After she vanishes into glowing particles, Tiger stands alone in the park.
The night feels heavier than before.
"What am I supposed to do now…?" he murmurs to himself.
He looks at his own hands for a moment.
"They talk like I'm supposed to understand something… but no one tells me anything."
Was she helping him… or playing with him?
For the first time tonight, he feels small.
He exhales slowly. "Forget it. I should leave."
He turns to walk away—
Suddenly—
A sharp presence forms behind him.
Something tries to stab him from the back.
The blade almost touches him—
But it doesn't.
Tiger feels it.
He hesitates.
Slowly, carefully, he turns around—
A ninja.
Dressed in dark clothing. Face hidden. Eyes cold.
The ninja immediately aims for Tiger's eye.
The blade moves forward—
Almost—
And—
Tiger is suddenly standing where he was before.
Exactly where he stood moments ago.
Tiger blinks.
"What…? I was just there…"
He looks around quickly.
"Did everything just reverse?"
No… he felt it.
The cold edge of the blade had almost touched his skin.
His body still remembers the fear.
That wasn't imagination. That was death standing one inch away.
His heartbeat grows unstable.
A black cat walks calmly across the path nearby.
Tiger stares at it.
Something feels wrong.
The cat isn't blinking.
Its eyes are fixed on him — uncomfortably steady.
Even the wind seems to avoid that small patch of ground around it.
The silence feels intentional.
He walks toward the cat slowly.
As soon as he gets close—
In the blink of an eye—
The cat transforms into the same ninja.
The blade moves again toward his eye—
And—
Tiger is back at the original spot.
Breathing heavily.
He whispers, "Am I in some kind of loop… or is this just coincidence?"
If this is a loop… why only me?
Is time broken?
Or am I the only thing stuck while the world keeps moving?
What if I already died… and this is something after that?
His head starts hurting.
"Maybe I should just go back to my room and rest."
He begins walking toward the exit of the small park.
As soon as he steps out—
The black cat circles around his legs once.
Tiger freezes.
He forces a small laugh.
"Yeah… maybe I'm imagining things. My mind is exhausted."
He slowly reaches his hand out.
"Maybe I can touch it now…"
As soon as his fingers move closer—
The cat steps back.
And instantly—
The ninja appears again.
Blade aimed for Tiger's eye.
Just before impact—
Everything resets.
Tiger stands in the same position again.
This time he stumbles backward slightly and touches the wall behind him.
"What is happening to me…?" he whispers.
"Is this because I'm looking at the cat? Or because I'm trying to touch it?"
He runs his hand through his hair.
"I seriously need rest."
He walks forward again.
Two… three… four steps.
The ninja appears behind him once more.
This time aiming for his chest.
The blade comes fast—
But Tiger's swiga blocks it instinctively.
Metal clashes.
The impact runs through his arm like electricity.
Sparks flicker for a split second.
The ninja's eyes widen — just slightly.
So it's real. This isn't just inside his head.
Tiger turns quickly.
"So it's you—"
He doesn't finish the sentence.
Reset.
Back to the original standing point.
Tiger grabs his head tightly.
"Ahh! What's wrong with me?!"
What if this is how madness begins?
What if tomorrow he can't even trust his own eyes?
Is this because of her?
Or was something inside him always broken?
His breathing becomes uneven.
"Sometimes he attacks from behind… sometimes he comes as the cat…"
He clenches his fists.
"Is my mind broken because of that girl? Or is something actually happening to me?"
His swiga blocked the attack once.
But it didn't matter.
Everything resets anyway.
He closes his eyes tightly.
"I don't even have words for this…"
He exhales sharply.
"Forget it. I'm leaving. I'll ignore everything. It's already late."
This time he exits the park and walks through smaller streets.
He chooses areas with proper lighting.
Every shadow feels longer than it should.
Every passing car reflection makes his heart skip.
He avoids looking at glass windows, afraid he might see something standing behind him.
No darkness.
No shadows.
He walks carefully.
Quietly.
For a moment… nothing happens.
He starts thinking.
"Maybe none of that was real."
He sighs.
"I'm too exhausted. My brain isn't thinking clearly."
He tries to calm himself.
"I'll just focus ahead. Don't look anywhere else. Just walk straight."
Footsteps behind him.
He stops.
His heart drops.
"Don't tell me…" he thinks. "Is that ninja not going to let me go peacefully?"
He continues walking anyway.
Convincing himself.
"It's not real. I'm just tired."
Suddenly—
The ninja appears right in front of him.
Face to face.
Too close.
The blade strikes directly toward his eye.
This time Tiger reacts instantly.
He blocks it with his swiga before it can reach him.
For one second—
He feels real resistance.
Real impact.
But—
Reset.
Back to the same position again.
Tiger stands frozen.
"This… this is seriously wrong."
He grabs his shirt near his chest.
Takes a deep breath.
Closes his eyes.
He doesn't move for several seconds.
He forces himself to calm down.
When he opens his eyes again, he speaks quietly.
"This time I'm walking home. No distractions. No looking around. Just forward."
And somehow—
Without turning.
Without reacting.
Without stopping—
He reaches his rented home safely.
When he arrives at his floor and starts unlocking his door—
He suddenly feels something.
Like someone is watching him from a window nearby.
He slowly looks toward it.
Nothing is there.
He unlocks the door and steps inside his room.
The door closes behind him.
Silence.
For one second—
A shadow appears outside the window.
Like someone standing there.
Like a girl.
The silhouette is slim.
Still.
Watching.
For a second, it feels exactly like her presence.
Then it dissolves into darkness — as if it was never there.
Then it disappears.