Fated Beyond Chrono

The man, who resembled the one in black responsible for this situation, walked away, and the police car started to drive off. The eerie whispering faded gradually, and the presence in Aria's head also seemed to move further away from her.

For the first time in her life, Aria intentionally smiled when she saw Cheonwoong sitting next to her. She wasn't in a happy situation—not by any stretch—but something warm stirred within her. Though she didn't yet understand emotions like joy or happiness, she felt something close enough to warmth.

Her eye color, however, didn't return to normal. It remained a deep, dark purple, and her cold gaze gradually shimmered. Unbeknownst to Aria or Cheonwoong, her hair was also slowly turning the same shade of purple.

When they arrived at the police station, the man claimed he had seen Aria by the river and had followed her because she was "pretty." Cheonwoong and his two friends vehemently denied the possibility of this, but Aria admitted she had been stalked by him. Her reasoning was simple: causing a bigger commotion on Earth, in this parallel world, would make things harder for her. The detective in charge confirmed the man would face trial and dismissed Aria and her companions.

After leaving the police station, they stood beneath the street trees outside. Aria turned to Cheonwoong and apologized for keeping him out so late, urging him to return home quickly so his parents wouldn't worry. Silence fell between them as the friends exchanged glances, but then Cheonwoong hesitated before speaking.

"I live alone," he said quietly. "I rent a small apartment near Haewang Middle School."

Aria looked at him in surprise. "You're only a high school student," she murmured. "That's… amazing. I mean, I've been alone all my life, but one day… one day, I'll find my mom. I hope so."

Cheonwoong's expression darkened. A tear slipped down his cheek as he spoke, his voice trembling. "I wish I could… but I'll never have the chance. My parents… they're gone. I'm sure they're happy… in heaven now."

His tone was cold and detached, and Chan and Yuseong could only pat his shoulders in consolation. Cheonwoong turned abruptly and headed toward the crosswalk, his gaze fixed downward. The traffic light switched from green to red just as he stepped onto the street. He kept walking, seemingly oblivious, as a truck barreled toward him at high speed.

Chan and Yuseong shouted his name, but he didn't respond.

At that moment, Aria made a split-second decision. She consumed 50% of her mana stone's energy, activated acceleration magic, and sprinted to him, enveloping Cheonwoong in her arms. She cast a powerful shield around them both. The truck collided with the shield, which absorbed the brunt of the impact before shattering. Cheonwoong was unharmed, but Aria bore the pain, her body trembling as she stood up.

"Are you hurt, Cheonwoong?" she asked weakly.

Cheonwoong finally snapped out of his daze. He stood, staring at her in disbelief before muttering, "Thank you." Then, without another word, he began walking away.

Aria, struggling to stay upright, grabbed his hand and stopped him. "Cheonwoong, you're not alone," she said firmly. "We only met today, but you're already important to me. Your parents… they're in the past now. I know how much you want to see them again, but would they want your life to end like this? You have Chan, Yuseong, and me. You're precious to us, even if you don't think so. So… let's keep going. Together."

Her words surprised even herself, leaving her breathless. Cheonwoong turned to her, tears streaming down his face, and embraced her tightly. "Thank you, Aria… truly."

Not knowing how to respond, Aria awkwardly returned his hug, thinking about the warmth he'd given her earlier.

As the traffic light turned green, they crossed the street together, leaving Chan and Yuseong behind.

Chan let out a forced laugh. "Well… I guess we'll just let them go straight to the wedding hall or something."

Yuseong groaned. "Man, this sucks. Seriously."

The two exchanged resigned smiles before following after Aria and Cheonwoong. When they caught up, Aria turned to them with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, we forgot about you," she said sheepishly.

Cheonwoong chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Chan waved it off. "No worries. You two were in the middle of a tragic romance movie, right in front of the police station."

Yuseong nodded in mock solemnity.

Both Aria and Cheonwoong turned bright red.

Suddenly, Cheonwoong looked at Aria and asked, "Are you okay, though?"

Aria smirked, gesturing toward the damaged truck. "Yeah, totally fine. Thanks for asking… now."

The group froze, staring at the crushed front of the truck.

Finally, Aria shrugged. "I'm fine, really. Let's just go."

Despite her words, her shoulder throbbed in pain.

As they walked, Aria realized she had nowhere to go. She turned to Cheonwoong with an expectant look, silently hoping for his kindness. Before he could respond, Chan and Yuseong's phones rang simultaneously. Both friends paled as they saw the texts from their mothers.

"Where the hell are you?!" their mothers screamed through the phones, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Reluctantly, the duo left, leaving Aria and Cheonwoong alone again.

Aria looked up at him. "So… can I stay with you for a while?"

Cheonwoong sighed but eventually nodded. "Fine. Follow me."

Instead of heading to his apartment, he took her to a children's care center where he'd grown up. The staff welcomed them warmly, and Aria was given a room for the night.

As she lay in bed later, reflecting on the day, she realized she'd experienced pain and warmth alike. Despite her hardships, she felt a strange optimism growing within her.

But her peace was short-lived.

In the dead of night, as she descended the stairs to get some tea, the whispers returned, louder than ever. They escalated into a scream. Aria looked up, and there stood the black-clad man, shrouded in dark energy, alongside the man from earlier in the police car.

Shaking with fear, Aria backed away into the lobby. The clock read 2:57 a.m. She braced herself, counting down under her breath.

"Three… two… one…"

At zero, a deafening BAM! echoed through the building.