The bus rattled to a stop outside my house, the familiar hum of the engine fading as Ryan, Katya, Luke, and I stepped off. The cool evening air greeted us, and the quiet of the neighborhood contrasted with the noise we’d left behind at Taekwondo practice. The sky hung heavy with clouds, casting everything in a soft, dim light.

We gathered at the corner where our paths would split. “Alright,” I said, gesturing toward the narrow street winding up the hill. “If you guys go up, there’s a steep path, but it’ll take you right to the upper district. If you head left, you’ll hit the main road and there’s a bus stop.”

Luke and Ryan exchanged glances, nodding before making their way uphill. Katya stayed by my side, and we turned left, walking in sync as we began our slow stroll toward the city. The streets stretched ahead, quiet but alive with the soft buzz of life, and the distant lights of the city began to twinkle.

The further we walked, the more the surroundings came alive. Large shops loomed ahead, the windows filled with vibrant colors and displays that practically begged to be explored. I nudged Katya and pointed to one in particular.

"Look at that!" I said, grinning as we stepped inside.

The shop was like a wonderland for anyone who loved art or games. Along one wall, people were sketching 3D drawings, the images practically leaping off the paper. Further in, there were shelves lined with intricate action figures—my heart skipped when I spotted a row of Haikyuu figures, perfectly sculpted and posed as if ready for battle.

We spent what felt like hours there, immersed in the strange and wonderful things the shop had to offer. Every corner revealed something new. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Luke and Ryan walking by. Their faces were set in a strange expression—almost like they hadn’t noticed us.

“Did they just—” Katya began, but I waved it off, unsure what to make of it.

We left the store, pushing the thought aside as we continued toward the city center.

The streets grew busier as we entered the heart of the city. Tall buildings stretched up toward the sky, their windows gleaming under the streetlights. The sound of cars, distant conversations, and the occasional honk filled the air.

“By the way,” I asked Katya as we stood at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change, “how are you getting home?”

“I’ll just grab a taxi,” she said casually, her attention on the traffic ahead.

We crossed the street together and parted ways soon after. As she waved goodbye, a sudden realization struck me—I had no idea where I was. The bustling city around me suddenly felt unfamiliar, the streets all looking the same under the dim glow of the lamps.

Panic began to rise in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. I spotted an elderly taxi driver leaning against his car a little way down the street and approached him, hoping he could help.

“Excuse me,” I said, my voice steady despite the growing unease. “Could you help me? I think I’m lost.”

The man turned to me, his wrinkled face softening into a smile. “You’re a brave one,” he said, his voice gruff yet warm. “Not many young girls would ask an old man for directions without a second thought.”

His words sent a shiver down my spine, but I kept my composure. Before I could respond, I heard my name being called. Turning, I saw Youna, Rachael, Luke, and Ryan approaching from the crowd. Relief washed over me as I thanked the driver quickly, telling him I’d found my friends.

I joined them, pushing the strange encounter to the back of my mind.

Together, we walked into one of the tallest buildings in the city. Its glass façade reflected the night sky, and the doors opened to a massive lobby filled with people. Inside, the air was warm, and the scent of coffee drifted from a nearby Starbucks.

As we stepped in, I saw my family—Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and Jenna—sitting at a table near the entrance. Grandpa waved us over. “Come sit! We’re about to order drinks,” he said, already halfway through the process.

I asked for a mint-chocolate slushie, and soon after, we were ushered into a different Starbucks, for reasons I couldn’t quite understand. We got our drinks in sleek, branded tumblers, and I headed off alone to explore.

The first floor was vast, with tables scattered across the space. At one of them sat Youna and Rachael, deep in conversation. I joined them, and they slid a stack of cards toward me.

“We’re playing a game,” Youna explained, pointing to the table. It had small holes in it, each filled with sand-like material, and the cards were meant to be placed inside.

It wasn’t long before I realized we were competing against Luke and Ryan, who sat across the room, watching us. The game was strange, yet oddly compelling. As I placed my cards into the holes, the sense of competition grew, but we were losing badly.

Just as I was about to give up, Sumin and Boyeon appeared out of nowhere, offering us their cards—thin, delicate, but seemingly powerful. We accepted, and with their help, we turned the game around, finally winning.

Luke and Ryan approached after our victory, proposing a new alliance for the next round. I agreed, and we prepared for another match, this time involving three different tables. The atmosphere was tense, the stakes higher.

I pulled out what I believed to be the best card, confident we’d win again. But, to my surprise, Boyeon and Sumin’s team triumphed, with Rachael and Youna’s team coming in second. Anger flared inside me. I was convinced they had somehow cheated, secretly teaming up against us.

“We’re going again,” I demanded, determined to uncover any tricks.

Luke, ever the calm one, smiled and shook his head. “Let’s sit this one out. Just watch,” he suggested.

I reluctantly agreed, but as I watched, something strange happened. The cleaning lady walked by and pointed out that the tables hadn’t been properly connected. She fixed it with a simple twist, and just like that, the whole game felt... different. Real.

The game ended, but the night didn’t. Rachael, Youna, and I found ourselves wandering the elegant halls of a massive department store. The floors gleamed under the soft lighting, and the air smelled of luxury perfumes. Somewhere along the way, reality blurred, and we weren’t ourselves anymore.

We had become Mamamoo, a girl group band.

Rachael was now Moonbyul, Youna was Solar, and I had taken on the persona of Wheein. It was surreal. People around us moved with purpose, but we wandered aimlessly until an older woman approached, her eyes fixated on Moonbyul.

“You should be a singer,” she said, grabbing Moonbyul’s arm. “You’ve got the look for it. TV, modeling—you could do it all.”

Moonbyul shot me a bewildered look, but I urged her to stay silent. It was almost amusing to see how far the woman would go. She didn’t stop, now turning to Solar and Hwasa, commenting on their outfits, pushing them toward stardom.

It didn’t take long for me to realize this woman worked for a nearby clothing shop. She had no idea who we were. I smiled, deciding to play along. “Which agency do you work for?” I asked, curious.

The woman’s expression faltered, and without answering, she turned and left, disappearing into the crowd.

And with that, the spell was broken.