Kaya blinked. "Ah—no, I don’t think so. I’m not planning to buy..."
The woman laughed softly. "It’s alright, child. Don’t buy it—just try it. It will look beautiful on you."
Kaya bit her lower lip, clearly torn, then finally nodded. Carefully, she slipped the bangle toward her wrist—only for it to stop halfway near her thumb.
"Hmm... it might be small," she murmured awkwardly.
The woman shook her head gently. "No, child. It’s not small."
Before Kaya could protest, the woman took her hand, her touch warm and firm. She began massaging Kaya’s fingers softly, pressing the joints one by one. Then, with a practiced motion, she twisted the bangle slightly, pressed it over her thumb, and—click—it slid into place perfectly.
Kaya’s eyes widened in surprise. "How did you—?"
The woman chuckled, clearly amused. "Child, you’ve never worn bangles before, have you?"
Kaya blinked. "No... not really."
In her mind, she could almost see flashes of her old life—her gloves, her watch, her constant need for practicality. No jewelry, no distractions. Just work.
The woman smiled knowingly. "That’s why your finger bones are stiff. If you wear one bigger, it will slip right off your hand. So you need one size smaller—it fits once your fingers relax."
Kaya looked at the bangle on her wrist again. It fit too perfectly now. She didn’t say it out loud, but a tiny smile tugged at her lips.
Suddenly, as Kaya was admiring the bangle with a faint smile, a sharp tingle ran through her eyes. The next second, she winced—her hand flying to the back of her head as a groan escaped her lips.
The pain ca suddenly, familiar yet sharper than before, the kind that made the world around her blur for a mont.
And then—
A flash.
A fleeting image, so vivid it almost felt real.
There was a man—tall, broad-shouldered. His face, however, was nothing but shadow, hazy, unreachable. Around them was a garden bathed in green, a tree blooming with soft, pink flowers that fluttered gently in the breeze—cherry blossoms?
Beneath it, a woman sat on a smooth stone, one hand propping her chin, a faintly amused smile curving her lips. The man stood before her, holding out sothing—colorful bangles, gleaming under the sunlight.
The scene shimred, almost warm, and then—
"Kaya... Kaya!"
The voice snapped her back. The image shattered like glass.
Kaya blinked, her breath uneven, her hand still pressed against her head. Slowly, she turned and saw Cutie kneeling beside her, worry clear in her wide eyes.
"Are you okay?" Cutie asked softly, her voice trembling a little.
Even Veer was standing close, his expression tight, almost frantic.
Kaya blinked again, forcing herself to breathe. "Oh... nothing," she said after a long mont, exhaling shakily. "It’s okay."
Her tone was calm, but her fingers brushed the bangle absently, as if it sohow knew sothing she didn’t.
The vendor’s eyes darted to her spouse. "Quick, bring the water!"
The man bolted off and returned monts later with a small bowl. The woman handed it to Kaya with a soft smile. "Here, child. Drink slowly... Are you alright? You look a little pale."
Kaya accepted the bowl, her fingers brushing over the warm ceramic, and took a careful sip. "Yeah... I’m fine. Maybe just tired," she said, though her mind was spinning with curiosity.
The woman’s gaze didn’t waver. "Are you sure? You seem... uneasy."
Kaya forced a small smile. "I’m okay. Really."
Setting the bowl aside, her eyes returned to the bangles, sparkling under the lantern light. Each one was a marvel—twisting colors, delicate carvings, impossible to replicate. Her fingers hovered over them, trembling slightly despite herself. "They’re... really beautiful. So, um... how much are they?"
The woman tilted her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "Child, it’s not about the price. Are you tempted to buy them because I let you try... or because your heart truly wants them?"
Kaya hesitated. The bangles seed alive in her hands. "I... I don’t know. They’re just... so intricate."
The woman chuckled softly. "You need not force yourself. These are not re trinkets. If your heart pulls you, then take them. If not... let them remain here, waiting."
Kaya’s gaze settled on the lark bangles—pure white, carved with painstaking detail. She reached out slowly. "These... the lark ones... what are they made of?"
The woman’s smile widened. "Beetle saliva."
Kaya’s eyebrows knit together. "... you an... like...real saliva?"
"No," the woman said gently, shaking her head. "Real, saliva. Forged carefully, strengthened through fire and craft. Only then do they beco this."
Kaya’s eyes widened. She lifted one bangle, twisting it carefully. It was impossibly strong, yet delicate. "And... they won’t break?"
"They will hold," the woman said, her gaze steady. "But you... child, you use your hands with too much force. If you strike or squeeze as you do, these will not survive. They are made for grace, not battle."
Kaya’s lips curved into a faint, amused smirk. "Grace, huh... that’s funny coming from a bangle."
The woman laughed softly. "Strength cos in many forms. Even beauty is a kind of power."
Veer, standing slightly to the side, watched Kaya for a mont before speaking in a soft, almost hesitant tone. "If you want it... then take it. It really does look beautiful on you."
Kaya paused, her fingers lingering over the bangle one last ti. Slowly, deliberately, she lifted it off her wrist and returned it to the wooden box. She looked up at the woman with calm eyes. "No... thank you. I don’t think it’s good for right now."
The woman’s lips curved into a gentle smile, understanding in her gaze. Kaya hesitated for a heartbeat, then asked quietly, "Which tribe are you from?"
The woman paused, as if considering how much to reveal, and then said softly, "I am from the Cow Tribe."
Kaya repeated it under her breath, almost tasting the words: "Cow Tribe..." She looked into the woman’s eyes, and in that mont, sothing shifted inside her. A strange, magnetic pull, unexplainable yet undeniable, rooted itself in her chest. Slowly, a small smile crept across Kaya’s lips.
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