Gold stood by her wardrobe longer than she needed to.
Her fingers hovered over the fabrics, brushing lightly against them without actually choosing.
Still.
Nothing felt right.
Not because there was nothing to wear—
But because every option suddenly felt like it carried a weight it never used to.
Something as simple as getting dressed shouldn't feel like this.
Yet here she was… thinking too much about it.
A soft knock broke through the quiet.
"Are you ready or are you planning to stand there all day?"
Lina.
A breath slipped out of her before she could stop it.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Lina stepped in without hesitation, her presence immediately pushing against the stillness in the room.
She stopped when she saw her.
"You haven't even picked anything."
A small pause followed.
"I was about to."
Lina raised a brow, already walking closer.
"No," she said, glancing at the untouched clothes.
"You were thinking about it."
That earned the faintest reaction.
Not quite a smile—
But close enough to notice.
Lina moved past her, already going through the wardrobe like she had every right to.
"If I leave you to do this alone, we'll never leave the house."
"I would've chosen something."
"Eventually," Lina muttered.
Fabric shifted softly as she pulled something out, holding it up with a quick, decisive nod.
"This.
Simple.
Easy.
No overthinking."
Her gaze moved to it.
It was… fine.
A light outfit.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Nothing special.
Nothing that demanded attention.
Just something she would've worn on any other normal day.
"…Okay."
Lina didn't miss the tone, but she didn't question it either.
Instead, she handed it over.
"Good. Get dressed. I'm not wasting today watching you spiral."
That word lingered for a second—
Then passed.
A few minutes later, she stood in front of the mirror.
The fabric settled against her skin easily.
Too easily.
Like it belonged to a version of her that felt further away now.
Her fingers adjusted the sleeve slightly, smoothing it down before pausing.
Her reflection stared back.
Same face.
Same posture.
Same everything.
And yet—
Something felt… different.
Not visible.
But there.
A quiet shift she couldn't explain.
"Are you done in there?" Lina called from outside.
A blink.
"Yeah."
She turned away before she could look any longer.
The air outside felt lighter.
Cooler.
Different from the stillness she had just stepped out of.
They walked side by side, Lina naturally taking the lead without saying it out loud.
"So," Lina started, glancing over, "today, you're not thinking."
A small pause.
"That's not something you can just turn off."
"Watch me try," Lina replied lightly.
"You're borrowing my brain today."
That almost pulled a real reaction.
Almost.
They kept walking.
The streets stretched ahead, alive in their usual rhythm.
People moving past them.
Voices blending into each other.
Cars passing by in a steady flow.
Everything carried on like nothing had changed.
It felt familiar.
But something about it didn't settle the same way anymore.
"Don't drift," Lina said suddenly.
A blink.
"I didn't."
"You were about to."
A look followed that, but Lina only shrugged.
"Come on."
They turned a corner—
And everything opened up.
Color.
Sound.
Movement.
A small funfair had been set up at the far end of the park.
Nothing too grand.
But enough to pull people in.
Strings of lights hung loosely between poles, even in daylight.
Soft music drifted through the air.
Laughter rose and fell in uneven bursts.
People moved between rides and small stalls, filling the space with life.
Lina slowed.
Then smiled.
"Perfect."
A glance was enough.
"…We don't have to."
"We do," Lina said, already walking forward.
"No arguments."
And just like that—
She was pulled along again.
The air felt warmer inside the space.
Closer.
Fuller.
Footsteps overlapped.
Voices blended.
The low hum of machines mixed with distant chatter.
They passed a small game stall, Lina pausing immediately.
"Oh, you're trying this."
"I'm not—"
Too late.
A few coins were already exchanged.
"Win me something," Lina said, stepping aside with a grin.
A quiet breath left her as she picked up the ring.
It had been a long time since she did something like this.
Simple.
Pointless.
Normal.
She threw once.
Missed.
Lina clicked her tongue dramatically.
"Wow. I chose the wrong person."
A second throw.
Closer.
A third—
A soft clink.
The ring landed properly this time.
Lina gasped like it was the most impressive thing she had ever seen.
"No way—you actually did it."
A small prize was handed over.
Nothing special.
Just something small.
Lina took it anyway, holding it up with exaggerated pride.
"See? I knew bringing you was a good idea."
A faint smile slipped through before she could stop it.
Small.
But real.
For a while—
It worked.
They moved from one spot to another.
Nothing serious.
Nothing heavy.
Just moments.
Light.
Easy.
Until—
They finally ended up on the ferris wheel.
It moved slower than the others.
Lifting them gradually.
The ground pulling away inch by inch beneath them.
Wind brushed softly against her face as they rose higher, cooler now, quieter.
The park stretched out below.
People turning into smaller figures.
Voices fading into distant noise.
The higher they went—
The quieter everything became.
For a moment—
Everything slowed.
The movement.
The sound.
Even her breathing.
And just like that—
Her thoughts slipped.
Ten days.
The number settled in clearly.
No distraction.
No delay.
Her gaze stayed fixed on the distance.
On the space between where she was…
And where she would be.
"It's happening… whether we like it or not."
Her fingers stilled against the edge of the seat.
The metal felt cool under her touch.
The air thinner somehow.
The silence stretched.
"He—"
"Hey."
The voice came in gently.
Not sharp.
Not loud.
She turned.
Lina was already watching her.
No teasing.
No smile.
Just there.
"Don't go far on me," she said softly.
A pause.
Something in her chest shifted.
Not heavy.
Not painful.
Just enough to feel.
"I'm here," she replied.
And this time—
She tried to mean it.
The wheel began to lower again.
Slow.
Steady.
Bringing everything back into place.
They stepped off without saying much.
The noise returned.
The movement.
The life.
But something had changed.
Not around them.
Within.
They walked again.
Slower now.
The energy had softened.
The laughter from before felt… further away.
Not gone.
Just not close enough to hold onto.
Her gaze moved over everything one more time.
The lights.
The people.
The moments passing without weight.
All of it still there.
All of it untouched.
A quiet breath left her.
"…Let's go back."
Lina glanced over.
Held the look for a second.
Then nodded.
"Yeah."
No questions.
They turned.
Walking away from the noise.
From the light.
From the moment.
And as the distance grew—
It became clear.
Everything around her was still the same.
But she wasn't.
Her hand shifted slightly at her side—
Then paused.
A soft vibration.
Her phone.
For a second—
She didn't check it.
Didn't move.
Something about it felt…
Intentional.
"Are you going to look at it?" Lina asked lightly.
A small pause.
Then—
She reached for it.
The screen lit up.
An unknown number.
Just one message.
Short.
Cold.
Unmistakable.
"Be ready tomorrow."
Her fingers stilled.
The noise around her faded again—
But this time—
Not gently.
And suddenly—
Ten days didn't feel like ten anymore.