𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑵𝑬 ♱ 양정원

034

Aecha, Micha, Bora and Hanni were all put into a room together with two bunk beds. Obviously not the same treatment as last time, but Aecha didn't mind at all.

They were leaving at the crack of dawn, it would take 6 hours to get to the caves. Yet the anxiety shook their brains awake at midnight.

"What if we die tomorrow— or one of us doesn't make it out alive?" Bora said

A silence filled the room once again, taking in what she said

"Nobody will be dying tomorrow, everyone is going to return home safe and sound" Aecha reassured her, with a determined tone

"Do you guys ever wish things would go back to how they used to be?" Hanni asked

"everyday"

"Remember when it was just the four of us? Our little life in our own little world.."

"Remember when we used to dream of one day getting dates to the Moon Ball?"

"Oh- remember the time Bora's strawberry milk exploded open in class?" Micha laughed suddenly, at what happened only a few months ago.

"Yah! Don't remind me!" Bora whined, her face flushing in embarrassment

"Let's not forget when Bora and Aecha slept through until 11am after that party? And missed practically half of the day!" Hanni gasped

"Oh my god that hangover was like— the worst!" Aecha put her hand in her forehead, remembering the immense amount of puking and sickness she and bora felt.

"Remember our first performance at the talent show? We covered that group's song.. what was it called? Ah! Lovesick girls, by Blackpink!"

"We were only 12 at the time- so small! Ugh thinking back to that year as a whole, I think I was pretty annoying" Micha admitted

"Eh?! You? You were so quiet!" Bora replied

"I must've gotten our names mixed up" Micha laughed

"YAHH!!"

The four bursted into a fit of laughter, they spent the rest of the early hours of the morning recalling their fun memories together back on Earth.

They were only 17, acting like they were 50 year old mothers thinking back to their good old high school days. If they could go back in time to six months ago, their past selves would be so shocked at how their lives at completely flipped in just half a year.

"When all of this is over.. I do hope that one day we can return back to Earth." Aecha sighed

"It will be so odd, by the time we can probably go back— everyone will be finishing university, or just.. starting their new jobs, families, travelling the world maybe?" Micha thought out loud, and they took in how everyone would move on with their lives, like how they were once thinking, but now things are different.

"Do you reckon Danielle will be a k-pop idol by the time we come back?"

"I hope so, her voice sounds like a princess- specifically a Disney princess!"

"Wahh.. you know what Kim Seungmin probably would have become a baseball player"

"What about Karina? I'm placing my bets now that she'll be a million dollar model!"

"What were our dreams of being when we were older six months ago?"

"A fashion designer" Bora always had her heart set on fashion- her plan was to go to the top fashion university, and create her own brand.

"A therapist" Micha loved to listen to people's problems and help them.

"A producer!" Hanni said, she had a passion for music for sure.

"A dancer" Aecha's eyes twinkled.

She had been dancing since she was young, joined many dance clubs, summer schools, etc. she found that her body just had a mind of its own when she danced, it was a way of escape.

"I find it so crazy now, we'll never be able to pursue those dreams anymore.." Bora's voice was quiet, they all heard her perfectly fine.

The silence engulfed them once again.

Sniffling was heard from each of them, one at a time.

"Ah— stop crying!" Micha told the others, while she herself was also crying a river.

"I— I could s-say the same for you-you!" Hanni said through her wails.

The four had a long group hug, crying in each other's arms. Hoping that after this mission, they could live their lives in peace.