The next morning Yuri woke up by her phone alarm. She could feel sunshine ray coming in through room’s window so she decided to wake up and take a look outside.

It’s morning already and I should leave later at noon.

Yuri then washed up and decided to take a walk to nearby forest to get some fresh air before going back to her dull college life. She changed her clothes to some sort of long sport’s pants, simple white t-shirt, and lastly her blue sweater.

“Yuri-yah, where are you going this early?” her grandpa asked when he sees Yuri was about to open their house’s front door.

Yuri turned around then replied, “I’ll take a walk for a bit, Grandpa.”

“Come here for a second for breakfast first before you leave.”

“I’ll eat it later when I come back.”

“What about tea? It will be cold when you come back later,” at this point Yuri surrendered and obliged to what her grandpa offered. She couldn’t refuse her grandpa’s kindness in the morning.

She dragged her feet back into dining room then sipped her warm tea slowly to savor the taste. It makes her warm. Both tea and her grandpa’s smile. It feels like home. And she likes it.

###

Before Yuri is the forest. She stood there for a bit, taking in the greenery and oak-brown scenes in front of her while being reminisced of her grandma.

We used to come here.

She then started entering into the woods, walking on path she used to follow back then when she was a kid. Except, this time she was walking alone.

On the path Yuri put her hands into her sweater’s pocket as it’s getting chilly because she is already deeper in the forest. She keeps looking forward following the path passing tree by tree.

Sometimes tree’s leaves would fall on her, mostly brown or green with some yellowish color. She would grab the leaf for a while before releasing it again letting it fall freely on the soil ground with lush grass.

Yuri keeps walking more and more in the forest. The birds’ chirping sound creates a song symphony in the girl’s ears as she went further. She knew where she headed.

The tree numbers were decreasing from her sight as she finally walked out to an open area.

There was a lake. A glorious lake in between of forests. Shaped like a flat disc, it’s size is not small nor that huge either. Unruffled by wind, it was statue still and soothing to the eyes. The rising sun caused a perfect vision of squadron butterflies above it, roaming around here and there.

Yuri stopped her feet from walking as she saw a figure standing just in front of the lake, far in front of where Yuri standing.

Rather than being scared Yuri was more curious at the figure so she continued to walk slowly and carefully in order not to shock the figure. Now that she is closer she realized that the figure is a woman.

A woman with blonde hair down gracefully on her back while her head facing upward letting the warm sun rays showers her face while closing eyes. As if she was admiring the shimmering emptiness of space around her.

“It couldn’t be her, right?” Yuri mumbled to herself. My eyes must be tricking me thanks to that Yujin brat for bringing me to such place last night.

Little did she knows, the blonde woman actually could feel Yuri’s presence since she stepped on the open area. The blonde then put her head downward, slowly opened her eyes and stares on the lake before she suddenly turn her head to Yuri.

“Ohayou gozaimasu,” the blonde started while bowing her head to Yuri’s direction.

“What?!” Yuri jolted. She was startled by the sudden voice. She thought she shouldn’t shock the blonde earlier but it’s the other way around now.

What language is that? Japanese?

“Uh… I mean, pardon?” Yuri then take a proper look on the person in front of her just to make her shocked more. She’s really that fighter last night. Choi Yena. Is she actually Japanese?

“Oh, please excuse me, for a few seconds I thought this is Japan,” she explained while letting out an uneasy smile to hide her embarrassment.

“Oh no, it’s okay. Is that a greeting?”

“Yes, it means ‘good morning’ in Japanese.”

“Oh,” was all Yuri said. She tried hard to search for words in order to continue their conversation but failed to do so.

“Good morning, Ms. Light Brown Haired Girl,” the blonde girl scooted closer to Yuri and offer her hand.

Yuri let out a chuckle by how the blonde pointed her, “Jo Yuri. The name is Jo Yuri.”

“Ah, Jo Yuri. Okay, let me rephrase it then. Good morning, Ms. Jo Yuri,” she smiled still offering her hand to handshake. Her voice was husky and sounded gentle.

Yuri didn’t know why but she likes hearing her name out from this blonde in front of her. She thought it was the most calming, peaceful, a tranquil tone Yuri ever heard in her entire life. A major difference to what she thought of the beast last night.

“Good morning too,” Yuri replied shyly an