FAILURE

January 1 of XXXX, Korean Territory (The North)

I find myself in Korea with Vvh, who seems to have some business here. She hasn't explained much about it. 

Also, I passed the test to become her student, but when I asked if I am officially her student, she said, "Let me think about it first." … LIKE, WHAT?!

Can you believe it? She gave me that coin as a test, and then she says she needs to think about it? What if I had spent a whole year learning that coin trick? Would she still react the same way? It's frustrating and amazing how Vvh can be. I swear, she tests my patience. Thank you to all the gods above and the one who saved me for giving me the patience to stay with Vvh!

Signing out,

S.

—

Sponge grumbled, the ink from her pen bleeding onto her paper as she heard Vvh shut the door behind her, allowing snow to fly in as the blizzard outside growled and screamed, slamming against the door. The door rattled as Sponge watched Vvh tug off her shoe, spilling snow on the mossy floorboards. "How was your business?" Sponge asked, glaring slightly at Vvh, who dropped her shoe and slipped her foot back in again.

"Good," she replied, shrugging off her winter coat and throwing it on the couch. Sponge glared at the melting snow slowly drenching the covers—she would have to clean and dry those now.

I am not your personal slave—is what Sponge wanted to say, but instead, she asked, "Want dinner?" Standing up and turning towards the iron pot on the stove, she inquired, "Did you make something?" Vvh asked as Sponge shrugged, opening the pot lid to reveal the soup she had prepared. "It's an easy one. I guess you might call it porridge, but it's called Lugaw. Still porridge in English. Want some?" Sponge tilted her head, offering a small smile as Vvh hummed, rubbing her chin. "Just a little, I suppose," she replied, turning away and walking towards the sofa, collapsing on it and placing a leg over the coffee table. Sponge stifled a sigh, watching as dirt and snow spread over the small table.

They were technically just renting the shed, but Sponge preferred to keep things clean, whereas Vvh seemed to enjoy turning the shed into a mess, leaving dirt and snow scattered around. And Sponge couldn't confront Vvh unless she wanted to endure the cold outdoors—Vvh would definitely not hesitate to kick her out. So, she served Vvh a bowl of porridge, receiving a small nod of thanks as she sat back down at the table, gazing down at her journal, resisting the urge to hurl her only pen at the wall.

Considering the adventures they had been on, her pen was now clearly damaged, with ink staining the wooden table. Sponge contemplated buying a new one or attempting to clean it, maybe covering it up with paint to avoid paying for the table. Gritting her teeth, she hesitated to go out. She wasn't accustomed to the cold, and her clothing was inadequate, she'd definitely turn into an icicle the moment she stepped outside.

"I need to buy a new pen," Sponge said, scratching her head as Vvh turned towards her. "Alright, you can buy one then," she replied, waving a hand, causing Sponge to frown. "Er… the thing is, I don't have a coat or... Can I—" Sponge began to ask about Vvh's coat, until Vvh raised a hand. "You come back here alive, not frozen, and I'll definitely take you as my student," Vvh declared, leaving Sponge gaping at her, torn between giving her the finger and walking away or departing with her tail between her legs.

"Is that definite? Because—"."Yes, now go," Vvh waved a hand, making a shoo motion as Sponge let out an offended gasp. "Don't die on your way there. Remember, if you complete this test—if you manage to get yourself a new pen and come back in one piece, I'll take you in," Vvh said as Sponge walked out of the shed, her hair whipping as she slammed the door loudly, hoping it shook the shed's wall.

Sponge huffed, a white puff of air leaving her mouth as she trudged through the snow, feeling some of the white powder enter her boot and soak her socks—internally groaning. She could take Cecil, but Vvh would probably consider that cheating, or she might think Sponge was trying to run away.

She stopped when she saw thick ice on the ground, eyeing it and cautiously stepping on it. "I've had enough of ground breaking on me," she mumbled to herself as she walked through the ice, being careful, of course. In her homeland, they never really had ice or snow—this cold was the first time she had seen it. She had always loved the cold, considering it was always so blazing hot back there. The heat there was something that could turn your skin red—and Sponge had always been slightly paler than usual; and she always refused to leave the house.

Now—she didn't even have a home, no tribe, no family. There was no sun to greet her in the morning to scorch her. Only the biting cold that would linger in her skin. Wasn't the snow supposed to be beautiful? She had once read about how snow looks up close, and it was beautiful. But now, looking at it with the wind slapping her face, the cold biting air hitting her neck, her hands trembling—it seemed less beautiful.

Sponge was pretty sure her nose was slightly runny; she sniffed, coughing slightly when some bits of snow entered her mouth. She pushed her hair back, adjusted her glasses, and continued her trek, letting out a small whoop of victory when she saw the town close by. She quickly rushed to a furnace, rubbing her hands together and blowing air into it as she crouched in front of the hot coal. "Hey, why aren't you wearing any gloves for your hands? It's cold!" the girl asked, sitting on the porch as Sponge turned to her and smiled awkwardly. "Wait—you're a foreigner," the girl said, squinting her eyes as Sponge stood up, walking over to her, chuckling slightly.

"Foreigners aren't allowed in the north," the girl pointed a finger as Sponge shrugged. "I'm pale, and it's snowing; it's hard to see if I'm a foreigner or not," Sponge remarked as the girl sighed. "That is true, I suppose. If it wasn't for my big mouth, I would have thought you kind of look a little like us. I'm Ji-Ho," Ji-Ho introduced herself, reaching out for a handshake as Sponge reciprocated. "Just call me Sponge."

"Sponge–as in the one used for cleaning the plates?" Ji-Ho asked, raising a brow as Sponge chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Guess so…" Sponge replied, a little embarrassed. "So Spongey–" Ji-Ho started. "Sponge," Sponge interjected, but Ji-Ho giggled. "It's pronounced Spongey for us, so I'll call you that," Ji-Ho winked mischievously as Sponge let out a groan.

"Aside from your strange clothes—definitely not fit for snow, what are you here for? Maybe I can help you get it, maybe some gloves because your hands are shaking," Ji-Ho pointed out as Sponge stuffed her hands in the pockets of her hoodie before quickly tugging her hood up to shield her face from the cold.

"Uh-huh—maybe, but no, I'm not here for that. What I need is a pen that does not spill ink on horse rides or any movement that means getting thrown around a lot," Sponge explained as Ji-Ho rubbed her chin, humming in thought. "You can get those quills that don't need any ink. It's a magic item—quite a hefty price, but it's good. Do you want me to lead you there?" Ji-Ho offered, standing up from the porch, dusting off her pants as Sponge hummed, nodding slightly.

"I guess travelers are kind of rich, huh? Come on, the store is just around here," Ji-Ho gestured for Sponge to follow as she jogged towards a small house, opening the door. Sponge let out a relieved sigh at the warm air as she followed inside, shaking some snow off her shoulders. "Hey Seo-Jun, do you still have those magic quills you got from the south?" Ji-Ho asked, skipping towards the front desk, only for a young teen to poke his head from underneath, giving Ji-Ho a glare. "Idiot, stop saying the word 'south'! If the royal guards hear that," Seo-Jun shivered before standing up and turning to Sponge.

"Who are you? I don't think I've seen you here before, unless—" Seo-Jun narrowed his eyes until Ji-Ho blocked his view of Sponge and smiled. "Jun Jun, the magic quills. You know I don't like it when you get sidetracked," Ji-Ho tutted as Seo-Jun rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I'll check," he grumbled before walking out of the back door, muttering a curse in his language. "Watch your mouth. You wouldn't want your grandma hearing that," Ji-Ho sang as she giggled, turning towards Sponge, who was wandering around the store.

"Is this some kind of souvenir shop?" Sponge asked, picking up a cracked mirror and staring at her reflection, wiping away the snow on her shoulder. "Ah, maybe? Souvenir as in—English is hard. But I think this is not a souvenir shop, more of, uh, stuff of…um," Ji-Ho scratched her forehead, trying to find the right word.

"Dead bounty hunters," Seo-Jun interjected, slamming ten quills on the front desk as Ji-Ho turned to him with a smile. Sponge walked up to him, pulled out ten coins, and tossed them onto the wood. Seo-Jun's eyes widened, and Ji-Ho gasped. "Gold! This is—this is too much. We only sell these for ten bronze," Seo-Jun stammered as Sponge took the quills and placed them inside her pants pocket.

"So, dead bounty hunters. Are bounty hunters not allowed here?" Sponge asked as Seo-Jun quickly picked up the gold, stuffing it inside his waist bag, his cheeks flushing. "Are you a bounty hunter?" Ji-Ho asked, raising a brow as Sponge shook her head. "No. What else do you have in here?" Sponge inquired, turning towards the shelves.

While Vvh was being difficult, Sponge believed in buying something for someone when going out as a sign of respect. She wasn't going to let Vvh's behavior stop her from doing so. "Well, there's a lot of stuff. We have combs, keychains—uh, check them all out. You have all the time you need," Seo-Jun said as Sponge nodded, walking up to the shelves with Ji-Ho following after her.

"Are you buying something for your girlfriend?" Ji-Ho smirked as Sponge raised a brow, then turned back to the shelf and noticed a hairpin. "I think this came from that woman years ago. She lost her husband and had gone a little crazy. She came here to search for her husband's killer," Ji-Ho explained as Sponge picked up the hairpin, examining it. It was made out of gold—real gold. "That's bronze, so it isn't really good," Ji-Ho huffed as Sponge swiped her thumb across the hairpin, wiping away the dust.

"Did she find her husband's killer?" Sponge asked, turning towards Ji-Ho, who shrugged. "Who knows. I think she did—she died in the process, but I guess she felt free now."

"I see."

"Quite a sad story, isn't it?"

A snort escaped Sponge as she shrugged and walked back to Seo-Jun, who was busy counting his coins. "Here, take another ten for this one," Sponge said, clipping the pin onto her hoodie pocket. Seo-Jun let out a small whistle. "So where to next?" Ji-Ho asked as they walked out of the store. Sponge shivered, glaring at the dark sky and the falling snow. "I'll probably be on my way," Sponge replied as Ji-Ho pouted.

"So soon? Why not stay in town for a few days? You're a traveler, aren't you? Surely you don't need to rush," Ji-Ho suggested, rubbing her hands together. Sponge chuckled. "Didn't you say the north doesn't allow foreigners?" Sponge retorted, making Ji-Ho roll her eyes. "How about checking out the town's food stalls? Come on, this is the first time I've met someone not from here! I haven't even met any Koreans from the south yet," Ji-Ho murmured, twirling her finger in her hair. Sponge sighed. "Fine, I suppose that would be fine," she shrugged as Ji-Ho cheered. 

"Come on, you have to check out the food stalls," Ji-Ho insisted, skipping away excitedly. "In this blizzard?" Sponge raised a brow, jogging after Ji-Ho, who was leading the way. "It's warm here. There's a reason why there are furnaces around the place; it keeps things warm. Too many children have died from the cold," Ji-Ho sighed, shaking her head before pointing at the stalls that were set up, with many people walking around, laughing.

"Looks great," Sponge remarked as Ji-Ho smiled. "Do you want to try some food here? Sweet food or spicy..." Ji-Ho trailed off, eyeing a man in a white and gold uniform, then turned towards Sponge, who was busy checking out a stall. Back at the man again, "Ji-Ho, to think you'll come out of your house again," The man in white said, smirking as Ji-Ho glared at him. "Lee Hwan, to think you would come down here, walking with the poor, how amazing," Ji-Ho retorted, placing her hands on her waist as she stared up at Hwan, glaring at him. He only smirked in response before his eyes shifted to Sponge, who now stood behind Ji-Ho, giving him a look.

"Who are you?" Hwan asked as Ji-Ho took a step back. Sponge only replied by placing a hand on Ji-Ho's shoulder and tilting her head at Hwan, eyeing his clothing, then raising a brow at his face. "A friend of mine," Ji-Ho interjected, grabbing Sponge's arm and dragging her away.

"Who was that?" Sponge asked, frowning as Ji-Ho turned her head to check what Hwan was doing. He wasn't moving—his eyes were trained at them, nervous, so she mumbled a small cheer under her breath and giggled. "Just one of those rich people who loves to mess around with the lower class," Ji-Ho giggled, peering up at Sponge who raised a brow. "You scared him, I think," she added as Sponge cracked a small smile. "I guess that's good?" Sponge asked as Ji-Ho laughed.

"Maybe," Ji-Ho giggled, before coughing slightly, feeling Sponge's hand on her back rubbing it gently. "Are you okay? That cough sounds bad," Sponge said, a small frown on her face as Ji-Ho waved a hand. "It's fine—it's cold, and well, most of us get sick at times like this, so no worries. Anyways, are you going home now? Will you still come back tomorrow?" Ji-Ho twirled her thumb together, a small smile on her face as Sponge hummed.

"Maybe," Sponge replied.

"Is that maybe, a yes?"

"Go home, Ji-Ho."

Ji-Ho giggled as Sponge rolled her eyes, amused.

Sponge huffed, white puffs leaving her breath as she carefully walked down the ice, almost slipping a few times on her way. It was already getting late; the time she left Ji-Ho was most probably around 10 PM, and there was a small part of Sponge hoping that she did not fail her test because she took a long time. Hours had passed, and Vvh tended to count time and take it seriously.

But at the moment, she was having a hard time trying to find the shed in the middle of nowhere. The snow was getting stronger, and she could barely hear her thoughts nor the snow crunching under her boots. She could barely even hear herself scream if she tried.

Sponge let out a small yelp, her feet slipping on the ice, not until a hand appeared, grabbing her arm and preventing her from falling from the white fog and there she saw Vvh staring down at her. "Where were you?" Vvh asked, her voice louder than the blizzard, her tone was unreadable. As Sponge gaped, staring at her, before pushing herself up on her feet properly. "From the town!" Sponge replied, trying her best to make her voice a tad bit louder than the blizzard. Vvh stared at her before dragging her back to the shed. "Oh thank God, I-I couldn't find the shed," Sponge almost cried as she stumbled towards the sofa, her hands shaking and her teeth chattering.

"You've been gone for hours," Vvh said, walking towards Sponge who quickly crawled toward the fireplace, rubbing her hands, her body shivering. "Gee, I feel fine, I'm totally safe, thanks for asking," Sponge retorted, giving Vvh a half-hearted glare. Sponge turned away, shoving her hands under her armpits and huddled lower, shivering. Her whole body was wet, her hair dripping from the snow that decided to land on it and was now melting because of the warmth of the shed.

Vvh remained quiet behind her, not saying anything as Sponge blew a breath into her red hands. Sponge turned to Vvh, who was seated on the sofa, her legs crossed over the other, staring at her. "Are you okay? You're pretty quiet right now, which isn't really supposed to be strange but it's a different quiet," Sponge huffed, turning her body towards Vvh, still rubbing her hands together.

"You could have died right there. I told you to come back; if you did not take long in the town, the blizzard would not have been quite as strong," Vvh drawled, her voice dripping with disappointment—she almost sounded like a disappointed mother. Sponge frowned, letting out a small grumble. "Sorry, just got distracted," she huffed, too tired to even argue as she stood up, stumbling slightly. Her whole body felt cold, but what she needed right now was sleep, a good one hopefully, as she had nothing to do tomorrow. "You're still dripping wet," Vvh pointed out as Sponge waved a hand, going to the corner of the shed where she bundled her bag and cot together in a makeshift bed.

"It's fine," Sponge mumbled, grabbing her cot, almost tempted to wrap it around her body as she lay down and curled up, pocketing out her journal and placing it beside her head. For a moment, she didn't hear anything from Vvh, closing her tired eyes, letting out a small yawn. Before opening them again and sitting up, seeing Vvh standing over the kitchen with her back turned to Sponge. "Oh yeah, did I pass? Or…" Sponge trailed off, clearing her throat as Vvh did not provide any reply.

"Go rest, Sponge," Vvh said as Sponge pouted.

"So that means no."

Vvh didn't reply as Sponge let out a disappointed sigh, shaking her head. "Thought so."