The house's atmosphere is quiet when everyone has entered the room to rest. The wall's clock showed one o'clock in the morning when there was no longer the sound of passing vehicles could be heard. Now and then, the sound of night insects fills the night's quietness.

However, Arisa is still awake. She is looking at the moon, which is quite bright on this particular night, infiltrating her dark room. The girl opened a drawer on her desk, and a ring moved slowly inside.

 

"It's been seven years since I haven't worn this anymore," she whispered.

 

When Arisa puts on and reactivates the communication ring, she reaccesses her inbox. Several messages brought her mind back to seven years ago when she decided to stay in the past and cut off any contacts from the future. Several texts or videos from Rio could be seen in her inbox. She reread most of the messages with a small laugh.

 

I wonder what effect we bring to the future because of this journey. Is this mission can be counted as a success?

 

Arisa no longer knows the current state of her original timeline since she cuts off any contacts coming from the ring. She starts to speculate and wonders about the condition of this planet and the news from her friends.

 

"… I'm sure they'll be fine. Okay. Focus, focus on the main goal."

 

The girl closes her desk drawer and walks out into the kitchen. It's pretty dark in the living room and kitchen, yet Arisa doesn't need to turn on the lamp. She looks for the refrigerator and opens the freezer to take the ice cream box out.

 

"Yes, this will be enough."

 

She reorganized the box and prepared to go out. 

 

"Big Sis, where are you going?"

"Eh—"

 

Arisa turns and finds Vanilla wearing pajamas and rubbing her eyes. She doesn't expect her adopted sister to wake up at this late hour. Arisa is planning to leave this house alone.

Vanilla is looking at her sister closely. She won't move if Arisa doesn't answer.

 

"About that…"

"Where are you going?"

 

Arisa averts her gaze while scratching the left side of her head in search of the correct answer. 

Meanwhile, Vanilla's gaze feels more pressing and piercing. When she tried to find what kind of answer she'll say, the purpose of why she was still awake this late at night and wore the ring back after seven years flashed through her eyes.

There is a bitter smile under the darkness. This time, Arisa wants to be selfish for the last time.

 

"I'm going to the dam. Do you want to come?"

"Dam? What are you going to do there?"

 

Arisa doesn't answer and smiles quietly instead. Vanilla still doesn't get the answer she wants and yet doesn't feel like thinking further, chooses to nod.

 

"What about Tirto?"

"Let him sleep well tonight. He must be very tired after a whole day we're outside."

 

And then, Arisa drives her car towards the dam, which is still shrouded in the bright lights of the restoration project. The construction of the dam is still going on for 24 hours non-stop.

During the way, Arisa's gaze is looking straight ahead. Now and then, Vanilla glanced at her sister. However, Vanilla feels that her throat feels stiff for some reason. Her mouth is also sealed somehow since they pass through the house door. No matter what she wants to say, she just can't say it.

Vanilla's head throbs. She had never felt like this before, even when she was still living in the dam. This uncomfortable feeling continued to haunt her until she realized they had arrived at the cable car station nearby.

 

"Alright, let's go," said Arisa while taking the ice cream box and stepping out of the car.

 

Vanilla looked around to check the situation. It's cold and silent, and no single vehicle is parked beside Arisa's. Naturally, who would go to the dam being renovated at a time like this?

Nonetheless, Vanilla accepted the ice cream offered by her sister as they walked to ride the cable car to go to the top of the dam. This facility moves automatically, so it stays functional at any time.

 

"Big Sis. What are you going to do here?" Vanilla asked again when she finally gathered her courage.

"Hmm?" Arisa glanced at her sister. Then, she turned her gaze out the cable car's window. "Vanilla, have you ever thought of rewinding back the time?"

"Hah?" Vanilla doesn't understand at all.

"If we could turn back time, would you do that at any cost?"

 

Arisa isn't looking at Vanilla. However, Vanilla understood that her sister was serious about the question. Maybe Vanilla doesn't notice. However, Arisa stares at Vanilla from the reflection of the cable car's window.

 

"…if we can really do that, I want to turn back time."

"Why?"

"There's a moment I want to bring back. A crucial one. So, the pace of fate won't be going like this."

"…so that's what you think. Oh, we've arrived."

 

Vanilla watched her adoptive sister get out of the cable car first and follow her from behind. When she set foot, the air felt colder than when they were at the cable car station below. This is also Vanilla's first return to this place since seven years ago.

Although everything is quite bright due to the project lights being everywhere, only the occasional clank sound can be heard from various places in the dam. There is barely any work during this late at night, or they may be taking a break. Not too loud, but not too quiet either.

 

"Apparently, there are some parts that can't be visited, huh? Look. They put something on the roads," said Arisa while pointing to the closed area because it was still under construction.

Even so, she continued to walk down the dam, followed by her adopted sister behind. Arisa is reminiscing about what happened on this dam as they go around.

 

"Thinking about it, we've got some moments here too, right? We meet for the first time and introduce ourselves here. We also come back here often at your request at that time, don't we?" said Arisa while looking around. Then, she turned to Vanilla, who stared at her flatly.

"That's right. I asked you to bring me here a few times."

 

Arisa nods slowly and continues her steps towards the dam's edge to lean against the guardrail. Vanilla just followed behind.

 

"In the past, this place collapsed for some reason. Now, everything has returned to normal. On the west side, Tower Café looks charming with its sparkling light. Oh, the Ferris wheel on the south can't be seen from here."

 

Vanilla leans against the guardrail to check with her eyes that the Ferris wheel is not visible from the dam's height. The flickering city of Tantoris makes her vision blurry, and she rubs her sleepy eyes a few times because everything is too bright for her. Vanilla realized that her sister had handed her another ice cream.

 

"I've got mine before."

"I know. But, do you want more?"

"..."

 

Vanilla takes Arisa's offer and eats theirs for a while. The low temperature around the dam and strong winds did not stop them from eating their favorite cold snacks. 

 

The younger sister approaches Arisa and pulls her clothes. "You're finished with the ice cream? Let's go home."

Arisa turns and shakes her head. She takes off her hair clip and hands it to Vanilla.

 

"For now on, please take good care of this hair clip."