At last, the young man walked towards and opened the said door with a push. Immediately, a stream of sunshine showered him like incoming arrows, sharp and unexpected. The heat glared at him with its intensity, forcing the young man to squint both eyes. 

This process took him a few seconds to do, alternating between opening and closing his eyelids. Each time, the white flash began to dissipate into clearer pictures while his other senses sharpened, such as hearing the birds chirping and smelling a pleasant aroma carried by the fresh wind. Slowly but surely, his eyes stopped twitching, hence allowing him to take in the landscape surrounding the cottage.  

The scenery caught in the young man’s eyes took his breath away. In front of him was a garden adorned with vibrant colors as far as he could see. The hues stretched long and wide. Among them were flowers of many kinds. Their petals reflected the beaming sun to create such an ethereal spectacle. Vegetables and fruits grew alongside them. And from a distance, trees stood next to each other in succession, circling the surrounding area.

On the next step, his feet landed on a wooden stair which led him to a straight path. It went on for quite a distance. With short and careful steps, the young man traced the dirt path. Footprints were formed along the way. 

On both sides, the flowers waved at him in delight, as if they were trying to communicate with him. A lovely, dream-like scent of the plants enveloped the air, giving a tinge of sweetness whenever the young man inhaled. He couldn’t help comparing it to that of a bloodied panorama filled with piled-up corpses. 

Once again, he considered the plausibility of this place truly being a heaven. For the past few meters he had traveled, the view had kept on persisting with its allure. But not long after that, as he thought he had seen everything this place offered, something else completely stole his attention, breath, and words. 

Crouching near him was a person–a young lady basking in the white light, her body radiating a glow that demanded attention. At a glance, it appeared as if the sun favored her the most. Under the burning red’s magnificent light, she overshadowed even the most beautiful flower in this garden.

Her golden-blonde hair flowed down until each strand brushed against her back, and when hit by sunshine, it glittered in gold sparks, bewitching to the eyes. She wore a white tunic with its long sleeves rolled up to her elbows. It covered almost her entire body except for her head, neck, wrists, and feet, revealing her cream-toned skin. One more piece of clothing layered the outside as an orange apron. With her being barefoot, she melted seamlessly into the surroundings, blending with nature. 

She was in the middle of picking some fresh-looking apples. Their redness was a taste the man could easily taste on the tongue just by looking. Irresistible as it was, the young man didn’t want to make a scene out of it. He planned to stay quiet, but although his mouth obeyed, his stomach didn’t. One glance at the apple aroused his appetite. In an instant, his belly growled like a dying wolf–loud enough to grab the lady’s attention. Her hands stopped, now focusing on the young man with her golden eyes. 

Awkward, he thought, as he nervously scratched the back of his head. Again, he tried using his right hand only for the reality reminded him it was gone. In an unknown place and unknown time, being confronted by an unknown person–a girl, on top of that–as an unknown man under unknown circumstances, he lacked the understanding of how to react. 

Should he introduce himself? Or maybe asked who she was? 

Should he thank her? But it doesn’t mean she was his savior.

Also, was it an act of saving? She might be a danger lurking in plain sight. 

Or first of all, what was she doing here in the first place?

“T-this is….” He didn’t know what to say, but he felt the need to say a word or two.

As he kept mulling over those choices, the person before his eyes let out a chuckle. 

“Good morning,” she said. Her words were spoken softly, a serenade amidst the blowing wind. “I see you’re awake now. How are you feeling?”

Different from him, the young lady treated this sudden interaction as a proper conversation with no hint of fear behind her voice. Sensing caution from the young man, she elaborated further. 

“You’re safe here.”

Whether or not it could ease his anxiety, no one really knew. But he felt the need to open his mouth, hence he asked:

“....Are you the one who saved me?” 

“I just brought you here while you were unconscious, so I don’t think the word ‘save’ is appropriate.”

There was an aura of mystery about the girl that he couldn’t really grasp. His best course of action currently would be to identify who she truly was. 

“May….May I know who you–”

Before he could finish his sentence, another voice coming from his stomach interrupted. This time, his stomach was really throwing a tantrum. It grumbled like there’s no tomorrow. 

Again, the girl chuckled, with no intention of hiding it whatsoever. 

“I think I know what you want to ask, but what about having breakfast first?” She began to track the path towards the cottage, meaning towards the young man, while her fingers were running through the colorful plants. Her smile never left her face. “I may not look like it, but I consider myself a pretty decent cook. So, what do you say?”