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The air in the apartment was warm, and the quiet of the evening was broken only by the soft murmur of distant voices and the clink of glasses. Hairi sat on the couch, watching Minji and Dongwoo across the room, a soft smile playing on her lips. The two of them had been inseparable recently, discussing everything from time travel theories to their favorite movies. But tonight, something felt different-there was a change in the air, an unspoken energy between them.

Minji was sitting at the small dining table, looking through some notes she had made about time travel. Dongwoo stood near the window, his back turned as he looked out over the city skyline. Hairi watched them both, sensing the tension that had been building over the past few weeks. It was subtle, but it was there-the way Dongwoo would glance at Minji when he thought she wasn't looking, the way Minji's eyes would soften whenever she caught his gaze.

Minji broke the silence first, looking up at Dongwoo with a small smile. "You're quiet tonight," she said, teasing him gently. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Dongwoo shifted uncomfortably, his hands fidgeting as he turned to face her. "I've been thinking..." he began slowly, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "About us."

Minji's smile faltered for just a second, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Us?" she asked, her voice soft, almost uncertain.

"Yes," Dongwoo replied, stepping closer. "About... how I feel about you. And how, lately, I've realized that maybe there's more to our friendship than I thought." He took a deep breath, his nerves apparent as he approached her, standing just a few inches away. "Minji, I-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Minji stood up, closing the gap between them, her hands gently resting on his arms. Her eyes were filled with a mix of surprise and something deeper-something that had been growing between them for a while now.

"Dongwoo..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Dongwoo looked down at her, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never been one to express his feelings so openly, but with Minji, it felt different. He wanted to take the leap, to stop holding back. "I like you, Minji," he said, his words spilling out in a rush. "I've liked you for a long time, and I think... I think I want more than just friendship."

The air between them seemed to crackle, and for a moment, neither of them moved. Then, slowly, Minji's eyes softened, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She stepped closer, closing the final distance between them.

"I like you too, Dongwoo," she murmured, her voice full of warmth. "I've been waiting for you to say it."

In one smooth motion, Minji leaned in, her lips finding his in a soft, tentative kiss. Time seemed to slow around them, the world fading into the background as their connection deepened. The kiss was gentle, full of unspoken emotions and years of friendship that had turned into something more. It was the beginning of something new, something neither of them had expected, but both of them had always wanted.

As they pulled away, their foreheads rested against each other, a comfortable silence settling between them. Minji's fingers traced the edge of Dongwoo's cheek, and he smiled softly, his heart full.

"About time, huh?" Minji teased, her voice light.

Dongwoo chuckled, his arms wrapping around her as he pulled her closer. "Yeah, about time," he agreed, his voice full of affection.

Meanwhile, on the couch, Hairi smiled to herself, feeling a warmth in her chest. It was good to see her brother finally admitting what he'd been holding inside for so long. The love and affection between Minji and Dongwoo were undeniable, and seeing them together brought a sense of peace to her heart. Maybe things were finally falling into place, even if it wasn't in the way she had expected.

But just as she was about to settle into the quiet joy of the moment, her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away. It was a message from Sehun.

Sehun: Hairi, can we talk? I

Her heart raise. It had been so long since she had heard from him, and the distance between them was still thick with uncertainty. But this message felt different. This time, Sehun was reaching out.

"Minji," Hairi called softly, breaking her friend and brother's tender moment. Minji looked up, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Yeah?"

"I need to go meet Sehun," Hairi said, her voice filled with a mixture of nerves and hope. "It's time I face this. Time to fix what's been broken."

Minji gave her a warm smile, understanding the weight of what Hairi was about to do. "You've got this. Don't let him get away without telling him how you feel."

Hairi nodded, giving her a small smile before grabbing her coat and heading out the door.

---

At the café, the same place where everything had started between her and Sehun, Hairi arrived with her heart pounding in her chest. She found him sitting at a table near the window, his eyes fixed on his phone, but he looked up as soon as she entered. There was an unreadable expression on his face as he watched her approach.

"Hairi," he said quietly, his voice low, almost hesitant. "You came."

"Of course I did," she replied, her voice soft but firm. "We need to talk, Sehun."

He motioned for her to sit across from him, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with the things they hadn't said, the tension of everything that had gone unsaid between them.

Finally, Sehun broke the silence. "I don't understand, Hairi. One minute, you're there, and the next..." He trailed off, a look of confusion crossing his face. "You vanished. What happened? Why did you disappear?"

Hairi's heart tightened at the question. It was the first time Sehun had asked about what had happened to her-about the time travel and everything that had been going on. But how could she explain it? How could she explain everything that had happened, the things that didn't make sense, even to her?

"I don't know how to explain it," she said softly, her hands trembling slightly as she spoke. "But I think it's something that has to do with me... and with the way I've been holding on to things. I thought I could change everything, but the truth is, I've been so afraid of losing you that I didn't see what was right in front of me."

Sehun's gaze softened, his eyes searching hers. "What do you mean, afraid of losing me?"

Hairi looked down at her hands, struggling to find the right words. "I've been trying to fix things, Sehun. Trying to fix everything, but I've only made things more complicated. I was so focused on the past, I didn't see how I was pushing you away."

Sehun sat back in his chair, his eyes thoughtful. "I don't know what to think anymore, Hairi. After everything that's happened, it's hard to know where we stand."

"I know," Hairi whispered, her voice full of regret. "But I want to find a way to move forward. If you'll let me."

As the world around her began to distort, Hairi felt panic rise in her chest. The café's warm glow dimmed, and the air seemed to hum with an energy she couldn't comprehend. Sehun's voice called to her again, grounding her for a fleeting moment.

"Hairi!" He reached out, grabbing her arms to steady her, his grip firm yet gentle. "What's going on? Talk to me!"

Her eyes locked onto his, a mixture of fear and sorrow swirling within them. She knew she was slipping away, that whatever was happening wasn't something she could stop. She didn't know when or if she'd see him again, and the thought was unbearable.

"Sehun..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

"What?" he asked desperately, his face inches from hers, his concern etched into every feature. "What is it?"

Without thinking, Hairi closed the gap between them. Her lips met his in a sudden, desperate kiss, her hands clutching the front of his shirt as if anchoring herself to him might stop the inevitable. For a moment, the chaos around them disappeared. There was no flickering light, no humming energy-only the warmth of his lips and the way he held her, steady and strong.

Sehun froze for a second, stunned, but then his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer. The kiss deepened, filled with unspoken words and emotions they had both been holding back. Time seemed to slow, the rest of the world fading into nothingness.

But as quickly as it began, the moment started to unravel. Hairi felt a sharp tug, like an invisible force pulling her away. She broke the kiss, her breath hitching as tears streamed down her face.

"I'm sorry," she choked out, her voice barely audible. "I didn't want it to end like this."

"End?" Sehun repeated, his brow furrowing. "What are you talking about, Hairi? What's-"

Before he could finish, the strange energy surged, and Hairi felt herself being pulled away. Her surroundings dissolved into darkness, and Sehun's voice became a distant echo.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the sensation stopped. Hairi gasped for air, her body trembling as she opened her eyes. The world around her was quiet, still, and achingly familiar. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and the distant chatter of students greeted her senses.

She looked around, her heart pounding. She was no longer in the present. The café wasn't the modern, bustling one she had just left-it was smaller, simpler. The sunlight streaming through the windows was softer, almost nostalgic.

Her gaze fell on the clock on the wall, and her breath caught. It was a decade earlier. She was eighteen again, back in the past where everything had begun.

Hairi's trembling hands clenched into fists as she whispered to herself, "Sehun... I'll find you. I'll fix this."

She blinked, disoriented, and checked her phone-it was a message from Minji.

Minji:Did you do this? What happened? Where are you? We were supposed to go shopping

Hairi's heart raced. She hadn't even had a chance to answer Sehun, let alone explain anything to him.

Back to 2024

"What just happened? Hairi where are you? Wait am I seeing things"Sehun's eyes widen to the sudden disappearance of Hairi.