we were learning about 2020

soft rains inside my dreams

December 3009

 

It’s not Miyeon’s fault that she’s sitting here in the library, cradling her head at the long table, experiencing her quarter life crisis. At the ripe age of 20. 

 

Things happen. She thought she could choose anything for her electives and 21st century history seemed easy enough. The online forums she visited were very convincing, saying that even a major in robotics, such as herself, could pass the course without batting an eye. 

 

Well. 

 

It was easy at first and she didn’t have any problems understanding the material. It was so easy that she’d doze off during lectures. That soon turned into skipping lectures altogether in favor of staying home to play Animal Crossing, (she’d been working hard to code said ancient relic of a game).

 

Cost-benefit analysis, is she right? She didn’t buy the required holo-textbook either.

 

$165 was saved in the process so she spent it on plastic, gears, wires and metal. It was for a good cause, she had managed to recreate a Nintendo Switch. Red and blue, sleek in its original glory.  

 

Months later, Miyeon realizes something important.

 

She knows nothing about the early 21st century. 

 

To make matters worse, she has a paper due in a day which she hasn’t started yet (according to her friends). She pleads otherwise, since the bibliography is typed out and ready to go. There’s also another tiny problem. 

 

The paper must draw its sources from the holo-textbook. The one that she opted to not buy.

 

At least she’s not the only one deeply regretting her choices and freaking out. Frantically typing their last minute papers at the table. There are ten of them, each passing back and forth the holo-textbook, having to share because all of them refused to be slaves of capitalism. 

 

Tap. Tap. Fingers drumming, she reminds herself to relax. Come tomorrow, everything will be over. She’ll be done; she’ll never have to learn about 2020 and how much of a disaster that year was. 

 

She has her topic figured out, (the conspiracy theories surrounding whether the zombie outbreak was a hoax). She’ll have multiple paragraphs dedicated to specific countries, analyzing possible outbreak origins, but ultimately leaning towards America as the culprit in the conclusion. It doesn’t seem to be too far fetched as everyone knows America in the 2000s showcased going down the capitalism drain. Truly a solid plan, everything is looking good. 

 

Except the girl beside her is taking too long, hogging the holo-textbook.  

 

Miyeon doesn’t want to be rude, the girl does seem to be super stressed. Pressing buttons incessantly, scanning through glowing blue pages, groaning, legs shaking. The whole table shakes with her. 

 

Screw it. Decency needs to be forgotten in these desperate times. Miyeon nudges her, gently on the shoulder. 

 

“Can I have it?” The girl spares her a glance, frowning deeply, then returns to the pages. 

 

She tries again. 

 

“Hey, can I have it? Everyone else is also waiting for their turn.” Miyeon gestures to the other grumpy students. 

 

“Give me a minute." Nose crinkling, flipping her hair. Black strands smack Miyeon face first. 

 

It’s going to be a long night. 

 


 

[Minnie] Grades are out!

 

[Yuqi] Hide me from my mother

 

[Minnie] Bruh. You’re the genius of the group. You get 98s while the rest of us scrape by with 60s

 

[Yuqi] Hide my mother’s slipper if you’re not going to hide me

 

[Miyeon]

 

[Yuqi] I know, the slipper hurts

 

[Minnie] you’re dumb, the afd is worse

 

[Yuqi] afd?

 

[Minnie] auto-feather duster 

 

[Miyeon] no you guys, I don't want to see my history grade

 


 

Miyeon waits, busying herself with inspecting the color-changing doorbell. Green and red. Quite the contrast to her own house, where her father insists on ash gray to scare away the trespassers. 

 

The door flies open, revealing a beaming Minnie, ushering her in. Like clockwork, Miyeon goes to the living room.

 

There’s no room on the couch. Yuqi, Soojin, and another girl with bob hair are occupying it. Eyes glued to the movie playing on the giant screen in the wall. And wow. 

 

“Yuqi. You actually have a girlfriend?” says Miyeon. The girl is close to Yuqi. Very close. As in there’s almost negative space. Miyeon raises an eyebrow at Yuqi’s hand, sneaking around the girl’s waist. 

 

“Yeah, she’s real. You thought I was joking, huh?” Yuqi smirks and Miyeon doesn’t really know how to feel about that. The girl pipes up, “Hi, I’m Soyeon.” Miyeon waves.  

 

“Soulmates?”

 

“Them? Yeah, they’re soulmates!” says Minnie, having returned, carrying cans of soda in her arms. Passing one to each of them, then sitting down on the floor, fitting right between Soojin’s legs. 

 

Is this what it feels like to fifth-wheel? Miyeon resigns to her spot on the floor, resting her back against the couch. Curling up, pulling her knees to her body. 

 

“Want to see?” Yuqi s out her forearm, rolling up her sleeve. In a neat typewriting font, the numbers 3073 are emblazoned.    

 

The year when Yuqi’s soulmate will die.

 

“That’s cool,” says Miyeon. Yuqi gives her a pointed look. What else is she supposed to say? Congratulations Soyeon, you will live to the old age of 84?

 

No, she’s not bitter. She is happy for Yuqi and Soyeon. They get to spend the rest of their lives together, doing lovey-dovey whoever knows what. Go house-hunting like a happy pair of lesbians.  

 

She won’t lie that she feels a bit… left out. Yuqi and Soyeon. Minnie and Soojin. They don’t have to worry about finding their soulmates anymore.

 

Minnie had met Soojin when they were still in highschool. Freshman year, a dodgeball to Minnie’s gut, courtesy of Soojin’s mechanical right arm, and a trip to the nurse’s office later, boom. Soulmates. 

 

That left Yuqi and Miyeon. The single ladies. Braving through highschool, teasing Minnie and her messy collar. The girl would be scrambling to wear her uniform properly after a trip to the washroom. Miyeon had sworn she had definitely seen Soojin exit slightly earlier, clothes in an equal state of disarray. 

 

Tonight confirms Miyeon as the only one left without a soulmate. She saw it coming though, Yuqi had been turning down her invites to hang out more often, citing she had met someone special.

 

Miyeon just thought it was an elaborate prank. Yuqi has always loved to bluff.

 

An elbow in her side breaks her out of her thoughts. “One of Soojin’s friends is also coming over tonight so you won’t have to be alone, stewing in your misery,” whispers Minnie. 

 

“Who?” Minnie shrugs, looking up at Soojin who smiles and says, “You’ll see. She’s a nice girl.” Minnie chimes in, “Get the door when she’s here, you should introduce yourself to her properly.” 

 

“Can’t your robot do that?” Miyeon replies.  

 

The doorbell rings. Another elbow to her side. Harder.

 

Miyeon doesn’t want to be elbowed for the third time. Standing, leisurely strolling to the door, she swings it open. 

 

Oh. Not this .  




AN: You thought you had seen the last of me for this fic, but I’m back lol. 

 

Strangely enough, I was listening to EXO-CBX’s Rhythm After Summer and it just clicked. Voilà, the continuation to my mishu sci-fi au. I’ll add chapters whenever the inspo strikes again. 

 

Thank you for reading and encouraging me to write a sequel. 

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Comments

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Jhaycee_4620 #1
Chapter 4: Please update morrrreeee😊😅i love this scifi mishu
cookienomster
#2
Chapter 3: thanks for updating! survival horrir vr sounds fun, or maybe those parkour ones LMAO have u seen some guy jump into his tv while playing it? poor thing shattered
moonrene
#3
Chapter 3: I love this!!!!
Kysdani #4
Chapter 2: SHSJSJSJJS “oh not this ” I love your writing and your story!!!!!
cookienomster
#5
Chapter 2: "not this " HAHAHAHHAHA. miyeon is such a mood tho bc i too would not spend $165 on a stupid book. cant wait to see how TJ's hate relationship develop
Shasha11 #6
Chapter 2: Your mind amaze me, your stories are always so cool and interesting
TaengooDerp
#7
Chapter 1: This was good and interesting but too short, I'm glad I found it.
moonrene
#8
Chapter 1: this is coolll
SkylerSubs
#9
Chapter 1: This sounds interesting authour-nim! I have a question tho I hope it won’t b a bother as its not directly relating to this fanfic, r u still updating ur other MiShu one? The one about fantasy called “you don’t have my by” I think. The plot seems rly interesting so I’m hoping u’ll continue it ?