[ he's genuinely surprised to hear joonghyuk talk; he knows he probably wouldn't, but -- well. his story's just boring and depressing, anyway, and not worth wasting time with. he's been here long enough to know that parallel worlds exist, and that they're much different from his own; more interesting, with things he previously thought impossible made true.

with that power usually comes carnage, though. abuse of it, ending with tragedy; if different worlds are real, that means the stories he's sometimes been so moved by might be real, too. he doesn't question joonghyuk's words, nor does he find them particularly weird or outlandish -- in that regard, at least, his mind remains open. and so, he listens; he doesn't interrupt, but instead observes and notes the slight changes in joonghyuk's voice and expression. it's obviously an emotional subject -- itaru can understand why.

he doesn't want to pry, but it's easy enough to assume joonghyuk was a victim of some higher power's whim. and while itaru can't exactly relate, he at least understands the powerlessness; pathetic in comparison, he couldn't even win a battle against himself, much less some sort of a fickle deity. ]

Do you think they're here, too? [ he asks, after a moment, glancing at joonghyuk, and then back to the stars. they twinkle uselessly, all in their pixel glory, and he reaches out towards the sky, palm splayed on the background of the night. ] You are free, as long as you don't go back. ... do you want to?

[ well, from what joonghyuk told him, he doubts it. ]

I'm not saying life here is super easy -- shit happens all the time, but... I don't think it's nearly as bad as you've had it before. Dunno if that's very comforting, but the chance to start anew... well, it's nice.