To: Kim Taehyung

How's California? Seoul's just getting colder and colder over here— I wish I could move to where you are.

The kids at school are still stupid— they're all stupid, actually. One of them threw himself into the small pool from a two-story window today— all for fifteen dollars.

Fifteen dollars for a broken arm and five fractures. I bet that costs more than two hundred straight bucks at a hospital— that's not a good deal at all, is it? Their loss.

At least they have parents to back them up, I guess. Lucky idiots.

________________________

To. Kang Sian

Even I wouldn't do that. But isn't it fun over there? At least things like that happen— over here, there's nothing. I'm so lonely, all by myself. I want to go to you.

I guess the loneliness part is really getting to me, because today I found myself playing with a dandelion. A dandelion, Sian-ah. I spent two hours talking to a flower— I think I'm finally going crazy.

And nobody even cares.

They all pretend that they're really caring for me, that I'm really happy here. If I hadn't been able to connect to you, I would've gone insane a long time ago.

I'm so sick of this place.

I'm sick of the stupid food packets they assign to me every single day, and I'm sick of how they act like I'm the most fragile thing that's ever existed. I'm sick of everything here— I'm even tired of looking at that dumb goldfish picture taped to my wall.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier.

I actually don't know what a California is. I've never seen a school before, and I've never been to a place called a hospital, either.

But it all sounds beautiful.

So look for me, okay?

__________________________

TAEHYUNG

I swallow, pressing send. I don't know if this is the right decision I'm making, but what I know is that I really, really want to go to Earth. Even if I had to steal a craft and abandon DO9, I was going to get there.

Speak of the devil.

"Did you take your medicine, Tae?" Di asks as he tilts his metal head towards me. "You know your mom's going to be mad if you didn't."

"I didn't forget."

"Promise?"

"Yeah." I say lightly, palms already sweating as I push the small robot out of the room. "Now leave me alone— I want to sleep."

"I'll make your favorite for dinner." He grumbles as he casually rolls out the door. "Even though I personally think hamburgers are revolting. So much grease—"

"You drink grease for meals."

"Good point." With that, he shuts the door behind him. I was going to miss him— even though I knew he was practically making sure I wasn't doing anything suspicious, he was still the only friend I had here.

And now I was going to meet my friend on Earth.

Reaching for the red scarf and tucking it tightly around my neck, I jump off my bed and grab my backpack off its hanger.

Food packs.

Water.

Medicine.

Nothing else, right?

Hoping that DO9 and my mother was somewhere on the opposite side of the base, I rush towards the hangar.

My breath.

Realizing that my heart was seizing up, I quickly slow down. I couldn't get too excited— I was still weak. I couldn't run more than a few feet without panting.

But there was still the switch.

It was set a feet or two higher than my height— I would have to jump. Just thinking about it makes my chest hurt.

But Earth.

Breathing deeply, I take a few steps back before running. When my fingers brush against the curve of the lever, I grip and pull down.

I gasp, my hand instantly clutching where my heart is.

Never doing that again.

But the lever is down, and the hangar door slides smoothly against the ends as it opens to reveal the neat row of spacecrafts my mother uses.

Hopefully they'd think it's my mother when I set off one of the crafts.

Catching my breath, I glance quickly back at the empty room before sliding inside the sleek machine. The slip of paper with Sian's address crumples a bit in my sweaty palms as I read it over for the millionth time.

I could recite it from my sleep.

Tucking it safely in my pocket, I lean back as I list the destination as Han River. I'd have to crash the plane in there— it was deep enough to keep the plane from exploding from impact.

What am I doing?

But as I clumsily work the helmet onto my head and recite the address one last time, I can't help but find myself smiling like an idiot.

Earth.

So beautiful.

________________________

KANG SIAN

Be thankful of your parents.

Because with no one to pay your rent, life can be pretty damn hard.

"Stupid landlady." I mutter as I kick another stone into the river, watching the sun set with another day. "Stupid manager— geez, who fires their workers just because they were five seconds late? Anger management issues."

I sigh, wondering if I was really going to have to drop out of school to work.

Heaving another sigh, I plop down on the bench next to the river and tug my jacket tighter around my body.

Was I really going to have to find another place to stay? Really have to do this for my entire life?

Then a light spray of water douses my face, and I look up in surprise at the waves of Han River. The water is a bit violent— like something had just crashed into it.

I peek closer.

What the...?

Something dark and round breaks surface, and I can see the silhouettes of a human face. It's a boy— had he jumped from the bridge?

Suicide attempt?!

My eyes instantly widen as I burst to my feet, breaking into a run towards the river when I see the water swallow him up again. But judging by the arm that shoots out of the water a moment later, I might be mistaking it.

Maybe he fell off by accident.

Taking a deep breath, I throw off my jacket and kick off my shoes before diving into the river. I nearly faint from how cold it is— of course, being the middle of fall season.

Whichever idiot I'm saving is going to pay for my hospital bills if I get hypothermia.

Recalling the lessons I took when I was young, I kick my feet towards the direction I'd seen the bobbing head.

When I squint over the currents, I can see the boy's head break surface again before the river pulls him back down.

Okay.

So he can't swim.

Paddling faster, I fight against the stupid waves until my fingers find a fistful of his soaking clothes. When I force his head up to oxygen, I feel him shaking in unconsciousness.

His lips are tinged blue, which can't be a good sign.

There's no way I could drag him all the way back— he had to help me.

And he couldn't help me if he was dead unconscious.

"Hello?!" I exclaim as I slap at his cold, pale cheeks. "I'm really sorry for slapping you, but you need to wake up now before we both die!"

My body's already numb.

"Hey!" I scream right into his ear, and I can feel his body tremble as his eyes shoot open. "Oh, good, you're awake. Now God help me, start swimming!"

"Swim...ming?"

"Kick your feet! Just help me not to drown us both!" I yell over the currents as he looks at me dazedly. Thankfully, he seems to have understood me because I feel him trying to move his legs.

"Yeah!" I gasp when he looks at me. "That's it—"

"Is this Earth? Are you a human?"

Okay— probably shock from the water. Because there's no way a person in their right mind would ask something like that, right?

"Swim first, ask questions later!"