Mina pops the collar of her jacket up, shielding her neck from the swirling autumn wind as she steps out of the subway. She doesn’t like public transports. It’s almost always cramped with people. But what choice does she have? Paying for a two bedrooms condo is enough to make a dent in her salary. Normally she’d walk to work and back, just half an hour away. Or Momo and Sana would come pick her up if three of them have plan to go somewhere together.

Today, Momo invites Mina and Sana to her house, not the one she and Sana are living, but the Hirai residence. They invited Chaeyoung too, but the girl already has plan with Jihyo, Dahyun and Tzuyu.

Everyone in this city knows the Hirai residence, which is actually more of a castle than a big mansion. It’s a collection of traditional houses in a large ground, surrounded stone walls and moats to fend off the intruders or enermies. This is kind of place that the nobles live under the mornarchy, and Hirai clan is definitely one of them.

Mina has been here a few times, Momo often invites them in spring for hanami, viewing of cherry blossoms, so she knows where to head. The gatekeeper welcomes Mina when she announces her name, obviously has been informed by Momo of the guest.

“Welcome to Hirai residence, Miss Myoui. Please go straight, follow the gravel path and turn right after the second house. Little Miss and her friend are waiting for you in the tea ceremony house.”

Mina bows, thanks the gatekeeper and follows the gravel path. Momo showed her and Sana around the residence the first time they came here, but it was too much for Mina to remember the way.

She steps inside, letting the tranquil ambiance envelops her. Inside the stonewall is another world, older, quieter, and much more traditional than the modern world outside. She walks slow-paced through the garden, a traditional Japanese landscape garden with a large pond, ornamental stones and manicured pine trees. At the other side of the pond is cherry orchard and plum orchard, which blooms in March and April. Mina can’t for get the first time she got invited here for Hanami, how astonishing and breathtaking this whole view was. There’s no blossoms now, but many areas of the grounds are also populated by maple, ginkgo and other trees that offer brilliant autumn colors. Multiple gazebos are also placed around the garden for scenery viewing.

View from tea house is great, but Mina likes the gazebos even more. She loves being imersed in the beautiful nature freely without the strict formality of the tea house. Still, the leaves changing colors into vibrant shades of orange, red, yellow, and brown is a magnificent sight to see.

Maybe she should ask Chaeyoung to go for a walk with her when the leaves colors fully changed. The younger loves trees and all nature stuffs. Mina doesn’t like going out much in those flowers blooming or leaves changing seasons, as people also like to go out and places will be crowded. She always feels lost and outcast in crowds, but when she has Chaeyoung beside her, walking in crowd isn’t that bad. Speaking of the girl, Mina still doesn’t know what to say to her friends about Chaeyoung. They met Chaeyoung, and knows Chaengie the cat, soon they’ll see the gap here. Mina doesn’t know what to call her relationship with Chaeyoung, it can’t be owner and pet any more; housemates? They’re closer than that.

Too lost in her own thoughts, Mina doesn’t realize she has strayed off the path until her steps stop in front of a house. Looking around, she doesn’t recognise her surrounding. It is much denser here. The tree canopies intertwined, preventing the sunlight to pass through. Even though it is only 10 am, the area is murky. After taking a closer look at the house before her, Mina thinks it’s more like of a shrine than a place for people to live in. It’s understandable. The traditional Japanese house normally has a small or big shrine, depends on the family’s belief.

She should head back, Momo and Sana are waiting for her, and this shrine is quite spooky. But there’s a voice, she doesn’t know where it’s from but it’s somewhere inside her head, urging her to go inside, to explore this beautiful architecture. There’s something alluring about this building that she can’t quite put it. It’s strong, powerful, and tempting. She feels light just thinking about going in.

The door opens wide with just a light push from Mina. The air inside is dusty although the floor is clean. It’s quite dark inside, the skylight windows don’t help much, consider the dense trees outside. There’re two dimly lit candles on the altar and a few light spots from the incense. So this shrine is still taken care of today.

She blinks a few times, trying to adjust to the dark. Slowly, she can make out more details of the tall statue behind the altar. It’s a man, wearing a samurai armor, right hand put firmly on his waist and left hand grip the sword hilt. Why do Momo family has a shrine for Samurai here? Maybe her ancestors were samurai? That explains why they have this castle like house.

Weird thing is, Mina can’t take her eyes off this statue. It seems to radiate some kind of energy, making her feel weakened, commanding her to obey. There’s a small voice calling, from inside her head, a man voice, alluring like nectar pouring into her ears.

Come, my child. Come to me and your worries will go away.

Like a puppet, Mina follows the voice. Her feet walk on their own, she can’t control her actions. She doesn’t want to control anyway. The voice is so sweet, and who doesn’t want their problems disappear?

You are so close, just one little step.

She steps forward, hand reaching out. In a flash moment, just before her hand makes contact, Mina wants to pull back, to run away. But it’s too late. A rush of wind from behind making her stumble forward. It’s like a wave of electricity shot through her when her hand touches the metal surface of the statue’s armor.

***

“Momo-ah, did I say you look really hot in Kimono?”

“Yes, but I don’t mind hearing it again.”

“So hot, Momoring. It’ll be hotter on the floor.”

“Oh my god you can’t say thing like that here. My grandma will come at anytime!”

“Purple looks really good on you. Maybe I should buy you a matching set of purple underwear”

“Sana!”

“What? I just want to compliment my girlfriend”

“No, you’re just want to make everything ual”

“Ugh fine. No ual then, for the sake of your grandma. But as soon as we are alone…”

“You can do whatever you want with me, honey. Anyway, your pink Kimono is really cute too. I love it.”

“Thanks. It’s been a while since the last time I wore it.”

“You wore it last week just to convince me to take a day off from work.”

“I mean wearing it properly. And I thought you don’t want to talk ual?”

“Fine. Sorry.”

…

…

“This hair cut is really suit you. Now you’re wearing Kimono, sitting in the tea house in a literal castle enjoying the scenery, people would think you’re a princess. Except for the fact that you’re preparing tea for me, a commoner.”

“You’re my princess, Sana. And I would do anything for my princess.”

“Aww so cheesy, aren’t we? I haven’t seen this cheesy side of you for a while.”

“Enjoy while it last. Now would the princess s