Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World (Final Revision)

Deadly flower (3)

[At the orphanage, the superintendent gathered the children. Cale and Xin Jian (who was reading in Cale's room) reluctantly stopped what they were doing (for Cale, it was screwing over criminals; and for Xin Jian it was reading while thinking of her next pranks and watching Cale screwing over criminals) and left Cale's room.

"Everyone, today we're all going to visit a museum."

Someone raised their hand.

"What if we don't want to come?"

"It's not optional, everyone has to come."

Xin Jian raised her hand in a weak voice.

"Mrs, I..."

"You have to come, even if you're sick or your leg is broken."

Xin Jian shut up. Could this person read minds? She didn't remember using an excuse to skip an outdoor activity yet.

That's how Cale and Xin Jian were forced to go out with everyone.

Bored, Cale watched a kid pick a fight with Xin Jian, already knowing how it would end.

Then, he saw Xin Jian bickering with them while remaining as polite as possible, and the other kid insulting her in the conversation before Xin Jian brought an adult into their fight and complained that she had been insulted, winning the argument while the other was scolded.

Finally, she went back to Cale's side and began reading the book she had brought.

As she opened the book, Cale asked her a question.

"What would you like to receive on your birthday?"

Xin Jian paused, seemingly thinking about it. She didn't really want anything.

After a while, she answered.

"...A music box."

Cale nodded and the subject ended.

Later, on Xin Jian's birthday, Cale offered her a small packaged gift.

Xin Jian neatly opened the package, not tearing it apart because she intended to keep the beautiful paper, then looked at what was inside.

"..."

She looked at the music box, not saying anything, and turned the handle to start the melody.

Xin Jian continued to stare at it for a while and finally mumbled in a low voice.

"Thank you..."]

Cale remembered the interior of Xin Jian's drawer he had searched through in the orphanage before.

Indeed, when he had been there the last time, the music box had been nowhere to be found in her room. She always brought it with her.

He left the kid and continued on his way.

In the subway train, the Oldest Dream pointed at her bulging pocket because he still didn't know what was in it since he first met her.

"So, what is there?"

Xin Jian blinked and took out the object.

"This?"

She smiled.

"It's a music box."

***

"Cough! Cough...!"

Yoo Jonghyuk threw away the blood stained petals he had coughed out and looked at the meteorite at his feet.

Even though he had been cursed, at least that hidden scenario had made him far stronger. He now felt confident enough to be able to single-handedly defeat this disaster.