I'll try harder to live happily this time! (Twice × Reader)

Chapter 12

Two weeks. Yes, it had been two weeks since Y/N woke up in a book she once read. The memories of the struggles and happy moments she experienced were vivid, even the shitiest of them all.

However, the events of yesterday were a hazy blur. She couldn't recall how she had whined at Nayeon or the courage it took to pull Nayeon into bed with her. These memories were fragmented, like black-and-white images playing on a broken television, smudged and indistinct.

The recurring dream she had been having was now gone. The tears that had stained her cheeks were wiped away, and the throbbing headache had long since disappeared. It felt refreshing, and a profound sense of relief washed over Y/N like the strong waves of the ocean.

Y/N propped herself up, using her elbow for support. Her eyes landed momentarily on a sticky note on her nightstand, curiosity piquing her drowsy mind.

As she got up from bed, she reached for the sticky note, her eyes scanning each word with sleepy eyes.

"Hi darling! This is your lovely and world’s most beautiful girlfriend. I'm sorry I didn't wake you up when I got home; I didn't want to disturb your sleep. I'll fetch you later at six. Love you <3"

Y/N didn't have to read it twice. It was from Nayeon, her so-called girlfriend. Confusion swirled in her mind. Had Nayeon really been in her room yesterday while she was feverish? Seriously?

She sank back onto the bed, the note clutched in her hand, trying to piece together the foggy memories. The warmth of Nayeon's presence still lingered in the room, a comforting reminder that she wasn't alone in this strange, new reality.

She remembered again how she had been so focused on avoiding death flags and heroines that she forgot to enjoy her life. Schoolwork didn't help either.

Maybe it was time to start doing what she wanted, to let her guard down and embrace whatever came her way—except for death, definitely not that.

A soft yawn escaped Y/N's lips as she stood up, leaving the sticky note on her nightstand. Sluggishly, she made her way to the kitchen and saw her halmeoni’s back.

A smile grazed Y/N's lips as she pulled out a stool at the counter, sat on it, rested her chin on her palm, and greeted her halmeoni. "Good morning, halmeoni." Her voice was soft, as if she were back in the real world where her grandmother cooked breakfast for her like usual before she went to school.

"Oh my, good morning to you too, dear." her halmeoni replied with a warm smile as she briefly looked at Y/N and then returned to cooking. "You're up early. Did Nayeon-ah tell you to wake up early?"

"Halmeoni, please, no teasing early in the morning." Y/N grimaced at the thought of complying with Nayeon's demands. But it did send butterflies to her stomach. Why though? She was baffled.

"If that's what you want." her halmeoni replied with a tight smile as she prepared the plates, prompting Y/N to stand up and help her. "You're really a brat. Didn't I tell you to wash your face and brush your teeth before coming down?"

Y/N chuckled softly. "I guess I was just too excited to see you, halmeoni." She gave her grandmother a quick hug before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.

As she washed her face and brushed her teeth, Y/N felt a sense of normalcy settling in. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on everything it touched. The smell of her halmeoni's cooking wafted up to her, wrapping her in a comforting embrace.

For a moment, everything felt almost normal again. She splashed her face with water, looking at her reflection in the mirror. "Maybe." she thought, "I can start living my life here without fear."