A State of Future Existing

Chapter 4

Peony slugged Hyunjin in the shoulder, nearly pushing him into a pile of bald android treads. "How could you wait so long to tell me? You've only been home for, what, four hours?"

"I know , I know, I'm sorry," said Hyunjin, rubbing his shoulder. "There wasn't a good time, and I didn't want Adri to know. I don't want her taking advantage of it."

"Who cares what mom thinks? I want to take advantage of this. Good stars, the Prince. In your booth. I can't believe I wasn't there. Why wasn't I there?"

"You were busy being fitted in silk and brocade."

"Ugh." Peony kicked a broken headlight out of her path. "You should have commed me. I would have been there in two seconds, unfinished ball gown and all. Ugh. I hate you. It's official, I hate you. Are you going to see him again? I mean, you'll have to, right? I might be able to stop hating you if you promise to bring me with you, all right, deal?"

"Found one!" Iko called from ten yards ahead. Her floodlight targeted the body of a rusted hover, entrenching the piles of debris behind it in the shadows. 

"So? What was he like?" Peony said, keeping pace as Hyunjin hurried to the earthbound vehicle, as if being near her was on par with being near His Imperial Highness himself.

"I don't know," said Hyunjin, unleashing the vehicle's hood and lifting it up on the prop-rod. "Ah, good, it hasn't been scavenged."

Iko scooted out of Hyunjin's way. "He was kind enough to not point out the grease stain on his forehead."

Peony gasped. "Oh, you didn't!"

"What? I'm a mechanic. I get dirty. If he wanted me to get all gussied up he should have commed ahead. Iko, I could use some light over here."

Iko tilted her head forward, illuminating the engine compartment. On Hyunjin's other side, Peony clicked her tongue. "Maybe he thought it was a mole?"

"That makes me feel much better." Hyunjin pulled a pair of pliers from his bag. The night sky was clear, and though the lights from the city blocked out any stars, the sharp crescent moon lurked near the horizon, a sleepy eye squinting though the haze.

"Is he as handsome in life as he looks on the netscreens?"

"Yes," said Iko. "Even more handsome. And awful tall."

"Everyone's tall to you." Peony leaned against the front bumper; arms folded. "And I want to hear Hyunjin's opinion."

Hyunjin stopped poking the pliers around the engine as the memory of his easy smile rushed into him. Though Prince Felix had long been on of Peony's favorite topics- she was probably in every one of his net fan groups- Hyunjin had never imagined that he might share the admiration. In fact, he'd always thought Peony's celebrity crush was a little silly, a little preadolescent. Prince Felix this, Prince Felix that. An impossible fantasy. 

But now...

Something in Hyunjin's face must have said enough, because suddenly Peony shrieked and lunged at him, wrapping her arms around Hyunjin's waist and hopping up and down. "I knew it! I knew you liked him too! I can't believe you actually met him! It's not fair. Did I mention how much I hate you?"

"Yes, yes, I know," said Hyunjin, prying Peony's arms off him. "Now go be giddy somewhere else. I'm trying to work."

Peony made a face and skipped away twirling amid the piles of junk. "What else? Tell me everything. What did he say? What did he do?"

"Nothing," said Hyunjin. "He just asked me to fix his android." He peeled away spiderwebs from what had once been the hover's solar generator but was now a little more than a plastic shell. A cloud of dust kicked up into his face as he pulled away, coughing. "Ratchet?"