I opened my eyes and empty, eerie darkness filled my foggy view. It is such an unpleasant feeling that creeps up behind my back, making this pitiful, aching heart racing again. I am fully aware of this feel. Heck, how can I even forget that day?

That accursed 10th March 2021 marks a dark episode in my life. The day which makes me lost my glimmering hope, my one and only happiness that comes in the form of 12 amazing girls. I vividly remember my fellow WIZ*One family inside the bluebird app are frantically calming each other and tell ourselves to wait for an official statement regarding an unbelievable article that comes out of nowhere. It feels like the crack of my comfort zone becoming more apparent as the clock is ticking its second hand away. We are only greeted with a single Private Mail from our precious feather, Chaeyeon, expressing that she loved us and that she is sorry.

What is she sorry for?

Why is she suddenly saying all of this out of the blue?

Aren’t we all supposed to be happy for the upcoming concert, One: The Story that is just around the corner?

We told ourselves that everything will be fine, that this is just an advance April Fool.

It didn’t.

Things aren’t fine in the slightest at all.

Tears are rolling down from our cheeks upon realizing that our abrupt goodbye is all along, a bitter reality. Yes, I remember it right. Four months filled with anxiety and hopes come to an end after all. Some of us did do our best to send our supportive message every single day for the last 121 days, and I do admit that it is beyond amazing.

Sometimes, I do dream about a moment that our girls will come again as 12 and greet us as if nothing happened. I do wish that everything is just a long nightmare and once I am awake, this bad dream will go away. However, I am wrong.

Again and again, upon opening up my eyes, the realization hit me like a truck when I find that everything just happening inside my dream. It is just a fragment of my imagination that can only exist within another realm aside from reality.

Now that I already gathered my scattered mind, brilliant, dozens of lights suddenly blinking around me, forcing my eyes to shut tight. I didn’t realize it but upon opening my eyes, I find myself standing dumbfounded in front of a swirling portal that exudes an aura of inviting me to step into it.

What kind of portal is this?

I questioned myself and just stared at it suspiciously without batting even an eyelid. I just feel an unsettling thing is churning inside my stomach as the swirling portal is howling in my direction as if urging me to just allow myself to get into it. Of course, I didn’t have enough courage to do so. All along, I am just a coward who can do nothing but offer my love and support to the girls that make this harsh world slightly better than ever.

My breath hitched upon feeling a soft caress from the back of my palm before a firm grip intertwined with my fingers. The dozens of magical lights that accompany me earlier turned into the form of 12 breath-taking girls, each of them sporting their reassuring smiles as they look at me. At this moment, the truth that is hiding inside my heart leapt out. I know that all along, now or never, I need to step into that portal and go to the other side. I am actually aware of it but couldn’t find any strength remaining inside this empty husk to do so.

It is a hard thing to do but I do feel a bit braver as I look into their eyes that is offering nothing but comfort to me. I pursed my lips and whispered in a trembling voice, “Is it scary? Beyond this portal, can I even survive there?”

Eunbi that is standing at the end of the line comes over with her gentle, toothy smile and uttered, “It’s going to be fine.” Before I can get any words to come out, Sakura added, “You will do well. You always do.”

Tea