Strings Of Fate:Fate Rewrite

The next day felt eerily normal, as if the strange events of the past week had been a fever dream. Kang Mirae was back in her usual spot in the classroom, head buried in her notebook. Su Yong was his usual carefree self, cracking jokes and drawing doodles in his notebook instead of paying attention in class.

But beneath the surface, I felt a shift—like a faint vibration in the air. Something was coming, though I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

"Earth to Jiho," Su Yong said, poking me with his pencil. "You've been staring at the wall for five minutes. Did you finally snap?"

"Huh? Oh, no, just... thinking," I muttered, snapping out of my trance.

"About Mirae again?" His grin widened.

"Shut up," I said, though the heat rising to my face gave me away.

Su Yong chuckled but didn't press further, instead turning his attention to the growing list of ridiculous doodles in his notebook.

---

During lunch, I decided to approach Mirae again, but Su Yong stopped me before I could leave the classroom.

"Jiho, wait up," he said, his tone surprisingly serious.

"What is it?" I asked, turning to face him.

"I know you're determined to figure her out, but maybe you should slow down. You've got this look in your eyes—like you're walking into something you're not ready for."

"I'll be fine," I said, brushing him off.

"Just don't say I didn't warn you," he muttered, shaking his head.

I found Mirae sitting under her usual tree, the notebook resting on her lap. Her pen moved across the page in fluid motions, but as I got closer, I noticed something strange: the symbols she was writing weren't in any language I recognized.

"Hi," I said, stopping a few feet away.

She looked up, her expression calm but guarded. "Hi."

"Mind if I join you?"

She hesitated but eventually nodded.

For a while, we sat in silence, the only sounds coming from the rustling leaves and the faint chatter of other students in the distance. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Mirae, what are you writing?" I asked, nodding toward her notebook.

She closed it abruptly, her gaze sharp. "It's private."

"I figured," I said, raising my hands defensively. "But it doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before."

"That's because it's not meant for you to understand," she said, her tone firm but not unkind.

"Then who is it meant for?"

She didn't answer, instead standing up and clutching the notebook to her chest. "You're persistent, Jiho. I'll give you that. But persistence isn't always a good thing."

With that, she walked away, leaving me more confused than ever.

---

That evening, the Fate Rewrite app buzzed on my phone again.

"Progress increased: 15%

Second thread detected. Proceed with caution."

This time, the image was clearer. It showed two interconnected circles: one labeled "Mirae" and the other "Jiho." Between them was a faint line, glowing softly.

"What the hell is this?" I muttered, staring at the screen.

The app offered no answers, but the glowing line between our names seemed to pulse as if it were alive.

---

The next morning, things took a strange turn. Su Yong and I were walking to school when we noticed a black car parked near the gates. It was sleek and expensive-looking, completely out of place in our neighborhood.

"Fancy ride," Su Yong said, whistling appreciatively.

"Yeah," I muttered, feeling a familiar unease creep up my spine.

As we passed the car, I glanced inside and froze. The man in the dark suit from the library was sitting in the driver's seat, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

"Jiho? You good?" Su Yong asked, noticing my sudden stop.

"Yeah," I said quickly, forcing myself to keep walking.

But the image of the man stayed with me throughout the day, a constant reminder that Mirae's secrets were deeper than I could have imagined.

---

By the time lunch rolled around, I was determined to get some answers. I cornered Mirae in the hallway, ignoring the curious glances from other students.

"We need to talk," I said, my voice low.

"About what?" she asked, her tone carefully neutral.

"You know what," I said, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "That guy in the suit. Who is he? And why does it feel like he's watching both of us?"

Her eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her reaction. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me, Mirae," I said, stepping closer. "I saw him. And I know you did too. What's going on?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Jiho, you're better off not knowing. Trust me."

"I can't just ignore this," I said, my frustration boiling over. "If you're in trouble, I want to help."

"Help?" She laughed bitterly. "You can't help me, Jiho. No one can."

Before I could say anything else, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the empty hallway.

---

That night, I couldn't sleep. The app buzzed again, but this time, the message was different:

"Warning: The next thread may lead to irreversible consequences."

Beneath the message was an image of the man in the suit, his face obscured but unmistakable.

I stared at the screen, my heart pounding. Whatever I'd gotten myself into, there was no turning back now.