A lazy summer day off. A girl lay sprawled on her bed, mindlessly scrolling through social media. Downstairs, in the kitchen, her mother bustled about—a woman in her late thirties who adored tidying up on weekends. And since the day had come around again, she dove into cleaning. Part of her plan included making a grocery list for the upcoming week, which she was jotting down at that very moment.
Once the list was complete, the young woman headed upstairs and knocked on her daughter's door.
"Come in!"
The mother stepped inside, greeted by a neat and orderly room.
"Oh, do you need me to go grocery shopping?" The girl turned off her phone screen, swung her legs off the bed, and walked over as her mother handed her the list.
"Yes, sweetheart. And while you're out, I'll clean up your room," her mother replied.
"Sure, Mom." The girl nodded and went to change into something more suitable for going outside.
Thanks to the warm summer weather, all the windows in the house were wide open. Meanwhile, the girl's mother pulled back the curtains and sheer drapes before starting her cleaning.
Standing in front of her closet in a pink tank top and blue shorts, the girl eyed the hangers, pondering what to wear. Then, one particular hanger caught her attention.
"I'll wear this today!"
She grabbed the hanger and draped it over the chair by her vanity—the spot where she usually got ready.
"Oh, wearing that today? You don't put that on often," her mother remarked.
"Exactly why I should fix that," the girl replied, scooping up her laundry before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.
After washing her face, applying light makeup, and getting dressed, she made her way to the front door.
"I'm heading out!" she called before stepping outside.
An hour later, the girl emerged from the shopping center with two heavy grocery bags. Near the mall was a fountain surrounded by benches, where she decided to take a quick break. She wanted to double-check the items on her list one last time before heading home.
As she approached the fountain, she noticed a guy around her age sitting hunched over—wearing armor, his helmet removed. Something about him seemed… off.
Curious, she walked over, set down her bags, and sat between them and the strange boy. Then, she turned her head slightly, studying him. His hair and eyes looked too real—unnervingly so, as if they truly belonged to another era.
In silence, she stared at the blond boy with sapphire-blue eyes, her gaze practically burning into him. Eventually, he turned and met her stare.