A Thread Of Destiny.

The eraser incident should've been my cue to stop. Any reasonable person would've taken Mirae's curt responses as a clear message: Don't bother me. But I wasn't reasonable anymore—not when it came to her.

As the day dragged on, I replayed every moment in my head. Her dismissive tone, her sharp glance, and the way she handed me the eraser without even meeting my gaze.

Yet, despite her apparent disinterest, there was something about her that felt… fragile. Like a barrier she had put up wasn't just to push people away but to protect something.

Or maybe I was just projecting. Either way, I couldn't shake the feeling that the Fate Rewrite app and Mirae were connected in a way I couldn't yet understand.

---

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, my thoughts tangled with frustration and curiosity. By the time the final bell rang, I was ready to head home and lose myself in a video game or two to distract myself from the embarrassment of earlier.

But fate—or rather, Fate Rewrite—had other plans.

My phone buzzed just as I stepped outside the school gates.

"Opportunity detected. Follow the thread to unlock progress."

I groaned, tempted to ignore it. The app had already led me to one failed interaction. But curiosity won out, as it always did.

The arrow on the screen pointed toward the back of the school, where the old gym stood. It was a quiet area most students avoided after hours.

"Great. A creepy gym. Just what I needed," I muttered, following the path anyway.

As I rounded the corner, I spotted Mirae. She was leaning against the gym wall, her head tilted back to gaze at the sky. The notebook she had earlier was clutched tightly in her hands.

She didn't notice me at first. For a moment, I considered turning around and leaving her alone. But then the app buzzed again.

"Engage. Progress depends on it."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself.

"Hey," I called out, trying to sound casual.

Mirae's head snapped toward me, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want?"

Her voice wasn't harsh, but it carried an edge that made me pause.

"I, uh…" I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling like an idiot. "I saw you here and thought I'd say hi."

"You've already said hi," she said, crossing her arms.

This was going downhill fast.

"I guess I wanted to apologize," I blurted out.

That caught her off guard. Her brow furrowed slightly. "Apologize? For what?"

"For earlier. I feel like I might've bothered you," I said honestly. "That wasn't my intention."

Mirae's expression softened ever so slightly, though she still looked wary.

"You didn't bother me," she said after a moment. "I just don't… I'm not used to people being so forward."

"Forward?" I asked, confused.

She sighed, hugging the notebook closer to her chest. "Never mind. Is that all?"

"No," I admitted, surprising even myself.

Mirae raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"I just… I feel like I've seen you before," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Like we've met somewhere."

Her eyes widened for a split second, but she quickly masked it with a neutral expression.

"You must be mistaken," she said, her tone flat. "I've never met you before."

"Maybe," I said, though I didn't believe it. "But it's weird, isn't it? How someone can feel so familiar even when they're a stranger?"

She didn't respond, her gaze shifting to the notebook in her hands.

"What's that?" I asked, nodding toward it.

Her grip tightened instinctively. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing," I said, trying to keep my tone light. "Is it a journal or something?"

"Why do you care?" she snapped, her defensive walls rising again.

"I don't," I said quickly. "I mean, I do, but not in a weird way. I'm just… curious."

Mirae stared at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine for something. Then, to my surprise, she sighed and held the notebook out slightly.

"It's just… memories," she said softly. "Things I don't want to forget."

Her words sent a chill down my spine.

"Promise me you'll remember."

The voice from my dream echoed in my mind, and I felt like I was standing on that bridge again, the air thick with unspoken words.

"Mirae," I began, my voice trembling slightly, "do you ever… have strange dreams? Ones that feel too real to be dreams?"

Her eyes widened again, but she quickly looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her tone clipped.

Before I could press further, she shoved the notebook into her bag and stepped away.

"I have to go," she said, her voice quieter now.

"Mirae, wait—"

But she was already walking away, her figure disappearing around the corner.

---

That night, I lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. The app hadn't buzzed since our encounter, but my mind was racing with questions.

Why did Mirae's reaction feel so… familiar? Was she hiding something? And what did the app mean by "progress"?

I picked up my phone, opening the Fate Rewrite app again.

"Progress: 10%."

It wasn't much, but it was something.

I clicked on the "Reveal Clue" option, hoping for some kind of answer. The screen flickered, and the same blood-red bridge appeared, this time clearer than before.

In the distance, I saw two figures—myself and Mirae. We were standing on opposite ends of the bridge, separated by an expanse of swirling mist.

"Jiho," the voice whispered again, clearer this time. "Find me."

The image faded, replaced by a new message.

"Follow the thread. The answers lie ahead."

I set the phone down, my chest felt as if it was about to burst from nervousness.

Whatever was happening, I wasn't imagining it. Mirae was connected to my dreams, to the app, and to something bigger than either of us.

I didn't know what the thread was or where it led, but one thing was clear; My mind just won't.. let it slide, not when it came to her.