The room was small and slightly messy. School bags dropped near the door. A jacket hang halfway off a chair. The window was open just a little, letting cool night air.
Outside the night was alive in its usual way. Crickets chirped steadily. The occasional bark of a dog. Inside, though, it was calm. The faint light from the moon cast shadows on the walls as the two girls sat facing each other on the bed, cross-legged. They were close enough that their knees almost touched.
Lia, with her long dark-brown hair draped down her shoulders, was twirling Mina’s fingers between hers. Her movements were slow, almost absent-minded. Mina sat there, eyes soft and focused on Lia, her arms resting loosely in her lap.
Mina’s thoughts drifted. The rhythmic twirl of Lia’s fingers around hers felt comforting. She could feel her heartbeat, steady and slow. Her cheeks were slightly warm.
The crickets outside kept chirping.
Neither of them seemed in a rush to speak.
Just the soft sound of their breathing, the twirl of Lia’s fingers and the occasional shift of their positions on the bed. Every now and then, Mina would glance up at Lia, catching her eyes.
“Nightmare again?” Lia asked softly.
Mina nodded once.
“Hmm.”
“What was it about now?”
Mina looked at her seriously.
“That you fell… and your spine came out from your mouth.”
Lia’s mouth slowly fell open.
She stared at Mina.
“Heh?!”
“It was very detailed.”
Lia slowly let go of Mina’s finger. Very slowly, without breaking eye contact, she started scooting backward on the bed.
An inch.
Then another.
Mina blinked.
Lia kept scooting back like Mina might suddenly transform into something.
Mina rolled her eyes and leaned forward, grabbing Lia by the wrist before she could escape any further. She pulled her back easily.
“Stop it.”
Lia pouted in mock annoyance, but then she leaned closer to Mina, their faces only inches apart.
“Why am I always dying in your dreams ?” Lia complained dramatically.
Mina tilted her head slightly.
“Maybe it’s a message.”
“A message?”
Mina nodded once keeping her face serious.
“That you will die a horrific death.”
A pause.
Lia stared at her.
The she started scooting away again, faster this time. Mina grabbed her again intending to pull her back. Lia resisted. She pushed her feet against the mattress and slid further away, dragging Mina slightly forward with her. Mina tightened her grip and tried to yank her back, but Lia twisted sideways and crawled away like she was escaping something cursed.
Mina leaned forward again and grabbed the back of Lia’s sleeve.
Lia shook her arm wildly.
Mina held on.
They struggled silently for a few seconds. Lia kept trying to crawl away while Mina slowly dragged her back inch by inch.
Lia finally gave in. She moved closer and climbed into Mina’s space, sitting on her thighs while still facing her. She wrapped her legs around Mina’s waist, their bodies now pressed together.
The closeness took Mina by surprise and her heart thumped so loudly she was sure Lia could feel it. Her cheeks turned red almost instantly. Her eyes grew glossy from the sudden rush of emotions and she quietly looked down to avoid eye contact.
Lia noticed, of course and gently cupped Mina’s face in her hands, lifting her chin up so their eyes met.
“You know how many sleepovers we’ve had now?” Lia asked softly.
Mina giggled, her breath catching in her throat.
“I don’t have nightmares when I’m here.” she admitted, her arms wrapping around Lia’s waist without a second thought.
“With you,” she added in a quiet, almost shy whisper.
The moment lingered, and for a brief second, it felt like time had slowed down around them. The weight of their closeness, the warmth of the silence between them - it was perfect in its simplicity.
...
“What if I’m not here?”
Mina blinked.
“Heh.”
Lia leaned forward a little. Her face serious.
“What if I’m not here?”
Mina frowned slightly but didn’t answer.
‘What if I’m not here!” Lia repeated, a little louder this time like she was pushing the idea on purpose.
“Then I’ll find you.”
“And if you don’t”
Mina didn’t hesitate.
“I’ll find you.”
“And if you can’t?” Lia pressed.
Mina’s hands tightened around Lia’s waist. She leaned slightly so their faces were closer.
“I’ll find you.” she repeated.
Lia opened her mouth to say something else but Mina spoke first this time.
“I’LL FIND you.”
The room went quiet after that.
Mina’s expression slowly changed.
“Your being weird. Why..”
“WHAT IF I DIE.”
Lia said it suddenly.
Mina blinked.
“What if I die Mina.”
Silence.
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
“What are you talking about…Why are you…”
Mina shook her head a little, confused.
“You’re not going to di…”
Lia leaned forward.
Closer.
And closer.
Until their faces were only inches apart.
Their noses were almost touching. Lia’s lips hovered just short of touching hers. Their breathing slowed and then strangely matched, falling into the same rhythm.
For a full ten seconds neither of them moved. The room felt very quiet.
Then suddenly
Lia pushed her self backward and collapsed sideways on the bed. She rolled across the mattress, her legs sliding free from around Mina’s waist.
“I’m joking!” she said, giggling.
Mina sat there, still frozen from how close Lia had been.
“We can have as many sleepovers as you want…” Lia continued casually, like nothing strange had just happened.
She rolled again until she reached Mina, then wrapped her arms around Mina’s waist.
“I’ll protect you. I’ll make sure those nightmares go away.”
She rested her cheek lightly against Mina’s stomach.
“I’m sure dream Lia has gotten tired of being massacred daily.”
Mina let out a small giggle.
Her hand moved down gently and brushed through Lia’s hair as Lia clung to her like a sleepy cat.
…PRESENT…
“YOU WHAT?!!
“Shh!”
Lia reached over quickly and smacked Mina’s arms.
The city was just waking up.
Morning light stretched between the tall buildings, pale and soft. Storefront shutters were being rolled up one by one. A bakery on the corner had already opened. And the warm smell of fresh bread drifted into the cool air. A few early commuters passed by slowly.
Lia walked with her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, her expression calm but firm.
Mina, on the other hand, was staring at her like she had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.
…
Earlier that morning.
Mina woke up slowly, still warm and wrapped tightly in Lia’s blanket.
The room was quiet, filled with soft gray morning light coming through the curtains.
Memory returned in pieces.
They had talked late into the night.
Holding each other.
And eventually falling asleep in each other’s arms.
Mina sat up slowly.
She pulled her knees up toward her chest and wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, the fabric bunching around her shoulders. Her hair was messy and falling into her face as she stared sleepily at the room.
She could hear faint sounds from the bathroom.
The door opened a few seconds later.
Lia stepped out, drying her hands with a towel. Her hair was slightly damp near the front and she looked more awake than Mina already.
Lia glanced at her and smiled faintly.
She walked toward the bed slowly, climbed onto it and sat in front of her. Without saying anything, she reached out and paced her palm gently against Mina’s cheek.
“Are you okay?” Lia asked softly. “Did you sleep well?”
Mina nodded once.
Lia studied her face for a moment.
“Nightmare?” she asked quietly.
Mina shook her head twice.
Lia let out a small breath of relief and smiled softly. Her hand dropped from Mina’s cheek and rested on her lap.
For a few seconds neither of them spoke.
The quiet in the room wasn’t uncomfortable. Just heavy with things neither of them had said yet.
Mina shifted slightly and opened her mouth.
“LI…”
“I want you to move in with me.”
The words come out suddenly.
Mina blinked.
“Huh?!”
“Move in with me.”
Silence fell between them again.
She stared at Lia.
Lia’s face was serious. There was no hesitation in her eyes, no hint that she had said it as a joke.
“Are you su…”
“Yes I’m sure.”
Lia leaned back slightly, her voice quieter now.
“Nowadays every time your alone something happens.”
She paused again, her voice softer now.
“I’m worried about you….I can’t lose you, if anything ever happen…” Her voice tightened slightly.
“Something is happening to you,” Lia continued. “I’m afraid that I won’t be there when you need me.”
Mina’s gaze slowly dropped to her hands.
Her eyes had already started to shine with tears that hadn’t fallen yet.
For a moment she just sat there, silent.
Then she lifted her head again and reached for Lia’s hand. She held it gently, her fingers softly caressing the back of Lia’s hand.
“Okay…”
Lia blinked.
“But…”
“But?” Lia asked.
Mina tilted her head slightly and raised her hand.
“Where are you going to go when you and Elos want to…”
She lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers weirdly.
Lia stared at her.
Her expression shifted into pure disgust.
“...What is wrong with you?”
She began shifting away like she was physically repulsed, preparing to climb off the bed.
Mina giggled softly.
Before Lia could escape, Mina lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Lia from behind. She pressed her face into Lia’s back, hugging her tightly.
….
“You what…!”
Mina said it again, but this time she kept her voice low. She leaned closer to Lia as they walked.
“I told him that I loved him.”
Mina’s eyes softened. She studied Lia’s face for a moment before speaking again.
“Why?”
Lia blinked at her.
“What do you mean why…I - “
“What did he say?” Mina cut in gently.
Lia’s steps slowed. For a moment she didn’t answer. Her eyes dropped toward the ground, watching the pavement move under her feet.
“Nothing.”
There was a short silence between them.
Mina stared at Lia. Her eyes were unfocused, staring somewhere ahead and a quiet little smile had formed on her lips. Every few seconds she giggled softly to herself like she was replaying something in her head.
They turned the corner and finally reached Mina’s apartment building.
The tall metal gate stood closed at the entrance, its bars painted dark but chipped in places from years of use. Beyond it was the small compound that led to the apartment blocks.
Behind the bars, near the wall, the night watchman was sleeping.
His chair was tilted back dangerously against the wall. His hat had slipped down over his face, covering his eyes. One of his arms hung lazily off the side of the chair while his mouth was slightly open as he snored quietly.
“RAGHU!” Mina shouted.
The man twitched slightly in his chair.
But he didn’t wake up.
Mina narrowed her eyes.
“RAGHU!”
Still nothing.
The man was completely knocked out.
She took a step closer to the gate and grabbed one of the metal bars.
“MR. RAGHU WAKE UP!”
Her voice echoed across the compound.
The man suddenly jerked awake. His chair wobbled violently under him. For a second it looked like he was about to flip backward completely. His arms flailed around wildly as he tried to regain balance.
“Wha….?!”
The chair slammed back down onto all four legs. His hat slid off his face and dropped into his lap as he blinked rapidly.
He squinted toward the gate.
“...Morning,” Mina said flatly.
Raghu rubbed his eyes and groaned, still half asleep.
“Oh… Miss Mina…”
He slowly pushed himself out of the chair and shuffled toward the gate, scratching the back of is head. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a set of keys and slowly unlocked the padlock.
…
Lia stood at the edge of Mina’s bed , watching in disbelief.
Mina was kneeling on the floor beside the bed with a large travel bag open in front of her.
And she was stuffing it.
Not with clothes.
Not with books.
But with plushies.
Hello Kitty plushies.
A lot of them.
Different sizes, Different outfits. Some small enough to fit in one hand, others almost the size of a pillow..
Mina grabbed another one from the bed and shoved it into the bag.
Then another.
Then another.
The bag was already bulging.
After that, they finally moved on to actual important things.
Clothes.
Mina pulled shirts, skirts, jackets and sweaters from her closet while Lia folded them neatly and stacked them inside a suitcase.
They packed shoes into a small box, along with Mina’s hairbrush, charger cables and a few books she insisted on bringing.
The apartment slowly started to look emptier.
Within an hour, One large suitcase, boxes and a few bags were sitting near the front door.
Mina looked around the room quietly.
Then back at Lia.
“...That’s most of it.”
Lia nodded.
….
They spent the rest of the morning moving things around.
At first it had looked impossible.
Lia’s apartment had always been neat and simple. Everything had its place. There wasn’t much extra space for unnecessary things. Mina’s things, on the other hand, seemed to multiply every time they opened another bag.
But little by little, the apartment started changing.
The living room / bed room was the first place they worked on. Mina unpacked small decorative things from her bags, while Lia shifted furniture slightly to make room.
Lia’s closet had also been reorganized.
Before, it had only held Lia’s clothes and a few of Mina’s from the times she visited, neatly arranged with plenty of space between them. Now half of the closet belonged to Mina. Her shirts and skirts hung beside Lia’s, the different styles mixing together.
Even the shoe rack near the door looked fuller now.
Mina’s plushies were everywhere. Scattered across the bed. Some leaned against the pillows while others sat near the headboard like tiny guards watching over the room.
The bathroom had changed too.
Two tooth brushes now leaned against each other inside the same cup beside the sink. Their shampoos and soaps now shared the same narrow shelf in the shower. Mina had also brought a small bottle of scented body wash that made the entire bathroom smell faintly sweet.
Behind the bathroom door there was a small tight space that Lia rarely used before. Now it was packed. Stacks of tissues, extra soap, small bottles and other necessities were arranged carefully there. Mina had organized everything in a way that somehow made the tiny space hold far more that it should have.
…
They were sitting on Lia’s bed again.
Both of them were cross-legged, facing each other.
The room smelled faintly of shampoo and warm water from the shower they had taken earlier. Their hair was wrapped up in small towels tied loosely around their heads.
Between them, sat a large bowl of ramen.
Mina leaned forward and slurped a long strand of noodles into her mouth.
“Slrrrp.”
Lia did the same from the other side.
Lia had pulled on a loose white t-shirt with thin black trim and a short black pleated skirt. Mina’s clothes were similar, but softer. She wore and oversized pastel shirt, paired with a dark pleated skirt. The shirt had a tiny Hello Kitty print.
For a moment the only sound in the room was the quiet slurping of noodles and the occasional clink of chopsticks against the bowl.
“Slrrrp.”
“Slrrrp.”
“Slrrrp.”
Then…
Vrrr.
Lia’s phone vibrated on the bed beside her.
She glanced at it briefly.
Ignored.
She leaned forward again and continued slurping her ramen.
The phone vibrated again.
Vrrrr.
Mina kept chewing calmly.
Lia still ignored it.
A few seconds passed.
Then…
Vrrr
Lia sighed and finally reached over to grab it.
She looked at the screen.
“Minaaaa…”
“Mm…” Mina answered, still chewing.
“We were supposed to have deliveries today, right?”
She was already moving before Mina could answer. Lia quickly pushed herself off the bed and scrambled to her feet.
“The delivery lady is standing in front of the cafe right now!” she said, half laughing and half panicking.
She rushed toward the door, slipping her feet into a pair of outside slippers . She grabbed her shoulder bag from the desk.
“I’ll be back!”
“...I’ll be quick.”
Before Mina could respond, Lia rushed out and slammed the door behind her.
Two seconds later the door opened again.
Lia leaned back inside just long enough to rip the towel off her head and fling it onto the bed.
Then she disappeared again. The door shut.
Mina slowly lifted another strand of noodles with her chopsticks.
And slurped.
…
Vrrr
Her phone buzzed softly on the bed beside her.
Mina glanced down and picked it up.
A message from Lia.
She already left. I’m waiting for her to come back.
I’ll be right back. Stay there .
…
Mina finally finished the last of the ramen.
She tilted the large bowl slightly and slurped the remaining broth, then lowered it with a small satisfied sigh. The room had gone quiet again now that Lia had rushed out. The faint sounds of the street outside filtered through the window. Somewhere downstairs someone was dragging a chair across the floor.
She scooted across the bed toward the edge.
Still holding the bowl with both hands.
She leaned forward slightly.
Her foot stretched down toward the floor.
Plop.
The sound was small.
But wrong.
Instead of touching the floor, her foot sank.
Cold.
Wet.
Before Mina could even process what had happened, her balance shifted.
Her body dropped forward.
Her hands flailed wildly as the bed disappeared beneath her.
Water closed over her head.
Her eyes flew open in shock as her entire body plunged downward into dark, freezing water. The sudden cold shocked the air out of her lungs.
Her arms began thrashing immediately.
Her movements were clumsy and desperate. Her hands pushed uselessly at the water around her, grabbing at nothing. Her legs kicked wildly without rhythm, sending bubbles rushing upward around her face.
Her mouth opened in panic. Water rushed in.
The bowl of ramen drifted quietly somewhere below her, spinning slowly as it vanished into the black.
The deeper she sank, the darker the water became. Her chest tightened painfully as the last bit of air escaped her mouth in a stream of bubbles.
Her arms moved slower now.
Heavier.
Her body kept sinking.
Down.
Down.
Down.
Then..
She slammed hard onto solid ground.
Air exploded back into her lungs violently.
She rolled onto her side immediately and vomited a heavy gush of water onto the ground, coughing and chocking as her body convulsed.
Her chest heaved.
Her throat burned.
She forced in a shaky breath.
Then another.
“How strange.”
Mina froze.
Her breathing was still rough as she slowly lifted her head.
A slow step echoed somewhere nearby.
A dark figure stood several steps away, barely visible in the dim space around them.
Another step forward.
“Pathetic.”
Another step.
“Weakness.”
One final step forward.
The figure now stood directly over her.
Mina’s body remained frozen against the ground.
“No mercy.”
“No hesitation.”
“You should have died when your thread snapped.”
The voice became absolute.
Silence.
Mina couldn’t move.
Her body trembled slightly against the ground. Her eyes were wide and locked on the figure standing over her. Her hands pressed weakly against the surface beneath her as she tried to push herself back. Her mouth twitched faintly. But no words came out.
Fear held her completely still.
The figure slowly lifted its hands outward. Something began forming in the empty air between them.
A long curved blade slowly appeared growing from nothing, the handle extending into the figure’s grip.
A scythe.
“I will correct Lord Death’s mistake.”
The blade moved.
Fast.
It rushed downward toward her face in a blur of silver and black. The air split sharply as the curved edge cut through it.
Her eyes widened.
Everything slowed.
The blade filled her entire vision as it descended toward her -
_
“Wh…?”
Mina blinked.
The world snapped back.
In front of her
A man was crouching.
White hair.
The same man.
The one who had been inside her apartment the other day.
And he was very, very close to her face