~Thirteen years later~
The air was filled with festivity as yuletide season was just around the corner. The place was bustling with activity as well, but everyone was minding their own businesses.
Likewise, the street was littered with people from all walks of life. There were couples who were enjoying their dates, like love birds that were at large!
There were also families, making their way to the church to spend their family-day for that week. Whilst others were groups of friends having a get to together or something after a long stressful week of studying or working.
Amidst the busy crowd, a girl wearing an elf costume stood out like a giant sore thumb.
She was not in the very least bothered by the weird looks being thrown in her direction as her attention was solely focused on the snowball toy-glass currently displayed in the store.
"Such beauty..."
She muttered with a sigh while admiring the toy with pure amusement in her eyes. Then she placed her hand next to the squeaky clean glass pane of the same store.
"Hello, little girl. By any chance, do you wish to buy anything from my store?"
The old lady inquired kindly while giving Syra a once over.
She would often saw the other party staring at her items outside, but never did it show any intention of buying.
As such, on that day, the owner decided to have a talk with her.
"Oh no. I'm sorry ma'am if I am in any way disturbing your business. I just came here to admire your items from afar. I don't have money to buy it."
Syra was flustered when the owner approached her out of the blue. Thinking that the other party probably found her presence as a nuisance, she hurried to apologize to her.
"Why is that? From what I can incur from your manner of dressing, you are a part-timer."
"Ohh this,"
Syra subconsciously straightened the invisible wrinkles on her costume as soon as the old lady eyed it.
"I work at Santa land."
She added with a timid smile.
"That, I can see..."
The other party answered while slowly nodding her head in understanding.
"Anyway, if you have anything of your liking. Feel free to take it. Just think of it as my Christmas gift to you."
"That is unnecessary. ma'am. I'm good and----"
Syra declined kindly, yet before she could even finish what she was about to say, the old lady already cut her off in mid-sentence and insisted on her taking something from her store.
"No, I insist. Besides, it was not like there were other customers who would buy it from me. For the past few months, I guess it is safe to say that you are the only customer that always visited my shop."
The store owner turned to her heels after saying that, and without waiting for Syra's response, she took the glass ball from her display and handed it to the girl.
"I noticed that you have been admiring this toy since day one. Here, it's all yours now. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas."
Syra accepted the toy and greeted the old lady back with a sheepish voice.
'KRING... KRING... KRING...'
The sound of Syra's ringtone cut through the awkward air between them and Syra was thankful for its great timing.
"Go on, child. Your boss must have been looking for you already."
"Thank you for this."
Syra said one last time before hitting the road again.
She ran back towards the busy crowd and within just a matter of seconds, Syra's departing figure disappeared and finally blended within the sea of people.
At the same time, the store where she came from also started to vanish into thin air as soon as Syra was away, as though it had never been there in the first place.
Syra left without any hint of hesitation so she did not have an idea about the anomaly happening behind her back.
The rest of the people on street did not seem to have any idea of the store either. From how it looked, it even seemed that they did not saw the store, to begin with, and that was why only Syra was attracted to it.