Seojin opened his eyes to a flickering blue light above him. The glow it cast seemed to magnify the sense of unease that had settled over him.

Without question, what Seojin found himself in was a spaceship, although the ambiance felt more like that of a confining prison than a flying space vessel. The air was icy, heavy with silence, broken only by the soft hum of the ship's engines filling the air. Seojin strained his ears, hoping to catch the slightest sound that would reassure him that he was not alone.

But there was nothing. There were no signs of life, no comforting presence to assure him that he would make it out of this situation.

Lost in his thoughts, Seojin turned towards the side. The viewports had lined the walls of the ship there. And there, amidst the void of space, he witnessed an alluring display.

Supernovas burst into being, sending shockwaves through the cosmos. In the midst of their destruction, new stars emerged, their dazzling brilliance illuminating the surrounding void of space. They decorated the wide emptiness in colours that appeared impossible as nebulas swirled.

His gaze found a single star. It twinkled twice and it that Seojin found solace. This cosmic magic reminded him that life might always begin again, even in the face of death.
But as his mind grappled with the wonders of the universe, a chilling realisation began to dawn on him. When he tried to raise his hand to reach for the stars, he could not move.

Panic surged through his veins, turning his surprise into dread and fury. It was as if an unseen force held him in place, immobilising him within the limits of the spaceship. Desperation consumed Seojin, driving him to close his eyes tightly, searching for any clue that could explain how he had ended up in this tormenting nightmare.

His mind was filled with fragmentary yet vivid flashes of memories; a home, a kind mother taking care of him, and a guy playing with him. And amidst the chaos, he saw himself. His own image, distorted by fear and uncertainty. There were two of them running, one chasing the other.

The distinct sound of his footsteps echoed through the crumbling rubbles as he ran frantically, feeling the weight of his memories pressing down on him. Each step he took seemed to awaken a different recollection. Some were familiar, others entirely foreign. Glancing back, he saw that dark figure following hard after him, matching his every step with a disquieting resolve.

The predator him was close, hunting the naive him. His thoughts were racing, trying to make sense of the bizarre memories that were coming back to him.

Why did it feel like he was running from himself as much as from whom?

"Jinnie, wake up, Jinnie..."

Seojin stirred, feeling disoriented, as a hazy voice crept into his dreams. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open, and he found himself face-to-face with Ahyun, his wife.

"I am ready. Let's get going. They must be waiting," Ahyun urged, her voice tinged with urgency.

He nodded slowly, attempting to hold onto the fading bits of his dream. This was the fifth time of that same dream. Maybe he could have discovered the dream's truth if he thought of it a little more. But for the time being, the cold light of day demanded their attention, returning them to the present moment and their waiting expectations.

He could talk about this later.

...

The theatre went berserk; the rapid footsteps clattering through the hollow walls of the venue made it well aware that the show was to start soon. It was disorienting to watch more than two hundred strangers stream into the theatre, hailing from God knows where.

Cantillating the name of the story, the crowd had been way too excited for the performance to be. Unsee. How odd but how satisfying to watch pain.

As they made their way through the sea of strangers, Seojin couldn't help but notice the glint of the trinket adorning his sweetheart's neck. It was a gift from him, a small token of his love for their anniversary together. The necklace bore two petals with a bud in the middle, a symbol of their intertwined lives.

Mi-cha preferred to stay at her grandma's, for she felt all this to be a bit too much. She had even suggested Yoshi to go and ask Bella directly rather than create such a 'ruckus'.

"Uncle Yoo, Bay lovesh you like eomma loves appa. Why so much tro-trow-trouwble?" The word was a trouble for her baby vocabulary.

And when Yoshi had stammered, the girl had decreed that truth had to be spoken of; "Ah! Uncle ish shcared of Bay like appa ish shcared of eomma!"

As the couple had promised Yoshi to be here on the day of release. The man needed strength, and perhaps it wasn't just about the performance but the whole idea of proposing to Bella. And to add to that, it was the first time Bella's brother would visit, so it was more of a do-or-die situation for Lee Yoshi.

Once settled on the front rows reserved for the 'families', Jin turned to his wife, smiling cheekily, "Ahyun, I will go and take a look at Yoshi. The boy must be devastated right now and could use some help. Want to come?"

She swung her legs in hefty jerks, returning the smile, "I will wait for Bella and her brother. Yoshi will be happy to have you there. Go!"
Leaving a chaste kiss on her temple, he excused through the crowd towards the backstage.

"Hey, hyung, over here!" A burst of overenthusiastic delight cut through the chaos like hot knife through butter. It was Yoshi's makeup guy, Han. A man of short stature, stupid and boastfully loud. Seojin decided to avoid him for now.

Seojin adjusted his position uncomfortably on the cramped backstage chair as Han fussily applied makeup to Lee Yoshi's face. The atmosphere buzzed with nervous energy and anticipation. "So, Yoshi! Ready to confess?" Seojin teased, noticing the lack of colour on Yoshi's already pale complexion."

The rouge seemed to have little, or maybe no, effect on the pale face of Lee Yoshi, who had turned paler by this minute. And sparing another glance Seojin sighed heavily. "You aren't!"

"Oh, come on, hyung! You aren't giving yourself enough credit." Han interjected with unwarranted enthusiasm. "Bella likes you! It's as clear as day whenever she looks at you. Just man up and tell her how you feel. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Well, I might end up with a black eye from her brother, a broken heart, and even get invited to her marriage to some sort of scientist her brother found!"

Seojin eyed the man who reflected so much of his younger self, fooling in love, scared to lose Ahyun.
Pushing aside the clutter of boxes stacked near Yoshi, he found the familiar spot, a faint smile gracing his lips.

"Yoshi, my friend," Seojin said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I see you're suffering from the same affliction as me."

Yoshi blinked. "Affliction? I'm not sick, hyung."

Seojin grinned. "Oh, but you are. Love sick, to be precise." He leaned in conspiratorially. "But don't worry, I'm here to prescribe a cure."

Yoshi's brow furrowed. "A cure? I'm not sure I want to cure these feelings, hyung."

Seojin laughed. "Then you're in a worse state than I thought! Fear not, my friend, for I have a treatment that's sure to yield results."

He pulled Yoshi aside and began to pace. "You see, Yoshi, the key to a successful confession is to harness the power of the two o's - Opportunity and Optimism."

Yoshi cocked his head. "The two o's? I'm not sure I understand, hyung."

Seojin stopped pacing and faced Yoshi. "Ah, but you will. It's quite simple, really. You see, when you're presented with an Opportunity, say, a chance to confess to the one you love, you must seize it with Optimism."

Yoshi's eyes widened. "I think I see what you mean, hyung."

Seojin nodded triumphantly. "Exactly! You must have faith in yourself and in the power of your love. Remember, 99.99% of the risk of a confession comes from fear of the unknown. But if you approach it with Optimism, that risk shrinks to a mere 1%!"

Yoshi's eyes darted to the stage door. "I don't know if I can do this. What if he does not agree?"

"Ah! Frail hearts are dead in love, but that's what makes love so tough to grasp, but it also makes it so wonderful," he mused. "It's all about believing in something-whether it's God, other people, or even yourself-when you've got nothing else to go on. Nothing but a little voice inside tells you it's more than a hunch. Trust yourself and believe in it. That's all! And Bella's brother? I will talk to him!"

His musings were interrupted by Han's sudden question.
"Seojin hyung, have you ever considered giving a TED talk?"

Seojin shot him a bemused glance before a realization dawned on him as he turned to Yoshi again.

"Yoshi-ah, what was your brother-in-law's name again?"

...

Unlike most humans, who found solace in silence and order, Tobias was inexplicably drawn to cacophony. As a scientist who manipulated time itself, it took a lot to hold his attention, but the raw beauty of the urban landscape never failed to captivate him.

Tobias couldn't explain his fascination with the chaotic melodies that echoed through the cityscape. He revelled in the honking of car horns, the chatter of passersby, the distant wails of sirens and ticking clocks. The dissonance of it all stirred something profound within him-a longing that only the cacophony could quell.

Excitement filled the dimly lit theatre as the highly anticipated play was about to begin. Tobias blinked, refocusing on his petite sibling. Bella's eyes sparkled with mischief as she led him into the grand theatre. He had agreed to attend this play written by her friend Yoshi, and even meet that friend, all to make Bella happy. After losing their parents at a young age, Bella was his sole family. Her smile was worth any inconvenience.

Bella was his sole family, and her happiness was all that mattered to him.

Plus, Yoshi was well-versed, well-paid, and well-known throughout South Korea. If he was sweet and really in love with Bella, he would be content.

Tobias had long discovered that he was caught in a rather odd dynamic with his sister, Bella. A parent and a brother, both. Could it be because they shared DNA? Their connection was like a chaos, blending with love, obligation, and a hint of annoyance.
And Bella, with her eagle-eyed focus and constant backup, was Tobias's trusty guide through life's chaos.

"Tobi, this is Ahyun. And Ahyun, this is my brother, Tobias." Bella introduced as she sat between them, the flickering lights illuminating their faces.

"Heard a lot about you," Tobias smiled, trying to match Ahyun's vibrant enthusiasm.

"Same here," Ahyun exclaimed, her eyes shining like stars. She had always painted Tobias in grand strokes, and now it felt surreal to meet him in person.

As the lights dimmed and the curtains pulled back, Tobias found himself drawn into the world of the play. The story was one of love and loss, of dreams and despairs. The actors poured their hearts onto the stage, their performances raw and evocative.

The playwright's mastery of language was evident in every line, every nuance of emotion conveyed through the actors' voices. It was as if Yoshi had somehow managed to capture the essence of Tobias's own fascination with stories and translated it into something beautiful.

The false stones pelting down Yoshi felt real. His pain, the grimace etching his felt made Tobias feel the agony.

Stones after stones, Hyon looked miserable. Three hits had turned his life out.

As the stones rained down upon them, the wrath of Pirropi descended like a vengeful hurricane. Three strikes, each one a dagger plunged into their unity, shattered their once unbreakable bond. Jeong's futile attempts to shield Hyon from the relentless barrage only fueled the fire of their oppressors, who showed no mercy in their pursuit of retribution.

In that moment, as the mausoleum of a nation's turmoil loomed large, Kwan realised that personal struggles paled in comparison to the collective madness that gripped Pirropi. It was a sobering epiphany, a glimpse into the depths of humanity's capacity for both resilience and savagery.

And as the last stone was cast, shattering the facade of justice and revealing the ugly truth beneath, Kwan knew that the echoes of that day would linger long after the commotion had subsided, a haunting reminder of the fragility of peace in a world driven by chaos and revenge.

Bella was quietly sniffling and Tobias kept stealing discreet glances at her; she was soft. Fishing a handkerchief from the depths of his pocket, Tobias placed his hand in front of his sister.

"Take this," he whispered to Bella, who sniffled once more before taking hold of the cloth and dabbing it over her porcelain skin.

"Are you sure that Yoshi is just your friend?" The question lingered in the air, casting a shadow over their unspoken words.

Bella's cheeks flushed with colour as she gazed up at Tobias, her eyes widening in surprise. The realisation of his question shone brightly on her face. Bella was convinced that Tobias had understood all of it.

Holy mother in the heavens!

__________

A happy drama? A group of happy people?
But is this all?

I love creating a happy world and breaking it to you all later that the happiness wasn't even real.

WC: 2263