The world I returned to seemed ordinary, bathed in the warm glow of sunlight. My room gradually replaced the otherworldly grand chamber of the Seraphim Sanctuary where I had found myself. The encounter with the Seraphims lingered in my mind like fragments of a dream.
"What was that place?" I muttered to myself, attempting to reconcile the surreal experience with the reality of my room. Sitting up on my bed, I ran a hand through my disheveled hair, trying to make sense of the transition between worlds. Vivid memories of the Seraphim Sanctuary filled my thoughts: celestial beings, ethereal light, and Aria’s cryptic words. However, the room around me was mundane—familiar furniture, sunlight streaming through the window, and the everyday sounds of life outside.
“Oh crap, I’m gonna be late for work. I’ll think about that later.”
I quickly shook off the lingering thoughts of the Seraphim Sanctuary, realizing the priorities of my current situation. Hastily, I got out of bed, my mind still processing the abrupt shift from the mystical realm to the ordinary routine of my daily life.
As I rushed to get ready for work, the memories of my encounter with the Seraphims continued to play in my mind like a surreal movie. The mundane tasks of getting dressed, grabbing a quick breakfast, and heading out the door seemed oddly juxtaposed with the otherworldly experiences I had just lived through.
Once on the bustling streets, I tried to push the extraordinary events to the back of my mind. The cityscape, the honking of horns, and the hurried footsteps of pedestrians grounded me in the reality of my urban existence. Yet, no matter how hard I tried to focus on my mundane responsibilities, I still couldn't get my mind off that place.
As the day progressed, I found myself counting down the hours until I could return home and unravel the enigma that had unexpectedly woven itself into the fabric of my reality. When I came home, I pondered what to do.
“Maybe I should give them a call to see if they even exist. Hmm, who should I call first? Oh, I know—I’ll give her a call.”
I found myself waiting in anticipation to see who would finally answer.
Finally, someone picked up.
“Hello, this is Cinquefoil Bloom Boutique. This is Quincy speaking. How can I help you?”
I hesitated for a moment. “Hi, I’m looking for someone named Chia. Would you by chance know her?”
Quincy responded, “Depends on who’s asking.”
It would be weird for a stranger to ask about her. We did meet in a rather unusual place; it would be weird to tell a stranger.
“I’m her boyfriend,” I blurted out.
Ugh, why did I say that? Quincy's voice on the other end of the line took on a hint of curiosity. “Chia’s boyfriend, huh? She hasn’t mentioned having a boyfriend before. How did you two meet?”
I hesitated for a moment, deciding to alter the details of my encounter with Chia to make the story more believable.
“Umm, you see, we met at this art exhibition. It was a beautiful display of paintings, and we both happened to be admiring the same piece. We struck up a conversation about our shared appreciation for art, and it just clicked from there.”
Quincy seemed satisfied with this more conventional explanation. “Ah, an art exhibition, huh? That sounds much more ordinary than I thought. Chia does love art. So, what can I help you with, Matthew?”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
I breathed a sigh of relief, glad to have diverted Quincy’s suspicion. “Anyways, I was checking on her; we’re supposed to be going to the movies, and she wasn’t picking up her phone. Is she available to speak?”
“She is working with a customer. Let me get her.”
Quincy’s voice faded away as I waited on the line, the anticipation building as he went to fetch Chia. As I waited, I heard loud commotion through the phone.
“Hello, who the hell is this? Is this the stalker claiming to be my boyfriend?”
“Honestly, I brought this upon myself,” I thought.
“Hello, I’m waiting for an answer,” Chia said angrily. “You have three seconds before I call the police!”
“Hold on, it’s me, Matthew,” I interjected.
Chia paused, then sighed. “Well, of course, it’s you.”
“Why on earth did you tell my little brother that you’re my boyfriend?” Chia questioned, irritation evident in her tone. “Ugh, he’s probably spreading the news to my siblings and parents as we speak.”
“Regardless, what did you want?” she inquired.
“I was trying to see if you were real or not,” I admitted.
“Well, now you know,” Chia replied. I bit my tongue, acknowledging that this situation was my own doing.
I asked, “Have you talked to anyone else from that place?”
“Not really. I only spoke to Yosuke, and that was it.”
“Marcus’s phone keeps going to voicemail.”
“Wait, you spoke to Yosuke before me?” I pointed out.
“Um, yeah, because Yosuke answers his phone,” Chia explained.
“You didn’t call me,” I mentioned.
“I’m confident that I did; you were the first person I attempted to call.”
I glanced at my phone and noticed there were two missed calls.
“Do you see them, or am I assuming correctly?” she asked with a presumptive tone.
“Fine, whatever,” I replied dismissively. “Oh yeah, did you change your mind about joining or not?”
“I haven’t made up my mind yet,” I replied. “It’s just been a really strange day, and I need some time to process everything.”
Chia sighed on the other end of the line. “Well, make up your mind soon. Remember, you only have a few more hours until we head to that place—”
Suddenly, a man and a woman chimed in, saying, “Ohhh, Chia, we heard you have a boyfriend.”
“Oh shit, my parents are here, I gotta go!” Chia exclaimed hastily. She hung up promptly.
“Geez, I wonder what that was about.”
“I hate to say it, but she does have a point though.”
“I’m torn. On one hand, I despise the idea of being a tool. But on the other hand, the opportunity to make a wish is tempting. Still, I’m cautious about what I’d wish for. What if it backfires or they’re not being truthful?”
“Ugh, there’s so much to think about. Times like these make me miss her even more. She had a way of simplifying these situations. That’s it—I should’ve thought about it sooner.”
With my mind set on making a decision about the Seraphim Sanctuary, I needed to find something to pass the time. “Hmm, now that I think about it, I didn’t eat anything today. I could try cooking something.”
“Alright, let’s see what I’ve got,” I muttered as I opened the refrigerator and cupboards. I found some vegetables, pasta, tomato sauce, and cheese. Looks like I’m having spaghetti for dinner.
I gathered my ingredients and set a pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta. While waiting, I chopped the vegetables and prepared the tomato sauce, mixing in some spices for extra flavor.
Once the water was boiling, I added the pasta and set the stove to high heat to cook it quickly. As the pasta cooked, I sautéed the vegetables in a separate pan, enjoying the sizzle and aroma filling the kitchen.
Feeling confident, I checked the pasta. It was cooking well, so I decided to step away for a moment to play something on my guitar. Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the water boiling over and the pasta starting to burn.
“Come on, I just stepped away for a second,” I sighed. “There goes a week’s worth of spaghetti. If she were still alive, she would’ve nagged me to death.”
“Oh well, I guess I’m having sleep for dinner then, once again,” I muttered.
After the chaos of the burnt spaghetti debacle, I took a moment to collect myself. With a sigh, I resigned to the fact that dinner was a lost cause for the night. As I cleaned up the kitchen, scrubbing away the remnants of my failed culinary endeavor, I couldn't help but chuckle at my own misfortune. It was just one of those days.
Once the dishes were done and the kitchen returned to its usual state of order, I made my way to the bathroom to wash up. The warm water felt soothing against my skin, washing away the stress and frustration of the day. As I splashed my face, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and for a moment, I couldn't help but smile. Despite the chaos and confusion, I was still here, still standing.
After drying off, I slipped into my pajamas and crawled into bed. The sheets felt cool and inviting against my tired body, and I let out a contented sigh as I nestled into the familiar comfort of my bed. Closing my eyes, I let the events of the day fade away, focusing instead on the gentle rhythm of my breathing.
As sleep began to claim me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the ordinary moments that made up my life. It was the simple pleasures—the warmth of clean sheets, the soothing sound of water—that brought me the most comfort. And as I drifted off into slumber, I knew that no matter what tomorrow brought, I would face it with the same resilience and determination that had carried me through today.
“Welcome back, heroes,” familiar voices said in unison.
End of Chapter 4