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.
