“You can pick me.”

It was the same boy who had been talking to Ryan earlier—Jason Reed.

I drew a deep breath and pointed at him.

“I’ll pick him.”

Ryan had thought I’d choose to drink instead. He froze, stunned.

As Jason and I leaned closer, Ryan’s bottle slipped from his hand, beer spilling.

He stormed out of the Karaoke Room, and right then, my phone buzzed with his message.

“Come out.”

The moment I stepped outside, Ryan dragged me into a corner.

“Claire Miller, when did you become so shallow? Playing games that far?”

I almost laughed. Now he cared about what I did?

“So what? It was just a game. Didn’t you just do a drinking challenge with Emily?”

Ryan’s face darkened.

“That’s different—I like her. Do you really think that guy likes you? You honestly believe that? You’re way too full of yourself!”

His rapid-fire questions left me shaken.

In my daze, I remembered the twenty-eight-year-old version of this man telling me:

“Claire, you’ve always been worthy of love.”

“Ryan, in your eyes, am I really not even worthy of being loved?”

The grievance surged up, stinging my nose.

“What else would you expect?”

The words slipped out, and then he turned, noticing my reddened eyes. Regret flickered across his face.

“You… forget it. Just don’t be so reckless anymore.”

Ryan spun around and walked back into the Karaoke Room.

I squatted down in the alley, feeling like these seven days were a form of torture.

“So pathetic, Claire. Did you think I wouldn’t notice you like him?”

It was Emily.

“Claire, I hate people touching what’s mine. I’ve tolerated you because Ryan kept bringing you along. But from now on, I hope you’ll have some self-awareness and stay away from him.”

I stood up, forcing a bitter smile.

“Don’t worry. I won’t anymore.”

No sooner had I spoken than a man rushed out of the alley, grabbing Emily’s wrist.

“You little tramp, finally found you. Thought you could ghost me, huh?”

Emily’s face went pale, terror flashing across it.

It was the first time I’d ever seen her look so scared.

He tried to drag her away.

I mustered every ounce of strength, shoving him back and pulling Emily behind me.

The man stumbled, nearly falling.

“I’m warning you. My friends are coming out any second. Don’t you dare make a move.”

He spat on the ground.

“Who cares? Think I’m scared? I’ll beat you too if you don’t get out of the way!”

He raised his fist.

I shut my eyes, Ryan’s face filling my mind.

But the pain never came. Instead, I heard the sounds of fists colliding.

When I opened my eyes, the thug was on the ground, Ryan’s fist clenched, his glare fierce.

“Ry—”

“Emily!”

Our voices overlapped.

I looked at him. He looked at her.

Ryan rushed past me, frantic, checking Emily for injuries.

In another world, when I’d run into danger on my way home, Ryan had descended like this too.

But that Ryan had held me tight, afraid I’d get hurt.

“I’m fine, Ryan.”

Only then did he breathe out in relief.

The thug staggered to his feet, pointing at me.

“You’ll regret this!”

Then he bolted.

Ryan frowned at me.

“Claire Miller, was this trouble your doing again? You’re getting more and more reckless.”

Ryan Cooper’s face showed nothing but open disgust as he pulled Emily Carter away.

“I’ll take Emily home first. Wait here—I need to talk to you afterward.”

Emily glanced at me a few times but said nothing, following Ryan.

Maybe I should never have come in the first place.

This time, I didn’t wait for Ryan. I went straight home.

In my world, I had no parents—only Grandma.

Near midnight, I was bent over my diary, writing.

The door suddenly flew open, Ryan storming in.

As I quickly shut the diary, a sticky note slipped out.

On it were the words: Ryan Cooper, I like you.

Ryan’s face darkened when he saw it.

“You like me?”

There was no joy in his expression—only disgust.

I stayed silent, turning my head away.

“Claire, we should keep our distance. You know perfectly well that I like Emily.”

My voice rasped.

“I will.”

And just like that, we stopped seeing each other.

“Claire, no matter how out of line you’ve been, I hope you won’t drag Emily into this. She’s a good girl.”

Eyes burning, I tilted my head up at him.

“In your eyes, does that make me a bad girl? Ryan, was there ever even the tiniest flicker of feeling for me? Not even a little?”

Ryan stayed silent.

And that silence was his answer.

“I understand.”

Ryan met my gaze.

“Claire, as long as you admit your mistakes and stop interfering, we can still be friends. On the way back, Emily was even defending you—she said you didn’t mean to, that it wasn’t all your fault.”

I let out a bitter laugh.

“So, what, I should thank her for that?”

My sarcastic tone only fueled Ryan’s displeasure.

“Claire, when did you become so unreasonable? I came here thinking I’d comfort you, but clearly that was a mistake.”

His brows knit tightly.

“You know I like Emily, so stay away from me. Don’t upset her.”

Ryan stepped back, widening the space between us.

“Claire, I think being liked by you is disgusting. I don’t want to see you in college. Stay away from our world.”

With that, Ryan left.

From behind me, I pulled out the diary.

The only proof that the twenty-eight-year-old Ryan had ever existed.

The only thing I had carried with me from the other world.

That night, I scrolled across Ryan’s social media.

He was planning a confession.

And the date was just three days away.

During those three days, I left Grandma with relatives and gave her all my part-time job savings.

I burned everything that had anything to do with Ryan.

On the day of his confession, I still pathetically wanted to hide in the corner—just to see him one more time.

But less than three hundred meters from the venue, I ran into that thug again.

He had a knife in his hand, and six or seven more thugs followed close behind.

“Boss, is that her?”

Sensing danger, I turned and ran.

In a panic, I dialed Ryan.

The phone rang for three seconds before being cut off.

I tried again—same thing. Three seconds, then disconnected.

When I dialed a third time, his phone was already turned off.

Dragged into a dark alley, I had no idea that Ryan was at that very moment adjusting his suit, checking the bouquet for his big confession.