Strings Of Fate:Fate Rewrite

The school buzzed with its usual morning chaos: lockers clanged shut, students laughed and shouted, and the faint smell of cheap cafeteria coffee wafted through the air. I weaved through the crowd, trying to ignore the growing knot in my stomach. After yesterday's strange encounter with Mirae, I'd been left with more questions than answers. And now, there was a new variable in my already complicated life.

"Jiho!"

I turned at the sound of a familiar voice. Su Yong jogged up to me, his usual laid-back grin firmly in place. He clapped me on the shoulder with enough force to make me stumble.

"Dude, where were you yesterday? I waited at the arcade for like an hour."

I winced. "Sorry. Got caught up in... stuff."

"Stuff?" He raised an eyebrow. "You mean that Kang Mirae stuff, don't you?"

"Can we not talk about it here?" I hissed, glancing around.

Su Yong laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Relax. Nobody's listening. Besides, you've been obsessing over her for weeks. It's kind of hard not to notice."

Before I could argue, the first bell rang. Su Yong gave me a thumbs-up and ambled toward his classroom, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

---

Mirae was already at her desk when I walked into class. Her notebook was, as always, open in front of her. She didn't look up as I passed, but I could feel her presence like a weight pressing down on me.

Seulgi leaned over the aisle as soon as I sat down. "So, how'd it go yesterday? Did you crack the code of Mirae's eternal mystery?"

"Not even close," I muttered.

She smirked. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll figure it out by the time we graduate. Maybe."

Ignoring her, I stole a glance at Mirae. Her pen moved across the page in smooth, deliberate strokes, but when I squinted, the paper looked... blank. Again.

What was she doing?

---

At lunch, I found Su Yong sprawled on a bench in the courtyard, eating a sandwich like it was the most exhausting thing in the world.

"You look like you're solving world hunger," I said, sitting next to him.

"Funny," he said through a mouthful of bread. He swallowed and pointed his sandwich at me. "Speaking of hunger, when are you going to actually talk to Mirae like a normal human being?"

I groaned. "Can we not?"

"Nope." He grinned. "Listen, you want her attention? You've got to stand out. Be bold. Do something crazy."

"Like what? Run across the courtyard screaming her name?"

"Hey, it worked in that one movie."

I rolled my eyes. Su Yong meant well, but his advice was usually... unorthodox.

---

Back in class, the afternoon dragged on. Mirae stayed quiet, her focus never wavering from her notebook. I caught myself staring more than once, wondering what secrets she was hiding.

When the final bell rang, most of the class bolted for the door. I lingered, pretending to rummage through my bag. Mirae stayed seated, as if waiting for everyone to leave.

Seizing the opportunity, I approached her desk. "Hey, Mirae."

She looked up, her expression calm but guarded. "Yes?"

I hesitated. "About yesterday... I didn't mean to pry. I was just—"

"Curious?" she finished for me.

I nodded, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

She sighed and closed her notebook. "Curiosity isn't always a good thing, Jiho. Some things are better left alone."

Before I could respond, she stood and walked away, leaving me alone with a growing sense of frustration.

---

That evening, I stared at the Fate Rewrite app on my phone. Its interface was as cryptic as ever: Progress: 10%.

"Progress toward what?" I muttered.

I tapped on the "Reveal Clue" button. The screen flickered, and a new message appeared:

"Threads unravel as truths collide. Follow the anchor to find what binds."

An image followed—a map of the school, with a glowing red dot marking a specific room.

"What the...?"

The room was the library.

---

The school was quiet when I arrived, the hallways eerily empty. The library doors creaked as I pushed them open, and I half-expected someone to jump out and yell "Boo!"

Instead, I found Mirae sitting at a table near the back, her notebook open and a strange, intricate diagram covering the page. She didn't notice me at first, too absorbed in whatever she was doing.

When she finally looked up, her eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," I said, holding up my phone. "The app led me here."

Her expression darkened. "You need to leave."

"Not until you tell me what's going on," I said, stepping closer.

She stood, snapping her notebook shut. "This has nothing to do with you, Jiho."

"It has everything to do with me!" I snapped. "The app, the messages, the weird clues—it's all connected to you. Why?"

For a moment, she looked like she might actually tell me. But then she shook her head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Before she could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed through the library. We both froze as a figure emerged from the shadows—a man in a dark suit with sharp, calculating eyes.

"Mirae," he said, his voice calm but cold. "You shouldn't have brought him here."

"I didn't—" she began, but he cut her off.

"Enough," he said, stepping closer. "You know the rules."

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice trembling.

The man ignored me, his focus entirely on Mirae. "You've already risked too much. If he gets involved, there's no turning back."

Mirae's jaw tightened, but she didn't argue.

The man turned to me, his gaze piercing. "Forget everything you've seen tonight. For your own sake."

Before I could respond, Mirae grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the exit.

"Hey—what are you—"

"Just go," she hissed, her grip surprisingly strong.

We didn't stop until we were outside, the cool night air biting at my skin. Mirae finally let go of my arm, her expression a mix of anger and fear.

"Stay away from me, Jiho," she said, her voice trembling. "For your own good."

And with that, she walked away, leaving me standing in the dark, more confused than ever.

---

Back at home, I stared at the app again, hoping for answers. Instead, a new message appeared:

"You've opened the first door. The threads tighten. Be careful what you wish for."

I closed the app and tossed my phone onto my desk, feeling a mix of frustration and dread.

What had I just gotten myself into?