They had set up camp right at the edge of the woods, but lacking firewood, they went out to gather some together. As they searched, Jacques spotted a large meadow nearby, filled with wild grass that looked soft—almost like a green dog's fur.
"Oh, cool! Look at that! A meadow!" Jacques exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He spread his arms wide, looking optimistic and carefree.
"Ugh, it looks itchy. I'm not laying there just to risk getting bug bites," Charles grumbled, tugging on Jacques's sleeve. He was beyond exhausted after the day's events and had no energy left for anything other than collapsing into the tent.
But Jacques was already heading toward the meadow. "Come on, Charles! I bet you've never done this before. It's going to be amazing!"
"Jacques Durant, I'm going back to the tent, with or without you!" Charles warned, his tone sharp with irritation. But Jacques didn't even look back, too caught up in his excitement.
Charles was about to go back to the tent, but the darkness surrounding it made him uneasy. His mind was filled with unsettling thoughts—what if someone tore open the tent and attacked him in his sleep? What if something was lurking outside? His paranoia only grew stronger the more he thought about it.
With a resigned sigh, Charles gave in and jogged after Jacques. Moments later, they were lying side by side on the soft grass, staring up at the open sky.
Charles sat upright at first, glancing at Jacques , who was already lying down with his hands behind his head, gazing up at the glittering night sky. The stars spread out like countless jewels scattered across a velvet canvas.
"What are you even doing?" Charles grumbled. Did Jacques not care about the bugs that might be crawling around? No wonder dust and sand always fell from the top bunk—Jacques probably didn't even change his pants before bed. Charles was seriously reconsidering switching bunks.
"I bet you've never stargazed before," Jacques said casually, his eyes still fixed on the heavens. His expression was calm and peaceful, a rare sight.
Charles hesitated, but eventually sat down. At first, his mind raced with complaints—he'd have to scrub himself in the river again, even if it left him freezing tomorrow. But as the cool grass brushed against his hands, he felt its strange comfort. Slowly, the nagging thoughts about bugs faded away.
"I can see why you like this," Charles admitted grudgingly. "But still… isn't it—"
"Imagine," Jacques interrupted, pointing at the sky, "ten years from now, I'll be up there, soaring among the stars."
Charles raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you want? You're supposed to be an interplanetary driver or whatever, working for some delivery company. What are you even doing in the police academy?"
Jacques grinned, his gaze distant. "I know how bad some of them are. Lately, cops are no different from thugs, using the law to frame innocent people with lies. That's why I need to be here—to learn how they work. That way, when I become a voyager, I can keep them from getting in my way with their lies or made-up laws."
Charles groaned, already imagining the headache. "Don't you dare turn into an outlaw, Jacques . I'll have to be the one chasing you down."
"Relax, Charlie-boy. Becoming an outlaw isn't my goal. I just want to explore. That's all."
"Why, though? What's the point? Sounds like a total waste of time to me."
"Waste of time? Hmm..." Jacques exhaled softly, his voice turning thoughtful. "Ever since I was a kid, the only thing that kept me entertained—kept me away from the harshness of the world—was looking at the sky. No matter the weather, the season... whatever the sky showed me, it always made me happy."
A flashback occurred in Jacques's mind, back to when he was a stray dog in human body. His body stank, his hair had never met razor, and people were always throwing things at him to chase him away. At night, when it was cold, he was all alone. The warmth of his mother dog was the only reminder that, even though things were hard and uncomfortable, he was still loved.
Curled up against his mother's warmth, the boy looked up at the sky and saw the twin moons. They were breathtaking—one glowing red, the other a cool, serene blue—like a dance of fire and ice in the night sky.
The memories pulled Jacques back, returning him to one of the strongest moments of his childhood—the day his mother dog died on the street, a victim of a hit-and-run.
He still remembered the ache in his heart, the way he had screamed out his agony—but no one cared. Instead, they threw stones at him as he growled at the monsters trying to take his mother away. Because of this resistance, more of them came, wielding shovels, sticks, anything to scare him off.
In the end, Jacques had no choice but to run, leaving his mother's lifeless body behind—abandoning the only warmth he had ever known—just to avoid being hurt.
From the shadows of the alley, he watched as the monsters picked up his mother's body with a shovel. They grunted in disgust before tossing her into the river like trash. He remembered chasing his mother's body along the riverbank, crying the entire way, but then he tripped and fell. He could no longer run. He cried again, helpless as he watched his mother dog swept away by the current until she disappeared.
The night sky always became his escape. He remembered that every time he looked up at the night sky, all his troubles seemed to be cast out into the vast expanse above.
He would smile at the stars and tell them, "Wait for me. I'll be there soon! It's all worth it—every broken piece of my heart, it's worth it."
Of course, since he couldn't speak at the time, the words only formed as raw, abstract ideas in his mind.
Jacques shifted his attention back to Charles, before he got carried away by the sadness the memories brings. "What about you? Why are you here in the academy?"
Charles looked away, avoiding Jacques's gaze, which made his chest feel tight for reasons he couldn't explain. "Me? Hm… maybe because I didn't want to stay home."
"Because they have dorms?" Jacques joked, laughing. But then he noticed Charles avoiding his eyes. "What, do you hate your parents or something? Let me guess—they fought a lot, huh?"
Charles sighed, finally turning back to face him. "Something like that…"
Jacques was closer now—too close. Charles felt his ears heat up, but his lips betrayed him with a smile.
"Means you don't see your future as a cop, huh? Then how about this—fly with me. Just the two of us, across the stars. No home, no boundaries, nothing but new horizons and new worlds to explore." Jacques's voice was steady, his grin infectious.
"That's tempting…" Charles doesn't really answered Jacques's offer because his mind now is clouded with emotions that he didn't fully understand.
Before he could think twice, Jacques leaned in for a kiss, and Charles didn't stop him.
Once again, his heart felt like it was bursting, butterflies escaping through every gap. In that moment, he wished they could stay like this forever—just the two of them, under the stars.
"Let's fly together after we're no longer cadets, 'cause I'm going there, and I want to take you with me," Jacques whispered to Charles between their kiss.
That night when they sleep, Jacques had a vivid dream.
He was in a place that felt like an underground bunker, where humanity lived like ants. In that place, he was a 15-year-old boy, just stepping into adulthood and learning the ways of this world. He needed a mentor.
With a bag slung across his torso, he entered his new living space—a cramped, metallic room, no bigger than 2x3 meters. Against one wall stood a double bunk—top and bottom. Behind it, a tiny toilet, just big enough for necessities but too small for a proper shower. Showers were taken in the public bathing area, which was normal here. After all, everyone in this sector of the bunker was male. The females were kept in their own side, raising children until they turned 15.
As soon as Jacques stepped inside, he saw a slender young man sitting on the lower bunk. He was taller—at least 20 centimeters more. His wavy black hair, perfectly combed, framed his delicate features. He was still young—only 19.
The man turned his head, locking eyes with Jacques.
For few seconds, Jacques stunned as he examines the face; Long eyelashes. High cheekbones. Beautiful, soft green eyes. Plump healthy lips.
Jacques hesitated. Is he a man or a woman?
He was... damn gorgeous.
"Hey, are you the new kid assigned to me?" the man greeted, his voice gentle, soft—almost too soft for a man. But when Jacques glanced at his chest, it was flat.
The man stretched out his hand and introduced himself.
"My name is **ie***. What's yours, cutie?"
Jacques raised an eyebrow, hesitating before taking the offered hand.
He was too gorgeous—definitely out of Jacques' league. As their hands met, Jacques felt warmth rise to his cheeks.
His skin was incredibly soft and moisturized—like holding mochi.
"My name..." Jacques introduce himself, "...is Jared. Nice to meet you, Charles."