Junjin stood up as soon as he took his last sip from his glass of soda and reached his big hands to me to help me stand up. My legs were numb and it felt like over cooked noodles the moment I tried to stretch them up. It’s a good thing he had fast reflexes. Junjin was able to balance me before I embarrass myself in front of them.

I’ve been sitting for so long and I am not used to this very cold temperature. It was pretty much of a normal evening for all of them but my body’s yet to adjust. Andy ran inside the kitchen and came back with a knitted navy blue scarf on his right hands. He wrapped it carefully on my neck and pats my head while saying, “I won’t see you out. I still need to prepare tomorrow’s ingredients. Junjin will take you home. Have a safe trip!” and he stormed back to the kitchen before I can even say good bye.

“Yes, he is that type of guy. Tsk, tsk, tsk. He hates saying goodbye the most even if it’s just a brief moment or a close distance.” Junjin said and I cannot help but to take a parting glance towards the closed kitchen door.

“Let’s go?” Junjin said opening the door for me.

I was surprised not to see the police car anywhere. I look on both direction but I can’t seem to locate it.

“Oh, you’re looking for the car? Haha.. Sorry I forgot to tell you that we will be using my motorbike from here. I already dropped off your luggage at the Villa on my way to the station. I came here faster with this.” He said while he took a smaller ginger coloured helmet tied on the other hand of the bicycle.

He put it on my head carefully and even tried to gather my hair on one side so that it’ll be less messy. He is so excited, I can tell by the way how he hopped in like a kid on the open seat of the vehicle and gestured his hand pointing on its blank space at the back for me to follow him.

I tried my best not to trip off while I fought with my mortal enemy – gravity. Ugh, I am helplessly clumsy and I wouldn’t like to embarrass myself for the second time in front of him. I managed to land safely on the seat and held tight on his leather jacket to maintain my balance.

“Hey, it’s okay for you to hold onto me you don’t need to be shy.” He said as he removed my cold sweaty hands clenched tight on his jacket’s shoulder hem and transferred my awkward grip around his waist and folded my arms underneath his lower chest.

“You’ll be safer if you do it this way.” He said with a more authoritative voice now. “Your safety is my priority if you haven’t realized that yet. I can tell that you’re still not used to riding bikes eh? You still don’t know how to ride one? Woah! I didn’t expect for you to be stuck on the same stage where we stopped.” He added his observation with a serious tone and stared at me with a poker face before his laughter broke his momentum.

“Err. Yeah.” I smiled at him and tightened my grip as a signal that I’m ready for this ride. I haven’t ride a motorbike ever in my whole boring life but bringing up the fact that I am not capable of riding bikes is a whole different thing. He sounded so sure about what he’s talking about and I cannot even recall a single moment with this friendly person - no, nothing at all.

He started the engine like a professional biker and in no time we were running on full speed, lights danced in a blur as we pass the open stores and the houses nearby. There is a lesser number of people roaming around at night. Everyone’s probably resting this time.

As I leaned closer to his warm broad shoulders to avoid the forceful inertia inflicted by our speed, the obvious scent of nicotine blended well with his fading musk perfume became evident to my senses. It made it possible for me to bear with the fragrance, or even get used to it. This manly smell, from someone as joyful as him does not connect at some point but I am glad that the irony itself makes him more interesting than an average person.

I bumped my head on his back as he pulled the brake and stopped the bicycle supporting it by his right foot stepping and slowing it down like he’s trying to check something.

I lifted my head and saw a mini-arc entrance a meter away from us. The sign was attached with rusty chains covered with vines and it read, “Villa MiNah” which tells me we are here. Minah happened to be my grand-mother’s first name but I never knew we had this kind of property located in this unknown town.

“We are here! Sorry I can’t stay any longer, I still need to fix something at home.” Junjin said with an apologetic expression on his face. “Have good night Kris. See you around.” And on a quick turn, his bike run off in full speed leaving only a soft stream of smoke and his presence disappeared quickly on thin air.

He hates good-byes too just like Andy. He didn’t even took a glance back at me as I stood there looking how he went off just like that.

“Excuse me? Who’s there?” a woman who’s probably on her mid – 40’s dressed with a dark green night gown covered with maroon robe approached me. She the porch lights to assist her vision.  I immediately stepped closer and told her almost whispering “I’m Kirsten, Minah’s grand-daughter.” and cleared my throat again to repeat my inaudible introduction.

She squinted her tiny eyes as she take a closer look on a picture that she was holding and looked at me again. She walked a little closer and let out a friendly smile towards me. She enveloped her grey shawl around her as she slowly descended from the low stepped stair case to lessen our distance. I shifted a few more steps and unwrapped a few folds of Andy’s scarf around my neck. I didn’t notice it was already covering half of my face.  

“So you’re Minah’s grand-daughter?” she said gently to me and I responded with an urgent nod.

“I am Laura, you may call me Aunt Laura if you’d like. I am 10 years younger than your grandmother and I’ve been taking care of this Villa ever since she transferred to the city. May I know what I shall call you?” she asked.

“My name is Kirsten but you may call me Kris” I tried to speak as polite as I can.

“Was it Junjin who brought you home? He came here earlier to drop your things.” She asked pointing inside the house.

“Oh, yes. He left in a hurry. He told me he has something to do at home.” I answered quickly.

“It’s a good thing he escorted you since it’s already late. Let’s go inside so you can rest.” She gave me a sweet beam and pointed towards the open door of the house in front of us. The path way is lighted by mini lamps made up of old jars transformed into creative orbs. I can see that the ground is covered with a lot of varying ornamental plants since I can see colourful flowers of different kinds bunched together. Nana might have planted them here long time ago. She loves this sort of stuff that I loathed the most.

As I stepped on the stairs before I entered the door I noticed that something was engraved on it but my eyes were too tired to figure out what was written on it. I lifted my head to avoid more curiosity and saw a cosy sofa waiting for me standing on a dark brown fur coated carpet. I know I can lay on it for a bit but I needed a bed right now.

“Did you have your dinner?” Laura turned around to ask me but I am still looking at the ceiling of the house which was designed with a lot of hanging crane origami of different colours alternately lighted by bright mini bulbs, it looked so beautiful seeing every paper with different colours and different patterns on it, seeing from below I think there’s almost more than hundred alternately displayed floating above my head. I almost forgot to answer Laura’s inquiry while admiring all of it.

“Yes, I’m already done. Thank you for asking. Hmm..  If I may ask, may I know where my room is? I would really want to discuss a lot of things about this whole vacation but I think I need to sleep first.” I said regretfully with my eyes already half open. I felt my exhaustion crawling all over me now.

She looked at me with a sympathetic expression and tapped my shoulder as she lifted her right hand gesturing to the room directed on a nearby hall way. I followed her idly as I drag my body closer to my sanctuary for tonight and for the following days. The scent, it was nostalgic.

“Oh my poor child, go in now. Your belongings are right beside your bed. Rest now and have a good sleep. Don’t hesitate to look for me if you will need anything”. Laura said after she opened the door of my room.

I can’t even say a single word to somehow thank her for welcoming me. I just nodded helplessly and smiled hoping that she will understand what I meant and I guess she did. The moment I entered the room, she didn’t say any additional thing but she gently closed the door and left quietly.

The bed is waiting for me. I can almost feel my feet melting as I walk towards it. I even pulled myself just to reach it. I lazily removed my contacts and took out its container from the pocket of my bag. I didn’t even know if I put them properly, I just didn’t care at all. With all my might, I made it – tonight, I will marry these extremely soft pillows and wrap myself voluntarily with this thick cottony soft comforter. I smiled as I closed my eyes.

It was cold. I can’t see anything. I wanted to open my eyes but I can’t. Now, a searing pain from my forehead started tormenting me like hell. I can hear the crackling noise of fire. And then a gasping voice came somewhere. It was hardly audible but I tried to respond. I can’t even speak. There’s no voice coming out of my mouth. I tried again but – I am hopeless. I tried to call for help but I can’t move any single muscle of my body. I tried to gather all my strength to make an effort for survival and..

I woke up.