love, me | gyuricky

three.

He only got back to the dorm when it was nearing midnight; they'd gone out to a really nice Japanese restaurant in Itaewon and then gone drinking afterward, but he'd made it in time to catch the last train back to campus. Talk about a perfect ending to his birthday.

Jiwoong was still awake, though the room was dark and he was lying in bed, his phone screen the only light source in the room other than the faint moonlight filtering in through the windows. "Hey, you're back. How was it?"

"Great!" Gyuvin answered. He was still smiling as he recalled the events of the night. "Hyung, my friends pooled their money to get me a really nice pair of headphones. I love them, seriously."

"That was nice of them," Jiwoong returned. "Happy birthday. Hope you had a good day."

"You sound like my dad," Gyuvin retorted, putting his bag down where he estimated his table was supposed to be, in the darkness.

"Well, sometimes I feel like it."

It was almost one in the morning when he finished showering and washing up and got into bed, which didn't matter because it was a Saturday tomorrow, so he wasn't in any rush to fall asleep. His phone screen lit up, dimming immediately in reaction to the dark surroundings, and he swiped through endless Kakao notifications and Instagram messages. He could answer all of those tomorrow. He was too tired to deal with all of them now.

1 new notification: Email Inbox

Call it morbid curiosity, maybe. Gyuvin knew curiosity killed the cat, but he figured the idiom shouldn't apply to him opening his own personal inbox.

Sender: Unknown Domain

Subject: Happy birthday (again)

Hey Gyuvin,

I know it's past midnight now, so it's technically not your birthday anymore, but still. You're 21! I hope your day was perfect.

I still don't know if these emails are even getting through to you. I can't tell because you didn't reply to my previous email. Please reply, if you're seeing this. I just need to know. I want to tell you more about myself, but I won't bother if I know this email doesn't get to you.

It's kind of pathetic to beg like this, but I'm past the point of caring about my dignity. I hope you're safe and well, and you're always happy.

Love,

me

─

Reply to: Unknown Domain

Subject: Re: Happy birthday (again)

Who are you?

Sent from my iPhone

The reply came almost instantaneously. He'd hardly closed the email app for two minutes before there was a new notification.

Sender: Unknown Domain

Subject: Please don't be joking with me

Gyuvin, is it really you? Are you really receiving these? Is this you talking to me? I'm sorry if I sound messy or like I'm rambling. I just can't believe it went through. My fingers are shaking as I type this.

I'm hesitant to tell you too much about who I am, because I'm worried it'll change something that isn't meant to be changed. I'm sorry for keeping secrets. I hope my previous emails didn't scare you. I just wanted to talk to you.

I can't tell you my name because I worry you'll try to find me ahead of time and change something in the future, but you're going to meet me soon. In four months' time, to be exact. I'm writing this email to you from the future too. I don't know how this is getting to you, but I guess it must be working. It's 1:05AM on the 31st of August 2030 where I am. I suppose it's 1:05AM on the 31st of August 2023 where you are?

You're probably not going to believe much of this, so here's some proof. Your friends came together to get you new headphones for your birthday, didn't they? An Apple Airpods Max in silver. You told me about it four months later when we met. I hope that's enough to convince you, but if you want more proof, which I assume you'll ask for, please reply to this email. I'm sorry for asking so many times. I just need some confirmation that this is real.

Love,

me

Gyuvin's blood ran cold. His fingers were frozen where they held his phone, his thumb still hovering over where he'd clicked to open the email.

What the hell did he get himself into?

Emailing from the future? If time travel of this sort had really been invented, Gyuvin was sure it'd be all over the news by now. What kind of ridiculous plot was this person making up?

But he couldn't shake the chill that settled in his bones. This person knew. Whoever it was, he knew real details about Gyuvin's life, about things that had just happened. He stared at the Apple Airpods box sitting on his desk, still unopened.

Reply to: Unknown Domain

Subject: Re: Re: Happy birthday (again)

If this is a joke, just give it up. It's creeping me the fuck out. 

Sent from my iPhone

Gyuvin switched off his phone, placed it face-down and tried to think of nothing.