When he’s particularly lonely, he’ll return to the ocean and dive underwater to see the bustling aquatic lifestyles—schools of fish flashing as they turn in unison, rays that seem to glide rather than swim, a shadow of a shark every now and then. Dolphins live in the area all year around and don’t mind sharing the water with Jongin.

The vibrant colors of the coral and nudibranch draw him to the volcanic rocks, where tiny creatures keep to themselves and their own personal business. Among them, he can pick out shellfish and abalone to eat.

He wishes he could live in the water, leaving the empty surface behind for good.