The Art of Getting By
CHAPTER TEN

❛ The Traveller and His Galaxy. ❜

1:17 PM
September 2021
HYOSAN HIGH SCHOOL

MOON JI-HUN found his legs carrying the weight of both his body and the weight of his soul. More his soul than his body.

His soul was a vast musical score, and written within the bars were jumbled chords. Its dissonance played an anthem to his troublesome life, not once, was there peace, not once was there a rest- there was no double bar to indicate the finale of the music his soul created.

His soul played the chords: C minor, D minor, E minor, F minor, G minor, A minor and B minor . . . if they were played together, they could either create inharmoniousness, or a hauntingly beauteous piece. It all depended on what Moon Ji-hun was experiencing, and since his soul was constantly devoured by guilt from the past, the music his soul produced was harrowing.

Moon Ji-hun feared the day that guilt would consume his soul entirely.

He recalled that day, Wednesday 5th July 2017. The day he heard Jeong Areum's mellow voice echo through the call for the last time. She said she could get home herself. That she would be home. 'I'll be home,' she said.

Moon Ji-hun believed her.

But she didn't come home.

Moon Ji-hun felt the guilt gnaw away at him.

The appetite of guilt is all so boundless. It encases you within jaws of it, and its chainsaw teeth erodes your skin, scorching each tissue until it reaches your ivory bones. You swim around within your 'tarnished' blood, its tongue wraps around your helpless neck as you swish into the depths of its stomach. Its stomach acid penetrates your senses, drenching and drowning you within its damaging stages. Guilt is biased, and it will always choose itself. Thus, when it's done with you, it really isn't. You're left with the fragments of your agonised soul. It's not the sight of yourself that reminds you of your guilt, but the experience.

Guilt is torturous, and Moon Ji-hun feared that his guilt of the past could one day consume his consciousness.

So, Moon Ji-hun continued to run through the hallways of Hyosan High School, with not only the music of his soul to accompany him, but the sound of his daughter that yelled for him. His chest twinged at her voice, but that didn't hurt as much as the words she spewed earlier.

'Frankly, I don't feel seventeen . . . I feel as though I'm still stuck at five. But if you cared more deeply you'd know.'

'You say that I'm older now and that I'd realise. But you're too busy running away from Hae-Bom and I.'

Those created a far more permanent affect on his entirety.

Moon Ji-hun was used to running, for, he was always searching for a way to escape. Moon Ji-hun had been chasing for some warmth in his life for- the Universe knows how long. Moon Ji-hun needed some warmth so that it could devour him instead of his guilt.

The hallways narrowed, his thoughts expanded, and his walls elongated. Despite the temperatures heightening outside, his interior temperature decreased, nearly causing his forehead to release cold sweat, but this was part of his norm. For a person that's lived their whole life chasing after for some warmth, it's so easy to accept the cold.

The moment the seasons grew crisp and green, when the second Spring after Jeong Areum's death commenced, Moon Ji-hun had locked himself within his room. He couldn't bring himself to roam around the streets of Hyosan, for the lanes and roads were littered with fluorescent and soft smelling blossom trees.

Everything pretty about Spring, reminded Moon Ji-hun of Jeong Areum.

Therefor, instead of spending the 6th of July 2019 outside (the date where he found himself losing one of his sources of warmth), he seated himself beside his desk and let his fingers type away at his laptop. Moon Ji-hun worked on a new novella, a children's novella to be exact- he wanted every child that was encased within the jaws of guilt, or grief, or simply in need of some entertainment, to be able to read it too.

Growing up, he aspired to become an author, and illustrator. For, within his childhood home, his shelves were jammed with novels. From twenty first century hardbacks, to the nineteenth century Brönte Sisters, to the sixteenth and seventeenth century plays that William Shakespeare wrote. They were either glossy, highlighting how recent they were produced, or tea-stained like, their covers intricately designed with gold paint. Most were shipped across the seas from Europe. It had been a while since he visited his childhood home, but Moon Ji-hun was still able to recollect the names of each novel upon those shelves.

From the beginning of Spring 2019, till the end, he poured his grief and guilt into the novel. By the end of 2019, it was published, and was named: The Traveller and His Galaxy.

Once upon a time and twice a time, and all the times together as I ever I heard tell of, there was a young boy who would weep all day to have the stars in the sky to play with; he wouldn't have this, and he wouldn't have that, but it was always the stars he would have and its galaxy. They looked warm, something he yearned to experience, after spending his lifetime within the dusky shadows, the cold.

So, one day, he ventured off to find them and became a traveller. He ran and ran and ran, till by-and-by he came to a mill-dam.

"Good day to you sir," he spoke kindly to the mill-dam, "I'm seeking for the stars to play with. Have you seen any?"

"Oh yes son," said the mill-dam. "They shine in my face for so many nights, and because of that, I cannot sleep. Jump into the water, and perhaps you'll find one."

So he jumped in, and swam and swam and swam until his limbs felt like dough. But all of the stars in the water seemed to be out of reach. Thus, he moved on and journeyed onwards. He ran and ran and ran until he met with a brooklet.

"Good evening to you Brooklet," said he, "I yearn to play with the stars, have you seen any?"

"Yes indeed young lad," the Brooklet responded, "they glimmer on my banks at night. Paddle about, and maybe you will come across one."

So he dived in, and paddled and paddled and paddled till his skin grew raw. He grew desperate, for he couldn't find one. So, he ran and ran and ran and travelled onwards, till he came across some Folk at the nearby village.

"Good day to you Folk," he greeted, "I'm looking for the stars in the sky to play with. Have you seen one?"

"Why yes good son," replied the Folk, "they shine on the grass here at night. Dance with us, and maybe you'll find one."

And he danced and danced and danced, until his ankles grew sore. But he couldn't find a warm star. So down he sat, on the grass, I supposed he wept.

"Oh my, oh my," cried he, "I have ran, I have swam, I have paddled and I've danced- And if you'll not help me, I shall never find the stars in the sky to play with."

The folk began their quiet whisperings, until they conjured a conclusion, and strolled beside the boy and took him by the hand, "if you do not go home, go forward, go forward; mind you take the correct road. Ask Four Feet to carry you to No Feet at all, and tell No Feet at all to carry you to the stairs without steps, and if you can climb that-"

The boy cut in, "oh, shall I be among the warm stars in the sky then?"

"If not, you'll be elsewhere," at that the Folk returned to their dancing.

The boy ventured out to the woods. He ran, and ran, and ran, till he came across a saddled horse tied to a tree. "Good day, I am seeking for the stars in the sky to play with. Will you give me a lift, for I am drenched and my bones are an-aching."

"Well," said the horse, "I know nought of the stars in the sky, but I shall aid you, for I am here for the bidding of the Folk, and not on my own will."

"Well," the boy continued, "I came from the Folk from the village, and they told me to tell Four Feet to carry me to No Feet at all."

"Alright, jump up and ride with me," the horse suggested.

Through the chilly night forest, they rode and rode and rode, till they got to the end of the forest, where they found themselves beside the sea. Within the glistening waters, was a path that ran straight out and towards the desired ladder that arched into the sky above. It had a palette of warm tones: blush pink, peach orange, all mixed with navy blue.

"Now you get down," the horse said, "this is none of my business, so good day to you boy," and off he went.

With his feet at the edge of the water, a strange, large fish swam towards the shore.

"Good day to you big fish. I am looking for the stars in the sky, and for the stairs to climb up on them. The stars appear to be warm and brilliant, I have had no success so far, please do help," the boy ached.

"Well," said the fish, "I cannot unless you bring me a word from the Folk."

"Well," the boy quickly responded, "they said Four Feet would bring me to No Feet at all, and No Feet would carry me towards the steps to the stars."

"Ah okay," the Fish agreed, "get on my back and hold fast."

Splash! Swimming farther and farther from home, along the silver pathway, the came across the most magnificent stairway that led towards the shimmering clouds. The stars winked at them, their smiles warm.

"Now," the fish informed, "here you are, here is your stairway. Climb up if you may, but hold fast. I warn you, if you do not succeed, you may find yourself back at home, this was never made for young lads anyways," and at that the fish journeyed back to its respectable place.

So, he climbed and climbed and climbed, but he did not get any higher: the light from the stars were before him and around him, the water was behind him, and the more he struggled to get up, the more he was forced down into the cold again. The harder he climbed, the deeper he fell.

He chased and chased, but he fell dizzy from the light, and shivered from the cold. Quite sillily he let go, and fell down and down and down- till he found himself back inside his bedroom, all alone, away from his stars, and away from his galaxy.

The commotion situated within the staff room intensified as Moon Ji-hun skidded towards the door. The bottom of his leather shoes left a ruddied imprint on the ground, rendering the grips that were etched upon the heels of his shoes to be useless. It seemed that he had sprinted across puddles of bloodied saliva, clearly belonging to the victims of Death, that now roamed across the school.

His mind only remained on gathering Moon Eun-Byeol and Park Sun-hwa, and all the students, and staff out of the premises, which caused him to disregard the fact that the hallways were . . . soundless.

A distressed voice rang out from behind the staff room door, and disturbed the unsettling serenity of the hallways, "didn't I tell you to take away their phones, I even got you safes for them!-" Moon Ji-hun would've had time to rotate his eyes at that comment, but instead, he penetrated the stillness that stained the air, by lunging his forearm against the wooden door.

BAM!-

The hinges whined and the hefty door gave way, uncovering the entrance and revealing an employee meeting, that clearly left no room for him. The sound of a beige plastic, wired telephone could be heard, it clattered off the base, seemingly sliding through the fingers of the receiver's hand. The receiver let slip a disgruntled exhale, their shoulders jerking at both the call and the figure by the door.

"SHIBAL- Who do you think you are, barging in like that?-" The headteacher abandoned his previous sentence as his jaw fell ajar, letting nothing but a collection of curses leave his mouth. In a span of a few milliseconds, his left arm curtained his tense eyes, whilst his other palm was pressed against the counter, his nails digging deep onto the splintery surface of the table. At the sight of Moon Ji-hun's pallid face, the dull bags under the headteacher's enlarged eyes quavered from agitation, and his arm thrusted towards his side, his legs strode viciously towards Ji-hun. It's phenomenal how fast people switch up. One moment you admired me, the next I am your mortal enemy, Moon Ji-hun thought, as the principle hurried over towards him. "You have some nerve, walking back in here-"

"Moon Ji-hunssi . . ." In her olive green blouse and midnight black trousers, was Park Sun-hwa, and a glimmer of relief bedazzled her rigid expression as her perplexed eyes fell on the man, that accompanied her throughout her shifts at Hyosan High School.

"Oh Park Sun-hwassi," finding it half arduous to find a regular pace to his breathing again, since he bolted it towards the staff room, his speech quickened, making it hard for Park Sun-hwa to depict what he was saying, "we-have-to-leave-now-it's-hectic-outside."

For a prolonged amount of time, Park Sun-hwa had been trying to tell her colleagues about the rowdiness outside, yet not a single face showed belief, and she didn't realise she needed Moon Ji-hun until she found her eyes relaxing at the sight of him. At that, her shoulders rolled downwards, her spine straightening as she travelled towards him in a flurry, "thank God you're here Moon Ji-hunssi- How's Moon Eun-Byeol? Did you speak to her? Is she at the hospital now?-"

"Well," gliding his deadpanned eyes away from the dim-witted headteacher, Ji-hun found himself beholding Sun-hwa, the only soul in the room who had the same thought process as him, "she's still here-"

"Oh . . ." That means the ambulance is still at the hospital- "Apart from that, is she okay?" Park Sun-hwa knew that she was burdening him with such questions to answer. "Is she alone right now? Does she need me to accompany her?" But she couldn't help but feel as though she was allowed to have that power to enquire about Moon Eun-Byeol in many ways, for she felt her own emotional well-being plummet, whenever her students undergo such scenarios.

In a way, her students played a major part of her life, and she found joy in watching them grow both academically and as people, as a mother would do.

Which was why she needed answers to her demanding questions.

Holding a breath, Moon Ji-hun curled his fingers inside of his palms uneasily, his eyes almost flittering elsewhere, "she'll . . . she'll be okay-" He felt a burning sensation around his palms, from where his nails dug into it, and it continued to jab into his skin the more he thought about Moon Eun-Byeol.

"She . . . will?" Although she found the tone unconvincing, the response to her questions were almost satisfying to hear. Park Sun-hwa uncrossed her arms as her lungs released some air, not knowing she'd been trapping an exhale within her since Ji-hun left the room, she nodded to herself.

Without a thought, Moon Ji-hun inclined his head along with her, with an absent mind, for his entirety needed that reassurance too, that he was doing the right thing. "Yeah, she will."

That phrase inserted a fluff of warmth onto Park Sun-hwa's mind, and as it alleviated her discomforting thoughts, the warmth spread across her features, causing both corners of her light mauve lips to teeter upwards, "I'm so relieved."

For a moment, Ji-hun was the young boy who weeped over warm stars all over again, Park Sun-hwa being a part of the clusters of stars in the stretch of a sky. He felt as though he had his feet settled within a field of razor-sharp glass, whilst his neck craned upwards to survey the sea of brilliant, incandescent stars that stretched out above him, hand-picking which star looked warmest, whilst being out of reach- always longing to feel what it was like to be surrounded by that warmth.

And there Moon Ji-hun was, feeling the warmth of Park Sun-hwa's smile, radiating, at his features. He'd been gazing upon it for so long, that he dismissed the way his own lips mirrored her warm smile, as though Park Sun-hwa's expression was infectious.

It had been a while since the star traveller felt that warmth.

"No," the headteacher sliced the conversation between the pair, "you should have negotiated with me before calling the ambulance."

Moon Ji-hun had to ram his teeth into his tongue to prevent himself from releasing his disagreements over that sentence.

"No?" The warm expression was tainted, and the light wrinkles above her eyebrows returned once more, Park Sun-hwa started, "two students could have died-"

"I won't hear it. You know not to inform the services, what do you suppose we do when this reaches the public?" The headteacher simply put, "look here, Ji-hunssi, I don't know what reason there is for you to show up. We have enough trouble on our hands here, we don't need you here to stir in some more!-"

With his expression scrunching up tinily at his fuming boss, that was now right under his nose, Moon Ji-hun fought the urge to release a few witty phrases, to let the remarks that whirled around his mind escape from his tight-lipped mouth. He only compelled both sides of his pale, violet red lips upwards, and did nothing else, but let his eyes drill onto the principle's frame, "do I really need a reason to arrive here? I'm just here to join the staff meeting. It's not one if there's a missing colleague, am I correct?"

The headteacher moved his bottom set of teeth around briefly, having to pause to glue his eyes tightly shut for a moment, a purply vein nearly resurfaced the side of the headteacher's forehead as it pulsated under the surface of his skin. In his glower, there was an unwavering flame, as though both his pupils were meteorites that could've scorched at Moon Ji-hun's skin . . . if Ji-hun let it, which he did not. Sucking a breath through his teeth, the principle returned to his chair in irritation. He spluttered over his words, unable to form grammatically correct sentences, due to the temper that was festering within him. "You . . . I . . ."

"It's havoc out there," Moon Ji-hun was there for one sole reason, and he did not plan to beat around the bush, though, he did not want to disclose those that were affected, for now, "students and staff members are behaving unusually, people are getting severely injured."

"-That's what the students are saying. You know how students make up all sorts of excuses to leave school. All of these are lies made from the imaginations of the students. They're children. There's tonnes of horror movies out there today, they've been watching too many." Swinging his arms around his side for emphasis, trickles of sweat began to form on the surface of the headteacher's forehead from the infuriating words that left his colleague's mouths.

"But you can't deny that there's a problem out there. It's complete mayhem," ripping her hard stare away from the close-minded headteacher, she trained them onto Moon Ji-hun, who already had his eyes rested on her face, "Moon Ji-hunssi, you've seen this all first-hand right?"

"Indeed I have, and mind you, my daughter was victim of what happened last night and I will not have you turning a blind eye like you did with Jin-su and Lee Byeong-chanssi!" Rolling his fingers around the sides of his royal blue tie, he brought it closer towards his neck, swishing it side-to-side before adjusting the sterling silver wristwatch that hugged his wrist. Moon Ji-hun wanted an end to the havoc that resided in Hyosan High School, and he was glad that Park Sun-hwa was there to tackle it with him, even if he believed he could do it on his own.

"Right, you see? We have a witness here, in case you all do not believe my words. Once the ambulance comes back to pick up one of the casualties affected in all of this, you can ask the ambulance yourself- Calling the services was needed- We now need to call the police and rescuers again, and get the kids out-"

"Are you two the only teachers around here? Are you two really that special? Whatever happens inside this school must be handled internally!" The headteacher lifted his index finger up in mid-air, it moved to and fro in disbelief. It was all ironic, and Moon Ji-hun felt as though that was the case. There was the supposed master of Hyosan High School on his high chair, fully convinced that he could trade the lives of the students for the reputation of Hyosan High School.

Happy students, safe school: the school motto stated this, but there was the headteacher, proving it incorrect.

"You, Seo Ji-Sang, do not belong to our school," Moon Ji-hun addressed the headteacher by his full name, which earned him a vicious double-take, and at that, Ji-hun almost applauded at his own words.

"MOON JI-HUNSSI, I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS BEHAV-"

"Seo Ji-Sang seonsaengnim. I will not tolerate your behaviour." The taller statured man witnessed as the principle rose from his chair and to his feet, yet, he was still a head shorter than Moon Ji-hun, "we're meant to keep the school safe and the students satisfied, hence the words to our school motto. However, you contradict that by dismissing the obvious cries that our students are making-"

The principle ignored this comment and sharply faced the seated staff members, and began to usher the silent colleagues towards the door, "quickly go! Put the students into their classrooms."

"But sir, I don't think the students will listen to us at all, given the situation-" Jung Yong-Nam, a man clad in velvety purple, someone who used to pile a load of freshly unmarked assessments and assignments within Moon Ji-hun's arms, during his trainee days, began to hoist himself up from his seat, before lowering himself once more.

"How impudent," at this rate, Moon Ji-hun couldn't just bottle his vexations, he was a supernovæ that was dying to explode. With both his thumb and index finger, he pinched the bridge of his nose whilst pointing his chin towards the ceiling, a palm was propped up on his hip.

"Are you deaf?" The principle ignored them both. "Get out of here quickly!"

For a teacher like Jung Yong-Nam, who wanted nothing but to earn enough from his pay-cheques, so that he could leave for good one day, Moon Ji-hun was impressed that he had more common sense than the principle. Hovering above his seat, as though he were contemplating between staying or leaving, Yong-Nam prodded once more, "why don't you go outside, and see for yourself-"

"Just do as you're told, I made you a dean for a reason."

Trying to convince them felt like conversing with a solid wall; Moon Ji-hun desired for a black-hole to ingest him wholly.

"You're here because you want to change things right?" Melting into his senses was a whiff of caramel coffee and valuable Dior perfume, which tickled his nose greatly, and he fought back a sneeze. Ji-hun didn't need a second inhale of Park Sun-hwa's natural scent to realise that it was her, for, as he trailed his eyes away from the ceiling and onto his reliable colleague, his ears found the source of the hushed whisper that came from his left.

Park Sun-hwa was on the edge of her feet, awaiting patiently for his answer, but not so patient that she could remain by his side until he did, her pupils darted from his face to the seated employees, as though she were arranging something out-of-the-ordinary within her mind.

"Brevity of the soul of wit." He answered, at last.

"Hamlet?" She diverted her eyes away from the floor and onto Ji-hun with a inquisitive glance, "I'm curious to know how Hamlet fits in with this."

"Shakespeare says 'clever people can express intelligent things using very few words.' Would you like to defy Shakespeare once more?" He had to arch his back towards her slightly, for she was half a foot shorter than him, with a palm above his lips, he tried to conceal their conversation from the principle, by talking behind it.

"I would be honoured. Just like we did previously, we're defying Shakespeare for saying how 'talking does not change a thing in a scenario,' and here we are, defying those sayings once more."

"Exactly that. Our students need reassurance, this time, not just Class 2-5, but the whole of our school, Hyosan High School. So, shall we leave, before the havoc reaches the whole of Hyosan?"

A cunning and gentle grin crawled across Park Sun-hwa's light amethyst pink lips, the warmth had returned, and Ji-hun could almost feel it radiating on to his side. "You're right, our students need us," with a final inclination of her head, Park Sun-hwa threaded her arm through Ji-hun's without reluctance or hesitance.

All Park Sun-hwa could be, was glad. Glad, that Moon Ji-hun was accompanying her once more, to aid her and the students. Sometimes, when you're helping someone, you're usually the one who also needs support too, and Park Sun-hwa never complained, she was never the one to retaliate over these things, but of course, she was grateful, thankful and glad for Moon Ji-hun.

In that moment, Moon Ji-hun had started to open his mouth, before it was closed gingerly, from being pulled towards the door by an arm.

"Where are you two going? Stay here and don't do anything stupid-" The principle rushed frantically as he trained his eyes severely at the english teachers.

"I'll beat thee, but I would infect my hands-"

Park Sun-hwa had neared them towards the door, and she rammed the edge of her elbow, softly, against Ji-hun's abdomen before he could take his insult even further. "We should at least make an emergency announcement and tell the kids to leave."

The only green that greeted the pair as they rushed out of the aggravating staff room, were the mint green walls on either side of them, as they let their feet accelerate down the hallways. There was always a vivid and vast palette of greens within the hallways, that being the vibrant, rich green sweaters that the students were for their uniform, which unified warmly with the walls of the school.

Though, there were no students in sight.

The usual friendship groups that always stuck together in Park Sun-hwa class projects, weren't there. The disobedient boys of Hyosan High School's Senior Football Team, a set of students that were always captured booting a synthetic football indoors, weren't in the corridors- Moon Ji-hun was so used to catching them before their footballs collided with a glass window.

"Thank you," Park Sun-hwa found those two words leaving her matted violet rose lips quite frequently that day. The phrase 'thank you,' always seated upon her tongue and escaped her mouth airily and found a home within Moon Ji-hun's ears.

Wriggling his wrist briefly to re-adjust his wristwatch and fleetingly swallowed, trying to maintain a firm breath and to converse clearly, was quite the task. In the midst of it, his eyelids flittered, before half-chuckling from perplexity, his voice at a mere volume as his half-squelching leather shoes, thundered down the hallways. They then reached an onyx staircase, in which he had his eyes trained on them, never leaving the ground, for, the words sparked no interest within him. ". . . Sorry?"

It seemed that every time that phrase exited Sun-hwa's mouth, it startled Ji-hun gently, which only encouraged her to express her gratitude further. "Thank you," she repeated, looking towards her feet to find the first step to the staircase, she then brought her pupils back up on him, they radiated tinily, as though they were two moons, shining for the first time, under the rays of the sun. "For standing up against the principle, earlier," a slight amused laugh freed from her lips, "both the first and the second time. However, you really need to control your temper at times, you nearly decapitated the principle's head!"

From her peripherals, she caught Ji-hun inattentively fiddling with the silver folds of his watch, a habit that repetitively resurfaced when he encountered something that is out of his usual routines, the norm, his comfort zone. He wasn't used to snapping at another being, like he did previously with the principle. It seemed that the bottle that contained his pent-up emotions, was not able to be repressed any longer. For, the cork burst open, releasing his inner thoughts upon the head master.

Nevertheless, Moon Ji-hun didn't slouch, he stepped up the flights of stairs with his chin held higher. In fact, he wasn't timid anymore, and he learnt that when he managed to talk to his daughter about . . . it all- about, the constant guilt that dared to reel him into its hellish, roguish jaws. He didn't manage to tell her everything, but it was a start.

It showed that the young traveler in The Traveler and His Galaxy, had begun to stop weeping over the loss of his stars, and strived to create his own sets of stars. Though, this time, the star hunter was not solitary- he had Park Sun-hwa and himself.

Moon Ji-hun was building up courage, for definite this time.

He finally glanced down towards Park Sun-hwa's illuminated face, "I'm done running for a way to escape." Moon Ji-hun was now running for a way to face it all. "I was so used to it . . . but after speaking to Eun-Byeol, I didn't realise how much it affected not only myself but my daughters too." He slowly inclined his head, "unfortunately," tinily, the corners of his lips crawled further up his dimpled cheeks, "the principle was the victim of my temper over it all."

"Yes, unfortunately," in a light-hearted manner, Park Sun-hwa answered right after. Although she discouraged how Ji-hun tackled the principle's harshness, part of her believed that the principle deserved it.

Park Sun-hwa had stopped. Her tawny green high heels no longer clacked against the tiled flooring, ones that matched her silky, olive green blouse. It was slightly arduous to depict the expression that Ji-hun owned, because of the sunlight that glared down behind him, causing his front to become darkened. But based upon what she could analyse, from the tone of his words, her coral pink lips morphed into a softened smile.

Moon Ji-hun was being sincere.

Having a nephew and two nieces, every weekend, Park Sun-hwa would take them to the local libraries, and often she'd read to them. There was a whole shelf in particular, that held exquisitely illustrated novels, with stories told by the author . . . Moon Ji-hun. Being a fond colleague, the visits to the libraries would begin with his novels and end with his novels, and throughout it all, her nephew and nieces would bombard her with questions such as: what did the girl spend her star-money on? Did the boy ever get to play with the warm stars?

Park Sun-hwa would tell them each time: You can ask the author himself, since he is my friend. They would then marvel over that new found answer, and demand to meet him right away.

From reading every single page that Moon Ji-hun wrote, every character depicted a part of him, and Park Sun-hwa could see the parallels between them, which weren't so far from each other.

Thus, she came to a conclusion, on that staircase, Park Sun-hwa could visibly see the author's cogs turning, generating new ideas for another illustrative novel, that could possibly differ from the others- when an author's soul grows, so does their stories. Even as his colleague, Sun-hwa could sense the courage within his words and mannerisms.

Something that contrasted from how he was before.

Whatever Moon Eun-Byeol told him, or what they conversed about, seemed to have caused Moon Ji-hun to view things in a different light- a change.

Sheer tears coated Ji-hun's taupe eyes, "yeah," the dimples engraved themselves deeper into his cheeks as he tried smiling over his words, "I have more to talk about with Moon Eun-Byeol, and Moon Hae-Bom too. I want to apologise. To explain myself . . . which is why we need to get the students, and have them leave the premises safely." He wrapped his fingers around the diamond shape of his tie, the cotton of his collar rubbed against his skin and re-folded it slightly, trying to make himself presentable even under such circumstances.

Re-adjusting her footing, Park Sun-hwa parted her dark mauve lips as they curled, slowly, into an gentle grin. The plan they initially had, had flown out of her mind briefly, as, all that beheld her mind, were dove-like thoughts about how she could express her pride over Moon Ji-hun's words. "And, you will," she uttered finally, with her last words pronounced with meaning. Even with a mellow tone, those words entered warmly, yet, sharply into Ji-hun's ears, and Sun-hwa could visibly feel him relax under her fingertips, since she still had her arm threaded through his right. "I'm-"

Another set of warm words were to leave her graceful grinning mouth, but she was abruptly interrupted, when something else had carved into their shared moment once more. Lowering his gaze, Moon Ji-hun let his feet pace down a few steps in front of her, causing his colleague to be secluded by his frame.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Hey kid, what's up with your leg?" It was Ahn Kyung-Bin. Moon Ji-hun recognised his nearby voice immediately, and as his eyes focused on Hyosan High School's History teacher, that was clad in a mocha brown cardigan, his eyes only expanded at the figure beside Ahn Kyung-Bin.

Moon Ji-hun would have released an exhale of satisfaction, at the sight of that pine green jumper, that the student beside Ahn Kyung-Bin wore- if it was spotless, and untarnished. But instead, he found himself unravelling Park Sun-hwa's arm from his, and wrapping his palms around her wrist, safeguarding her from the infected student just a meter before them.

"Step away from that student, Ahn Kyung-Binssi." Moon Ji-hun begun.

"It's okay, it's okay, I've got this. It's my turn to do lunch duty today. Go, don't you have to teach a lesson after this? Go Sunbaenim, it's okay I've got this." Waving a palm in the direction of him, Kyung-Bin dismissed that command and didn't bother to face the pair on the stairs, and only continued his pointless scolding on the student. "Hey I asked you something, answer now or I'll give out an after school detention!"

"Please. Step away. It's not safe-"

From the perspective the two were in, almost ebony black, liquid oozed in a lengthy drop, from what seemed to be the student's hanging jaw. Palm shaped smears, of mahogany blood patterned all over the sleeves, almost as though the student was shoved around before hand. Attached to their right leg, was a plastic traffic cone, keeping them from charging forwards at a hastier speed. Gargles emitted from their mouth, their upper half of their body convulsed, as chunks of unknown, rouge meat flew in particles and onto the front of Ahn Kyung-Bin's shirt.

Thump. Thump- Their coned leg stomped forwards.

"It's okay Sunbaenim, I've got this, I've got this . . . Hey stop that!" The oblivious teacher warned, his words utterly futile as he faced his murderer, "AGHHHH-"

"AHN KYUNG-BINSSI!-" A bellow bounded from Moon Ji-hun's mouth, it was sure to have torn at his throat.

However, it wouldn't have been as severe as Ahn Kyung-Bin's leg.

Mangled, mutilated, disfigured . . . the sets of knives, or scientifically, the student's teeth lacerated Ahn Kyung-Bin's flesh. The student was the embodiment of a slaughterhouse, their abhorrent devouring of Ahn Kyung-Bin was deafening, as the squelching of his leg within the jaws of the student's mouth resounded around the hallways.

"HEY!" Park Sun-hwa yelled over the slight ringing that commenced within Moon Ji-hun's ears, the terrorised call used the entirety of her lungs. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? CUT THAT OUT!"

Moon Ji-hun felt that his grasp gradually grew lighter as he felt the silky, sage green material of Park Sun-hwa's sleeves, slide away from his touch. A salty taste, strengthened, within his mouth as the air was polluted with a coppery scent, and the bitterness on his tongue only increased at the heightened hazard levels. In a millisecond, he found his finger reaching out instinctively, but they found nothing but the space between them.

That was until, Moon Ji-hun set forth, his leather shoes drumming against the tiled staircase.

"DON'T GO ANY FURTHER." His reached his arm out and locked his fingers around her forearm, keeping Park Sun-hwa from racing forward any further, "WE HAVE TO LEAVE." Moon Ji-hun's gruff, piercing voice, overlapped with the ruthless snarls that the corpse before them made, making his words to drown out amongst the uncontrollable turmoil.

It seemed that it was now Park Sun-hwa's turn to stay rooted in place.

Her rickety breathing, intensified as the student scampered towards the bottom of the stairs, their swollen cheeks greeting the two as they limped on all fours. Filling every crack between the student's teeth, were the tissues that used to belong to Ahn Kyung-Bin's leg. Clumps of hardened and parched blood, glued to the rims of their maroon mouth, as so did their nostrils, for they were clogged up with their thick garnet blood-

And like the jaws of guilt, the very same amount of hunger laid within the infected student's eyes, their corroded mind not fantasising about feasting on guilt, but the skin and flesh on Park Sun-hwa and Moon Ji-hun's bones. Thus, their blood-shot eyes focused upon the teachers on the staircase, longing, to consume.

"AHHH," a shrill bawl fell free from Park Sun-hwa's mouth as she felt a heavy hand latch onto the top of her olive green shoe, staining the expensive material, permanently, with just one touch. Flailing her arms around, her legs kicking away, her fingers found the handrail, her back falling against Moon Ji-hun's torso.

An extensive amount of heat left Moon Ji-hun's face at the sight. This time, he didn't watch the events unfurl. With his palms still secure around Park Sun-hwa's arm, he had no time to register the warm sensation against his abdomen, from the impact of Park Sun-hwa's fall, for, he began to aid her and hoisting her up. "LET'S GET TO THE BROADCASTING ROOM."

'Defy. Defy. Defy. I would've stayed frozen at the sight of Hyun-Joo and Eun-Byeol, but I didn't, because, I started to say a plan aloud. Sometimes we all need a voice that it grounded, and reassuring. Even if it is your own, even if you, alone, are not reassured.'

Those were what Park Sun-hwa told him an hour ago.

The more Moon Ji-hun felt Park Sun-hwa sink into his arms, he knew that the toll of the experience had caused her to be frozen, and he knew how that felt. It was just like, when he saw Moon Eun-Byeol collapse on the floors of his classroom.

Sometimes we all need a voice that is grounded, and reassuring . . .

The traveller would have found comfort if at least one person, had been there for him when he lost his chance to be amongst his warm stars and galaxy.

"SUN-HWASSI." Thus, Moon Ji-hun tightened his grip, gently around her fore-arm, and let a few words escape from his mouth. "I'M RIGHT HERE, SUN-HWASSI. I'M RIGHT HERE." It seemed to have pulled Park Sun-hwa, gradually away, from her trance. That's what pure terror does to you: it reels you savagely away from your current self, it paralyses you on the spot, trapping you within its prison. But Moon Ji-hun's words were the key to Park Sun-hwa's escape, and he could witness her remove her eyes away from the diseased student, and towards him.

"Let's go." Park Sun-hwa managed to utter, her lips aquiver.

Those wounded eyes reminded him of himself. Her pupils were blurry from the pools of salty tears, that glazed the surface of her eyes. The grieving emotion that she held within her eyes, was supposedly, from seeing her student be in such a way, for the second time- and from such horror. Moon Ji-hun's chest deflated at the distressing sight, and tugged at her arm.

"I've got you. I'm right here, with you. Let's do this together, to defy. Remember?" Both his palms curled around her shoulders as she teetered on her feet, the flooring was slightly unbalanced from the tiles, causing her to stumble backwards tinily, his fingers only seized hold of her even firmly. Moon Ji-hun tried pacing his breath steadily, and boldly, so that she could match his breathing pattern too.

Breathlessly, "yeah . . . okay, yeah- I'm just . . . I'm sorry," she combed through her matted hair with her fingers, her exhales and inhales grew slightly spaced out, at a more natural rate, before her tearful eyes scanned his features.

"Don't apologise," other than the ground shaking grumbles from the infected student behind them, there was the two of them, their voices as toned down, as a quietened night, Moon Ji-hun allowed Park Sun-hwa to make the decision of when to go ahead with their plan, "shall we?"

Clearing her scratchy throat, she briefly let her eyes flutter shut, before revealing her dark shadowy eyes upon Moon Ji-hun once more, "let's go defy," courage too, found its way to Park Sun-hwa, as she finalised her choice.

Moon Ji-hun's soul was a vast musical score, and written within the bars were jumbled chords. Its dissonance played an anthem to his troublesome life, not once, was there peace, not once was there a rest- there was no double bar to indicate the finale of the music his soul created.

His soul played the chords: C minor, D minor, E minor, F minor, G minor, A minor and B minor . . . if they were played together, they could either create inharmoniousness, or a hauntingly beauteous piece. It all depended on what Moon Ji-hun was experiencing, and since his soul was constantly devoured by guilt from the past, the music his soul produced was harrowing.

In order for Moon Ji-hun to gather courage, Moon Ji-hun put his fear, of the possibilities of his guilt consuming him wholly, on hold. He was doing that, as he bolted up the stairs with Park Sun-hwa towards the broadcasting room.

It wasn't just the harrowing music of Moon Ji-hun's soul that followed him, but the accompaniment music that Park Sun-hwa's soul played, alongside his.

Two and two, their souls slowly played a harmonising piece, that guided them through hell.

The traveller had lost his warm stars and galaxies once . . . he couldn't afford to lose the new source of warmth that he had just discovered, moments ago. It could create more than just dissonance within the music his soul played.

Moon Ji-hun did not want to fall back into the cold again.

DEAR ALL,

UUUUMMMM SO I UPDATED??? LMFAO

Sooooo I'm sorry my updates are so spaced
out, like I'm trying here I'm a full time college
student with a life!!!!! But of course I love
writing for this book so I haaaad to write
more, plus there's much more to cover and
lots of lore and redemption and development
for a lot of my characters.

I hope you are still reading??? And still enjoying???
Thank you to those who are still reading this
and loving this fic like you guys own my heaaart<3

I hope you are loving the dynamic between Ji-hun
and Sun-hwa, they are such cuties, and I'm allowed
to say this because I know the true story behind
Ji-hun and in my opinion, I think you'll grow to
love him, just give him time guys to get his development
and to unleash his truth!!!!!

Anyways THANK YOU FOR 5K ALREADY and all
of the comments and hype I literally love you guys
thank you what????

Anyways I'm watching Rise of Gru tomorrow so I'm
sleeping early byeee babies hope you enjoyed and
see you very sooooon.

(Also I hope the metaphors in this wasn't too confusing??
Idk lmfao I always create metaphors that sound like they
make sense in my head, but when I write it out it doesn't
make sense T-T)

Okay byeeeeeee!!!

WITH LOVE, SYLVIA

P.S. The fairytales and folktales inserted in this fic are mainly inspired from Grimm Tales and tales I found online, so credits to those!!! They're so pretty so I had to incorporate them into my fic<3333