Sana really didn't think she would get in that moment of her life. In sheer fear and amusement for a thing, or a place, or a person. But when Mina held her hand and they passed through it she felt a will to cry, to jump and to go back all in the same time. So she closed her eyes and walked, just felling that Mina was there with her.
It all lasted five seconds. She felt the wind on her cheeks when Mina called her name as they were there.
It was nighttime what surely made an impact. The streetlights were so different, some with a vivid blue and others with a clear white that pierced all the colors, it stood on the sides instead of right in front between the houses as it was arranged. And the houses were all similar, with a light green and shades of gray that painted them like a blended city, with a soft feel that gave vibes of refreshment and delight but at the same time morbidness. The sidewalks were glowing similar like the street lamps but fainter. Some with a colored light that came from below them and peaked through its sides to reveal the way, no large buildings were in sight besides the one they came from but some small ones could be seen, with about one store that looked much dislocated with each other, each one with their peculiarity. The streets were black, asphalt, similar with what Sana was used, but it was clear and it contrasted with the light color of the sidewalks.
The sky was full of stars that night.
Mina and Sana stood froze for a few seconds, just trying to take in all of that.
"So how's it Mina?" Jihyo asked, surprising them.
"Is it all how you remember?" She asked again.
"Yes, somehow"
"Here" Jihyo pulled a paper from her pocket and gave it to her.
"Sorry but I have to go like, right now. My address is in there because we really need to talk more. I wish I could take you guys with me but I can't so see you later. And you two should buy a cellphone here, it's better. Bye" Jihyo said and went away, walking to a street by the corner. The duo didn't have time to say a thing, just looked at the white letters that showed the address on the red paper.
December 26, the air seems fresher over there.
Mina looked at Sana expecting for something.
In the sidewalk they were, the street lights made an aurora of green details sipping out of the tiles, the little to no reflection of the houses being barely noticed to contribute to the colors.
"Where do we go now?" Sana asked breaking the deafening silence between them, Mina is so overwhelmed that she is there at last, seeing many things that are the same but some are so new that she feels a heavy weight on her chest. But Sana reminds her that she's not alone, not when she feels the warmth their hands emanate as they hold together.
"I think I want to go to the shop to see if my parents are there. It's not that far so we can walk." Mina said finally out of her trance. Her mind was at ease a bit.
"Here is so different by the way, I mean, it's the same but different. The composition of things" Sana mumbles, admiring all the sides as they walked away down the street, luggage right by their side as they strolled them. They had to let go of their hands to make it easier to carry on.
"It is different somehow, the people who does the houses and buildings over here think differently and have more resources" Mina said as they turned a corner on the street and Sana was even more impressed when she saw a funny house that looked like it was took of a gloomy dream. Right beside it was a theater and more and more people seemed to occupy the streets that hour. She looked at the movement and saw so many different kinds of people, reunited, laughing and some alone, serious.
"Later we can eat something and then we can look around if you want to" Mina said, paying attention to the other, she had to admit she got more excited with Sana being there with her. They just passed by a pastry shop.
"Alright" Sana said looking down, playing a silly game of trying not to step on the lines of the sidewalk.
Some blocks away, Mina stopped on a clearer area were the gaps between the buildings were bigger and because of that they had beautiful green areas between them. A bit pushed back from the houses and establishments there had a distinct and big green area on the front and a little visible wooden building inside a few steps ahead, a beautiful white arc made the entrance that was full of flowers of many colors. The flowers were so different, the colors, the sensations of it that were so subtle but mixed together so well.
"We're here." Mina said to Sana as she passed the arc looking around.
Sana was so delighted with the smell and looks of the flowers that she almost bumped into Mina when the girl stopped by the front door.
There above the door stood a sign that adorned the Myoui name on it, shining.
It indeed was a two stores wooden building that had a sparkly shine into it, unexplainable, like magic itself emanated from it. And it did.
"Here it is, my aunt's shop that she gave for my parents before she passed away" Mina mumbled, too overwhelmed by then. Sana stood by her side.
"It's so beautiful"
That made Mina look at her and the other had such an admirable look that Mina's heart jumped a bit, she fought a couple of tears back and took a deep breath.
"Let's go in, I hope someone is here." She said grabbing the door knob.
The insides of the place were even more impressive, a bunch of magic objects of all kinds filled the spaces all over, on the walls, tables, furniture, closets, everything seemed a mess that fits perfect and makes senses plus emanates an aura of empowerment to makes the air slightly heavy but not enough to take a breath away.
"Hello?" Sana said, as if announcing someone had arrived. She saw a bell on a counter and rang it.
A few seconds later, they heard the crack of a door and footsteps coming from a hallway they couldn't really see since a curtain of a purple sparkly fabric was covering it.
"Hello" A woman pushed the curtain open and came in sight.
Mina froze, she seems worried and Sana noticed.
"How may I help you?" The woman says with now a charismatic smile.
"... We were just... Looking around" Mina slowly said, looking elsewhere to fight back tears again, Sana was about to say something but Mina slightly held Sana by the arm.
"Okay, call me if you need anything" The woman said, getting back just a bit to fix something on a shelf.
Mina then signalized Sana to go a bit away, to a window, to talk privately for a while.
"What?" Sana asked already apprehensive.
"She doesn't seem to know who I am... It's like what happened to Nayeon..." Mina slowly said, a lot of feelings getting to her.
"I- It seems so. Is this the only place we can go or?"
"Not really but, my house is nearby and my parents, they're not here I guess"
"But if she doesn't know who I am then maybe they don't know too. She's actually my cousin"
The woman behind the counter seemed a bit younger than Mina.
"But what if they do, what if it's just her and what if she doesn't remember because i