Once upon a time, in a desolate place known as Nowhere Land, there lived a small, unattractive, and melancholic monster. He resided behind a sofa and occasionally interacted with the household inhabitants. Despite the passage of time, the little monster remained unchanged.
In truth, nothing in the Stolen Empire had changed over time. The ruling party had tweaked some taxes, and flavorings had become as valuable as the monster's weight in gold. A bottle of happiness now cost 2,500,000 sori, while a bottle of sadness was merely 2 sori. The party had banned flavors, leaving people in a perpetually sour state. Yet, the little monster was different; he had a knack for creating happy endings out of thin air.
Living in that small house, he often wondered, "What is the Outside World like?" In his imagination, everything was bright and tasted like cherries, so he decided to venture out and see for himself.
Upon stepping outside, he was met with a gray world where people dressed in colorless attire, unlike him, the only red monster in existence. He believed that if he searched hard enough, he might find another red monster. He spent the entire day searching for another red monster who loved happy endings but found none. The world was as closed off as it had always been. No one, whether human or monster, was allowed to connect with others, as Love was not a valued goal.
Disheartened, he glanced at his empty frog pocket and an ice cream stand outside. He yearned for cherry ice cream. A group of little folks stopped and mocked him, saying, "What a foolish monster, having nothing! We have jobs, homes, and all the flavorings we desire! What a sad existence!"
The little monster tried to respond, but no words came out. He thought to himself, "This world is so strange that my own world now seems strange. Is my world real? If not, what is wrong with it? My world, where everyone has a happy ending, makes me..."
A voice interrupted, "There is no place for happy endings! Life is about earning things and flavors. You can't create flavors on your own! Flavors are derived from what you've earned, not from your fleeting, fake creations. Art is flavor, but not all flavors we experience. True art is an explosion!"
Feeling utterly disheartened, the monster sat on a rock by the shore, watching the waves until he transformed into a pillar of salt.