en	Min looks so horrified that Ester gives her a pitying look.
ko	공포에 질린 민의 얼굴에 에스터는 딱한 눈길을 보낸다.

en	I mean, literally everyone on earth is ignorant to some degree about SOMETHING.
ko	그게 아니라, 말 그대로 지구상의 모든 인간들은 무언가에 대해선 반드시 어느 정도는 무지하다는 거야.

en	For my webcomic, I tried to research albinos and double amputees the best I could, but I'm still not sure I portrayed everything right.
ko	나도 웹툰에 알비노나 양다리가 절단된 사람에 대한 내용을 그리면서 최선을 다해 관련 정보를 찾아봤지만, 묘사가 얼마나 적절히 됐는지는 확신할 수가 없단 말이야.

en	Double amputee...? What the fuck is going on in her comic?
ko	양다리 절단…? 대체 만화에서 뭔 일이 일어나는 거야?

en	No one's perfect. You just gotta do your best and learn from your mistakes.
ko	완벽한 사람은 없어. 매번 최선을 다하는 거고, 실수로부터 교훈을 얻는 거지.

en	Oh...okay...
ko	그… 그래….

en	But I hate thinking I'm gonna make a DIFFERENT mistake at some point and have to apologize again.

en	It's fucking mortifying.

en	I mean, it shouldn't be mortifying to admit you were wrong about something.

en	...I guess it shouldn't be...

en	Ay! Are we ready to party?

en	Yeah, let's do it.

en	So are we good for now?

en	I guess.

en	Can I still use the "progidy" thing you said earlier?

en	Huh? Yeah, knock yourself out.

en	Wolf Pup

en	Wolf Mom LeafGreen

en	Wolf Mom FireRed

en	Min hides behind a tree with her Nerf gun, waiting for her cue.

en	How has your pack helped balance the ecosystem here?

en	We prevent the elk population from exploding and overgrazing.

en	Before we were reintroduced, many biologists were concerned about eroding and plants dying off.

en	Unfortunately, many ranchers and hunters don't understand this.

en	In fact, the state of Idaho is planning to kill hundreds of wolves this winter.

en	This is where we always screw up and have to start over.

en	Every time Akarsha makes eye contact with Chryssa, she starts laughing.

en	Mom LeafGreen, I'm scared...Are we gonna die?

en	Holy shit. She finally did it!

en	Goo goo ga ga...

en	Noelle's eye twitches as she recites her next line.

en	Who is this...adorable little thing?

en	This is our wolf puppy! Normally mated pairs produce a litter per year, but we adopted her!

en	We love her soooooooo much!

en	I'm only four months old!

en	DIEEEEEEEE!!!

en	Min leaps out from behind the tree and shoots a flurry of Nerf pellets at Akarsha!

en	No!!! I only kill a very small number of cattle per year!!!

en	Urk!

en	Akarsha goes down, and Min continues shooting her ass with the Nerf gun.

en	Nooooo! Our innocent puppy!

en	MUAHAHA!

en	I'll be back to kill the rest of you!!

en	Min runs off-screen, leaving Chryssa and Liz crying very unconvincingly over Akarsha's body.

en	How could this happen? If only we were still on the Endangered Species list!

en	Noelle turns solemnly to the camera.

en	Today, I learned that delisting of grey wolves from the Endangered Species list would have devastating consequences.

en	...And that's a wrap!

en	FINALLY!!! WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR SIX HOURS!!!

en	And we may have just produced the worst video ever...

en	Relieved to be back in her regular clothes, Min looks around.

en	Seems like people are packing up.

en	Look in the tent

en	Sit at the picnic table

en	Look at tree stump

en	Walk to the lake

en	The tent flap's already open.

en	Min climbs inside. To her surprise, Akarsha's already there.

en	Shhhh, look!

en	She points to Noelle, who's sound asleep on the sleeping bag.

en	Zzzzzzzz...

en	Damn, she must've been pretty tired to just conk out like this.

en	Listen, I have the biggest brain in the world...

en	Akarsha gleefully lies down on the ground next to Noelle.

en	Help me braid our hair together.

en	I have short hair, dipshit. Do I look like I know how to braid hair?

en	I can't do it myself, it's too hard when I'm lyin' down like this.

en	C'mon, pwetty pwease...

en	God, when you talk like that I just wanna smash your head with a rock.

en	Min crawls over and grabs a lock of Akarsha and Noelle's hair in each hand.

en	It's easy, ya just gotta split it into three strands and alternate which one goes on top.

en	Like this??

en	Confused, Min just randomly twists their hair together.

en	The instant she lets go, the "braid" loosens and unravels.

en	Shit!

en	Noelle scowls in her sleep as Min tries again.

en	Akarsha!

en	Akarsha and Min freeze, but Noelle just turns on her side, mumbling to herself.

en	Zzz...Just because it's "suitable for all large primates"...doesn't mean you should eat it...

en	What is she dreaming about??

en	Ester sticks her head in the tent.

en	Can you hand me my backpack?

en	...Wait, what're you guys doing?

en	Psst! Halp...

en	Ester, do you know how to braid hair?

en	Ester assesses the situation for a moment before shrugging.

en	Okay, why not?

en	Thank you!!!

en	After a few minutes, Ester manages to weave Akarsha and Noelle's hair into one giant, messy braid.

en	You did it!

en	I wonder when she's gonna realize.

en	Noelle stirs on the sleeping bag. Her head gets jerked back by her hair, which is now bound to Akarsha's.

en	Mrph...

en	She blearily rubs her eyes.

en	Bonjour...

en	Noelle bolts upright, screaming.

en	AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

en	What's wrong, Frenchman? Bad hair day?

en	AKARSHAaaaAAAA!!!

en	WHY?! GET ME OUT OF HEREEEE!!!!

en	Whoa, calm down.

en	CALM DOWN?! YOU LITERALLY ATTACKED ME IN MY SLEEP!!!

en	I mean, you can just unbraid it. It's not that bad.

en	Yeah, tons of people in the world have it way worse than you.

en	SHUT UP! I HATE ALL OF YOU!!!

en	She surges toward Ester and Min with an aura that can only be described as murderous.

en	Akarsha calmly lies back down, dragging Noelle down with her.

en	AAAAAAAAAAA!!!

en	I'll hold her back! Run!!

en	Nice knowing you, bye!

en	Bro, I will never forget your sacrifice.

en	Ester and Min make their escape.

en	Inside the tent, there's a muffled scream followed by a crash.

en	The tent stakes pop out of the ground as the tent rolls over and goes tumbling down the hill again.

en	Noelle and Akarsha

en	AAAUGHHHH!!!!!!!

en	Again?!

en	There it goes...

en	Min and Ester peer down at the bottom of the hill, where Noelle, Akarsha, and the tent have landed in a tangled heap.

en	..........

en	..........

en	..........

en	Suddenly, something dawns on Ester and she straightens up, her eyes shining.

en	I can use this!

en	In my comic! It totally fixes the part I was stuck on!

en	The hell kind of story are you writing where you can even use this?

en	Some kind of camping disaster?

en	You don't understand, it's perfect! I gotta write this down!

en	Isn't your sketchbook and everything down there though? Inside your backpack?

en	...Crap, you're right.

en	I guess I'll go grab it.

en	Ester sighs and heads down the hill to retrieve her things.

en	I don't really get it, but good for her.

en	Grace is trying to squeeze the costumes back into her bag.

en	Hey Min!

en	Do you know if your brother's single?

en	Oh, great.

en	Do you think you could introduce us?

en	I mean, I'm not sure he even likes girls.

en	Oh...Darn.

en	What exactly do you like about him?

en	He's so cute. He looks kinda like G-Dragon.

en	.......

en	Do you like my brother just because he's Korean?

en	W-what?

en	Can you chill out a bit with the whole Korea thing?

en	Sorry!! I just get so excited about K-Pop...

en	Liking K-Pop is fine, but just...be normal about it.

en	...Sorry...

en	You don't have to keep apologizing, it's annoying.

en	As long as you get it.

en	Okay, yeah. I'll be normal now.

en	Chryssa and Liz are staring at the decimated tree stump.

en	What happened to this? It looks like a cannonball hit it.

en	Beats me.

en	I should probably keep my mouth shut.

en	Well, I suppose it's not our problem.

en	Speaking of problems...What'd you think of your afternoon as an irresponsible person?

en	That was even more tiring than being responsible.

en	Did you see them knock the tent down the hill? Twice?

en	Did you see them knock the tent down the hill?

en	Yeah, I just ignored it.

en	Me, too.

en	We probably could've finished a couple hours ago if we'd just wrangled them like we normally do.

en	Yep...Man, I thought I was really onto something.

en	Min turns to walk away, but to her surprise, she hears footsteps running up behind her.

en	Wait, Min!

en	Min stops to let her catch up.

en	What?

en	I couldn't help but overhear some of what you were saying to Diya. At the lake.

en	Liz scribbles something on a scrap of paper and hands it to Min like a doctor giving a prescription.

en	You need to go on the internet.

en	The internet...?

en	Min scrutinizes the scrap of paper. It says "genderfork.com".

en	It's a blog you might like.

en	How the hell would you know what I like?

en	I'm trans.

en	HUH?

en	I mean, not that being genderqueer is necessarily the same as being trans...

en	But I'm here if you'd ever like to talk.

en	Have fun!

en	Liz pats Min on the head and leaves her standing there clutching the little scrap of paper in absolute shock.

en	I guess I should look that up when I get home...

en	Diya is watching the water.

en	When Min joins her, Diya tilts her head at her.

en	You said this place was cursed, right?

en	Min sighs and wraps her arms around Diya's waist.

en	Yeah...

en	Diya rests her forehead against Min's, her long lashes tickling Min's skin as she blinks.

en	What if we uncursed it?

en	Huh? How?

en	By making new memories. Together.

en	Diya hugs her tighter, squishing Min's face directly into her chest.

en	Oooh...........

en	It's so soft.............

en	I love you...

en	{font=korean.ttf}사랑해...{/font}

en	Min's mind is in such a state of disarray that it takes her a second to process what Diya is saying.

en	In a herculean feat of self-control, she manages to stop rubbing her face against Diya's chest and meet her gaze.

en	Wait...You know what that means?

en	Diya nods, her cheeks tinged pink.

en	It was in a lot of the K-pop songs that Yuki...I mean, Grace played.

en	So I asked her.

en	And found out what it really meant.

en	Sorry I lied to you...

en	No, it makes me happy you wanted me to say that.

en	Because I do. Love you.

en	Even now...Now that you know what an asshole I am?

en	...You think I didn't know that before?

en	I guess I {i}was{/i} always hitting and threatening people.

en	Then why do you still like me?

en	Because you're also really brave and resilient, and cool.

en	I feel like...The world tries to make people into certain shapes.

en	But you fight it on purpose. You try as hard as you can.

en	And I think that's amazing.

en	And subconsciously, I think I understood.

en	Understood what?

en	You're always telling me you'll protect me and kill the people who hurt me. Because you wish someone did that for you.

en	Min is stunned speechless. It feels like a curtain was suddenly pulled back on something shameful and hidden, exposing it to the blazing sun.

en	But Diya doesn't flinch away, just gazes into her eyes.

en	I love you.

en	Blinking hard, Min smiles back at her.

en	I love you, too.

en	Teach me how to say it?

en	{font=tamil.ttf}நான் உன்னை காதலிக்கிறேன்.{/font}

en	Man, that's a mouthful.

en	Nan unnai katalikkiren...?

en	{font=tamil.ttf}நான் உன்னை காதலிக்கிறேன்.{/font}

en	{font=tamil.ttf}நான் உன்னை காதலிக்கிறேன்!{/font}

en	5th grade

en	Saturday Chinese School

en	The first phrase is "mirror."

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}第一個詞是：「鏡子」。{/font}

en	Noelle copies down the unfamiliar characters on the board stroke by stroke.

en	What did it look like again?

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}鍺子{/font}

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}錢子{/font}

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}鏡子{/font}

en	Noelle writes it down, then checks it against the writing on the board.

en	I got it wrong...

en	Noelle writes it down, then checks it against the words on the board.

en	I got it right! Now for the next one...

en	The next phrase is "admit."

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}第二個詞是：「承認」。{/font}

en	You should already know "recognize."

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}「認」你們應該已經會了。{/font}

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}承{/font}'s meaning is "to bear" or "to carry"...

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}「承」的意思是「to bear」or 「to carry」……{/font}

en	This would be easier if Chinese words used an alphabet like most languages.

en	It infuriates me how you can't tell how a Chinese character is pronounced by the way it looks.

en	You're forced to learn every single word twice — how it sounds, AND what it looks like. It's wildly inefficient.

en	A couple hours into the lesson, a kid toward the back of the room raises his hand.

en	Teacher, how many Chinese characters are there?

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}老師，中文字總共有幾個？{/font}

en	At least 80,000.

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}至少八萬個。{/font}

en	80,000?!

en	Don't worry, most educated people only know about 8,000.

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}別擔心，有上過學的人平均也只認得八千個字左右。{/font}

en	8,000 is still a mindboggling number...

en	After school, Noelle does her weekly packet of Chinese homework at the kitchen table.

en	I've spent every Saturday since kindergarten tediously memorizing a few characters at a time, but it's barely even made a dent.

en	After all these years, I still can't even read a book or the newspaper.

en	At this pace, it's hard to imagine I'll ever be able to.

en	Noelle! What is this?!

en	Noelle looks up to see her Mom holding the sample packet of pads and tampons she got from school.

en	Oh, that's from the Sex Ed talk we had in class. The girls received a presentation about menstruation.

en	The school gave you this?!

en	Using a tampon is the same as having sex!

en	That's not what the teacher giving the talk said...

en	It's just a tool for absorbing blood.

en	No! You'll be able to feel it the whole time, and it goes into...

en	Her mom can't even bear to say it.

en	It's the same as having sex with a man.

en	The woman giving the talk said plenty of girls use it.

en	American girls get their periods so early because they're thinking sexual thoughts at a young age.

en	It's not natural. You shouldn't be thinking about these things until you're married.

en	After throwing away the immoral tampons, her mom goes off to the living room to watch a Chinese variety show.

en	It's hard growing up trusting very little of your parents' judgment.

en	My mom doesn't believe in mental illness, yet genuinely believes in superstitions like auspicious dates. And no amount of proof or argument can sway her.

en	Is Chinese society just decades behind the West? I've yet to meet a white person whose mind works this way.

en	Noelle glances over at the show her mom is watching.

en	Colorful words and cartoons fly across the screen as cheesy sound effects play.

en	So tacky...

en	It's one of those shows where they interview a panel of foreigners who can barely speak Mandarin.

en	Noelle cringes as silly "boing" noises are overlaid over the host's jokes.

en	They're just laughing at the foreigners for not understanding the questions they've been asked...

en	Why is this popular? It's so juvenile and embarrassing.

en	I feel like I'm losing brain cells as I listen to this.

en	Disgusted, Noelle returns to scrutinizing the impenetrable paragraph of Chinese she's supposed to be analyzing for homework.

en	What am I even going to use Chinese for? Watching drivel like that?

en	I have no interest in the backwards culture that produced my pathetic, narrow-minded parents.

en	When a commercial break comes on, she throws down her pencil.

en	I want to quit Chinese school.

en	Her mom whirls around from the couch, alarmed.

en	What?! Why?

en	I hate it! It always takes up my entire Saturday!

en	They assign so much homework every week on top of the regular homework I get from school.

en	Noelle's dad looks up disapprovingly from the newspaper he's reading.

en	Well, you can't quit. What kind of Chinese person can't even speak Chinese?

en	We'll lose face if you don't learn!

en	Other people will think we're bad parents.

en	Why does it matter what other people think?!

en	{i}I'm{/i} the one whose limited time is being sucked away by it! My opinion should be the one that matters the most!

en	No, you have to listen to your parents.

en	It's for your own good. You're too young to understand.

en	Almost nothing drives Noelle up a wall more than being told she's not old enough to understand something.

en	Stop treating me like a some feeble-minded little kid. I read at college-level already!

en	It doesn't matter, you don't have the life experience yet.

en	Some things you can only know from being as old as your parents are.

en	What, so just because you're older than me you're automatically smarter than I am?

en	Yes.

en	I don't accept that.

en	It's your culture. You can't just throw it away.

en	Yes, I can. It's a poorly constructed, archaic language.

en	That's not true. If it's so bad, how come it's worked for thousands of years?

en	You should take more pride in your culture.

en	What is there to be proud of?

en	I'm stuck learning the worst, most pointlessly complicated language in the world.

en	Exasperated, Noelle's parents exchange a look.

en	You're still going to Chinese school. We already paid for your classes this year.

en	Can I quit at the end of the year then?

en	If you still feel this way by the end of the year, fine. You can quit.

en	I can?

en	Huh?! No, she can't!

en	Think about it. If she goes to Chinese school with that kind of attitude, she won't learn anything anyway.

en	It's impossible to teach someone who doesn't want to be educated. We might as well at least save money.

en	Yes! The end of the year is pretty far away, but at least the end is in sight now!

en	Quitting Chinese school will significantly free up my schedule. I can probably read a few more books every week!

en	It'll be so worth it. When I'm older, I'll be so thankful that I quit.

en	Noelle is so elated that she doesn't even mind being dragged along to 99 Ranch with her mom, a trip she normally gripes is a waste of time.

en	As they browse the fishball aisle, her mom's Nokia rings. She quickly brings it to her ear.

en	Hello?

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}喂？{/font}

en	There's a pause. Her mom's face falls.

en	What is it?

en	Ah-ma = Taiwanese term for grandma

en	Ah-ma passed away.

en	Oh.

en	I know I should be sad...but I haven't seen my grandmother for years.

en	I've never had a real conversation with her before. It's like being told a stranger died.

en	Spring Break

en	Noelle isn't allowed to close her bedroom door, so she's on high alert as she uses the computer.

en	It sounds like my mother's busy washing vegetables in the kitchen. Here's my chance!

en	Noelle quickly searches "Homosexuality" on Wikipedia.

en	I skimmed this page once as research, after Akarsha started insisting Diya and Min-seo were romantically involved.

en	But I'm POSITIVE there was no mention of it being possible for two women to have sexual relations!

en	I would have remembered it!

en	Wikipedia page

en	Re-read the Wikipedia article

en	Click the "sexual intercourse" hyperlink

en	Click the "lesbian" hyperlink

en	Much of the page is devoted to the historic and modern-day oppression of gay men.

en	There's mentions of sodomy being criminalized, along with an image of Ancient Greek pottery depicting of two nude men embracing that Noelle scrolls past very quickly.

en	Wait, this might be something.

en	Anthropologists Stephen Murray and Will Roscoe reported that women in Lesotho engaged in socially sanctioned "long term, erotic relationships".

en	What exactly do they mean by "erotic"? They need to be more descriptive!

en	She clicks on the citation, but the source is a book called "Boy Wives and Female Husbands: Studies of African Homosexualities".

en	There's no way the library carries this book...

en	Click the "Lesotho" hyperlink

en	Noelle scrolls through the page, but there's no mention of the "erotic relationships".

en	This is a dead end.

en	I could try googling it, but it might bring up obscene results.

en	The link leads to a more general page called "Human sexual intercourse".

en	To Noelle's disgust, it features a painting of a man and woman copulating.

en	This is repulsive. I'd really rather not stay on this page for long.

en	Sexual intercourse commonly refers to the act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract.[[1][[2]

en	In recent years penetration of non-sexual organs or by non-sexual organs (fingering, fisting) are also sometimes included in this definition.

en	What on earth is "fingering"? Is this the finger thing Min-seo was referring to?

en	Click the "fingering" hyperlink

en	The page opens. At the top, there's a simple illustration of a naked woman stroking the genitals of another woman.

en	Noelle scrolls through the page.

en	Most this page just details historical lesbian relationships.

en	They lived such tragic, tortured lives. I hope Diya knows what she's signed up for...

en	Before the late 19th century, the word "Lesbian" referred to any derivative or aspect of Lesbos, including a type of wine.

en	In 1890, however, the term was used in a medical dictionary as an adjective to describe tribadism (as "Lesbian love"): sexual gratification of two women by simulating intercourse.

en	What on earth is "tribadism"? Is this the finger thing Min-seo was referring to?

en	Click the "tribadism" hyperlink

en	The page opens. At the top, there's a simple illustration of two naked women scissoring.

en	WHAT IS THIS???!?!!

en	This is...this is so risqué!

en	Noelle breaks into a feverish sweat as she reads the page as quickly as possible.

en	Then, in a panic, Noelle closes the tab, erases her web history, and shuts the computer down.

en	Min-seo was right...I can't believe it...

en	Should such erotic content be allowed on Wikipedia?! Anyone can read it!

en	I must destroy all evidence that I've visited that page!

en	Should I uninstall the browser? Delete my user profile? Perhaps set the computer on fire for good measure?

en	This better not awaken anything in me...

en	Noelle jumps in her chair when she receives a text.

en	Check your phone

en	{nw}

en	is it just me or does king dedede look kinda sexy in this drawing

en	{image=DeviantArt.png}

en	??????

en	anyone else?? hello???

en	anyone care to raise a hand

en	YOURE INSANE

en	WOULD ANYONE ELSE HIT IT??? HELOLO?

en	noelle???

en	(banging on your door)

en	if u would fuck king dedede (a penguin?)

en	ur braver than the U.S. marines

en	Diya has left the chatroom.

en	Min has left the chatroom.

en	welp

en	Why are you like this??

en	im so bored TT_TT

en	ive been stuck at home all day

en	Unfortunately for you, I can't entertain you for long either.

en	I have to leave for the airport soon.

en	oh yeah ur visiting taiwan right?

en	how long ru gonna be there again?

en	I'll be there for the entire week. My mom and I will return Sunday afternoon.

en	My dad is staying for an additional week there for business purposes.

en	can i still message u when ur there?

en	do u have to use a vpn or something?

en	No, as long as I have internet access, we should be able to chat like usual.

en	rly? but isnt there like hella censorship o_0

en	No, there's nothing like that in Taiwan. It's not as if I'm going to China.

en	right right

en	uhhh also

en	whats the difference between china and taiwan again ^_^;;

en	/shot

en	i mean i know taiwans an island

en	but is it like

en	You said you were shot, yet you're still talking like nothing happened?

en	its own country?

en	i have high pain tolerance

en	No, you don't.

en	anyway i tried to ask in geography class once and everyone started arguing

en	Everyone started arguing because it's a political question.

en	Whether Taiwan is a part of China or a separate country is an extremely controversial issue.

en	y tho?

en	To be honest, I'm not clear on the details.

en	As I understand it, the dispute is the result of a civil war that was never properly resolved.

en	huh....

en	so ru taiwanese? or chinese?

en	or both?

en	Well,

en	I went to Chinese school as a child.

en	And my parents told me Chinese folktales.

en	is that how it works?

en	just bc i speak english doesnt mean im english

en	To be frank, I'm floundering because I've never given it any thought.

en	lol oops

en	i didnt mean to give u an identity criss

en	*crisis

en	Even if I say I'm Taiwanese, hardly anyone knows what that means, even other East Asians.

en	hm

en	that kinda sounds like how most americans dont rly get desi identities

en	How so?

en	like, they think about it based on country

en	like ur pakistani, or indian, etc

en	but the countries werent split on racial lines

en	like an indian punjabi isnt rly the same ethnicity as an indian guju

en	but its all the same to nondesis bc they dont know the difference lol xD

en	Oh...You're right, I don't know the difference.

en	wait

en	WAIT I KNOW

en	the answer to what u are

en	What is it?

en	ur french

en	bc ur frenchman <3

en	THAT DOESN'T HELP ME AT ALL.

en	no?

en	NO.

en	Later that day, Noelle sits in the backseat as her dad drives them to the airport.

en	She feels a flash of rage when she sees a passing car sporting a "Proud Parent of an Honor Roll Student" bumper sticker.

en	Why would you brag about such an unremarkable accomplishment on your car?

en	You're {i}supposed{/i} to be on the Honor Roll. It's like buying a bumper sticker that says, "My child breathes air."

en	My parents would never even bother mentioning such a banal thing.

en	Noelle's mom squints at the airport signage as it passes them by.

en	Noelle, watch the signs for us.

en	Why me? I don't even know how to drive.

en	You were born here, you read faster than us.

en	Alright...

en	How is it that after living here for twenty years, they still haven't mastered English?

en	My mom can't even speak English well enough to carry a conversation with a stranger.

en	What have they been doing this whole time?

en	Which way is parking? Which lane?

en	Just follow the arrows. Turn right.

en	See? Even though I have a Ph.D, ever since you were in second grade, you could read highway signs faster than me.

en	Good thing we have Noelle with us. The signs go by so fast.

en	Noelle's dad scratches his head as she directs him through the airport's labyrinthian roads.

en	Where is it? It feels like we're just going in circles.

en	We're not, see that sign there? The parking's past the cargo area.

en	Do I turn here?

en	Noelle's heart stops as her dad starts to turn into a street labeled with "Do Not Enter."

en	IT SAYS "DO NOT ENTER"! KEEP STRAIGHT!

en	Oh!

en	Her dad swerves sharply to stay in his lane. Noelle massages her temples, her heart pounding.

en	I'm surrounded by illiterate idiots!

en	Why does it rest on me, a literal child, to ensure we don't drive into oncoming traffic??

en	They have endless energy when it comes to obsessing over my studies. Why can't they work on their own English instead?!

en	As the car rolls into a parking lot, Noelle jolts up in her seat.

en	Wait, this isn't the correct garage! Turn around!

en	Huh? How do you know?

en	That sign says "Premium Parking!"

en	"Premium" means something of exceptional quality; superior.

en	So? Isn't that good?

en	Not right now when we are looking for the regular, run-of-the-mill parking lot.

en	In this context, premium parking means special parking that's more expensive.

en	Oh!

en	Make a U-turn! We're going to miss our flight!

en	Noelle's mom sighs as the car makes a series of turns.

en	This would've been easier if you could talk to us in Chinese.

en	This would've been easier if your English was better, too.

en	Noelle crosses her arms in the backseat, fuming.

en	Why am I the one responsible for making sure we're not separated by a language barrier?

en	You were the ones who chose to move here in the first place.

en	Sixteen hours later

en	Taipei

en	Noelle and her parents take a taxi from the airport to an alley lined with parked scooters.

en	Ah-gong = grandpa

en	This must be Ah-gong's apartment. We're staying there for the week.

en	Her mom presses the buzzer.

en	We're here!

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}我們到了！{/font}

en	Come in, come in!

en	快進來、快進來！

en	After huffing and puffing up four stories of stairs, Noelle is drenched in sweat.

en	Da Ah-yi

en	Hey!

en	哈嘍！

en	Yay!! You're finally here!

en	耶！！ 你們總算來了！

en	Chun-hua, you've grown so big!

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}春花，你長大了！{/font}

en	Yeah, I must've been in elementary school the last time you saw me!

en	對啊！你上次見到我的時候，我還在念小學呢！

en	This must be one of my cousins.

en	Noelle, don't be rude. Introduce yourself in Chinese.

en	Hi marryone...I four Le-ying.

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}大嫁好……我四樂映。{/font}

en	My pronunciation is so atrocious, I don't know if they can even understand me.

en	What'd you say?

en	妳說什麼？

en	Lair am Le-ying.

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}窩是樂映。{/font}

en	Can I just talk in English?

en	Ah-gong doesn't speak English. He only knows Japanese, Taiwanese, and Mandarin.

en	Even the Mandarin, he's nearly forgotten.

en	他連國語都快要不會講了。

en	Da Ah-yi gestures at her daughter. She's wearing thick glasses and carrying a huge brick of a book.

en	Noelle, you speak English with Chun-hua.

en	She want go college in America, so she very happy practice speaking.

en	Yes! You can call me Literature!

en	Is that a name she chose herself...? Chinese people have such odd taste in English names.

en	That's alright, Chun-hua is fine.

en	We are the same ages, right? Who do you think is more tall?

en	Chun-hua eagerly stands back-to-back with Noelle so the others can judge.

en	Wait, you're standing on your tip-toes! That's cheating!

en	Huh? No, I am not.

en	Wow, you two are the exact same height!

en	They're both skin and bones. They really are cousins.

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}兩個怎麼都瘦得跟竹竿一樣。果然是表姐妹。{/font}

en	One U.S. version, one Taiwan version.

en	一個美版，一個台版。

en	Noelle glances at Chun-hua and realizes with a start that she's right.

en	It's like meeting a version of myself from a universe where my parents never went to America.

en	A stranger with my face.

en	You're SURE I'm not taller?

en	Yes, we sure.

en	{incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent}

en	{incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent}

en	That must be Taiwanese...

en	Chun-hua gives him an affectionate hug as Noelle awkwardly watches from the sidelines.

en	Meanwhile, the adults launch into an animated conversation in Taiwanese.

en	{incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent}

en	{incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent}

en	I wonder what they're talking about.

en	My Taiwanese is even worse than my Mandarin. I don't know a single word.

en	...Actually, wait, isn't "Ah-gong" Taiwanese?

en	They didn't cover it in Chinese school. Could it be a term exclusively used in Taiwan?

en	It's really a special sort of confusion, not knowing what language you're speaking.

en	Da Ah-yi leads Noelle's parents to the spare bedroom so they can put their luggage away.

en	This reminds me how I used to assume Japanese curry was a Chinese dish because my mom made it regularly.

en	If you have a distant relationship with your parents, your culture becomes a nebulous cloud.

en	Is it Chinese to believe pseudoscience? Is it Chinese to have an outdated and sexist worldview?

en	Or is that just my parents, in my particular?

en	How do I distinguish between things peculiar to my life and Chinese culture?

en	Chun-hua brightly takes a seat next to Noelle.

en	Anything you have questions about, you can ask me!

en	Ask about the area

en	Ask about her book

en	Ask about the photos on the wall

en	Tell me about the surrounding area.

en	Let's look outside!

en	Chun-hua goes over to the window and points as Noelle peers outside at the street below.

en	That way is my house. Me and my mom, we walk over all the time.

en	You must live pretty close by if you're able to come on foot.

en	Yes, we are only a few streets away from Ah-gong.

en	Every weekend, me and my cousins spend here.

en	That's so different from my experience...

en	When you are all settled, the 7-Eleven, we go and grab breakfast.

en	Breakfast...from 7-Eleven?

en	What, you've never had it? It's good!

en	It is...? It won't be all greasy?

en	No? They have fresh tea eggs, hot yams, oden...If you want a prepackaged breakfast, they'll heat it for you, too.

en	In America is it not like that?

en	No, American 7-Elevens are just junk food stores.

en	Chun-hua points at the train as it rushes by.

en	There's a train station near to us. We take it a lot.

en	You don't use the car to get around?

en	Not much. When we can't use the train, we ride our scooter.

en	What are you reading?

en	It's a Chinese translation of a Russian novel.

en	What it's called in English, I don't know.

en	「卡拉馬助夫兄弟們」。

en	Something something brothers.

en	There's brothers, and it's Russian...

en	The Brothers Karamazov?

en	Yes! That sounds correct.

en	I've read it before, too.

en	This is exciting! I've never met anyone else my age who's read it.

en	Did you like it?

en	The religious themes were of little interest to me, but I found some of its other ideas thought-provoking.

en	For example, it argues that humans are so deeply shaped by others that everyone bears some responsibility for the sins of everyone else.

en	Everything we do is the result of a huge, interwoven chain reaction of human interactions, and as a result, a crime is never truly one person's fault.

en	It's a societal failure.

en	To Noelle's disappointment, Chun-hua nods, looking lost.

en	.....I see.....

en	I guess what I said was beyond her English level. I need to scale back to a simpler topic.

en	Do you like reading?

en	I like reading.

en	Are you nerdy?

en	The sudden question baffles Noelle.

en	...Er...? Yes, I suppose so.

en	Good, me too!

en	On the wall, there's even a photo of me that...

en	...........

en	That...? That what?

en	Actually, I change my mind!

en	Don't look too much at the photos on the wall, they're embarrassing.

en	Are you SURE? There's really nothing else you would rather know?

en	Ask about something else

en	Tell me about the photos

en	{cps=0}Are you SURE? There's really nothing else you would rather know?{/cps}

en	On second thought, there is something else I'm curious about.

en	What else do you want to know?

en	Tell me about these photos.

en	Okay...If you're sure...

en	They go over to look at the pictures on the wall. The first one's of Ah-gong and Chun-hua at the park.

en	There's a small chestnut-colored warbler sitting on Chun-hua's arm.

en	That bird, at the park we found him abandoned.

en	It was because he fell out of his nest and broke his wing.

en	After it got better, we taught him to fly so he could go back to the wild.

en	I see. That's very noble of you.

en	It was Ah-gong's idea.

en	He's quiet, but he is so nice actually.

en	You seem very close to your grandpa.

en	"Your" grandpa? He's your grandpa, too.

en	Oh......that's right.

en	To hide her embarrassment, Noelle quickly moves on to the next photo.

en	It looks old. A swarm of children are building a sand castle as smiling adults look on in the background.

en	This is me, Wan-ping, and Wan-zhong.

en	Wan-ping and Wan-zhong are my older cousins. They're my uncle's children.

en	Wan-zhong's working right now.

en	Too bad Wan-ping is travelling right now. Or else we could have hung out.

en	Where is he visiting?

en	Japan. It's his honeymoon.

en	Honeymoon? Did he get married?

en	Yes? A month ago.

en	Oh. I had no idea.

en	In the picture, the people behind us is Jiu Jiu, Ah-gong, and Ah-ma.

en	We didn't knew it, but that weekend was our last one with Ah-ma.

en	I can't help but feel jealous they had {i}any{/i} weekends together.

en	While she was spending every Saturday with her cousins and grandparents, I was at school struggling to learn an entire language so I could even begin to communicate with them.

en	Chun-hua reluctantly gestures at the last photo, which she was clearly saving for last.

en	And this one is of me with all my anime figures.

en	H-haha!

en	Oh, so this is what she meant by nerdy.

en	It's alright, I have a good friend who's interested in this sort of thing, too.

en	Really? And she's American?

en	Yes.

en	She sounds cool. I want to meet her.

en	Y-you do?

en	Once Noelle turns away from the photos, Chun-hua points to a framed certificate hanging on the wall behind her.

en	You should look at this award, too. It's your mom's.

en	What? Really?

en	Yeah, in college she win a bunch of poetry contest. She was even in the newspaper.

en	I had no idea.

en	This is going to sound extremely mean, but I never suspected my mom had any sort of creative talent.

en	All I've ever known her as a strict, close-minded housewife.

en	Here, you should read her things! She's very skilled.

en	Chun-hua pulls a magazine out from a cabinet and flips it open to a page of poetry.

en	..............

en	See what I mean? Some people just have a way with words.

en	It's a big waste she quit. I guess there wasn't enough reason to keep doing it over in America.

en	Noelle stares blankly at her mom's poem.

en	I can't read any of it...

en	That evening, Noelle and her parents walk to the subway.

en	Here's our train. We should reach the night market in a few stops.

en	Ugh, I hate taking public transit. The trains are always filthy and poorly maintained.

en	As they board the MRT carriage, Noelle steels herself for the stench of vomit, urine, and cigarettes she's grown to expect from American subways.

en	But to her amazement, the car's shiny floors and seats look so squeaky-clean you could eat off of them.

en	It's absolutely spotless...

en	Pleasantly surprised, she sits beside her parents in a gleaming plastic seat.

en	Intercom

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}石牌...{/font}Shipai Station.

en	You can actually clearly hear what they're saying! It's not indistinct mumbling like on BART!

en	An LCD screen right across from her neatly displays the names of the previous, current, and next stations.

en	This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...

en	Her phone buzzes. Her heart leaps when she sees that it's Akarsha.

en	{nw}

en	{image=frysSmall.png}

en	...Why did you send this?

en	:(

en	I thought you liked me

en	Even if I hypothetically did like you why would I want to see this awful picture of you?

en	personally i think it's very hot and sexy of me to play video games against little kids at Frys Electronics and lose

en	Is that what you're doing?

en	nah im back home now playing the game i bought

en	its called Portal

en	dude youd love it

en	I don't play computer games.

en	NO YOUD LOVE IT TRUST ME

en	its not like other games where ur some guy shooting stuff

en	ur a girl and its a puzzle game

en	ITS IN A SCIENCE RESEARCH FACILITY

en	Oh?

en	ill give u the CD

en	just play it

en	I'll consider it after I return from my trip.

en	o yeah youre in taiwan

en	whatre u up to rn?

en	I'm riding the subway with my parents.

en	how is that?

en	i hope they arent giving you a hard time

en	Actually, ever since we've arrived in Taipei they've been in good spirits.

en	I've never seen my mother so relaxed before.

en	She must be happy to be back home to see her family.

en	oh dang!

en	thats good

en	We're on the way to the night market right now.

en	I feel paranoid that everyone can tell I'm a foreigner.

en	LOL i get what u mean

en	when im in india they can tell im american before i even open my mouth

en	just from the way I carry myself

en	Her mom sighs as Noelle taps out her response on her phone.

en	There you are, addicted to your phone.

en	...How am I addicted? Compared to other teenagers, I barely use it.

en	You spend so much time talking to your friends.

en	But friendships are only temporary. As soon as it's inconvenient, they'll all disappear.

en	After I moved to America for your future, not a single one kept in touch with me.

en	The only people you can trust is your family. And I was so far away from all of mine...

en	The life of an immigrant is a lonely one.

en	.........

en	Is she hoping I'm going to console her? Or thank her for making such a brutal sacrifice for my sake?

en	It was her own decision as a full grown adult to move here. It wasn't up to ME.

en	Her mom sighs heavily and stares out the window.

en	There's a message she's always trying to impart on me: I'm lonely because of you.

en	Noelle watches the scenery fly by.

en	After half an hour, the train arrives at their destination precisely on time.

en	Let's look for clothes. You need new ones.

en	But I have plenty of clothes already.

en	They all have holes in them! You should just throw them away already!

en	Noelle browses through a sea of clothing racks with her parents.

en	A hideous pair of beige pants catches her eye.

en	This would compliment many items in my wardrobe.

en	She turns it over in her hands, searching for its price tag, but it's missing.

en	I'm going to ask how much these trousers are.

en	Do you know how?

en	Are you serious? Of course I know how.

en	Miffed, she marches up to the stall's cashier and shows her the pants.

en	Stall Worker

en	Light I ask how much are these pants?

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}輕問這條褲子多少錢？{/font}

en	Two hundred NTD.

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}兩百塊。{/font}

en	That's only about seven dollars! What a bargain.

en	I waist buy this.

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}我腰買這個。{/font}

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}你說什麼?{/font}

en	Urk! I stumbled over the pronunciation!

en	This...I want to buy this.

en	OK.

en	Ashamed, Noelle doesn't dare speak another word as the cashier bags her purchase.

en	Excellent. Simply superb. After six years of Chinese school I still can't speak, read, or write Mandarin.

en	She finds her way back to her parents, who are just finishing up their purchase at the neighboring stall.

en	I'm hungry. Let's get dinner at the food court.

en	What for? There's food stalls all over the place.

en	We can just eat as we shop.

en	No, I wanna properly sit down somewhere and have a meal.

en	Noelle follows her parents down the flight of stairs to the underground food court. It's a bizarre space that reminds Noelle of a mirror maze.

en	They sit down at a stall and Noelle scans the menu, which is conveniently printed directly on the surface of the table.

en	Something chicken...Something something soup...

en	Noelle has to pick her dish based on the pictures, like a toddler would.

en	Do you know what you're getting?

en	I will order the oyster omelette.

en	It's seldom seen in America, so I should take the chance to eat it here.

en	As the stall worker comes over and takes her parents' orders, Noelle mentally recites hers, determined not to be rendered an inarticulate child again.

en	I know this. This is kindergarten level vocabulary.

en	I want oyster omelette.

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}我要蚵仔煎。{/font}

en	That sounds a tad crude, though. In English, I'd normally say something more like, "I'd like to have the oyster omelette."

en	What do you want to order?

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}你要點什麼?{/font}

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}我要蚵仔煎。{/font}

en	The woman jots her order down on a pad of paper, nodding.

en	Are you American-born Chinese?

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}妳是ABC嗎？{/font}

en	...Huh?? My Chinese was THAT bad?

en	I am.

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}我是。{/font}

en	I could tell! I guessed from your accent, so heavy!

en	Noelle's mom sighs as the woman walks off to prepare their meals.

en	All those years of Chinese school, wasted.

en	.............

en	Their food arrives within minutes.

en	Noelle tries a gooey spoonful of her oyster omelette.

en	It's delicious. You would never guess this only cost three dollars.

en	Really? Let me try.

en	Her parents each taste a spoonful of the oyster omelette and shrug, unimpressed.

en	This is below average. I've had way better ones around here before.

en	Yeah, this isn't really what it's supposed to taste like.

en	Well, I'm never here, so I couldn't have known that.

en	Annoyed now, Noelle takes another bite of the oyster omelette.

en	This is the best thing I've ever eaten.

en	I should find out what this place is called so I can find it again.

en	She looks up at the name of the stall, but it's in Chinese.

en	I can't read it.

en	I'd better savor it while it lasts. This omelette I can only taste once.

en	All too soon, it's over. Noelle sighs as they get up to continue shopping.

en	You should've tried harder to convince me to learn Chinese.

en	Are you serious? We told you not to quit so many times.

en	But you never properly explained {i}why{/i} it was so important not to.

en	All you did was give me condescending lectures about how I was too young to understand why it mattered, and how I'd be an embarrassment if I didn't learn.

en	English is our second language. It's hard to explain things to to you.

en	And it's true, you ARE an embarrassment.

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}阿姨好{/font} = Hello Auntie.

en	Last week I saw our neighbor's son Michael moving the lawn, and he greeted me in Chinese! {font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}阿姨好。{/font}

en	See, that's what happens when you listen to your parents.

en	Michael goes to Taiwan with his family every summer! THAT'S the reason he's more fluent, not because he was a superior child to me!

en	Why didn't we just visit Taiwan more often when I was younger? That alone would've made me more interested in learning.

en	I feel like I've been trying to understand Chinese culture by looking at it through a soda straw until now.

en	You think {i}we{/i} didn't want to visit Taiwan more too?

en	The airplane tickets are expensive. We have to save up for years just for one trip.

en	Oh.

en	But...Even so, you should have done more to show me that speaking Mandarin could be a positive experience.

en	Why do you always speak to me in English even though you can't fully express yourselves in that language?

en	If you'd conversed with me in Chinese from a young age, I would have naturally picked it up from daily use.

en	We thought you'd have an accent if we did that.

en	We were worried you wouldn't fit in at school.

en	But that's ridiculous!

en	There's no way I would have developed an accent when everyone else I interacted with spoke English.

en	I would have grown up bilingual without any ill effects.

en	Resigned, her dad shrugs.

en	Well, too late now. What can you do?

en	The last day of the trip

en	Noelle and her relatives visit the columbarium housing Ah-ma's ashes.

en	My mom visits this place every time she's in Taiwan.

en	Noelle follows her grandpa into the worship hall.

en	...........

en	We crossed an ocean to see my grandpa and I've barely spoken a word to him.

en	It's not out of lack of interest. He must have lived a fascinating life.

en	He's the only grandparent I have left.

en	But how do you gain access to the heart of a stranger? Where do you even begin?

en	"Tell me about yourself?"

en	Who says that to their own grandfather? It would sound like a job interview.

en	Even if I knew what I wanted to say, what am I capable of saying in Chinese?

en	Today is Sunday? I'm a student?

en	She watches Chun-hua take a lotus petal from a glass bowl and offer it to the giant Buddhas.

en	.............

en	Noelle, we're going to pray for Ah-ma. Take a flower petal from that bowl over there.

en	Can I pray in English?

en	If you have to.

en	Unsure what she's supposed to do, Noelle does her best to imitate her parents.

en	Hello, Buddha...I seriously doubt that you exist.

en	But I'm sure Ah-ma was a wonderful woman.

en	Chun-hua deposits her lotus petal in the bowl before the Buddhas, her eyes shining with tears.

en	I miss Ah-ma...

en	我想阿媽了...

en	.........

en	To Noelle's surprise, her aunt embraces Chun-hua like it's the most natural thing in the world.

en	They're so comfortable with each other.

en	Is that how mothers and daughters are supposed to be?

en	When I look at my mother, the first emotion I feel is stress.

en	Noelle deposits her lotus petal in the bowl and joins Ah-gong, who's waiting to the side.

en	He smiles awkwardly at her as they stand together in silence.

en	............

en	............

en	What should I do?

en	Try to build a relationship in broken Mandarin? Tell him "I like reading" and "My favorite color is green"?

en	Or do I let the moment pass me by? Say nothing and remain strangers?

en	Am I a terrible person if that's what I do?

en	Come on, we're going upstairs.

en	After an elevator ride, they arrive at the floor housing her grandma’s ashes.

en	Ah-ma's over here.

en	Noelle follows everyone down the hall to a one of the niches.

en	The only thing distinguishing it from the others is the tiny nametag on the door.

en	Not that I can read it...Even if I could, I don't know the names of any of my relatives.

en	And at this point, I'm too embarrased to ask.

en	Even Chun-hua's name I only know by sound. I have no idea what it looks like.

en	Noelle's dad points to the units beside Ah-ma's.

en	Your mom and I bought our spots, too.

en	Already? You're only in your fifties.

en	There's a limited number, so we made sure to reserve them before they were all gone.

en	I suppose my parents {i}are{/i} fairly old. They didn't manage to have me until their forties.

en	Going off of the average American life expectancy, they probably have around twenty-five years left.

en	*sniff*...

en	Noelle's mom wipes her eyes as they open the little door of Ah-ma's unit.

en	Will {i}I{/i} cry when my mother dies someday?

en	I'm starting to seriously worry that I won't. What kind of monster does that make me?

en	What kind of cold, heartless person cares so little about her own parents?

en	Is there something wrong with me? Do I just not form emotional bonds as deeply as ordinary people do?

en	When they get back to Ah-gong's apartment, Noelle and her mom begin packing to leave.

en	Are you all flying back tonight?

en	Actually, my dad will be in Taiwan for another week attending to business matters.

en	So my mother and I are flying back alone.

en	Aw, one week was too short.

en	As Noelle fits the last of her clothes into the roller bag, Chun-hua takes a seat, pulling a thick tome out of her backpack.

en	Noelle feels a twinge of sadness as she watches her cousin read her huge, academic looking book.

en	If I'd grown up in Taiwan, we probably would've become close.

en	Suddenly, a strange thought occurs to Noelle.

en	If I'd grown up here, would my personality been shaped into something more similar to Chun-hua's?

en	How much of my personality is just a product of being raised by an immigrant helicopter mother with no friends or family around to balance her out?

en	Would my mother and I have gotten along?

en	The magazine Chun-hua showed Noelle earlier is still out on the coffee table, taunting her.

en	I'm finished packing, so I have some time to kill before we leave for the airport.

en	Maybe I can translate the poem my mother wrote.

en	Noelle digs her emergency Chinese-to-English dictionary out of her backpack.

en	I was being a petulant baby in elementary school.

en	All I have to do is persevere and power through learning the language properly this time.

en	I'll simply look up each word I don't know, and burn its pronunciation and meaning into my memory.

en	Unfortunately, she doesn't know a single word in the poem's first line.

en	After spending 15 minutes pounding seven words into her memory, her enthusiasm evaporates.

en	This actually is incredibly difficult...

en	I'm not surprised that I have nothing to show for my six years of Chinese school. It feels like the knowledge is just washing over my brain like water over plastic.

en	Is my brain just not wired for this?

en	Could it be genetic? Even after living the majority of their lives in America, my parents haven't mastered English, either.

en	It takes another 15 minutes for her to finally overcome the first line of the poem.

en	At last! Onto the second line!

en	And I already know all these words.

en	Mirror flower water moon.

en	...........

en	It's total gibberish. Is it supposed to sound poetic mushed together like that?

en	Mirror flower water moon.

en	Noelle feels the urge to tear the magazine to shreds.

en	Perhaps noticing her hands quaking with barely surpressed rage, Chun-hua peers over Noelle's shoulder to see what she's reading.

en	What's wrong?

en	Nothing. I'm just translating one of my mom's poems.

en	Why don't you ask your mom for help?

en	I'd rather die.

en	Oh. Okay.

en	Maybe I can help instead?

en	Where are you stuck?

en	What's this supposed to mean? {font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}鏡花水月?{/font}

en	Oh, that's a...How do you call it?

en	A saying. Like the lesson of a story.

en	Flower in the mirror, moon in the water

en	It's short for 鏡子裡的花，水面上的月亮.

en	Pretty much, it means something that you can see but never grasp.

en	Like a flower reflected in a mirror, or the moon shining on the water's surface?

en	Yes. You can't reach your hand through the mirror and take the flower out, it's impossible.

en	You can only look, never have it.

en	I see.

en	So "Mirror Flower, Water Moon" is shorthand for something beautiful but unattainable.

en	Pretty much.

en	Da Ah-yi cheers as Noelle's mom manages to zip her bulging suitcase closed.

en	Ready to go to the airport?

en	準備好去機場了嗎？

en	Let's go.

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}我們走吧。{/font}

en	Noelle gives the half-translated poem one last despairing look before flipping the magazine shut.

en	Is that what I've been chasing after this whole time? A flower in the mirror?

en	If only I get straight As, I'll have a normal relationship with my parents.

en	If only I land a summer internship, I'll have a normal relationship with my parents.

en	If only I become fluent in Chinese, I'll have a normal relationship with my parents.

en	What if it was never possible from the start, no matter what I did?

en	Stranger

en	That evening, Noelle and her mom make landfall in California.

en	Instead of driving home from the airport, they take the BART back.

en	Noelle wrinkles her nose as she inhales the stench of vomit, urine, and cigarettes.

en	Dad's car is parked at the airport garage. Why not just drive it home?

en	We wouldn't be able to get gas.

en	It's not safe for women to pump gas. It's so easy for a criminal to grab you and drive away.

en	We live in one of the safest suburbs in the entire U.S....

en	Is that why she always has my dad pump the gas...?

en	Besides, I can't read fast enough.

en	When you're driving on the freeway the signs pass by so quickly.

en	Noelle reluctantly sits down on a filthy, worn seat with a suspicious brown stain on it.

en	The conductor mumbles something unintelligible over the intercom as the train stops at a station.

en	Six{incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent} Miss{incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent}...

en	A breathless man enters the train car just in time before the doors shut. His eyes frantically scour its interior.

en	Man

en	Does this train go to Berkeley?

en	It does not. This is the Fremont train.

en	Shit! I need to get off at the next station!

en	As the train continues onward, Noelle notices a puddle of liquid travelling down the floor.

en	What is that? Did someone spill their drink?

en	Passenger

en	AAAAAAHH!!!

en	FUCKING NASTY! THAT BITCH PEED IN HER SEAT!

en	What?!

en	Disgusted, Noelle recoils and keeps her feet as far as possible from the pee spreading down the floor.

en	SO FUCKING GROSS!!! FUCKING BITCH!!

en	{incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent} biohazard {incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent}...Please evacuate {incoherent}( ? ? ? ){/incoherent} at the next station.

en	What's he saying?

en	The urine is a biohazard. We need to get off the train at the next station.

en	Once the doors open, Noelle and her mom hastily drag their luggage off the train and onto the concrete platform.

en	Maybe we should've driven after all. I didn't know BART was like this.

en	We're still several stops from our destination.

en	Noelle and her mom wait on a bench for the next train home.

en	Nine car train to Fremont in six minutes.

en	Our next train will arrive in six minutes.

en	Okay.

en	Good thing I was here with you, or else I wouldn't know what train to take.

en	Exhausted, Noelle stares at the dark line of trees ahead of them. It's cold.

en	Why are we here?

en	Because the hobo lady peed on the floor?

en	That's not what I mean — Why did you move from Taiwan to America?

en	To give you more opportunities.

en	That doesn't make any sense.

en	Taiwan is superior to the U.S. by every conceivable metric. And it's not even close.

en	Taiwan has socialized healthcare, more robust public infrastructure, and one of the lowest poverty rates in the world.

en	Americans live shorter lives. Even worse, they're not as good at math and science.

en	Taiwan was different in the past. All you see is Taiwan now, but it didn't used to be this way.

en	And America was strong. We were scared China was going to invade Taiwan.

en	But they didn't.

en	In all this time that we've lived in America, nothing's happened.

en	That's true, but it COULD'VE happened.

en	But the plain truth is that it didn't...

en	You could have just stayed put. I could have grown up in Taiwan like Chun-hua and the rest of my cousins, and everything would have been fine.

en	But we didn't know that.

en	You think we had a crystal ball telling us the future?

en	Noelle's mom perks up as a train screeches to a stop at the platform.

en	Fruitvale...Dublin-Pleasanton train.

en	Is this our train?

en	No, it's not.

en	Noelle's mom settles glumly back on the bench.

en	You know how Chun-hua wants to study in America?

en	Yes.

en	I told her not to do it. It's not worth it.

en	I didn't realize how hard it would be.

en	You'll be far from everyone you know.

en	And your kids won't understand what you're talking about. You can't communicate with them.

en	I didn't know that if you have kids in America, your kids will be American.

en	That wasn't obvious to you...?

en	No.

en	...........

en	Noelle waits with her friends for the baseball club meeting to begin.

en	How was Taiwan?

en	It was amazing.

en	The subway system — it was so punctual and efficient! And the signage was so clear.

en	If you ever visit, Diya, you don't have to be afraid of getting lost or not hearing the announcements like you do on BART.

en	Everyone there meticulously organizes their recyclables, too.

en	If people fail to sort their materials properly, the government will fine them up to $200!

en	Wait, they do that in Korea, too!

en	Interesting. Perhaps Korea is more similar to Taiwan than I thought.

en	I bet Korea did it first, and then Taiwan just stole it.

en	WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT?!

en	Diya listens with a small smile as Noelle continues extolling the virtues of Taipei's trash-collecting system instead of describing any of the landmarks she visited.

en	You must've liked it there.

en	You're right, I did...

en	...........

en	What do you call it when you're grateful for the things your parents have done for you, but at the same time, you feel like they made critical mistakes that'll probably affect you forever?

en	Isn't that just life?

en	Oh...I suppose it is.

en	Dammit, my shoelaces keep coming undone...

en	Noelle glances to her left, where Akarsha is crouched over tying her sneaker laces.

en	WHY HAVE YOU TIED YOUR SHOELACES LIKE THAT?

en	This is the Silicon Valley, Frenchman. The land of innovation.

en	Didja get me any souvenirs on your trip?

en	No.

en	Huh?! Meanie!

en	I didn't get anyone anything. We had limited luggage space.

en	All we brought back were snacks that can't be found here, and dubious beauty products my mom wanted.

en	Dubious beauty products? Like what? Nail clippers with bombs in them?

en	Wh...Why would there be nail clippers with bombs with them?

en	All I meant was products with questionable value like skin whitening cream.

en	Wait, skin whitening cream? Like, to make your skin lighter?

en	Yes. Chinese beauty standards are all kinds of messed up.

en	It's been ingrained very deeply into people's minds that the lighter your skin is, the better.

en	That's just like in India.

en	Yeah, oh my god! I thought it was just a brown thing!

en	You guys have colorism, too?!

en	Oh, is it similar in your culture?

en	It's a whole thing! You have NO idea.

en	I would argue I do have an idea.

en	My mother even tells me not to spend time outside to avoid getting a tan.

en	Oh, my mom does that too. They have those dumb as fuck skin creams in Korea, too.

en	It's the same.

en	It's the same...

en	Yellow and brown parents...They match just like pee and poo.

en	What the fuck man...

en	.......

en	Akarsha, have you ever considered not speaking?

en	How mean! The second I open my mouth, you all jump to slap my balls...

en	DO YOU HAVE TO WORD IT LIKE THAT?

en	I'm tryin' to use more phrases with the word "balls" in it in my normal conversations.

en	WHY?

en	I dunno, I just think it'll add more flavor.

en	[teamName!t], assemble!

en	Team Global Warming gathers around Chryssa and Liz as they begin the meeting.

en	The [teamName!t] gather around Chryssa and Liz as they begin the meeting.

en	So we've got good news and bad news.

en	Good news, we have a game today!

en	Bad news...It's just the Niles baseball team again.

en	They're the only ones who would play us again.

en	Ah...That's not surprising.

en	We either win by pulling some weird shenanigans, or lose so badly we get mercied. There's no in between.

en	So most teams we play aren't exactly eager for a rematch.

en	We had to swear up and down you guys would be normal this time.

en	So y'all better not be weird.

en	Alright, we yakusoku...

en	What?????

en	That's how you say "promise" in Nihongo...a.k.a Japanese.

en	..............

en	Is everyone ready to go? The other team got here early.

en	Team Global Warming walks over to the field, where the Killer Whales are already warming up.

en	The [teamName!t] walk over to the field, where the Killer Whales are already warming up.

en	Thanks for being willing to play us again, guys.

en	No problem. Time for our revenge!

en	Yeah, right. We destroyed you guys last time.

en	Well, that was before our secret weapon joined the team.

en	Secret weapon?

en	We got a new guy who's pretty good.

en	Oh yeah? Where is he?

en	Jun-seo and Hayden look around amongst their teammates, but as the seconds pass, their faces grow more and more alarmed.

en	...I'm actually not sure...

en	Maybe he got lost on his way driving here?

en	Yeah, that seems typical of him.

en	It's fine, we can wait a few minutes for him to show up.

en	20 minutes later

en	No one came...

en	He's decidedly late at this point.

en	I can't believe this. Where the heck could he be??

en	Did you try calling him?

en	He didn't pick up.

en	Well, it's not like he can answer the phone if he's driving.

en	You guys are pathetic. Making up some guy to blame your loss on...

en	We're not making him up! He's real!

en	And we didn't lose yet?? Stop jumping to conclusions...

en	Is it okay if we start playing without him? If he turns up later, he can join the game then.

en	Yeah, sure...

en	Umpire

en	As the Killer Whales file into the dugout, Noelle starts trekking to her spot in right field.

en	She scowls disdainfully at a barren patch of grass as she passes it.

en	Chryssa likes pointing to that tiny patch and going, "I'll defend that area, so you cover the rest of the field, okay?"

en	I hope that grass grows back soon so I don't have to keep hearing that joke.

en	Hey, wait!

en	Noelle, you're playing second base today.

en	I am? Why?

en	Yeah, why?! She ducks and covers whenever the ball comes her way.

en	That's exactly why she needs to do it.

en	I'm taking AP Psych and I found out there's something called exposure therapy.

en	It's where you make someone do something they're afraid of until they stop whining and get used to it.

en	That doesn't sound like the textbook definition to me...

en	Chryssa, then how come when we went on that Demon ride at Great America, you had your eyes closed the whole time?

en	That was before I knew what exposure therapy was.

en	Uh huh.

en	Wait, but I was second base. What happens to me then?

en	You're playing left field now because you run fast.

en	We're moving a whole bunch of people around, not just you two.

en	Chryssa thinks she's a mega mind master now because of AP Psychology.

en	Hey, I never said that!

en	Noelle begins trekking to second base.

en	I do feel a bit better equipped to man second base now than I did when I was first roped into this club.

en	I don't like to appear under-informed, so a bit after our first game, I read the baseball rulebook from cover to cover.

en	Still, I really hope no one hits the ball my way...

en	To her surprise, Akarsha is already standing by second base.

en	Bonjour!

en	Why are you here?

en	I'm the shortstop? I'm supposed to be here.

en	What...? Aren't you supposed to be closer to third base?

en	Says who?

en	The diagram in the baseball rulebook.

en	Nah, the shortstop's position mirrors the second baseman's.

en	You're supposed to work together and vary your positioning to anticipate what the batters and runner do, you know.

en	See?

en	R-right, I knew that...

en	So we're both covering the same base? Won't that make things unnecessarily confusing?

en	You're like a duo! It's a good thing.

en	Yah, we should negotiate who does what in different situations.

en	Alright, fine.

en	How about you cover second when there's a runner on first?

en	And field the ground balls close to us?

en	And also take care of the fly balls?

en	You're just trying to get out of doing as much work as possible!

en	The game kicks off and to her relief, Min quickly strikes out the first batter.

en	Good! Just do that two more times and we get to bat!

en	Hayden digs into the batter's box next.

en	Min throws a floater that curves up toward his head for a moment before dropping back toward the strike zone.

en	Agh!

en	Instead of swinging, Hayden flinches backward out of the way.

en	Strike!

en	What's with you?

en	Nothing! I'm just making sure I don't get hit in the mouth.

en	I had a dream last night that my teeth were falling out.

en	THAT'S what you wasted your dream on?

en	It's not like I can control what I dream about!

en	Min hurls another pitch his way, but instead of dancing like usual, it pretty much just sails straight down the middle.

en	Rragh!

en	Hayden manages to make contact and drives the ball into grass!

en	It bounces into the air and for one singularly terrifying moment, Noelle sees it coming straight at her!

en	Egad!!! I hate ground balls!

en	Noelle covers her face with one arm and half-heartedly attempts to catch the ball with the other.

en	She braces for impact, but nothing hits her.

en	On the mound, Min managed to intercept the ball by catching it behind her back without looking at it.

en	!

en	Whoa!!

en	Even Min herself looks shocked that she caught it.

en	Just because it's cool doesn't mean he's out!! Throw it to first!

en	Min hastily lobs the ball to Liz. It just barely beats Hayden to first base.

en	Out!

en	Aw man...

en	That was close!

en	As Hayden heads back to the dugout in defeat, there's a distant shout.

en	Sorry I'm late!

en	Some guy is sprinting down the hill to the Killer Whales at top speed.

en	Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!

en	Subhaan!

en	WHERE WERE YOU???

en	Subhaan

en	The Killer Whale player sighs despondently as he joins his teammates.

en	I was driving over when all of a sudden a spider crawled up my leg...

en	So obviously I crashed the car.

en	"Obviously"?!

en	Are you okay...?

en	Don't worry, I'm fine. I just knocked a street sign over.

en	Isn't that a crime...?

en	How big was the spider?

en	Like this big.

en	He pinches his thumb and index finger together to demonstrate.

en	So small.

en	But it was all hairy! So practically speaking, it was equivalent to a spider twice as big.

en	Even if it WAS twice as big, isn't crashing kinda an overreaction?

en	No?

en	Whatever...Just get up to bat already, it's your turn.

en	This guy seems like a coward.

en	I wonder what makes him their secret weapon.

en	Subhaan digs in behind home plate.

en	He's standing on the other side of the plate. He must be left-handed.

en	Min hurls her next pitch, and the batter shifts into a bunting stance at the last second.

en	He's not even going to try to hit it?

en	He starts to run toward first base as the ball glances off his bat, sending the baseball bouncing toward Liz!

en	She's forced to rush forward to field it, leaving first base unmanned.

en	I got it!

en	By the time she's scooped the ball up, Subhaan is well on his way to first base.

en	He's fast!

en	FRANCE!! Frenchman!

en	Oh, I need to cover first base since Liz isn't there!

en	Noelle belatedly runs toward the base so Liz can throw the ball to her, but Subhaan beats her there.

en	The Killer Whales cheer as Subhaan overruns the base.

en	Yeah!! Sub-Zero!!

en	...Sub-Zero??

en	"Sub-Zero"

en	That's me. They call me Sub-Zero 'cause I'm so cool.

en	Huh?? No fair, I want a badass nickname, too.

en	Oh, please. Like what?

en	Like...Sub-Zero.

en	You're just going to copy him?!

en	Sayeeda shakes her head as Sub-Zero basks under his teammates' praise.

en	Tch. Who the heck bunts to get on base?

en	I mean, if you're fast, it's doable.

en	Lefties have a huge advantage when bunting, too, because they’re already two steps ahead of where righty batters are when they lay down the bunt.

en	That's so cheap!

en	Well, that's the essence of baseball, no? Cheating and being cheap.

en	I thought the essence of baseball was friendship and teamwork.

en	Oh, yes, that too.

en	Jun-seo is up to bat next.

en	He swings at the pitch! The knuckleball suddenly swerves outward as if sensing the bat, dodging it entirely.

en	Uogh??

en	?!

en	Diya misses the ball by a mile, too. She rips her mask off and chases after it.

en	Yaaaa!!!

en	Subzero takes off running toward second base!

en	He's taking the chance to steal! I need to tag him out!

en	Diya secures the ball and throws it to Akarsha.

en	Got it!

en	...Never mind, looks like Akarsha's supposed to cover second base here.

en	Sub-Zero skids to a halt halfway between the bases.

en	Oh no!

en	Because it was his choice to run, we need to actually tag him with the ball!

en	Akarsha charges toward him, and Sub-Zero turns around and flees back toward first base.

en	Throw it to me!

en	Hrah!

en	Akarsha lobs the ball over, and Liz tags him out.

en	Noooo...

en	Nice one, Akarsha!

en	...Akarsha? Who's that?

en	You???

en	I dunno what you're talking about.

en	My name.........is Sub-Zero.

en	NO, IT'S NOT.

en	The teams switch sides.

en	As Noelle crosses the field, she's struck with a peculiar awareness of where she is.

en	Barely a day ago, I was on the opposite side of the planet.

en	I was in Taiwan, where the garbage trucks sing Beethoven's Fur Elise while collecting the trash.

en	And now I'm here, playing baseball. I'm wearing a little cap, sweating, and running on grass.

en	Why am I here? It's a mistake that I'm here.

en	Hello? Earth to Frenchman?

en	What?

en	You didn't hear a thing I said, huh?

en	My apologies. What was it?

en	I said, it's hot as balls out here!

en	Not this again!

en	So what were you so lost in thought about?

en	Nothing really...

en	It's just strange knowing I would've led a completely different life if my parents had stayed in Taiwan.

en	I would've been someone who was close to her family. Someone who wasn't ignorant of her own culture.

en	Maybe I would have been a better person.

en	Aw, I like you the way you are, though.

en	And if your parents didn't move, we would never have met.

en	Of course, because obviously that makes up for everything.

en	Akarsha grins, and the inside of Noelle's palm prickles.

en	This is so peculiar...

en	Is this what extreme anger feels like? But right now I'm only pretending to be annoyed for comedic effect.

en	The sensation is so unbearable, she wants to scratch at it until it goes away.

en	I mean, you went there on vacation. You're probably looking at it through rose-colored glasses.

en	They probably have tons of struggles over there that you're clueless about.

en	Even so, the standard of living there is on an entirely different level.

en	This is backed up by actual statistics, not just my personal opinions.

en	I dunno, man. It's not good to wallow too long in self-pity.

en	Or else you'll get lost in the sauce.

en	...The sauce? What sauce?

en	It's a metaphor for being out of touch with reality.

en	But I like to imagine barbeque sauce.

en	!

en	The rest of Team Global Warming erupts in cheers as Diya bats Chryssa in.

en	The rest of the [teamName!t] cheer as Diya bats Chryssa in.

en	Oh, they're not just walking Diya like last game?

en	I told Jun I'd shave his hair off in his sleep if he did that again, cuz it's not fun for Diya.

en	Who's up next?

en	Me! Time to unveil my special technique!

en	Wait, she better not be trying that "getting hit on purpose" thing again!

en	Oblivious, Junseo throws a fastball to Akarsha.

en	Akarsha leans in to the pitch, causing the ball bounce off her elbow guard.

en	Hahah! Free walk to first base!

en	Huh?! You can't do that on purpose!

en	The guy on the Niles team who's serving as their umpire pages through his rulebook, lost.

en	Uh...Does it say that in the rules?

en	Actually, it's not relevant whether Akarsha caused the ball to hit her or not.

en	Per rule 2, section 40 of the NFHS rulebook: There is no distinction between the act of touching or by being touched.

en	Seriously?!

en	Thank you, baseball lawyer! Muah!!

en	Actually, just last summer Rule 7-3-4 was added, stating that the batter shall not permit a pitched ball to touch him.

en	But it's not really my job to remind them to update their rulebook.

en	But...but still, that's not fair!

en	You may not like it, but this is what peak baseball looks like.

en	Even the Major League Baseball logo is a guy getting hit by the pitch.

en	Wha...what're you talking about?

en	It's a guy swinging at the ball.

en	No, really picture it.

en	The ball is too high up, and look how close to him it is.

en	It's too late, there's no way he's gonna be able to hit it in time.

en	It's a guy who's about to get beaned.

en	No way...

en	She's right...It really is a guy about to get hit...

en	I rest my case.

en	Akarsha jogs to first base, victorious.

en	Alright. I'm up next.

en	There's already two outs. I'd better not strike out.

en	But on the bright side, Diya and Akarsha are both on-base. If I can somehow hit this, we could end this inning with a massive lead.

en	Noelle swiftly strikes out, missing by a mile with each swing.

en	Drat! I blew it.

en	There, there...

en	Did you try? Yes. But did you fail? Also yes.

en	Wait, I think I said those in the wrong order.

en	Forget the order! Why mention me failing at all?!

en	The teams switch sides.

en	As Noelle trods to second base, she crosses paths with Diya on her way to the catcher's box.

en	Diya, do you have any tips for hitting the ball?

en	Diya considers it for a moment.

en	It's easier to hit the top of the ball than the bottom.

en	Bad for hitting home runs but you'll strike out less.

en	Diya, at this point I'd be thrilled to hit ANY of the ball. You think I can differentiate between the top and bottom halves??

en	Diya appears not to have heard Noelle's response and has walked away.

en	Thanks, I guess...

en	The Killer Whales cheer as a batter hits a grand slam off one of Min's pitches.

en	Woohoo! We're tied now!

en	EAT SHIT AND DIE!!!

en	Min strikes the next two batters out in quick succession, but the third gets a solid hit!

en	Maybe I can catch this!

en	Noelle leaps for the ball, but it flies over her head and bounces into center field.

en	Got it!

en	Chryssa fields the ball, then tosses it back to Noelle.

en	I need to throw this to first base!

en	Noelle throws the ball with all her might! It plops almost straight into the ground and begins rolling away...

en	..........

en	Liz leaves first base to grab the ball. By this point, the runner is approaching second base.

en	It's another pickle! Liz and Akarsha need to box him in again.

en	Akarsha!

en	Who?

en	She's not cooperating because she wants to be called Sub-Zero!

en	Call her Sub-Zero

en	Don't call her Sub-Zero

en	...Sub-Zero...

en	Oh hey, that's me!

en	Akarsha catches the ball Liz throws her, and quickly tags the Jun-seo out.

en	Nooooo...

en	Heh! Another win for Sub-Zero.

en	YOU'RE DISGUSTING.

en	Thanks to Noelle's noble sacrifice, Global Warming maintains their deadlock with the Killer Whales for the next few innings.

en	Thanks to Noelle's noble sacrifice, the [teamName!t] maintain their deadlock with the Killer Whales for the next few innings.

en	It's the bottom of the last inning. We just need one run to cinch our victory.

en	AKARSHA!!!! YOU VILE CREATURE!!!!

en	Hmmm? I wonder who this "Akarsha" you keep referring to is.

en	Liz throws the ball to Akarsha, but she pretends not to see it and lets it land on the ground.

en	REALLY???

en	Shit!

en	I mean — shoot!

en	Noelle rushes to grab the ball instead, but the runner is already long gone.

en	She shrieks at Akarsha as he crosses home plate.

en	THEY SCORED BECAUSE OF YOU!

en	Because of me? Or because you were a big meanie and didn't compromise like a good teammate?

en	Really makes you think...

en	NO, IT DOESN'T.

en	Thanks to Akarsha's antics, Global Warming enters the bottom of the final inning one run behind the Killer Whales.

en	Thanks to Akarsha's antics, the [teamName!t] enter the bottom of the final inning one run behind the Killer Whales.

en	We need to get at least one more run, or we'll lose.

en	Unfortunately, Sayeeda and Chryssa rack up two outs right off the bat.

en	Gomenasorry Diya-sama, you're our only hope!

en	After letting two balls go, Diya swings at a fastball.

en	....!

en	She drives the ball into right field, and everyone holds their breath as it rockets toward the fence.

en	It smashes into the middle of the fence, just a couple feet too low to clear it.

en	Too bad it wasn't a home run.

en	Too bad I'm about to beat the shit out of you!!

en	Kidding! Kidding!! Diya did great!

en	Diya sprints round the diamond and slides into second base, just barely beating the throw.

en	Safe!

en	Akarsha cracks her knuckles as she gets up from the bench.

en	Time to use my special technique.

en	Wait. Are you going to get yourself hit by the pitch again?

en	Ya.

en	Back when I was in Little League, I saw a batter get beaned in the face.

en	Chryssa, do you remember? He was on your team.

en	Huh?

en	...Oh, yeah! That was so scary.

en	He collapsed and was just lying motionless on the ground for a while.

en	He looked like he was dead. Poor kid had to be carried off in a stretcher.

en	I think it knocked out one of his teeth, right?

en	Yup.

en	Actually, maybe he even have died for real later.

en	"Maybe"??

en	Anyway, you trying to get hit on purpose just reminded me of that.

en	O-oh...Okay...

en	This must be a new scare tactic they're trying.

en	Plus, this is our only real chance to bring Diya home. We have two outs, and Noelle will probably strike out at her at-bat.

en	No offense, Noelle.

en	None taken...

en	So getting walked here would just delay the inevitable. You should try to create an opportunity for Diya to run.

en	So I gotta actually hit the ball? Aw, man...

en	No pressure if you can't manage it! But do your best!

en	Say no more. I'm goin' serious mode.

en	As Akarsha walks up to the plate, she tosses her bat in the air, spins around, and tries to catch it behind her back.

en	She doesn't spin around fast enough, so the bat just clatters to the ground.

en	...........

en	Akarsha picks the bat back up and points it at Jun-seo.

en	Your pants can't wait for my pee.

en	Wha...what is that even supposed to mean?

en	She's trying to confuse you! Don't let it get to you!

en	Disturbed, Jun-seo quickly pitches to Akarsha.

en	Akarsha whiffs it for a strike.

en	Whoopsie!

en	We're all going to be haunted by that pee comment now and it didn't even work???

en	The team holds their collective breath as Jun-seo lets his next pitch fly.

en	Akarsha smacks it into foul territory.

en	Strike two...

en	If you waste Diya's double, I'll hit you!!!

en	Chryssa taps the sign she and Liz taped to the dugout's fence.

en	No hitting allowed.

en	Ha!

en	Then...then I'll scream really loud in your ear!

en	So it destroys your eardrum!!

en	Liz taps the second sign they taped to the fence.

en	No screaming allowed either.

en	Goddammit...

en	Jun-seo winds up again. In the meantime, Akarsha has gone suspiciously quiet.

en	.........

en	Akarsha leans in so she gets hit by the pitch again!

en	Not again!

en	Great going, you just lost us the game!

en	YAAAaaaaaAAAAA!!

en	Akarsha races toward first base like her life depends on it!

en	G-guys? Why's she's running?

en	Tag her if she tries to steal second!

en	Hayden quickly throws the ball to Subhaan, the first baseman. Akarsha hastily stops in her tracks.

en	Uh-oh!

en	Come back here!

en	Akarsha turns and scrambles back the way she came with Subhaan at her heels.

en	What is she doing?! There's no benefit to her retreating all the way back home!

en	As Akarsha nears home, Subhaan hurls the ball back to Hayden, who lunges forward to tag her.

en	They've panicked and forgotten the basic rules of baseball!

en	All they have to do is tag first base for a force out!

en	{i}Can{/i} they do that? She was hit by the pitch — she's entitled to first base.

en	...Good point...

en	GUYS, DON'T FORGET DIYA'S RUNNING TOO!

en	HUH?

en	Diya slides home in the confusion!

en	YEAHHHHHH!!!!!

en	...!!

en	Min runs over to home base and starts furiously kissing Diya as Hayden chases Akarsha back toward first.

en	GET OFF THE PLAYING FIELD!! THE GAME'S NOT OVER YET!

en	It's not? I thought we won?

en	The run won't count if Akarsha is the third out before making it to first base!

en	Er, if they even can tag her out? I don't know anymore.

en	GET OFF THE PLAYING FIELD!! YOU CAN CELEBRATE LATER!!

en	The run won't even count if Akarsha is the third out before making it to first base!

en	Er, if they even can tag her out? I'm not sure anymore.

en	As she's trying to weasel past Subhaan, Akarsha trips on her own shoelaces and collides with him!

en	Agh!

en	Akarsha bangs her head on Subhaan's knee on her way down!

en	Oh my god!

en	Akarsha!

en	Without thinking, she runs over to where Akarsha is lying motionless on the ground.

en	Akarsha! Are you alright?

en	Akarsha doesn't respond.

en	Coming from Akarsha, the silence is a thousand times scarier than if she'd been screaming.

en	Please be alright...

en	Her voice comes out all choked and funny, and Noelle realizes with horror that she's crying.

en	The world would be an awful place without you...

en	Owww...

en	Dazed, Akarsha slowly begins to sit up.

en	Noelle is so relieved that she tearfully pulls Akarsha into a hug for a moment before a mixture of other emotions catch up with her.

en	Wait, what am I doing?!

en	Her heart pounding, Noelle hastily shoves Akarsha away, sending her crashing back to the ground.

en	Whuh?!

en	YOU ABSOLUTE ARSE!

en	YOU SCARED ME! DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!

en	Noelle frantically wipes her tears away as Akarsha wobbles back to her feet.

en	Soon, the others have gathered around her in concern.

en	You okay?

en	Yeah, just woozy...

en	What year is it?

en	1834...?

en	Just kidding, 2009.

en	HOW CAN YOU BE CRACKING JOKES RIGHT NOW?!

en	Can you tell me what happened?

en	I got myself into a pickle, tripped, and ate shit.

en	Okay, good...

en	Ask her if she feels nauseous.

en	Do you feel nauseous?

en	Naw.

en	As they run through a series of tests for concussion, Chryssa and Liz relax a bit.

en	You seem fine...It's good that you can remember what happened and walk.

en	It looked like you lost consciousness for a second there, though.

en	I wasn't knocked out, I was thinking the whole time.

en	Huh?!

en	I was just stunned 'cause it really hurt.

en	So...you remember what I said to you?

en	Yeah, that I'm an arse?

en	What about before that?

en	Um...Before that, everyone was screaming that I fell.

en	It was so chaotic, it all kinda blurred together.

en	Why, did you finally call me Sub-Zero?

en	I most certainly did not.

en	What a relief! It would have been mortifying if she'd heard me falling to pieces over her.

en	We should still get you checked out by an adult.

en	Aren't you and Liz technically adults now?

en	You know what I mean. {i}Real{/i} adults, like the school nurse.

en	Does that mean the game's over?

en	Yeah, sorry...We'll have to rematch you guys some other time.

en	Wait, so did we win? Did Diya's run count?

en	Wait, so did we tie? Did Diya's run count?

en	Unfortunately, no.

en	My understanding is that Akarsha ultimately violated Section 4 of Rule 8 — She made a travesty of the game.

en	A {i}travesty?{/i} That's such a dramatic way to put it, I love it.

en	I'm so sorry! You can hit my head super hard too as payback!

en	Like with the bat or something!

en	Why?! It wouldn't help at all!

en	I'll do it.

en	NO ONE'S HITTING ANYBODY IN THE HEAD WITH THE BAT!

en	Noelle, could you escort Akarsha to the nurse's office?

en	Alright, fine.

en	Noelle and Akarsha trudge back up the hill toward the school.

en	Suddenly Akarsha touches her own cheek, confused.

en	Why is my face wet?

en	What?

en	There's something wet on my cheek. Like water.

en	It's from when I was crying over her!

en	That...that must've been someone's spit that fell on you.

en	Huh?! Ew!

en	Man...If only I hadn't tripped, I totally would've saved the day.

en	You should thank me for tryin' to save you from making us lose.

en	Now that she mentions it, I do feel a bit bad that she got hurt trying to help me...

en	I actually am a bit impressed you wrangled such an improbable outcome out of a walk.

en	I truly marvel at your creativity sometimes.

en	Whuh??

en	Who are you, and what did you do with Noelle?

en	Contrary to common belief, I am, in fact, capable of being nice.

en	I know, but you usually look like you're passing a really hard poo while you're doing it.

en	Akarsha grabs Noelle's hand and vigorously shakes it up and down.

en	Congratulations! You've learned basic human decency!

en	You should try it more often.

en	To Noelle's dismay, she feels a strange, almost electric undercurrent of something running between their palms.

en	Why am I so sensitive to her touch all of a sudden? It didn't used to be like this.

en	Noelle thrashes her hand free and seizes Akarsha's wrist!

en	Wah!

en	Could it be that I'm still excited from the game?

en	There's probably still adrenaline in my system.

en	Lemme go!

en	War crime! War crime!!

en	IT'S NOT A WAR CRIME TO GRAB SOMEONE'S ARM!

en	Oh, the humanity!

en	To be captivated by a court jester — a circus clown juggling five bowling pins!

en	One week later

en	Diya blearily looks up from her textbook as Akarsha takes her usual seat in front of Noelle.

en	How's your head.

en	Oh, I'm all good now!

en	The nurse just told me to rest up for a few days.

en	My parents made me see a doctor over the weekend, too, and he said the same thing.

en	That's good to hear.

en	I wish I could've used this as an excuse to get outta the Bio test today, though.

en	At least we have the Multicultural Week Assembly in third period.

en	You can use it as extra time to cram.

en	I wanna watch at least some of it, though. I heard there was gonna be a K-pop part.

en	Noelle's heart does a nervous little stutter as Akarsha turns all the way round in her seat to face her.

en	Do you remember the poster that was in the nurse's office?

en	No. What poster?

en	It said if your hand is bigger than your face, you have cancer.

en	That doesn't sound right.

en	Why would that be the case? Swelling?

en	Just to check, Noelle puts her hand over her face to compare their sizes.

en	Akarsha slaps Noelle's hand so Noelle smacks herself in the face.

en	AKARSHAAAAA!!!!

en	Akarsha bolts, and Noelle chases after her!

en	The bell rings!{w=0.26} This concludes Noelle and Akarsha's daily morning scream fest.

en	Once they're back in their desks, Noelle glowers at the back of Akarsha's head.

en	I can't keep my eyes off of her. It must be my body's natural defense mechanism in response to threats.

en	If I hold her hand, it'll prevent her from doing the "Why are you hitting yourself?" move.

en	And if I embrace her, she will be completely immobilized.

en	Yes. There are perfectly reasonable explanations for all of these strange urges I'm feeling.

en	In third period, Noelle's teacher leads the class to the gym to watch the Multicultural assembly.

en	Most of her classmates have their heads buried in their Biology textbooks as they walk, desperately cramming for the impending test.

en	Pistil.

en	The ovule producing part of the flower. Next.

en	Xylem.

en	Plant tissue that moves water 'n stuff around. Next.

en	What's "stuff".

en	Like, stuff. Y'know...Stuff.

en	You know, Akarsha, I've never actually seen you study for something in earnest before.

en	Ya, well, I decided to actually try normally for once.

en	I think I have too many lies and weird plots goin' on at the same time, and it's tiring me out.

en	You fool...You nuisance...You liar...

en	I want to know everything about you...

en	I want you to tell me every thought that's ever crossed your mind...

en	Sepal.

en	The outer part of the flower, the green leafy part.

en	Why am I so infatuated with her?

en	It can't possibly be that I fancy her.

en	No...Surely not!

en	I may have grown used to the concept of Diya dating Min, but I have no intention of being in a relationship like that myself.

en	Even now that I'm aware it's possible for two women to...copulate...that changes nothing!

en	Homosexuals can't even legally get married anymore. It seems unwise to pursue a lifestyle reliant on the mercy of a government as unreliable as our own.

en	Akarsha gives her an odd look.

en	...Why're you glaring at me?

en	Oh...Is that how my face looked?

en	I haven't even done anything yet.

en	YET?

en	Oof!

en	Noelle walks straight into someone in the class walking ahead of them.

en	Kyaaaa!

en	Oh hai, it's you guys!

en	Oh hey! What's up?

en	I posted the first chapter of my webcomic.

en	I saw! Every page has like, four comments!!

en	Is that good...? I have no idea how to gauge webcomic success.

en	Ester, you're like, you're a celebrity now!

en	Ooh, I wanna see!

en	Here, I scanned all these comic pages from my sketchbook.

en	She holds her sketchbook out so Noelle, Diya, and Akarsha can read it as they walk.

en	This is not scientifically accurate...

en	But at least it's easier to follow than that accursed English video we made.

en	Hey, were you really in high school if you didn't act in a completely incomprehensible movie with your friends?

en	?

en	Is that Noelle.

en	Huh? Where?

en	Diya points at a panel showing a character crumpled on the ground.

en	Wait a minute...is this traced from a photo of me?!

en	Er, yeah...But don't worry, I made sure to tweak some things!

en	Her personality is completely different from yours. And I changed her hair color to white.

en	Why white...? Is she old?

en	No, it's because she's albino. She has red eyes, too.

en	Okay...But what if people still realize this is based on my likeness?

en	Looks like someone already did.

en	Sure enough, Min has left a comment on the page where albino Noelle is getting her ass kicked.

en	God_Of_Halo

en	LMAO GET REKT NERD

en	That's the price of knowing an Artiste.

en	Sorry, next time I'll ask for permission first...

en	Ester, you're coming to Fanime with us, right?

en	Yeah, I begged my parents to let me go.

en	We should cosplay as your characters to help promote the comic!

en	What?! No!

en	The anatomy's so bad. And I made a bunch of mistakes on everyone's outfits...

en	You're famous and you're still saying that BS?!

en	You created this with your bare hands! So what if it's not perfect? You're god!

en	Okay whatever, do what you want, but I'm wearing normal clothes.

en	You're seriously gonna be too cool for anime while ATTENDING an anime convention? It's not like you can wander in by accident.

en	I call dibs on Stellaluna!

en	Then I get Kagami Izuna!!

en	Wait, I wanted to be Kagami Izuna!

en	Noelle hangs back with Diya as the others argue, trying to process a confusing tangle of feelings about not being the center of Akarsha's attention.

en	She watches Akarsha's ridiculous gait as she walks, the one that apparently marks her as an American in India.

en	Question: Do you ever feel like love is a choice?

en	?

en	Like you could {i}potentially{/i} fall in love with someone?

en	You're {i}not{/i} in love with them, but if you wanted to feel that way, you {i}could.{/i}

en	But if you ignore it, it'll pass, eventually.

en	Isn't that just regular love?

en	No, I'm not talking about regular love, like what you and Min experience.

en	There was no preventing that. The two of you were drawn together with the force of a freight train.

en	But this isn't like that. This is more comparable to someone reaching a fork in a road.

en	Because I can obviously control my emotions, especially ones that aren't useful to me. I'm not a wild animal.

en	...Even if you could control your emotions. Why don't you think they're useful?

en	Because they would derail my entire life.

en	There's insufficient evidence to suggest the subject in question would reciprocate my feelings, so perhaps this is putting the cart before the horse...

en	But in the unlikely event that things actually did work out between us, it would be extremely inconvenient for my plans.

en	What plans?

en	You know, just the default ones.

en	Essentially, to secure a respectable job, marry a similarly successful man, and spawn two well-behaved children in the suburbs before I'm thirty.

en	I'd be throwing away my prospects of leading a normal life just for the pleasure of being tormented by a silly little clown every day.

en	............

en	Diya gives her an odd look. She looks like she's struggling to piece together a very complicated puzzle.

en	What?

en	Nothing...

en	If the...person...doesn't fit your goal, shouldn't you update the goal?

en	I can't. It's the only outcome my parents see as acceptable.

en	If I don't adhere to it, they'll badger me day and night. They'll never let me hear the end of it.

en	Don't they already do that anyway?

en	...Oh...Yes, they do.

en	You're right, no matter what I do, they'll always find some new issue to latch onto.

en	Why am I so desperate for the approval of two people whose opinions I don't even respect?

en	I wish I could rewire my brain to only crave approval from people I hold in high esteem.

en	Like me?

en	You would be included, yes.

en	Then I'd want you to adopt a thousand dogs and start exercising.

en	A thousand?!

en	But you can read some books too, as a treat.

en	Your manner of discussing this makes me sound like your pet hamster.

en	Noelle follows her class into the rafters.

en	Diya! Over here!

en	!!!!

en	Min worms her way over to them through the crowd.

en	I escaped from my class.

en	Escaped? Are they gonna come looking for you?

en	Nah, I lost them.

en	You'd better have. I'd rather not get caught harboring a fugitive.

en	Did it hurt? When you were born with that huge stick up your ass?

en	I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.

en	What the hell is this, anyway?

en	Multicultural Week?

en	Yeah, that. None of the other schools I went to did this.

en	At lunch, there's samosas. And Coldstone cupcakes.

en	What? For free?

en	No. You buy them.

en	All the clubs sell something to fundraise.

en	I heard there's also musubis.

en	What's the baseball club selling?

en	Curry pizza, I think.

en	Akarsha takes a seat at the end of the row against the wall. Min begins to sit down next to her...

en	!!!

en	Suddenly, Diya grabs Min by the shoulders, turns her round to face her, and kisses her full on the mouth.

en	Mmmph?!

en	...What brought this on???

en	Hot damn! Get a room!

en	Baffled, Noelle squeezes past them and sits in the spot Min was about to take next to Akarsha.

en	Wha...What was that for?

en	Not that I'm complaining...

en	.......

en	Diya whispers something into Min's ear that Noelle can't catch.

en	WHAT?

en	That doesn't make sense. Are you sure?!

en	Maybe half.

en	Class president

en	Tinikling is one of the most popular folk dances in the Philippines. This dance originated on an island in central Philippines...

en	Noelle and Akarsha continue to cram as their fellow students showcase a variety of cultural performances.

en	Diya lets out a huge yawn and rests her head on Min's shoulder.

en	You tired?

en	Stayed up late studying.

en	I'll wake you up if anything cool happens.

en	Man, I wish I stayed up late cramming too. I'm so dead...

en	We have the entire assembly to study. If you want to live, stop whining and start reviewing.

en	Yes, ma'am...

en	What part of the flower will turn into a fruit?

en	Petal

en	Ovary

en	The petal.

en	Huh?? You really think that?

en	When you see flowers with like, a billion petals, are you like "Wowie! Can't wait to eat a billion fruits!"

en	SHUT UP!!!! I DON'T THINK THAT!!

en	Then why'd you say it?

en	It's obviously the ovary.

en	Wait, is it cuz you're too much of a prude to say ovary?

en	All along, instead of debating whether you're straight or gay, we should've been asking whether you get turned on by flower private parts.

en	SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!!!!

en	If you wanna shut me up so bad, why don't you just kiss me?

en	Noelle smacks her in the arm!

en	Ow!

en	The ovary.

en	Ding ding ding!

en	You didn't by any chance ask that question just to make me say "ovary", did you?

en	No way! How immature do you think I am?

en	Last period, you asked me to guess what number you were thinking of, and it was 69.

en	Well, you're the immature one for guessing it right.

en	HOW AM {i}I{/i} THE IMMATURE ONE?? I GUESSED IT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU'RE ALWAYS LIKE THIS!

en	SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! DIYA'S SLEEPING!!!

en	Not anymore, she isn't...

en	The Tinikling dancers bow and run off the stage.

en	Now that they've reached a lull in the conversation, Noelle is hyperaware of the way the side of Akarsha's thigh is pressed up against hers.

en	Why did I have to meet you?

en	Why do you have to be so funny and make me so happy?

en	You've ruined everything.

en	Next up is Chinese dance. Chinese dance has thousands of years of history...

en	A troupe of student dancers wave colorful fans to an idyllic sounding Chinese song.

en	Do you know what the song's about?

en	I wish I could tell you. I haven't the faintest idea.

en	When I was younger, I was so eager to cast the Chinese part of me aside because it was difficult. And now I regret it.

en	Hey, no judgment. I'm whitewashed, too.

en	Does it ever bother you that you can't speak any Indian languages?

en	Maybe a little? It would be cool to know.

en	That's all? You don't feel guilty for being uncultured?

en	Excuse you?? I'm plenty cultured!

en	Today I'm gonna eat curry pizza, destroy the sport of baseball, and even enjoy the company of a Frenchman.

en	You know what I mean. It's not the traditional culture your ancestors experienced.

en	Is that such a bad thing? It's different, but it's pretty cool in its own way, too.

en	And if I really want, I can always pick up Hindi or something someday.

en	But you've already missed the window of time when children pick up languages the most readily.

en	Don't plenty of people learn languages later in life though?

en	I feel like Diya and Min've learned a ton just from teaching each other.

en	That may be possible, but it's not optimal.

en	Dude, whose life is optimal? You're not a robot.

en	Just take what you can get, and be happy.

en	Easier said than done, but duly noted.

en	Speaking of robots! Did you try playing Portal?

en	I did.

en	What did you think?

en	It made me motion sick. I kept having to pause because I was on the verge of throwing up.

en	Oops. Sorry...

en	But I did enjoy the witty dialogue. And the song at the end.

en	...So you still played all of it?

en	Yes.

en	Even though it almost made you hurl?!

en	What choice did I have? You told me to play it.

en	Oh...yeah, I guess that's friends do.

en	Isn't GLaDOS so hot?

en	The sadistic artificial intelligence who's trying to kill you?

en	That's the whole appeal! She's scary in a seductive way!

en	Like, her voice gets all low and sexy when she's insulting you!

en	Did you hit your head again? Something's definitely not right in there.

en	Girls in the crowd

en	K-Pop as we know it would not exist without the—

en	WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

en	The K-Pop dance troupe's introduction is completely drowned out by a chorus of high-pitched screams.

en	Aw, that's cute.

en	I'm not sure I would characterize those banshee-like screams as "cute".

en	No, not them! Next to you.

en	Noelle turns to see Diya sound asleep in Min's arms. Min's gazing at her like she's an angel that just fell down from heaven.

en	It makes Noelle's skin crawl, so she quickly looks away.

en	They're so disgustingly in love, I can barely bear to look at them.

en	Right? It's like staring directly at the sun.

en	All obvious.

en	Sometimes I kinda wish that were more my style.

en	Do you really?

en	It's not exactly my style, either.

en	Yeah, I guess not...

en	..........

en	Noelle carefully maintains a mildly disgusted expression as she watches Akarsha read, just in case she's caught staring.

en	If I cast this part of myself aside because it's difficult too, will I come to regret it later?

en	Hey....

en	Do you remember that time my brother hijacked my computer and typed all this crazy stuff to you?

en	What?

en	It was a few months ago, after school. Remember?

en	Oh, I forgot about that.

en	That was odd.

en	Yes, I remember now. Why?

en	I lied.

en	That wasn't my brother, that was me.

en	O...kay?

en	.........

en	Akarsha goes back to reading her Biology textbook, though her leg's now jittering up and down.

en	I feel like I was just told a joke whose punchline flew straight over my head.

en	Why would it matter that it was her and not her brother...? What exactly did she say?

en	As she wracks her brain, a dozen costumed seniors take the floor.

en	Thank you, K-Pop! Up next, we have Senior Bhangra!

en	Bhangra was originally a folk dance from farmers in Punjab...

en	There's Chryssa and Liz!

en	{font=korean.ttf}공주님!{/font} Wake up!

en	...!

en	Seniors, c'mon down!

en	It's okay if you don't know the moves! Follow our lead!

en	...How is it okay if people don't know the moves?

en	I guess they all try to copy the group that's learned the dance.

en	Won't that look hopelessly unsynchronized, though?

en	They can't possibly dance in proper unison on the fly.

en	Why don't we see for ourselves?

en	Let's dance!

en	Akarsha stands, yanking Noelle up with her by the arm.

en	What?! We're not seniors!

en	C'mon, no one's gonna notice. I can't focus, anyway!

en	Noelle balks as her friends weave their way into the crowd of amateur dancers.

en	I don't dance!

en	C'mon, you don't need to be good at something to do it.

en	They all try to copy the others, clapping and raising their arms a beat late each time.

en	This looks like shit!

en	Oh balls! This is harder than I thought!

en	I told you! We look like fools!

en	T-that's okay! So does everyone else!

en	Already out of breath, Noelle looks around at the chaotic blur of Asian nerds flailing their limbs around them.

en	It's true...This must be a group of some of the worst dancers in the world!

en	With renewed confidence, Noelle spins in what turns out to be the completely wrong direction. Diya rears back to avoid crashing into her.

en	..........

en	To Noelle's surprise, Diya belatedly bumps into her, sending her flying into Akarsha!

en	That almost seemed deliberate?!

en	Wah!

en	Pardon!

en	Akarsha tries to pull back, only for Min to smack the back of her head in retaliation.

en	OW!! What was that for?

en	This...This air is mine!

en	Huh???

en	Noelle grabs Akarsha's hand for balance as they collide again.

en	Isn't this fun?

en	This is a hellhole!

en	This is paradise!

en	Akarsha laces their fingers together, and Noelle can feel it — a hairline crack racing through something foundational within her.

en	It's an utterly terrifying yet exhilarating sensation, but she doesn't let go.

en	I have feelings for you.

en	She whispers it, as an experiment, so that it's impossible to hear over the roar of the crowd and the music.

en	But it feels like a small, daring victory, like the first step on the moon.

en	Like a butterfly breaking out of its chrysalis all soft, naive, and crinkled.

en	Maybe with two left feet and a few days late to the party, but alive, so alive, trying to process the blinding, beautiful, wild world she's broken her way into.

en	...What'd you say?

en	Akarsha twirls her, and Noelle gives up on suppressing the giddy smile on her face.

en	Nothing. Maybe I'll tell you later.

en	Be that way. Burger King.

en	That's not even the slogan.

en	They dance and dance, all stupid and struggling and happy.

en	There's so much pain and misery in this school.

en	It's twisted us all into strange and flawed shapes, like butterflies born in a fool's spring.

en	But it's the circumstances that gave us you and me, right here, right now.

en	Kant wrote, "Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made."

en	And how we long to be straight — Forgetting there's beauty in the crooked things, too.

en	We'll never live the lives our parents wanted us to lead.

en	And that's okay.

en	Because we'll forge something brave and new instead.

en	It won't be the same.

en	But it'll be ours.

en	And I won't ever let that go.

en	The future

en	Well? Were they open?

en	What do you think? It's 1 in the morning.

en	Of course Home Depot wasn't open.

en	There's gotta be somewhere else you can buy bolt cutters.

en	At this hour? I'm not optimistic.

en	Guess I'll die then?? How else are we gonna get them off?

en	I'm afraid we need to go to the fire station for help.

en	Stop laughing, this isn't funny!

en	This isn't funny???

en	We're goin' to the fire station with me half naked and handcuffed, and it's not funny?

en	You really can't get more dressed than that?

en	I mean, my arms can't go through the sleeves.

en	Hold still.

en	I give up. Good enough.

en	Go—good enough?!?

en	If only I had a humiliation kink, this would've been perfect.

en	Doesn't Min have a katana?

en	They do?

en	Or at least some kinda sword. Maybe we could use it to slice the handcuffs off.

en	What, you want a surprise amputation tonight? No.

en	And you're SURE the key didn't fall behind the dresser?

en	I looked everywhere; it's gone.

en	I'm convinced that in these scenarios, small objects stop obeying the laws of physics.

en	This never happened any of the times I handcuffed YOU.

en	That, my dear, is called luck.

en	Whatever you say, Skunky...

en	STOP CALLING ME THAT.

en	Fine, Skunko Pop...D.Gray-Man...

en	AND DON'T BRAINSTORM HORRID NEW NICKNAMES FOR ME!

en	But you're basically begging for it with your hair like that.

en	It's not as if I grew gray hairs on purpose!

en	Then how come I don't have any?

en	You're intolerable.

en	Noelle seizes the front of Akarsha's shirt and yanks her forward, crushing their lips together.

en	Akarsha makes a small noise of surprise, then grins as she deepens the kiss, coaxing her lips open so her tongue can slide inside.

en	At the start of the night, she tasted like watermelon lip gloss, but that's long been kissed and smeared away into oblivion.

en	Noelle can't help but think, why bother? When will you learn?

en	I'll always kiss through every layer of crap you put between us until it's just you and me.

en	When they part, their breaths ragged, neither of them can come up with anything witty to say.

en	I love you.

en	I love you more.

en	That's impossible.

en	No, it's not.

en	I love you times infinity. There, I win.

en	You can't multiply infinity.

en	Infinity is a concept, not a number. So is "love", for that matter.

en	Well too bad, I did it.

en	Love you times infinity.

en	Noelle sighs, but she doesn't bother hiding the half-smile tugging at her mouth.

en	If you're going to speak nonsense, then I love you times infinity, plus one.

en	Now get in the car. I have work tomorrow morning.

en	Akarsha tries to respond as Noelle opens the door for her, but she's laughing so hard, it takes her several attempts to get it out.

en	The firefighters! They're gonna look outside and see...

en	Prius driver dressed like Frog & Toad...and me...

en	What's wrong with driving a Prius? Just get in already!

en	I love you times infinity, minus one.

en	I love you times infinity, minus two.

en	Okay, okay! How mean!

en	Butterfly Soup 2

en	Save

en	Skip

en	Prefs

en	New Game

en	History

en	Load Game

en	Settings

en	About

en	End Replay

en	Main Menu

en	Quit

en	Return

en	[config.name!t] Version [config.version!t]

en	Game by Brianna Lei Made with {a=https://www.renpy.org/}Ren'Py{/a} [renpy.version_only].

en	Music:

en	Bubbles, guiding light, Thought Projection, Holding Your Breath, Illicit Activities, and Jello by {a=http://ketsamusic.com/}Ketsa{/a}

en	Romaras, Blooming, pas a pas, side by side, and Campagne_sound363 by Miltata (CC BY-NC 3.0)

en	{a=https://miltata.bandcamp.com/}This artist has songs available for purchase! Please support him here!{/a}

en	{a=http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Bloodgod/Catharsis/}Valar Morghulis{/a} by {b}Bloodgod{/b} (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

en	{a=http://www.hurtrecord.com/bgm/24/the-flame-of-love.html}Flame of Love{/a} by {b}YOSHI{/b}

en	{a=https://www.hurtrecord.com/bgm/104/toys-house.html}Toys House{/a} by {b}Teada{/b}

en	{a=https://www.hurtrecord.com/bgm/23/kurayami.html}{font=japanese.ttc}クラヤミ{/font}{/a} by {b}{font=japanese.ttc}カモキング{/font}{/b}

en	{a=https://thricedotted.itch.io/looptober-2021-variety-pack}Fell{/a} by {b}Studio Meow Meow{/b} (CC BY 4.0)

en	{a=https://www.void1gaming.com/}Comatose Dreams{/a} by {b}VOiD1Gaming{/b}

en	My Heart Will Go On - Recorder By Candlelight by {b}Matt Mulholland{/b}

en	{a=https://mattmulholland.bandcamp.com/album/matt-mulholland-sings-covers}This song is available for purchase! Please support the artist!{/a}

en	Sound:

en	{a=https://github.com/NormalVR/CutieKeys}Cutie Keys{/a}

en	{a=http://freesound.org/people/LittleRobotSoundFactory/packs/16881/}Electric Sound Effects Library{/a} by LittleRobotSoundFactory (CC BY 3.0)

en	{a=http://freesound.org/people/Peacewaves/sounds/317334/}Metal Locker{/a} by Peacewaves (CC BY 3.0)

en	Rain loop by {a=https://www.freesoundslibrary.com/}Free Sounds Library{/a} (CC BY 4.0)

en	Translation producer:

en	{a=https://queerscriptors.org}Queerscriptors{/a}

en	Russian Translation:

en	Mikhail "KornyPony" Burov-Kosolapin

en	Polish Translation:

en	Max "Toasty" and _adoracja with the help of panini_bredd

en	Traditional Chinese Translation:

en	{font=traditional_chinese.otf}鬼怒川{/font}(KINUKUROletsplay)

en	Spanish Translation:

en	{font=myriad.otf}{size=24}Martín "SevenFalcons" Eyheralde{/size}{/font}

en	Brazilian Portuguese Translation:

en	Maria "Maaz" Laura

en	Cocoonase font:

en	Redwood

en	Page {}

en	Automatic saves

en	Quick saves

en	%B %d %Y, %H:%M

en	empty slot

en	<

en	{#auto_page}A

en	{#quick_page}Q

en	>

en	Display

en	Window

en	Fullscreen

en	Unseen Text

en	After Choices

en	Screen Motion

en	Background Pan

en	Screenshake

en	Music Volume

en	Sound Volume

en	Test

en	Voice Volume

en	Mute All

en	Text Speed

en	Language

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}{size=30}中文{/size}{/font}

en	{font=myriad.OTF}{size=30}Español{/size}{/font}

en	{font=myriad.OTF}{size=30}Português{/size}{/font}

en	The dialogue history is empty.

en	Help

en	Keyboard

en	Mouse

en	Gamepad

en	Enter

en	Advances dialogue and activates the interface.

en	Space

en	Advances dialogue without selecting choices.

en	Arrow Keys

en	Navigate the interface.

en	Escape

en	Accesses the game menu.

en	Ctrl

en	Skips dialogue while held down.

en	Tab

en	Toggles dialogue skipping.

en	Page Up

en	Rolls back to earlier dialogue.

en	Page Down

en	Rolls forward to later dialogue.

en	Takes a screenshot.

en	Toggles assistive {a=https://www.renpy.org/l/voicing}self-voicing{/a}.

en	Left Click

en	Middle Click

en	Hides the user interface.

en	Right Click

en	Mouse Wheel Up Click Rollback Side

en	Mouse Wheel Down

en	Right Trigger A/Bottom Button

en	Left Trigger Left Shoulder

en	Right Shoulder

en	D-Pad, Sticks

en	Start, Guide

en	Y/Top Button

en	Calibrate

en	Yes

en	No

en	Skipping. To stop skipping, click anywhere on the screen!

en	Back

en	Auto

en	Menu

en	{font=YunusH.ttf}{white}{size=+25}Thank you for playing!{/size}{/white}{/font}

en	English

en	{font=myriad.OTF}{size=30}Русский{/size}{/font}

en	Polski

en	{font=chunhua_chinese.ttf}中文{/font}

en	Español

en	{font=myriad.OTF}Português{/font}

en	Diya

en	Min

en	Noelle

en	certified brain genius

en	depressed elf nightmare man

en	albret einstong

en	Yuki

en	Sakura

en	Chryssa

en	Liz

en	Mom

en	Self-voicing disabled.

en	Clipboard voicing enabled.

en	Self-voicing enabled.

en	bar

en	selected

en	viewport

en	horizontal scroll

en	vertical scroll

en	activate

en	deactivate

en	increase

en	decrease

en	Font Override

en	Default

en	DejaVu Sans

en	Opendyslexic

en	Text Size Scaling

en	Reset

en	Line Spacing Scaling

en	High Contrast Text

en	Enable

en	Disable

en	Self-Voicing

en	Off

en	Text-to-speech

en	Clipboard

en	Debug

en	Self-Voicing Volume Drop

en	The options on this menu are intended to improve accessibility. They may not work with all games, and some combinations of options may render the game unplayable. This is not an issue with the game or engine. For the best results when changing fonts, try to keep the text size the same as it originally was.

en	{#weekday}Monday

en	{#weekday}Tuesday

en	{#weekday}Wednesday

en	{#weekday}Thursday

en	{#weekday}Friday

en	{#weekday}Saturday

en	{#weekday}Sunday

en	{#weekday_short}Mon

en	{#weekday_short}Tue

en	{#weekday_short}Wed

en	{#weekday_short}Thu

en	{#weekday_short}Fri

en	{#weekday_short}Sat

en	{#weekday_short}Sun

en	{#month}January

en	{#month}February

en	{#month}March

en	{#month}April

en	{#month}May

en	{#month}June

en	{#month}July

en	{#month}August

en	{#month}September

en	{#month}October

en	{#month}November

en	{#month}December

en	{#month_short}Jan

en	{#month_short}Feb

en	{#month_short}Mar

en	{#month_short}Apr

en	{#month_short}May

en	{#month_short}Jun

en	{#month_short}Jul

en	{#month_short}Aug

en	{#month_short}Sep

en	{#month_short}Oct

en	{#month_short}Nov

en	{#month_short}Dec

en	%b %d, %H:%M

en	Save slot %s: [text]

en	Load slot %s: [text]

en	Delete slot [text]

en	File page auto

en	File page quick

en	File page [text]

en	Next file page.

en	Previous file page.

en	Quick save complete.

en	Quick save.

en	Quick load.

en	Language [text]

en	Open [text] directory.

en	The interactive director is not enabled here.

en	⬆

en	⬇

en	Done

en	(statement)

en	(tag)

en	(attributes)

en	(transform)

en	(transition)

en	(channel)

en	(filename)

en	Change

en	Add

en	Cancel

en	Remove

en	Statement:

en	Tag:

en	Attributes:

en	Transforms:

en	Behind:

en	Transition:

en	Channel:

en	Audio Filename:

en	Image [index] of [count] locked.

en	prev

en	next

en	slideshow

en	return

en	Select Gamepad to Calibrate

en	No Gamepads Available

en	Calibrating [name] ([i]/[total])

en	Press or move the '[control!s]' [kind].

en	Skip (A)

en	Back (B)

en	Renderer

en	Automatically Choose

en	Force GL Renderer

en	Force ANGLE Renderer

en	Force GLES Renderer

en	Force GL2 Renderer

en	Force ANGLE2 Renderer

en	Force GLES2 Renderer

en	Enable (No Blocklist)

en	Powersave

en	Framerate

en	Screen

en	60

en	30

en	Tearing

en	Changes will take effect the next time this program is run.

en	Performance Warning

en	This computer is using software rendering.

en	This game requires use of GL2 that can't be initialised.

en	This computer has a problem displaying graphics: [problem].

en	Its graphics drivers may be out of date or not operating correctly. This can lead to slow or incorrect graphics display.

en	The {a=edit:1:log.txt}log.txt{/a} file may contain information to help you determine what is wrong with your computer.

en	More details on how to fix this can be found in the {a=[url]}documentation{/a}.

en	Continue, Show this warning again

en	Continue, Don't show warning again

en	Change render options

en	Are you sure?

en	Are you sure you want to delete this save?

en	Are you sure you want to overwrite your save?

en	Loading will lose unsaved progress. Are you sure you want to do this?

en	Are you sure you want to quit?

en	Are you sure you want to return to the main menu? This will lose unsaved progress.

en	Are you sure you want to end the replay?

en	Are you sure you want to begin skipping?

en	Are you sure you want to skip to the next choice?

en	Are you sure you want to skip unseen dialogue to the next choice?

en	Contacting App Store Please Wait...

en	Failed to save screenshot as %s.

en	Saved screenshot as %s.

en	Skip Mode

en	This program contains free software under a number of licenses, including the MIT License and GNU Lesser General Public License. A complete list of software, including links to full source code, can be found {a=https://www.renpy.org/l/license}here{/a}.

en	display

en	transitions

en	skip transitions

en	video sprites

en	show empty window

en	text speed

en	joystick

en	joystick...

en	skip

en	skip unseen [text]

en	skip unseen text

en	begin skipping

en	after choices

en	skip after choices

en	auto-forward time

en	auto-forward

en	Auto forward

en	auto-forward after click

en	automatic move

en	wait for voice

en	voice sustain

en	self voicing

en	self voicing volume drop

en	clipboard voicing

en	debug voicing

en	emphasize audio

en	rollback side

en	gl powersave

en	gl framerate

en	gl tearing

en	font transform

en	font size

en	font line spacing

en	system cursor

en	renderer menu

en	accessibility menu

en	high contrast text

en	audio when minimized

en	main volume

en	music volume

en	sound volume

en	voice volume

en	mute main

en	mute music

en	mute sound

en	mute voice

en	mute all

en	Clipboard voicing enabled. Press 'shift+C' to disable.

en	Self-voicing would say "[renpy.display.tts.last]". Press 'alt+shift+V' to disable.

en	Self-voicing enabled. Press 'v' to disable.

en	The Ren'Py Updater is not supported on mobile devices.

en	An error is being simulated.

en	Either this project does not support updating, or the update status file was deleted.

en	This account does not have permission to perform an update.

en	This account does not have permission to write the update log.

en	Could not verify update signature.

en	The update file was not downloaded.

en	The update file does not have the correct digest - it may have been corrupted.

en	While unpacking {}, unknown type {}.

en	Updater

en	An error has occured:

en	Checking for updates.

en	This program is up to date.

en	[u.version] is available. Do you want to install it?

en	Preparing to download the updates.

en	Downloading the updates.

en	Unpacking the updates.

en	Finishing up.

en	The updates have been installed. The program will restart.

en	The updates have been installed.

en	The updates were cancelled.

en	Proceed

en	Open

en	Opens the traceback.txt file in a text editor.

en	Copy BBCode

en	Copies the traceback.txt file to the clipboard as BBcode for forums like https://lemmasoft.renai.us/.

en	Copy Markdown

en	Copies the traceback.txt file to the clipboard as Markdown for Discord.

en	An exception has occurred.

en	Rollback

en	Attempts a roll back to a prior time, allowing you to save or choose a different choice.

en	Ignore

en	Ignores the exception, allowing you to continue.

en	Ignores the exception, allowing you to continue. This often leads to additional errors.

en	Reload

en	Reloads the game from disk, saving and restoring game state if possible.

en	Console

en	Opens a console to allow debugging the problem.

en	Quits the game.

en	Parsing the script failed.