Gazing off freely towards the city, I am captivated by the scattered light of fireworks. A strange feeling washes over me as I inhale the night air, tinged with the lingering scent of gunpowder from the fireworks held in my left hand. It's as if the air has transformed from soft and gentle to ethereal and soothing, transporting me to an entirely different realm. Could it be an illusion? Curiously, I notice a warmth emanating from the firework stick I just fired. Yet, the sensation of the smooth and calming night breeze remains vivid in my memory. I reach out and touch a speck of light that has landed before me, finding comfort in its gentle warmth.

“Hana, you are… crying…” Arkan's voice breaks the spell.

Surprised, I feel tears trickling down my cheeks. I brush them away, starting from my chin and moving up to my cheeks.

Arkan and I exchange bewildered glances, both at a loss for words. The shared experience leaves us with more questions than answers. Concerned, Arkan breaks the silence, "Are you all right?".

Lost in my thoughts, I offer a brief, stiff response. “Y-yes.”

…

*BRUKKKKK*

Suddenly, Arkan collapses beside me. His body crumples into a seated position, head lowered and one leg bent, his trembling hands gripping tightly to support himself.

“A-Arkan? What happened?!" I worryingly inquire.

Did he get injured from the earlier fireworks mishap??

“Hufft…” Arkan lets out a tired sigh. "I'm relieved that you're okay. If you had been hurt, I wouldn't know what to do".

This person... rather than worrying about himself, his thoughts immediately turn to others. Even in times of danger, someone else takes precedence in his mind. Such individuals still exist, it seems.

“Hahaha…” Arkan's laughter echoes softly, though his lowered head obscures his smiling face. Even in moments like this, he manages to find humor. "Hahaha! What was that... the fireworks exploded right in front of us... Did you see it? That was a close call, wasn't it?" His words are interrupted by a joyful laugh.

Unbelievable. Instead of being alarmed by the dangerous situation we just experienced, he bursts into laughter. And for some reason, his laughter stirs something in my heart, prompting me to join in.

“... Hahaha, you're right. That was close, huh? It was really dangerous earlier" I chuckle, unable to contain my amusement.

Our laughter continues, transforming the previously serene atmosphere into one filled with life and mirth. We exchange playful banter amidst the diminishing fireworks, until the explosions gradually fade away. Finally, the last firework erupts, followed by a solitary boom. As the echoes of the explosion subside, so does our laughter.

…

Arkan retrieves the lighter I had returned earlier and ignites the dormant candle. The vibrant hue and gentle warmth emanating from the flame instantly transport me back to that enigmatic place, evoking memories of the delicate fireworks particles that once graced my right hand. Lost in thought, I fix my gaze upon the dancing candle flame, its flickers meandering aimlessly in the slight chill of the breeze.

“But... what was that all about, huh?” Arkan's voice pierces the silence.

His words mirror my own sentiments, suggesting that he, too, is entangled in the enigmatic allure of that place. We share a mutual sense of bewilderment and fascination.

“I wish I knew. Perhaps it was merely an illusion? But that place... it felt undeniably real to me,” I respond, struggling to articulate my thoughts.

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Arkan nods, acknowledging the uncertainty. "I feel the same way. Alright, let's piece together the fragments and attempt to unravel this mystery" he proposes.

I offer my assent through a solitary nod, a wordless affirmation of his suggestion.

Raising his index finger, Arkan begins enumerating the first point. “Firstly, we were unexpectedly caught in the chaos of a fireworks explosion. Did anything else transpire during that moment?”.

I pause, searching my innermost being for any lingering sensations. “I can't recall anything else. However, in that moment, an overwhelming sense of joy enveloped me. It was as if happiness overflowed within my very core” I vaguely recount.

Understanding my words, Arkan probes further. "I see. Anything else? Any physical sensations, perhaps?"

With a brief and concise response, I reply, "None that I can discern. Did you experience anything out of the ordinary?" My words linger, the final sentence tinged with an inquisitive undertone.

Arkan bows his head in agreement, his silent concurrence evident. Then, he raises his second finger, signifying the next point. “Secondly, we found ourselves abruptly transported to an unfamiliar realm. It revealed a sprawling meadow crowned by a solitary tree atop a gentle hill. The night sky shimmered with a constellation of stars. I could feel the wind caress my skin, yet it bore neither warmth nor coldness" he recounts.

In accord with his description, I offer a nod, affirming our shared experience.

“Third, it turns out that both of us were still holding the Roman candles fireworks which should have been lit before, but for some reason, it was re-ignited. And the results of the explosion didn't disappear like time has been stopped, but the particles keep falling until it is in front of us. Then, we touched the warm point of light and suddenly return to where we were before. Like that, right?" He explained.

Arkan describes the incident really well. I acknowledge it because the experience is just exactly the same. Does that mean it wasn't an illusion?

“Anyway, thank goodness we weren't hurt. Thinking about it would be a difficult task. Trying to repeat that phenomenon is also dangerous because the trigger could be exposing ourselves to an explosion of fireworks from pin-point range" He said. Arkan once again on both his feet and says, "Okay. Let's go home, the festival is also over. I also managed to get my answer".

When I heard it, I stand up and agreed. "Yeah, let's go home" I said in a soft tone.

We both tidied up this place and rush back out of the forest. When I take a look at my cell phone, the clock shows 9:12. Tomorrow is Saturday, so sleeping late is not a problem. But, after everything that happened, I want to rest as soon as possible. Looks like Arkan got my intention too.

The two of us walk through the dark forest and only rely on the flashlights of our two cell phones. Surprisingly, there's no breeze passing by, so the atmosphere feels empty and hollow. Not even the blue moonlight could penetrate. The atmosphere is silent without the sound of insects ringing, though, there are us making sounds while stomping the ground.

While looking ahead, Arkan says, “I'll ask the experts what happened just now. Maybe they know something”.

It pop right into my head who is the 'expert' that Arkan mentioned. "Ah, Tio and his Uncle?".

"Yes. I'll tell them what happened tonight. Of course, all I'm going to tell is the part when we, or rather I got hit by the explosion and become disillusioned. So, you don't have to worry about weird rumors happening again” He explained.

Woah, he decided while thinking about my feelings. He completely understands my trouble after hearing the story I told him and didn't want me to go through anything of that kind again. Friends are great, huh?

"Oh, I see. Thank you." I thank him because that is really helpful.

Ah, while talking about a fireworks maker. I'd better ask about that now. "Hey, Arkan. Can I learn how to make fireworks at Tio and Uncle's place? I want to make my own” I said.

“Hmm? Sure, can. Even I myself made my own creation of fireworks taught by them. Well, it's just a coincidence that I succeed" He said with a straight face.

“What, seriously? Arkan can make fireworks? Why didn't you say it before? I've always wondered how fireworks are made, you know!” I replied with high tones at the end.'

“We-well, you never asked. I'll ask them when they can make time for that. Let's also ask about that phenomenon too".

"Okay, it's a promise, yeah? Hell yeah! I can finally make my own fireworks. As soon as possible, you hear?!” I said excitedly.

"Hah? What are you talking about. We can't do it at the time, we have midterms exams, you know? A week from now on”.

With just a few words, my excitement is gone in an instant. I lost all the imagination that I had created. And it became worse with the fact that I haven't prepared anything at all to face the test".

Seriously? Midterms? A week from now?

I stop my momentum in surprise. As if I have become a statue, all the muscles in my body cannot move. I totally forgot about that matter...

Arkan in front of me also stops his movement, following me. He even have a look on his face that didn't expect that I would forget that there was PTS next week. Woah, what timing is this...