The first thing I noticed was the silence.
Not the peaceful kind.
The kind that felt wrong.
Like something was missing.
Or about to happen.
I opened my eyes slowly.
Ceiling.
Cracked.
Familiar.
Wait.
I sat up too fast, my chest tightening for a second.
Then… nothing.
No pain.
No blood.
No knife.
My hands moved instantly, pressing against my stomach, my chest.
Nothing.
Clean.
Normal.
Breathing steady.
"What…?"
My voice came out rough, like I hadn't used it in a while.
I looked around.
The apartment.
Same walls.
Same layout.
Same everything.
No…
I stood up and walked to the mirror, stopping right in front of it.
It was me.
Same face.
Same tired eyes.
Same… everything.
But I knew.
That wasn't the same.
My hand lifted slowly, pressing against my chest.
Right where—
I died.
"No way…"
I stepped back, my heartbeat picking up.
Not panic.
Just trying to understand.
Images hit me all at once.
Her.
Standing there.
Calm.
Cold.
Him.
That smirk.
That knife.
The pain.
The floor.
The blood.
I clenched my jaw.
"That wasn't a dream."
There was no way.
It felt too real.
Too clear.
Too final.
I forced my breathing to slow.
"Alright…"
Running a hand through my hair, I started thinking.
Fast.
If I'm here…
Then that means—
I turned, my eyes landing on the suit hanging there.
Pressed.
Ready.
Waiting.
"…Wedding day."
My stomach twisted slightly.
Not from nerves.
Not anymore.
Something colder.
I walked over and stopped in front of it, just staring.
Last time… I walked straight into it.
Didn't question anything.
Didn't see anything.
I let out a small breath.
"…Yeah."
Not this time.
I turned away and grabbed my phone, checking the date.
Same.
Everything the same.
So I really went back.
That thought settled in slowly.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Opportunity.
My grip tightened slightly.
"…Good."
Because now—
I knew how this ended.
And more importantly—
I knew exactly where it started.
My eyes shifted toward the door.
"…Let's fix this."
I didn't move right away.
My hand was still on the phone, the date burned into my head.
Same day.
Same start.
Same mistake… if I let it be.
I looked back at the suit again.
Neat.
Pressed.
Ready.
Like everything was already decided.
"…Yeah, not happening."
I turned away from it.
That decision came easy.
Too easy.
Because I already knew what waiting at the end looked like.
Blood on the floor.
Her standing there like it meant nothing.
Him smiling like he won something.
My jaw tightened.
Not this time.
I grabbed my keys from the table, the metal clinking lightly in my hand.
If everything was the same…
Then that meant she was doing the same things too.
Same calls.
Same messages.
Same lies.
Which meant—
I could catch it early.
I headed for the door, stopping just before opening it.
My hand hovered over the handle.
Do I go straight there?
Or… watch first?
I stood there for a second longer, thinking it through.
Last time, I didn't question anything.
Didn't check anything.
I just believed.
That was the mistake.
"…Yeah."
This time, I don't rush.
I opened the door and stepped out.
The hallway looked the same.
Quiet.
Nothing out of place.
I locked the door behind me and started walking.
Not toward the church.
Not yet.
Toward somewhere else.
Her workplace.
If things were really the same…
Then she wouldn't be where she said she was.
And if she wasn't…
Then I didn't need to guess anything.
I just needed to see it.
My pace picked up slightly as I headed down the stairs.
Each step felt lighter than it should have.
Like something was pushing me forward.
Not nerves.
Not fear.
Something else.
Something… pulling.
I stopped halfway down.
"…What was that?"
The feeling disappeared just as fast as it came.
I frowned slightly.
That wasn't normal.
I stood still for a few seconds.
Waiting.
Nothing.
No sound.
No presence.
Just the quiet hallway again.
"…Maybe I'm just overthinking."
Still, my grip tightened slightly.
That didn't feel like nothing.
But I didn't have time to stand around guessing.
I kept moving.
Out of the building.
Into the street.
The city was already alive.
Cars moving.
People walking.
Everything normal.
Too normal.
It almost made it feel worse.
Like nothing had changed.
Like none of it happened.
But I knew better.
I stepped onto the sidewalk and started heading toward her job.
My eyes moved constantly.
Watching people.
Watching reflections in windows.
Watching everything.
If something else changed… I need to catch it early.
Because going back in time?
That wasn't normal.
And if that happened once…
There was no reason it couldn't happen again.
Or something worse.
"…Great," I muttered.
"Not just betrayal. Now I've got mystery too."
I let out a small breath.
Not annoyed.
Just… adjusting.
One problem at a time.
First—
Her.
Then—
Everything else.
I reached the corner and stopped, waiting for the light to change.
My eyes drifted slightly.
Then froze.
Across the street.
There was a couple standing near the bus stop.
Talking.
Laughing.
Normal.
But something about it felt…
Off.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
The way they moved.
The way they paused between words.
Too smooth.
Too… timed.
Like they were following something.
"…No," I muttered under my breath.
"That's just in my head."
The light changed.
I crossed the street.
Didn't look back.
Didn't need to.
But the feeling stayed with me.
Faint.
Like something just out of reach.
Watching.
Waiting.
I pushed it aside.
For now.
Because I was getting close.
Her workplace was just ahead.
Same building.
Same glass windows.
Same entrance.
I slowed down slightly as I approached.
My eyes scanning the inside through the glass.
People moving around.
Working.
Talking.
Everything looked normal.
But I wasn't here for normal.
I stepped inside.
The air felt different immediately.
Cooler.
Quieter.
Controlled.
I walked forward slowly.
Casually.
Like I belonged there.
Like I had no reason to be suspicious.
My eyes moved across the room.
Desk.
Reception.
Hallway.
Then—
Her.
She was there.
Standing near the back.
Talking to someone.
A man.
My eyes locked onto him instantly.
Not the same guy from that night.
Different.
But that didn't matter.
What mattered was how she was acting.
Smiling.
Leaning slightly closer than she should.
Comfortable.
Too comfortable.
Yeah… there it is.
My chest didn't tighten this time.
No shock.
No disbelief.
Just confirmation.
I took a step forward.
Slow.
Careful.
Watching.
Listening.
Catching small details.
Because this time—
I wasn't here to react.
I was here to understand.
And this?
This was just the beginning.
I didn't step in right away.
I just stood there.
Watching.
From the entrance, I could see enough.
Her body language.
The way she leaned in.
The way she smiled.
Not the one she gave me.
This one was… easier.
Natural.
Like she wasn't trying.
So this is how it starts.
I walked forward.
Slow.
No rush.
No hesitation.
My footsteps were quiet against the floor, but not silent enough.
Her head turned slightly.
Then fully.
Her eyes landed on me.
And for a split second—
There it was.
Surprise.
Gone just as fast.
Replaced with that same practiced smile.
"Luke?" she said, like she wasn't expecting me.
Like I didn't belong here.
I stopped a few steps away.
Looked at her.
Then at the guy next to her.
He didn't look nervous.
Didn't step back.
Didn't act like he got caught.
Just… looked at me.
Casual.
Yeah… that tells me enough.
"I was nearby," I said. "Thought I'd stop in."
Simple.
No pressure.
No accusation.
Her smile stayed.
Too steady.
"That's… unexpected," she said.
Her tone was light.
But her eyes flicked to the guy next to her for just a second.
Checking.
That was all I needed.
"Work friend?" I asked, glancing at him.
She nodded instantly. "Yeah. Just helping with something."
Too quick.
Too smooth.
I looked at him again.
He gave a small nod.
Didn't introduce himself.
Didn't explain anything.
Just… stayed quiet.
Confident.
Or used to this.
Either way—
Not new.
"Got it," I said.
I didn't push.
Didn't question.
Just let it sit there.
The silence stretched for a second.
Then she stepped forward slightly.
"You should be getting ready," she said. "Big day."
There it was.
Trying to move things forward.
Back on track.
Like nothing changed.
Like I hadn't just walked into this.
I held her gaze.
"Yeah," I said. "About that."
She paused.
Just slightly.
Not enough for anyone else to notice.
But I did.
"I'm not going," I added.
That did it.
Her expression didn't break.
But it shifted.
Just enough.
Confusion.
Annoyance.
Then control.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Still calm.
Still measured.
"I mean," I said, keeping my tone even, "I'm not getting married today."
The guy next to her finally reacted.
Not much.
Just a small shift in posture.
More alert now.
Watching me closer.
Good.
Now it was real.
Her smile faded a little.
Not completely.
But enough.
"Luke… this isn't funny," she said.
"I'm not joking."
Silence.
People nearby started glancing over.
Not fully paying attention.
But enough to notice something was off.
She stepped closer.
Lowering her voice.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
There it was.
Not concern.
Not confusion.
Control slipping.
"I'm fixing a mistake," I said.
Her eyes hardened slightly.
First real crack.
"You don't mean that," she said.
I didn't answer right away.
Just looked at her.
Really looked this time.
Not the version I wanted to see before.
The real one.
The one I saw at the end.
Cold.
Calculated.
Already moving on.
"Yeah," I said finally. "I do."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
The guy next to her spoke up.
"Maybe you should take this somewhere else," he said.
Calm.
But there was something behind it.
Protective.
Not of her.
Of the situation.
Yeah… you've been here before.
I glanced at him.
"Relax," I said. "I'm leaving."
I looked back at her.
"That's all I came to say."
No yelling.
No scene.
No drama.
Just done.
That seemed to throw her off more than anything else.
Because she expected something else.
An argument.
A reaction.
Emotion.
I didn't give her any of it.
I turned and walked away.
Didn't wait for a response.
Didn't care what she said next.
Behind me, I could hear her call my name once.
I didn't stop.
Didn't turn around.
Didn't slow down.
I just kept walking.
Out of the building.
Back into the street.
The noise of the city hit me again.
Cars.
Voices.
Movement.
Everything normal.
I exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah."
That part was done.
No second guessing.
No regret.
Just… finished.
My hand ran through my hair again.
So what now?
That was the real question.
Because last time—
Everything led to that moment.
Now?
That path was gone.
Completely.
Which meant—
Everything after this…
Was unknown.
I stepped forward, moving down the sidewalk again.
No real destination this time.
Just walking.
Thinking.
If I'm not following the same path…
Then what's pulling me back?
That thought lingered.
Because something was.
That feeling from earlier.
Faint.
But real.
Like something was waiting.
I slowed slightly.
Eyes scanning the street again.
More carefully this time.
Not just people.
Everything.
Reflections.
Movements.
Patterns.
Then—
There it was again.
That pull.
Stronger this time.
Not random.
Directional.
My head turned slightly.
Down the street.
Toward an alley.
Narrow.
Easy to miss.
But the feeling was coming from there.
I stopped.
Stared at it for a second.
"…Yeah."
Of course it wouldn't be simple.
I stepped toward it.
Each step making that feeling stronger.
Clearer.
Like I was getting closer to something I wasn't supposed to see.
Or maybe—
Something meant for me.
I reached the entrance of the alley and paused.
The noise of the city felt quieter here.
Duller.
Like it didn't fully reach inside.
I took one step in.
Then another.
The light shifted slightly.
Not darker.
Just… different.
My eyes narrowed.
"…Alright."
My voice came out low.
Steady.
"Let's see what this is."
And the moment I took another step—
The world bent.
Just slightly.
But enough to know—
Something had started.