Turns out, Karina has a built-in universal translator. That is why she can communicate with Seungwan fluently in Korean like she has been living here her whole life. What she doesn’t have, is an internal alien Wikipedia of some sort. She has vague and general knowledge about Earth and Korea like Earth has ocean and land, there are animals and plants, people need oxygen to breathe, Korea is a country with a rich history and Confucianism still dominates many of its people.

But that is about it. It is surprisingly refreshing to encounter someone who doesn’t know the things many people take for granted to be common knowledge. Karina doesn’t know who the current president of Korea is. Karina doesn’t know what an idol does. The alien even thought Seungwan was talking about the religious kind when she asked if she knew any Korean idols. “Like, a golden cow or something?” That was hilarious. Her guest is a personification of a clean slate itself. And it was given to Seungwan. To Karina, she is just Seungwan. Not a could-be idol or an almost famous producer. Or a friend of whom or a family of so-and-so. To Karina, she is wholly herself. What she sees is all who Seungwan chooses to be.

But Seungwan also worries. Knowledge is power. The singer doesn’t know why Karina came to Earth but it can’t be to stay with Seungwan always and forever. There might come a time where Seungwan can’t be with her to guide and protect. And the modern world is such a noisy and complicated place. But it’s still very beautiful if you know where to look. Like a sunset seen through the window of a bus she sometimes takes to home. Like a magpie that used to nip at a persimmon that hung at the top of her parent’s neighbor’s tree in autumn. 

So Seungwan takes it upon herself to introduce her to all the best things Earth and Korea has to offer. Whatever the reason Karina came here for, it wouldn’t hurt the alien to get to know the place a bit. Seungwan doesn’t think she will mind it.

The said girl is currently sleeping soundly in her bed. It’s still early in the morning and they did go to sleep pretty late. Seungwan is used to getting little sleep nowadays so she is the first one up.

She silently slips out from her room and closes the door noiselessly. When the door is securely closed, she finally lets out a groan while stretching her shoulders and back. It has been a while since she slept on the floor. She gave her bed to Karina because she is her guest. She was going to sleep on the couch in the living room but the alien asked her to stay in the room with her. She seemed anxious. Seungwan thought she could understand. Seungwan would be the most familiar thing in this strange world to the alien. Maybe she felt safer with Seungwan in the same room with her. To be trusted to this level is something Seungwan never expected. It adds a weight on her chest but it doesn’t bother her. Rather, it is oddly comforting somehow, like a weighted blanket enveloping her.

Many people depend on Seungwan. She’s used to it. But with Karina, it’s different. Seungwan can’t pinpoint exactly why. Maybe it’s because Karina doesn’t expect anything from her. She doesn’t have any expectations. She doesn’t know anything about her to base her expectations on. She is a clean slate. It is somehow freeing yet keeps her grounded. It shouldn’t make sense. But it just does.

Seungwan puts rice in the cooker and takes out a couple of eggs from the fridge. She is thinking something simple. Two fried eggs for each and a few slips of Gim(laver) can be prepared in a few minutes and leftover Bean Sprout Soup just needs heating up. Thank god she cooked a couple of nights ago. She has rarely cooked for herself these days. If she didn’t cook the soup that night because she felt guilty for stuffing herself with constant junk foods, there wouldn’t have been any leftovers. And of course, rice is a must since they ate noodles for dinner. All of this will be a simple yet healthy and hearty meal.

She missed cooking. She had been too tired or couldn’t be bothered to put time and effort in cooking just for herself. She usually skipped breakfasts or just had some cereal and that’s it. She has lunch in the cafeteria of her company. Dinners mostly consist of take-outs or fast foods. She had been neglecting herself.

Not today. Now the food is almost ready. It’s Wednesday. She still needs to go to work but she is worried about leaving Karina alone. What if she goes out alone then gets in an accident? Or be found out that she’s an alien and national security officers or someone take her? Even if she doesn’t go out, what if she cuts herself on a kitchen knife or burns her hand on a kettle? The possibility is endless.

But Seungwan doesn’t want to take her with her to the office. It’s too soon. It’s only her second day here. It will be too overwhelming for the alien. It’s best that it’s just two of them. At least for a bit. Or forever. Whatever.

Seungwan will go to work today, take care of urgent matters and come home at lunch. She will work from home for the rest of the week. She is the boss after all. Well, one of the bosses but she thinks the other bosses will allow her without much hassle. Esper is not preparing for the comeback. So most of her work is just everyday paperwork these days. She had bee