《The Background Character Loop: One Last Chance to Break the Cycle》 Chapter 1: The Happy Ending? Chapter 1 - The Happy Ending? The evening breeze blew softly, carrying the sweet scent of cherry blossoms just starting to bloom. Pink petals drifted through the air, dancing like gentle snow, covering the ground in a pastel carpet. There they were¡ªthree teenagers beneath a cherry blossom tree... two teenage girls and one teenage boy. Caught in a moment that felt heavy and endless. A teenage girl with her blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail and a bright blue ribbon, stood a little tense. Her clear blue eyes, usually sharp and full of energy, now avoided the boy''s gaze. A faint blush colored her cheeks, though she tried her best to hide it. She pressed her lips together tightly, then suddenly let out a small huff, as if this whole thing was the silliest moment she''d ever been in. Her hands clenched at her sides, trembling just a bit. "Listen, you idiot!" the blonde girl finally broke the silence. "I... it''s not like I want to say this or anything, but... ugh, whatever! The point is, I... I like you!" She turned her face away quickly, ...but her blue eyes still stole quick glances at the boy, betraying her nervous anticipation, waiting for him to say something. A few steps behind her stood another teenage girl, She stood with a calm, graceful posture. Her wavy black hair fell gently over her shoulders, some of it tucked behind her ear, showing off the silver frames of her glasses, perfectly perched on her nose. "Theo," she spoke, her voice soft and steady, almost a whisper, but clear enough to be heard among the wind and the falling sakura petals. "I... I love you." That was it. Simple, honest words. The boy stood there, frozen, his eyes blinking quickly, trying to process the words that had just hit him. "I can''t... I can''t choose between you two," he said finally, his words careful and slow. "So... yeah. I''ll accept both of you." He forced a thin smile, but it looked stiff on his lips. And in that beautiful moment, far in the distance, up on the school rooftop, someone was watching. A faceless boy with brown hair leaned against an old rusty railing, looking down at the three under the sakura tree. "At last... I''ve finally reached the ending of this romance story," he said, gripping the rusty railing tightly. "Now... Can I finally be free from the chains of this world''s fate? Honestly, I''m tired of repeating this loop 1,203 times," he muttered. The faceless boy watched the setting sun. "The sunset looks so beautiful today¡ª" His words caught in his throat. The once serene atmosphere suddenly shattered. The faceless man''s vision, which had been focused on the setting sun, now widened slowly. His brows were deeply furrowed, creating vertical lines, ...as if his mind were struggling to process what he had just seen. ''Crack'' He looked up at the sky, now darkening, and saw it¡ªa crack was spreading across the sky like broken glass. His body trembled, his breathing quickened, sweat poured down his face, and his skin turned pale. He stepped back, staring at the sky as if he couldn''t believe what he was seeing. "No..." his voice was hoarse, barely audible. "This isn''t right... This can''t be!" he shouted loudly. "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" he shouted, his voice rising, echoing loudly. The crack in the sky continued to spread, signaling that the world was on the verge of collapse. "If a happy ending isn''t the end for me, then what am I supposed to do to finally get my freedom? Damn it!" He yelled at the sky, as if protesting to some god who trapped him in this strange world. He collapsed to the ground. Tears fell even though he had no eyes. He shook as he watched pieces of the sky start to fall. "Someone... please, tell me... what should I do now," his voice sounded bitter, completely hopeless. Just as the sky was falling to pieces, a meteor fell from the sky. As if to give an answer to the man who had given up hope to continue suffering. He leaned against the school''s rooftop wall, watching the meteors draw nearer and nearer. Then, he slumped to the floor, with his head down. Not wanting to see the horrible scene that was happening in the sky. He closed his eyes for a moment. In the darkness behind his eyelids, a flicker of memory emerged¡ªso faint, it felt like a dream. A girl laughing under the summer sun, tugging his sleeve and pulling him toward an ice cream cart. The warm feeling of her hand. A name he couldn''t remember anymore. A name that once meant the world. "I... I just want to go back to my real world... If that''s too selfish to ask..." He let out a bitter laugh before continuing. "Then... just kill me, let me rest in peace," he said, his voice utterly defeated. The sound of the rooftop door creaked open. "Ca¨|¨z¨{¨y!" Someone shouted. The faceless boy lifted his head. That glitching sound, it only happens when someone calls my real name! Is Luna coming up here?! He turned to the rooftop door and caught a glimpse of a girl with hair as white as snow. Before he could say a word, the meteor crashed into the school building. And then, everything went dark. The world reset, and the loop started all over again. ---- ''Ring! Ring! Ring!'' A cheap alarm blared from the bedside table, its shrill sound stabbing through every nerve in the faceless boy''s head, tearing apart the peaceful morning air. It wasn''t just an alarm; it was his own personal hell, a song he''d heard thousands of times. Thousands. He opened his eyes. No surprise, no relief. Just a deep, endless exhaustion and the same old darkness wrapped around his soul. ''Ring! Ring! Ring!'' The alarm kept screaming, demanding to be turned off. But he didn''t move. His body felt heavy, paralyzed by the weight of bitter awareness. Nausea twisted in his stomach. He knew what would happen next. He knew every line, every event. "No... not again..." he whispered, his voice hoarse, barely audible. He raised his hand, looking at his trembling palm, as if it no longer belonged to him. The images of the scenes that would happen flashed through his mind, all his failures, all the attempts he would make - flashed through his mind like a broken movie. He had tried everything: screaming, pleading, fighting, running away. Everything ended the same. Fate always finds its way. ''Ring! Ring! Ring!'' The alarm finally felt like a cruel taunt. The faceless man stared at the alarm, his eyes red, filled with burning anger and paralyzing despair. He could not change it. He could not escape. He would forever be trapped in this repetitive circle of hell, watching it all unfold like a powerless background character. A hollow, dry, laugh escaped his throat. He was trapped forever in this hell called the Loop. Chapter 2: A Background Character’s Morning Chapter 2 - A Background Character¡¯s Morning He stood up. His body felt heavier than usual, not from physical exhaustion, but from the chronic weight of despair. He walked toward the mirror at the end of the room without passion, like an outdated program running on instinct. There, his reflection awaited him. A figure with no distortion, no nose, no lips, no eyes. Just a pale surface and brown hair that caught the faint morning light from the window. An eternal blank canvas. A sight that should be terrifying to anyone else, but for him, it had become routine. A painful reminder that he was just a background character in this world of romance. He stood in front of the mirror, tilting his head left, then right. "If only..." whispered the tired voice inside his heart. If only there were eyes there¡ªwhat color would they be? Would his eyebrows be thick or thin? What kind of lips would he have? Maybe a soft smile filled with meaning, or lips that stayed tight from constant weariness. A sharp nose or a small one? A strong jawline or a softer one? He imagined faint laugh lines around eyes that didn''t exist, wrinkles from thinking too hard, surprised expressions, angry ones, or even joy. He tried to piece together a face in his mind, a complex image built from hopes that never came true. But the reflection stayed still, expressionless, and empty. A bitter smile formed¡ªthough it was one he could only feel in the muscles that should have formed lips. "...What now? Should I go to school and help the main characters get their happy ending again?" He turned away from the mirror and walked to his desk. He opened one of the drawers and pulled out a notebook¡ªa small, worn-out leather notebook with a dark brown cover. This notebook was the only constant in the chaos of the loop. Its pages were always filled with the same handwriting, neat but sometimes rushed. Inside were observations, theories, experiments, and growing hopelessness. Not a single word ever changed. Not a single scribble erased. Not a single page turned blank. The notebook was untouched by the loop. It remained exactly the same, proof of all his failures: dates of useless attempts, formulas that never worked, names of people he tried to save¡ªand a long list of how they all ended up the same. Every time he woke up, this notebook was always there in his desk drawer. An immortal notebook. He opened it and flipped through the pages filled with all the ways he tried to help the main characters. He turned to the very first page, the theory that once motivated him to keep going, to fight back. "Achieve a happy ending for every character. Guide the protagonist. Help the heroines. Let them confess. Then, and only then, you''ll be free." He let out a quiet laugh when he saw that line. He gripped the page tightly, then ripped it out, tearing it into pieces until nothing remained. But he knew¡ªtomorrow, that page would reappear in the notebook. He looked at the clock. He had one hour left before the school gate would close. With a heavy sigh, he got ready and left for school¡ªthe theater stage for the main characters. His steps toward the school gate felt heavy. He didn''t know what to do anymore. His goal, all this time, to reach a happy ending... had been wrong. He looked around. Everyone else had no facial features like him. They walked aimlessly, like emotionless robots or NPCs in a lifeless world. He turned his head away, not wanting to see the horrifying truth of this world. In this world, only main characters or important side characters had faces. Background characters like him? Faceless. He should at least be thankful that he had his own consciousness. Even if he wasn''t allowed to interfere with the story, he wasn''t bound by it either. Soon, he arrived at the school gate¡ªthe stage where fate played out for the main characters. In the courtyard stood a large sakura tree, perfect for love confessions usually seen in the final episodes of a romance game. He walked over to the bench beneath the sakura tree. Sitting there, he remembered the bittersweet memories with the heroines. Despite the chaos of the loop, some moments were genuinely beautiful. He sat down and pulled out a book from his bag titled The Red String Theory, reading it while waiting for the main characters to arrive at school. Not long after, two familiar figures appeared. The protagonist, Theo Smith¡ªshiny black hair, a handsome face like a dating sim lead, and a fit body from regular workouts. The kind of protagonist that made him, the background character, grit his teeth in quiet envy. Beside him was the heroine, Ivansia Ardenia, Theo''s childhood friend. Her wavy black hair matched Theo''s, and her silver-rimmed glasses sat perfectly on her nose. Her dark eyes sparkled like a night sky. Their shoulders touched as they walked side by side to school. And yet, Theo never realized Ivansia''s feelings for him¡ªdense like a slab of stone. He watched her. As they walked, Ivansia''s ears turned red like cherries. He closed his book, ready to follow them to class. But before he could stand up, the screech of tires came from behind. A black chrome car stopped in front of the school gate. The back door opened, revealing a stunning girl. His breath hitched. Even after seeing her hundreds of times, her beauty always stunned him. The second heroine¡ªLuna Destiara. Her golden hair shimmered under the morning sun, each strand like silk threads of pure gold. Her blue eyes, as clear as the sea, sparkled with a sharpness that hinted at European heritage, yet carried a softness hidden deep within. The bright blue ribbon tied in her hair wasn''t just an accessory¡ªit was part of her identity. She stepped out of the car gracefully. Every move she made was precise and full of confidence, as if the road before her was a red carpet made just for her. It was as if imaginary spotlights followed her every step, highlighting her breathtaking beauty. Even the other faceless background characters around her suddenly froze, hypnotized by her aura. But beneath all the beauty and admiration, her classic tsundere personality was still there. She didn''t smile. She didn''t wave. She didn''t even show the slightest satisfaction about all the attention. Instead, she scoffed quietly, turned her head a little away, and walked quickly like she was annoyed¡ªthough deep inside, she secretly enjoyed it all. "Tch, so noisy," she muttered under her breath. Still, no one could deny that behind her cold act was a quiet pride. He found himself smiling. Some things really never changed. He turned away, about to head to class. But suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. He glanced back at Luna. She was still walking, but he could''ve sworn she looked at him just now. Was it just his imagination? He shook the thought away and walked to class without giving it any more attention. He didn''t want to hope for the impossible¡ªfor Luna to notice someone like him. Because this world... always finds a way to make him suffer. Chapter 3: Glitch In The Loop Chapter 3 - Glitch In The Loop I arrived in front of Class 2-C''s door and paused for a moment, staring into the room. The voices of the NPCs filled the classroom. It wasn''t real conversation¡ªjust overlapping murmurs and whispers, forming a constant wall of background noise. Sometimes, a random sentence would float up, completely out of context, before disappearing again into the chaos. In the middle of it all, in the far corner of the class, Theo and Ivansia were talking. Their voices were quieter, separate from the noise around them, as if they were in their own little bubble. I couldn''t hear what they were saying, but their body language said everything. Sometimes they smiled softly, other times their expressions turned serious. Among the noisy mess, they felt like the only two people who truly existed. Just as I was about to open the door and step inside, the second heroine, Luna Destiara, barged in ahead of me. I quickly stepped to the side, barely keeping my balance as I avoided her. She marched straight toward Theo''s desk. Her steps were loud and determined. Her chest puffed out, and her sharp eyes locked onto Theo like a laser. "Theo! Why didn''t you wait for me in front of the school like we agreed, huh?!" Her words flew out of her mouth like a missile. Theo gave his signature reaction¡ªscratching the back of his neck with a sheepish smile as he apologized to Luna. I''d seen this scene play out thousands of times. This was the moment when Luna started to develop feelings for the protagonist, Theo. I walked to my seat at the front of the classroom and opened the same book I had been reading earlier under the sakura tree. But I couldn''t focus on it. The chatter from Theo and his harem behind me was too distracting. Even though I had experienced this loop thousands of times, I still wasn''t used to it. I gave up on reading and instead pulled out my old, brown-covered notebook. An everlasting notebook I always carried with me. I flipped it open. The page I had ripped out before had reappeared at the front again. I turned to the next page¡ªthe one that listed the unbreakable rules. "Death causes a reset. If the main character dies, it also causes a reset. And most importantly, interfering too much with the main plot will cause a reset." I sighed and frowned. I had already tried every possible way to fight against this world. Trying to take Theo''s role as the protagonist? Useless. The world would reset. Taking Theo''s heroines? Also pointless. All I could do was help Theo from the shadows. I flipped through more pages¡ªeach filled with notes of past loops. Horrible experiences. Being stabbed by gangsters, shot, tortured, even suicide¡ªI had gone through them all. Remembering those things made my body freeze up and shiver. I closed the book and waited for our teacher to arrive, trying to figure out what I should do next. Though, deep inside... I didn''t know what to do anymore. Soon, our teacher entered. Just like me, he had no facial features. He carried a textbook and started lecturing at the front of the class about the philosophy of stoicism. I didn''t really care and decided to rest my head on the desk and take a nap instead. My breathing slowed as I was about to drift off¡ªuntil the teacher suddenly yelled. I jerked my head up. He had thrown an eraser to the back of the class. It hit Theo right on the head and sent him tumbling out of his seat. "Pay attention when your teacher is speaking, student Theo!" the teacher shouted. Luna laughed loudly at the sight of Theo falling, while Ivansia looked genuinely worried and checked on him. Strange, isn''t it? I was sleeping right in front of the teacher, yet he didn''t say a word to me. But Theo, who was just whispering with a heroine, got an eraser thrown at his head. As if the world only revolved around the protagonist. I stared at the scene for a long time¡ªIvansia helping Theo up, Luna laughing beside him, but also quietly pulling a small bottle of medicated oil from her bag to help soothe Theo''s pain. Ding-dong. Before I realized it, the bell rang for break time. I turned my gaze away. I''d been watching them too long, and not a single person noticed. I found myself smiling. Maybe this is the one and only perk... of being a background character. I reached into my bag and pulled out the lunch I''d prepared. Even though I couldn''t eat¡ªhaving no mouth, I couldn''t feel hunger I still tried, hoping I could someday get those feelings back. I lifted the food to where my mouth should be, while listening in on the main characters'' conversations behind me. Eventually, I gave up on trying to eat. Instead, I just watched the main characters in the back row. "Here," Luna slammed a pastel pink lunchbox onto Theo''s desk, her cheeks red. "D-Don''t get the wrong idea! This is just leftovers from last night!" I chuckled a little. I knew full well she had made that lunch with all her heart. Ivansia also handed Theo a lunchbox¡ªhers was perfectly balanced with nutrition, as expected from someone smart like her. I clenched my fist, preparing myself for what was about to happen next¡ªsomething that could easily make me lose control. Theo scratched his neck again. That annoying clueless smile showed up on his face. "Ah, sorry! I already ate some bread earlier¡ª" "..." Ah... CRACK. I clenched my teeth and slammed my desk as hard as I could. Hard enough that the main characters finally noticed me. "Theo, are you serious?! Isn''t it weird to reject lunch from two girls who made it just for you?! And why do you always eat bread every morning? Aren''t you worried about nutrition?!" They all stared at me. Theo squinted, confused. "W-Who are you? Why are you suddenly yelling¡ª?" "I''m not yelling. I''m just sympathizing with these two girls you just rejected." "What''s your problem?! Stay out of our business! None of us asked for your sympathy!" Ivansia snapped angrily. "Aren''t you tired of always being rejected by a guy who doesn''t even know what''s going on? I remember he''s rejected Luna 876 times and you 1,130 times!" I let out all the anger I had bottled up over thousands of loops. I didn''t care anymore if the world broke. Honestly, I had no purpose left. Ivansia slapped me hard. A familiar hit¡ªI had felt it before in a loop when I insulted Theo. "You''re just jealous of Theo, aren''t you?! You''re just a loser who''s never had a girlfriend!" I let out a dry laugh. Quiet, but sharp and full of bitterness. "I heard you always rank number one in exams, Ivansia. But have you ever thought to ask Theo what kind of food he likes before making him lunch? Or has your intelligence already started to fade?" Her face turned red with rage. She clenched her fists, ready to punch me. "What do you know?!" Luna stood up, her voice shaking, eyes filled with tears. "I don''t know much," I replied, my voice low, "but watching this same drama unfold every single day is driving me insane. Don''t you ever think that maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªpeople around you are getting tired of this never-ending little soap opera you''re all putting on?" Of course, the people around them were just NPCs. They didn''t care. Some of them even probably supported Theo''s behavior. Ah... I finally let it out. All of it. After thousands of loops. It''s okay if the world starts breaking now. I looked out the window. The sky wasn''t falling apart yet. Maybe I had ten or twenty minutes left. I turned back to Theo and kept going. "Do you really not understand, Theo? Fine, I''ll spell it out for you, so listen carefully. A girl who doesn''t like you won''t suddenly make you a lunchbox. They don''t sit near you every day like a clingy cat. Even if you don''t get it, you should at least be curious and ask yourself, ''Why are they doing all of this for me?''" I was about to look at Luna again, but suddenly I felt something hit my face like a hammer. My body fell backward, crashing into the desk behind me. Damn it. That hurt like hell. I looked up and saw Theo standing there, his fist clenched. He was the one who punched me. I didn''t expect that from Theo. I thought he was just a kind and clueless guy. "What the hell, Theo?!" Luna shouted, shocked by what he did. "I didn''t care when you insulted me," Theo said, eyes burning. "But when you insulted Ivansia... you crossed the line!" "Haha... Do you think protecting them makes you look noble? Do you really believe you''re the hero here? That you''ve defeated the villain and proven your worth?" Theo grabbed my collar and raised his fist again. He was strong¡ªI could feel it. Just then, someone entered. The classroom door swung open. A girl with snow-white hair stepped in. Her eyes were always sunken, and around her neck, she wore a strange necklace with a silver whistle attached¡ªDeath Whistle, she called it. Mia Tiara. Our class president. A side character. "Enough! Everyone, get back to your seats!" she yelled, her voice firm, silencing even the NPCs and the heroines. Theo and the girls returned to their seats, still shooting angry glances at me. Ivansia gently rubbed Theo''s back, trying to calm him down. "You," Mia pointed at me, "stop provoking them and... go to the teachers office. Now." I clenched my jaw. My faceless face still hurt. But I stood up and walked out of class. Right as I stepped through the door, I heard a whisper behind me. "Hang in there..." Mia''s voice. I turned, wanting to ask what she meant¡ªbut she was already walking toward Theo''s desk. I didn''t think too much of her words. Maybe she was just trying to cheer me up... Maybe. Instead of going to the teachers'' office, I headed for the rooftop to watch the end of the world. Once I reached the rooftop, the smell of rust hit my nose. This place had always been my little sanctuary. I leaned back and sat down, gazing up at the bright blue sky that would soon be torn apart. I waited. From what I remembered, it usually took ten to thirty minutes for a reset to happen. That whole argument earlier had lasted about five minutes. So the reset should happen in the next twenty-five minutes. I waited. And waited. Until twenty-five minutes had passed. I frowned. The sky was still perfectly fine. Birds still flew across it. In the distance, the church bells were still ringing. No way... NO FREAKING WAY. I checked my watch. Over thirty minutes had passed. The world hadn''t reset. I touched the rooftop floor¡ªthe texture was still there. My hands started trembling. I had interfered. I had messed with the storyline. But the world didn''t break? This... This was a miracle. Was this a glitch in the system? Was the script failing? I smiled¡ªreally smiled¡ªfor the first time in a long time. If this truly was a miracle, maybe... just maybe, I could step in and resolve the heroines'' problems. Maybe I didn''t need Theo anymore to fix things. "Ha... Hahahaha!" I laughed. With relief. With joy. With hope. This time... I''ll do everything my way. Chapter 4: The Boy With No Face Chapter 4 - The Boy With No Face I jolted awake, my whole body trembling as I gasped for air, soaked in cold sweat. My heart pounded wildly, its rhythm echoing in my ears like the drums of war. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the terrifying images, but the fear clung to me¡ªcold, vivid, and real¡ªlike something I had lived through over and over in a past I couldn''t reach. ---- In that dream, I was standing in a dark, damp alley. The stench of garbage stung my nose. Three large silhouettes towered in front of me, and there he was¡ªthe faceless boy. His expressionless face gave away nothing, yet I could feel the tension in his shoulders, the steel in his movements. He knew exactly what was coming. The thugs moved like trained fighters, clearly stronger than most. But the boy... he moved with terrifying precision, like every punch, every kick, every slash of their knives had already happened before. He dodged attacks with millisecond timing, twisting his body to avoid strikes, locking wrists with lightning speed. THUD! CHAK! CRASH! The sounds of impact echoed¡ªnot from him, but from the strikes that barely missed. He used their momentum against them, his movements sharp and efficient, like a perfectly rehearsed dance he''d performed dozens of times. He ducked at just the right moment to avoid a swing from a metal pipe, rolled his shoulder to let a punch miss by a hair, and kicked out legs from under them with flawless timing. But something was wrong. Every time he almost landed a blow or gained the upper hand, something twisted is against him. A perfect kick would somehow miss because the thug stumbled in an odd way. A counterattack meant to connect would strike empty air because his opponent shifted at the last second. It wasn''t that he was weak¡ªit was as if the world itself refused to let him win. Some unseen force pressed down on him, distorting fate, snatching victory from his grasp. Still, he never stopped protecting me. He stood between me and them, a living shield. Every time one of the thugs tried to get near me, he would intercept, kicking, pushing, locking them down with ruthless efficiency, even though it pushed him closer to defeat. "RUN! NOW!" His deep voice rang out, faceless but filled with urgency and command. I hesitated. My feet were frozen. I didn''t want to leave him. I wanted to see him win. I wanted to help. But that blank face... even without eyes, I could feel the silent plea. There was desperation behind his command. "No..." I shook my head, refusing to abandon him. "GO, YOU IDIOT!" he shouted again, still holding the thugs off, keeping them from reaching me. He shoved me away from the alley. With my heart pounding like mad, I finally turned and ran. Every step felt like eternity. My legs were heavy. I forced myself to run, leaving him behind to face fate alone. Just as I looked back one last time, I saw something horrifying. The night sky cracked open¡ªnot just a simple crack, but a massive fracture like broken glass spreading fast across the heavens. A loud, shattering roar echoed, like the world itself was being torn apart. Purple and blood-red light spilled out from those fractures, swallowing everything below. The world... the world was ending. And in the middle of it all, I saw him¡ªstill fighting, still protecting the space where I had once stood. I opened my eyes again, breath short and ragged. I was in my room. My bedsheets were damp with sweat. The blue ribbon on my shoulder was slightly out of place, a bit wrinkled. I touched my shining blonde hair. My wide blue eyes stared blankly. It was just a nightmare. But the feeling was too vivid, too detailed, too real. My muscles ached like I had actually been running. And that cracked sky... it didn''t feel like just a dream. It felt like a memory, a cold de?ja? vu, like I had been there before, witnessing that destruction, drowning in that despair¡ªdozens, maybe hundreds of times, in some forgotten life. And the strange boy with no face... I tried to remember him again. Brown hair... And oddly, whenever I was near him in the dream, I felt a strange sense of safety. That dream felt like a life I had once lived. A memory breaking free from the depths of my subconscious, demanding to be remembered. "Luna! Come down, I made your favorite breakfast! And I packed your bento in your bag, the one you made last night!" I shook my head, trying to get the terrible dream out of my thoughts. But deep down, something inside me wanted to know more about that boy. "Coming, Mom!" ---- "Be careful on your way, sweetie. I already packed your bento and your self-defense weapon in your bag. Remember, a girl must always know how to protect herself," my mom said. A reminder she''d given me hundreds of times. "Mom... I''m not a kid anymore. Isn''t it a bit too much to carry around a knife¡ª" She placed her finger on my lips, silencing me. "Shhh... You don''t want what happened when you were little to happen again, do you?" she whispered. I froze, my body stiff. The nightmare flashed through my mind again. Her eyes widened¡ªrealizing she''d said too much. "Oh right! Luna, who did you make that bento for last night? Don''t tell me..." My mom smiled, clearly teasing. I froze again, searching for a good excuse. "It''s for... a friend. A girl. Yeah! We promised to trade bento today," I said quickly, turning my face away. She smiled, her eyes narrowing as she stared at me. "Hmm... is that so?" My cheeks grew hot at her reaction. "If you don''t believe me, then whatever!" I stormed off and jumped into the car, telling our driver to take me to school. On the way there, I stared out the window. Office workers walked past, glued to their phones. A kebab vendor sliced meat every ten seconds. Everything felt too... scripted. I tapped the car window, hoping someone would notice¡ªbut no one even looked. No one reacted at all. When I arrived at school, I told the driver to stop. He nodded silently, without saying a word. I stepped out, and as usual, the moment I walked towards the gates, people turned to look at me¡ªlike I was some heroine in a romance novel. I looked around, searching for a boy with black hair. Theo¡ªmy friend who had caught me when I almost fell down the stairs. Since then, we''d been good friends. He''s kind, but honestly a bit too naive. Every time I offer him something, he always refuses. It''s exhausting. In the distance, I saw a boy glance at me and then quickly turn away. That brown hair... could it really be him? The boy from my dream? I wanted to call out to him, but the words got stuck in my throat. It felt like something was holding me back. When I reached the door of classroom 2-C, I saw him again¡ªstanding in front of the door, completely still. I waited for him to go in, but he just stood there. It was annoying. I lost my patience and walked past him into the class. At the back, I saw my two friends¡ªTheo and Ivansia. I walked up to Theo and scolded him for not waiting at the gate. He apologized with that annoying smile of his. I sighed and sat down beside him. "Did you finish last week''s homework, Theo?" Ivansia asked. "Huh?! We had homework last week?!" "Ugh, Theo. You''re always like this," Ivansia said, rubbing her temple. "Give me your book, I''ll do it for you." Theo dug into his bag and handed her his notebook. "Uh... sorry for always troubling you, Ivansia." I looked away from them and turned to the front. The brown-haired boy was sleeping on his desk. Weird... why wasn''t the teacher scolding him? Before I could ask the teacher, he suddenly yelled. "Pay attention when your teacher is speaking, student Theo!" I was shocked. I thought he''d yell at the brown-haired guy. But why Theo? I looked at Theo, who had fallen off his chair after being hit by the teacher''s chalkboard eraser. "Pfft! Hahaha!" I laughed out loud. Wait... why am I laughing? Shouldn''t I be asking the teacher about him? Shouldn''t I be helping Theo? Why was I just laughing? I tried to stop, but I couldn''t. My mouth moved on its own. My hand reached into my bag and pulled out... eucalyptus oil? Wait, since when did I bring that? I only packed books and bento! Ivansia helped Theo up, brushing dust off his uniform. My hand moved on its own again, offering the oil to Theo as words left my mouth without my control. "H-here, Theo. It''s eucalyptus oil. Not that I care, but I just happened to bring it." "Ah... It''s okay, Luna. That eraser didn''t really hurt." This... this is wrong. I couldn''t control my body. I felt like a puppet, being moved by someone else. Now that I think about it... why do most people have no facial features? Why only a few of us have them? Are we special? Or are we just the main puppets in someone else''s show? Chapter 5: Not A Stalker (Totally Not) Chapter 5 - Not A Stalker (Totally Not) Cold water splashed against Her face, washing away the leftover frustration from the argument earlier in class. Her usually neat blonde hair, tied up in her signature high ponytail with a blue ribbon, was now messy, sticking to her damp temples. She looked up and stared at her reflection in the school''s worn-out bathroom mirror. There, she saw the "perfect" Luna: the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl with naturally rosy lips and a face that always earned compliments. The school''s heroine, admired by so many. But next to that ideal image, the mirror seemed to reveal another Luna¡ªone far from perfect. Her eyes were slightly swollen, her jaw clenched in frustration, and faint lines on her forehead betrayed the anxiety she was trying to hide. We had just gotten into a huge argument with that brown-haired boy with no face. That guy¡ªwith his calm yet piercing voice¡ªtold her straight up that Theo, the popular athlete she had been crushing on for so long, was clueless, dumb, and completely insensitive. Ivansia had tried so hard to defend Theo. But each word felt empty. Deep down, in the part of her heart she hated to admit even existed... Luna agreed with him. Theo really could be dense¡ªtoo focused on his own world to notice what''s around him. Guilt and disappointment twisted in her stomach. She looked down and picked up her open notebook from the sink. As she did, an old photo slipped out and landed on the cold ceramic floor. Luna bent down and picked it up. It was a photo of her, Theo, and Ivansia in class. Theo was smiling brightly, Ivansia looked calm beside him, and Luna was beaming between the two of them. A happy memory. One of those cheerful school moments. But Luna''s eyes shifted to a blurry corner of the photo. There¡ªbarely visible on the edge, as if caught by accident¡ªwas part of a brown-haired boy sitting by the window, reading a novel. That faceless boy. Luna''s heart skipped. She didn''t remember when this photo was taken... or why that guy was even in it. Had he always been there? Hiding in the background... unseen, but always watching? The mirror reflected her face again, but now it felt foreign¡ªlike someone else was pulling the strings behind her smile, controlling her heartbeat, and forcing her to say words that weren''t even her own. She frowned and asked herself: Why... Why couldn''t I control myself in class? She let out a long sigh, patting Her cheeks to shake off the overthinking. She fixed Her uniform and hair before walking out of the bathroom. The moment She stepped out, She was met with a strange sight: people with no facial features filled the hallway. They were just walking aimlessly around the school. She turned Her face away, trying to ignore them. She just wanted to go to the school rooftop to relax. On Her way there, She passed by Her classroom¡ª2-C. She glanced through the window and saw Ivansia and Theo studying together, probably trying to forget what had just happened. Suddenly, She felt a weird pressure. It was like something was forcing Her feet to walk into the classroom. "Ugh!" She gritted Her teeth, trying to fight the strange pressure, turning Her body around with all Her strength. Step by heavy step, She dragged Herself toward the rooftop. Finally, She made it to the staircase. She reached for the door to the rooftop, but Her hand froze when She heard a loud, creepy laugh. "Ha... HAHAHAHA!" Her whole body froze. That laugh... It was the voice of the faceless guy! Could he be some kind of psycho who got his kicks from mocking people? She started to hesitate. Slowly, She turned around, one step at a time, backing away from the rooftop door. "Oh... Luna!" a loud voice called my name. She turned Her head slowly. With a nervous smile, She said, "Ah... I-I won''t bother you anymore... S-So please! Just let me go!" She cried out, begging him. ---- I froze. I was honestly confused about what was happening. Just earlier, I had felt the kind of happiness you only feel after surviving thousands of loops. But now, right in front of me, was the world''s heroine¡ªtears in her eyes, begging me not to come closer. Wait... Was she listening to me from behind the door this whole time? I rushed down the stairs toward her. "L-Luna! Wait! This is just a misunderstanding¡ª" "D-Don''t come any closer!" she said, her voice shaking. She stepped back... and didn''t notice she had no more steps behind her. She slipped. I quickly grabbed her arm to stop her from falling. Without thinking, I pulled her up and brought her to the rooftop with me. "L-Let go of me! You''re crazy! Let go or I''ll scream!" she yelled, trying to pull away. I released her arm and looked at her. "Tch, calm down. I just need a minute, okay? There''s something I need to tell you." I ran a hand through my hair. She rubbed her arm where I''d accidentally gripped too hard. She frowned and stared at me sharply. "So... what do you want to say?" I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I reached out and placed my hand on her shoulder. "Luna¡ª" "Can you not touch me?" she said, brushing off my hand. "Ah, sorry." "Ahem... Luna! You''re a hero¡ª" Just before I could finish the sentence, it felt like a stone got stuck in my throat. I dropped to the ground, coughing and gasping. "Ugh... Cough, cough... Luna, you... Cough, ugh!" My throat burned like it was being stabbed by needles. Luna''s face tightened with worry. She knelt down and reached out to me. "Hey, are you okay? Do you have some kind of illness? Maybe we should talk later," she said, clearly confused and concerned. Damn it! This cursed world won''t let me tell her the truth... Crap... What now? What should I do next? How can I protect Luna from the danger she''s going to face? I held onto my knee and slowly stood up again, looking her in the eye. "Luna, don''t leave your house tonight." "Hah?! What the hell do you mean by that?! You''ve been acting super weird¡ªlaughing like a lunatic, grabbing me, coughing like you''re dying¡ª" "Please! Just this once, trust me!" I stepped closer to her. "How am I supposed to trust you?! You insulted my friends, I don''t even know you! I don''t even know your name! What could possibly happen if I go out tonight?!" Luna shouted. "YOU''LL GET KIDNAPPED!" I yelled back. Luna''s face went pale. Her mouth opened slightly. "...." "W-Wait... I need to ask you something." Her voice trembled. "What is it?" "Have you... ever had the same dream as me?" Luna took a deep breath before continuing. "A dream where... I was in a dark, damp alley, surrounded by three terrifying thugs and... a brown-haired boy, who looked just like you." Her breath was shaky. "He... He protected me with everything he had. And then... I saw the world end. The sky shattered like glass. Purple and blood-red light spilled out from those cracks. That! That¡ª!" "Hey, hey, calm down, Luna!" Her breathing was a mess. She was starting to sweat. "The dream felt so real. No... It wasn''t a dream. It felt more like a memory. D-Do you know anything about it?" Wait! Could it be?! Luna is remembering fragments of her memories from the previous loop?! Holy crap! If that''s true, maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªshe can break free from her role as a ''Heroine''! I took a deep breath. "Yes, Luna! That dream is actually¡ªCough, cough!" I started coughing again. What the hell?! I can''t even give her a single clue?! "Hey, did you forget to take your cough medicine or something?" "No, I just choked on my spit." Luna raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by my answer. "So... do you know something about my dream?" "Hah... You still believe in dreams at a time like this?" Luna''s face turned red. Maybe she was mad. "Hah?! Then why did you tell me not to go out tonight, idiot!" I pulled out my phone from my pocket and showed her a news article on the screen. "Look at this. Some gangsters have been roaming the area near your neighborhood." Her eyes widened as she read the article. "Why didn''t you just show me this in the first place, dumbass?!" "Well, because you wouldn''t stop talking about your nightmare!" I shouted. "That''s your fault! Also, how the hell do you know where I live?! Don''t tell me... you''re stalking me?!" Luna backed away, heading toward the rooftop door. I laughed a little. "Haha! If I really were your stalker, then why are you only realizing it now?" I started walking slowly toward her. Luna''s eyes filled with fear. "Hiekk! Stay away from me, you creep!" she screamed and bolted down the stairs. I burst into laughter watching her run away in fear. Honestly, seeing her all flustered like that... is kinda cute. Chapter 6: Death Whistle? Sounds Friendly Enough Chapter 6 - Death Whistle? Sounds Friendly Enough I let out a deep sigh. I didn''t expect Luna to have that dream. No¡ªactually, it wasn''t a dream. It was a memory. A memory from Loop 56, when I tried to save her. I still remember the way she screamed. The way her blood stained my hands. Loop 56 wasn''t just a failure¡ªit broke me. I went through thirty loops trying to save Luna. My hand began to tremble. I was stabbed, drowned, beaten¡ª Even when I came close to winning, it never changed a thing. It was all useless. The world would still reset... unless it was Theo who saved Luna. Well... at the very least, Luna is finally starting to remember those memories. That means there''s a chance she can break free from the chains of this scripted world. But even so, I''m still worried about her condition. Remembering something that terrifying must''ve really shaken her up. But for now... I pulled a phone out of my pocket and opened a tracking app. A small red dot blinked on the screen, constantly moving. A smirk formed on my lips. Can''t believe it actually worked. When I was talking with Luna earlier, I scratched my head¡ªpretending it was nothing. But really, I was removing a hidden GPS tracker from my hair. I placed it on Luna''s shoulder, near the collar of her shirt. Hopefully, Theo or Ivansia won''t notice. I mean, the device is even smaller than a peanut. Not that I''m some creepy stalker or anything, okay? I just want to keep an eye on her¡ªjust in case something goes wrong. The world''s different now. I can finally act freely. That means the plot has already gone off-script. Who knows? Maybe Luna will be kidnapped in the afternoon this time instead of tonight. Anyway... what''s my next move? If I can prevent Luna''s kidnapping, then the next major event would be... the burning of Ivansia''s house. That conflict is going to be tough to handle. I''ll definitely need Theo''s help for that one. But how? I''ve already screwed things up with both him and Ivansia. What should I do to make Theo willing to help me? Damn it! I''m really starting to regret what I did in class earlier. I should''ve just kept my mouth shut and stayed out of their business... Maybe I should apologize to Theo. Yeah! That could work. I quickly left the rooftop, walking fast toward the classroom. Thud. I bumped into someone without even noticing. Crap! Who did I just bump into? I turned to my side, ready to apologize. "Ah, sorry¡ª" I froze when I saw who it was. It was our class president, Mia Tiara. Her hair was as white as freshly fallen snow, every strand shining softly under the light. Against her pale, milk-white skin, her face looked flawless¡ªyet her eyes... they were sunken, as if hiding something deep and painful. Like she''s seen too much. Around her neck hung a necklace¡ªsimple, but impossible to ignore. It was made of dark metal, and at the end of the chain was a small whistle. Its texture looked strange, like it was made from polished bone. That whistle wasn''t just for decoration. She called it the Death Whistle. I had no idea where it came from or what it was used for. The papers she was carrying scattered all over the floor. She calmly crouched down and started picking them up one by one. "This hallway isn''t a racetrack, you know?" Mia said, jabbing a finger into my chest. "...Ah, sorry, Class Prez. I was just in a bit of a hurry," I replied, bowing my head slightly. "Alright then. Just be more careful next time¡ª" Then¡ªher sentence glitched. Like a scratched tape or a corrupted file. "Ca¨|¨z¨{¨y" she smiled My whole body froze. Even without a real face, I felt it go stiff¡ªlike my whole identity froze. She turned around and started walking away, heading off to continue whatever she was doing. W-what?! Did I just mishear that?! N-no... there''s no way... she just said my real name! How the hell does she know that?! Wait, wait. I have to ask her right now! I ran up to her and grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around so she''d face me. "H-hey! How do you know my name?!" I shouted. Mia raised one eyebrow, like she was confused by my question. "Didn''t you tell me yourself?" "WHEN?!" "You forgot? Anyway, let go. I have something important to take care of," she said, brushing my hand off her shoulder. She started to walk away... but then suddenly turned back again. She looked at me and smiled before saying in a whisper: "Be careful around Neil Arkes." My whole body shivered. Cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck. Neil Arkes?! Luna''s fiance??! That freaking psycho who forced me into hundreds of loops?! The insane bastard who kept ruining all my plans with his unpredictable actions?! He''s the one orchestrating the kidnapping tonight. The bastard who''s pulled the strings from the shadows¡ªagain and again. He''s obsessed with Luna and wants her all to himself. My fist clenched without me realizing it. Just thinking about that lunatic makes my blood boil. Damn it... even if you didn''t warn me, I was already on high alert around that guy. Mia had already disappeared down the hall. I didn''t even get the chance to ask her more questions. In the previous loops, Mia was always a mystery. She''d show up right at the end, when the world was about to collapse. Honestly, I''ve always been curious about that necklace of hers. That creepy whistle shaped like a skull¡ªit makes me feel uneasy every time I look at it. Anyway, I headed to class. Once I reached the classroom door, I paused for a moment to prepare myself. I was going to apologize to Theo and Ivansia. But the second I stepped inside¡ª I could feel it. A sharp glare pierced through me like a blade. Ivansia was staring at me¡ªeyes full of rage and hate. Damn it! This girl really loves Theo, huh... Theo looked at me too. His gaze was cold and distant. Still angry at me, it seemed. And then there was Luna, sitting beside him. She narrowed her eyes at me, clearly still suspicious after our rooftop talk. I noticed the GPS tracker was still on her shoulder. I let out another long sigh. Looks like I''m still not in a position to say sorry yet. I quietly walked to my desk and reached into my bag, pulling out an old notebook. I flipped to a page where I had written the names of all the important characters. And on that page, I saw a sketch of a girl wearing a whistle necklace. Mia Tiara. Beneath her description, I had written something in big, bold letters: "DO NOT TRUST THOSE WHO CARRY DEATH." The Death Whistle¡ªa cursed item said to summon the spirits of the dead. But deep down... I knew it wasn''t the dead I should be afraid of. It was something else. Something far worse. Chapter 7: Soulmate or Stalker Chapter 7 - Soulmate or Stalker Ding-Dong! A loud, cheerful chime broke the silence¡ªa simple melody that signaled freedom. It was the most awaited sound for a regular student like me. I shoved my worn-out notebook into my bag. I grabbed my bag from the chair with a lazy swing, letting it hang loosely on my right shoulder. At the back of the class, I saw the trio getting ready to leave. But the only conversation I could hear was between Theo and Ivansia. Oddly enough, Luna had been quiet the whole time. And I''d been feeling a sharp gaze directed at me for a while now. "Theo, come to my house today. We''ll study together like usual. You know your grades are really bad," Ivansia said. "B-but no matter how hard I try, my test scores always end up the same, Ivansia. Do you think I just don''t have any talent?" Theo replied, his head hanging low. Ivansia sighed and said, "Let''s think about that later, Theo. What matters now is that you need to keep studying with me. Be consistent." "Guys, that''s enough. Let''s just go home already," Luna said as she opened the classroom door, signaling Theo and Ivansia to hurry up. I waited until all three of them left before stepping out myself. I wandered through the school hallway, looking for our class president, Mia Tiara. There were so many things I needed to ask her. But after searching for a while, I gave up and decided to head home. As I approached the school gate, I saw someone with blonde hair and a blue ribbon. Luna was leaning against the gate, holding her bag with both hands. She looked like she was waiting for her chauffeur or something "Luna!" I called out, waving my hand. She turned her face to look at me, her eyes widened when she saw me. "You''re that weirdo from the rooftop earlier!" she shot back. "Don''t call me that! You''re hurting my feelings." "Well, I''m not wrong, am I? You are weird" "Ugh, whatever. So... why are you standing here all alone?" I asked. "Ugh, just spit it out, idiot. What do you even want?" Luna replied coldly. Her tsundere attitude really gets on my nerves sometimes. "Can we talk for a bit? I''ll treat you to a drink." I said, trying to persuade her. She squinted at me like I was some kind of bug. "I knew it! You''re a total perv! You''re gonna take me somewhere quiet and try something weird, aren''t you?" she yelled. But behind her annoyance, I could see a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "What the hell?! Of course not! I just want to talk about something... something that might be related to your dream." Luna kept staring at me, then sighed. In the end, she agreed. --- We sat down near a vending machine in one of the school''s resting areas. I bought two cans of black coffee and sat next to her. "Here, this one''s for you. I think you''ll like it," I said, handing her the drink. "What is this?" she asked. "Black coffee." "Ew, are you serious?! That stuff''s disgusting! You should''ve bought me something sweet," she pouted, handing the can back. I let out a deep sigh. "You''re so picky. Just give it a try." Luna stared at the can for a moment, then opened it and drank while pinching her nose like a kid. God, she''s so dramatic. It''s literally just coffee. "How is it? Tastes good, right?" She smacked her lips, trying to get a feel for the taste. "Weird... I''ve always hated anything bitter. Why does this taste kinda good now?" Of course it does. You told me black coffee was your favorite back in Loop 1,132. "So... what did you want to talk about?" "Your dream... It might not have been just a dream. It could''ve been a memory of a life you lived before." "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked. "Have you ever heard of the Red Thread theory?" "The what?" she tilted her head. "It''s the idea that we''re connected by a red thread to someone who''s our soulmate. No matter the distance or even time, that thread won''t break." "And... what does that have to do with my dream?" "You mentioned a guy in your dream that looked just like me, right? Someone who protected you." "He didn''t just look like you. It was you. I''m sure of it." I found myself smiling at her words. I took a deep breath before continuing. "Well... maybe that means the two of us are connected by the red thread." Crap. That basically sounds like I''m saying I''m her fated partner. I looked up at the evening sky. The sun was starting to set in the distance. Still safe. The world won''t collapse. Luna nodded at my explanation, then paused as the meaning of my words finally sank in. "I KNEW it! You''re totally just trying to flirt with me!" "Yeah! I am doing this to get closer to you. I''m doing everything I can to protect you!" I shot back, finally fed up. "And who even are you? Why do you suddenly care about me this much?" "Your soulmate!" I blurted out¡ªinstantly regretting it. Idiot! Why the hell did I say that out loud? Crap, my face is burning up! I saw Luna''s face go red, clearly shocked by my words. She stood up and started walking away from me. I reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her from leaving. "Let me go. I''m tired of your nonsense. I''m going home," she said, trying to pull her hand away. "I have a gift for you. Just wait a second." "Tch, what now?" she muttered, but then she sat back down. The moment I said gift, she was suddenly all ears. I dug through my bag and pulled out a small sprayer filled with a strange liquid. I handed it to her. She examined it with a puzzled expression. "What the heck is this thing?" "It''s a sprayer with chili extract. If you spray it in someone''s eyes, they won''t be able to see for a few seconds." I saw her lip twitch slightly, and the corner of her eyes crinkle as she tried to hold back a smirk. Her cheeks puffed a little, and then¡ªPfft!¡ªshe couldn''t hold it in. "Hahaha! You''re unbelievable! What''s next, soy sauce in your backpack?" she laughed, eyes tearing up from how hard she was laughing. I just sat there, silently dying inside. "So what, you''re gonna spray this on food or something? Hahaha!" Seriously, I wanted to disappear right then and there. I was just trying to give her something useful for self-defense. "Whatever. Just keep it. Who knows, maybe it''ll come in handy someday." "Yeah, yeah, I''ll use it¡ªon my lunch!" she giggled, poking my shoulder. I couldn''t take the embarrassment anymore. I stood up and turned to leave. "Hey! I never asked your name," Luna called out. My name, huh... "Just call me C," I replied. Luna smiled at me and said, "Thanks, C." I froze for a second. Did Luna just thank me? That''s... rare. In all the loops I''ve gone through, that''s not something she says often. It might sound small, but for someone like her¡ªwho always pushes people away¡ª It meant the world to me. "Yeah. Later." If I had a mouth... I''d be grinning like an idiot. Maybe for the first time in countless loops¡ªI actually felt... happy. Chapter 8: My Love Language Is Stalking (But Only for Plot Reason) Chapter 8 - My Love Language Is Stalking (But Only for Plot Reason) [MC''s POV] I let out a long sigh. Today was exhausting. But at the same time, it was... strangely satisfying. For once, the world didn''t punish me for meddling in the lives of the main characters. Well... my plan for today actually went pretty well. I successfully planted a GPS tracker on Luna''s uniform, gave her a self-defense weapon, and reminded her not to go out tonight. Everything should be safe now. It should be... My steps slowed down. Should I monitor her house tonight...? No, no. Come on, C. Don''t be paranoid. That''s overkill. If she finds out, I might ruin everything between us. I really don''t want her to keep calling me a weirdo. Or worse... a stalker. But... if it''s to protect the main characters and make sure the loop doesn''t repeat... Then I''ll do anything. Anything. I''ve failed too many times. I can''t let this be another reset where I lose her again. Suddenly, I felt it. A strange tremor pulsed through the world, like a ripple of energy that didn''t belong. And it triggered something deep inside me. A memory¡ª A terrible one. Wait¡ªwhat''s happening!? The tremor made my mind feel fuzzy, like I was floating out of sync with reality. Instinctively, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I quickly opened the tracker app¡ªthe one I installed earlier to keep an eye on Luna. The red dot on the screen had stopped. It was at the street corner near her house. Without a second thought, I sprinted in that direction. No hesitation. No second-guessing. Damn it. Damn it all! Can''t I even get one night of rest!? This is my fault. I should''ve thought about this possibility. I knew it. I knew the world was no longer following the original script. I should''ve followed her! Damn it! Something''s wrong. Luna''s in danger. A horrible image flashed in my mind: A blonde girl¡ªher hair once shining like sunlight¡ªnow lifeless. Her body full of stab wounds... strangulation marks across her neck... Whatever happens... Luna, don''t die! --- [Luna''s POV] The golden sunset bathed everything in a warm, gentle glow as I sat on a bench near the school''s empty basketball court. The wind was gentle. My blonde hair danced slightly in the breeze, catching the warm light and turning into threads of gold. I stared into the distance. Maybe at the orange-tinted clouds, maybe at the tree shadows crawling across the ground. Maybe... nowhere in particular. In my hand, I held something odd. A small object given to me by that strange boy¡ªthe one without a clear face¡ªwho calls himself "C." C... What was the point of this thing again? I already had a small knife for self-defense. If the goal was to blind someone, then pepper spray would''ve made more sense. Ugh... whatever. I should probably just head home. I slipped the object into my bag. Who knows, maybe it will be useful someday. The late afternoon felt so peaceful. The sun gently warmed my cheeks as I began walking toward the school gate. But then... That peace shattered in an instant. My eyes happened to glance toward the gate. And there, among the crowd of students heading home, stood a man. He immediately made me feel uneasy¡ªlike his presence didn''t belong. He was tall and rough-looking, with faint tattoos peeking out from beneath his worn-out sleeves. He walked with a swagger that screamed arrogance. And the look in his eyes... it was wrong. He scanned the area like he was looking for trouble. And when his eyes landed on me¡ª I felt sick. My heartbeat sped up. My breath caught in my throat. Maybe he was just a normal student with bad fashion sense... But something about him¡ªhis silhouette, his aura¡ªfelt threatening. I didn''t even realize my hand was already reaching for the object C gave me earlier. Memories came rushing in. Blurry flashes of my childhood. A rough hand grabbing me. Voices yelling. That crushing fear that made me freeze. "Thug." That word echoed in my head. My childhood trauma exploded without warning. I gripped the spray tighter in my hand. My fingers turned pale from how hard I was clutching it. The world around me started to feel sharp and overwhelming. Colors felt off. Every shape felt like it was moving too fast or too close. He hadn''t done anything. He hadn''t moved toward me. But my trauma didn''t care. My body remembered things my mind tried so hard to forget. That kind of fear never really leaves you¡ªit just hides until triggered. The memories of being kidnapped came flooding back. The smell of cigarette smoke. The cruel laughter. The way they looked at me like I wasn''t human. That guy at the gate became the shadow of everything I feared. A living nightmare. I swallowed hard, trying to stay calm. I knew I was safe. This was school. There were people around. But logic and fear don''t always agree with each other. Not when the fear runs deep. I looked away from him, trying to pretend he wasn''t there. But even in the corner of my vision, I could still feel him. That warm, beautiful afternoon had turned bitter. Tainted by the return of old fears I''d buried long ago. Then¡ªjust beyond the school gate¡ªa sleek black sedan pulled up and stopped smoothly. The front window rolled down, revealing my private driver''s calm face. Without a moment''s hesitation, I rushed toward the car. Faster than I usually moved. I opened the back door and jumped in, almost silently. Desperate to put distance between me and him¡ªand everything he reminded me of. My breathing was shaky. I hated feeling this weak. I hated that one glance could undo all the strength I''d built. "Let''s just go home... please," I whispered. The driver nodded, and the car pulled away. Outside the window, the streets passed by quietly. I tried to calm my thoughts by watching the scenery. I sighed. Looks like I''ll have to follow the advice of C. To not go out tonight. Today was too much... I just want to go home. But just when I thought the worst was over¡ª A brown car swerved into view on our left. Time slowed down. My mouth opened slightly, trying to say something. But it was too late. It hit us¡ª Hard. CRASH. Chapter 9: Luna and the Unexpected Benefits of Carrying a Weapon Chapter 9 - Luna and the Unexpected Benefits of Carrying a Weapon A violent crash jolted Luna''s entire body. The awful screech of twisting metal merged with the piercing shriek of tires skidding against asphalt The kind of silence that made her feel like the world had stopped breathing. A sharp pain stabbed through her chest, and the air was thick with the suffocating smell of something burning. Slowly, with her head spinning and her vision swimming in and out of focus, Luna forced her eyes open. She coughed, choking on air filled with smoke and the metallic scent of blood. The driver... he wasn''t moving. His blood stained the seat beneath him, vivid and horrifying. A wave of paralyzing panic swept over her. She couldn''t tell if he was breathing. She didn''t want to check. She couldn''t handle the answer. What should she do? She didn''t know. Her mind was completely blank, frozen in shock and fear. Her trembling hand reached for the door handle. Her fingers felt numb, weak. After several tries, the car door finally creaked open with a painful groan. Luna stepped out slowly. Her legs felt like jelly as they touched the shattered asphalt covered in broken glass. Every breath felt like inhaling fire. Her ribs protested with every movement. Just as she managed to steady herself, the sound of an engine in the distance caught her attention. Two headlights approached rapidly. Luna squinted, confused. Who was that? An ambulance? The police? Two dark cars skidded to a stop not far from the wreck. From each vehicle, three tall, broad men stepped out with threatening expressions. Gangsters. Her instincts screamed at her. They walked briskly toward the crashed car. No hesitation. No confusion. Like they''d been waiting for this moment. The fear Luna had tried to bury suddenly returned, sharper and more urgent than before. They saw the accident. Were they the ones who caused it? Her heart pounded wildly. She felt vulnerable. Alone. One of them, the largest with a tattoo on his neck, smirked in her direction. "Hey. Is this our target?" They moved closer to the open door. Two of them reached for Luna through the window. "Come with us, sweetheart," one of them mocked, his hand reaching for her arm. Instinct kicked in. Luna jerked away, her mind racing. Instinct screamed louder than logic. Her hand dove into her school bag on the backseat. Her fingers wrapped tightly around a small folding knife she always kept with her¡ªa gift from her mother. In the side pocket, she also found a small bottle of chili spray, something C had given her. Her body was still shaking, her thoughts scattered, but her survival instinct kicked in. The two gangsters had already grabbed her arm, their grip cold and rough. Her brain screamed in panic, but her body moved on its own. She twisted, pulling her arm free and spinning away from them. Her hand dove into her bag and gripped the knife¡ªnot to use yet, just to hold something solid. "Don''t touch me!" Luna shouted. Her voice sounded braver than she felt. She held her bag against her chest, staggering but managing to keep her distance. Her sharp blue eyes darted between the gangsters. They looked a bit surprised by her reaction. "Well, well," one of them chuckled. "She''s got claws." Another stepped forward. "Don''t play around, little girl." Luna didn''t answer. She circled the wrecked car, keeping it between her and them. Her steps were unsteady. Her right leg throbbed. She was still hurt from the crash, but she couldn''t stop now. There was no way she could fight off six grown men, especially like this. But she had to buy time. For what, she wasn''t sure. Maybe someone would come. Maybe she''d find a way to escape. "What do you want from me?!" she yelled, trying to keep her voice steady. Her left hand reached into her bag, grabbing the pepper spray without letting them see. The gangsters laughed¡ªshort, mocking laughs that made her blood boil. "That''s none of your business. Just come quietly." "Don''t come closer!" Luna warned. Her hand shook as she raised the spray in front of her. Luna''s legs nearly buckled beneath her, but the image of someone from her dream flashed in her mind¡ªcalm, faceless, fearless. I can''t fall here. She pressed the trigger. A blast of bright orange liquid sprayed straight into the face of the nearest gangster. He shrieked in pain, clutching his eyes. "Damn it!" he howled, stumbling backward. The others froze, stunned by the sudden counterattack. "You little¡ª!" Another gangster charged at her. Luna didn''t stop. She sprayed again, aiming at anyone who tried to get close. They were more cautious now, ducking or shielding their faces. The burning mist filled the air, stinging her own throat and eyes too¡ªbut she kept spraying. "Grab her!" the tattooed man barked, his face red with fury. They rushed forward more aggressively now. Luna dodged, slipping past their hands, keeping the wrecked car between her and them. She finally pulled out the folding knife, the blade glinting under the dim evening light. Her hand trembled, but her eyes were sharp. She wasn''t going down without a fight. Her courage was thinning. The fear was clawing its way back up her throat. Then¡ªthrough the chaos, a familiar voice rang out loud and clear. "LUNA!" That voice... Even without a face, she knew it. A figure was sprinting toward her from the direction of the school gates. Tall, with messy brown hair fluttering in the wind¡ªbut his face... Blank. No features. "C!" she cried out. The gangsters froze, confused by the sudden appearance of the faceless boy. "Who the hell is that?" ---- The air grew even heavier. The gangsters, shocked at first, now turned back to their goal¡ªLuna, and now the strange boy blocking their path. C stood between her and them. His body was slim but steady, radiating a strange kind of calm. He didn''t speak. His fists hung loose at his sides, but he looked ready. His face revealed nothing¡ªbut somehow, his presence said everything. Six. Calm down, C. The world will no longer destine you to lose A cold jolt struck C''s chest. He didn''t show it, but he felt it. In the previous loop, there were only three gangsters. Now, there were six. This wasn''t just a replay. This was a variation. An anomaly in the script. "Who are you, kid?" one gangster shouted. "Get outta our way!" They sneered. To them, C was just a dumb teenager. He looked like a teenager. But his movements... were too calm. Too calculated. Like a soldier from a thousand battles They couldn''t see the centuries of experience buried behind that blank face. C didn''t answer. He stepped slightly to the side, raising one hand in a loose, taunting motion¡ªinviting them to attack. He needed data. A new formation meant a new plan. He needed them to move first. Three of the gangsters charged. One threw a punch straight at C''s head, another tried to sweep his legs, and the last swung wide from the side. C responded with perfect precision. He leaned just enough to let the punch graze past his ear. Then jumped back, raising his foot in time to block the sweep. As the third attacker moved in, C dropped low and spun, avoiding the blow completely. He didn''t strike back¡ªyet. He was still analyzing. Gangster One: fast, predictable. Gangster Two: strong, but poor balance. Gangster Three: agile, but relies on surprise. He also tracked the other three in the back, watching their movements, looking for patterns. This was a deadly dance he''d repeated thousands of times, but now with new variables. "He''s just dodging!" one gangster mocked. "Grab him already!" They moved faster, trying to corner him. Blows came from every side. C stayed moving, weaving through the attacks. But slowly, the smug looks on the gangsters'' faces faded. He wasn''t just some lucky kid. He was something else. C began shifting his strategy. He started using their own weight and momentum against them¡ªtwisting arms, redirecting punches. When one gangster lunged, C turned him into a human shield. When a fist came flying, he caught the wrist, bent it back sharply, and shoved the guy into another attacker. "You little¡ª!" the tattooed gangster roared, finally realizing they were being played. C flowed like water¡ªalways slipping through, always finding the weak points. He ducked under arms, leapt past legs, and always landed in positions that gave him the upper hand. He kicked one gangster''s knee, making him collapse. He elbowed another in the jaw, sending him stumbling into his friend. The gangsters started to panic. But even with his skills, C was beginning to feel pressure. Six enemies were too many. A few hits landed¡ªon his shoulder, his leg. Pain flared. He needed something to turn the tide. As he was pushed toward the wrecked car, Luna saw her chance. Her hands trembled, but she didn''t hesitate. She knew what he needed¡ªbecause she felt it. With a deep breath, she threw her knife toward him. C, sensed it coming. Nice one, Luna. He reached out and caught the knife mid-air, already unfolded. Now armed, everything shifted. C no longer just defended¡ªhe attacked. He moved like lightning, slicing, striking, always aiming to disable, not kill. A quick stab to the thigh dropped one gangster screaming. A slash across an arm disarmed another. Blood splattered across the cracked pavement. Screams of pain echoed under the darkening sky. The gangsters stumbled back, afraid now. The blade changed everything. But behind the chaos, one of them¡ªthe sneakiest¡ªslipped behind C. A small knife gleamed in his hand. He raised it, ready to stab C in the back. C didn''t see him. Chapter 10: From Saviour To Suspect in 0.2 Seconds Chapter 10 - From Saviour To Suspect in 0.2 Seconds He raised his small dagger, aiming it at C''s back. C didn''t see it coming. Shit! It was a sneak attack¡ªfast and dangerous. A deadly twist that could''ve ended everything right then and there. Just before the blade touched his back, C instinctively swung his left hand behind him. In his hand was an old, dark brown notebook¡ªthe one thing in this world that wasn''t affected by the loop. CLANG! The gangster''s blade struck the book with a sharp, metallic clang. Not a scratch. Not even a dent. Instead, the dagger bounced off like it hit solid steel. The gangster was stunned. That notebook was untouchable¡ªimmune to time, to harm, to fate itself. C chuckled. Good thing I had this. This is the 36th time it saved my life. Without turning around, C rammed his elbow backward into the gangster''s ribs with brutal force. The man screamed as the dagger dropped from his hand. Now holding the gangster''s dagger in his right hand and the immortal notebook in his left, C moved like a storm. He kicked the gangster behind him in the knee, forcing him to kneel in pain. Then, with swift precision, he slammed the notebook into another thug''s head¡ªthe man dropped with a loud, dull thud, knocked out cold. The remaining gangsters stared at their fallen comrades¡ªand at the faceless man who had become a living nightmare. Fear crawled onto their faces. Panic set in. But C didn''t give them a chance to run. He stabbed one in the leg, dropping him to the ground, then slammed another into the pavement, pinning him down. He drove the blade into the ground beside the thug''s face¡ªa silent warning. Now, only one gangster was left conscious, groaning in pain on the asphalt. C approached him. His body showed no sign of fatigue, as if the entire fight had been nothing. He crouched silently in front of the man. Not a word came from his lips. Only the gangster''s panicked, wheezing breath broke the silence. "Who sent you?" C''s voice was low, cold¡ªlike a deep echo demanding the truth. The gangster trembled. He stared at C''s faceless expression, but the sheer pressure coming from the man was terrifying. "I-I... I don''t know..." C didn''t move. The silence stretched like a noose. It was pressure distilled into silence. Eventually, the man cracked. "Neil Arkes! It was Neil Arkes! He told us to take care of some target... a girl!" Hearing that name, something inside C ignited. Neil Arkes! His fists clenched. His blood boiled. Why would he send gangsters to hit Luna?! Isn''t he obsessed with her? Didn''t he think she could actually die?! Damn it, I have to take him out soon. If I don''t... I might be stuck in this hellish world forever. Without hesitation, C''s hand moved toward the dagger lying beside the gangster''s head¡ªslow, deliberate. If I let him live, this repeats. If I kill him... I lose more of what''s left of me. But there''s no time to hesitate. The man''s eyes widened in horror. He tried to scream. Too late. The blade pierced quickly and cleanly. Blood splattered onto the ground. The man twitched... then went still. C stood up, leaving the blade behind. He looked around at the six bodies lying motionless around him. The fight was over. But he''d gained something crucial¡ªinformation. --- C was panting as he turned toward Luna''s car. It was crushed from the crash. The brown car that hit her had already disappeared¡ªits driver had fled. He saw Luna sitting on the ground, leaning against the wreckage. She was shaking, eyes full of tears. She looked terrified. Her face and arms were slashed with cuts, her clothes torn, and bruises blooming across her legs. Of course she was scared. Luna had a deep trauma when it came to gangsters and thugs. C crouched beside her and spoke in a tired voice. "Luna... do you want to go home? Or should I call an ambulance to take care of you?" Luna was still gasping for breath, barely able to speak. Should I just carry her? "You''re really hurt... and your leg''s bruised. Do you want me to carry you?" C asked, reaching out a hand. "Y-You... I should be the one asking that," Luna replied, her voice trembling. She couldn''t understand how he was still standing. Part of her wanted to run. Part of her wanted to hold him. "Huh?" "Look at yourself, idiot! You''ve got cuts all over! Your hands and legs are bruised too. How are you even still standing?!" C glanced at the cracked car window, seeing his reflection. Wounds. Blood. Bruises. His faceless head looked more terrifying now. Strangely, C wasn''t even surprised. "Ah... don''t worry, Luna. It''s nothing. You know guys are tougher than girls, right? I''ll be fine." "Don''t give me that macho crap! Give me your phone. I''ll call my driver to pick you up. Mine got smashed in the crash." She held out her hand. C handed her his phone, and she called someone, giving instructions to come quickly. "How many drivers do you even have, Luna? Are you, like, secretly rich or something?" C asked, digging into his bag for a first-aid kit. "I''m the daughter of a tech CEO," she answered, then noticed the kit in his hand. "Wait¡ªyou carry that around every day? That''s crazy. Do you have weird stuff in that bag too?" "Not every day. Just when I get a bad feeling. And weirdly, my gut feelings are always right." Luna nodded absently, still fiddling with his phone while C patched up his wounds. Wait... my phone... crap¡ª "Hey... what is this app?" Luna asked, her voice shaking. Her face suddenly stiffened. She shoved the screen toward C. There it was. A red dot, glowing with the words ''0 meters'' underneath. The tracking app C used... to follow Luna. "You... You''re my stalker, aren''t you?" Her voice trembled with disbelief, then twisted into something sharp¡ªdisgust. Cold sweat ran down C''s back. His brain kicked into overdrive, working harder than it had during the fight earlier. Welp... I just screwed myself harder than ever before. Game over, me. Chapter 11: Your Creep Might Be Your Crush Chapter 11 - Your Creep Might Be Your Crush Damn it! What other lies do I have to make up now... "H-Hey, be honest with me," Luna said, her voice shaking. "You''re my stalker, aren''t you? Maybe I should be calling the police, not my driver." "I-It''s not like that, Luna!" C quickly replied. "I can explain. Please, don''t think weird things about me." "Then explain it. Now!" she snapped, still glaring at him like he was the world''s most disgusting bug. C opened his mouth, but nothing came out¡ªjust a faint, humiliating squeak. He clenched his fists, then gently placed one hand on Luna''s shoulder. After a couple of silent seconds, he finally spoke. "I-I''m... your bodyguard. Secretly assigned to protect you from the shadows." Thank god he had no face¡ªif he did, this lie would''ve cracked wide open the second she looked at him. Every word out of his mouth felt like walking a tightrope over fire. Luna blinked, her angry brows now raised in confusion. "...Bodyguard? W-Wait, you''re my bodyguard?! Who told you to guard me?" "...Your mom," C lied smoothly. "Yeah, your mom hired me. I ran into her on the street one day¡ªsomeone tried to snatch her purse, and I stepped in. After that, she saw my school uniform and offered me a job to protect you. She said it pays well¡ªso, of course, I agreed." As he spoke, C''s fingers moved subtly, crushing the GPS tracker hidden on Luna''s shoulder¡ªerasing the one piece of truth that could destroy him. Luna narrowed her eyes. "Since when did you become my bodyguard?" "Two days ago," C replied quickly. "Huh?! Two days ago, my mom was¡ª" "Sorry, I meant three days ago. I forgot. My bad!" he cut her off before she could finish. "You''re lying! It''s obvious¡ªyou''re stumbling all over your own words!" she shouted. "Come on, Luna," C said, rolling his eyes. "If I wasn''t your bodyguard, why would I fight six gangsters to save you? What kind of crazy guy does that for free?" Luna glanced at the aftermath¡ªsix gangsters lying on the street like they just went through a meat grinder. C, standing in front of her, had done all that. "...I''ll have to ask Mom later," she muttered. C let out a small sigh of relief. She was starting to doubt herself¡ªand that meant he had a chance to win her trust. After patching up his own wounds, he turned his attention to Luna. "Hey Luna, give me your leg. I''ll take care of that injury." She pulled her leg back, alarmed. "Y-You idiot! Are you a doctor or something?!" "Even worse. I''m a guy who''s broken thirty-six bones in his life." C grinned. Luna looked at the neatly wrapped bandages on C''s own limbs. After a moment, she gave in and extended her leg. C carefully began to wrap it to stop the swelling. "Ouch! That hurts, you know." "Tch, don''t be a baby, Luna. You''re a strong woman, aren''t you?" he said without looking up. Luna stared at him, an odd urge to smack him growing inside her chest. Suddenly, a black sedan came speeding toward them. It stopped abruptly. A woman with brown hair stepped out. Her outfit was stylish but practical¡ªnavy polo shirt made of breathable fabric, slim-fit black chinos, not too tight, just neat. But the most striking feature? Two small beauty marks beneath her eyes¡ªstrangely enough, they made her look even more captivating. She rushed toward them, eyes wide with worry. "M-Miss! What happened?!" she yelled, panting. "Calm down, Sherra. I''ll explain," Luna said calmly. Sherra crouched next to her, looking at Luna and the wrecked car behind them. Luna sighed, briefly summarizing the accident and the attack by the gangsters. "T-This is unacceptable, Miss! We need to find out who''s behind this¡ªimmediately!" Sherra barked. "Enough, Sherra. I''ll take care of this myself. Please, don''t tell my mother." "But Miss¡ª" "Please, Sherra. You''re my most trusted maid... and my friend." Sherra''s mouth opened slightly, as if she wanted to argue. But she eventually nodded. Then, she turned her sharp eyes to C. "And who is this guy, Miss?" "Ah, he''s¡ª" "I''m Luna''s friend," C quickly interrupted. "I just happened to be nearby when I saw the gang surrounding her, so I stepped in." Sherra raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. C gave Luna a look, silently pleading for her not to blow his cover. "Y-Yeah... he''s my friend," Luna echoed awkwardly. "He... helped me when things got really bad. I would''ve been in serious trouble without him." Why did I cover for him? He might be a liar. A stalker. But... something about his eyes¡ªno, his presence¡ªmade me trust him. Just a little. Sherra''s expression slowly changed. One eyebrow lifted, her forehead creasing slightly, and the corners of her lips tugged into a small smirk¡ªlike she''d just heard a really bad joke. She looked at C, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "A random high schooler taking out six gangsters? Wow. Real convincing." "I didn''t do it alone," C said calmly. "Luna helped. And I''m not just any student¡ªI''m very experienced at beating people up." "Sure. And I''m the queen of England." "Whatever. You should be thanking me for saving your tsundere master over there." C pointed at Luna. Luna''s face turned red. "W-What do you mean by that, you idiot?!" Veins popped on Sherra''s forehead. Her rage exploded. "Watch your damn mouth, punk!" she snapped, grabbing C''s collar with surprising strength. "Let go," C said, his voice suddenly cold, heavy. Sherra froze, her hand recoiling as if burned. She stumbled back, eyes wide. Luna sighed deeply. "C, are you done treating my leg?" she asked, looking at him. C didn''t answer. He just stayed focused, wrapping her injury carefully. For some reason, warmth stirred in Luna''s chest as she watched him. She didn''t understand why... but it made her feel strangely safe. Tch. Is it just the adrenaline? Or... is something wrong with my heart? Chapter 12: The First Sign of Something Else Chapter 12 - The First Sign of Something Else "All done," C said softly as he finished wrapping Luna''s wound. He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Can you stand? Or... should I carry you?" he asked with a slight teasing tone. "No need. I can stand on my own," Luna replied, but she still reached out to grab his hand. She tried to walk, step by step, but her legs were weak. Just a few steps in, her body gave out and she fell hard onto the asphalt. C sighed as he looked at her. Without saying another word, he bent down and lifted her up into a princess carry. "W-What do you think you''re doing, you idiot?! Put me down this instant!" Luna shouted, her fists pounding against C''s chest in frustration and embarrassment. "Oh, stop struggling, Miss," Sherra said with a teasing grin, clearly entertained by the scene. "You can''t walk right now anyway. Let him carry you." Hearing Sherra''s words only made Luna more irritated. She grew louder and more frantic, insisting that C put her down. But C didn''t listen and carried her to Sherra''s car. Once they got inside, Sherra quickly drove them towards Luna''s house. There was silence at first, but then C broke it. "Hey, Luna," he said gently, turning his head to look at her. "What?" she replied sharply, still looking away, her gaze fixed on the car window. "Do you know anything about Neil Arkes?" C asked. His tone was calm, like someone genuinely asking for information¡ªnot someone who had already seen a thousand versions of this moment before. Luna''s body stiffened at the mention of that name. Her hands clenched into fists, trembling slightly. "Yes... he''s my fiance?," she answered, her voice cold and sharp. "Is he... the one who planned my kidnapping, C?" she turned her eyes toward him. Her expression was hard, her eyes glaring¡ªbut C could see it. The small flicker of fear, the crack in her armor, the tiny tremble in her eyes. "Fiance??" C echoed, feigning surprise with practiced ease. "One of the gangsters we caught earlier mentioned Neil Arkes. They said... he was the one who gave the order." "That bastard!" Sherra spat, her foot pressing down harder on the gas as her knuckles whitened around the wheel. Luna lowered her head. Her teeth bit into her bottom lip, her expression hidden beneath her long hair. "You deserve better than a creep like him, Miss," Sherra muttered, bitterness leaking into every word. "As if I have a choice, Sherra. My father arranged the engagement. You know how obsessed he is with power and influence." Luna finally looked up and met C''s eyes. Her expression was full of disgust¡ªnot at C, but at the memory of Neil. "When I met him for the first time... something felt off," she whispered. "The way he smiled at me... It made my skin crawl. "His eyes... that smile... it was like a predator sizing up its next meal. I couldn''t move. I couldn''t even breathe." C''s lips tightened into a thin line. He understood exactly what she meant. He''d faced that same smile. That same suffocating presence. It had taken him hundreds¡ªno, thousands¡ªof loops just to be able to stand in front of Neil Arkes without collapsing. "A-After that meeting, I begged my father to call off the engagement... but he refused. He wouldn''t even consider it. Right now, I''m trying to find a way to cancel it on my own," Luna continued, her voice trembling as if she were holding back tears. "I remember something odd," Sherra added. "That time I saw your father talking with Neil... That guy was smooth. Too smooth. It was like he was controlling the conversation, leading it exactly where he wanted. He practically talked your father into handing you over." She paused, frowning. "I think he has a special power." Wait... what? Powers? That''s not in the script. I don''t remember any scene in the original story where Neil talked with Luna''s father. According to the original script, Neil was just a minor villain who gets beaten easily by Theo in some warehouse. There was never any deep background behind his engagement with Luna. It was just part of the setting. A stepping stone to push Luna closer to Theo. But now... everything''s starting to change. "What do you mean... ''special power''?" C asked, his voice low, cautious. "I''m not sure exactly," she replied. "But my guess is... he can somehow manipulate people into following his will." Luna frowned, looking confused. "What are you two even talking about? What is this, some fantasy story? There''s no such thing as supernatural powers in the real world." Oh Luna... If only that were true. I''ve already experienced thousands of time loops. I''ve seen the world reset again and again. If that''s not supernatural, then what is? I rubbed my chin, deep in thought. "But Luna... you said just now that when he smiled at you, your body froze. Doesn''t that strike you as odd? Maybe there really is something... not human about him." Luna looked troubled. Her brows furrowed deeper as she thought. "Yeah... maybe you''re right, C..." she said quietly. "I need to end this engagement. As soon as possible." C nodded slowly, then leaned his head back against the seat. He let out a deep breath, finally starting to feel the exhaustion creep into his body. Damn... Today''s been rough. My arms hurt, my head''s pounding, my legs feel like jelly. I just want to go home already... But if Neil Arkes really does have some kind of strange ability, then... How the hell am I supposed to beat him? In the distance, a large house came into view. The gate was decorated with horse and flower patterns. Sherra slowed down and prepared to stop the car. "Hey, we''re here," Sherra whispered. C opened his eyes and reached out to open the door. "HEY! Are you out of your mind?!" Sherra shouted, slamming on the brakes. "Huh?" C looked outside. They weren''t there yet. There was no house. No gate. Luna stared at him with a confused look. "Are you trying to kill yourself, C?" she asked, frowning. "Wait, what?! Didn''t you say we were there already Sherra?" "WHEN DID I SAY THAT?! Are you crazy?!" Sherra snapped. What the hell? I swear I heard her say it... And why does my head hurt so much all of a sudden? "Maybe I was just daydreaming... Sorry, Sherra. Keep driving," C said, massaging his temple. "C... you''ve been acting weird all day. First this morning, now this? You''re being really unpredictable," Luna muttered, crossing her arms. "No seriously, Luna. I''m not joking¡ªI really heard Sherra say we arrived." "I didn''t say anything like that, okay?! You''re just hearing things!" Sherra grumbled. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, C," Luna replied, clearly not believing me at all. But seriously... when I closed my eyes earlier... I saw Luna''s house. Even though my eyes were shut. Even though we weren''t there yet. That... doesn''t make any sense. Wait... Could I have seen... the future? Just the thought of it made my pulse quicken¡ª If I really did see the future... What else am I capable of? Chapter 13: The Coin Decides Chapter 13 - The Coin Decides From the wide main road, a grand gate of solid black wrought iron stood tall and proud. Its dark, intimidating appearance was softened by intricate decorations¡ªgalloping horses carved with strength and grace, intertwined with delicate orchids and roses that wrapped around the bars like living vines. "And here we are," Sherra said, glancing back at me. "What? This is Luna''s house, not mine," I replied, tilting my head in confusion. "Then why did you act like you were about to get out earlier, huh?! Like you were planning to spend the night at Luna''s place or something." I honestly don''t know why I did that... Luna shook her head gently and said, "It''s fine, it''s fine. Sherra, please take C home. I''ll be okay on my own." Luna pushed the car door open and limped slowly toward her front door. Before going in, she turned around and waved her hand in a motion that looked like she was shooing away a pet. Truthfully... I''m still worried. Can she even walk properly? I kept my eyes on Luna until she vanished from view, as Sherra''s car quietly rolled forward and out of the elegant neighborhood. The ride was silent for a while, the kind of silence that felt heavy. But then, Sherra broke it. "Hey... Be honest with me. Who are you, really?" she asked. "I already told you. I''m just an ordinary student who somehow ended up being friends with Luna," I replied flatly. "Tch. I won''t tell anyone, not even Miss Luna herself. So come on. Be honest," Sherra said. Her eyes stayed focused on the road, not even glancing at me. I let out a long sigh. This woman is way too stubborn... "Alright, alright. I''ll tell you everything. But promise me you won''t tell anyone." "Yeah, yeah. Just spit it out already." I took a deep breath before whispering, "I... I lied to Luna. About a lot of things." "What do you mean?" Sherra asked, slowing the car just a little. "I told her I''m her secret bodyguard... and yeah, I hid a GPS tracker on her clothes," I confessed... Holding my hands together tightly, thumbs pressed. The car screeched to a stop. Sherra snapped her head around to glare at me, eyebrows furrowed, jaw slightly dropped. "... Are you serious?" "..." "You crazy little¡ª! How could you do that to Miss Luna?! You deserve to be launched off a cliff!" she yelled, reaching out to grab my shoulder. I dodged and swatted her hand away. "Listen to me first, idiot! I have a reason for doing all of this!" "There''s no reason good enough for creepy stalker behavior like that!" "I just wanted to keep her safe! That''s my reason! Just check your phone, there was an article about gangsters roaming around Luna''s neighborhood!" I shouted. Sherra froze. She turned to her phone, quickly scrolling through the screen like she was reading something. "See?! You should be thanking me, dumb maid! If I hadn''t been watching, your precious Miss Luna might already be in the back of some van!" Sherra''s expression shifted as realization hit her. She gave a small nod, like she finally understood what I meant. She started driving again and asked, "...So what exactly is your relationship with Miss Luna? You act like you care way too much about her." If I don''t protect her, the world''s just going to reset again... Damn it. "I''m her friend," I answered plainly. "And how in the world did you convince her that you''re her secret bodyguard?" I scratched my head, tired of this conversation. Tch... The maid and her master are both annoying in their own ways. "Stop with the interrogation. Just drive already." Sherra''s body stiffened at my words. "W-Where is your house?" I sighed deeply, rubbing my temples. "Why didn''t you ask that from the beginning..." --- In a luxurious mansion, a blonde girl was struggling to walk. She leaned on the walls to keep herself from falling. "Ouch... that hurts..." I climbed the stairs with heavy steps. My legs were wrapped tightly in bandages, all done by C. The cuts on my arms were also covered with band-aids he put on. After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached my room. I tossed myself onto the bed, letting my body sink into the soft mattress. I took a deep breath and covered my eyes with my arm, just needing a moment to rest after such an exhausting day. C... That guy is so weird. But there''s something about him that feels... mysterious. He acts like he knows everything about me. It''s honestly kind of scary. And yet... somehow, I''m not really afraid of him. So many questions are racing through my mind... How did he become my bodyguard? When did he put the tracker on me? And what the heck did he mean when he said I''ve been rejected by Theo 876 times? "Ugh! Just go to sleep, Luna..." I muttered to myself, trying to stop the overthinking. Ah... I should take a shower first. I got up and headed to the bathroom. As I looked into the mirror, I saw a girl staring back at me¡ªdirty, bruised, and completely worn out. I let out a small laugh. I''ve never seen myself look this messy... this fragile. Warm water poured from the shower above, wrapping around my body like a comforting hug. The tension in my muscles began to fade, the pain slowly melting away. I tilted my head up and let the water hit my face, soaking me from head to toe. For a while, I just stood there, letting the warm stream calm me down. After my shower, I slipped into my pajamas and climbed back into bed. I closed my eyes. That night... I dreamed again. But this time, it wasn''t a nightmare. It was warm. Comforting. --- In a large and cold villa, the walls were made of dark gray stone, the windows small and far apart like cold eyes watching everything. Its roof was steep and pointed, and several towers made the whole place feel more like a fortress than a home. There was no beautiful garden, only a wide yard filled with gravel and creepy, twisted stone statues. Someone stumbled into the villa, one arm hanging limp and useless. He limped forward, through the empty halls of the cold house, until he reached a pitch-black door. The door creaked open, and inside, someone was sitting¡ªflipping a black coin between his fingers. "Ugh... Sorry, boss. We failed to capture the target. I even crashed a car into them, but still... we failed," the gangster muttered. "Hmm... I see," the man replied, his voice calm but cold. "It was all going well until this kid showed up. But he''s not just some kid, boss. He doesn''t have a face¡ªliterally, no facial features¡ªand he fights like a monster." "What did this kid look like?" the man asked. "No face... but he had brown hair," the gangster muttered. The man rubbed his chin, nodding as if the description rang a bell. "So... boss. Since I did what you asked, does this mean you''ll erase my debts now? Mine and my family''s?" the gangster asked. Blood was dripping from his hands, and his face was pale. "Heads or tails," the man said, still holding the black coin. "Eh? What do you mean, boss?" "Heads or tails," the man repeated, smiling. His smile was crooked¡ªlike the face of a clown. "T-Tails," the gangster stammered, his body frozen with fear. The man nodded and flicked the coin into the air, then caught it and slapped it onto the back of his hand. He slowly revealed the coin. A head. "Sheesh... Looks like Lady Luck isn''t on your side, buddy," the man said casually. He stood up and opened a drawer, pulling something out. He walked over to the gangster, who was now trembling in fear, head bowed low. "B-Boss...?" "Guess you''ll have better luck in your next life... maybe." Bang! Chapter 14: Loop 1.132: Petrichor Chapter 14 - Loop 1.132: Petrichor Rain poured down in sheets, soaking the streets and breaking the silence with its endless drumming against the pavement. Luna sat alone at the bus stop, the place deserted except for her. She was still in her school uniform, now slightly damp. Her golden blonde hair clung to her face, wet and messy, and the blue ribbon she always wore hung limply¡ªfaded, like her mood. The streetlights cast dim reflections on the wet asphalt, painting a gloomy, melancholic atmosphere. Luna stared into the distance. Her blue eyes looked empty, her thoughts drifting far away. Her face, usually bright and full of energy, now seemed tired¡ªlike she was carrying a burden too heavy for her small shoulders. Each drop of rain hitting the shelter above her sounded like a whisper, echoing sadness and loneliness. Luna shivered, not just because of the cold, but also from the waiting¡ªthe endless, hopeless kind. The kind that made her feel stuck. She was waiting for a bus that never seemed to come, trapped in the middle of the rain and silence that blanketed the late afternoon. "Did you know there''s a smell after the rain? It''s called petrichor," a voice suddenly said. A boy appeared beside her¡ªhis brown hair messy and dripping wet, his face hidden in shadows. He had no clear facial features. Luna jumped slightly in surprise. She raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the boy. But when she saw him, her expression softened. As if she recognized him. "Yeah... I know. I always go out after the rain, just to smell it. There''s something about it... fresh, clean. Like the world gets a second chance," Luna said, closing her eyes with a faint smile. "I didn''t expect you to know that." "I heard it from a friend. Anyway... why don''t you sit down beside me? Look at you, you''re soaked," Luna said as she patted the bench next to her. The boy¡ªC¡ªsat down. He wrung out his school uniform, trying to get rid of the rainwater trapped in the fabric. Luna looked at him and gave a faint smile. "Why are you here?" she asked quietly. "Waiting for the bus. What else?" C replied simply. "As far as I remember, you usually get picked up by your personal driver. So, what happened? Why are you waiting here at the bus stop like me?" he asked. "My driver''s car broke down. It''s getting repaired. So I had no choice but to take the bus," Luna answered. C nodded, though he already knew the real reason. Luna had just been rejected by Theo¡ªand after that, she ran here, heartbroken. Well... the reset''s about to happen anyway. Why not spend some time with her? "I see... Do you want something to drink?" "No, it''s fine..." "Too late," C interrupted, now already standing in front of the vending machine as rain splashed harshly against his body. "W-What are you doing, idiot!" Luna shouted, eyes wide with surprise. "Hurry up... unless you want me to stay out here in this rain," C said, using his bag to cover his head. "Black coffee! And hurry back, you''ll get sick!" Luna called out, clearly worried. C quickly grabbed two cans of black coffee and ran back under the shelter. He exhaled sharply and handed one of the cans to Luna. "Your hands are freezing... but this feels kind of nice. Thanks," Luna said softly, her fingers brushing his for just a second longer. "Sure... You can pay me back later¡ªwith your number, Miss Class Idol," C joked lightly. Luna blushed at his words. But instead of hitting him or getting angry, she just looked down. "You seem... troubled. You can talk to me if you want," C said. He reached out his hand as if to touch her shoulder, but stopped midway. Luna gave him a tiny smile¡ªbut then, C noticed something strange. A tear fell onto the back of his hand. His eyes widened. "Eh, Luna? Did I say something wrong? Was that too much? I''m sorry if¡ª" he began to apologize, lowering his head. Luna wiped her tears away and looked at him. A smile was still on her face. "Dummy," she whispered. "Huh?" "I remember everything, C. Every loop. Every time we died. Every time you saved me. All the pain, all the deaths, all the joy. I remember it all," Luna said. Her voice trembled slightly, but she kept smiling¡ªa smile full of both warmth and sorrow. C froze, stunned. He reached out and held her shoulders. "S-since when?!" he asked, almost panicked. "After Theo rejected me... I ran. And with every step, the memories came back. Every loop you went through just to protect us¡ªyour endless fight in a world that treats us like puppets," she said, her voice filled with guilt, admiration, and something deeper. C didn''t know what to say. His mind was blank. He wanted to speak but the words just wouldn''t come out. "How can you be so strong, C?!" "Luna..." he whispered. "Please, calm down." The rain got heavier. It felt like the world itself would drown. Lightning struck in the distance¡ªsignaling the reset was near. "H-how can I calm down, C? Look around you, the world''s about to reset, and I''ll lose all my memories again!" Luna shouted, her voice cracking. "Luna!" C called her name. Tears streamed down her cheeks again, more intense than before. "I just... can''t stand the thought of forgetting you again, C..." she whispered, her voice cracking as tears fell. Seeing her cry made something inside C ache. "I''m used to it Luna... But don''t worry. I promise, I''ll set you free from this cruel story. One day, I will," he said, holding both of her hands up between their faces. Luna bit her lip. "Used to it? Don''t give me that! Don''t think I don''t know what happened in Loop-666, C! When you... when you ended your life in your own house!" she yelled. C''s body stiffened instantly. "Enough, Luna... Let''s not argue. We probably only have ten minutes left before the reset. So... let''s just take it easy for once, okay?" Her tears slowed. She opened her mouth to speak again. But C gently placed a finger on her lips, signaling her to be quiet. "Shhh... Let''s just relax for a while," he said gently. Even though the storm outside shook the bus stop, Luna felt warmth from C''s presence¡ªas if she weren''t cold at all. She nodded and looked ahead. "You know, C... I never used to like black coffee. But now, somehow... I do. Maybe it''s because this world forced me to like sweet things too much," she said, looking into his eyes with a gentle smile. "Maybe that''s it, Luna... You know, this is the first time I''ve actually heard you remember a loop." "You just never noticed. Every time a reset was about to happen, I would awaken my memories. And every time... I always searched for you. But by the time I found you... you were already gone," she said, eyes tearing up again. "I see... Then in the next loop, I''ll find you first. Don''t worry, Luna. I''ll try even harder, until you and Theo can finally get the happy ending you deserve," C said, trying to comfort her. But hearing that only made Luna bit her lip until it bled. "I don''t want that, dummy," she whispered. Her eyes sparkled, and her blue ribbon flew off her hair, caught in the wind. "I want you to fight the author. Break the script. Or... maybe just rest in the next loop. Forget about us, just for a while." "I can''t do that, Luna... I want to¡ª" Suddenly, something warm touched his face¡ªright where his mouth would be. And then, Luna kissed him. He didn''t know how long it lasted. Time seemed to blur, the world stood still¡ªuntil she slowly pulled back, breathless. "Hah... Promise me, okay, C?" Luna smiled, holding out her pinky. C was still frozen, his mind a mess. For a moment, he wished he had lips. If only I had lips... what would Luna''s kiss have felt like? "Come on, C. My hand''s getting tired here." C snapped back and looked at her pinky. Slowly, he wrapped his own around hers. "If only you had lips, C... I think I''d never stop kissing you," Luna said, her voice trembling between a laugh and a sob. His face turned red. So hot, he started to feel dizzy. "W-what?!" "You told me to relax, didn''t you?" "But I didn''t mean¡ª" Luna pressed her finger gently against his lips¡ªthough it didn''t have any physical effect, the gesture made him stop talking. "Shhh. It''s fine, C. In the next loop, if you meet the dumb version of me again..." Luna paused. "Steal one more kiss," she whispered, caressing his faceless cheek. Pieces of the sky began to fall¡ªsigns that the reset would happen in just a fraction of a second. The sky cracked above them. The reset was seconds away. "I love you, Ca¨|¨z¨{¨y" The world shattered. Chapter 15: Sketches He’ll Never Show Chapter 15 - Sketches He''ll Never Show The soft light of dawn slipped through the gap in the curtains, gently waking Theo from his short sleep. His body felt a bit stiff after spending the whole night leaning on one arm at his study desk. His jet-black hair fell across his forehead, a few strands sticking to his cheek. He let out a low sigh, took a deep breath, and slowly opened his deep, dark eyes. Still groggy, his gaze wandered over the messy pile of books scattered across the desk. They were supposed to be Physics and Math textbooks, stacked and ready for his morning study session with his childhood friend. But if you looked closer, hidden among all the scribbles and formulas, the pages were filled with detailed sketches. Ah... Damn it. I ended up drawing again. Ivansia''s totally going to scold me if she sees me like this again... He stared at the sketches he had drawn half-consciously the night before. There were drawings of a girl with wavy black hair, expressive eyes, and that subtle, gentle smile she often wore. On other pages, there were intricate outfit designs, or maybe the layout of some stunning architectural structure. He might''ve looked like the classic dating sim protagonist¡ªhandsome, athletic, always reliable on the field¡ªbut Theo had a secret: he was an artist at heart. He sighed, a faint, guilty smile tugging at his lips. Last night, he really did intend to study... but the creative ideas in his head had taken over, again. Moving slowly, Theo stretched his body. His well-built muscles ached slightly after sleeping in such an awkward position. Soon after, he walked into the bathroom. The sound of running water could be heard not long after. He let the cold water fully wake up his senses, washing away the leftover sleep¡ªand the strange dream he couldn''t quite remember. That morning, like every other, he was ready to face the day at school. After saying goodbye to his mom, he headed straight to the supermarket to grab his favorite sandwich. He jogged toward the store, and strangely, not a drop of sweat formed¡ªlike running was as effortless as walking for him. "One large sandwich, same as usual," Theo said to the cashier. The male cashier quickly prepared Theo''s favorite sandwich¡ªhe already knew it by heart. He wrapped it up and handed it over with a familiar motion. "You know... I''ve always wondered," the cashier said, curious. "Why do you eat the same sandwich every morning? And how the heck do you keep that kind of body when all you eat is bread?" Theo thought for a moment before replying. "Well... Everyone has their favorite food, right? And as for this body... I guess it''s thanks to all the hard work I put in. Maybe good genetics too," he said, half-joking. "You make me jealous, man. Seriously, what''s the secret behind your motivation? Could it be... your childhood friend cheering you on?" the cashier teased with a smirk. Theo''s face turned a little red. "Come on, don''t be ridiculous. I''m just a regular student. And her? She''s amazing. She''s like the sun, y''know? While me? I''m probably just a speck of sand to her." The cashier raised an eyebrow, completely confused. He looked Theo up and down, as if seeing him for the first time. What is this guy talking about? With a face like that and a body like that, he''s saying he''s just a speck of sand? "If you''re a speck of sand, then what are the rest of us? Dust particles?" "Anyway, I gotta go. I''ll be back tomorrow¡ªmake sure my favorite sandwich is ready!" Theo said with a grin as he dashed off toward school. He ate the sandwich while running, and just as he finished the last bite, someone called out to him. From the distance, he saw a beautiful girl with silver glasses waving her hand. Theo recognized her immediately¡ªit was Ivansia, his childhood friend. The person he admired deeply. She appeared like a painting come to life. Her long, wavy black hair cascaded over her shoulders, catching the morning light like a soft halo. And those violet eyes¡ªso rare, so intense¡ªgazed out from behind her silver-rimmed glasses. Her sharp nose, soft lips, and flawless skin completed a face that was almost too perfect to be real. "Theo!" she called, waving at him. "Ivansia? I thought you were already at school. What are you doing here?" Theo asked, surprised. "I was looking for you everywhere, duh! I even went to your house. Your mom said you''d already left. Didn''t I tell you yesterday that we''d go to school together this morning?" she scolded, poking his chest repeatedly with her finger. Theo scratched his head and gave her a sheepish smile. "Ah... Yeah, I forgot. Sorry, Ivansia," he said, clapping his hands together and bowing a little in apology. Ivansia sighed. "Ugh, whatever. Let''s just hurry or we''re going to be late." They started walking side by side, barely a meter apart, almost close enough to touch. Silence fell between them, broken only by the chirping of birds in the trees. Eventually, Ivansia broke the quiet. "Did you finish the homework I gave you yesterday?" Cold sweat ran down Theo''s neck. He couldn''t bring himself to meet her eyes. He knew full well he didn''t do the homework last night... Instead, he had spent the whole night sketching... her. Theo stopped walking and muttered, "Uh... Sorry, Ivansia. The questions were really hard... So I ended up falling asleep..." His voice trembled slightly. He braced himself, ready for her to explode in anger. But instead, Ivansia just let out a long sigh. She was about to say something when suddenly, a brown car sped by on the road, splashing a huge puddle of water straight toward her. In a flash, Theo pulled her back, shielding her from the splash just in time. "Are you okay?" he asked, holding her shoulders. Ivansia could feel her face heat up. Her cheeks were probably bright red now¡ªlike a cherry. Whatever she was about to say vanished. Swallowed by the sudden quiet between them. Realizing what he was doing, Theo quickly pulled his hands away from her. "Ah¡ªsorry!" he blurted out, stepping back. Ivansia looked down and cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Ahem... Anyway, let''s just talk about your homework at school later, okay?" she said, quickly walking ahead of him. "Ah¡ªwait, Ivansia!" Little did she know, Theo''s face behind her was just as red¡ªif not redder. Chapter 16: A Quiet Touch Chapter 16 - A Quiet Touch The air in the classroom still felt heavy, even after the faceless guy had left. Theo sat at his desk, one hand clenched tightly into a fist on top of it. His black hair was a little messy, and his usually calm, dark eyes now glinted with a storm of anger¡ªand perhaps disbelief The rage from hearing Ivansia being insulted was still burning inside him, mixed with disbelief at what he''d just done. Beside him, Ivansia looked at Theo with worried purple eyes from behind her silver-framed glasses. Her pretty face showed a hint of sadness¡ªnot for herself, but for Theo. She knew how much emotion he had to hold back, and how rare it was for Theo to lose control like that. Ivansia didn''t speak right away. Instead, she slowly reached out and gently tapped Theo''s clenched arm. It was a soft touch, but enough to draw Theo''s attention. He flinched slightly and turned toward her. His angry gaze softened a little when it met her eyes. "Theo," Ivansia whispered softly. Her voice was calm and steady, full of the quiet strength that was so typical of her. "It''s okay now. Don''t think about it too much." She gently wrapped her hand around Theo''s tense arm, feeling how tight the muscles still were. Ivansia knew words wouldn''t erase his anger right away¡ªbut sometimes, her touch and her presence were enough. She stroked the back of his hand with her thumb, a small gesture meant to comfort. "He... he insulted you, Ivansia," Theo muttered, his voice rough and almost inaudible. The anger in him still hadn''t faded. "I couldn''t just stand there." Ivansia gave a faint smile¡ªnot dismissive, but full of understanding. Her wavy black hair shifted slightly as she leaned a little closer to him. "I know," she said softly. "But you didn''t have to do that. I''m okay." She tilted her head slightly, locking eyes with him in a way that felt grounding. "What matters most is that you''re okay," she added, her voice now quiet like a soft breeze. She knew Theo wasn''t someone who showed emotion easily. As his childhood friend, she saw it as her job to help bring him back to normal. Slowly, Theo took a deep breath. The tension in his jaw loosened, and his fist started to relax. The fire in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a look of tiredness¡ªand maybe a bit of guilt. He allowed Ivansia to hold his hand, letting her calmness slowly sink into him. But a certain line from that faceless man still echoed in his mind. ''Aren''t you tired of always being rejected by a guy who doesn''t even know what''s going on? I remember he''s rejected Luna 876 times and you 1,130 times!'' Rejected... 1,130 times? But... now that I think about it¡ªhave I really rejected Ivansia that much? Theo glanced at Ivansia, then whispered quietly, "Ivansia... have I really rejected you that many times?" "No way! That guy was just spouting nonsense like he knows everything about us. Don''t worry about it," Ivansia replied quickly. But hearing that made Theo lower his head. He looked like something had clicked in him. "But... he wasn''t completely wrong, was he? I think I''ve rejected your kindness too often." "No, you haven''t," Ivansia said quickly. "I mean, if you don''t want to eat the lunch I made, it''s fine. Maybe you were just full from eating bread earlier," she added with a crooked little smile. "...Alright then! Give me your bento, Ivansia. I''ll eat it," Theo said suddenly, lifting his head with a big grin as he held out his hand. Ivansia''s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly reached into her bag and handed him the lunchbox she''d made the night before. Theo took it eagerly and opened it. Inside the light-blue bento box was a beautifully arranged meal, made to nourish him completely. The aroma hit him the moment he opened the lid. Fluffy white rice, shaped neatly, was paired with shiny teriyaki chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds. There were halved boiled eggs for protein, along with rolled ground beef and crispy shrimp tempura. For veggies, she included steamed green broccoli, sakura-shaped carrot slices, and perfectly layered tamagoyaki. It was not just tasty¡ªit was healthy and full of care. Theo''s jaw dropped as he stared at the food. He even drooled a little. "Y-You made all this in just one night, Ivansia?!" he asked in disbelief, completely stunned by how much effort she''d put in for him. "Y-Yeah," Ivansia answered. "But don''t expect too much... It might not be to your taste," she added, rubbing her temple shyly. Theo grabbed the chopsticks and took a bite of the teriyaki chicken. The moment it entered his mouth, the delicious flavor spread instantly. "Ah..." Theo couldn''t say a word¡ªhis eyes watered a little. He regretted turning down her food before. He started eating quickly, shoving the food in with a big smile on his face. "Slow down, Theo, or you''ll choke." But Theo didn''t listen. He was too focused on eating, and in just five minutes, he had devoured everything. He burped, loud and unashamed "That was amazing, Ivansia," he praised her sincerely. Hearing that made Ivansia''s cheeks blush a little. "But you don''t have to make me bento every day," Theo said, turning to her. "Eh? Why not? I like seeing you eat like that. Besides, cooking is one of my hobbies," Ivansia replied, smiling warmly. Theo gave her a soft smile. "I really, really liked it, Ivansia. But... I just don''t want to trouble you or rely on others too much," he admitted. "That''s not a problem at all, Theo. And like I said, I cook because I enjoy it. You''re not a burden," she said, shaking her head. "But¡ª" "Enough, Theo," Ivansia cut him off. "Now, move your desk next to mine. Let''s study together." Theo stiffened. A nervous smile spread across his lips. He remembered all too well what Ivansia was like when it came to studying¡ªstrict and serious. "Ah... But I just ate, Ivansia... Maybe we can study later. I''m still too full," Theo said, his voice shaky as he avoided her gaze. "No excuses. Move it, now." Ivansia''s smile turned sharper¡ªalmost like a threat. I''m doomed... Chapter 17: Five Seconds to Rewrite Destiny Chapter 17 - Five Seconds to Rewrite Destiny That afternoon, Theo and Ivansia walked side by side, leaving the school gates behind as the crowd slowly disappeared. Their steps matched, creating a peaceful silence between them. Theo walked with long strides, but adjusted his pace to stay close to Ivansia, keeping the quiet bond between them intact. Meanwhile, Ivansia¡ªwith her beautiful wavy black hair and signature silver glasses¡ªwalked gracefully beside him, occasionally glancing at him with those soft, violet eyes¡ªfull of quiet concern and unspoken words. "Theo, you''re still coming to my house to study today, right?" Ivansia asked, her voice gentle. "Yeah..." Theo replied, but his eyes didn''t meet hers. He looked away, uncomfortable with the idea of studying every single day like this. Ivansia let out a long sigh. "You know, Theo, you don''t have to force yourself just because I asked. It''s okay if you say no sometimes." She quickened her steps so she could walk ahead of him and face him directly. "And honestly... your grades haven''t improved that much even after all this time studying together. What, from 60 to 70 in a month? Maybe this kind of studying just isn''t for you, Theo." "No, Ivansia. I''ll try harder..." "Getting into Harvard isn''t easy, Theo," Ivansia said, her tone calm but firm. "I study until midnight every day, and even then, I''m still not sure if I can make it." Theo bit his lip and clenched his fists. Then, he took a deep breath and looked up at her with a small, determined smile. "No matter what it takes... I''ll follow you to Harvard, Ivansia. That''s a promise." I''ll become someone worthy to stand beside you, Ivansia. Ivansia''s lips curled into a tiny smile, half amused, half concerned. "If that''s what you really want, then fine. Come over like usual," she said softly, then continued walking beside him. Just as they were about to cross the street, a brown car suddenly sped up from the right side. It was coming straight at Ivansia. Without thinking, Theo grabbed her arm and yanked her back, saving her just in time. "Wha¡ª! What''s wrong with that driver? Were they blind?! Someone was clearly crossing?!" Ivansia shouted, her face red with anger. Theo stared at the car, something about it triggering a memory¡ªyes, it was the same brown car from that morning, the one that splashed them when it hit a puddle. "Ivansia... did you see that car just now?" Ivansia turned to him, still fuming, her brow furrowed and a vein slightly visible on her temple. "Of course I did! It almost hit me!" Theo shook his head. "No, I mean... that was the same car from this morning. The one that splashed us with water." "You''re right! Ugh, seriously! If I ever see that car again, I swear I''m going to punch the person inside!" But Theo barely heard her rant. He kept staring at the brown car in the distance, his gut twisting with an uneasy feeling. "Ivansia, I think I need to follow that car..." "Forget it, Theo," Ivansia muttered as she brushed the dust off her skirt. "It''s better if we just go home. People like that will get what they deserve eventually." But... this feeling inside me¡ªmy gut''s telling me I need to chase that car. My legs feel like they want to run on their own. Without realizing it, Theo started to run, but Ivansia quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Come on, Theo. Let''s just go home. We''ve got studying to do." "But..." Ivansia''s eyes widened a little, her eyebrows raising ever so slightly. A soft, warm smile appeared on her lips, the kind that Theo could never resist. And just like that, the strange feeling vanished from Theo''s mind. He nodded, and they continued walking home together. Neither of them noticed the loud crash in the distance¡ªlike two objects colliding violently. --- Inside a dark room, the only source of light came from a desk lamp, casting a glow on C''s face. He was sitting there, a wide grin on his lips as soft chuckles escaped into the silence. In front of him, an open notebook. He scribbled hastily on the page: "I have a freaking crazy power now! I can see 5 seconds into the future!" "Haha... I wasn''t hallucinating that day in Sherra''s car, huh... I really did see the future." I have no idea why this is happening, but... at least now, I might finally be able to solve all of this. Yet, something inside me still feels uneasy. What if Neil Arkes has a strange ability too? What if his power is even more broken than mine? Or worse, what if he has more than one ability? Just like Sherra and Luna warned me... what if he''s the real deal? C let out a sigh. Damn it. I can''t believe the world finally decided to give me a power. Why couldn''t I get this from the very first loop, huh?! If I had this from the start, maybe I wouldn''t have been stuck in this loop for thousands of resets. But whatever. What matters now is I have this power. I should try it again. C leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Then, he closed his eyes, letting his body relax. Seconds passed, and in the darkness, he focused. The pitch black behind his eyelids slowly faded, replaced by a stream of images flashing rapidly in his mind. Five seconds from now¡ªhe saw himself still sitting in the chair, but with a slightly faded smile. His hand moved to grab the coffee mug on the table. Then he saw himself sipping the coffee, the heat spreading through his chest. The visions came fast and blurry, like scenes from a movie playing on fast-forward, but he could still feel the warmth of the cup, the scent of the coffee. And then, it ended. The images disappeared. He returned to the present, heart racing with excitement. C opened his eyes. His breathing was fast, his chest rising and falling, his head pulsing lightly. He looked at the cup of coffee on his desk. For ten full seconds, he just stared at it. He didn''t drink it¡ªproof that the future could be changed. "Ha... So I can really see five seconds ahead..." This might be useful later when dealing with that mess at Ivansia''s house. Maybe now I can finally take down those three corrupt cops. C leaned back again and inhaled deeply, trying to trigger his power once more. But it didn''t work. No matter how many times he tried, nothing came. So... only once a day, huh? "So that''s it? One peek into the future per day? Seriously? Tch... What a joke."