Location: Somewhere in the Maldives – Private Mega-Resort
The ocean glittered like melted sapphire under the late-morning sun. Waves lapped softly against the sand, and fresh fruit drinks sparkled on golden trays carried by polite, silent staff.
No journalists.
No fans.
No missions.
Just laughter.
And peace.
Sena cannonballed into the pool, drenching Baek's oversized sun hat. He sputtered and swatted the water, mock-scowling.
"999 trillion dollars and you still can't afford to stay dry?" he teased.
Yoori reclined under a flower-draped cabana, flipping through a glossy art book. "I'm not moving today. At all. Even if a comet falls."
"Agreed," Mirae mumbled from her floating hammock in the pool, holding a coconut drink. "My muscles forgot what stress is."
---
Villa Suite 7 – Noon
Jihae stood barefoot in the suite's walk-in closet, staring at her own "mini-mall." The wardrobe was color-coded, sorted by material, and had its own touchscreen assistant.
She twirled in front of the mirror wearing a soft rose-pink sundress. "I still feel like I'm borrowing someone else's life."
Eunsol leaned against the doorway, wearing designer pajamas with pandas on them. "You're not. You own it now."
Jiwoo passed by, two iced lemonades in hand. He gave one to Jihae. "Try on what makes you smile. Not what you think rich people wear."
Jihae grinned. "Then I'm going barefoot."
---
Resort Main Lounge – Afternoon
They'd bought the entire island. Not rented. Bought.
Just because.
Jihye sat at a custom-built glass table that displayed an interactive global economy simulation. She wasn't analyzing. She was playing virtual poker… against herself.
"Your financial empire's so big, it's boring," Noeun muttered, sipping a mango smoothie while feeding chips to a baby toucan she decided to name Jjanggu.
"I tried losing a trillion yesterday," Jihye said, deadpan. "But the compound interest caught up in 43 minutes."
"Try harder," Noeun smirked.
---
That Evening – Money-Spending Challenge #1: Ice Cream from Space
Baek proposed the idea mid-dinner:
> "What's the most ridiculous way to buy ice cream?"
They brainstormed for 6 minutes.
Then Jiwoo called a former NASA engineer.
Within hours, a private drone launched from a repurposed spaceport in Florida.
By morning, a capsule parachuted into the sea near their resort.
Inside?
Four scoops of the coldest, most expensive ice cream ever made, frozen with helium-infused nitrogen harvested from near-orbit.
Cost: $29 million.
Taste?
Mirae took one spoonful and whispered:
> "It's… okay."
Everyone laughed so hard they cried.
---
Late Night – Poolside Movie Theater
The resort staff had constructed an outdoor theater shaped like a lotus, petals lit with soft LED lights. But tonight, they didn't want anything new.
Just comfort.
They played an old Korean comedy from their childhood.
Jiwoo sat between Jihae and Mirae, both wrapped in blankets. The others laid back in beanbags, bowls of popcorn scattered between them.
No missions.
No dangers.
Just moments.
And snacks.
---
System Notification – Private Only to Jiwoo
> [Balance: 999,982,390,110,000 USD]
[Spending Rate: 10 million/day – Categorized: Joy-Based]
[System Status: Passive Mode. No Goals. No Timers. Only Living.]
> Reminder: Peace does not mean doing nothing.
It means choosing everything that brings you peace.
Jiwoo smiled. He closed the message.
---
The Next Day – Money-Spending Challenge #2: Most Useless Fun Ever
Yoori suggested:
> "Let's build a race track… made entirely of jelly."
Challenge accepted.
By sunset, a temporary track made of firm edible jelly, reinforced with cooling fibers and zero-gravity support, stretched across the south shore of the island.
They raced one-person hover scooters over it.
They fell.
A lot.
Noeun got stuck upside-down for ten minutes.
Baek used chocolate syrup for traction.
Mirae yelled, "This is the stupidest thing we've ever done!" while laughing until she couldn't breathe.
Jiwoo sat back and whispered:
> "Best money I've ever spent."
---
Evening – Private DJ Party on a Floating Stage
Eunsol called it "Musical Chaos Hour."
They hired the best DJ in Asia for a single night. She didn't even know who her clients were. Just coordinates and a contract.
She arrived. Played for eight people.
Sena danced like no one was watching. Because no one was. No drones. No gossip channels. No VIPs.
Just them.
$1.4 million for 3 hours of lights, beats, and laughter.
No interviews.
No followers.
Pure freedom.
---
Private Journal Entry – Jiwoo (Unsent)
> We had everything taken from us once.
> Time, youth, love, dreams.
> Then, we gave everything to the world.
> Now, we have it all… and we finally get to just be.
> No charity.
No nation.
No mission.
> Just us.
Just joy.
Just… living.
---
Final Scene – Fireworks Over the Sea
They ended the day with synchronized fireworks that spelled each of their names across the sky—twice.
Not because anyone was watching.
But because they wanted to see their own names written in the stars.
> Mirae.
Sena.
Jihye.
Noeun.
Eunsol.
Jihae.
Baek.
Yoori.
Jiwoo.
They stood together, arms linked, silence between them.
Not the silence of absence.
But the silence of belonging.