Finally, the eternal (or so it seemed to be) trip stopped. We get out of the vehicle called a van, and head into a mall. I look around and notice that Earthling malls aren't too different from the ones back on MATO, except for the fact that the building complex was much more simple.

"If we're going to enslave Earthlings, we need to know as much about them as possible, " says Yong Guk.

Zelo and I nod. I glare at him how dare you copy me. And I abruptly stop nodding. I decide to quit looking at him, but I keep getting the urge to turn and look at him. Why do I want to see him so bad?

Young Jae's cough interrupts my thoughts, "Okay, we'll split up and explore the area, consider this a scouting mission."

"And since the robots can't stand to be by eachother, we'll split them up, Zelo, you're going with me and Dae Hyun. And Meelo, you'll go with Jong Up. Himchan and Yong Guk will go together. Any complaints?"

Everyone shakes their heads.

But why does only Commander get to go with Yong Guk? I shake myself out of it, since this is a punishment afterall.

"Let's meet back here at 7:00 PM Earth time," concludes Jong Up.

I glumly follow him, leaving a space so he wouldn't try to talk to me, but he just kept slowing down, so I did the same thing maintaining our distance. Eventually though, we're both walking about an inch per hour, not that I had trouble doing it, but it was the fact that we looked like idiots, that caused me to give in. So I walk at a normal pace again, and soon, we're both at the same natural pace.

"So Meelo," he starts, "uh.. how's it back in MATO?"

I shrug, "It's the same, everyone hates me."

"Don't they hate Zelo too?" he asks,

I shrug again, "Yeah.."

Jong Up realizes how irked I am since he dared mentioned him, so he backs off the topic.

We pass by a store that seemed to be selling a frozen concoction, so I run inside to take a closer look. Jong Up catches up with me and looks at what I'm staring at in wonder.

He laughs, "Meelo, that's ice cream!"

I look at him, and repeat the new word, "Ice... cream?"

He nods, "Do you want me to buy you some?"

I shyly nod, and he laughs again, "Alright, which flavor?"

I point to the blue one that's marked, "blueberry" since blue is my favorite color.

"One blueberry ice cream and one watermelon ice cream please!"  says Jong Up to the woman at the register.

When we find a table to sit at, Jong Up tastes his green ice cream eagerly and I just stare at mine for a moment, nervous to try this strange food.

"Well go on Meelo, try it!" insists Jong Up.

I slowly imitate what Jong Up was doing, and the ice cream, and it tastes so good! My eyes widen at the deliciousness, and I hear Jong Up chuckling as he continues to devour his cone as well. 

Maybe I'll take Yong Guk here for ice cream one day, that is, before we take over the world...

I decide to look around and observe the humans, taking note that Earthling children tend to come here more that older earthlings, and looking at their different structures as well as their customs to eachother. But then, I see the strangest sight ever! A male and female Earthling that seem to be the same age, are shaing the same ice cream. Then I see then wiggling their noses together and... kissing? They looked too young to be married... so what is this strange sight?

Jong Up notices my puzzled expression towards the Earthlings and explains, "Oh they're on a... how should I say it... date? Yes, a date!"

"Date?" I ask, "Isn't it physically impossible to be on a date?"

He chuckles, "Not as in a day date, it's a word Earthlings use when they go out for bonding time, and in this case those two are on a lover date, but let's not get into too much detail." 

Oh I get it now. Maybe I should go on a date with Yong Guk too!  And I smile to myself at the though of sharing an ice cream with Yong Guk.

Afterwards, Jong Up and I go around the mall to do more Earthling things. I notice a store that seemed dark, but had a lot of flashing and noises inside it, I pull at Jong Up's arm and point to the store marked, "Arcade".

"You want to go into the arcade Meelo?" he asks

I nod confidently, it looks really fun.

When we go in there, it's like a game center! I see children playing with fake guns pointed at a screen, older Earthlings driving what appears to be a vehicle simulation race, and so much more!

I run to a game with a fake gun, and try to shoot the screen, but nothing's happening! Is it broken?

Jong Up comes back with a roll of coins, "Meelo, we need coins to play with these games!" 

I look at him, "What? Why?"

He laughs, "It's how the Earth economy works, here."

He inserts two coins into the small slot, "Now you can play."

I smile and start shooting at the screen, it's so fun! It's almost like back in MATO when we were training with Yong Guk! Of course I get perfect shots on all of them, and it turns out, I have the new high score!

Jong Up high fives me, "Great job Meelo!"

We gather up the "tickets" that I earned from the machine and start playing other games.

Eventually we are out of coins, but we have so much tickets! But I counted them with ease before we even reached the counting machine, "100,945,678" I count in my head. And I was right!

We turn them in at the prize redemption, and the man stares at us suspiciously. "Are you sure this is all yours?" We nod confidently. He gives in, "Alright choose your prizes."

Jong Up lets me choose first, and I spot a black bunny with a wind at the top of its head wearing a blue mask around its mouth.

"Meelo wants that one," I say pointing to it. 

The man stares at me strangely for a second and hands me it. He gives us the amount we still have which is a lot.

"Oh! I want the Wii!" says Jong Up, and the man hands him a box.

I decide to get a bunny for everyone except Zelo, red for Yong Guk, green for Jong Up, white for Dae Hyun, yellow for Young Jae, pink for Commander, and blue for me! 

Finally, it's Jong Up's final choice on what he wants, he turns to me and notices that I didn't get one for Zelo.

"Can I get that other blue bunny like the one she's holding?" He asks.

I glare at him, but he ignores me.

"Thank you!" says Jong Up as we leave the counter, he nudges me to say thank you too. I give him my best killing glare, which causes him to shy away.

We reach a fountain, where I see Earthlings throwing coins into it. 

"Why do they waste their money like that?" I ask Jong Up.

"Oh, that's just for wishes!" says Jong Up, "Want to try?"

He hands me a coin, I hesitantly throw it in, I wish Zelo would die.

I smirk to myself knowing Zelo will die today, but then all of a sudden, that memory came back.

The day we saved Dae Hyun.

I feel suffocated, I don't want him to die!

                                    He can't die! 

"No Zelo! Don't die!" I shout out loud, as I jump into the fountain to retrieve my coin.

It only takes a few second thanks to my perfect memory, but everyone was staring at me.

I quickly realize how much of a fool I look, so I put the coin in my pocket and rush into the women's restroom.

I run into one of the stalls and I start to cry.

Cry out of anger at myself for being such a coward, but also for being so thoughtless.

And also because of the confusion I feel inside,

Why is he so important to me?