ATTACHED • Winrina

• chapter nine • UPDATED

Winter stood nervously beneath the magnificent cherry blossom tree, its boughs adorned with delicate pink flowers, petals swirling gently down like confetti from a long-forgotten festival. The air was imbued with the sweet perfume of blossoms, a sight that usually brought her comfort, yet today, it heightened her anxiety. She glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time, her heart racing faster with each passing minute. What was she thinking, coming here to meet someone who existed in a completely different time?

"Alright, breathe," she whispered to herself, steadying her racing heart. At least she wore her favorite lilac coat that matched the hues of the sunset filtering through the blossoms. But as beautiful as it was, the picturesque scene felt surreal, more like an illusion than reality.

The letters had become her lifeline. Each envelope carried snippets of Jimin's world, filled with dreams, laughter, and sometimes even secrets that made her feel closer to her enigmatic penpal. After ten months of pouring her heart out onto paper, she felt like she knew Jimin. But now, here she was, about to meet the very person who had colored her life in intriguing shades of hope-even though they were separated by decades. They talked about cultural differences. Jimin got amazed by how far tech and savvy people were in the future.

Suddenly, she noticed a shimmer wafting through the air, the result of her overactive imagination or maybe just the intoxicating fragrance of the flowers. The tension in her chest swelled, a whisper of intrigue nudging her forward. What if she got it all wrong? What if Jimin was nothing like she had imagined?

The thought gnawed at her. A storm gathered in her heart, battling between anticipation and doubt. "What if this is all a mistake?" she muttered, wrapping her arms around herself in a futile attempt to ward off the chill that wasn't just from the air.

As she stood lost in thought, the gentle breeze intensified, and all at once, a glimmer of golden light erupted beneath the vast branches of the cherry blossom tree. Winter gasped, her eyes wide as she stepped back. Was this how it ended? A dramatic portal to nowhere?

But before she could gather her bearings, a figure stepped out of the light, tall and ethereal, bathed in the golden glow. The moment froze, and her breath caught in her throat as the shimmering mist began to dissipate, revealing a strikingly handsome young woman with dark hair falling gracefully over her shoulders, dressed in an elegant hanbok that mirrored the colors of the blossoms surrounding them.

"Winter?" The name rolled off the figure's lips, tentative yet filled with wonder.

She was beautiful, but more than that, there was an undeniable familiarity about her. Winter's heart raced as she realized-this was Jimin. Her Jimin. "You're real!" she blurted out, taking a step closer, disbelief dancing in her eyes.

Jimin's face lit up, a brilliant smile breaking across her features. "And you're just as I imagined!"

Winter stumbled for words, overwhelmed by the waves of emotion. All those intimate moments spent pouring their souls onto paper, imagining who the other might be-that connection was now glowing right in front of her. "I thought... I thought you were just a figment of my imagination. How is this possible?"

Jimin laughed, a sound that rang like a melody amidst the warm, floral air. "I've been asking myself the same thing! I never expected to meet you...like this."

As the reality settled in, Winter's heart soared. Each step they took toward each other felt like a journey across time itself. "So, um... how does it feel to time travel?" she asked playfully, trying to quell her nerves. "Is it everything you've dreamed of?"

Jimin's laughter bubbled again, a delightful sound that enveloped them both. "Well, I'm still getting used to the idea that you might still be writing letters to me in my time...and here I am, standing in front of you."

"If my correspondence with you is anything to go by, I write the most romantic letters," Winter teased, a smirk playing on her lips. "Speaking of which, do you think it's still appropriate to send letters back to you when I get back?"

"Definitely!" Jimin leaned in, the playful glint in her eyes sparkling. "But maybe we can use more modern means of communication? I'm sure they have phones or...something, right?"

"No, but that is interesting, tell me more about your technology in modern days!" Jimin declared, eyes wide with excitement. "It would be so much easier than waiting days for letters, not to mention we could FaceTime!"

"FaceTime?" Jimin raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like a huge leap from a penpal relationship. Are we really ready to go from letters to facetime in one go, hmm?"

Winter shrugged, her cheeks flushing slightly. "What can I say? You seduced me with your words. Now I crave your actual face!"

Feeling the tension melt from her shoulders, Winter couldn't help but radiate joy. There was something undeniably magical about this spontaneous rendezvous. Jimin, too, radiated warmth, as her expressive eyes sparkled with the promise of both mischief and sincerity.

"Let's make a pact," Jimin proposed enthusiastically, reaching out to link pinky fingers-a lost gesture that sent butterflies fluttering in Winter's heart. "No more hiding behind walls of time. Let's keep writing, but also do this. Let's meet in between our worlds...as often as we can!"

Winter's heart soared at the thought of unknown adventures that awaited them. "Agreed! But how do we plan our next rendezvous? It'll take a miracle to align the timelines."

"We can leave it to fate," Jimin replied earnestly, her smile infectious. "Perhaps destiny will find a way. There are cherry blossoms all over the world, you know."

Winter giggled. "I haven't seen literally any of them! I've only seen these." She twirled in delight, petals falling around her, and as she stopped, her eyes met Jimin's, vibrant with a mix of excitement and promise.

"Then let this be the first chapter of our new adventure," Jimin said, stepping closer until their fingers brushed together. A soft warmth ignited between them, like a spark igniting fireworks.

In that moment, the cherry blossom tree seemed to sway in agreement, petals swirling around them, like a gentle reminder that love can transcend time, space, and even the boundaries of imagination.

With shared laughter, they embraced their uncertainties, crafting the most beautiful tapestry of friendship, love, and adventure-a story waiting to unfold beneath the pink petals of cherry blossoms, in an era that no longer seemed divided but alive, bursting with new beginnings across time and destiny.

Now all Winter needs to figure is, how will she get a phone for Jimin. Will the phone work? Who knows what mystery is there in the past, circa '50s.