I’m so bored, Master.
Yeah, there hasn’t been any other planet in such a long time.
My staff’s becoming rusty, Master.
The previous master wants to gain experience, are you playing meditation?
Are you trying to gain experience, too? Let me fly you there!
I put my fruit down.
Fly? How does that work?
I can travel anywhere within a tumble.
I looked at the speaking monkey.
You’re Third Brother?
He smiled and shook his cape.
Yup. That’s me, Master.
The planet was round and running would just lead us in circles.
Would flying be different?
Third Brother…
I started.
Yes, Master?
Anywhere in a tumble, right?
Yes, Master! A split second,
he continued, still smiling.
I pointed at the sky.
Tumble here. Don’t stop until you do a proper one, alright? Remember to tell me when you manage to get out.
Alrighty, Master,
he responded before stuffing his staff into his ear.
I looked on in shock as he disappeared in the next second and reappeared on the right end of the space.
He brushed past me a few hundred times within a breath’s time.
I had no way of keeping count. The fast-moving shadows looked as if they were being produced by more than one monkey.
After countless rounds, Third Brother landed beside me.
Aye. Master, what a coincidence!
he exclaimed laughingly.
Was it fun?
I don’t know why, but I feel a little dizzy. It’s probably because I haven’t flown in a long time.
Thanks, Third Brother. Go have fun, I need some time.
Can I continue doing this? This place is too small and boring but tumbling is pretty fun!
Go ahead. Just don’t ruin the ground beneath you.
Yes, Master!
he replied enthusiastically before tumbling into the sky with boundless energy.
He moved from left to right.
The other monkeys who caught sight of this looked on enviously.
Finally, there was something to keep Third Brother entertained.
What’s Third Brother doing, Master? Can I try that?
another monkey ran over to me and asked.
Yeah, Master. I want to try it!
Me too, Master!
Don’t be biased, Master.
…
The other 12 monkeys quickly surrounded me and expressed their interest.
I really couldn’t blame them because life on this planet was seriously getting dull.
With a smile, I said,
Go ahead. All of you, go have fun.
All twelve of them started tumbling in mid-air, going in different directions.
Some even collided with one another. They probably would’ve fought with each other if they didn’t see me looking at them.
I was the boss, but these monkeys were naturally competitive.
They had become stronger and if they wanted to, they could easily tear this planet apart.
My recent battles happened because I had to mend the planet that they were practically destroying.
Because of that, I established a ground rule: No fighting.
They seemed to be following it well.
I suddenly thought of something as I observed the monkeys in the air.
Third Brother,
I called out.
He appeared before me in the next second, making a deep crack in the ground due to his
speed.
Sorry, Master. I was too anxious and forgot about protecting this planet,
he apologized,
scratching his head.
Forget about it. Bring me up. I want to locate the boundary point.
What’s that?
he asked, confused.
I pointed at the monkeys in the sky.
There has to be a breaking point up there.
I don’t get it, Master.
Well, if you understood it, you’d have been my master. Come, let’s go up.
Third Brother flew me up into the air and we stood on his multi-colored cloud.
It became apparent that I had no artistic talent. The monkey king I had in mind turned out
strangely.
At a hundred meters high, I found the boundary.
I could no longer see my body after putting half my head in.
Third Brother,
I called.
What is it, Master?
Your eyes are better. Look behind. What do you see?
I asked.
After turning around and having a look, he replied,
Wow, Master, you’re amazing. I see us, but why is there only half?
We might be living in an endless box.
What do you mean?
Bring me back down first, I’m afraid of heights.
That’s understandable, it’s your first time. The previous master had the same fear, too. Is it a common illness of humans?
he asked as he brought me back to the ground.
I took a fountain pen from my pocket and jabbed the tail into the ground.
I drew two boxes with a circle within each of them.
From my side, Third Brother asked,
You made us take good care of the ground, why are you ruining it now? And what are you drawing?
Drawing on the ground won’t tear the planet apart.
What is this then?
I pointed at one of the boxes and told him,
We’re in one of these, and I think that there are hundreds of them. I don’t know the order and operation, or how to even get out, but I’m thinking things over.
Please share,
he urged.
It’s just a hypothesis. Everyone should hear this.
I
ll call them,
he offered and I nodded.
Come down, everyone. Master has something to say!
To say!
Say!
…
The monkeys quickly dove down, disturbing the ground in the process.
Sorry, Master, I forgot.
Sorry, Master.
I forgot, too.
…
Frustrated, I shook my head.
Forget it. It’s no longer important. I need all of you to listen to what I have to say.
