The first rays of sunlight slipped through the curtains, painting the room in pale gold. Birds were already singing outside, their voices light and careless.
I barely slept.
But I wasn't tired.
From the kitchen came the sharp clatter of pans and the soft hiss of oil meeting heat. The smell drifted toward me — warm, savory, comforting.
Lara.
As the eldest, she carries everything on her shoulders. Cooking. Cleaning. Paying the bills. While her little brother complains about manga and curry.
It's the weekend.
Why is she awake so early?
"I'm running late!" she called out. "Aiden, your breakfast's on the table. Eat when you wake up — don't let it get cold! I'm off to work!"
Work.
Of course.
Even a small apartment costs more than it looks. I wonder how many hours she stands behind that cashier counter just to keep this place.
After changing my clothes, I scribbled a short note and left it on the table.
I slipped out quietly.
—
Her neighborhood felt peaceful.
Too peaceful.
No broken fences. No loud arguments spilling into the street. No police sirens in the distance.
Unlike mine.
I almost laughed at the thought — how unfair life can be, dividing peace and chaos by just a few streets.
As I passed the convenience store, I slowed down.
Through the glass, I saw Lara behind the counter, scanning items with tired eyes. Her movements were automatic.
It must be exhausting.
The dream from last night lingered in my mind — the abandoned building, the strange mark, Aysel's voice calling my name.
Was it just grief playing tricks on me?
Or was that place real?
I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice the footsteps behind me.
By the time I realized, it was too late.
Two men.
Too close.
My pulse spiked. I turned sharply and ran.
An alley.
Wrong choice.
A dead end.
They blocked the exit, shadows stretching long across the pavement. One of them held something that caught the light — cold and metallic.
I stepped back until my shoulders hit the wall.
Is this it? The end?
Strangely… I felt nothing.
No panic. No screaming.
Just emptiness.
They moved closer.
I closed my eyes.
Footsteps.
A sharp sound — something clattering against the ground.
Silence.
I opened my eyes slowly.
The two men were on the ground, groaning, scrambling to escape.
And in front of me stood a girl.
Slim. Calm. Wearing a mask that hid half her face.
She didn't say a word.
She simply extended her hand.
I don't know why… but I took it.
The moment our fingers touched, my body felt weightless.
The world tilted.
And suddenly—
We were no longer on the ground.
The buildings shrank beneath us. The streets became thin lines. The neighborhood looked smaller, quieter, harmless from above.
Wind rushed past my ears.
I should have been terrified.
But instead—
I felt alive.
For the first time in months.
The sea shimmered in the distance. Mountains rose like sleeping giants. Forests stretched endlessly.
It felt like stepping into the pages of a fantasy novel I used to read with her.
We landed gently on a hill far beyond the town.
A field of aster flowers swayed in the breeze, purple petals dancing under the sun. A river flowed nearby, clear and bright. Birds dipped low over the water. The air smelled clean.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful.
"Where… are we?" I whispered.
The girl turned to face me.
Slowly, she reached up and removed her mask.
Time stopped.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
That face.
That smile.
The one I've memorized.
The one I see every time I close my eyes.
Tears blurred my vision.
"Aysel…"
It couldn't be.
But it was.
Standing right in front of me.
Alive.
Or maybe—
Not alive at all.
And for the first time since she disappeared…
I didn't know whether to feel hope—
Or fear.