A Shattered Reflection

The next day was anything but normal. It wasn't the weather—just the usual overcast skies—or even the dull hum of chatter in the hallways. It was the undercurrent of tension that seemed to follow me, like a shadow I couldn't shake.

Mirae wasn't in class again, and her absence gnawed at me. Her desk stood as an empty reminder of unanswered questions. The library encounter from yesterday replayed in my mind like a broken record. Who was that man? What did he mean by "they're watching you"? And why did Mirae look so haunted?

By the time lunch rolled around, I found myself wandering the school grounds aimlessly, my appetite forgotten. My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Fate Rewrite: New Thread Available. Progress: 10%

I stared at the notification, my stomach twisting. The app had only activated a handful of times, each moment leaving me more confused than before. With a deep breath, I opened it. The screen flickered before revealing a single line of text:

"Trust breaks like glass; tread carefully."

"What the hell does that mean?" I muttered under my breath.

"Talking to yourself now?" Seulgi's voice startled me. She appeared at my side, holding a half-eaten sandwich. "You've been zoning out all day."

I hesitated, unsure if I should tell her about the app. Would she even believe me? Or would she laugh it off as another one of my obsessions?

"It's nothing," I said, slipping my phone back into my pocket. "Just… thinking."

Seulgi gave me a look that said she wasn't buying it but didn't push further. Instead, she motioned toward the courtyard. "Come on. Let's get some air. You look like you're about to explode."

---

The courtyard was quieter than usual. Most students had retreated to their usual lunch spots, leaving the space eerily serene. I followed Seulgi to our favorite bench under the old oak tree. She talked about some gossip involving the math teacher, but her words washed over me. My mind was elsewhere.

A sudden movement caught my attention. Across the courtyard, near the edge of the sports field, I saw a familiar figure. Mirae. She was walking briskly, her head low, clutching her notebook tightly to her chest.

"She's here," I blurted out, cutting Seulgi off mid-sentence.

"Who?" she asked, turning to follow my gaze.

"Mirae."

Before Seulgi could respond, I was already on my feet, making my way toward her. Mirae didn't notice me at first, too focused on whatever had her in such a hurry. But as I got closer, she suddenly stopped, her shoulders stiffening as if she sensed my presence.

"Mirae!" I called out.

She turned slowly, her expression guarded. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you," I said, my voice more desperate than I intended. "About the library. About that man."

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

"Don't lie to me," I said, stepping closer. "I heard what he said. About people watching you. About something at stake. What's going on?"

Her grip on the notebook tightened. "You shouldn't have been there," she said, her voice low. "This isn't your problem."

"Maybe not, but I'm involved now," I said. "The app—"

I stopped myself, realizing I'd said too much. Mirae's eyes narrowed.

"What app?" she asked, her tone sharp.

I hesitated, the weight of her gaze pinning me in place. There was no going back now. "The Fate Rewrite app," I admitted. "It's been sending me messages. About you. About threads and fate."

Mirae's expression shifted, a mix of fear and something else—recognition. "You… have the app?" she whispered.

I nodded. "What is it? And what does it have to do with you?"

She glanced around nervously, as if expecting someone to jump out from the shadows. "Not here," she said finally. "Meet me after school. The old science building. And don't tell anyone."

Before I could respond, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

---

The rest of the day dragged on in a haze of anticipation and dread. By the time the final bell rang, my heart was racing. The old science building was on the far edge of the campus, abandoned for years after a fire rendered it unsafe. It was the kind of place students used to dare each other to explore, but no one actually went there.

As I approached the building, the air seemed colder, heavier. The door creaked loudly as I pushed it open, revealing a dimly lit corridor lined with scorched walls and broken windows. Mirae stood at the far end, her back to me, the notebook open in her hands.

"You came," she said without turning around.

"You didn't give me much choice," I replied, stepping closer. "Now tell me what's going on."

She closed the notebook and turned to face me. For the first time, I saw something in her eyes that wasn't indifference or irritation. It was vulnerability.

"The app," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "isn't just a game or some random program. It's… a tool. A way to rewrite the threads of fate. But it's not supposed to exist."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"It's complicated," she said, running a hand through her hair. "Fate is… fragile. Imagine it as a web, with every thread representing a person's life. The app can manipulate those threads—alter them. But every change comes with a cost."

"A cost?" I repeated, my stomach sinking.

She nodded. "Every time you use the app, you create ripples. Those ripples can affect other threads, other lives. It's dangerous. And the more you use it, the harder it is to stop."

I took a step back, the weight of her words sinking in. "Why me? Why do I have it?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But if you have it, then you're connected to something bigger than either of us. And that man… the one you saw in the library… he's part of it too."

"Who is he?" I asked. "What does he want?"

Her expression darkened. "He works for them. The ones who control the threads. They call themselves the Weavers. And if they know about you… you're in danger."

"Danger?" I echoed, my voice shaking. "Why?"

"Because the app is a threat to them," she said. "It's not supposed to exist. And anyone who uses it is a target."

I stared at her, my mind racing. None of this felt real, but the fear in her eyes told me it was.

"What do we do?" I asked finally.

She opened the notebook again, revealing pages filled with strange symbols and diagrams. "We find out who gave you the app," she said. "And we stop them before it's too late."

---

In that moment, I realized my life had changed forever. Whatever I'd stumbled into was bigger than me, bigger than Mirae, and it was only just beginning.