A Gift

What happens when we die?

Where do we open our eyes to when the veil of life has been lifted off from us?

Heaven?

Hades?

Or do we just stay dead?

But

Why do I feel so comfortable at this moment?

Why does it feel like I'm asleep on a feathered bed?

Does heaven have five stars service?

Do they sell eggs in heaven as well? Because this familiar smell of sizzling eggs and toast bread feels really welcoming and royal.

Why do I like this feeling?

It's like I'm back to being eighteen.

Back to early morning breakfast.

"Wake up, young miss." A hand carefully tugged me to open my eyes.

Young miss? This voice!

I opened my eyes at once and standing before me was Aunt. She was real.

At least.

For now.

"How are you here?" I looked around hastily trying to read my environment and to my greatest surprise, I was not in my hotel room nor was this place my house.

But

For some reason,

It felt humbly familiar.

It was home.

Home.

"Why am I here? Why are my things all here?" I continued looking around still not believing what I was seeing. 

How is this possible? How are all these things still intact as if I still use them everyday when I had abandoned them years ago?

And me. 

Why am I not dead? If not dead, why am I not in a hospital? Why am I here?

The avid pain the knife that man has wielded was still fresh. The blood. How he had bashed my head against the wall.

I groped my head hard.

The pain.

They were real.

But

Aunt held my hands again and caressed them like she did last night.

"Everything is a gift, darling." She spoke softly. "Breakfast is ready and remember you don't want to be late for school."

And with that, she walked out of the room after planting a kiss on my hair without giving me an explanation of what was happening. Why I was here and why she was here as well.

I took a quick look at my hands and my index finger piqued my interest. 

The rings.

How are they still here?

And what did she just say?

School?

Am I really back to being eighteen?

Am I back to being a highschool kid?

Am I back to being Aera?

What kind of miracle is this?

As I was still passing through rooms in my train of thoughts, the door suddenly opened and I walked in.

Maybe not me.

But Areum.

For a minute, we did nothing but stare at one another. She gently squeezed the handle of the door and continued watching me.

As if I shouldn't be here.

And suddenly, she rushed towards my bed and threw her arms around me engulfing me in a tight hug.

"I missed you all night." She cried into my ear and for a moment, I let that get to me. 

Truth be told, her hug was comforting and she smelled extra nice that morning. She pushed me out of the hug and said;

"C'mon, let's sleep together in the same room. Or is it just me? I tend to miss you more these days. I want to stay with you every minute, I want to be seen with you, I want to hold you always, I–"

She paused and she began to read my expression. Her gentle dove eyes searched for a question within my eyes and I couldn't help but wonder

What a devil.

"Is it just me who wants to hang out with you? You don't feel the same?"

I shook my head.

"Are you on your period?"

"Tch." She sulked. "Daddy is dropping us off at school. I will help you pack your bag so get ready for breakfast." She announced and walked towards my table and began packing my bag.

I watched her and still cannot fathom what had happened to me. What kind of second chance is this? Is the universe playing some games with my life at the moment? Things like this only happen in movies, but I get to experience it?

Or am I dreaming?

Or am I really dead?

"Aera!" Areum thundered, stomping her feet hard on the ground.

Her shout struck a dash in my heart and I had my focus shifted back to her. She pouted a little and said;

"Go and wash up. We are going to be late."

'I need to get this fishy smell off me.'

The memories from last night crept into my mind and the thought of taking a bath scared me to death. What if he comes in again to stab me? What if everything happens all over again?

"Or do you want me to take a bath with you? I will scrub you back really nicely– you will do the same for me as well." Areum raised a suggestion, her mood all bubbly.

"Okay." 

I replied, giving her a warm smile for the first time.

We are sisters anyway.

Twin sisters.

                 °~°~°~°

"I will send the driver to pick you both after school hours, okay?" Dad said as he drove through the busy streets of Seoul.

I was a little nervous.

But Areum was really excited.

I do not know why.

But I was nervous.

My eyes were caught in a web with dad in the rear view mirror as he drove. He looked mean for no reason and I twitched a little. I fondled my fingers and Areum was back with her bubbly act.

She grabbed my hand and examined it for a bit.

"Where did you order these rings?" She demanded looking into my eyes for an answer. "They are so pretty." She praised now returning her gaze to the rings.

I pulled my hand away from her and she frowned and after a while, she continued.

"Give me one of them. Let's twin them together."

"No, I can't give it to you." I refused blatantly.

"Why? Did you get them from a boy?"

"I don't want to talk about it." 

"Dad!"

Again, I locked eyes with my distant father and he gave me the 'give it to her look' but I do not care.

Not one bit.

Now I know how bad of a father he is to me.

Why should I obey him?

I withdrew my gaze and busied myself with counting the cars that drove past us. That should help me buy time till I get out of this car.

The weather forecaster began to read the day's weather over the radio:

⟨Today's weather forecast is calling for a light rain shower. The high temperature is expected to reach 20°C, with scattered clouds throughout the day.

 The rain is expected to begin in the late morning and continue through the afternoon, so be sure to bring an umbrella or rain jacket with you! While the rain may dampen your outdoor activities, it will also help to freshen up the air and water the plants. 

BE SURE TO HOLD AN UMBRELLA!⟩

I was sure my mind heard that part, but an umbrella was the last thing that was running through my mind. Now that I have my name, I need to find out why I am suddenly back in time. 

Back to being eighteen years old.

I saw father tuck Areum an umbrella and he gave a kiss on her cheek while he played a little with my hair.

"Goodbye, daughters."

I nodded and walked away from his car.

Away from Areum.

She called after me, but I was ignorant. And then, the rain shower began.

And me?

A helpless being without an umbrella.

A rain shower would have been manageable, but it suddenly started to pour hard and the nearest building to hide was a kilometer away from where I was. I had derailed off away from the main grounds just to stay apart from Areum and now, I have to face being drenched by the morning cold.

I removed my bag from behind with the intent of shielding my hair from being wet, but before I could take a dash, I suddenly couldn't feel the rain anymore and before me were white sneakers.

White male sneakers.

"Huh?"

I slowly looked up from the ground to see who was trying a facade from a high school melodrama with me and standing before me was none other than him.

Yes.

Him.

The phone guy.

The same guy I had seen in the news to have committed suicide.

The man with the warm arms.

He was standing before me, slowly panting and holding an umbrella over my head while he got a little drenched from behind.

How beautiful.