To The Core And Back

The Amber And Crystal Ring

Author's POV

Krystal Jung Soojung was the first person ever to graduate from college at young age with the course and professionalism of geology in the age of 19. She's already licensed and has given the permit to lead her own team ... a true genius indeed.

But no matter how much she'd already succeeded and achieved from giving out many positive contributes for science and the serious applause she got from it, nothing from all of it seemed to satisfy the young scientist. For some reason, she's craving for more discoveries, yearning for something that only her had seen and acknowledge for the first time.

A once just a silly dreams and questions of a mere child became a big part of her whole life, her status, and her purpose. Mysterious yet amazing it is, for her to move and dream onto something just because of one simple question. "What is inside this globe we're living at?"

Even after when many scientists already approved to their researches, saying that the Earth has three main layers together, the core, mantle and crust. But again, as a big contradiction for it was that, we never actually saw it. And so Krystal hasn't yet got the satisfaction she wanted at all.

She even once wished that if ever she can get the chance to explore deep inside the world, she'll gladly accept it.

It was winter right now. Everytime Krystal breathes out, faint fog follows up. They said that the core was as hot as the sun, and so then the girl gave out a rather stupid question. "If it's hot in the Earth's center, then why is it cold out here?"

She huff and puff while walking until she stumbled at a fountain. The water was already frozen still. An idea then popped out the young scientist's mind. She firmly yet ruggedly punched the stone-iced water and winced after the hard contact.

"What are you doing?" A voice from behind surprised Krystal.

Even with burning pain from her knuckles, the girl turned only to meet a guy with odd yet beautiful and very mesmerizing eyes. "W-who are you?" It was all she can muster out as she composes herself. But all of a sudden, the guy just fall flat on the ground, unconscious.

Without thinking twice, the young girl approached the guy. She flinched in pain after touching the stranger's skin. It feels like it was being grilled or something because it was burning hot. The guy groaned weakly.

Being a good person she was taught to grow into, Krystal gave her best and dragged the almost lifeless guy back to her apartment. She can still feel the weirdly abnormal heat of the guy so she decided to only pull him by the fabric of his clothes.

After for like an hour or two of long walk, Krystal finally reached her home. Completely tired and exhausted, she momentarily forgot about the stranger and made her way to freshen up. Several minutes passed when the guy slowly rose up and examined the area. For him, everything is new and kind of alienic.

"Where am I?" He mumbled as he rubbed both of his arms with his hands to produce some heat.

"Here." A pair of new clothes landed right at his face. He looked up and met the coldest yet innocent and stunningly beautiful eyes he'd ever seen. "Go change. It's my sister's boyfriend's clothes. I think it will fit you fine. Wear some gloves too." Krystal said monotonously before breaking her eye contact at the guy. "O-ok." He simply replied before walking away into the bathroom.

"Krystal." He halted and looked back at the girl's cold stares. "My name is Krystal. What's yours, Oppa?"

Being startled by the sudden introduction, he quickly thought of something. "It's ... Amber. The name's Amber Joseph Liu." For the first time after they met each other, which is just some hours ago, the two exchanged their first warmest smile.