*Chirp, chirp, chirp.*

The sound was sharp, constant—like the birds outside her window were having a full-on argument at sunrise.

Nari groaned, dragging her pillow over her face to block out both the noise and the light spilling into her room. The window was still open from last night's heat, letting in the cool morning air... and unfortunately, the chaos of nature.

"Ugh... shut up..." she mumbled into the fabric, her voice muffled and heavy with sleep.

The birds did not, in fact, shut up.

Before she could even attempt to fall back asleep, her bedroom door flew open with a loud bang.

"Nari! What is the meaning of this!?" her mother's voice cut through the room like an alarm. "How are you still asleep when school starts in fifteen minutes?!"

Nari let out an annoyed sigh, pulling the pillow off her face and slowly sitting up, her hair a complete mess. She blinked a few times, clearly not ready to face the world.

"Mom... can you knock next time?" she said, her tone flat with irritation. "Instead of ruining my beauty rest?"

"Beauty rest!?" her mother repeated, almost offended. "Well, it clearly isn't doing much for you, so get up before I drag you out of that bed myself!"

Nari stared at her for a second, unimpressed.

Wow. She really just called me ugly.

"Yeah, yeah... I'm up," she muttered, pushing the blanket off herself and stretching reluctantly, every movement slow and unwilling. Mornings were easily the worst part of her day—and waking up this early for school made it ten times worse.

⸻

The next ten minutes were pure chaos.

Nari rushed through everything—brushing her teeth, splashing water on her face, and digging through her closet for her uniform. Clothes were tossed aside one after another until she finally found her uniform.

She changed quickly, then paused in front of the mirror, giving herself a quick once-over. A little makeup—just enough to look alive—then she grabbed her brush and ran it through her hair, taming it just enough to be acceptable.

Not perfect. But good enough.

By the time she rushed downstairs, she was already running late.

A piece of toast sat waiting for her on the counter. She grabbed it without a second thought, mumbling a quick, "Bye," before heading out the door.

The morning air was still cool as she stepped outside, the quiet neighborhood a sharp contrast to the chaos she had just left behind.

Luckily, school was only a five-minute walk away.

Unluckily... she was probably still going to be late.

By the time Nari reached the school, she was slightly out of breath, her steps quick and uneven as she rushed through the front doors.

The halls were already quiet—too quiet.

Great. I'm late.

She hurried down the corridor, her shoes tapping against the floor as she made her way to her classroom. Without thinking, she grabbed the handle and pushed the door open a little too hard.

Bang.

The sound echoed through the room, instantly pulling everyone's attention toward her.

"Oh—" Nari started, freezing for half a second as all eyes landed on her.

Her teacher, standing at the front of the class, let out a tired sigh. "Nari," she said, her tone calm but clearly unimpressed, "please try to be on time next time."

Nari gave a small, awkward nod, not bothering to argue. She slipped inside quietly this time, closing the door behind her with much more care.

Trying to avoid any more attention, she made her way to her usual seat somewhere in the middle of the classroom, sliding into it like nothing had happened.

But as she settled in, something felt... off.

Or rather—someone.

Her gaze drifted toward the back of the room.

There, in the far corner by the window, sat someone she had never seen before.

A boy.

He was leaning slightly toward the window, his attention completely outside, like the class didn't exist. A notebook rested open on his desk, and his pen moved occasionally across the page, slow and deliberate.

He didn't talk. Didn't look around. Didn't even react to her dramatic entrance.

It was like he was in his own world.

Nari narrowed her eyes slightly, studying him for a moment longer than necessary.

New student...?

She had to admit—he was cute.

But something about him felt distant. Closed off.

Not her type.

Still... she found herself glancing back at him again.

Nari had barely looked away when the girl sitting in front of her suddenly turned around in her seat, a knowing look already on her face.

"He's cute, right?" her friend whispered, a small grin tugging at her lips.

The question snapped Nari out of her thoughts.

"Huh—?" she blinked, clearly caught off guard.

Her friend didn't wait for a proper answer. "He's new," she continued casually, lowering her voice just enough so the teacher wouldn't hear. "His name's Minjae. He just showed up today."

Minjae.

The name lingered in Nari's mind for a moment longer than it should have.

Without meaning to, she turned her head again, her gaze drifting back toward the corner of the classroom.

There he was.

Still by the window. Still quiet. Still writing.

But now that she was actually looking... something felt off.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

Why does he look so familiar...?

It wasn't just a passing thought—it clung to her, uncomfortable and persistent, like a memory just out of reach. She felt like she'd seen him before. Met him, even.

But where?

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't place it.

After a few seconds, she let out a quiet breath and turned back around, brushing the feeling off.

Whatever... I'm probably overthinking it.

She faced forward again, forcing herself to focus on the lesson as the teacher continued talking.

----

What Nari didn't notice-

Was that from the back of the room, Minjae had stopped writing.

His pen hovered just above the page as his gaze slowly lifted, landing on her.

Not curious. Not surprised.

Just... still.

His eyes lingered on the back of her head for a long, silent moment—unblinking, unreadable.

Then, just as quietly, he looked away.

Back out the window.

As if nothing had happened at all.

About an hour later, the bell finally rang.

The sharp sound cut through the classroom, and instantly, everyone began moving—chairs scraping against the floor, voices rising as students packed up and rushed out the door like they'd been waiting all day for that moment.

Nari stretched slightly in her seat, relieved the class was over, and started gathering her things.

Before she could fully stand, someone passed by her desk.

Minjae.

He moved quietly, almost blending into the chaos, his bag slung over one shoulder as he headed for the door without a second glance at anyone.

Nari stood up a little too quickly—

—and walked straight into him.

"Ah—!" she stumbled slightly from the impact. "I'm so sorry!"

Her apology came out fast and genuine, but Minjae didn't even pause.

Didn't look at her.

Didn't respond.

He just kept walking, like she hadn't said a word, and disappeared out the door with the rest of the students.

Nari blinked, still standing there.

"...Wow. Rude," she muttered under her breath, frowning slightly.

She grabbed her bag and turned to leave, ready to forget about it—

—but as she took a step forward, her foot came down on something that definitely wasn't the floor.

"-Huh?"

She quickly lifted her foot, looking down.

A notebook.

Small. Dark-colored. Slightly worn at the edges.

Nari tilted her head, then her eyes widened a little in realization.

Wait... isn't this-

She glanced toward the door.

"Hey-!" she called out instinctively, picking it up. "You dropped someth-"

She stopped mid-sentence.

He was already gone.

"...Right. Of course he is," she mumbled.

For a second, she just stood there, the notebook in her hands.

She could just give it back later.

That would be the normal thing to do.

...but then again-

Her grip tightened slightly as a small, mischievous thought crossed her mind.

He was kind of a jerk.

A tiny smirk tugged at her lips.

Maybe I'll just... take a quick look.

What was the worst that could happen?

Curiosity getting the better of her, Nari flipped the notebook open.

At first, she didn't really process what she was seeing.

Then her eyes scanned the page again.

And again.

Her expression shifted.

Names.

Rows of them.

Her classmates' names, written neatly across the pages... each followed by notes.

Detailed ones.

"...What is this-?" she whispered, her voice dropping.

Her eyes widened as she read a few lines.

"This is-!"

To be continued.

Mrs. Chae-won will have an affair with a student.

Ye-rin is going to murder a student.

Hajun will get a severe injury during basketball practice today.

Doyoon will-

Nari's breath caught in her throat.

Her eyes moved faster now, scanning line after line, her grip on the notebook tightening without her even realizing it. Each sentence was written so neatly, so calmly—like they were simple facts.

Not guesses.

Not rumors.

Facts.

"What the hell...?" she whispered under her breath, her heart starting to beat just a little faster.

None of this made sense.

Why would he write things like this?

And more importantly—how could he know?

A sudden voice cut through her thoughts.

"What are you doing?"

Nari flinched, her head snapping up.

Minjae.

He was standing right there, way closer than she expected, his presence quiet but heavy. His eyes were fixed on her—sharp, unreadable, and cold in a way that made her stomach drop.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then his gaze shifted briefly to the notebook in her hands.

"I need that," he said flatly. "I've been looking for it."

His tone wasn't loud, but it didn't need to be. There was something firm in it, final.

He stepped closer, reaching out to take it back.

But Nari reacted before he could.

She pulled her hand back quickly, holding the notebook just out of his reach.

Minjae's hand stopped mid-air.

A small pause.

Then his eyes lifted back to hers, narrowing slightly.

"What are you doing?" he asked again, this time slower.

Nari didn't answer right away. Her mind was still racing, the words she had just read repeating over and over in her head.

Instead, she tightened her grip on the notebook.

Minjae's expression hardened, just barely.

"That's mine," he said, his voice colder now. "You do realize that's theft, right?"

Still, she didn't hand it over.

"What is this?" Nari asked, her voice trembling slightly as she held the notebook toward Minjae.

He didn't answer. His gaze stayed fixed on her, cold and unblinking, like he didn't even see her. The silence made her stomach twist.

"How... how could you know what's going to happen?" she pressed, her voice rising slightly. "Are you a... a time traveler or something? Because these.. these events in this notebook.. they haven't happened yet, right?"

Still, Minjae said nothing. Just stared.

Nari's frustration bubbled up, and she flipped the page slightly to emphasize her point. "Because Ye-rin hasn't killed anyone yet. If she had, it would be on the news, or at least everyone in school would know. And from what I can see... Hajun isn't injured at all."

Her words seemed to have an effect. For the first time, Minjae blinked—or at least moved back a step. He still didn't speak, but his posture shifted slightly, and his eyes stayed locked on hers. They were like black stones, impossible to read, but just slightly... different.

"Not that it matters," Minjae finally said, his voice low and chilling, breaking the silence. "You won't remember tomorrow, anyway."

"What—?" Nari began, her head spinning.

Before she could finish, Minjae lunged forward with a speed that made her stumble back. In one swift motion, he snatched the notebook from her hands.

And just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone- walking out of the classroom, leaving Nari standing there, stunned, her fingers still trembling from where she had held the notebook.

Her mind raced. Time traveler? Predictions? What the hell is he?

And most importantly... how could he know so much?

....

And just like it had been written in the notebook... by the time the school day ended, everything had come true.

Hajun had injured himself during basketball practice, a video of Mrs. Chae-won having an affair with a student had leaked online... and, most shocking of all, a murder had taken place at Mirae High School.

Nari walked home slowly, her backpack heavy on her shoulders, her mind spinning. How could so much happen in a single day? This... wasn't normal. Was this some kind of fantasy world? No... that was ridiculous. Nothing could explain the sheer chaos of the day.

The police had already arrested Ye-rin, and the news had covered every detail. The world felt... wrong. Unbelievably wrong.

When she opened the front door, her mother practically ran to her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Tears ran down her cheeks, and Nari felt the raw fear in her hug. Her mother must have seen the news..and feared Nari was somehow involved.

"I should have kept you home from school today..." her mother sobbed, her voice breaking.

Nari froze. The words felt familiar, like she'd heard them somewhere before—echoing strangely in her mind. But she didn't respond. Didn't hug back. Just stood there, expression blank, letting her mother cling to her for a moment longer before slowly letting go.

"You must be tired... why don't you go upstairs and rest?" her mother added gently, wiping her tears before returning to her chores. Nari stayed still for a second, the silence of the house settling around her. Questions from the day buzzed in her mind, unanswered and pressing.

Finally, she trudged upstairs, each step heavy with exhaustion and thought. She knew one thing for certain: tomorrow, she had to confront Minjae. He wasn't getting away that easily. She had too many questions, and she needed answers.

Nari entered her room and dropped her bag by the door. She sank onto her bed, staring at the ceiling as her thoughts raced. Replaying the day, the notebook, Minjae, and everything that had gone horribly, impossibly right... and wrong.

Her stomach growled faintly, but she barely had the energy to care. Dinner could wait.

Her eyes grew heavy. Her mind slowed. The world blurred around her. And before she knew it, exhaustion took over, pulling her into sleep, while the questions of the day remained unanswered, waiting for tomorrow.

.

.

.

*Chirp, chirp, chirp.*

"Ugh... shut up..." Nari groaned, squinting as the morning sunlight streamed through her window and warmed her face. She shivered slightly, feeling a sudden chill.

Wait... cold air?

Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up quickly. Had she left the window open last night? Or... maybe she had, and she just didn't remember—everything felt foggy, like her memory was missing pieces.

Before she could think further, the door burst open.

"Nari! What is the meaning of this!?" Her mother's voice cut through the room like a blaring alarm. "How are you still asleep when school starts in fifteen minutes?!"

Nari froze, confusion twisting in her chest.

The same sentence... from yesterday?

Her eyes drifted downward, scanning herself. She was wearing... pajamas. Not her school uniform, the one she fell asleep in. Her mind spiraled, trying to make sense of it. Everything felt off. Strange.

She glanced up at her mother, trying to anchor herself. "What day is it today, Mom?" she asked cautiously, her voice quieter than usual, unsure if she even wanted the answer.

Her mother frowned, clearly impatient. "What? Are you still half asleep?"

"It's Tuesday," she said, irritation in her tone, like she didn't have time for nonsense.

Nari's eyes widened. Tuesday...?

But yesterday was Tuesday, too.

Her stomach tightened. A chill ran down her spine. Something was very, very wrong.

To be continued.

Nari froze, unsure what to say or do. Her mind raced, but her body felt like it had turned to stone. She stared at her mother blankly for a few seconds, trying to gather her thoughts.

Finally, she blurted out, "Um... okay, Mom!"

She jumped up, moving quickly to push her mother gently out of the room. "I'll get ready! You go make breakfast!" she added, her voice a little rushed, a little sharp.

"Hey, wait—" her mother started, but before she could finish, the door swung shut in her face.

Nari let out a long, frustrated sigh. There was no time to dwell on anything. She had to get ready and get to school. All she could think about was one thing: Minjae. She needed answers, and she needed him to respond this time without that cold, unreadable expression he always wore.

She moved through her usual morning routine almost mechanically: brushing her teeth, washing her face, putting her uniform on, and quickly tidying her hair. By the time she was ready, her backpack was slung over one shoulder, and she was running out the door, hoping she could make it to school before it was too late.

Of course, she didn't.

She arrived breathless, as usual, just as the bell rang. Her teacher gave the same pointed look and the same reminder about being on time. But Nari barely noticed. She made her way to her seat, sliding into her usual spot in the middle of the classroom, eyes immediately searching for Minjae.

Her friend leaned over, whispering the same words as yesterday. "He's cute, right? He's new. His name's Minjae. Just showed up today."

Nari's mind whirred. Today? Just showed up today? But... I saw him yesterday too... didn't I?

She pushed the thought aside for now. There would be time later to figure it out. For now, she needed answers.

Finally, the lunch bell rang. The students filed out of the classroom, but Nari moved faster than the rest. She hurried over to Minjae's desk just as he was packing his bag.

Minjae glanced up at her, his expression unreadable but slightly tense—like he had been expecting something... except not this. His eyes narrowed, a faint flicker of confusion crossing his face.

This isn't supposed to be part of the script, Minjae thought to himself.

"You!" Nari snapped, slamming her hands down on Minjae's desk. The sudden noise made him flinch, his pen rattling against the table.

Why is she acting like this? he thought, narrowing his eyes. This isn't supposed to be her character.

"You predicted everything in that notebook!" Nari continued, her voice sharp, almost desperate. Minjae's shoulders tensed. How does she remember that?

"And then today! The whole day reset! I need answers! And I need them now!" Her words spilled out in a rush, her frustration barely contained.

For a moment, Minjae didn't move. He just stared at her, his expression unreadable, as if weighing whether to speak at all. The classroom emptied around them, the noise of departing students fading into distant chatter. Finally, he let out a soft sigh.

"How do you... remember?" he asked quietly, his voice calm but carrying a weight that made Nari pause.

"You... aren't supposed to remember the events you were meant to forget," he added, his deadpan gaze fixed on her.

Nari blinked, confusion swirling in her chest. Her mind raced to catch up. "Wait. Hold on. What?"

She leaned in, lowering her voice. "Okay... spill it. Tell me everything you know!"

Minjae's lips pressed into a thin line. He glanced around, then back at her, as if considering whether this was the right choice.

Finally, he spoke, slowly, deliberately. "I guess...I have no choice but to tell you... everything."

Nari's heart started pounding in her chest.

Do I really want to know this?

Her curiosity overpowered her fear. Screw it. She had to know.

"Okay... then tell me," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "And I mean everything."

Minjae's gaze flickered, as if weighing where to begin. Finally, he spoke, his tone calm and steady, but carrying a strange weight.

"We're in a novel."

Nari blinked. Speechless.

"...Uh... what?" she asked, her confusion making her voice squeak slightly.

Minjae didn't flinch or respond to her disbelief. He simply continued, as if what he was saying was obvious.

"I don't remember exactly when I snapped out of it," he said slowly, "but I do remember this, I replayed the same day sixty-eight times."

Sixty-eight.

Nari flinched at the number. Sixty-eight? Her mind reeled. How is he even still sane after that?

"I... met you sixty-eight times," he continued quietly, his eyes fixed on her, calm but carrying something almost like sorrow.

Nari froze, staring at him blankly. Met me... sixty-eight times? Her mind raced. Is that why he always seemed familiar... yet distant... at the same time?

"But... each time," Minjae went on, "You forgot about me the next day, whenever the day reset. But I never gave up. I kept talking to you, every single time, hoping you'd snap out of... playing some character."

Nari's eyes widened. Wait... I was friends with this cold-hearted bastard...?

"That's why I decided to act cold and distant from now on," Minjae said, his voice softening slightly, "but... when I did... you actually snapped out of it. Surprisingly."

He looked at her then, and for the first time, there was something unreadable in his eyes- hesitation, uncertainty... maybe even a little vulnerability.

Nari's mind struggled to process it all. Everything she thought she knew... everything she felt about him... it was all twisted into something she couldn't even begin to understand.

......

"So... what then?" Nari asked, leaning forward slightly, her eyes narrowing.

Minjae blinked, clearly caught off guard by her question. "What do you mean... what?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with confusion.

"You replayed the same day sixty-eight times," Nari said, incredulous, her hands gesturing wildly as if trying to make him understand the absurdity. "And you didn't even think to stop the loop? Seriously? How is that even possible?"

Minjae hesitated, his usual stoic expression faltering slightly. "I..." he began slowly, choosing his words carefully, "I never thought there was a way."

Nari's eyes widened, and she shook her head in disbelief. "What do you mean, you never thought there was a way? There's always a way!" she said, her voice incredulous, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Minjae tilted his head slightly, studying her as if trying to understand why she was so animated, so alive in contrast to the countless times he'd seen her forget him. He didn't answer immediately, just let her words hang in the air.

Then it hit Nari.

"Wait... let me see your notebook," she said suddenly, her voice leaving no room for argument.

"What—?" Minjae started, clearly caught off guard, but Nari didn't wait for an answer.

"Just... let me see it," she said again, firmer this time, her tone sharp enough to make him pause.

For a moment, Minjae studied her, his unreadable gaze flicking between her determined expression and his notebook. Finally, he gave a slow, deliberate nod and handed it over.

Nari's fingers gripped the notebook, flipping through page after page with barely contained excitement. Each entry, each prediction... it all started to make sense. Her theory, her wild desperate theory, might actually be correct.

"How about..." Nari's eyes lit up as she carefully set the notebook down, her voice a mixture of determination and anticipation. "...we try stopping the events that are supposed to happen today?"

Minjae flinched slightly. Could that... really work? Was it always that simple? His mind raced through every time he'd lived through the loop, the failures, the frustration. But then, just as quickly, his usual cold demeanor returned.

"How are you so sure that's the way to end the loop?" he asked, voice low but sharp, piercing through her excitement.

"Oh, please," Nari replied confidently, crossing her arms and lifting her chin. "I've read plenty of novels myself. Just... trust me on this."

She leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with determination. "It's worth a try. And if it doesn't work... we can always try something else. There's always a way."

Minjae's lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes flickered briefly with surprise at her confidence. "...You're... serious," he said, a hint of incredulity in his voice.

Then, without another word, he stood, grabbing his bag and straightening his posture. A rare determination settled over him, ready to finally try something different.

"Let's do it, then," he said.

Nari's heart skipped a beat. This was it. Finally, they were taking the first step to breaking the loop.

To be continued.