" There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope. "

 Bernard Williams

 

 

 

 

Umji couldn’t believe her ears. She was frozen and still looking into SinB’s empty eyes. The guard was approaching but she couldn’t care less. Just as she was ignoring her own tears coming from her eyes. SinB seemed genuinely clueless of the flow of emotions she had triggered in Umji. The latter took SinB’s hands. 

 

Why ? - she murmured. Any normal human being would have completely felt broken by witnessing Umji’s sadness expression. But not SinB. 

 

SinB didn’t answer. Her expression remained the same … emotionless. But the worst was to see her unaffected by Umji being grabbed by the guard. Umji kept her eyes on SinB’s all along and it hurt like hell. 

 

Suddenly a rock hit the guard’s head. He immediately lost consciousness and collapsed on the floor. Yuju appeared as she ran towards Umji.

 

Common Umji. We can’t stay here ! - Yuju cried out before noticing SinB’s presence. 

 

For the first time in the day, her face expressed shock. 

 

SinB ? What are you doing here ? I thought you were dead ?! 

 

SinB turned towards Yuju and she gave her the same look she did with Umji. However, Yuju didn’t pay attention and looked at Umji. 

 

Why are you crying ? - Yuju asked her, now totally confused before muttering:  Don’t tell me these are happy tears because SinB is alive. 

 

By the way, if you’re here … does that mean that Sowon is alive and here too ? -  Yuju asked SinB. 

 

For the first time, SinB changed expression. She arched her eyebrows as if she was thinking about something. 

 

The guard suddenly began to move.  They had to leave right now. 

 

Common Umji. We’re leaving. She doesn’t seem to be in her right mind. - Yuju stated.

 

She is surely drugged. SinB come with us. You will be safe. - Umji proposed as she approached SinB. 

 

However SinB regained her emotionless expression and walked back. Umji wanted to collapse as SinB was rejecting her offer … again. The next thing she knew was Yuju grabbing her hand and leading them to the forbidden area’s exit. 

 

She thought that seeing SinB again would be the best thing in her life but now it was worst than not being able to see her again. Maybe because it felt like only her body was alive while her soul was .. dead.

 

Thanks to Umji’s indisputable memory, they managed to find their way back to the nomads hidden place. The nomads were all sitting in that usual and spiritual silence. As Umji was incredulous at the event, Yuju did the « dirty work » of announcing the bad news:

 

Gallu is dead. - she said with a solemn tone. 

 

No one moved: some faces remained inexprimable, while other looked pretty surprised. The silence turned into a tribute to the deceased. Eventually, the chief broke it:

 

It was foreseeable. But don’t worry, we will reunite altogether soon. We believe that even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise. - he pronounced those holy words while looking at the moon. 

 

There was something really religious in their way of life. But after what happened to Gallu, the girls understood immediately that whatever spiritual belief they had, it was their way to find hope. No wonder why their spirituality was this strong. Hope was the only thing they had.

 

Why are you still here then ? - Yuju asked in rather blunt terms. 

 

Because somewhere in this marvelous city hides the end of all our problems. - The chief confessed. 

 

How intriguing. The nomads were staying here because of something alleging to be the answer that will solve it all. Yuju wasn’t taking them seriously because she was well aware of how spiritual they were. So she took his statement as a metaphor for hope. However Umji - who suddenly woke up from her thoughts - seemed to deem it with other eyes: