A Day of Surprise
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The streets of Thimphu were alive with their usual charm—colorful buildings standing against the backdrop of towering mountains, prayer flags fluttering like whispers of old blessings, and the subtle scent of butter tea mingling with the crisp morning air. The sounds of chattering shopkeepers, the ringing of bicycle bells, and the rhythmic chants from a distant monastery created a comforting hum of life.
Sange adjusted her kira, shifting uncomfortably as the fabric clung to her in the mild afternoon heat. A crow of ravens cawed above, circling near a monastery rooftop, and she couldn't help but feel a slight shiver down her spine. Maybe it was just her nerves, or maybe—No. She shook her head. This was just another ordinary day.
Yet, as she watched Hiraya practically skip ahead of her, she regretted agreeing to this little adventure.
"Remind me again why I'm suffering?" Sange grumbled.
"Because you love me," Hiraya sang, linking her arm through Sange's. "And because I refuse to let you sulk at home before leaving for Korea. You're not allowed to mope."
"I'm not moping."
"You're totally moping. I'm doing you a favor." Hiraya twirled dramatically before pointing at the bustling market ahead. "Besides, the universe has sent me a vision."
"Oh?" Sange raised an eyebrow. "And what did the great Hiraya foresee?"
"That today is the day you will have a life-changing experience."
Sange sighed. "I could be having a life-changing experience in bed—sleeping."
Hiraya gasped and grabbed her chest like she had been mortally wounded. "How dare you?! Sleep is temporary. This day will live forever in our hearts!"
Sange side-eyed her. "You sound like a failed motivational speaker."
"I am motivational! You just have no vision." Hiraya flipped her hair dramatically before dragging Sange toward their first stop—a fortune teller's stall.
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A Fortune Not Asked For
Under a faded blue canopy sat an elderly woman, her face etched with the deep lines of age, her gray-streaked hair pulled into a simple bun. The table before her was cluttered with strange trinkets—a brass bowl filled with dried juniper leaves, a bundle of red protection threads, and a set of small, worn-out cards. A faint trace of incense smoke curled around her.
As they approached, the woman lifted her gaze—her eyes dark and piercing, holding an unnerving intensity.
"You." Her voice was raspy yet firm. She pointed a bony finger at Sange.
Sange's muscles tensed. "Uh… me?"
The woman nodded, her eyes narrowing. "You carry a strange fate."
Sange immediately took a step back. "Okay, nope. We're leaving—"
Hiraya grabbed her arm, grinning. "Wait! This is perfect! Tell us more, Granny."
The woman ignored Hiraya, her gaze locked on Sange. "Your path is uncertain… clouded by the past and the future."
Sange's heartbeat quickened.
"But soon—" the woman's voice lowered, like a whisper traveling through time, "—two forces will collide, and fate will awaken."
Sange felt like the ground beneath her had disappeared.
Those words.
She had heard them before.
From her mother.
Hiraya, completely oblivious to her reaction, clapped excitedly. "Ooooh! That sounds like a drama plot!"
The fortune teller's expression darkened. "You must be careful. The moment of awakening is near."
Sange forced a shaky laugh. "Yeah, okay. Thanks, Grandma. Let's go, Hiraya."
As they walked away, Hiraya whispered, "That was so creepy. What if she's actually right?"
"She's probably just scamming tourists for extra cash." Sange shrugged, trying to dismiss the lingering unease curling in her stomach.
But as they moved through the crowd, her mother's words echoed in her mind.
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Hiraya's Unexpected Crush
The next stop was a bustling street food stall. Hiraya squealed in excitement and practically sprinted forward, eyes gleaming as she inhaled the scent of freshly steamed momos.
"I need this in my soul," she declared dramatically, slapping money onto the counter.
Sange chuckled—until she noticed Hiraya had suddenly gone still.
Following her gaze, Sange spotted a tall, broad-shouldered vendor standing behind the stall. His features were sharp, his smile effortlessly charming, and his rolled-up sleeves revealed strong forearms.
"Oh no," Sange muttered. "Not again."
Hiraya let out a dreamy sigh. "Sange… do you see him?"
"Unfortunately."
"He's perfect."
"He's literally just selling dumplings."
Hiraya clutched her heart. "And he's doing it so beautifully."
The vendor, completely unaware of the intense admiration radiating from Hiraya, handed over her dumplings. "Here you go."
Hiraya panicked and bowed. A full 90-degree bow.
Sange's soul left her body.
The vendor blinked. "Uh… okay?"
Sange choked back laughter. "Hiraya, we don't do that here."
Hiraya snapped upright like a malfunctioning robot. "Right! Uh—thank you. Mahal kita!"
The vendor frowned slightly. "What?"
Sange smirked. "She just said 'I love you' in Filipino."
Hiraya gasped in horror. "I—WHAT?! NO! I MEANT THANK YOU!"
The vendor chuckled. "You're… welcome?"
Hiraya grabbed Sange's arm and sprinted away.
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The Day Spirals Into Chaos
As they wandered deeper into the market, Hiraya whined dramatically.
"Sange, I want to disappear."
Sange patted her back. "You'll survive. I mean, probably."
"I should have just let the earth swallow me whole."
"No, because then I'd have to tell your parents you died from secondhand embarrassment."
Hiraya groaned. "He probably thinks I'm a lunatic."
"No, I'm pretty sure he just thinks you're a foreigner with bad language skills."
"That's worse!"
Their journey continued with more disasters:
Hiraya nearly tripped into a yak. The poor animal just stared at her, unimpressed.
Sange got stuck in a tourist crowd while Hiraya took selfies and forgot to rescue her.
Hiraya almost fought a monk. (Okay, not really a fight, but she insisted a stray cat was her soulmate, and the monk politely disagreed.)
They got lost for an hour because Hiraya refused to admit she read the map wrong.
By the time they finally stumbled home, they were dead tired.
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A Late-Night Confession
Hiraya collapsed onto the bed like a fallen tree. "Sange…"
Sange, half-asleep, hummed in response.
"I think I'm in love."
Sange cracked an eye open. "You don't even know his name."
"Does it matter?" Hiraya sighed. "Maybe this is fate."
Sange snorted. "Or maybe you just embarrassed yourself so hard that your brain is trying to justify it."
Hiraya grabbed a pillow and smacked her. "Shut up."
Sange laughed. This was exactly why she was going to miss Hiraya.
The room fell silent, exhaustion settling over them.
And somewhere in the distance, the winds shifted.
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