"Where… where am I? Am I dreaming?"
A moment of floating thoughtlessness. Then it hit.
"Oh. Right. The ship. The mission. Jupiter."
The realization buzzed in his head like static.
Jupiter.
The gas giant. A massive, swirling storm of color and madness.
No ground. No welcome. No promise of return.
They called it suicide. He called it escape.
"They all said I was insane..."
"But really, was there anything worth staying for?"
A bitter smirk tugged at his lips. The hum of the spacecraft was the only reply.
"Winter... I wish I made a different choice with you. But... this is where those choices led me."
He looked out the viewport. The stars didn't blink. Cold and distant, like silent witnesses to the boy they left behind.
"Do you believe in black holes?"
"Like… really believe? In time travel? In undoing things?"
He leaned back in the seat, voice quiet, like a prayer meant for no one.
"Because if I could... I'd fix so many things."
"My family... Winter... those guys who hurt me... I should've fought back. I should've done more."
[Flashback ]
A locker slammed.
A kick to the gut.
Laughter.
"What's wrong, nerd? Gonna cry now?"
Yu curled into himself. He didn't cry. He never did.
But he never fought back either.
Then she showed up.
Winter.
Boots hitting the tile floor. Smile like a blade.
She looked down at him, eyes shining with something between pity and disgust.
"You're not even going to fight?"
"Tch… you really are weak."
She walked off laughing. The others followed her.
And Yu stayed there, breathing hard, humiliated.
---
[Present – Back in the ship]
He closed his eyes again.
He saw Winter.
Her lips, her voice.
He was kissing her.
But it wasn't warmth. It was goodbye.
"I'm sorry..."
"For breaking your trust."
---
"Yu! Come eat something!"
"You've been staring at that notebook all day!"
His mom, always worrying.
His dad, always yelling—but behind it, fear.
"Life isn't about hiding in books."
"I don't want you to get hurt."
He thought they were enemies.
Now he knew… they were just scared too.
"If only there was a chance..."
"Just one chance to try again."
But chances don't come easy.
Not for people like him.
Not after everything.