Hitomi was appalled by Yuri's suggestion, while Yena just stared confusingly at her girlfriend.

"Yuri, are you kidding me right now? I asked for a solution, not another problem," Hitomi clenched her fists in anger and Yena noticed it.

"Ya, ya, ya! I'm sure Yuri has a reason why she said that. Right, Yuri?" Yena's eyes looked hopeful that her girlfriend really had put thought on her suggestion.

Yuri finally answered after a few seconds of hesitation, "Think about it, Hiichan. What is the only common factor about the days you experienced? You changed everything from the place to the date and the outfits. She even showed up here on one of your 'todays'. In all of those days, you met and made up."

"You're the smartest and the most logical person here, Hiichan. I'm sure this idea has crossed your mind before, but you're afraid that it might be right. That's why you asked us for an opinion; you wouldn't ask Yena or me about anything that requires brain cells," she continued.

Without saying a word, Hitomi stood up, went to her room, and slammed the door, causing an awkward silence in the living room.

Yena couldn't take her eyes off Hitomi's door's room. "Will she be okay?" she asked Yuri, who was as concerned as she was.

"I'm sure she'll know what's good for her. She's been struggling so much and it that she's going through this alone," Yuri answered.

"If I'm wrong, then the day resets again. If I'm right...

Then it's going to be a tougher challenge for Hiichan and Chaewon."

***

Hitomi sunk to the floor once she entered her room. She tried opening to scream, but no sound came out. She was too emotionally drained by this whole ordeal. Yuri was right, the idea had crossed her mind before. She had started to blame herself on the fifth "today", thinking that she was at fault for what will happen to Chaewon on that day. On hindsight, maybe this was the reason why she tried so much to change the outcome on the days that followed.

Mustering all her strength, she stood up and wiped the tears in her eyes. She walked to her shelf and saw their photo from the Namsan tower date.

Why did it have to be this way? Did I do something wrong in my life to deserve this curse?


She took the picture frame and stared at the photo with her teary eyes. She slowly put it closer to her face until she was able to kiss Chaewon's face on the picture through the frame. She then set it down on the shelf again, face down, and headed out to the bakery.

One last time.

***

Hitomi got off the bus and made her way to the bakery, which was like a routine for her now given the number of times she made this trip. Now, she made it a point to notice things that she hadn't noticed on the previous "todays". The wind was blowing from the east so lightly that she can barely feel its touch on her face. The tulips near the sidewalk had just started to bloom, and the sounds of the weekday rush filled the air.

Corgi family.

Careful, biker kid. You're going to fall anyway.

Nice advice, hobo.

Her footsteps stopped when she was near the entrance of the bakery. She never looked at the bakery from this angle, and the view was immaculate. She could see Chaewon from where she stood, but Chaewon wouldn't be able to see her unless she extended her neck, leaned on the glass, and looked down on the sidew