[...It's a fact most people are unaware of, but on average, a hundred tonnes of meteorites fall to Earth every day, amounting to 40,000 tonnes a year...]
A convenience store in Gangjung-gu, Seoul.
A man with a sharp gaze sat at one of the store's tables, eating a samgak-gimbap (triangle rice ball) whilst watching a documentary on his mobile phone.
[...Two-thirds fall into the ocean, and the rest mostly land in uninhabited regions. However, a meteorite can strike at any time, in any place...]
A weekday morning. The area around the convenience store was quiet; the only sound was the narrator's voice coming from the man's mobile.
[...The probability may be very low, but one could fall right in front of us at this very moment...]
Rustle.
Just then, he sensed a presence behind him.
[...One must be careful when discovering and handling meteorites. Never touch them with bare hands; these meteorites, which may contain extraterrestrial matter...]
Snap.
The man snatched up the mobile lying on the table. Then, without a word, he raised his eyes to scan the area in front of him.
"..."
The silent road. Gulp. The man swallowed dryly, and—
"...!"
He sprang up from his chair and began to run at full speed.
"He's clocked us! He's legging it towards the bus stop!"
Another young man chased after him. His name was Lee Ju-won. An Inspector in Violent Crimes Unit 3 at Gangjung Police Station.
"Officer Han, block the primary school alleyway! If he bolts that way, it'll be a headache!"
—Yes, sir!
Ju-won radioed in whilst chasing the man at high speed. He looked back and forth between the man's retreating figure and the side road.
'If he goes that way...'
Ju-won slowly reduced his speed. Was he giving up on the man?
'...There's only one path.'
No. Ju-won turned his body to the right and climbed onto the railing situated there.
"Phew..."
Perhaps because of the elevated terrain, the drop below the railing was higher than expected. At least three metres. If he landed wrong, he'd be living with a limp in one leg.
Whoosh!
Yet, with his eyes wide open, Ju-won threw himself over the railing.
Thud! Thump!
Ju-won hit the ground with his arms and legs as quickly as possible to absorb the impact, then rolled to the side.
"Whoa, nearly died there."
Fortunately, he had landed safely. However.
"Sigh... Wh-what the..."
In front of him appeared the man who had been running away like a shot, showing only his heels.
"Wh-where did you suddenly..."
"Ah, didn't you know? There aren't many ways down from here. It's either here, or the primary school side."
Ju-won grinned as he dusted the dirt off his trousers.
"Did... did you jump from up there...?"
"Let's call it a breakfall. Makes us sound cooler."
"F-fuck! Should've gone towards the primary school!"
"Ay, don't pretend you weren't scared. Our Officer Han might not be great at fighting, but he's a big lad. Everyone gets scared when they first see him."
The man chewed on his lip nervously. Watching him, Ju-won pulled a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket.
"Right then. Shall we stop playing tag and let me get off work? Come here."
Ju-won approached slowly. And matching his pace, the man slowly backed away. But then.
"...Huh?"
The man's gaze was directed behind Ju-won—no, above him.
"I said let's stop playing around and go. I don't know what scenario you're cooking up, but if you're trying to act surprised so I look back, and then you use that timing to run... pack it in, yeah? It's cliché."
"N-no, something up there is..."
The man pointed his finger somewhere. Of course, Ju-won still didn't take his eyes off the man. Tricks like this wouldn't work. But something did feel odd.
"Ah, you little sod. You really don't listen. Oi, I need to go eat... What the? Why's it so bright?"
Just as Ju-won was about to turn around at the brightening vision.
Pik!
"Urgh!"
With a sound more insignificant than expected, something incredibly small fell onto Ju-won's head, and he collapsed right there.
"Inspector!"
About ten minutes must have passed. Officer Han Geon-woo, the youngest member of Violent Crimes Unit 3 at Gangjung Police Station, came running from a distance, calling out for Ju-won.
"Inspector Lee!"
Panting heavily, Officer Han shook Ju-won's collapsed body.
"Wake up, sir! Inspector Lee!"
Although Officer Han Geon-woo's loud voice echoed through the street... A very different voice was ringing inside Ju-won's head.
[Initiating AI Earth Programme.]
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