The strange music filled the empty corridor. Pale moonlight spilled in through the large windows, casting long shadows on the floor as Anna walked slowly towards the source of that strange music.

Anna paused for a moment resting her hand on the cool glass of the window, gazing at the night sky lit by the full moon which hung like a glowing pearl. The music she heard which was now a bit clearer, seemed to match with the whole environment.

She could see a faint reflection of herself on the window glass. A narrow face that had an Eastern look. Probably in her mid teens. Who was this person?

But the actual question she had was;

What's this place? Is this the after life

There seemed to be no trace of anybody. The only lively thing was the music she heard. And was why she went towards it.

Anna or whoever she was now, started walking again. Towards the direction of the music.

She headed out of the hallway onto a flight of stairs which led to another hallway and finally at the far end of it she reached a big door.

The music was clearer now, and no doubt, came from whatever was on the other side of the door. Anna opened the door, for the music which was a bit muffled earlier to become even clearer.

Inside was what seemed to be an auditorium. On the other side was a stage and on it was a large white piano. Seated at it was a girl with pastel pink, wavy hair. Her fingers effortlessly moved across the keys.

There was nothing Anna could do. She didn’t want to bother the girl or stop her playing either. So she sat on the nearest seat to her and stayed there patiently enjoying the music. Each note hung in the air, delicate yet filled with a quiet intensity. It was as if the music had become the very breath of the theatre, wrapping Anna in its embrace.

With the music coming to an end the whole enchantment created in the atmosphere disappeared and there was a sudden sense of emptiness, and suddenly Anna found the pink haired girl staring at her. Her hands, still on the keyboard.

The edges of her mouth lifted, giving off a slight smile. Then she lifted her left hand and SNAP.

The whole environment changed. It was more like Anna was teleported to somewhere else. She seemed to be in a hallway of the same building. Earlier it was night time but now it was morning, warm sun rays filling the hallways instead of moonlight. She could hear birds chirping. It was so sudden she just stood there motionless, unable to process the whole situation. The whole atmosphere had changed with the blink of an eye.

After finally collecting herself back, she realised she was in a hallway. There were many doors which had labels on them in an orderly way. The one in front of her was 1-A. Out of curiosity she slid the door open and went inside.

There were orderly placed rectangular Desks with a chair for each and in front of them was a bigger table along with what seemed to be a green black board. Warm sunlight cane through the windows. This seemed like some sort of a classroom.

Where have I seen this before? Why is all this so… familiar?

“Let me guess”, said a voice “You're wondering why all this is so familiar?”

“Ahh!”, Anna jumped by the sudden realisation that there was someone else there in front of her, leaning against the window sill.

She was wearing a similar dress to Anna 's.

“Oh my, did I scare you?”

Her pastel pink hair swayed in the soft breeze that blew. The girl brushed a loose strands

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of hair behind her ear, her fingers grazing her soft skin as she gave Anna a radiant smile.

“Oh the piano girl!”, Anna let out

“Pfft, Piano girl?”, she replied giggling.

“It was you that played the piano a moment ago……”, Anna said with a hint of confusion. Who was this girl? Was she a spirit? Then was this some sort of a spirit realm Anna had wandered into after her death?

“No Ayame-san, I’m not a spirit.”, the girl said, moving towards Anna.

“Wa- did you just read my mind? Who exactly are you?", Anna asked. Wait, what did she just call me?

“I am Shinku. The onlooker of the realm in-between. And I've been waiting for you, Ayame Fujiwara.”, she said with an elegant bow.

“Huh? What's the in-between? You mean in-between the actual world and the spirit realm? Are you a soul reaper?”

“Hahaha, I'm not a soul reaper. Well I do guide interesting souls like you, Ayame-san sometimes. To be more specific you can call me The Editor”

“Huh?”

“Ayame-san might be confused bu-”

“Wait wait wait, hold on. I think you got the wrong person mis soul reaper.”

“I told you, I’m not a soul reaper. And no I am not mistaken.”, Shinku replied, with no hint of annoyance in her voice at all. It was as if she was used to it.

“But, my names Anastasia Lucigarden and… and… no wait what…”

Anna remembered she was in an entirely different body. Lost in thought she looked at her slender hand which Shinku took hold of softly. She looked up to find herself confronted by a pair of radiant eyes.

“Let us jog your memory.”, Shinku said.

It was as if Anna was drawn into those radiant eyes. Her memories that had been long lost flashed before her.

A small house in a land called Japan. A mother, a father and an elder sibling. Friends, school, a carefree life. That name… Ayame Fujiwara they all called her that. It echoed in her head.

AYAME FUJIWRA… AYAME-CHAN… AYAME…

AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME AYAME

Anna- no, Ayame dropped on her knees unable to bear the pressure of all the sudden memories that flooded into her mind. She clenched her chest panting heavily.

It didn’t take her too long to realise she wasn't in the classroom anymore. She was on a road, her knees and hands bruised as if she had slipped and fallen. It was gloomy and raining, her whole body drenched. Suddenly a truck came charging at her, screaming she instinctively moved backwards only to hit herself against something hard. It was the sliding door. She was back in the classroom.

In front of her stood Shinku. Unfazed, looking down on her with those radiant eyes.