Saturday, 9:29 a.m. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The minute hand on Nozomi Sakura’s watch crept toward the mark.

She had already been standing in front of the school gates for over an hour and a half.

Mid-October should have meant the gentle arrival of autumn, cooler air, kinder skies. Instead, the sun showed her no mercy at all.

She stood alone beneath a tree, parasol raised, an impossible figure to ignore, especially after all the effort she had put into her makeup. Passersby slowed unconsciously, casting second glances her way, drawn by the quiet elegance she carried even while standing still.

On any other day, Nozomi would have pretended not to notice, secretly indulging in the attention. Today was different.

Sweat slid down her forehead, clinging to her carefully curled brows until she had to blink hard to clear her vision. Strands of golden hair stuck to her cheeks; she dabbed at her skin gently with a tissue, terrified of ruining her flawless makeup.

She maintained her goddess-like smile, serene and perfect. But inside, she had cursed Alan more times than she could count.

Any man who couldn’t show up on time for a date was hopeless. Utterly clueless about romance. Destined for a loveless, solitary life. That jerk!

Unforgivable.

Then, just as the minute hand clicked to 9:30 a.m., a sedan rolled to a smooth stop directly in front of her.

Beep.

The window slid down, revealing Alan’s face.

"Get in," he said simply.

Nozomi inclined her head and climbed into the passenger seat with practiced grace. Once inside, she glanced around, and blinked in surprise. The interior was refined, understated, expensive in a way that didn’t scream for attention.

She swallowed the question Is this your car? and turned to Alan instead, releasing the smile she had rehearsed countless times in front of the mirror.

"Good morning, Alan."

Alan studied her for a moment, then reached for a tissue and gently wiped away the beads of sweat trapped along her forehead.

"You’ve been waiting long?"

"Not really."

She shook her head lightly, as if it were nothing at all.

In her mind, she screamed: Yes, I’ve been waiting! If it weren’t for your money, I would’ve dumped you on the spot! At least apologize, you jerk.

Alan’s gaze lingered a second longer. Framed by long lashes, her flushed cheeks glowed softly. Her eyes, pure yet gentle, seemed capable of pulling people into their depths. Any ordinary man sitting this close would already be losing his composure.

Alan did not.

He hadn’t believed the act for a second.

Even Akari Hojo—the sweet-tempered rising star he’d once dated—would have sulked if she’d been kept waiting this long. She would’ve demanded something more than an empty apology.

She’d say something like, "Words aren’t enough. Show me you mean it."

Still, Nozomi’s performance pleased him well enough.

"Good," he said calmly. "Arriving early is a good habit. Keep it up."

"Of course~"

Her eyes curved into perfect crescents, but her hands, hidden in her lap, were clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

Inside, she cursed him all over again.

"Fasten your seatbelt."

"Um... where are we going?"

"To let you meet another version of yourself."