. The game is designed so that these moments are survivable.
Stuck Point 2: Min-young's Apparition
The figure of Min-young is a hallucination — a manifestation of Bernard's grief and guilt. She is not an enemy. She is not there.
You cannot "use" or interact with her directly. Her appearances mark significant moments in the narrative. When she appears, pay attention to where she is and what she might be indicating.
Min-young's appearances are scripted narrative moments. She appears at key points: near the bedroom, blocking the staircase during a suicide attempt, and later in the attic. Her presence advances the story automatically. If she's standing in a doorway, approach her — she will fade and the path will open. There is nothing to "solve."
Stuck Point 3: Attic Access Blocked
The attic is the final area. Access requires completing certain story triggers on the second floor. Have you experienced all the major flashbacks?
Key flashbacks in this chapter: the anniversary car crash and the suicide attempt. Both are triggered by exploring specific rooms and finding related items. Check the bedroom thoroughly.
To unlock the attic: (1) Enter the master bedroom and trigger the car crash flashback by approaching the window or finding the anniversary-related item, (2) Experience the suicide attempt flashback — this may involve finding pill bottles or a significant object, (3) After both flashbacks, the path to the attic (likely a pull-down ladder or ramp) becomes accessible. The game will make it clear when you can proceed.
Stuck Point 4: During a Flashback
Flashbacks are non-interactive narrative sequences. You are meant to watch and absorb. Let them play out.
During some flashbacks, minimal movement may be possible. If you have control, explore the memory space — sometimes small details are hidden. If you don't have control, wait.
Most flashbacks are cutscene-like and will end on their own after 30-60 seconds. The car crash flashback is the longest and most intense. If the screen seems frozen, wait — the transition back to present-day can be slow. There is no skip function. These moments are the emotional core of the game.
Stuck Point 5: Suicide-Related Content
This chapter reveals that Bernard has attempted suicide before. The current events (his stair fall at the start) may also be an attempt. This content is handled sensitively but directly.
These elements are narrative — you are not asked to make choices about Bernard's fate. The game follows a single path toward understanding and, ultimately, peace.
Finding evidence of suicide attempts (hoarded pills, therapy recordings, blocked staircase from past events) triggers flashbacks that explain Bernard's mental state. The game's message is ultimately about survival and healing, not despair. The ending is hopeful. If this content is difficult for you personally, please take care of yourself.
The car crash on their 15th wedding anniversary is the central tragedy. Bernard was driving. A road flare — its red light identical to Vietnam — triggered a PTSD episode. He lost control. Min-young was trapped in the burning car. Bernard, with only one functional arm, could not unbuckle her seatbelt.
He watched her burn. His legs were crushed, leaving him wheelchair-bound. His guilt became absolute: "I killed her, just like I killed Vernon. Everyone I love dies because of me."
This is the weight he carries. This is why he wants to die. The game asks you to understand, not to judge.
Self-Check: Before Moving On
Before continuing to Chapter 3, confirm you have:
- Explored the second floor rooms (bedroom, bathroom, hallway)
- Experienced the anniversary car crash flashback
- Witnessed or understood Bernard's previous suicide attempt
- Seen Min-young's apparition at least once
- Gained access to the attic