Morning came quietly.
Soft sunlight slipped through Luna's window and spread across her desk, her books, and the camera resting beside them.
For a moment she stayed under the blanket, staring at the ceiling.
Her mind replayed the same memory again.
The bench glowing.
White petals spinning in the wind.
The strange sky beyond it.
Floating islands.
Broken bridges.
Luna sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes.
"That… definitely happened," she whispered.
She reached for her camera and scrolled through the photos from yesterday evening.
Trees.
The park path.
The bench.
Everything looked normal.
No glow.
No portal.
She frowned slightly.
"If that was a dream," she said to herself, "it was a very beautiful dream."
A light breeze moved through the open window.
The curtain fluttered gently.
For some reason, the wind felt different today.
Almost like it carried a quiet whisper.
Luna shook her head and grabbed her bag.
"Okay," she said softly. "School first. Magic benches later."
The classroom was already noisy when Luna arrived.
Students talked loudly. Someone argued about homework. A chair scraped across the floor.
Kai was sitting at his desk near the window, spinning a pen between his fingers.
When he saw Luna walk in, he immediately noticed her expression.
Kai leaned back in his chair.
"You look like you didn't sleep," Kai said, raising an eyebrow.
Luna dropped her bag beside her desk.
"I slept," Luna replied, though her voice sounded unsure.
Kai tilted his head.
"That was the least convincing answer I've heard today," he said.
Luna sat down and stared out the window.
Kai leaned forward slightly.
"Okay," Kai said, lowering his voice. "What happened?"
Luna hesitated.
Kai folded his arms and waited.
Finally she spoke.
"Something weird happened at the park yesterday," Luna said quietly.
Kai's eyes narrowed with curiosity.
"Weird how?" he asked.
Luna looked around the classroom for a second to make sure no one was listening.
"Do you remember the bench near the big tree?" she asked.
Kai nodded.
"The one you keep taking photos of?" he said.
"Yes," Luna replied.
Kai leaned closer.
"Okay. What about it?" he asked.
Luna took a small breath.
"It started glowing," she said.
Kai blinked.
"Glowing?" he repeated slowly.
"Yes."
Kai stared at her for a moment.
Then he leaned back and laughed quietly.
"That's a new one!," Kai said, shaking his head.
"I'm serious," Luna replied, frowning slightly.
Kai tried to stop smiling.
"Alright, continue!," he said. "The glowing bench story is interesting!"
Luna crossed her arms.
"There were petals in the air too," she explained, "White ones."
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"Where did the white petals come from?" he asked.
"I don't know," Luna said. "They were just… there."
Kai tapped his desk.
"And then?" he asked.
"The air behind the bench opened," Luna said slowly.
Kai stopped tapping.
"Opened?!" he shouted.
"Yes." she nodded.
"Like a door?" Kai asked again.
"Kind of," Luna replied. "But it looked like the sky."
Kai stared at her again.
"You mean a portal," he said.
"Yes," Luna said quietly.
Kai rubbed his face.
"Luna," he said, trying to sound serious, "you had extra math classes yesterday, right?"
"Yes." she replied.
"And you hate math." he said, being more serious.
"Yes." she nodded.
"So your brain created a magical glowing bench," Kai conclude calmly.
Luna sighed.
"You never believe me."
Kai shrugged.
"I believe you believe it."
The teacher walked into the room at that moment.
"Everyone sit down," the teacher said.
The class slowly became quiet.
"Where are Ron and Kenta?" the teacher asked.
"Absent, i guess" someone replied.
Kai leaned toward Luna one more time and whispered.
"If the bench opens again, call me."
Luna whispered back.
"You'll just laugh again."
Kai grinned.
"Probably."
After school ended, Kai walked with Luna toward the park.
The sky was turning orange as the sun slowly lowered behind the buildings.
Kai stretched his arms.
"So," he said, "we're checking the magical bench again?"
"Yes," Luna replied calmly.
Kai smiled.
The park was peaceful in the evening.
Children played near the grass field.
A couple walked along the path.
Birds flew across the sky.
And the bench sat quietly near the old tree.
Luna slowed her steps.
"There it is," she said softly.
Kai looked at it.
"So that's the legendary object?" Kai asked.
"Yes." she nodded.
Kai walked closer and sat down on the bench.
"Well," he said, tapping the wood, "it feels like a normal bench."
Luna stood beside it, watching carefully.
Nothing happened.
Kai leaned back and looked up at the sky.
"You know," Kai said, "if this thing really was a portal, that would be cool."
Luna looked at him.
"You're the one who said it was my imagination," she replied.
Kai shrugged.
"I still think it is," he said. "But a secret world behind a bench would be awesome."
"Floating islands," Luna said.
Kai sat up again.
"What?"
"That's what I saw," Luna explained. "Floating islands in the sky."
Kai studied her face.
"You're actually serious about this," he said, being confused.
"Yes." she replied.
Kai scratched his head.
"Well," he said, "if it opens again, promise me you won't jump in."
Luna smiled slightly.
"I'll try."
Kai checked his phone.
"My mom will destroy me if I stay out too long," he said, standing up.
"You can go," Luna said, proudly.
Kai picked up his bag.
"If the bench turns into a portal," Kai said, pointing at her, "call me first."
"Yeah yeah...i will" she siad.
Kai walked toward the park exit.
"See you tomorrow, wind listener!" he shouted.
"Bye," Luna shouted, waving slightly.
Soon the park became quiet.
The sun disappeared completely.
Streetlights turned on one by one.
Luna sat alone on the bench.
The night air felt calm.
Minutes passed.
Nothing happened.
Luna sighed.
"Maybe Kai was right."
She stood up.
Just as she turned to leave, the wind suddenly changed.
A strong breeze rushed through the park.
Leaves rustled loudly.
White petals lifted into the air.
Luna froze.
"Wait…"
The bench began to glow.
Soft white light spread across the wood.
Her heart started beating faster.
"It's happening again," she whispered.
The air behind the bench shimmered.
The space twisted slowly.
The glowing opening appeared again.
The other sky returned.
Stars.
Floating lands.
Broken bridges hanging in the darkness.
Luna stepped closer.
The wind pulled at her hoodie.
The petals spun wildly around her.
"This is real," she whispered.
Curiosity burned stronger than fear.
She took one more step forward.
The wind wrapped around her body.
The world twisted violently.
Light exploded everywhere.
Her body felt like it was stretching apart.
The wind roared in her ears.
Everything spun.
"Kai was wrong," she thought.
And then the world swallowed her.
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 4