Thanks again for the support enjoy reading

___

Hairi at times had countered the inward pull of time and in those moments felt that she could almost perceive time stretching before her. She felt a certain security in her household that was more than before, as if the very fibers holding them together had changed in some way. Was it this why she felt herself changing her own narrative, but of course, in the most minute of ways?

One weekend afternoon, she found herself curled up on the couch beside her parents, watching an old movie from her childhood. As they laughed together at the familiar jokes, Hairi's mind wandered to her friendship with Sehun and how their dynamic was also beginning to change. When she'd overheard Kai and Kyungsoo talking about Sehun's past feelings for her, she'd been shocked. But now, after choosing to spend more time with him, she could feel something blossoming between them-a gentle, unspoken understanding that seemed to grow each time they met.

---

on Monday, Hairi walked with Sehun at the entrance of the school. They strolled together, and to her surprise, she was no longer conscious of their morning walks. Sehun's usually shy demeanour spoke of a new level of self-assurance. She could not help but notice the way he was so controlled of himself now; he simply was a free man. Empowered even, like the presence of her in him had his back against the wall.

"So," she asked, smiling, "any weekend plans?"

"Nothing much," he said, shrugging. "Just studying, I guess. You?"

"Same," she answered, even though her thoughts were elsewhere, noting the improvement in him. "I think you might be the only person I know who studies without breaking a sweat."

He sniggered, a soft but contagious laugh from him. "Perhaps we should study together once; I mean, you know, if you are okay with my disorganization."

Hairi felt her face flush. "Sure, I'd love that. Just as long as you don't mind me fixing your jumbled notes in the process."

Sehun laughed, and the sound wrapped around her like a comforting melody. It had been so long since they'd laughed together like this-really laughed, in a way that made her stomach flutter and her heart race. She could feel the depth of their connection growing, like a warm current pulling them closer.

They soon reached their classroom, and as the day wore on, Hairi couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation. She found herself glancing his way, watching him interact with others, noticing how much more at ease he seemed. He joined in on class discussions more freely, sharing his thoughts with a quiet confidence she hadn't seen in him before. Each time he looked her way, he would give her a small, knowing smile, and each time, her heart fluttered.

---

When classes were over, Sehun proposed that they stop by a cafe close by and grab a bite. Hairi knew this was an excellent idea as she was thrilled to catch up with him outside the confines of school. As they sat opposite each other, a steaming cup of coffee in each hand, they reminisced about their food and movie preferences, and other sweet memories from way back.

Then out of the blue, 'I remember when we all had to make that silly performance to the whole class in middle school', suited laughed.

'Urgh', Hairis facepalmed all the way and shaded her face with both her palms. 'Please don't! Do you know how much pressure there was? I lost. Like, half my lines!'

'But you did great the rest of it,' his voice filled with affection. 'I remember thinking you were the most daring person ever!'

'Daring?' She arched her brows incredulously before bursting out with laughter. 'I was far from it! I was scared sh*tless!'

'Perhaps,' Sehun said smilingly, 'but you carried on nonetheless. Which is quite cool actually, quite cool.'

The sincerity in his voice made her heart skip a beat. For so long, she'd only seen herself through her own self-critical eyes, and to hear someone else's view of her felt surprisingly refreshing. She wondered if Sehun had felt the same way about himself, constantly holding back, always cautious.

There was a pause as they sipped their drinks, the air thick with unspoken feelings. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was-that perhaps, this newfound connection between them was something worth exploring.

---

Over time, Hairi began to notice even more changes in her surroundings. Sehun was becoming less reserved, gradually offering more shy smiles and relaxing into his laughter. Even her friends seemed to pick up on the subtle shifts, as they could tell she was more at ease around him.

One day after school, most of them gathered at her house to tackle some work. Sehun was there, along with Kai and Kyungsoo. As they worked, a sense of comfort within the group was evident, a feeling that had been missing before.

She observed that Sehun had no hesitation in smiling a bit more, teasing her about her love for horror movies, or simply offering silent support when she struggled with a tough math problem.Then, he paused for a moment before laughing and nudging Sehun. "Hey Sehun, when did you become so talkative?"Sehun raised an eyebrow. Hairi rolled her eyes, but she could see that his slightly flushed cheeks gave him away.

'Maybe it's because I have better friends now.'Hairi's heart skipped a beat, and their friends exchanged knowing glances. She felt warmth rush to her cheeks again but laughed it off, playfully hitting Sehun on the arm.

Finally, as they cleared the dinner table and their friends began to leave, Sehun stayed behind to help her tidy up the mess of papers and empty snack wrappers. The quietness of the room surrounded them, and Hairi found herself stealing glances at him while they gathered the last few papers.

"Thanks for helping," she said softly, meeting his gaze.

Sehun smiled, a genuine, warm smile that seemed to reach all the way to his eyes. "Anytime."

They stood in silence for a moment, neither quite ready to break the spell. Hairi felt a sudden urge to say something, to tell him about everything she'd learned-about the strange shifts, the changes she'd felt in herself and in him. But instead, she simply took a step closer, feeling the warmth of his presence next to her.

"Sehun?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

He turned to face her fully, his expression open and unguarded. "Yeah?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment, a memory from years ago surfaced-one where she had watched him from afar, too shy to approach, too afraid of what he might think. She realized that she'd spent so long letting fear hold her back, letting hesitation keep her from reaching out.

From the start, being here with him, she was able to push that fear away, feeling it reduce by the second. The uncertain future did not bother her, for the first time in her life, there was no urgency in knowing it. She did not have to visualize the next turn of events. All she had to do was be in that moment with him

"Nothing," she answered, her tone calm but weighty. "I just... I like that we are friends."

Sehun's gaze was piloted on her and he held her hand warmly. "Same here; Hairi. Same here."

As Hairi walked Sehun to the door, still warmed by the gentle squeeze of his hand, she couldn't help but feel a quiet, satisfying glow in her chest. Everything felt right in that moment-like she'd finally bridged the gap that had once felt so impossible to cross. She took a deep breath, watching Sehun as he walked away with a wave.

She closed the door, leaning against it for a moment. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling her out of her thoughts. With a slight smile, she pulled it out, assuming it was one of her friends asking how the study session had gone. But when she looked at the screen, her heart skipped a beat.

It was yet another message whose origin was unknown.

"Every choice comes with a consequence. Are you prepared for the path you're setting?"

The statement sent a chill through her body. Her fingers shook slightly as she read the message again, and thoughts raced around in her head. Who was the target of these odd texts? Why did it happen now? What did it have to do with her?

In that instant however, genuine uncertainty filled her. Has she messed up by actually attempting to move her life in the direction she had just suggested? She had considered that it was for the best but worse still, what if the alterations which she had made slight though they were were leading somewhere she never expected them to?

Hairi shut off her phone, staring into the quietness of her empty house, questions spinning through her mind. She couldn't deny the warmth and joy she felt being close to Sehun again, and her family's growing bond with her was undeniably precious. But what if she was disrupting more than just her own timeline? What if her actions rippled outwards, changing things she couldn't see?

Before her lay the future, unclear and intricate in design, and she comprehended that she stood on threshold of something which was beyond her comprehension. The message was disquieting in a way, but she knew that one couldn't turn back : what was done, was done. From now on, she could only carry on adrift, knowing well that every decision taken would along this course, twist her in a certain way, for good or for bad.

As she made her way upstairs, she turned back one last time in order to look at her phone, the phrase still ringing in her ears.

"Every choice comes with a consequence. Are you prepared for the path you're setting?"

Taking a deep breath in, she said quietly to herself, "Well, I guess we will find out then."

____

If you enjoy this chapter don't forget to vote and comment it means a lot