[Todaya: Goddess of Seasons_Episode 05]

Todaya’s tears flowed freely, her heart heavy with sorrow. Even the guard, with his stony exterior, couldn’t help but feel bad for the young girl. He went inside to report the news, but before he could speak, an angel appeared, having heard the sound of crying. With a gentle voice, the angel instructed the guard to bring the child inside.

Todaya followed the guard as if in a trance, her watery eyes opening wide with wonder as she entered the Conjunction. She stood before the angels, feeling small but somehow familiar in their presence.

“Who are you and how did you get here?” asked one of the angels.

And so, Todaya began to tell them the story of her life. She spoke of her lonely existence on the vast grainfield resting on the wings of a crane, the ever present sense of not belonging, despite having been taken in by the villagers, her journey over thousands of kilometers into the unknown searching her parents, and the array of people and creatures she had faced along the way.

Before Todaya had even finished her story, the angel sitting at the altar descended from above, tears streaming down her face. She embraced Todaya tightly, holding her close.

“How did you make it all the way here? Oh my dear, we are your parents,” she said through sobs. Todaya’s mother continued, “We were called to be here guarding the conjunction on the day you were born. Though our bodies may have left this world, our hearts remained, and we sent the crane to watch over you.”

Todaya couldn’t believe it. The parents she had been searching for all this time were here, right in front of her. She held their hands tightly, sharing with them the never-ending stories of her journey.

The next day, her parents showed Todaya the Conjunction. The place was surrounded by a high wall with four doors. They opened the first door to find spring flowers in full bloom, including rhododendrons, forsythias, and azaleas, swaying mildly in the warm breeze. Behind the second door, fields of barley, wheat, and vegetables grew lush under the scorching sun. The third door opened to golden waves of rice fields, stretching as far as the eye could see. And finally, upon opening the fourth door, Todaya was met with swirling snowflakes that covered the world in a blanket of white.

All four seasons flowed from this place. Realizing how unique and magical this place was, Todaya couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.

“Now that I have met my parents, my wish has been fulfilled. I had tasks entrusted to me on the way here, so now I must go back,” she said, her voice heavy with sadness.

Her parents listened attentively as she recounted the tasks she had been given during her journey to the Conjunction. They answered each one in turn, offering words of encouragement and support. They saw Todaya off at the door, their hearts heavy with the knowledge that they may not see her again for some time. Todaya left the Conjunction filled with anticipation for the day she would be reunited with her parents once again.