Archive of Our Own

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01_canon-in-d-major_pachelbel.flac

Mira was tired from walking along the beach. How long had she been out there already? She had no idea. At some point she'd completely lost track of time, so she pulled out her phone and realized she'd been walking nonstop for almost two hours. Yeah, her legs were probably going to kill her later. Luckily for her, the sky had been cloudy since she woke up that morning. That was the whole reason she'd decided to go out in the first place. Explore the town a little. Clear her head. Except she hadn't explored anything at all. She'd gone straight to the beach and started walking as if her life depended on it.

Eventually, she sat down on the sand and stared out at the ocean. The sound of the waves, the cool air, the distant cries of seagulls, the absence of people around her… little by little, everything started pulling her in. “Well… at least it's peaceful”, she thought. Far out on the horizon, she could see clouds much darker than the ones hanging over the coast. They were moving fast. It was probably going to rain soon.

She thought about getting up and heading back. But was she really supposed to walk another two hours? What other choice did she have? Leave the beach, get back onto the road, and hope she'd find someone willing to give her a ride, which, honestly, sounded like the smart option. But she'd have to hurry. The wind had already reached the shore, and the rain was probably closer than she thought. So she stood up automatically, driven by that constant need to do everything quickly and correctly. A habit she'd inherited from her parents.

Mira was always anxious.

Anxious about doing things perfectly. About saying the right thing. About overthinking every little movement, every word, even the smallest interactions. Sometimes she'd get nervous just ordering food and asking for no pickles.

And right now, she had a serious problem… well, actually, two. But the one that worried her the most—the one she kept trying to solve, or maybe just escape from—was her wedding.

She'd been dating Hansol, her brother's best friend, for five years. And over the last couple of years, both him and her parents had started pushing harder and harder for marriage, while Mira spent most nights wondering the same thing: did she really love him enough to spend the rest of her life with him? It wasn't that Hansol was a bad person. He wasn't. She cared about him deeply. But marriage? Growing old together?

Forever?

…

Mira wasn't sure… and that was exactly why she'd run away.

No. She did not run away.

She was just taking a break.

Ever since she'd arrived there two days ago, Mira had been nervous. She hadn't even left the house. Fuck, she shouldn't even be there in the first place. In her entire life, this was the first time she'd ever truly "rebelled" against her family's control... and against Hansol's too.

No. Not rebellion. She was just taking a break.

Still, when she got on that bus to the coastal town, she'd genuinely felt like she was about to shit herself.

The house didn't even belong to her family. It belonged to Bobby, her mother's manager. A few weeks earlier, he'd simply taken Mira's hands and placed something between them before casually saying, "I have a place. If you need it, you can stay there." Then he'd walked away down the hallway like nothing had happened. Mira had looked down in confusion and realized he had left a set of keys in her hands.

And honestly, at first she'd completely misunderstood the whole thing.

Why was he offering her "a place"? Why did he give her the keys? But Bobby never seemed to have any ulterior motives. He was one of the few people who had seen firsthand how her family operated. He knew how demanding they could be, and how easy it was to get trapped in the middle of all.

Maybe that's why, when he offered her the house, it didn't feel like a simple invitation. It felt like an exit.

Bobby had been her mother’s manager for several years now, ever since she was a child, so he knew exactly how perfectionistic and controlling she could be; after all, being one of the country’s most prominent pianists—if not the best in the country—was not a small feat. And because of that, Bobby probably understood something even Mira herself hadn't fully admitted yet: she desperately needed a break. A few days away from her family. Months, even.

And that was her second problem. Her family. More specifically, her mother.

For Mira, being Kang Eunmi's daughter—THE pianist—had always meant one thing: she had to surpass her. Not just at piano. At violin too. At cello. Even at the stupid clarinet Mira hated with her entire soul. The worst part was that none of it had ever truly come from her. Those dreams had been built by other people: her mother, her father, society, the conservatory.

Mira was talented. Everyone had told her that her whole life. A prodigy. Exceptional. Gifted. But lately, she felt less like an artist and more like something carefully constructed by everyone around her, like a puppet. Her mother's pressure wasn't shaping her anymore. It was slowly wearing her down.

So was Bobby completely wrong for offering her the beach house? Probably. But once Mira stopped to think about it, the offer didn't feel reckless. It felt impossible to turn down. So… she took it.

For someone like Bobby, it was normal to own a couple of other properties besides his family home. What struck Mira as curious was that the beach house was... simple. Unpretentious but pretty, cozy. Plus, it was in a somewhat secluded coastal town, far from mass tourism, yet it didn’t feel empty or outdated either. From what little she’d seen so far, she’d gotten the impression that it wasn’t a generic place, but rather one waiting to be discovered.

Later, once she’d settled into the house, Bobby sent her a message telling her this was his grandmother's hometown, and when he used to spend summers there as a child, it had still been a quiet fishing village. Now it could be considered a city, but it’s really a big town. It still retain some of the calm and charm he remembered. That's why, the moment he had the chance, he bought a house there and quietly made it his refuge. No one else knows about that property, much less his mother. So, in theory, her parents wouldn’t be able to find her there. And she hoped Hansol wouldn’t either.

And yes, what they’d just done was pretty risky. Neither Hansol nor her parents knew she’d gone off alone to an unknown town in the middle of nowhere. And… the fact that Bobby had offered her the house, without knowing the context, could easily be misinterpreted. Anyone might think there was something weird about the whole thing. Like she was at the beginning of a toxic relationship or something.

But the plan wasn't that far-fetched. After all, she had told everyone that she was going out. The idea came up after a conversation with Hansol, when he simply suggested it, as if it were... casual.

That afternoon, Hansol was sitting across from her, checking something on his phone while they waited for their coffee to arrive. As always, he seemed to be in control of the situation, even of things that had nothing to do with him.

Mira watched him in silence. They had agreed to meet to discuss “the next steps.” That’s how he had put it. As if it were just another project.

“According to my schedule, your parents should be done with their commitments by next month. My parents want to invite them over for dinner,” he said without looking up. “So we can start planning the wedding properly.”

Mira felt her stomach tighten.

“So soon?”

Hansol finally looked up, frowning slightly, like he genuinely didn't understand the question.

“It’s not soon,” he said. “Honestly, we’ve already put it off long enough.”

“Put it off long enough.”

Mira looked down at her hands. Did she really want to get married? Did she really want this? With him? At that moment, the only thing she wanted with all her heart was… to disappear. For no one to know where she was. For no one to be able to find her. She wanted time away from Hansol, away from her family, away from the wedding plans, from the grueling practice sessions for the many instruments she played—which her mother had forced her to do for years—from her father’s expectations, and from her brother’s stupid jokes.

“I’ve been thinking…” she began, hesitating for just a second. “Maybe I should take a few days off.”

“Take a few days off?”

“Yeah. Get away for a bit. Clear my head.”

Hansol set the phone down on the table. This time, he focused all his attention on her.

“Clear your head of what?”

Mira fell silent for a few seconds. When Hansol asked something in that tone of voice, it was never a good sign.

“It’s… it’s been a rough few weeks…”

The waitress arrived with the coffee. Everything fell silent; it even seemed as though the entire restaurant had gone quiet. The steaming cups of coffee sat in front of them. The waitress withdrew after giving a slight bow. And the silence seemed to stretch out even further.

Hansol watched Mira for a few seconds, sizing her up, as if trying to find the flaw in what she’d just said, and then, as if he were rearranging something in his head. “Take a few days off… get away for a bit. Take a trip… a short trip didn’t sound bad. It might do her some good. Slow down, clear her head… come back more focused", he thought.

“You could go away for a few days,” he finally said. “Get a change of scenery.”

Mira blinked, surprised.

Hansol leaned back slightly in his seat.

“With Sora, for example.”

Mira hadn’t expected Hansol to mention her. She didn't even think about her.

Hansol didn’t say anything else, but there was something… resolute in his expression. As if he already worked the idea into some larger plan. He didn’t like Sora; she’d never struck him as a good influence on Mira, but she was a practical option. After all, once the plans moved forward, Mira’s friendship with her would no longer be necessary.

Mira nodded.

“Yes… with Sora.”

There was a brief silence.

Hansol relaxed again.

“Not bad,” he said. “Before all this moves forward.”

All this.

Mira felt a strange knot in her stomach.

“It won’t be long,” he added. “Your parents are busy right now, but as soon as they get back, we should revisit the topic.”

Mira nodded again. Always nodding.

“Sure.”

Hansol picked up his coffee cup as if the conversation were already over.

“Let me know when you meet and decide where you’re going,” he said. “Just so I know everything’s okay.”

Mira stared at him for another second.

“Yeah,” she replied softly. “I’ll let you know.”

And just like that, the plan took shape. Bobby had planted the seed weeks earlier, when he offered her the house. At the time, it didn’t mean anything; it was just a loose idea, something that existed in the back of her mind without taking shape… until she spoke with Hansol. The suggestion to travel with Sora made everything suddenly fall into place. It gave her an excuse… something she could say out loud without it sounding strange.

And the rest… fell into place on its own.

By the time she spoke with her parents—separate calls, technically—for some reason they believed her. Maybe it was because of the combination of what was happening at the same time: her father’s architecture firm was in the middle of an international competition to design a prestigious cultural center, and her mother, along with Bobby, was already in another country for the concert series she was going to give.

They wouldn’t be around for quite a while. And yet, Mira knew that wasn’t enough. Because her parents might not be there… but her brother would be.

That asshole.

It didn’t take much for him to get suspicious. All it took was a change in her routine, an out of place response, something that didn’t quite fit. And then he’d start asking questions. To follow clues. To piece together his own version of events so he could, obviously, rat her out to Hansol or her parents.

That’s why Sora was necessary for this to work. So the plan would be solid enough that, even if someone started looking too closely, everything would still make sense.

The problem was that Sora found out about everything just as Mira was already climbing onto the bus.

Hey… I have to ask you a weird favor

The three dots appeared almost immediately.

Sora: What did you do???

Mira exhaled through her nose; it was almost a laugh.

Nothing.
Well… sort of
I’m going away for a few days

There was a pause.

Sora: Where? With who?

Mira hesitated.

With you…

The dots disappeared. They came back. They disappeared again.

Sora: … What do you mean, with me?????

Mira bit the inside of her cheek.

Hansol suggested it. And I just… went along with it

Sora: Mira.
MIRA
Where are you????

Mira took a while to answer.

On a bus.

Several seconds passed.

Sora: ON A BUS?
WHERE ARE YOU GOING??????

Mira closed her eyes for a moment.

To the coast
It’s a house a friend lent me
Everything’s fine :D

Sora: No, nothing is fine
NOTHING IS FINE
You went without telling me, and now I’m involved??
Mira, if Hansol finds out, we’re both going to be DEAD

Mira swallowed hard.

I know. I’m sorry
But I needed to get out. Really :((((

Sora: …Are you okay?
Did something happen???

Yeah, I’m fine
Nothing happened

There was a pause.

Sora: I don’t believe you
But I’ll cover for you
Please send me your location as soon as you arrive

Mira let out a big sigh.

Thanks

Sora: What do you mean?
You owe me $500k for this
I’m kidding
But don’t ever do this again

…

Sora: Idiot

Mira smiled.

And that’s how she got there.

For the first time in her life, she was alone. Without her mother hovering over her, demanding things, and watching her every move… every single thing she did or didn’t do. Without her father correcting or reminding her that everything always had to be under control, that she couldn’t afford to make a single mistake. Without her brother, who was always looking for the slightest flaw or mistake so he could report it back to their parents and feel like their favorite child. And without Hansol, who seemed to have already decided the course of her life.

For the first time, she had absolute freedom over herself.

And… it turned out to be terribly overwhelming. 

For the first two days, she didn’t even leave the house. She stayed inside, listening to her own thoughts growing louder and louder. Obviously, Mira was still making a huge effort not to end up crying from anxiety. She was so nervous she still couldn’t believe what she’d done. She’d never gone this far before. She’d had a few flashes of rebellion, but her family made sure to snuff them the second they appeared.

And now here she was. Alone, in a borrowed house, in a strange town in the middle of nowhere, constantly wondering if she’d done the right thing. If this wasn’t going to blow up in her face later on.

That night she barely fell asleep after a rather intense session of self-criticism and self-loathing. And in the morning, when she woke up and looked out the window, she noticed how cloudy it was, and the first thing that came to mind was to go for a walk. She ate the lightest breakfast she could and left as soon as possible.

And she ended up walking for two hours nonstop, her mind racing, filled with catastrophic thoughts and imaginary scenarios where her parents and Hansol found out and showed up at the house to make her feel as miserable as possible by reminding her what a terrible daughter and girlfriend she was.

Anyway.

She had been walking back along the beach for barely five minutes when the first raindrops began to fall. At first they were sparse, but within minutes the rain came down in earnest, turning into a full downpour. There was no point in continuing along the beach, so she headed straight for the road, dragging her feet through the wet sand as the cold wind coming off the sea lashed against her skin. On top of everything, she suddenly felt terribly vulnerable and exposed, dressed in nothing but shorts and a sleeveless blouse.

Once on the road, she was at least able to find a bit of shelter beneath the trees lining the roadside. It wasn’t much—water still dripped steadily from the branches—but at least she wasn’t completely exposed like she had been on the beach. So she stood there, hesitating. Should she keep walking or wait for the rain to let up? Because… it didn’t seem like it would stop anytime soon.

There wasn’t anyone in sight either. The road was deserted in both directions.

And Mira started to feel… terrible. The catastrophic thoughts that had been circling in her head only grew worse. Of course they did. Everything she was doing was WRONG. Accepting Bobby’s offer to stay there. Coming to this town alone. Dragging Sora into all of this. Being so scared she couldn’t even face her parents or Hansol.

Everything was wrong. And she was the biggest idiot in the world.

And now there she was, like a stray dog on the side of the road, soaked to the bone and with no idea what the hell she was supposed to do.

She brought her hands to her face, searching for some kind of comfort, but found none. Instead, she simply slumped against the tree trunk. Her long damp hair was beginning to irritate her, so she tied it back with the hair tie around her wrist. At least that gave her the illusion of some control over what was happening.

The rain continued steadily, its sound filling the empty road. The smell of wet earth and damp leaves mixed with the salty air drifting in from the sea. The temperature had dropped slightly, and Mira was grateful for it, at least it no longer felt suffocating like before.

After a while, the downpour eased, though the rain never fully stopped. Mira exhaled shakily. She couldn’t stay there forever, soaked through and beginning to shiver as the cold settled into her skin.

She had no idea how long she’d been standing beneath those trees, but it felt like forever. The only dry thing left was the inside of the small bag she carried, and she didn’t want to risk taking out her phone just to check the time.

So, without letting herself think too much about it, she started walking again. Rain followed her every step. Her soaked sneakers squelched softly against the mud and fallen leaves beneath her feet. Even though the road remained completely empty, she didn’t dare walk down the middle of it, so she stayed close to the edge, even if it meant getting splattered with mud and covered in leaves.

02_storm_godspeedyoublackemperor.mp3

She kept walking, and amid the constant sound of rain and wind… she thought she heard something else. So she stopped.

A car?

She turned her head slightly.

In the distance, moving slowly down the road, headlights cut through the rain. A car was approaching from the opposite direction, heading toward the town. The slow pace made her uneasy. Should she ask for help? Wave it down?

But then another thought hit her, making her body tense immediately. What if the person driving wasn’t trustworthy? Maybe it was a bad idea. So she looked ahead again and kept walking.

The sound of tires against wet pavement gradually grew louder, along with the low hum of the engine. The headlights blurred through the rain, becoming clearer and clearer as the vehicle approached.

And then suddenly, it passed her. Mira glanced up as it moved beside her: an old pickup truck, washed away by the rain.

And that was that.

It didn’t look like the kind of vehicle that would stop for someone like her.

Of course not. Why would it?

She was a stranger, soaked to the bone in the middle of nowhere. No sane person would stop for someone like that. Mira lowered her gaze, feeling that familiar sharp ache in her chest.

“Stupid. You don’t even know what you want”.

But then… the truck stopped.

Mira froze.

A second later, it began backing up.

She swallowed hard and instinctively stepped away from the edge of the road, unsure of what to do. By the time the truck reached her again, she could make out two figures inside.

For a moment, nobody moved. Not them. Not her. The rain continued pouring around them.

Then the passenger window rolled down.

“I told you it was someone,” Mira heard just before the window lowered completely. A girl’s voice.

And then, the girl turned toward her with a huge smile.

“Heeeeey! What are you doing out here in the rain? Do you need help?”

Her voice was light and warm, almost playful.

Mira froze. She hadn't expected there to be… two girls inside the car. Because behind the passenger seat, she caught a glimpse of the driver, who was also staring at her with a curious expression.

Mira opened her mouth to reply, but… the words wouldn't come out.

The passenger looked at her with a hint of concern.

“Hey,” she said, lowering her voice slightly. “Are you okay?”

Mira nodded automatically.

“Yeah.”

That was a lie.

“Oh, really?” the girl replied, not entirely convinced.

For a couple of seconds, the only sound was the rain.

“Hey, get in, you’re going to get sick,” said the driver, breaking the silence, and unlocked the doors.

Mira stood there, staring at the car door. She raised her hand but lowered it immediately. She kept hesitating until…

“Don’t worry, we don’t usually kidnap people when it’s raining,” said the passenger, and started laughing.

“Zoey,” replied the driver, in a cautioning tone.

Mira let out a small laugh, despite everything.

“See? She’s laughing, everything’s fine.”

And it was that little exchange that finally made Mira lower her guard, if only a little.

She climbed into the truck, and the moment the door closed behind her, embarrassment flooded her all at once. She was soaked to the bone, her shoes covered in mud, and she was about to make a complete mess of the back seat. When she looked up, both women were staring at her.

“Um… I…”

“Here.”

The passenger handed her a hoodie.

“Try to dry your hair or whatever you can.”

Mira stared at her, and that’s when she noticed that the passenger and the driver also had wet hair and clothes. Maybe the rain had caught them by surprise too.

She shyly accepted the hoodie and began drying her arms.

“What were you doing out here in the middle of nowhere during a storm?” the passenger asked.

Mira tensed slightly. “I went for a walk this morning and… kind of lost track of time,” she admitted, a little embarrassed.

The passenger laughed immediately. “You just experienced what happens to basically every tourist around here.” She leaned back against the seat with an easy grin. “Good thing we found you before you had to walk all the way back alone. The roads get super slippery when it rains, so we have to drive slowly.”

The driver started moving again. Slowly, just as the passenger had just said.

“It might take us about 30 minutes to get to town. That is, if it doesn’t rain any harder. But at least you’re not walking in the rain anymore,” said the driver.

Mira just nodded. She wiped her face with the sleeve of the hoodie.

“By the way, I’m Zoey,” said the passenger with a huge smile.

Mira got the impression that she hadn’t taken her eyes off her for a second. She only stopped looking at her when she turned to look at the driver.

“And our beautiful uber driver is Rumi.”

“Ugh, I’m not an uber driver,” she replied, a little annoyed.

“Beautiful?” The word lingered in Mira’s mind a little longer than usual.

“I know, I just like to tease you a little,” Zoey said, laughing.

And immediately Zoey turned back to Mira. It was obvious; she was waiting for her to introduce herself. After all, it was the least she could do for them, after they’d rescued her in the middle of a storm.

“I’m Mira,” she said simply.

“Nice to meet you, Mira,” Zoey replied, smiling at her again.

Mira nodded and saw Rumi do the same in the rearview mirror before she spoke to her.

“Hey, Mira, if you’re cold, I can turn the AC down,” Rumi said.

“No, no. I’m fine. Thanks…”

“Rumi always sets the AC way too cold,” Zoey complained. “According to her, so the windows don’t fog up. Sorry, but I think she just wants to turn the car into a refrigerator.”

“It’s literally raining,” Rumi replied calmly.

“And our passenger literally looks like a drowned chick.”

Mira immediately shook her head. “Don’t worry, really… I’m fine. Thanks for helping me…”

“Yeah, no problem!!! Obviously we weren’t going to leave you out there by yourself.” Zoey shifted in her seat before continuing. “Well, I’ll admit that at first we didn’t see you—or did we? But we weren’t sure. People don’t usually walk around here. That’s why we drove right past you—sorry,” She straightened up in her seat, finally facing forward instead of looking back at Mira. “But once we got closer it became SUPER obvious you were real and not, like, a roadside ghost or something—she started laughing—did you know that sometimes things appear on the roads? Like weird figures and stuff… sometimes…”

Zoey kept talking, about roads, ghostly apparitions, or stories she’d heard who knows where. But Mira wasn’t listening anymore.

Her attention was no longer on Zoey’s words, or on the sound of rain hitting the windshield, or even on the slow careful way Rumi drove along the slippery road. From where she was sitting, the view was… different, so she could watch without being seen. And without meaning to, she began to realize.

At first it was something small. Rumi’s hand was on the gearshift, relaxed, as if that were its place even when she wasn’t shifting gears. Until Zoey, in the middle of her own story, let her hand fall over Rumi’s. Without warning, without pausing, without distracting Rumi while she was driving. It was an everyday gesture, you could tell she’d done it a thousand times before.

Mira blinked when she realized that Zoey’s hand had intertwined her fingers with Rumi’s.

And Rumi kept driving as if nothing had happened. She didn’t pull her hand away. In fact, there was a moment when she moved her thumb and caressed the side of Zoey’s hand. Mira looked away. She felt like she’d seen something she shouldn’t have, like she was intruding. Zoey kept talking, moving her hand theatrically, exaggerating her stories, but her other hand remained on Rumi’s.

Mira focused on the rain hitting the window and how it slid down with the motion, on how long streaks of water formed, making everything look blurry. And suddenly, she felt something strange in her chest, but she didn’t know what it was.

She looked ahead again.

“Do you remember that Mothman documentary we watched the other day?” Zoey said, turning her head toward Rumi.

Rumi nodded. “Yep.”

“One day he’s going to show up on this road, I swear.”

“Sure,” Rumi started laughing.

And that’s when something else happened. It was the way Rumi responded that made Zoey smile. Not the smile she’d had when she first saw Mira. It was… different, a different smile. Smaller, more… intimate.

Mira looked again at their intertwined hands.

And then she began to notice other things: the way Zoey leaned toward Rumi when she spoke, the way Rumi, without looking at her, seemed to know exactly when Zoey was going to say something, the way Zoey said her name, “Rumi.”

Mira swallowed and looked away again, leaning back in her seat. She felt the damp fabric of her clothes sticking to her skin. She felt the cold air in the truck contrasting with the heat she felt inside. It was all… too much. She didn’t understand what it was, but she knew there was something. And for some reason… she didn’t want to stop looking.

“Hey.”

Mira jumped slightly and looked up suddenly. Zoey was looking right at her, half-turned from her seat. How long had she been watching her?

“Yes?”

“How long have you been here? How long are you staying? You’re a tourist, right? Or are you new here? Are you going to live here? Do you like the town? Do you like salchipapas?”

“Zoey,” said Rumi, stifling a laugh. “Stop bombarding her with so many questions.”

“I’m not bombarding her, I’m just curious.”

Wow, Zoey was very direct and open. Mira didn’t usually hang out with people like that in her circles. The closest thing was Sora… and Hansol had never been too fond of them being friends.

“Although, let me guess,” Zoey continued, pulling Mira out of her thoughts. “You’re a tourist. A tourist with an existential crisis.”

“Wh… what?” Mira asked, a little embarrassed.

“Hey, don’t be rude.”

“Heeeey, walking in a storm far from the town is so tourist with an existential crisis.”

Rumi laughed loudly and shook her head.

“Don’t mind her. She’s a little reckless sometimes,” Rumi said, catching a glimpse of Mira in the rearview mirror. “She talks a lot when she wants someone to like her.”

“Ugh,” Zoey groaned, but turned back to look at Mira. “So, how’s it going?” she continued. “I mean, the town. Have you seen anything yet, or just… the beach while you were having your dramatic moment in the rain?”

“That’s three now. Cut it out,” Rumi warned her, without losing her smile.

Zoey stuck her tongue out at her and started laughing. Mira hesitated… but plucked up the courage to speak.

“I got here two days ago… but I hadn’t gone out until today.”

“Aaahhhh… locked up and tormented. That explains a lot.”

“Four,” Rumi warned again.

“What? I’m just analyzing the situation.”

Mira looked away toward the window.

“Well, I haven’t seen much…”

“It’s not like it’s a huge city or anything,” Zoey paused for a moment, thoughtful. “But it has tons of cool stuff, and there’s always something going on. I’m sure you’ll find something that catches your eye.”

“Really?” Mira looked back ahead.

“Yep! For example… do you like good food?”

“Pfff, what kind of question is that? Obviously, we all like good food.”

“Rumi, let our passenger speak.”

“Oooook, tourist guide.”

“Huh?” Mira was a little confused but at the same time fascinated by the dynamic between this pair. “I guess?” she said finally.

“Perfect. With that, you’ve already got half the plan figured out.”

“Zoey…”

“What? The restaurant needs advertising.”

“Do you have a restaurant?” Mira asked, interested.

“Not us—it belongs to Rumi’s moms.” 

“Moms?”

Mira blinked. The way Zoey said it was so… casual, affectionate… familiar. As if there were nothing strange about it. As if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“Moms… yes, plural.” Maybe it wasn’t them who were strange. Maybe she was the strange one. Because the word mom didn’t convey any sense of security to her at all, much less anything warm. To her, mom meant control, surveillance, expectations. And the loving way Zoey had said it, along with the smile Rumi let slip, was what threw her completely off balance.

“What would it be like to have two moms? I can’t even handle one,” Mira thought.

What a pair of strange and interesting women. Now Mira couldn’t stop watching them.

“Anyway…” Zoey said, picking up where she left off, “if you’re staying for a few days, we can recommend some places.”

Mira hesitated. “I don’t want to be a bother…”

“You’re not a bother,” Rumi replied calmly. “If we can help you, we will.”

“And I’m sure we’ll run into each other again out there,” Zoey continued.

Mira smiled. It was a small but sincere smile. She began to think that maybe coming to this place hadn’t been such a crazy idea after all. And speaking of…

“We’re almost there,” said Rumi.

The first signs of civilization were becoming visible: a few scattered houses began to appear on either side of the road, and ahead, in the distance, the town was already coming into view.

And the rain hadn’t stopped for a moment.

“By the way,” Zoey spoke up again. “If you want to get a tattoo or piercing, you can come to my shop.”

“Huh?”

Okay, that definitely caught Mira’s attention. She stared at Zoey and only then noticed that her ears were full of piercings. In fact, Rumi was the same. She thought that maybe Zoey was the one who had pierced both of them, and she thought it was cool.

Zoey also had her eyebrow and nose pierced, and she smiled when she realized Mira was watching her. From where she was sitting, she turned even more toward Mira and showed her arm. It was covered in tattoos. There was no specific order or theme: the tattoos were so different from one another that it seemed like Zoey just got whatever came to mind at the moment. Mira managed to identify a tiger, a bowl of ramen, a sassy bird with a hat, and the biggest one: a turtle.

“And there are more,” she said proudly, “you’ll just have to discover them.”

Mira blushed immediately, and Zoey started laughing.

“Don’t harass a potential client,” Rumi said with a laugh.

“Hey, it’s good advertising, I spark curiosity and that way I make sure to grab the client’s attention.”

“The queen of marketing.”

“Yes, I am,” Zoey smiled from ear to ear.

Mira felt a little out of place. Tattoos and piercings were something that certainly had no place in her world. She barely had the basic ear piercings just for practical use. She hadn’t even considered the need for more. And don’t even get me started on tattoos. In fact, she didn’t know anyone who had them.

Faced with her silence, Zoey glanced at her again. Mira’s arms and legs were bare, with no sign of tattoos, and she didn’t seem to have any visible piercings either. Maybe her shop just wasn’t really the kind of place someone like her would be interested in.

So Zoey decided to tempt her with the other half of the business.

“Well, if you don’t want to modify your body yet, we do have another option available.”

“Huh?”

Zoey’s voice snapped Mira out of her thoughts once again.

“Zoey…” Rumi sighed, sounding mildly resigned already.

“Rumi has a shop too.”

“We do not need advertising in the middle of a storm.”

“Of course we do. Capitalism never sleeps.”

Mira let out a small laugh despite herself. Curiosity had already gotten the better of her.

“What kind of shop is it?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of genuine interest that immediately caught Zoey’s attention.

Zoey shifted comfortably in her seat, visibly excited.

“It’s a music store. Well… sort of. Sometimes it’s also a bar, sometimes it turns into a performance space, and sometimes it becomes an impromptu cultural center whenever Rumi gets intellectual.”

“I do not get intellectual,” Rumi protested calmly.

“Yes, you do.” Zoey looked directly at Mira. “Rumi gets obsessed with the weirdest things. I honestly don’t even know where she finds them.”

Rumi grumbled under her breath.

“Last week she hosted a listening party for an album of a band from a country that literally doesn’t exist anymore…” Zoey continued dramatically. “And it was a HIT.”

“Don’t exaggerate. There were five people,” Rumi muttered, sounding slightly embarrassed.

“FIVE PEOPLE IS A HIT FOR A BAND CALLED SKUBI DU.”

Rumi turned toward her immediately, offended.

“IT’S ZVUKI MU.”

Zoey burst into laughter.

Mira watched them quietly, trying to understand them.

“Eyes on the road, Rums.”

Rumi grumbled again and turned her attention back to the rain-soaked road.

“There are instruments, vinyl, CDs, used stuff, new stuff…” Zoey continued happily. “Rumi teaches too, and sometimes she plays while I admire her from afar.”

“That’s not true.”

“Of course it is. I’m your number one fan.”

Rumi shook her head in resignation, but even then, Mira caught the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

And once again, Mira felt that strange sensation tightening softly inside her chest.

“Do you play any instruments?” Rumi asked.

And Mira froze. What were the odds that this of all things would happen? What kind of luck did Mira have that, despite being in a secluded spot in the middle of nowhere, the conversation would end up leading to… this?

She didn’t want to talk about this here and now. They didn’t need to know that she was a musical prodigy who practically considered the music conservatory her second home. They had no reason to know she was a master of several instruments and was trying to perfect the clarinet, even though she hated it. But she couldn’t exactly lie either. Keeping up the half-truths about her trip was already exhausting enough without having to invent another one for two complete strangers. So she settled for a smaller truth—something that wouldn’t compromise her, but also wouldn’t leave her hating herself afterward.

“The truth is… I’ve always wanted to learn to play the ukulele.”

It wasn’t a lie. There were so many instruments Mira wanted to play… the ukulele, the banjo, the harmonica, the bass… the drums. But all those instruments were a resounding NO for her mother. They all fell into the category of vulgar, rebellious, chaotic, and anything but refined. She said that only failed musicians, slackers, or drug addicts played them in dirty bars or on the street to elicit pity so people would give them a few coins out of charity. Mira would never understand her. It seemed absurd to her that not even musical instruments could escape her mother’s classism and prejudices.

Zoey’s eyes lit up.

“It’s your lucky day!” she shouted, startling both Mira and Rumi. “Rumi has a little ukulele group you could join! They’re all beginners!!”

“Zoey… they’re kids.”

“So what?”

“I don’t think Mira wants to take lessons with kids.”

“But they’re all at the same level,” she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Mira had to stifle a laugh.

“I’ll… keep it in mind.”

“Really?!” Zoey immediately turned to Rumi, triumphant. “See? You just need to trust my marketing strategy more. If you’d listen to me, clients would be lining up.”

Rumi started laughing.

Mira didn’t say anything else, but she began to consider the possibility of taking a beginner’s ukulele class, even though she could probably learn to play it on her own in an afternoon.

The rain was still falling outside. They had already entered the town, and Mira watched everything in silence. There was a bit of fog between the streets, which gave the place an air of mystery. The town seemed completely different now, nothing like the quiet glimpse she’d caught when she first arrived or the place she had left behind that morning before zoning out for two hours, walking in a straight line along the entire coast.

Zoey kept talking. Something about a film festival, and then she abruptly changed the subject, asking Rumi if her moms would make her salchipapas if she asked them to. Rumi kept driving calmly and laughed at the things Zoey said. The truck stopped at a red light, and that was when a wave of reality suddenly hit Mira in the face.

She was a complete stranger in this town and was sitting in the car with two complete strangers. Well, they had already introduced themselves and chatted for about half an hour, but her characteristic nervousness and anxiety came rushing back.

“I think… I should get off here.”

Rumi and Zoey exchanged a confused look, and Zoey turned to look at her directly, while Rumi watched her in the rearview mirror.

“Here… here?” Zoey asked.

“Yeah… here’s… fine.”

Mira didn’t have a fucking clue where she was. And that expression was what made Zoey scrunch up her whole face.

“It’s still raining.”

“You don’t need to… take me any further. You’ve already done enough by picking me up back there…”

Rumi started driving again as soon as the light turned green.

“We can drop you off near where you’re staying, or I can leave you somewhere downtown… though I’d rather take you straight to your hostel—you’re soaking wet.”

Of course. They thought she was staying at a hostel like any other tourist. She felt it wasn’t right to share the location of Bobby’s house because, well… it wasn’t her house. It would be better if they dropped her off in a central location and she could walk from there, just like she did two days ago when she arrived. Suddenly it occurred to her that they could drop her off at the plaza. Yes, the plaza. It was central, there were lots of people because of the shops around it, and she could blend in with the crowd. It would be discreet—the perfect plan.

“Could you drop me off at the plaza?” she asked, a little shyly.

“Are you sure?” asked Zoey, who wasn’t satisfied with Mira’s answer.

Rumi looked up and checked on Mira in the rearview mirror. She noticed she looked nervous and didn’t want to push the issue.

“Okay, we’ll drop you off at the plaza.”

Zoey turned to look at her with a confused expression but didn’t say anything. She fell deep in thought and made that face she always made when she was thinking about things she didn’t like.

Rumi slowed down a bit before turning onto a narrower street.

“You’re not in trouble,” she said suddenly, calmly.

Mira blinked.

“What?”

Rumi glanced at her briefly in the rearview mirror, calmly. “You don’t have to leave so fast.”

Zoey nodded immediately. “Yeah. It’s not like we’re kicking you out.”

That threw her off even more. Because in Mira’s mind, staying always came with conditions. There was always a “but,” and right now… there wasn’t one. Even so, neither her body nor her mind could believe it.

“I just… don’t want to be a bother,” she murmured.

Zoey let out a soft laugh, almost incredulous.

“A bother? You’re not bothering us at all.”

“I don’t like the idea, but we’re not going to force you either,” Rumi said in her usual calm voice. “Just be careful, okay?”

Zoey snorted a little. Rumi was right. They weren’t going to force Mira to do anything she didn’t want to.

“Thanks…”

They fell silent.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the square. Rumi pulled over and turned on her turn signals. Both of them turned to look at Mira, and that made her even more nervous.

“Um…” she murmured, holding out her arm with the hoodie, handing it back to Zoey.

“No, no, keep it. It’s raining and you don’t have anything else to cover yourself with.”

“But…”

“You can give it back to me later.”

Later?

Then she looked down, embarrassed by the muddy mess she’d left on the truck's floor. Rumi noticed and smiled a little.

“Leave it, don’t worry. It’ll come off.”

“Um…”

“It’s fine, it doesn’t matter,” Zoey said.

Mira looked like she was having an internal struggle at that moment. And Zoey spoke again.

“Give me your number.”

“Huh?”

Okay, Zoey was way too direct.

“Yeah, give me your number,” Zoey handed her phone to Mira, “so I can share the location of the shop-bar-cultural center in case you want to go later. Also the restaurant’s location for when you get hungry. If you say you’re our friend, you’re sure will get a surprise,” she started laughing.

Mira took Zoey’s phone and hesitated for a few seconds. Finally, she typed in her number and handed it back.

Rumi unlocked the doors, and the sound was the signal Mira needed to get out. Before opening the door, she turned to look at them and realized they were both still watching her, with a mix of curiosity and a little concern about the rain.

“Thanks again for… for everything. I promise I’ll return the hoodie and pay to have the mud I left cleaned up.”

Zoey was about to complain and tell her it wasn’t necessary, but Rumi put her hand on her shoulder. The simple touch of her hand told her it was best to stay quiet.

“Take care,” Rumi said.

“Yeah… see you,” Zoey replied.

Mira nodded again and got out quickly. She closed the door carefully and put on the hoodie. She walked toward the shops and suddenly disappeared into the crowd. Zoey watched her from the window until she could no longer make her out among the people walking by with umbrellas.

Rumi started the car and drove on calmly.

“She’s really pretty,” Zoey said as soon as they left the plaza.

“Mmmm,” Rumi hummed.

“Pretty but tormented. Do you think we’ll see her again?”

“Maybe. Maybe no.”

“UUGHH, Rumiiiii.”

They both started laughing, and the truck disappeared as it turned onto a hidden street.

Mira stopped to check the map because she honestly had no idea where she was. She had wandered off aimlessly—again—just to get out of Zoey and Rumi’s sight.

She didn’t even know why she was so nervous. After figuring out where she was, she quickly traced the route she’d need to take back home. She wanted nothing more than to shower and do her laundry already.

Just as she was about to put her phone away, a message from an unknown number popped up on the screen.

Of course it was Zoey.

Heeeeeey!!! It’s me again.
Here are the directions!!!
Location 1 📍
Location 2 📍
Hope to see you again 😆😆😆😆
Rumi too, even if she doesn’t say so 🤪🤪
Well, bye!!!

Okay. That was fast. Still… she smiled. And as she started walking again through the rain and fog covering the town, an utterly ridiculous thought crossed her mind.

That maybe she wanted to see them again, too.

03_wet-dream_wet-leg.mp3

Rumi slumped back on the mattress. She was exhausted. The day before, she'd spent carrying boxes, and today Zoey hadn't given her a break… she was tired, yes, but she was also exactly where she wanted to be: with Zoey on top of her, laughing at something she'd just said as she bounced on the strap. Rumi closed her eyes for just a second, letting herself be enveloped by Zoey's weight and warmth as she listened to the sound of the rain still falling outside.

“Are you tired, Rums?”

Zoey was still laughing. Rumi half-opened her eyes and stared at her.

“I don’t know how you never get tired.”

Zoey smiled widely, leaned in a little to place her hands on Rumi’s tits, and began playfully pinching her nipples.

“Maybe if we’d finished up at the waterfall, we’d be asleep by now…”

“Maybe… but it started raining.”

Zoey laughed again and sat up a little just to pat Rumi on the hip. Then she leaned back down and lay on top of her, wrapping her arms around her neck.

“Five more minutes and I promise I’ll let you rest.”

“You said that about an hour ago.”

“And look at us, we’re still winning, as always.”

Rumi shook her head, a little resigned, and tucked a strand of sweaty hair behind her ear.

“You’re unbearable.”

“That’s how you love me.”

“Mmm, sometimes.”

Zoey laughed again and moved even closer to kiss her. The kiss was slow, interrupted every now and then because Rumi was laughing at the things Zoey was saying because… Zoey just never shut up. At one point she said something Rumi didn’t even manage to understand, but which she found hilarious and ended up bursting out laughing before kissing her again.

Zoey hadn’t stopped slowly moving her hips either.

Rumi cupped Zoey’s head and sweaty back as they deepened the kiss. She knew her perfectly. She knew Zoey still had energy. Lots of it. And if she let her keep talking, laughing, and moving on top of her, they’d probably end up staying awake until three in the morning. She found herself thinking that she had to make Zoey cum soon so they could get some rest.

Then she wrapped both arms around her and gently rolled their bodies until Zoey was lying on the mattress, settling herself carefully on top of her.

“Mmm… you’re serious,” Zoey laughed again and glanced sideways at Rumi.

“I’m going to make you cum for the sake of our sleep.”

“Rumi, this is literally the worst thing you’ve ever said to me while we’re fucking. And you’ve said some really weird things to me.”

Rumi started laughing and looked down. The dildo had slipped out from the movement, and she picked it up to start rubbing it against Zoey’s clit, which made her moan immediately. Then, Rumi barely looked up and stared at Zoey, who was writhing beneath her.

“Are you seriously not even a little bit tired?”

“Rumi, shut up and fuck me.”

“Okay…” Rumi rolled her eyes, but immediately smiled, “When I’m done with you, you won’t want to get up until the day after tomorrow.”

“Mmmm, more time lying in bed with you. Sounds like a prize, honestly.”

Rumi laughed again and thrust the dildo in. Zoey was so wet that it slid in without a hitch, making her moan even louder, which turned Rumi on even more. Yes, she wanted to finish soon; she was tired. But that didn’t mean she was going to rush Zoey.

She started moving her hips slowly, and apparently, Zoey took that as a personal attack.

“Ruuumiiiiii…”

“What? Don’t you like it?”

“You’re the worst.”

Well, it wasn’t that Zoey disliked it; in fact, she loved having Rumi on top of her doing whatever she wanted. The problem was that Rumi knew exactly how to drive her crazy when she did everything too slowly. She started moving a little faster, but it wasn’t much different from how she’d started. Then she leaned down and went straight for one of Zoey’s nipples. She did that slowly, too. She licked, sucked, and sometimes bit a little.

Zoey started to get desperate. She was moaning more and more, and Rumi was clearly doing it slowly on purpose, so the only thing she could think of was to grab her by the back of the neck and pull her toward her mouth. She started kissing her a little desperately and wrapped her legs around Rumi’s waist.

“Rumi… Rumi.”

“Hmm?” She replied, as calmly as she could.

“Faster…”

“Already want to cum?”

“Ugh, you’re the one who wants that…”

Rumi thrust her hips harder, and Zoey felt the dildo go deeper inside her. She let out a cry and wrapped her arms around Rumi’s neck.

“Yeah, I want you to cum, but I also want to do things right.”

“We’ve been fucking for like two hours.”

“And you’re complaining? You did the same to me at the waterfall. Now it’s my turn to give you some love.”

Rumi started kissing Zoey’s neck, and Zoey started laughing. The strands of Rumi’s hair from her nearly undone braid tickled Zoey’s face, and she remembered that just a few days ago Rumi had told her she wanted to cut her hair. It wasn’t like it was that long—it barely reached a little past her shoulders—but Zoey really liked seeing her like that: all sweaty with her unruly hair falling across her face. When she told her, Rumi just laughed and kissed her on the cheek.

Zoey loved Rumi so much that sometimes she thought her feelings for her bordered on devotion. Sometimes she even scared herself. But then again, how could you not love Rumi? Rumi is cool, mysterious, quiet… but she’s also extremely affectionate and protective once you get to know her well. And don’t even get me started on how well she kisses and the way she can drive you wild in bed.

Rumi stopped kissing Zoey’s neck and started kissing behind her ear. That was one of Zoey’s weak spots, so she felt her shiver beneath her the moment she did it. It made her laugh that she had that reaction; Zoey always responded the same way, even when she was literally fucking her with a dildo. Kissing her behind the ear never failed.

“Rumiii…”

“Mmm? What do you need?”

“You.”

Rumi sat up slightly and leaned her full weight onto her arms. Zoey was right beneath her. They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. Rumi was breathing heavily, and Zoey let out some occasional moans. And then, something changed in Rumi’s expression. Her eyes seemed to light up just a little, and a small smirk appeared on her face.

Oh no.

That smirk.

Zoey felt a chill run through her body.

—Okay, Rumi said simply.

Zoey knew she was screwed.

Rumi stood up and grabbed Zoey’s knees. She spread her legs wider and stared at her crotch. Slowly pulled the dildo out, and Zoey seemed to wince as she did so. Then, she bent down low enough and, without any warning or notice, buried her face there.

The reaction was immediate. Zoey let out a muffled moan and arched her back almost reflexively. Up until that point, Rumi hadn’t paid much attention to her clit, so the change caught her completely off guard. Now every one of Rumi’s movements felt too intense.

And Rumi knew it perfectly well.

She took her time licking and sucking because she loved hearing Zoey’s moans. It got to the point where Zoey clamped her thighs around Rumi’s head, but that didn’t make her stop or slow down.

Then, Zoey grabbed Rumi by the hair and began pulling her toward her desperately, repeating her name over and over, completely torn between wanting her to stop immediately and wanting her to keep going no matter how overstimulated she was. Rumi only paused briefly to catch her breath but immediately plunged her face back between Zoey’s legs, which made her hear some desperate moans.

“Rumiii… Rumiiii…”

Zoey felt like she was about to reach her limit. Rumi really wanted her to cum already, and she didn’t think she could hold on any longer. She writhed one last time, waiting for the orgasm, but… Rumi pulled away from her.

“...What?”

Rumi leaned against one of her thighs and smiled.

“Not yet.”

“Why?”

“Hold on a little longer for me, okay?”

As she said this, Rumi brushed Zoey’s clit with her fingertip, causing Zoey to let out a sharp moan accompanied by a spasm.

“Uuuugghhhh. I hate you.” Zoey fell back and brought her hands to her face.

“You wish.”

That made Zoey laugh. Rumi sat up and lay down next to her, wrapping her arms around her and pressing herself against her back.

“You’re all sweaty.”

“That’s how you like me.”

“Mmm… yeah.” Zoey laughed again. “Weren’t you sleepy already?”

“Yeah… but before I go to sleep, I want you to cum.”

Zoey let out a moan when she felt Rumi’s hand slide down from her abdomen to her crotch and begin to stroke her clit again. Instinctively, she pressed herself closer to her.

“You’re so wet.”

“Rumi… ah…”

With her other hand, she grabbed the dildo and began trying to insert it again. Zoey was already squirming, but when she felt what Rumi was trying to do, she spread her legs slightly to give her easier access. Rumi penetrated her again and began to move her hips, all while not letting up on her clit. She leaned in toward Zoey’s neck and kissed it again, and with her free hand, she took one of Zoey’s tits and began to squeeze it.

Zoey knew there was no turning back. She was about to cum at any moment, so she simply let herself be carried away by the sensations and the heat of Rumi behind her.

And suddenly she felt it. The sensation of pleasure began to intensify until she couldn’t take it anymore and exploded into an orgasm that made her scream and arch her back. Rumi felt Zoey trembling beside her, and for a few seconds the world seemed to cease to exist, and everything boiled down to what was happening on that mattress.

It was still raining outside, but the sound seemed distant now. Zoey was still breathing heavily, and Rumi could feel her body still shuddering slightly in her arms. Rumi brushed a few damp strands of hair from her face and kissed her cheek gently. Seeing Zoey like this—her hair a mess, sweaty, and half-collapsed on the mattress—stirred too many emotions in her all at once.

It took a few minutes for Zoey to catch her breath, and during that time, Rumi never stopped kissing her or caressing her face.

“Did you like it?”

Zoey started to laugh. Not like before, but with a soft, quiet laugh.

“Always.”

Rumi smiled and rested her hand on Zoey’s butt. She began to slowly pull the dildo out, and Zoey shuddered again.

“Hey… I’m still sensitive.”

“I know,” she said, kissing her on the shoulder.

She finished pulling it out, causing Zoey to sigh again, and stood up. With all the calm in the world, she took off the strap-on and tossed it aside. Zoey couldn’t take her eyes off her, and Rumi noticed when she turned to return to the bed with her.

“What?” she began to laugh.

“Come here,” Zoey replied, unable to hide the huge smile that was starting to form on her face.

Rumi lay down, and Zoey immediately wrapped her arms around her and pressed herself against her. Rumi returned the hug, and they both ended up tangled together—too close, too sweaty, too tired.

Then, Zoey moved closer to Rumi’s face and began kissing her again. Unlike the previous kisses, these were gentle. Rumi returned the kisses. She always did. She grabbed her by the back and pulled her closer, if that was even physically possible. Zoey ended up climbing on top of her and settled in there. Rumi smiled when she felt all of Zoey’s weight on top of her, and even though it was probably uncomfortable, she liked it. The weight of Zoey’s body on top of hers calmed her in a strange way, filling her with a quiet sense of comfort.

And even with all that, she didn’t miss the chance to tease her a little.

"You’re heavy."

"I thought you were used to it by now."

Rumi started laughing, and Zoey smiled again. She began kissing Rumi's jaw and snuggled back against her neck.

They were silent for a few minutes, feeling the warmth between them and the warmth of the room itself, while they listened to the rain that continued to fall. Rumi's eyes were closed, and exhaustion was about to overcome her when Zoey spoke again.

"Rumi."

"Mmm…"

"I want salchipapas."

Rumi opened her eyes, completely defeated.

"Now?"

"Come onnnnn"

"I'm not getting up."

"We'll order."

"No one's going to bring them to you, it's raining."

"Then we have to make them. I think we have some potatoes left over from last time…"

"Zoey…"

"Rums."

Rumi sighed, resigned even before answering. And Zoey gave that smile, the one she always gave when she knew she'd won.

"I hate you."

"Well, it didn't seem like it a while ago."

Zoey laughed again and got off Rumi. Rumi got up from the bed and put on any of the t-shirts that were on the chair. Neither of them had had the energy to fold anything and put it away.

"At least put on some underwear, we're going to cook."

"Mmm, nope. Clothes oppress me."

"Well, if you get oil splattered on you, don't complain."

Rumi started laughing and Zoey hung on her arm. Together, they headed toward the kitchen while Zoey kept talking about the benefits of "post-sex salchipapas," as if it were a real biological necessity.

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

04_space-song_beach-house.mp3

Mira remained silent for a few moment, watching the rain pound against the large living room window, until Sora had to call out to get her attention again.

"Miraaaaa, stop overthinking it, you're going to drive yourself crazy."

Mira's attention returned to her phone; she was on a video call with Sora.

"Sorry... but... do you really think Hansol is going to believe that?"

Sora sighed, a little tired.

"Maybe if SOMEONE had waited and planned this better instead of getting on a bus and escape to the beach ALONE..."

Mira lowered her gaze.

"And what's more, didn't reply to her best friend for TWO DAYS..."

A brief silence followed.. Sora lowered her voice slightly.

"Hey... everything's going to be fine. We already have a plan."

Mira didn't respond immediately. She turned back to the window and watched for a few seconds as the raindrops twisted and turned as they trickled down the glass.

"Besides," Sora continued, "it's not like we're doing anything impossible. I'm going to my grandmother's for a few weeks, and you... technically, you are out of the city."

"But not in Italy."

"Well, Hansol doesn't need to know that."

That made Mira let out a snort of laughter.

"We still have to fake time zones..."

"And we'll probably do a terrible job," Sora chuckled, somewhat incredulous.

"Sora..."

"Mira, I already posted an old photo from the airport."

There was a silence that lasted a few seconds. Mira put on that familiar, pained expression again. Sora looked at her with concern and spoke in a softer tone.

"Seriously, it's going to work." Hansol was too busy with his dad's company to suspect anything right now.

Mira sighed. It was true, in fact, she'd been lucky… maybe too lucky. Hansol wouldn't even have been able to go to the airport to say goodbye because he'd been stuck working with his father for days. He probably still thought Mira was in some hotel in Rome trying to rest.

The thought left a strange tightness in her chest.

"Just… don't overthink it, okay?" Sora said. "Because when you start dwelling on everything, you look like a scared little animal."

"How rude."

"Don't isolate yourself either, please. At least send me a message every day so I know you're okay."

Mira sighed and nodded. Sora smiled slightly.

"Okay, Mimi, let's go to sleep. Get some rest."

"You too."

The call ended, and silence returned abruptly. Well, actually, all she could hear was the rain and the dryer beeping, signaling that the drying cycle was finished.

Mira sighed and slowly got up. She started walking toward the laundry room. And then she thought about how absurd it all was: her hiding in a beach house and Sora pretending to be in another country while they both tried to answer messages hours apart to keep this ridiculous and stupid lie going.

When she started taking the clothes out of the dryer to fold and put them away, she pulled out a yellow hoodie. Zoey's hoodie. And Mira's scared little animal face returned.

That's when she knew she had a third problem.

She couldn't stop thinking about them.

bonus 1: Звуки Му - грубый закат.mpg