Ethan didn't leave the bookstore.
That alone was already different.
In every previous version of the day, he had bought the book and walked out after a short conversation.
But now he leaned casually against a shelf, flipping through the pages while glancing at Liya from time to time.
"So," he said after a moment, "if you're predicting my death tonight, I assume you've got some kind of explanation."
Liya sighed.
"I wish I did."
She walked behind the counter and sat down.
"All I know is this day keeps repeating."
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Repeating?"
"Yes."
"How many times?"
She hesitated.
"…Twice."
He watched her carefully.
"Not a great track record yet."
"I know how that sounds."
"Like you either had a weird dream or you're messing with me."
"I'm not."
Ethan studied her face for a long moment.
She didn't look like she was joking.
No smirk.
No nervous laughter.
Just quiet certainty.
"Alright," he said finally.
"Convince me."
Liya leaned forward slightly.
"At exactly 4:18 PM," she said, glancing at the wall clock, "a girl wearing a yellow raincoat is going to walk in."
Ethan checked the time.
4:16 PM.
"And?" he asked.
"She'll ask for a travel guide to Kyoto."
He folded his arms.
"And if that happens?"
"You start believing me."
Two minutes passed.
The rain outside tapped steadily against the window.
Ethan pretended to read his book, but his eyes kept drifting to the door.
4:18 PM.
Ding.
The bell rang.
Both of them looked up.
A girl in a bright yellow raincoat stepped inside, water dripping from the hood.
Liya didn't react.
She had already seen this before.
The girl walked straight to the counter.
"Hi," she said politely.
"Do you have a travel guide for Kyoto?"
Ethan slowly lowered his book.
His expression shifted from curiosity… to surprise.
Liya reached under the counter and pulled out the exact guidebook.
"Second shelf," she said calmly.
"Right side."
The girl smiled gratefully.
"Thank you!"
She paid and left a minute later.
The bell rang again.
Ding.
Silence filled the bookstore.
Ethan stared at Liya.
"…Okay."
She crossed her arms.
"Now do you believe me?"
He ran a hand through his hair.
"That was… oddly specific."
"I told you."
He glanced at the clock again.
4:20 PM.
"So if today keeps repeating…"
He leaned forward slightly.
"You already know everything that's going to happen?"
"Not everything," Liya said.
"Just what I experienced the first time."
"And my death is part of that timeline."
She nodded quietly.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
"Well."
He looked out the window at the rain.
"That's not exactly the kind of travel story I expected today."
Liya watched him carefully.
"You're taking this surprisingly well."
He shrugged.
"I've always liked weird stories."
He turned back to her.
"And right now, I'm apparently inside one."
For a moment they were both silent.
Then Ethan smiled slightly.
"So let's test something else."
Liya frowned.
"Test what?"
"If this day really repeats," he said, "then the future is already written."
"Mostly."
"So that means you should know what I'm about to do."
She blinked.
"What?"
He stepped closer to the counter.
"Tell me," he said.
"What am I about to say next?"
Liya thought for a moment.
In the previous timeline, Ethan had picked up the book and made a joke.
But this time everything had already changed.
"You're going to say you want to finish that book," she guessed.
Ethan smiled.
"Nope."
He leaned on the counter.
And said something completely new.
"Want to get coffee with me?"
Liya froze.
That had never happened before.
"You didn't say that yesterday," she said.
"Exactly."
He tapped the counter lightly.
"If your story is true…"
His eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"…then we just changed the future."
Liya's heart skipped.
For the first time since the loop started…
Something had gone off script.
And if one thing could change—
Maybe the ending could too. ⏳