Time Travel

1

Kiyo rolls into work, earbuds in and BTS blasting in her ears. The usual chaos of the tech factory greets her-- machines whirring, coworkers huddled over their stations, and the faint smell of burnt coffee hanging in the air. She smirks, thinking that if she had a dime for every time someone accidentally burned their coffee, she'd be rich enough to buy all the BTS merch she could ever want.

"Morning, Kiyo!" her friend says, waving from his station, where he's struggling with some wires.

"Morning!" she replies, pulling her earbuds out just enough to hear the world around her. Kiyo settles into her spot, a little corner that she's claimed as her own. It's not much, but it's cozy enough to survive the nine-to-five-torture-like-work.

As she powers on her computer, Kiyo notices her manager, Mr. Kim, pacing back and forth in the break room. His voice is low, but the tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife. Curious, she leans slightly closer, pretending to focus on her screen while subtly trying to catch snippets of the conversation.

"You can't just hide it like that!" Mr. Kim sounds almost frantic. "If anyone finds out, we'll be in serious trouble."

Kiyo raises an eyebrow. What the heck are they talking about?

"It's the best option we have," chimes in a familiar voice-- Minji, the office rival who has made it her life goal to undermine Kiyo at every turn. Ugh, this should be good.

"And no one will suspect a thing if it's in the basement," Minji continues, her tone smeared with smugness. "Even Kiyo won't notice. She's too busy daydreaming about those boy bands."

Kiyo's heart skips. Wait, what? Did she just mention her? Kiyo feels her irritation bubbling up. Just because Minji is in her own little competition doesn't mean she can drag Kiyo into it. But her curiosity outweighs her annoyance. She strains her ears, trying to catch more.

"I just want this to be over," Mr. Kim sighs. "We can't afford any mistakes. Let's keep it quiet until we figure it out."

"Agreed," the boss adds, his voice low and authoritative. "Let's not draw attention. The basement is the perfect spot."

Kiyo can't believe what she's hearing. Hidden in the basement? What the heck is going on? Her mind races with possibilities. A secret project? A hidden machine? Whatever it is, she can't let this opportunity slip away. The excitement sends a thrill through her, and she quickly decides she has to check it out.

Once the coast is clear, she slips out of her workstation, making her way to the basement door. Her heart races as she approaches, her pulse pounding in her ears. The basement is usually off-limits, a dark and dusty space filled with old tech and forgotten projects. But today, it feels like an adventure waiting to happen.

She pushes the heavy door open, the creaking sound echoing in the silence. Kiyo flips the light switch, and the dim bulbs flicker to life, casting eerie shadows on the walls. "Okay, Kiyo," she mutters to herself, "just a quick look. What's the worst that could happen?"

As she steps inside, the air feels cooler, almost charged with anticipation. She scans the room, taking in the stacks of boxes, tangled wires, and outdated machinery. It's a techie's paradise-- if only it didn't feel so haunted.

"Where would you hide something?" she whispers, pacing around. The place is a maze of forgotten projects, and she can't help but feel like she's in a treasure hunt. Freaking Dora.

Kiyo heads to the back, where the shadows feel even larger. Just as she's about to give up, she spots a door partially hidden behind a pile of dusty crates. Her heart leaps. This could be it!

She pushes the crates aside, revealing the door, and turns the knob. It creaks open, and a wave of cool air rushes out. Inside, the room is dimly lit, and Kiyo squints to see. What she finds sends a shiver down her spine-- a large machine humming quietly in the corner.

"What on Earth...?" Kiyo whispers, stepping closer. The machine looks high-tech, way beyond anything she's seen in the factory. It's sleek, metallic, and almost... alive?

She glances around, ensuring no one's watching. Her mind races with possibilities. Is this what they were hiding? A secret project? She can't help but reach out, fingers brushing against the cool surface. It feels like she's touching the future.

Suddenly, a light blinks on the machine, and Kiyo jumps back, heart pounding in her chest. "What the hell?" she gasps, trying to regain her composure.

Before she can think, the machine groans louder, and a series of buttons light up. Curiosity takes over. She leans closer, studying the buttons like they're a puzzle waiting to be solved. Kiyo bites her lip, feeling the thrill of adventure tingling in her fingertips.

With a deep breath, she presses one of the buttons. A low metallic noise fills the air, and the machine starts to glow. "Uh-oh," she murmurs, panic and excitement crashing together.

The lights flicker, and she feels a strange pull, like the machine is reaching out to her. "What the hell did I just do?" Kiyo whispers, wide-eyed as the room spins around her.

Everything blurs, colors merging together in a kaleidoscope of light. She tries to scream, but no sound comes out. Instead, she feels weightless, like she's floating through time itself.

And just like that, everything goes dark.