Unfamiliar Familiar

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.

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