Harlen– the young janitor said, sweeping the library floor.

“She always called it a fairy tale. I never imagined the flower could be real.”

“Yeah, apparently it’s famous around here.”

Sadie snapped her book shut with a groan.

“And I just found out about it a few days ago. I’ve really been living under a rock.”

Harlen chuckled

“So, who’s going in this flower hunting with you?”

“Akari,” she replied.

“The café owner?”

“Yeah. I tried convincing Tasunee but you know it's impossible to include her into anything.”

Harlen dipped the broom into the water again

“Tasunee, that quiet redhead? She barely talks to anyone but you. No surprise she’s not interested.”

Sadie flipped the book open again, scanning the pages

“You know, sometimes I wonder about her. No friends, no family… and she doesn’t seem to care about that at all. I basically had to force her to talk to me when we first met.”

A few crows were outside the window, fighting beak to beak for a piece of meat 

Harlen sets the broom aside, he doesn't say anything

The last person in the library other than Sadie and Harlen gets up and leaves.

“oops! sorry, I'm getting off track.”

Sadie met his gaze.

“Look, I was thinking...it’s just… two people on this trip is going to be risky—and boring. Would you… maybe join us? I promise it’ll be fun!!.”

Harlen hesitated, eyes looking at the floor, then looks up

The faint smell of books now fading away in the background 

“I’m not that interested. But since you’re asking… if I get the day off, I’ll come.”

Sadie stands up, clapping her hands in excitement

“Thank you, Harlen! We’re planning for Thursday. Please update me!”

“Thursday?”

His brow rose.

“That’s sooner than I expected. Why the rush?”

A small, almost nervous smile tugged at Sadie’s lips.

“I guess… I just keep thinking. If the flower’s real, if it can grant wishes… that could change everything.”

“You really want to change your life that badly?”

Harlen studied her.

“From what I see, your life’s fine. What are you running from?”

Sadie’s smile faltered but she tries her best to put up a smile again. Sadie takes a deep breath, she scraps her nail over the book cover

“It’s… nothing. You're thinking too much.”

.

.

.

The rest of the day passed by a blur That evening, the sun burned low, casting the park in deep orange and red, looked like Tasunee's hair.

Sadie blabbed excitedly on the bench about their plans.

“We’ll pack lots of food, take pictures, post everything on our stories—ugh, it’s going to be perfect!”

Tasunee didn't seem to be listening at all. She stared at the ground, lost in thought. Tasunee's fingers played with her hair

“Sadie…”

Sadie froze, surprised by the heaviness in her tone.

“Yeah?”

“You said the flower grants any wish… right?”

“That’s what I’ve read, yeah.”

“If that’s true… then I want to come too.”

 

Sadie grabs Tasunee by her shoulder

"AHA! I knew you secretly found it interesting! I knew you'd eventually give in!" 

Sadie laughs for a few moments

" Anyways tho, what made you suddenly give in? Weren't you calling it 'nonsense'??" 

Tasunee faintly smiles

“I know. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it all night. If it’s real… it could change everything, it really could change my life”

“You’re serious?”

Tasunee nodded

“I’ve made up my mind. I’m going.”

Sadie’s face lit up in happiness. From the starting she didn't want Tasunee to miss out on anything.

She threw her arms around Tasunee.

“AHHHH Tasu, I love you sooo much, thank you, thank you, thank you! We're going this Thursday, better start packing now!”

Tasunee wriggled free.

“Enough, let go. And… Thursday? That’s too soon. Why the rush?”

“Because,”

The excitement in Sadie flattered a bit

"because...it’s life-changing.”

She almost whispered

For a moment, Tasunee caught something in her eyes—a flicker of desperation that sent a chill down her spine.

On the other hand, Sadie was done making her team, now she was gonna start something, something life changing...