So cold…

I stood alone in the shadows of a narrow alleyway. I hadn't realized how quiet it had gotten, no footsteps, no voices, no one around me anymore. By the time I noticed, it was already too late.

I was lost.

The alley, usually dim and eerie, felt different tonight. The moon above was unusually bright, casting pale silver light that traced every corner and wall. The falling snow had grown heavier, piling softly around my feet, and I could feel the cold starting to bite deep into my bones.

I have to get out. This alley... it feels too quiet, too empty, too lonely.
So I walked.
And walked.
And walked.

But no matter how far I went, it felt like I was trapped in the same place. Like the alley had no end. If Aunt Kalforn finds out I just disappeared like this, she’s definitely going to yell at me. We had gone out today to celebrate Christmas with a bit of shopping, but honestly... I don’t think crowded places are really for me. My hands were freezing. Just one layer of clothing wasn’t enough to block out this kind of cold. Even my hair had stiffened and dried in the winter chill. Ah... I just wanted to curl up and fall asleep right here. I’d been wandering around this silent alley for nearly thirty minutes, trying to find a way out. But no matter how far I looked, there wasn’t a single soul in sight. Not even a flicker of light.

My eyes grew heavier with each step. The view ahead slowly blurred, fading into a hazy white. If this goes on, I’m definitely going to pass out...Then, just as I was about to lose hope, a small light flickered to life in the distance, off to my right.

It was a building, lit up warmly from the inside. From where I stood, it looked like a tiny store. I didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I ran straight toward the light. I reached the building. Without a second thought, I reached out and pushed the door open. A soft chime rang from above as the door swung inward. I stepped inside, one slow foot after another.

My breathing was still a bit uneven. But finally… I was free from the freezing cold outside.
This place... it was warm.I glanced around the interior. The store looked like a toy store, Every corner was filled with dolls, stuffed animals, and figures. Shelves overflowed with them, as if the whole store was cradling memories. Some spots were a little dusty, and in the dim corners, spider webs clung quietly to the shelves.
The whole place had the air of something long-forgotten, hidden away from the world.

What kind of store is this…?

And why is it sitting alone in a place like this? I looked around the store. Not a single soul in sight. The silence hung thick in the air. I slowly made my way toward the counter, Still… no one. Sitting on the counter was a small service bell. One of those old-fashioned ones you could tap to call someone.

I hesitated. Something about ringing it feels… wrong. But if I want to get out of here, I need help. So I have no choice.

I reached out and pressed it.

“Ding!”

Nothing happened. The silence didn’t even flinch. No footsteps. No voices. No flicker of movement. Was there really no one here?

 I tapped it again.

“Ding!”

Still nothing.

A flicker of unease stirred in my chest. Is this just… an abandoned shop? I exhaled slowly, letting the warmth of the room settle over me. And then I turned around.

That’s when I saw it. Standing just behind me was a doll. It was on the ground.

It was just a small plastic monkey. Dressed in a sharp purple coat and wearing a bright red cap.
In its hands, it held a pair of toy cymbals.

I froze for a moment. I am sure that monkey hasn't been there earlier. Has someone placed it there while I wasn’t looking? No… that couldn’t be. When I walked into this shop, the floor was empty.
Nothing had been there. No movement. No sound. Even though a hint of fear crept in, curiosity tugged at me stronger.

I slowly began to walk toward the monkey. My footsteps were quiet, measured, until I was right in front of it. I reached out, just barely lifting my hand to touch it.

“BANG!”

The monkey suddenly clashed its cymbals together, loud and sharp. The sound cracked through the silence like a gunshot. Startled, I jumped back in terror and fell straight to the ground. The monkey didn’t stop. It continued clashing its cymbals rhythmically again and again.

Suddenly, the other toys around the shop began to move. One by one, they stirred to life. Some picked up instruments, others clapped or danced in strange, jerky motions. The shop gradually filled with sound, a chaotic, surreal symphony of toy music. The lights began to flicker, changing colors in rapid bursts,  as if I’d somehow stepped into the middle of a stage performance.

I stood frozen. My heart pounded. Fear crawled up my spine like icy fingers. Why were they all moving? What had triggered this? Each toy seemed to take on a role as if they were actors in a play they’d rehearsed forever.  The entire shop felt… alive.

And that terrified me.

The bizarre musical performance lasted only about a minute.

"Clap!"

A sharp clap echoed behind me. Someone had clapped their hands. And just like that every toy in the room came to a stop. The flickering lights froze and dimmed back to normal. The shop returned to its previous, quiet state.

I looked around, stunned at the toys now motionless like statues. Then I turned slowly to see the person who had stopped them. He was tall. Wearing an outfit that looked like something between a clown and a magician absurd and theatrical. And on his head was a headdress shaped like a bird.

Is he even a human? Or…a Lumen?

The man stared at me for a moment. Then slowly, he began walking toward me.

As he approached, he started humming something softly almost like… a poem.

𝄞 On a calm, snowy night,
A little rabbit had lost its way~
Oh~ whatever shall it do?
The poor, gentle little rabbit...
Found a warm and cozy little home~ 𝄞 

The man came to a stop right in front of me.

He paused his poem, and with a graceful, courtly bow, he politely introduced himself.

“A pleasure to meet you. I am Jason Alalifiear, the owner of this little shop,”

he said, looking at me with a gentle voice. His tone was calm and soft though the large bird-like costume he wore was honestly a little hard not to laugh at.

Oh right, I completely forgot to introduce myself.

“N-Nice to meet you too. I’m Zerun,” I replied.

It had been a while since I’d spoken to another person like this, so I couldn’t help but feel just a bit awkward.

"My sincerest apologies if what just happened gave you a fright."

What just happened…? He must be talking about those toys.

"It’s alright... no problem..."

Truthfully, it did scare the hell out of me, those moving dolls and their sudden performance.

After hearing my response, he continued,

"They haven’t seen a human in quite some time. That was their way of… giving you a warm welcome."

Haven’t seen a human in a while?  A welcome…? What is he even talking about? Isn’t this just a normal toy shop? But the more he spoke, the more confused I felt. Noticing my expression, he gave a gentle smile and said,

"Ah, I see you're confused. It’s completely natural everyone feels this way the first time they come here. But don’t worry. Just relax and enjoy this peaceful night."

"Let me, Jason Alalifiear, treat you to some warmth."

"Come, come this way~"

He turned and began walking forward, motioning for me to follow. I should probably ask him how to get out of here so I followed behind him. From the outside, the shop seemed small but as I stepped in deeper, it was clear the inside was far more spacious than it appeared.

We entered a large room. It was unexpectedly beautiful. Tiny dolls were neatly arranged on a velvet-covered display shelf. A tall, decorated tree stood near the center, its ornaments glowing softly under warm lighting. A grand table sat beneath it, overflowing with foods, breads, fruits, sweets, and dishes I couldn’t even name. It looked like they were preparing for a Christmas party. The warmth from the small fireplace near the decorated tree spread through the room, making it feel even cozier than the rest of the shop.

We walked toward the grand table filled with food, and the man gestured for me to take a seat. I have questions, questions about how to leave this place, about where I even was. But out of respect for his hospitality, I decided to wait… just a little longer.

As I reached for the chair, something unexpected happened. The chair moved on its own, gently sliding back as if to offer me a seat. It felt... welcoming. Almost like it was smiling at me. Judging by this, the man might be someone who could use magic.

Not that it surprised me. This world so full of enchantment and wonder had long grown used to the strange and surreal. Yet still, true magic users were rare, scattered across distant corners of the world. I stopped my thoughts there and sat down, deciding to play along with the flow of this oddly warm evening.

After I sat down, the man took a seat across from me. I glanced around at the other chairs twelve in total, including ours. Twelve seats... and this much food?

It made me wonder. Are more people coming? I found myself quietly hoping not too many would. Too many unfamiliar faces might make this already strange evening even harder to handle.

“Ahem.”

The man cleared his throat softly, then looked at me with a gentle smile.

“Well then… shall we say grace before we eat?”

Before we eat?,  He’s not waiting for the others anymore?

“Ok..” I replied without much thought, simply nodding along.

Together, we bowed our heads and began to pray.

“Oh Lord, on this peaceful Christmas night, thank you for the warmth of this meal and the comfort it brings. And most of all… thank you for allowing me to meet this kind soul here Zerun. Amen.”

“Amen.”

After a short moment, the remaining ten chairs slowly pulled themselves out, as if preparing for someone to sit. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they were waiting for ten more guests.

“Go ahead and say hello. This young man is Zerun, our guest for the evening,” 

the man announced warmly.

Say hello? To who?

I glanced around the room but I didn’t see anyone. Then, slowly… shadows began to take shape. Faint outlines, like soft silhouettes flickering under candlelight, appeared around the table. They weren’t ordinary people.

They were Lumens.

Why are Lumens here? I’d heard they existed all around the world, always watching, always guiding… But I’d never seen ones like this transparent, ghost-like. Fading in and out.

“They’re…”

“My friends,” he answered, before I could finish.

“As you can see,” he said with a faint smile, “I don’t really have human friends.”

His eyes softened as he looked around at the glowing figures slowly taking form beside each chair.

“They are all I’ve got. They’re precious to me. My dearest friends.”

He paused, his voice gentle filled with something between warmth and quiet loneliness.

“Every year, on Christmas night, we gather like this. No matter what.”

“You’re lucky,” he said, his tone soft yet oddly certain. “To have arrived here, on a night like this.”

I glanced around at the figures of those quiet, glowing beings. The Lumens. They all had their eyes on me now, silent and still, their presence heavy yet oddly comforting. Are they unable to speak? Or just choosing not to? But still... being watched like this by so many, so quietly made the idea of eating feel like performing on a stage. I swallowed nervously. Even the soft clinking of a spoon on a plate would probably echo like thunder in this kind of silence. Only Mr. Jason and I were eating. The rest of the Lumens remained still, their glowing forms seated silently like statues of light.
Eventually, we finished the meal. Though food still sat untouched in the center of the table, my stomach had no more room. Mr. Jason reached for a bottle that resembled wine, popped it open, and poured some into his glass. After taking a light sip, he turned to me with a calm, steady voice and asked,

“So then... what’s your Code number, Zerun?”

Code number? What is he talking about?

“…Code number?” I echoed, unsure. “What do you mean?”

Jason gave a brief chuckle, swirling his drink before taking another sip.

“I get it. You’re nervous. But trust me, this is for your own good and everyone else’s too. If you’re lucky, nothing about you will change.”

Change? None of this makes any sense. What is my Code number? Why should I even have one?

“I’m sorry, but… I really don’t understand. What do you mean by ‘Code’?”

The table went silent. I could hear the soft hum of the room, as if holding its breath.

“…Boy,” Jason said slowly. “Where exactly did you come from?”

“Um… I was shopping with my aunt. I got separated and… I just ended up here. I was actually hoping to ask for directions to get back…”

The moment I said that, the ten Lumens sitting around us vanished, one by one, like candle flames being snuffed out. The room fell into a dense, unsettling silence.

Mr. Jason stood abruptly, eyes wide with something close to fear.

 “D-don’t tell me that you are just a regular kid??”

“R-Regular?” I stammered, confused.

I didn’t understand what was happening but one thing was suddenly clear, I had arrived in a place I was never meant to be. 

Mr. Jason stood frozen, eyes wide with panic. He muttered to himself as if trying to solve a puzzle with no solution.

“Think… think! How did this kid get here? What am I supposed to do now??”

He looked up suddenly, his gaze locking with mine. Without a warning, he stepped toward me. I instinctively backed away, unease crawling up my spine.

“Listen to me, boy…” He said, voice low but urgent. “You have to get out of here.”

“How?” I asked. “How do I get out?”

He took a breath and glanced around the empty room before leaning closer.

“If you listen to the last part of this chant and clap my hands right after it’ll make you vanish.”

“Vanish?”

 I echoed, voice trembling. “What do you mean vanish? Do you mean… die?”

But Mr. Jason wasn’t listening anymore. His eyes had become distant, and he began chanting something under his breath. His voice grew stronger with each line,

“O Light of all Lumens near,
Release their strength and skies shall clear,
Let guidance shine, remove what strays,
And send them home through mercy’s blaze,
Erase what should not stay behind,
Awaken peace within the mind…”

He stopped.

Then he looked directly at me, his expression calm but final.

“…Goodbye kid and Merry christmas..”

Wait— does that mean… I’m going to disappear? What’s going to happen to me?

“W-Wait—”

“Clap!”