For the next several seconds, Aarika forgot how to breathe.
Kairon stood in her room like he belonged there—calm, steady, unreal. The silver key in her palm pulsed faintly, warm like a heartbeat.
"I don't understand," Aarika said, her voice slightly shaking. "How can my 'future' be missing? That doesn't even make sense."
"It will," Kairon replied. "When it's too late."
A perfectly useless answer.
Aarika scowled. "Okay, no. If you're some dream, wake me up. If you're some thief, get out. And if you're some…whatever, explain properly."
A small, almost amused smile tugged at his lips.
"You're braver than I expected."
"I'm annoyed. There's a difference."
Kairon gestured to the window. "Step outside. Look carefully."
She hesitated but moved to the balcony.
Everything looked normal—cars on the road, neighbors hanging clothes, children running—
—and then she noticed something wrong.
A man across the street was tying his shoelaces.
He finished the knot.
Then untied it.
Then tied it again.
Exactly the same way. Same hand movements. Same timing. Then again. Over and over. A perfect loop.
A chill crawled up her spine.
"What… what is that?"
Kairon stood beside her.
"Corrupted time. Your future is unraveling. Small glitches first. Bigger ones will follow."
Aarika turned to him.
"What do you want from me?"
His expression became serious.
"You must fix the thread that binds your tomorrow. Before someone else cuts it completely."
"Someone else?" Aarika repeated. "Who?"
Kairon didn't answer.
He stepped back, the air around him vibrating softly.
"I'll return at midnight. Until then, keep the key with you. And trust no one."
Aarika blinked.
"What do you mean trust no one? Who am I supposed to—?"
But he was already disappearing.
Not fading. Not teleporting.
Just slipping out of the moment, as if he slid between seconds.
And then he was gone.
The world continued normally.
But Aarika's heart hammered in her chest.
She didn't know it yet—
—but someone else was already watching her.
Someone who knew she had the Key of Tomorrows.
Someone who had stolen her future in the first place.
And they were not happy she had it back.
Not at all.