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Year 2024

The café's ambiance was unchanged-soft murmurs of conversations, the hiss of an espresso machine, and the occasional clink of ceramic cups. Yet, for Sehun, the place felt hollow. He sat in the corner booth, fingers clasped around a coffee cup now cold and untouched. It wasn't the coffee or the ambiance that brought him here-it was the memories.

This café had been their spot, where Hairi's laughter once filled the air, her dreams and stories lighting up the otherwise mundane evenings. It had been a year since she disappeared-slipping away like a fleeting shadow, leaving nothing but questions and an ache he couldn't soothe.

He searched for her everywhere. Every fleeting glimpse of a familiar silhouette at crosswalks or train stations sent his heart racing, only to crash into the weight of disappointment.

But today, something was different.

The bell above the café door chimed, its sound cutting through his thoughts. Sehun glanced up out of habit, ready to dismiss whoever had entered, but the moment his eyes landed on her, the air seemed to shift.

Hairi.

She stood there, her gaze scanning the room. Her hair fell in familiar waves over her shoulders, a scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. She hadn't changed, and yet, something about her seemed lighter, softer.

Their eyes met, and time seemed to pause.

Sehun's breath hitched. Slowly, he rose to his feet, the chair scraping against the floor as if protesting the disbelief etched into his every movement. He hesitated, his voice catching in his throat. "Hairi?"

She froze, her lips parting slightly as if the sound of her name stirred something long buried. Her gaze softened, and she took a tentative step forward. "Sehun."

His name on her lips made his chest tighten. He studied her face, his mind racing. Was this truly Hairi-the one he had loved, the one who vanished without explanation-or a ghost from the past?

He needed to be sure.

"Do you remember?" His voice trembled, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "That day on the school rooftop? When I gave you that paper plane, telling you it carried all the words I couldn't say out loud?" His voice softened, thick with emotion. "You laughed at me, said it was childish, but you kept it anyway. Do you still have it?"

His gaze searched hers, desperate for a sign. "And the notebook," he continued, his voice steadier now. "The one you used to fill with your drawings. You showed me every sketch, every little piece of your heart on those pages. I told you that your art was like magic, remember? Did you ever finish it? Or... did you stop drawing after-" He broke off, the weight of his own question too heavy.

Hairi blinked, a small smile tugging at her lips as she nodded. "I remember," she murmured. "The paper plane... I still have it." Her voice faltered slightly as she added, "And the notebook... I stopped drawing after everything changed. I never finished it. But still the notebook is here" she pulled it out of her bag.

A shaky laugh escaped him. "I knew it," he whispered, stepping closer. "It's you."

Hairi reached out, her hand grazing his lightly before curling her fingers around his. "It's me, Sehun. I'm so sorry it took this long."

They sank into the booth together, the distance that once separated them shrinking into nothingness.

Hairi sat across from Sehun, her heart racing as she clutched her hands in her lap. Everything she had endured-the time travel, the heartbreak, the endless cycle of loss and hope-had led her here.

"I need to explain," she began, her voice barely above a whisper.

But Sehun stopped her with a shake of his head. "Hairi, I already know."

She froze, her breath catching. "What do you mean you already know?"

Sehun leaned forward, his expression calm but tinged with something deeper-an intensity that made her stomach twist. "The disappearances, the changes in you when you came back, the way you looked at me as if you carried the weight of a thousand unsaid words... I didn't understand it at first. But over time, I started to piece it together."

Hairi's eyes widened, her voice trembling. "You... knew?"

"I didn't know everything but the day you disappear," he admitted, his tone soft but unwavering. "But I felt it. And I've been waiting for you to tell me, Hairi. To trust me."

Tears welled up in her eyes. She had spent so much time running, convinced that her secret would destroy everything. "I was scared," she whispered. "Scared that if you knew, you'd look at me differently that I was weird or something. That I'd lose you."

Sehun's hand reached across the table, covering hers. His touch was warm and steady, grounding her in a way nothing else could. "You'll never lose me. Whatever it is, whatever you've been through, we'll face it together."

Hairi's resolve broke, and the words she had been holding back came tumbling out. "I've been... traveling through time. I don't know how or why it started, but it kept pulling me back. I thought I could fix things-to make everything perfect-but all I did was make more mistakes."

Sehun listened in silence, his expression unreadable. When she finished, her breath caught, waiting for his response.

After a moment, he exhaled deeply, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "So, that's Why you came back different every time and don't remember me or our memories. I knew there was something extraordinary about you, Hairi. And I don't care how it works or why. All I care about is that you're here now."

The weight that had suffocated her for so long lifted, replaced by a warmth that spread through her chest. "I'm done running," she promised, her voice steady. "I just want to be here-with you."

Sehun's gaze softened, his thumb brushing against her knuckles. "Good. Because I'm not letting you go."

Their moment was interrupted by the sharp buzz of Hairi's phone on the table. She glanced at the screen, her stomach tightening as she read the message.

Minji: "Hairi, are you okay? Something feels off. Are you still stuck in the past?"

The blood drained from her face. She had hoped the time travel was over, but the message suggested otherwise.

Sehun noticed her sudden stillness. "What is it?"

Hairi hesitated before meeting his gaze. "I don't know if it's over. The time travel... it might not be finished."

His expression darkened, but his grip on her hand tightened. "Whatever happens, I'm staying. We'll face it together."

A tear slipped down Hairi's cheek as she nodded, overwhelmed by his unwavering faith. "Thank you, Sehun. For believing in me."

His lips curved into a gentle smile. "Always."

As he leaned closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face, she realized that no matter what the future held, they would face it side by side. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she allowed herself to hope.

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Finally they both know the secret what will happen next? Stay tune.