The digital clock on the dashboard glowed 4:03 a.m. in muted blue, the only splash of light against the still-dark road. Outside the rented IKA electric MVP, Jeju's countryside was a blur of shadowy trees and quiet stretches of highway. The hum of the car was so soft it was almost nonexistent, the silence broken only by the faint thrum of tires rolling over asphalt.
In the passenger seat, Mirae was curled in an oversized hoodie, the hood drawn low, her cheek pressed against the window. Her breaths came slow and even, fogging the glass every few seconds. She'd tried to stay awake when they left the hotel, insisting she could help keep Joon-ho company, but the combination of the hour, the soothing quiet of the car, and his steady driving lulled her under almost instantly.
