çoxşaxəli

Consequence (I)

"Where am I?"

The night sky stood a pitch-black canopy of darkness freckled only by the shimmering stars twinkle in the sky, where just hours ago it had been a bright blue sunny day. The occasional stridulating of a group of crickets was the only sound to permeate the silence.

Chaewon has been wandering around what seems like a familiar but unfamiliar place. Scanning around thoroughly, she recognises the neighbourhood as hers but what's weird is that the store she usually goes to isn't here. Even the arcade she used to go with her friends isn't there.

'That's weird.'

Her feet start to bring her further as if it will give her some ideas on where she is and what is this place even, posters are displayed everywhere around the poles, walls and on the ground. It looks like they have been stepped by ignorant people.

"What a second... Don't tell me," she talks to herself before realising it. Ripping one of the posters from the wall, she notices how all of the posters have the same year which is the year 2016.

'That's right! The store and the arcade didn't exist until less than 3 years ago!'

There's no way she just walks into the past, right? Time travelling only happens in movies.

Her brain doesn't want to believe the reality, but if this isn't some time travelling shits going on, then how could she possibly explain what's going on?

"There must be a reason why I'm here. I just need to find it." Her first plan was to find someone who can tell her more about the year 2016, and maybe from there she can find a way to get out of this time zone.

It's been more than half an hour since she's been searching for someone- simply anyone she can talk to. Unfortunately for her, it's already past midnight when her present self enters the past. Which means everyone is already sleeping in their bedroom.

Almost letting herself give up, her eyes widen at the sight in front of her. It's not because she finally found someone to talk to, but she found herself from the year 2016 in front of her.

"Shit! I almost got caught! Fuck my senior high schooler self for always staying up all night to study," she hisses under her breath as she ducks behind one of the bushes at the park.

That's where she figures she should focus on keeping her eyes on her younger self.

Maybe then she can find what she's seeking for.
......................................................................

Chaewon's (2016) POV

This night is like any night I've encountered- it's not like I'm not used to it anyway. It's almost like a part of my routine already for me. Being a senior in high school isn't helping at all if anything it only adds more burden to my shoulder.

The sleepless night is like an invitation to think deeply about my life and what went wrong. Sighing deeply in front of my desk which is covered with books, I glance outside of the window.

'I should get some fresh air.'

Grabbing my favourite brown coat before using it as a blanket to my body, I head out of the house letting my feet bring me to wherever they want me to be.

I walk and walk and walk only to find myself standing in front of the neighbourhood's park.

It is only then when my ears perk up at the sound of a sniffle nearby. Pupils start to shake and body just freeze in fear of what it could be. "Please don't tell me it's what I'm thinking right now," I silently pray with my eyes closed.