𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗬 [𝗦. 𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗢 & 𝗦. 𝗚𝗢𝗝𝗢]

01

𝑁𝑜𝑤 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔  
𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙖 𝙊𝙛 𝙔𝙤𝙪  𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋
  Tokenai Namae

「ᴀ ᴄʟᴜᴍsʏ ɢɪʀʟ ɪs sʜᴀᴋɪɴɢ」

𖣠

January 2019

As the first light of dawn began to filter through the thin curtains, a woman stirred from her sleep. The room was still, the only sound being the faint hum of the heater in the corner. She slowly rose from her bed, wrapping herself in a thick, woolen shawl to ward off the morning chill. Her breath formed small clouds in the cold air as she walked towards the window.

Sliding open the curtains, the woman was greeted by a breathtaking sight. The entire landscape was blanketed in a pristine layer of snow, transforming the bustling city of Tokyo into a serene winter wonderland. The rooftops of the surrounding apartment buildings were capped with soft, white mounds, and the bare branches of trees lining the street were weighed down by the delicate flakes.

She pressed her forehead against the cold glass, watching as the snowflakes danced gracefully in the air before settling silently on the ground. The concrete sidewalks and streets, usually teeming with life, were now empty, their surfaces hidden beneath the thick snow. The modern apartment complex, with its uniform balconies and windows, stood in stark contrast to the organic shapes of the snow-covered trees, yet the snow seemed to unite them in a blanket of tranquility.

Her eyes followed the path of a single snowflake, from its descent through the crisp air to its gentle landing on the windowsill. She marveled at its intricate design, a tiny masterpiece of nature, before it melted away into a tiny droplet of water.

If she was being truly honest with herself, the scene reminded her so much of her own fragile existence. She stood there, delicate and alone, gazing out the window. The feeling of isolation was overwhelming, as if she was slowly dissolving, melting away with the bit of water that streaked down the glass.

She couldn't quite grasp why these thoughts were resurfacing now. It was as if the sight of the snow outside triggered something deep within her, pulling her back to that recurring, dreadful dream. In the dream, everything was distorted; voices around her were muffled, her eyes were open but her vision was hazy and unclear. The only color she could make out was a vivid red, and the sensation of water trickling down her skin was all too real, sending shivers down her spine. It was a haunting reminder of her vulnerability and the weight of her unspoken fears.

She couldn't quite comprehend how she ended up in this situation, but she knew she despised it. It felt as though she was trapped in a void, lying on a wet, flooded road. Yet, it was just a dream.

So why did it feel so painfully real?

Her eyes, once filled with wonder as they gazed at the delicate snowfall outside, turned into a vacant stare. She quickly pulled the curtains shut, trying to block out the unsettling memory. Even though it was just a dream, she loathed it with every fiber of her being.