Chapter 3

Morning came quietly.I didn’t remember falling asleep.

I only remembered the feeling of exhaustion, heavy and shapeless, pulling me down until everything disappeared.

123When I opened my eyes, the light was already there, soft and pale against the ceiling. For a moment, I didn’t move. I just stared upward, letting myself exist in that fragile space between dreaming and waking.

My chest felt tight. Not painful. Just heavy. Like something was sitting inside it that didn’t belong there. I sat up slowly and pressed my fingers against my temples. My head ached faintly, the kind of ache that didn’t demand attention but refused to leave.

I stood and walked to the bathroom. The mirror greeted me with someone who looked like me, but not entirely. My eyes looked more tired than I felt or maybe I was just used to hiding it. I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water against my face. The shock helped, grounding me in the present.

I inhaled slowly.

Exhaled.

“Today will be fine,” I whispered.

I didn’t know if I believed it.

I stepped back into my room and walked toward the cabinet beside my bed. My fingers opened it automatically, reaching for the orange bottle inside.

Except—

It wasn’t there.

I blinked.

I moved things aside. Checked behind the small stack of papers.

Nothing.

A small knot formed in my chest. I crouched down and opened the drawer beneath it.

Empty.

I opened another drawer.

Still nothing.

I stared at the space where they should have been. I must have finished them. I just didn’t remember when.

I sighed softly and leaned back against the cabinet.

“It’s fine,” I murmured to myself. “I’ll buy more later.”

The words sounded simple.

Easy.

But something about it unsettled me. Like forgetting them meant something more than just forgetfulness. I stood and forced myself to continue getting ready. One step at a time. Just like always.

⊙

The city was already awake when I stepped outside. Cars moved endlessly, their engines blending into a constant hum. People filled the sidewalks. 

I raised my hand and flagged down a yellow cab. It pulled over beside me. I slipped inside and told the driver where to go.

As the cab began moving, I leaned my head lightly against the window.

The city passed by in fragments.Buildings. People. Stores.

Moments of lives that didn’t belong to me. I watched them without really seeing them. Until—

We passed a shop.

My breath caught.

It happened suddenly. Without warning. The shop looked ordinary and small. Forgettable. But I recognized it.

My chest tightened painfully. I remembered standing there once.

Waiting.

Laughing.

He had stood beside me, holding something behind his back like it was a secret.

“You’ll like it,” he said.

“I haven’t even seen it yet.”

“That’s why you’ll like it.”

I laughed.

He always sounded so sure.

The memory faded as quickly as it came.

The cab continued moving yet the feeling stayed.

Sharp.

Persistent.

I looked away.

I didn’t want to remember the rest.

⊙

Work was worse than usual.

The moment I stepped inside, I could feel it. The tension. The urgency.

“Cionnee, we need those reports finalized.”

“Cionnee, did you see the email?”

“Cionnee, the client called again.”

Voices overlapped, one after another. Problems. Requests. Expectations.

I tried to keep up, I really did. But everything felt louder than it should have been. My head throbbed faintly and patience thinned faster than usual.

“Cionnee?”

I looked up.

Maris stood beside my desk.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly.

Too quickly.

She hesitated.

“You seem stressed.”

“I’m just tired.”

She nodded, but she didn’t look convinced.

I turned back to my work.

Numbers blurred together.

Words lost meaning.

Even the smallest mistakes frustrated me more than they should have. I exhaled sharply and leaned back in my chair.

Why was everything so hard today?

Why did everything feel heavier?

Time moved slowly. Painfully.

Until finally—It was over.

The ride home felt longer.

Quieter.

My thoughts wouldn’t stop. They moved between the present and the past without permission. Work problems. His voice. The unknown call. The empty hallway. Memories overlapped with reality until I couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. By the time I reached my apartment, exhaustion had settled deep into my bones.

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. Silence greeted me again. I dropped my bag on the table and froze. My chest tightened suddenly.

The medicine.

I forgot. I forgot to buy it.

I closed my eyes as frustration rose quickly. Sharp and immediate.

“Why do I keep forgetting?” I whispered.

My hands trembled slightly.

Everything felt overwhelming all at once.

Work.

Memories.

Him.

Myself.

I walked to my bed and sat down heavily. Then laid back. The ceiling stared down at me, blank and indifferent.

“I’ll buy it tomorrow,” I murmured.

I didn’t know how many times I’d said that.

My eyes grew heavier.

My thoughts slower.

And before I realized it—

I fell asleep.

He was there. Like he had never left. We walked side by side just like before.

No distance. No silence. No emptiness.

“You’re late,” he teased gently.

“I’m not late.”

“You are.”

I smiled.

“I missed you.”

The words came out without hesitation.

He didn’t answer right away. He just looked at me like he used to. Like I was something he didn’t want to lose.

“I’m here now,” he said.

His voice felt real. Too real.

We talked about everything. The lost time. The things we didn’t say. The things we would do.

“We’ll make up for it,” he promised.

I believed him. I always believed him.

“Where are you?” I asked suddenly.

The question slipped out before I could stop it.

His expression shifted.

Softer.

Sad.

“I’m—”

A sound interrupted him.

Sharp.

Loud.

Ringing.

The world began to break apart.

“No,” I whispered.

I reached for him but he was already fading.

The ringing grew louder.

Closer.

Closer.

My eyes opened.

My phone was ringing. My heart pounded violently in my chest.

I stared at the ceiling, disoriented. The dream still clung to me.

His voice.

His face.

His presence.

My phone continued ringing beside me.

I turned my head slowly.

Eloise.

I stared at the screen for a moment before answering.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***