Wendy practically shoved a toasted bread into , simultaneously munching to digest it. She glanced at her wristwatch - 7:43 a.m. - she have to move fast if she wants to make it to school. She grabbed her backpack and rushed to the entrance. Before she pushed the door handle, she quietly muttered, "I'm off", despite there's no one there except herself. When she opened her apartment door, spring wind blows upon her face, causing her nose to twitched.

"Ah- Ahh - choo!"

She sneezed. Some flower petals the wind brought pass in slowy for a very brief momet. Wendy's eyes fluttered open as she regained her balance. Dang, the pollen must be heavier in the air today, she thought, brushing her reddening nose with the back of her hand before finally rushing her way to school.

---

Seulgi halt her spoon of rice mid-air. Her eyebrows furrowed when looking at her friend's face that's redder than usual, packed with watery eyes. "It's that bad today?" Seulgi asked from across the cafetaria table.

"You look like an angry hamster, unnie," commented Yeri cheekily while eyeing to the side. Her spoon then sneakily scoop a piece of spicy pork stir fry from Seulgi's lunch into , receiving a slap on her arm from Seulgi. Plus a glare. But it's not effective to a demon spawn like Yeri who just giggled in return.

"Mr. Hill basically kicked me out from class to just stay at infirmary since I won't stop sneezing." Wendy stated flatly. A sneeze catching up second later - followed with Yeri sluggish snort.

Yeri swallows her food before letting out series of laughs. "Hahaha! Even one of the strictest teacher gave you free ticket to skip class!"

"Yah -" Wendy pauses abruptly, her nose twitches, " ... It's not... funny!" She sneezed right after she delivered her protest.

Alerted Yeri pulls her lunch closer slowly, her arms quickly circling above her food protectively. "Ew, stop spreading bacteria to our food, unnie!"

"If I were you I would just stay at home," said Seulgi, directed to Wendy, but her eyes fixated on her lunch, occasionally glancing to Yeri.

Wendy pouted. "I didn't thought it'll be this bad, okay. Ah -" Wendy's body jerks slightly in anticipation of upcoming sneeze, but then..... it just a gimmick. That's really uncomfortable. " ...It wasn't that big of deal this morning," added Wendy, irritation filled her voice.

Yeri pointed her spoon to Wendy. "Thought you're suppose to be smart, unnie," mocked Yeri playfully.

Wendy sighed, which turns to sudden sneezes. Yeri tried to avoid Wendy's ambush by pulling her spoon away with haste, but she's too slow. "NO! My spoon! It's contaminated and must be disposed in flames!" shrieked Yeri in exaggeration horror. Seulgi just snickered at her, her eyes curved into crescent shape. 

"Sorry." Wendy quietly apologize. "I-I'll get you another spoon." She immediately stood from her seat and left. "Make sure to not sneeze at it behind my back, I trust you, unnie!" yelled Yeri.

After grabbing a new pair of plastic spoon and fork that's wrapped in plastic, Wendy decided to also grab a drink along the way. Pressing on the fifth button, Wendy obtain her usual choice, a carton box of cold vanilla latte. 

"Blegh." Should've guess that all the taste of foods and drinks are strange today, no exception even for her favorite drink from the vending machine.

Without warning, gusty wind came abruptly. Wendy scrunched her face, her body tensing up as her chest puff out, inhaling even more pollen that resided within the wind.

"AHH- CHOO!" 

She sneezed violently, her body bent involuntarily and her drink got squeezed, splurting all over.

Wendy stayed still for a moment before wiping her nose. "Gosh, that's... That's a big sneeze," muttered her in the midst of silence.

Wendy blink. Why... is it quiet all of sudden? 

She lifted her head, her eyes widened. Everyone still here, they're not disappearing. 

Taking a little step, she started walking slowly, gradually increasing her speed. Her head jerk at every direction, looking at everywhere. No matter where she look, the scenery made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

But... no one is moving.

In fact, nothing is moving, the falling leaves, the water spring on the fountain - Wendy glanced at her wristwatch - even her wristwatch hands.

"Wh... what is..." Wendy's breath hitched. Suddenly, it's getting hard to breathe, her chest getting tight.

Albeit occupied with shock and confusion, Wendy forced her stiff legs to dash toward where her friends is, she can't face this - whatever is this - by herself.

"Ah!" The unnoticed cracks cause Wendy to tripped, cheek kissing the ground.

"...Ouch." Wendy grunted in pain.

"Wendy? Why are you lying there?"

Wendy's eyes shoots up, met with Seulgi's eyes that reflected mix of confusion and worry.

Wendy sat on ground, unsure what to say, "I uh..."

"When did you?" Wendy turned to see Yeri now, whose eyebrows shoots up, hand hovering over , showing quite amount of surprise. "I didn't see you at all, unnie!"

Wendy just stared back, still have no idea what to say. She herself still processing what happen. Finally, Seulgi moved from her seat to help Wendy getting up and take a seat.

Seulgi touched Wendy's shoulder gently. "Are you okay, Wen?" Seulgi decided to ask when seeing her best friend being oddly quiet.

Wendy gave no respond for a moment. She then touched her temple. "I... I don't know." Yeri and Seulgi exchanged concerned look at Wendy's vague answer.

"What's happening, unnie...? Is fetching a spoon for your dearest little step sister that traumatizing?" asked Yeri. She tried to joke nonchalantly with hope loosening up tense Wendy. Wendy chuckled a little at that.

"Oh!" Wendy sudden movement startled both Yeri and Seulgi. "Your spoon! Oh no, I- I think I dropped it somewhere when I ran here..."

Yeri rolled her eyes. "Unnie, forget about it, I could just rob-" Seulgi squinted. "-Borrow, Seulgi unnie's spoon," she said.

Yeri eyebrows then furrowed again. "Wait unnie, why would you run? Are you that eager to give me a spoon?"

"...I don't know.. how should I explain this," Wendy took a moment to look down, working her brain to think a good explanation. "To put it simply, I think... I uhh... kinda stopped time..?" Wendy looked at her friends in the eyes as she tucked strand of hair behind her ear that cover her face due to breezing wind.

"... Did your head hit the ground hard-"

"I know it's sounds ridiculous."

"No offense unnie, but it is."

"I don't really have any proof but I swear-" Wendy breath hitches and a sneeze comes after. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneeze at..."

Wendy bolted up from her seat, taking a quick look on her surroundings. "Oh my gosh, it's happening again! See!" She threw her hands in the air.

"Seul, Yeri, look-" Wendy turned at her friends.

"Oh." Right. Of course they also won't move either.

She sighed. Now what? Wendy walked around and sat next to Yeri. She absentmindedly poke Yeri's cheek.

Yeri blinks in slow motion.

"WHOA!" Yeri sprung from her seat away from Wendy toward Seulgi who reflexively catched her. "WHen- How-" Yeri's hands scrambled around, trying to get a grip on Seulgi's shirt, meanwhile Seulgi just gaped at Wendy.

"I... I think just accidentally stopped for a moment... again," said Wendy with sheepish smile. Honestly, this is freaking her out too, but witnessing her friends reaction comforted her a bit.

"Wen, how..."

Wendy shook her head at Seulgi's hanging question. "I don't know Seul, It's- It's just happens when I... sneezed. At first, I think things just going slow for a moment when I sneezed? So I just brush it off, thinking maybe it's just, cause y'know, adrenaline rushing or something when I sneezed, but... But then, when this big sneeze happened, I uh, something kinda snapped? Maybe? And- And then things not just slowing down, but completely... stopped," rambled Wendy. She bit her lower lip. Her friends just stared at her for quite some time.

Yeri is the first one who opened as she slowly detached herself from Seulgi. "That... " She took Wendy's hands in hers. "IS SO COOL!!" exclaimed her, eyes lights up in excitement. Now Yeri all over Wendy, "Can you do it again? Can you? Please??" Yeri turned enthusiastic, while Seulgi wore the blank look, still processing.

Wendy winced a bit from Yeri's excited tight grip. "I-I'm not sure... I can't really control it. Actually, I'm not really sure if I'm really able to-"

"It's okay! You just need to practice, unnie!"

"Erm, I- I... guess?" Wendy shrugged.

"Then, then!" Wendy eyes tried to follow Yeri who can't sit still. "After school! Let's-"

School's bell interrupts them.

"Aw, I'm still not done eating!" whined Yeri, then snatched a spoon from Seulgi who's still not showing reaction, quickly finishing her lunch.

Wendy carefully waved her hand on her friend's face. "...Seul?"

"... You can stop time." At last, Seulgi is done processing.

---

Wendy stuffed her phone back in her pocket and huffed. They're, well, Yeri mostly, are the one who suggested to hang out after school yet they're the ones who cancelled it. Yeri said she have group assignment with Saeron and Seulgi excused herself, saying she have to finish her painting so she can submit it today.

Wendy closed her eyes and sighed. She then stared on her palm. The truth is, she's still curious about what happened today. After all, you don't happen to freeze time any day. She's actually been messing around in the class, holding up her eraser above her desk then released it, letting it fall as she concentrate, imagining it slowing down. There's not much progress at all though, the eraser downfall just slowed down a moment instead of stopping. It's still pretty cool though. Her sneezes however, somewhat successfully stopped time, although momentarily too. Is it because it happens out of reflexes? Just like how we shuts our eyes when we sneeze?

Several tiny droplets fall upon Wendy's face, preventing Wendy to lost in her own thoughts any further. The dark gray sky greeted her when she look up. "Uh-oh." Wendy usually likes a rainy weather, she enjoys the atmosphere that it brings and it's also helps with her pollen problem. 

The thing is, she didn't bring an umbrella with her. She remembered seeing the weather cast before she went to school, it predicted that it'll be raining heavily, but she brushed it off, the weather prediction has been a miss for 3 days in a row. She should've have a little more faith. 

Eventually, the drizzling rain turns into downpour. The icy wind blowing the rain straight to her face. 

"...Oh great." Wendy could try running, but what's the point if you're already soaked?

Wendy can feel her body started to shivers, so she spun and skipped on a puddle, trying to distract herself from the cold. 

Splash.

Huh, that's not as exciting as I remember. Still kicking and skipping on puddles, she ponder how her child self find these activity in the rain fun.

A stronger freezing wind blew, messing her chestnut hair. When she rake her hair to clear her vision, a purple umbrella flashes by and a squeal could be heard. Wendy's eyes automatically followed a dark haired girl chasing her umbrella that finally settled down on the middle of the road.

Fears washed on Wendy's face. Unexpected truck appeared, taking turn from behind toward the road where there's the purple umbrella. The girl's direction. "HEY!" shouted Wendy, but the sound of heavy rain and winds swallowed her voice. 

Wendy began to running. "GET! AWAY!!" She tried screaming, however it's hard to do so when you're running while rain slapping your face without mercy. Thus, the girl who doesn't quite catch Wendy message, just turned around facing Wendy with a frown. 

Things feels like going in slow motion as the truck getting close.

No nO NO NO

The truck bumper almost touching the girl.

"STOOPPP!!!" 

A desperate scream is all it takes. Everything frozen, to every single of rain droplets. Wendy baffled for a second - then immediately continue to ran after realizing what's happening - she doesn't know how long it'll last.

When the girl within Wendy's range, she jumped - and right after she pushed both her and the girl to the side, away fron the road, the time goes on.

Both of them falling to the side of the road, water splashed on them as the truck pass by with high speed.

They just lied there, both clung to each other, freaking out. "... Holy... fluffing pancakes." is all what Wendy could say. The girl's shoulders  then begun to shook lightly. Wendy is alarmed, thought she's shocked.

"Are you ok-..." Wendy sat up. "... laughing?" Wendy's eyesbrows knitted, is that some sort of mental breakdown variation?

Then Wendy heard the girl's giggles clearer now. The girl eventually sat up too but still seemingly ticklish. Then it struck Wendy that the girl before her is astoundingly beautiful, despite the messy hair, flatten by the rain. Wendy pretty sure she's in the same condition as the girl, but she's highly doubt that she's looking y like her even the slightest. Wait, y? Wendy shook her head quickly.

"I mean..." the girl spoke while trying to control herself from grinning, and that is hella cute. Hella cute? Really, me? "... I never met someone who swear like that." The girl finished her sentence.

Wendy's expressive eyebrows furrowed in disagreement. "What's wrong with the way I swear?" asked Wendy genuinely. Wendy simply just following her mom's lesson about how she have to watch out what she says, no bad words allowed.

More chuckles slipped from the girl's pink lips that Wendy kept staring at unconsciously. "You're cute," said the girl instead of answering Wendy's question. It made Wendy blushed, butterflies appeared in her stomach.

-----------------

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Hai.

This story idea about time power actually inspired by Life is Strange.

Yeah, that's all - what did you guys think about this story idea? Is it worth turn into multiple chaps story? If not it's okay ... I'll be unable to write consistently anyways - considering there's never ending stacked assignments... Uhh yeah. Thanks for reading!