I stood there watching her walk away, her figure fading into the distance until the dark road swallowed her whole. A quick glance at my watch told me it was already 7 p.m. With a slow, weary sway, I pushed myself up and began the walk home.
When I finally reached, I braced myself, expecting my mother's scolding for being late. But to my surprise, she said nothing. The silence lingered, almost unsettling, yet strangely comforting.
I went to my room, changed into fresh clothes, and headed downstairs. Soon after, dinner was served. My mother, with her gentle curiosity, asked me countless questions about school and I found myself answering each one with a smile, enjoying every word we shared.
After dinner, I went back to my room and collapsed into bed. My mind replayed the day's strange events, looping over every detail. Slowly, the weight of exhaustion crept in. My eyelids grew heavy, my thoughts blurred, and before I knew it, darkness claimed me.
[Alarm Beeping]
The sharp sound of the alarm cut through the silence of the room as warm sunlight slipped in through the gaps in the curtains. Yuni groaned softly, stretching his arms before lazily reaching out to silence the noise. Slowly, he pushed himself upright, his legs dangling off the side of the bed. A long yawn escaped him before he finally stood and shuffled toward the bathroom.
Half-asleep, he picked up his toothbrush, squeezed out some paste, and began brushing absentmindedly. His eyelids felt heavy, his movements sluggish. But as his senses slowly sharpened, something caught his eye in the mirror—something so startling that his drowsiness shattered in an instant.
Heart racing, Yuni jerked back in shock, his foot slipping on the bathroom tiles, and he tumbled to the ground with a thud.
Yuni groaned in pain as he rubbed his back, the fall still stinging. But then something strange caught his attention—his voice. It wasn't the light, childish tone he was used to. Instead, it carried the weight and depth of a teenager's voice. Confused, he slowly stood up and turned toward the mirror
What he saw froze him in place.
Staring back at him was not the young boy he remembered being, but his older self—a teenage version of Yuni. His heart pounded wildly as he splashed water on his face and rinsed his mouth, hoping it was all just some strange dream. But the reflection didn't change.
Panicking, he stumbled back into his room and frantically searched for answers. His eyes fell on the calendar hanging by the desk. The date read: April 8th, 2018.
His mind raced with questions. "What happened? Why am I here? How is this possible?" Thoughts spun in his head like a storm, but no answer came. Eventually, he sank down on his bed, trying to calm his breathing. No matter how much he thought about it, he came to a dead end.
Just then, his mother's familiar voice called out from downstairs:
"Yuni, come down! Breakfast is ready!"
He let out a shaky sigh, whispering to himself, "I'll figure this out later..." Gathering himself, he stood up and went downstairs to join his mother for breakfast. The warmth of her presence gave him a strange comfort he hadn't felt in years.
After the meal, he returned to his room to get dressed. Standing before his wardrobe, he hesitated.
"Wait… what school was I in again?"
His eyes scanned the neatly folded clothes until he spotted the uniform. Recognition hit him, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Ah… right. I'm in Grade 11 at Azexk Academy."