Luca and Marc stood in the crowd of students filing into the auditorium.
Everything looked exactly the same as before—the banners, the cheering, the music, even the smell of food booths drifting from outside.
But something was different.
Them.
Marc nudged Luca with his shoulder. "Alright. We know how this goes. First challenge is the relay. That's where Aiden bodies you."
Luca groaned. "Bro, don't remind me."
Marc smirked. "Nah, I'm reminding you because this time you're NOT getting blindsided."
They dapped each other up—quick, solid, a silent agreement.
The principal stepped to the mic.
"Welcome, students, to—"
"—the Spring Term Festival," Luca whispered ahead of him.
Marc whispered back, "Bro, don't say the whole speech."
Luca grinned. "I could."
"You better not."
The principal continued, outlining the events word-for-word like a perfect recording.
Luca watched the students cheer, clap, laugh—
all completely unaware this was déjà vu.
Marc leaned in. "Okay, step one. Avoid Aiden early. Don't get cocky. Don't let him bait you."
"Yeah," Luca whispered. "And step two… don't drop Hana."
Marc snorted. "That too."
When the briefing ended, students rushed out to pair up like last time.
Hana jogged up to Luca—same smile, same bounce.
"Luca! Partner with me again! You look fast."
Luca hesitated for one second—long enough to feel the weight of the last timeline.
But then he nodded confidently. "Yeah. Let's win this."
Hana's grin widened. "That's what I like to hear."
Marc watched with a smirk. "Bro is not fumbling this loop."
Aria approached him quietly—same as before but somehow more knowing.
"Marc," she said softly, "will you be my partner again?"
Marc nodded. "Yeah. I was hoping you'd ask."
Aria gave the faintest smile. "Good. Let's do better this time."
Luca raised an eyebrow. "She really remembers everything?"
Marc whispered, "Bro, she remembers EVERYTHING."
Last loop, Aiden approached them early with attitude.
This time?
They moved faster.
Marc and Luca casually shifted behind the crowd, using the moment students swarmed the sign-up board as natural cover.
Aiden glanced around, looking annoyed he didn't find them.
Ryo approached him. "Looking for someone?"
Aiden frowned. "Yeah. Those two transfers."
Ryo shrugged. "Don't worry about them."
Aiden's jaw tightened. "I just want to make sure they don't cause trouble."
Marc whispered, "He's already irritated and he doesn't know why."
Luca whispered back, "Good. Keep him guessing."
They fist-bumped low to stay subtle.
The relay race setup was identical to last time:
Luca first runner
Hana second
Aiden opposite them
Ryo analyzing every detail
But Luca wasn't the same runner anymore.
Marc stood at the sidelines, arms crossed, watching Aiden like a hawk.
"Remember," Marc called out, "don't take the inside lane."
Aiden always shoulder-checked from the inside.
Luca nodded. "Got it."
The whistle blew.
Luca sprinted wide.
Aiden lunged inward—
missed him completely.
Luca smirked mid-stride. Not this time, bozo.
Hana saw it instantly.
"That was CLEAN!" she shouted as he passed the baton.
Marc dapped Luca up the second he jogged back.
"This loop hitting different," Marc said proudly.
Aiden narrowed his eyes at them, clearly confused why his "accidental" sabotage failed.
Good.
During the logic challenge, Marc leaned close to Aria.
"You remember the whole loop, right?"
Aria nodded, solving a puzzle without looking at her hands. "Yes."
"Why?" Marc asked quietly. "Why you?"
Aria didn't look up. "I'm not from here."
Marc froze.
"…What?"
Aria whispered, "Not the way you think."
Luca overheard and stared. "Then what ARE you?"
Aria placed a puzzle piece perfectly and finally met Marc's eyes.
"I'm someone the world can't erase."
Marc felt chills run down his spine.
Aria continued, "And someone the system can't control."
Before he could ask anything else, the proctor shouted:
"Next challenge!"
Aria stood gracefully. "Save your questions. You'll need them after this loop."
Marc didn't know if he should be worried or impressed.
Last loop: disaster.
Luca failed to catch Hana.
They lost the arc.
This loop: he was READY.
Hana climbed the platform confidently.
"You better catch me this time!" she teased.
Luca laughed, nerves buzzing in his chest. "I will. Promise."
She crossed her arms, pretending to think. "Hmm… if you drop me again, I might hold a grudge."
Marc shouted from the side, "BRO DON'T FUMBLE!"
"I WON'T!"
Hana giggled, then let herself fall.
Luca caught her perfectly—solid grip, soft landing.
Hana blinked in surprise. "Whoa…"
"You okay?" Luca asked.
She stared at him longer than necessary. "…Yeah. That was… really good."
Marc whispered to Aria, "He cooked."
Aria corrected him softly, "He improved."
Marc squinted at her. "You really don't talk like the others."
Aria looked toward the sky. "That's because I'm not like the others."
This time:
Aiden still won the first two events
But Luca & Hana finished second instead of last
Marc & Aria tied for second on logic
And the trust fall changed everything
The scoreboard put Aiden FIRST again…
But Luca and Marc were MUCH closer.
Aiden glared at Luca for catching Hana so well, suspicion rising.
Ryo tapped his shoulder. "You seem… agitated."
Aiden muttered, "They weren't this good yesterday."
Ryo frowned. "…Yesterday?"
Aiden blinked. "I—"
He shook his head. Like something slipped through.
Marc watched from a distance.
"Bro," he whispered to Luca, "Aiden felt something."
Luca nodded. "Aria said the world changes every loop. Maybe he felt a crack."
Marc crossed his arms. "All I know is we lasted longer. We're getting better."
They dapped each other up again — longer, louder, letting the satisfaction hit.
Last loop, they lost HARD and reset instantly.
But this time?
Hours passed.
Students celebrated.
Sunset hit.
And the world did NOT collapse.
Luca blinked. "Bro… we didn't loop?"
Marc smirked. "We improved the timeline."
Aria approached them, calm as always. "Good. The loop only triggers when you hit a true failure."
Luca raised an eyebrow. "Wait… so if we don't fail—"
"You progress," Aria finished.
Marc squinted at her. "Progress to what?"
Aria looked up at the sky.
"…To the point this world can't hold you anymore."
The courtyard lights flickered for a split second — faint, but noticeable.
Aria whispered, "That's your next warning."
Marc and Luca exchanged a look.
A dap.
Then a fist bump.
"Round three," Marc whispered.
Luca grinned.
"Let's Win."