Three years ago, Sun-young, 31, lost all her memories in a car accident. Her only anchors are her older sister Eun-hee and her work as a reporter for an online newspaper. Rarely leaving the house, she survives as a recluse, writing clickbait articles from behind her screen. Then one day, a KTX train bound for Busan vanishes without a trace — with Eun-hee on board. The sister who guided Sun-young through life, cared for her, and managed her medication is suddenly gone. Determined to find her, Sun-young steps outside for the first time in years and teams up with Damian, a 34-year-old employee at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, to investigate. But the deeper they dig, the more unstable the truth becomes. There is no official record of Sun-young’s prescription. Eun-hee may have kidnapped a child before boarding the train. And as assassins close in, Sun-young suddenly manifests the ability to see the future. Can Sun-young face the secrets buried in her past and find her sister?

Akashic is the third novel by Hae-won, following Sad Tropics and Good Job, both acclaimed for their strong female protagonists and intense thriller narratives. With her trademark style—sharp yet humorous, grounded yet imaginative—Hae-won combines SF imagination, mystery-driven storytelling, and high-stakes action to create a gripping novel that dreams of redemption beyond a harsh reality.