Author's POV:

 

 

The crazy snowstorm has completely stopped nearly half an hour now. The weather which permits Taeyeon to make a move from her temporary shelter. She was eager to leave from the place too. She still agrees, there is no better place other than to be on her own property, even if it didn’t look the same as yesterday. Besides, she was dying to check the palm-reading machine. The machine which gave her a great headache by transporting her to the year 2022 without her consent.

 

She had confirmed it again, everything she encounters is super real. Not a prank or anything after she got the chance to read her story from the internet and saw Jessica's growing up pictures – from a teen till Jessica reached adulthood from an app that Jessica called, Instagram.

 

Yes, she had access to the internet and found her story like what Jessica had informed her not long ago. She was able to read the news with or without the internet. Jessica had saved her unsolved disappearance story in the iPad. There's a special website dedicated to her case too. It was founded by Jessica that she just knew awhile ago. Other than Seolhyun, Jessica was the other active person that still not giving up finding her.

 

It felt so hard to digest that. Jessica, the young girl from yesterday was making every effort to find her just because she thought her disappearance has a link to her last statement or action when that wasn't the case at all. It must be devastating to experience something like that for two decades, she thought. The pain and emotional torture that she never expected to give to anyone that she left behind. She felt responsible and wanted to change this. Because she exactly knew how it felt to lost someone.

 

The iPad where she used to search her story from the internet, she kept them in the small leather backpack with the charger. All that she knows, the iPad is way bigger than Jessica's phone when she thought Jessica’s phone was already big enough. She could play games, listen to music, browse the internet, take a photo or video, and she could even make a phone. That’s the future technology that awed her. Future phone really comes in handy by combining all these special elements.

 

Jessica had saved her phone number on the iPad where she could call her easily. She had been taught how to use a chat app which Jessica called as Kakaotalk as well. Jessica said, she could chat with her anytime that she wants after she got back to her place. The term is 'chat' for people in this age. Text messages were not a thing now. Mostly, people use chat app to reach each other. Jessica also said, she had no extra phone in her keeping which she could give her. Anyway, the iPad works just fine like a phone. So, it will keep them stay connected for temporary. She only takes the iPad because Jessica insisted her to have it.

 

It's already twelve past ten in the morning as what Taeyeon noticed the time from the iPad before she kept it. Previously, she had her warm shower after rummaging the bin to find the thermal paper with Jessica. Last night, Taeyeon remembers that she never took a shower at all. She did plan to have a bath and get a proper rest after checking the machine. But her plan just merely a plan. That's why it shocked her when she woke up in her bedroom this morning. The bedroom which creeps her out when it didn't look familiar. Her memory was still sharp. She recalled checking her right hand quickly after getting into her consciousness. Her hand was totally fine. What is not fine, the shocking event that she experienced one after another thereafter.

 

"You're not wearing gloves?" Taeyeon carried the backpack on her back while asking Jessica, who pesters to follow her along after teaching her how to use the iPad.

 

Jessica stated it will benefit her if she brings her together. She can be her guide to get back into her own property. And also, Jessica was curious and want to check the palm-reading machine herself. It seems that Jessica slowly accepts or believing in her story after she got the chance to read what’s written on the thermal paper. Not everything on the thermal paper was still there, though. Only half from the lower part was still there. The year which was written right there made Jessica trusted she really had travelled to the future. Frankly, she had no idea how the thermal paper could end up in her uniform, but she felt thankful, at least she has that as a little proof to convince Jessica that she wasn’t lying or making things up.

 

"I don't have extra gloves." Jessica pouts a little, hiding the real reason why she lies about not having extra gloves right now.

 

She looks all fresh after taking a warm bath just like the unnie. She thought, it's kind of refreshing to stroll around in a cold weather, especially with someone that she anticipated to meet all these years. The unnie already knew about what she does for a living. Even if she’s a famous musician, she doesn't mind if someone spotted them together. She refused to wear facemask like how she became a ninja in the airport during her arrival in the country. It's okay to be just herself for today, she thought. Furthermore, she wanted to protect the unnie from maybe her lack of knowledge about the year she lives in right now.

 

"It's okay. I have a great idea how to keep my hands warm. Unnie can trust me on this." Jessica tried so hard to hide the smug on her face.

 

Since the unnie said she was lost before, not sure which direction to get back into her property, so it’s easier for her to pester the unnie, why having her around will benefit the unnie the most. She knew the direction to the unnie's property in a heartbeat. She didn't lie about that. She only lies about not having extra gloves. She even hid a few pairs of winter gloves she had, just in case if the unnie wants to search her wardrobe.

 

Just like the unnie, Jessica also carried a backpack. The same design backpack as what she provided to the unnie, but hers was a little bigger. She packed a few gadgets, enough hotpacks, snacks, and mineral water. The clothes they had worn previously were still in the washing machine. She will put it in the dryer after she got back. It seems that she’s ready for this little adventure.

 

"It's still super cold outside. You can't go out without wearing gloves." Taeyeon cannot help to feel concern at the person in front of her.

 

Jessica looks extremely thrilled to follow her along after hearing her complete story before all of this happened. Jessica had a brown beanie on her head, white turtleneck long sleeves, heattech slim fit black pants, ultrawarm black full-length parka coat, and brown winter boots. She wore the same full-length parka coat and boots like Jessica, but in different color. For the inner layer, she chose grey hoodie and denim jacket and pants from Jessica's wardrobe. Jessica was kind enough to let her make the selection. It seems pretty fine to walk with a proper attire like that. Minus, Jessica is not wearing gloves that give her unsettling feeling.

 

"I still want to follow unnie." Jessica proclaimed in her low tone as she organizes her next line in her head with the hope the unnie will bring her along. "I already told unnie that I'm on unnie's side. I trust unnie just travelled from the past, but not everyone will trust unnie's story simply. Krystal said, they might think unnie was taking a drug or had an amnesia from an accident if unnie claims, unnie never ever leave from this place. I need to be with unnie now for that reason. I can be unnie’s spokeperson. And we can decide what to do next after we check the palm-reading machine. Not that unnie knows how to get back to unnie's house as well."

 

"What I'm going to do with this?" Jessica speaks again when the unnie handed a pair of gloves into her palm right after her statement.

 

"You can wear them."

 

Jessica blinks her eyes rapidly, thinking. "How about unnie?"

 

"I will keep my hands in my pocket." Taeyeon replied casually before she walks further to open the doorknob.

 

She really doesn't want to waste the time anymore. Jessica had told her what happened after she disappears twenty years ago. Her café right now has been managed by Seolhyun. Other than to check the machine, she needs to find Seolhyun. And also, Nayeon. She plans to meet them before she travels back to the year she disappears. Or maybe, she could just travel back without even meeting any of them. She knew everything will go back to normal if she can return to 11 December 2002.

 

 

*******

 

 

Taeyeon felt her heart was making irresponsible beats after Jessica made her wear the only pair of gloves they have on her left hand while Jessica used the other pair on her right hand. Their hands without a glove were making her quite nervous. Same goes to the nice body fragrance that Jessica used. Jessica decided to intertwine their fingers and kept their hands on her pocket as she reasoned out it will reduce the feeling of getting numb fingers. She wanted to protest to this, but feeling Jessica’s cold fingers make her giving in. It made her feel bad if ever she declines to Jessica’s advance. Not after Jessica had been kind enough to save her this morning, wash her clothes, gave her an iPad, and share her wardrobes.

 

"Unnie, what does it mean, your destiny will begin in a blink of an eye? Does it mean the palm-reading machine was responsible as unnie’s matchmaker?" Jessica probed softly as when they begin to walk. She brings Insta360 ONE X2 video camera stick closer to them to record her little tour around the neighbourhood with the unnie by using her right hand. Every word that she read from the thermal paper made her so curious. But her curiosity is not as much as the last a few words she saw in the paper. The word 'destiny' caught her interest the most. "Unnie last saw me in 2002. And I was the first person unnie saw again in 2022. Am I your destiny? Unni