Mina lay sprawled across her vast orthopedic bed, its plushness a comforting embrace as she stared up at the mint-colored ceiling. A sigh escaped her lips, the weight of the events the night before already settling upon her shoulders. Beside her, the figure stirred, casting off the blanket to reveal the smooth expanse of their back.

"Where are you off to?" Mina's voice broke the silence, her tone lazy as she shifted onto her belly, propping herself up on one arm. Her gaze followed the movements of the other person, who was now rising from the bed.

"Work, as usual. You? Are you staying home today?" The response came, accompanied by the rustle of fabric as they slipped into a crisp white button-down shirt. Mina's eyes lingered on the familiar form, noting the ease in their movements.

"No. I have a Vogue photoshoot today," Mina replied flatly, the weight of her own words sinking in as she considered the day ahead. The other person merely shrugged, adjusting their purse which lay on the carpeted floor.

"I guess I'll see you when I see you," they remarked, their gaze meeting Mina's with a hint of something unreadable in their coffee brown eyes.

"I'll see you around, Jeongyeon,"

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As Mina slowly began to regain consciousness, a dull ache pulsed through her head, reverberating with each beat of her heart. With a soft groan, she peeled her eyes open, wincing as the dim light filtered through the room and pierced her senses.

For a moment, she lay still, her mind foggy and disjointed as she tried to piece together the fragments of her fractured memory. The events of the previous night swirled in her mind like a distant echo, a jumble of images and sensations that seemed almost too surreal to be true.

As the memories flooded back with startling clarity, Mina's brows furrowed in confusion. Surely, it must have been a bizarre dream—a figment of her overactive imagination run wild in the depths of the night. After all, how else could she explain the inexplicable events that had unfolded before her?

Mina's thoughts ground to a halt at the soft whispers that danced around her, stirring her from her bewildered daze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Were these voices real or just figments of her imagination? Was she losing her mind, or worse, trapped in some bizarre living nightmare?

"Is she dead?" one tiny voice whispered, sending a chill down Mina's spine.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, her heart hammering in her chest as she struggled to process the surreal conversation unfolding before her.

"Of course she's not dead, Heejin," came the reply, tinged with a hint of annoyance. "Then mommy would cry."

Mina's breath caught in as the implications of the exchange sank in. Was she dead? Was this some twisted version of the afterlife, a never-ending purgatory designed to torment her for eternity?

With a shaky exhale, Mina pushed herself back into the couch, her mind racing with fear and confusion. She looked around the room once more, desperately searching for any sign that this was all just a terrible hallucination.

But the two children remained there, their innocent faces illuminated by the soft glow of morning light, their conversation continuing as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

As she watched them, a sense of dread washed over Mina, mingled with a creeping sense of disbelief. Could this really be happening, or was she truly descending into madness?

Mina gazed at the two children, their cherubic faces adorned with innocence and curiosity. They looked to be around four or five years old, their tiny frames clad in identical pajamas of pink and yellow, the colors vibrant against the backdrop of the room.

As she watched them, a pang of tenderness swept through Mina's heart. Despite the bizarre circumstances, she couldn't help but be struck by the sheer sweetness of their presence.

The girl in pink, Heejin, stepped forward cautiously, her eyes wide with concern. "Are you okay, mama?" she asked, her voice soft and tentative.

Mina felt a tug at her heartstrings as she looked into Heejin's earnest gaze. Despite the turmoil swirling within her, she couldn't help but be touched by the child's genuine concern.

Summoning all the strength she could muster, Mina offered a reassuring nod, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yes, sweetheart, I'm okay," she replied, her voice gentle despite the panic coursing through her veins.

Before Mina could react, Heejin's eyes sparkled with newfound joy as she dashed towards Mina, her tiny feet pattering against the floor. With an exuberant giggle, Heejin leaped into Mina's arms, her laughter filling the room with pure, unadulterated joy.

Mina found herself caught off guard by the sudden display of affection, but as she felt Heejin's arms wrap around her, she couldn't help but melt into the embrace. Despite the chaos swirling around them, in that moment, all that mattered was the warmth of Heejin's embrace and the infectious laughter that filled the air.

As Heejin nestled into Mina's arms, a sense of belonging washed over her, as if she were meant to be here in this moment. She couldn't explain it, but there was an undeniable comfort in the warmth of Heejin's embrace, as if fate had brought them together for a reason.

"Hyunjin, over here!" Heejin called out, her voice filled with excitement as she beckoned to the other girl, patting on Mina's other lap, urging her sister to join them.

With a calm grace, Hyunjin approached Mina, her movements deliberate and measured. Without a word, she settled onto Mina's lap, her presence adding to the sense of familiarity that enveloped them.

Just as Mina began to relax into the unexpected companionship, another voice shattered the tranquility of the moment—a voice she hadn't heard in years. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned her head to see the figure entering the living room, her mind reeling with a flood of memories and emotions.

As the figure entered the room, her presence seemed to fill the space with an air of familiarity and nostalgia. Mina's heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, memories flooding back in a rush of emotions.

"You had quite a fall there, honey," Chaeyoung said, her voice soft with concern as she approached Mina. "How are you? Does anything hurt?"

Mina tried to respond, but her words caught in , rendered speechless by the unexpected reunion. She could only stare at Chaeyoung, her mind whirling with a whirlwind of emotions.

"No, seriously babe, are you okay?" Chaeyoung pressed, her hand reaching out to gently caress Mina's cheek.

Mina froze at the touch, her breath catching in as she felt the warmth of Chaeyoung's hand against her skin. It was as if time stood still in that moment, the world around them fading into insignificance as they were enveloped in their own private universe.

Mina's head swam with confusion as she tried to make sense of the surreal situation unfolding before her. With a shake of her head, she attempted to rouse herself from the haze of disbelief, mindful not to startle the children nestled on her lap. She focused on steadying her quickening breath, summoning the courage to finally speak up.

"Babe? Honey? What is going on here? Where am I?" Mina's voice trembled with uncertainty as she addressed Chaeyoung, her eyes searching for answers in the depths of her former lover's gaze.

Chaeyoung furrowed her brow in confusion. "What are you talking about, Mina?" she asked, her tone tinged with concern.

Before Mina could respond, Chaeyoung turned her attention to the children, instructing them to go to their rooms and prepare for school. As Heejin and Hyunjin scampered off, Mina was left alone with Chaeyoung once more, the weight of the situation bearing down on her with renewed intensity.

With each passing moment, Mina's panic threatened to consume her. Was she trapped in some bizarre alternate reality, or was this all just a figment of her imagination? And as Chaeyoung stood before her, a ghost from her past brought back to life, Mina couldn't shake the feeling that her world was spiraling out of control.

With her heart pounding in her chest and her mind reeling with confusion, Mina bolted from the couch and made a beeline for the front door. Ignoring Chaeyoung's calls echoing behind her, she hurried through the hallway and burst out into the crisp morning air.

Racing across the front lawn, Mina felt the cool grass beneath her bare feet as she sprinted towards the gates. She could hear Chaeyoung's voice growing fainter behind her, but she paid it no mind. All she could think about was escaping the suffocating uncertainty that seemed to engulf her.

As she reached the gates and pushed them open, Mina broke into a full sprint, her pajamas billowing behind her like a cape as she ran. The familiar streets of New Canaan stretched out before her, the quaint houses and neatly manicured lawns flashing by in a blur of motion.

With each step, Mina's panic threatened to overwhelm her, but she pushed forward, fueled by a desperate need to make sense of the inexplicable situation she found herself in. As she ran, her mind raced with questions, but one thought echoed louder than the rest: how had she ended up here, in New Canaan, Connecticut, of all places?

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The pavement seemed to stretch endlessly beneath Mina's pounding footsteps until finally, she came to a stop in front of a familiar house. White paint adorned the exterior, with charming blue shutters framing the windows. It was a sight she hadn't laid eyes on in years, yet it beckoned to her like an old friend.

With a mixture of trepidation and hope, Mina approached the front door and reached out to ring the doorbell. A soft ding echoed through the silent neighborhood, a stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed her world just moments ago.

The door swung open, revealing the smiling face of Minatozaki Sana, an old friend from Mina's twenties. Sana's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Mina, but her smile remained warm and welcoming as she greeted her with a side hug, the other arm clutching a potted plant.

"Mina, what a pleasant surprise!" Sana exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine delight. "Come in, come in!"

Mina returned Sana's hug, feeling a sense of relief wash over her at the familiarity of her friend's embrace. "Sana, it's so good to see you," she said, her voice tinged with emotion. "I... I don't even know where to begin."

Sana ushered Mina inside, her eyes filled with concern as she led her into the cozy living room. "Don't worry about that now, dear," she said reassuringly. "We'll make some tea, and you can tell me everything. It's clear you're in need of a friend."

Mina nodded gratefully, her heart swelling with gratitude for Sana's kindness. As she settled into the comfortable surroundings of her friend's home, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty that still lingered in her mind. Perhaps here, in the company of an old friend, she would find the answers she so desperately sought.

Stepping into Sana's home, she couldn't help but marvel at the quaint charm that surrounded her. The interiors resembled something straight out of a cottage-core magazine, with cozy furnishings and delicate floral accents adorning every corner. It was a stark contrast to the bustling city life that Sana had embraced in the reality Mina remembered, leaving this serene haven behind.

"Looks like you came straight here out of bed. What happened to you?" Sana's voice broke through Mina's thoughts as she emerged from the kitchen, a tray of tea in her hands. Mina glanced down at herself, suddenly aware of her disheveled appearance—barefoot and sweaty in her pajamas and robe.

"Oh, you know, just a little morning jog," Mina replied with a nervous laugh, attempting to brush off her haggard appearance.

Sana raised an eyebrow, her expression filled with skepticism. "Right, because morning jogs are definitely your thing," she teased, setting the tray of tea down on the coffee table.

As Mina reached for a teacup, her gaze drifted to a picture hanging above the fireplace—a wedding portrait. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Sana smiling in her white dress, standing beside someone. But it was the person beside her that caused Mina to gasp loudly in disbelief. Kim Dahyun's bright and smiley face stared back at her, a stark reminder of the reality she had left behind.

"What, what what?" Sana exclaimed comically, rushing to Mina's side as she pointed at the wedding portrait. "Is there something on my face?" she added, brushing a hand over her cheek in mock concern.

Mina's shock was palpable as she stared at the wedding portrait, her voice barely above a whisper as she uttered, "You married Kim Dahyun???"

Sana's response was nothing short of prideful as she turned to face Mina, her eyes shining with adoration. "You mean the most amazing and most beautiful person on the planet? Of course, I did!" Sana declared proudly, her gaze returning to the portrait hanging above the fireplace. "What? Did you think I'm stupid to let that woman go?"

As Sana's words sank in, Mina's mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions. In the reality she remembered, Sana and Dahyun had been dating for years—a relationship that had played a pivotal role in bringing Mina and Chaeyoung together in the first place. But when Mina and Chaeyoung's relationship had ended, the couple had felt the need to take sides. Dahyun had sided with Chaeyoung, while Sana had remained loyal to Mina.

Now, as Mina looked at Sana's fond smile, a pang of guilt washed over her. She knew that she was the reason why Sana and Dahyun had broken up—a fact that had driven a wedge between her and Sana in the years that followed. And now, faced with the reality of Sana's happiness with Dahyun, Mina couldn't help but feel the weight of her past mistakes bearing down on her once more.

Mina's response came out in a stutter, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and guilt as she denied any notion of disbelief. "No, no, of course not," she managed to say, forcing a smile as she met Sana's gaze. "I'm... I'm really happy for you, Sana. Truly."

Sana chuckled at Mina's reaction, a playful glint in her eyes as she teased, "You're acting like you weren't even at the wedding." Mina blinked in surprise at the revelation, her mind struggling to pie