Chapter 1.   2026 - Seoul.   In the sweltering night, the taxi driver is eager to escape the rough neighborhood swiftly. He assists Minjeong with her colossal suitcase and returns to his car, without receiving as much as a thank you or a farewell. The taxi surges ahead, propelling towards the dazzling city lights. Near the dumpster on the corner, a homeless man fixes his gaze upon Minjeong, flashing a toothy grin, his nicotine-stained teeth sporting a yellow hue. In a gesture of kindness, she offers him some spare change.   Minjeong hastily runs to the run-down building located in the sketchiest neighborhood of Seoul. She pulls her suitcase along, hopping over a dirty puddle lying on the scummy street while wearing high heels. It has been raining for a while. The rain only increases the horrendous smell of rotting feces and dead rats. She walks past empty beer cans and a pointy needle on her way to the elevator. Minjeong presses the slimy button. It won't budge, and nothing happened. Of course, the elevator is broken. She calls the only person that can help her right now. And, of course, the girl wouldn't pick up.        She looks at the dark staircase and profoundly sighs. Her night is just getting better and better.       As Minjeong uses all her strength to pull the heavy suitcase upstairs, she thinks of all the reactions her girlfriend could give when they finally reunite after two weeks of Minjeong going to Japan for a business trip. She would love to feel her warm embrace and bury her head against Jimin's shoulders. They might take a bath together and talks about their days. They might even cook dinner and light scented candles to get rid of the pungent smells of this old, dilapidated building. The rent was all Jimin could afford from her job as a hospital receptionist.       Minjeong wouldn't live here even if someone paid her for it. Her apartment, located in Jung-gu district, the heart of Seoul, is walking distance from her company's building. Everything is close to each other, and Minjeong wouldn't even have to cook since she can use the company's food credits. She feels proud of her job as it is one of the most significant accomplishments in her life, landing the position of VP of marketing at the age of 25. It's hard for her not to brag about it with friends from college who would often make jealous comments on her Instagram post. But she would never dare to say a thing with Jimin. Accomplishment, jobs, and ambition somehow would always lead to them fighting. Minjeong hates whenever they fight. Mainly because she knows how much broken Jimin is.       Minjeong opens the door to Jimin's apartment. The doorknob creaks and feels a bit stuck. She would need to remind Jimin to change her doorknob. The studio is dimly lighted, with the only light source coming from Jimin's laptop. Jimin is curled up in a blanket like a burrito. She lies on the old sofa and watches one of her old videos.       "Baby?" Minjeong calls out, but there is no answer.        "How do you see yourself ten years from now? And what are your thoughts on ambition" A man's voice says from Jimin's laptop.        And here comes another voice, the younger version of Jimin. "There are no easy games in life, and neither are the fairy tales ending without the hardships that come with it."       "Have you been watching that all night?" Minjeong shakes her head while taking off her jacket. "I texted you like ten times ever since my flight landed!" Her voice is harsh. She didn't mean for it to sound like that.       Jimin rolls over, and she gives Minjeong a weak smile, "Oh, you are back. I'm sorry, I haven't been checking my phone."       The girl stands up. Her dark velvet hair flows over her shoulders like a Disney princess. She walks over and embraces Minjeong in a tight hug. Minjeong wishes that she would never let go. But she did, immediately right afterward. Jimin again gives a half- smirk that annoys Minjeong more than she should.       "I'll make you some tea," Jimin says. She takes her white mug and puts a tea bag in there. Then she turns on the faucet, but no water is coming out. She mutters a swear word, and Minjeong notes that she should pay Jimin's water bill for this month.       "Ambition people do not allow their minor pleasures to distract them from their goals. Instead, they focus on improving themselves and becoming great in life." The younger version of Jimin says with confidence from her laptop.       Minjeong walks to the couch and shuts Jimin's laptop off. Her headache is at its worst now. She didn't need a reminder from Jimin's younger self.       "The key is to be confident. Blew those judges right away." Jimin says with a smile. She is getting skinnier. She must have lost like 7 pounds.        "Would iced tea be okay?" Jimin asks while opening her almost empty fridge. She pours the tea into the mug for Minjeong. This is her favorite brand.        "Okay." Minjeong feels suffocating from the heat and Jimin's cramped and messy studio apartment.         Minjeong takes off her clothes and goes to Jimin's wardrobe for a tank top and some underwear.       When Minjeong is done, Jimin is back to curling up like a rotten potato on the couch.        "My trip was fine. Thank you for asking." Minjeong says sarcastically. She starts unpacking her suitcase.       Jimin crackles at something she sees on Tik Tok. "Did those male colleagues bother you again? Because if they did, I'll fight them."        "How? With your noodles arms?" Minjeong jokes, and she takes out a nicely wrapped box. The brown wrapping paper feels smooths and smells like Sakura perfume. She asks the friendly Japanese lady to make sure the present smells good, knowing how Jimin appreciates little effort.       "I'll Taekwondo kick them!" Jimin is grinning from ear to ear.        Minjeong highly doubts Jimin's fighting skills, considering the black belt she earned in Taekwondo was ten years ago.       Jimin shuts off her phone and goes to sit behind Minjeong. She wraps her arms around Minjeong as they sit on the floor while Minjeong unpacks her things.       "Why do stars fall down from the sky. Every time you walk by?"  Jimin softly sings as she buries her head in Minjeong's neck and plays with her hair. With each hot breath, she sends on Minjeong's skin, the younger girl giggles.       "That tickles." Minjeong shrugs Jimin off.        She is finished with unpacking. All that is left now is to put her clothes in Jimin's closet. She promises to stay here for a week even though she hates every part of this place.       "I got you a present." Minjeong turns around and puts the box in Jimin's hand.       "Is it Japanese sweet?" Jimin's face lights up. She quickly unwraps the box like a kid on Christmas Eve. Her smile disappears when she sees a weird-looking doll. It is red and has a round shape. It has the face of what seems like an angry man.        "What's this?" Jimin holds the doll up, asking in a disapproving tone.       "It's a daruma doll. They use them for good fortune and making wishes."       "Really?" Jimin nods and pretends to smile.       Minjeong touches Jimin's cheeks with encouragement. "Are there any wishes you would like to make?"       Jimin holds the daruma doll in her hands, closes her eyes, and says with a huff. "Lemme see... I wish for the end of world poverty, for a reason to get up every morning and for time just to... Stop getting waste."        "That's a long wish." Minjeong snaps and snatches the doll back. "You are being greedy. One dream at a time."       "Since when are you such a dreamer, Kim Minjeong?" Jimin stands up and goes back to her precious couch.        "I don't know. Since when are you such a downer, Yoo Jimin?" Minjeong says with such venom in her tone. She is reaching her limit. One more fight, and she might snap.       "You know what I miss about the old Yoo Jimin?" Minjeong continues, "She was ambitious. She knew what she was doing with her life. Most importantly, she didn't accept the life she did not deserve."       Minjeong turns to Jimin. "And now look at you."       "Shut the up!" Jimin yells back; her eyes are full of red veins. "You think I don't miss her? I miss her every single ing day. I wish I could go back and be her. But I can't now, can I? I'm your depressed girlfriend, and you are a talented entrepreneur. So what are you doing here?"       "You do have a ing wish then! A real and honest one. You want to go back in time and fix it all!" Minjeong holds the durama doll in her hand before she throws it against the wall. It smashes into pieces. "Good luck, man!"       "Stop it, Minjeong," Jimin says weakly. Tears come out, and her eyes seem to glint in the dark. "I remember you being there for me every day when my mom got in that accident. I remember how kind and considerate you were. I loved you then, and I love you now."       Jimin's soft and vulnerable body quiver as she cries.        Minjeong holds her breath; she feels like crying too.       "But I'm not happy. Not anymore. Not for a long time now."       That hu