Chapter 5: A glitch

Exhaustion weighed on him like a ten-foot rim crashing onto his shoulders. Every muscle in his body screamed for rest, but his mind refused to quiet down.

After a long, refreshing shower, he collapsed onto his bed. The room was just as he had left it—still his and his alone. A dry chuckle escaped his lips as he stared at the ceiling.

"Guess some things never change," he muttered to himself.

His brain felt sluggish, his last ounce of mental energy hanging by a thread. "What a day… so this is my life now, huh?"

Then, a thought struck him, sending a jolt of realization through his body. His eyes widened. "Wait… If I've come back twenty years into the past—then he should be alive!"

His heartbeat quickened, and for the first time since his return, hope flickered within him. "Yes! That means I can stop it from happening again!" He clenched his fist. "I wonder if the system can help me... or if I have to do this myself."

He stood up and walked over to the window, climbing onto the balcony. The cool night air brushed against his skin as he gazed at the sky. The moon hung overhead, casting silver light across the city.

"It's nice seeing a peaceful sky again… instead of one filled with smoke and the blood of soldiers."

A deep exhale left his lips. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would find his brother.

Just as he was about to return inside, something shifted in the corner of his vision. A shadow—one eerily similar to his own moved against the dim light.

"What the—?" He murmured.

Without thinking, he jumped down and took off after it. His heart pounded as he pursued the dark figure through the empty streets. But just as he was about to close the distance, it vanished.

He skidded to a stop, scanning the area. Nothing. "Am I seeing things now?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Or is someone playing pranks on me?"

After a few moments, he sighed and shook his head. "Whatever…"

Morning arrived with the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the translucent curtains. Birds chirped at his window, greeting the new day. He leaned against the frame, watching the golden hues spread across the sky.

"Beautiful…" he whispered to no one in particular.

But he couldn't let himself get distracted. Today, he had a mission.

"I need to head to the principal's office later… get a pass to go see him," he muttered, grabbing his uniform.

As he made his way to the bathroom, his mind was still reeling from the night before. But just as he sat down, a system notification flashed before his eyes.

[SYSTEM ALERT: TEMPORAL TIME ANOMALY DETECTED]

{Priority: CRITICAL

Status: Unstable chronal fluctuations detected. System time may be unreliable.

Action Required:

Verify local timestamps manually.

Report any anomalies immediately.

Acknowledge to dismiss.}

(Automated alert - do not reply.)

His eyes widened in shock. "What the hell is this? Time anomaly?"

He reread the message, trying to make sense of it. Was the system glitching? Or was time itself becoming unstable?

Before he could process it fully, a knock on the door startled him.

"Chronos!" a familiar voice called out. "You're gonna be late again if you don't hurry up. I'm leaving!"

It was Julius.

Chronos groaned. "Guess he's leaving without me. I haven't even showered yet!"

He quickly rushed through his morning routine, brushing off the system's alert. He dried himself with a towel when—

Reality warped.

For a split second, the entire room flickered and shifted. The walls, the furniture—everything seemed to distort before snapping back into place.

He froze. "Huh?" He blinked rapidly. "Did my room just… change?"

But as he looked around, everything appeared normal again.

"Maybe I'm just overthinking it…" He shook his head, dismissing the unease creeping up his spine.

Grabbing his books and pen, he left for class. The school halls looked just as grand as he remembered. The silver-molded pillars, the polished marble tiles, the chandeliers that sparkled like distant stars.

"School is way more stressful than I remember…" he muttered under his breath.

As he entered the classroom, a familiar voice rang out.

"Hey, dummy."

He turned. "Oh, Aria…" His voice was hesitant. "How are you doing?" He asked.

"Forget how I'm doing. How are you?" she asked, arms crossed.

"I asked first." He shot back.

She gave him a stern look. "Are we seriously arguing about this?"

He sighed in defeat. "Fine…"

But Aria didn't look convinced. "You don't seem fine to me."

Her sharp gaze pinned him in place. "You've been avoiding me since yesterday."

"Huh? What do you mean?" His voice wavered slightly.

Before he could explain himself, another voice interrupted.

"Hey, baby boy."

His body stiffened.

Aria's eyes narrowed. "Baby boy?"

"It's just a nickname!" he said quickly, trying to brush it off.

"Oh, a nickname…" She sounded unimpressed.

Elsie sauntered up to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "What's up with you?"

Chronos could feel the sweat beading on his forehead. "N-nothing! I'm… garage."

Elsie blinked. "Garage? What does that have to do with anything?"

He meant to say good, but nerves got the better of him. Thankfully, the bell rang, cutting the conversation short.

"Saved by the bell," Aria muttered, making a throat-slitting gesture.

To her, it was a joke. But to him? It felt far too real.

Throughout class, Aria kept throwing him suspicious side-eyes, making him uneasy.

"Mr. Chronos," the teacher called out. "You seem distracted."

"Oh! No, sir!" he quickly responded.

The teacher gave a slight nod. "Good."

Chronos let out a relieved sigh. The last thing he needed was another punishment.

As soon as class ended, he took the opportunity to slip out and head to the principal's office.

"If I remember correctly, his office should be this way…"

But when he arrived, his heart nearly stopped.

Where the principal's office should have been—was now a bathroom.

"Another glitch?! Oh, come on!" He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "What else has changed?!"

Before he could dwell on it, his breath caught in his throat.

Because down the hallway, he saw something impossible.

Himself.

Walking the same path he had just taken.

His pulse raced.

"What… the… hell…?"