Everything felt real.
Too real.
Tia lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling.
Time passed.
Minutes.
Maybe hours.
His thoughts refused to settle.
I died.
He remembered it clearly.
The pain.
The darkness.
Then—
Nothing.
Slowly—
He sat up.
The mirror stood across from him.
Silent.
Waiting.
He stared at it.
At himself.
Young.
"…Impossible."
"A~tia?"
The voice drifted from outside.
Tia froze.
His breathing stopped.
No.
No—
That voice—
He moved.
Fast.
The hallway blurred.
Then—
He reached the living room.
And stopped.
His body locked in place.
There she was.
Alive.
His mother looked up in surprise.
"Tia? I'm back. Sorry I couldn't make it home yesterday."
The bag slipped from her shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
He stumbled, unable to answer.
His vision blurred instantly.
His chest tightened so hard it hurt.
…Mom.
Years.
Years of searching.
Years of regret.
Years of wishing—
And now—
She was standing right there.
Alive.
Tears spilled before he realized it.
"Tia?"
Her expression changed immediately.
Worried.
She stepped toward him quickly.
"What happened?"
The moment she touched him—
He broke.
"Ma…"
His voice shattered.
He grabbed her tightly.
Like she would disappear if he loosened his grip.
"Where did you go…?"
The words escaped before he could stop them.
"I looked for you…"
His shoulders trembled violently.
"…I looked everywhere."
Confusion crossed her face.
"Tia…"
"I'll do better this time…"
He choked on the words.
"So don't leave again…"
"…Please."
Silence.
Then—
Her arms wrapped around him tighter.
"Shhh…"
"Where is all this coming from?"
"I'm here."
A hand gently stroked his hair.
"I'm not going anywhere."
His shoulders trembled harder.
"Tia…"
Her voice softened further.
"Did something happen?"
"You know you can tell me."
But he couldn't answer.
Not properly.
The words wouldn't come out.
So he cried instead.
And she stayed with him through it all.
Until the shaking stopped.
Until his breathing steadied.
"…I'll heat up some soup."
She stood slowly—
Then disappeared into the kitchen.
The room became quiet.
Too quiet.
A few minutes later—
She returned carrying two bowls.
Steam rose gently from them.
She placed one before him.
Tia stared at it silently.
Then lifted the spoon.
Warmth spread across his tongue instantly.
Familiar.
Painfully familiar.
His grip tightened slightly.
…It's been so long.
Across from him—
His mother watched quietly.
"A-Tia…"
"Is this because of the academy?"
Her eyes filled with worry.
"You don't have to take the exam if you don't want to."
A pause.
"…Or have I not been home enough lately?"
Tia looked up.
The concern in her eyes was real.
Alive.
Warm.
"Ma…"
His voice cracked again.
"…Nothing happened."
"You don't need to worry."
A lie.
Because none of this should exist.
I died.
He remembered it clearly.
So this—
Had to be a dream.
His mother sighed softly, then reached for her phone.
"If you're really serious about skipping it, I'll contact your teacher tonight."
"The exam starts tomorrow anyway."
Tia froze.
"…Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
She looked at him strangely.
"Monday. January seventeenth."
The spoon stopped midair.
His eyes widened slightly.
Silence.
No.
Impossible.
That date—
Slowly—
He raised his head.
"…Ma."
"What year is this?"
Her brows furrowed immediately.
"Tia…"
"How old am I?"
Now she looked genuinely concerned.
"You're seventeen."
"You'll turn eighteen soon."
Seventeen.
His chest tightened violently.
He remembered falling.
Darkness.
Death.
Years after that date.
"Tia…"
Her hand covered his gently.
"You're scaring me."
He looked away instantly.
"…I'm tired."
A pause.
"I think I'll sleep early."
Silence lingered briefly.
Then she smiled faintly.
Tired.
Worried.
"…Alright."
"But if something's wrong…"
"You tell me."
"…I will."
The door closed softly behind him.
Click.
Silence returned.
Tia sat at the edge of the bed.
And stared at his hands.
Young.
Small.
A weak laugh escaped him.
Unsteady.
"…No."
"This can't be real."
He lay back slowly, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
I died.
So why…
The room remained silent.
But somewhere deep inside—
A terrifying thought began to form.
What if this wasn't a dream?
"…But in the end… at least…"
A pause.
His eyes lowered.
"…I got to see Mom again."
His eyes snapped open.
"But—
…is this real or not?"