Oneshot sequel to Paradise.

To my old readers, hello again! To the ones that stumbled across this by chance, you might want to read Paradise first.

 ∞

We are now boarding flight JL950 to Tokyo, Japan—

I looked up from my book as I struggled to make out the garbled, robotic voice of the announcer. After making sure that the announcement was definitely intended for me and the other few hundred passengers that were also on this flight, I memorized the page I was on and closed the book.

My thoughts flew back to the note that I had hurriedly scribbled before leaving the dark and silent house. My sudden disappearances weren’t an uncommon phenomenon in my house. In fact, it was something they expected on a regular basis, waking up to find an empty bed and a messy note. No explanation, no reason or excuse for my absence.

They understood and tolerated my strange tendencies. But that never stopped me from wondering whether I was actually doing something wrong, wondering whether there was something wrong with me for pulling stunts like these.

It was ironic that the last thing my eyes saw before the thick book closed was the new chapter name.

If That Is What You Want To Do[1]

Was God mocking me? No, that’s impossible. I didn’t believe in God. I believed in Heaven, Paradise, The Ultimate Abode, whatever you wanted to call it. But I didn't believe in God. I refused to believe there was an ultimate being that controlled the fate of the entire human race, their entire lives and destiny set out before them like chess pieces the moment they were born. I simply refused to believe it.

I picked up the small suitcase I brought along with me, packed with a week’s worth of clean clothes and other things. I hitched the large tote bag up so it hung on my shoulder more comfortably and cradled the book in my left arm. After taking a few deep breaths, I pushed myself off the plastic chair and headed towards the terminal, heels clicking loudly in my wake.

Goodbye South Korea. Hello Japan.