KALOPSIA

6. Different But Same

"Papa! Mister Choi Han and miss Rosalyn came to visit!" The cats playfully jumped onto Cale, who was peacefully sleeping in bed until they came in.

Cale groaned as he sat up. "Where are they right now?" He yawned.

"They're walking around the garden right now!"

"Alright. Wait for me." Cale got out of bed and headed to the bathroom where he freshened up.

He came out soon after, then he was helped while dressing up by the servants.

"Lead the way." Cale told the cats.

"This way, papa!" They ran off on their four legs.

They went outside and walked along the garden's pebble paths where they met up with Choi Han, Rosalyn, and the group of Koreans from yesterday.

'I didn't expect them to already meet each other.' Cale walked closer to them.

"Ah! Cale!" Choi Han called out, noticing him approaching. "Cale, who are these people?"

'He isn't surprised seeing other Koreans?' Cale felt confused. 'I did tell him my secret but I didn't expect his reaction to be like this when meeting more people like him.' Cale furrowed his brows.

"I didn't know there were more people like Choi Han." Rosalyn smiled, "isn't that good, Choi Han?"

"Yes.." Choi Han wasn't as enthusiastic.

"I also didn't expect to meet another Korean so fast." Heewon wondered. "I thought they'd be more.. spread out?"

"Me neither, it's quite surprising." Sangah said.

"They arrived here yesterday." Cale explained. "I allowed them to stay for some time because I thought Choi Han would've liked seeing other people like him."

Choi Han's eyes started to tear up in admiration, "I appreciate your thought, Cale." He looked like a puppy standing there still.

"Let's go inside and have breakfast." Cale suggested.

They headed back inside into the dining hall. The chefs had already started preparing their courses.

"You're not going to ask questions to them?" Cale asked, wondering about Choi Han's silence. He didn't seem eager to go home no more nor interested in it anymore.

"I'd rather be here, with my new family and friends." Choi Han smiled brightly.

Cale smiled, 'ha.. he really is a protagonist.' Cale ruffled Choi Han's hair, messing it up.

Unbeknownst to Cale, Joonghyuk was sharply eyeing the Choi Han who was embracing the touch of Cale.

"Choi Han.. was it?" Heewon started speaking.

Choi Han looked up at her, "yes?"

"I'm sorry if it seems disrespectful but.. from the way you talk, I don't think you're or we're actually from the same place."

Choi Han looked at her confused, "are you guys not from Korea?"

"We are... but we're kinda.. how should I explain it?..." Heewon thought. "I should start explaining from the start, right?"

Choi Han nodded.

"The world is in an apocalypse, as well as Korea." She paused, looking for an answer.

Choi Han mumbled under his breath, "it's like the Korea Cale was in, are they from the same place?"

Heewon continued, "at the start of this apocalypse, we were introduced to many things: the star system, nebulas, constellations, sponsors, scenarios... many more." She looked seriously at Choi Han, "is this the Korea you know?"

Choi Han had a complicated expression  on. "No..." He looked towards Cale only to get responded with a shaking head, signaling a "no."

Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes flinched. 'Is he really not him?' He thought.

Heewon sighed, "that's what I thought.."

"What point are you trying to get out of this?" Sooyoung asked with attitude. "We already know that there are many other worlds out there because of the constellations."

"But his world is unaffected by the star system, yet he was able to arrive on another world." Sangah said, realizing the reason for the integration.

"What?" Sooyoung exclaimed in shock, "that can't be possible?!"

Kim Dokja soon understood too. But he was still confused, without the help of the constellations and the star system? That was unheard of.