The Fear of Repeating Yesterday

Neo awoke to the warm glow of morning light spilling through his window.

His mind drifted in and out of sleep, reluctant to face the day just yet.

Then, a sudden thought hit him.

"The loop."

He immediately reached for his journal.

Flipping it open with half-lidded eyes, he skimmed through the familiar entries—Day 1, Day 2, Day 3...

Then he froze.

There was a new entry.

Day 8: I talked to Lena.

The words were simple, yet they sent a wave of realization through him.

"The loop...didn't reset?"

Still gripping the journal, he swung his legs off the bed and stood up. His movements were sluggish, but his mind was racing.

The Moment of Panic

Descending the stairs, Neo was greeted by the familiar voice of the innkeeper.

"Good morning. I will prepare your breakfast."

Neo stopped mid-step.

His stomach twisted.

"No... No, no, no. It happened again?"

His heartbeat spiked as he quickly turned toward the entrance, pushing past the lingering sleep in his body.

If it reset, then—

"Lena!"

Without hesitation, he bolted out of the inn.

The early morning air was cool against his skin, but he hardly noticed.

His feet pounded against the ground, each step bringing him closer to the small bakery stall.

His breath was ragged when he finally reached the door.

With one final gasp, he yanked it open.

And there she was.

Lena.

Baking.

Just like before.

His chest tightened.

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His worst fear had come true.

The Unexpected Response

Then, as he stood frozen in place, Lena turned toward him.

Her brows furrowed slightly, her gaze shifting to his heaving chest.

"What's wrong, Neo? Why are you exhausted?"

Neo felt his mind stall.

His breath slowed.

His vision flickered between her, the stall, the kneaded dough—

Then back to her clear, concerned expression.

"Wait... what?"

His mouth felt dry.

"You... remember me?" he asked hesitantly.

Lena tilted her head slightly.

"Of course. I've done a lot of thinking since yesterday."

Neo's mind completely stopped.

"Yesterday?"

"She remembers?"

His fingers clenched the journal tightly as the full weight of her words sank in.

She wasn't reset.

She wasn't repeating.

She remembered.

His shoulders loosened as the tension slowly drained from his body.

A breath of relief escaped his lips.

"It actually worked."

The First Step Beyond Perfection

Lena, noticing his reaction, frowned slightly.

"Neo? Are you okay?"

He blinked, regaining focus.

"Yeah, I'm alright," he assured her, exhaling deeply.

Now that he could actually look at her without panic clouding his thoughts, he noticed something different.

Lena's movements weren't mechanical anymore.

She wasn't locked in that endless cycle of adjusting and repeating.

Instead, she moved with deliberate action.

With purpose.

Neo's lips curled into a small, genuine smile.

"What are you doing, Lena?" he finally asked.

She dusted her hands off and straightened her posture.

There was a long pause.

She hesitated.

Her fingers lightly tapped against the wooden counter.

"I... think I want to open the bakery today."

Her voice was soft, uncertain.

Neo studied her expression.

There was a part of her still unsure.

Still afraid.

But there was something else too—a small but definite spark of determination.

She exhaled slowly, then looked at him.

"Do you... think you could help me?"

Her fingers lightly gripped her apron.

"I don't know if I can do this alone."

Neo blinked.

Then, with a small chuckle, he closed his journal and tucked it away.

"I don't know how to bake, but I'll try my best to help!"

Lena let out a small, relieved laugh. "Don't worry, I'll teach you."

A New Beginning in the Kitchen

For the first time, Neo wasn't just a spectator.

He was part of something.

Lena gave simple instructions, and he did his best to follow them.

His dough was uneven.

His shaping was...questionable.

But he didn't mind.

And, surprisingly—neither did she.

As they worked, Neo suddenly asked, "Did you find your purpose?"

Lena paused for a moment, looking at him.

Then, a faint smile formed on her lips.

"Maybe."

Neo grinned. "I see. I'm glad."

They continued baking, and by the time they finished, the stall was filled with freshly baked bread.

Neo wiped his forehead. "The ones I made are nothing compared to yours, even though you taught me properly."

Then, with a playful smirk, he added, "Maybe you use some hidden ingredients?"

Lena let out a soft chuckle but hesitated before answering.

Then, finally, she laughed. "You still need to practice a thousand more times."

Neo shrugged. "I guess I'll stick to being a traveler, then."

The Bakery Opens

The stall door was propped open.

The smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the streets.

For the first time, Lena's bakery was open for business.

Lena stayed inside, carefully arranging the bread, while Neo stood outside, calling out to passersby.

"Newly opened bakery! Come get the best bread in town!"

Some people stopped, intrigued.

Others approached, curious about the unfamiliar stall.

One by one, the first customers arrived.

Lena, gripping her apron, stood behind the counter as the first customer picked up a loaf.

She watched carefully, anxiously.

Then, the customer took a bite.

Lena held her breath.

The customer smiled.

Lena exhaled.

People began purchasing bread, taking bites, murmuring about the taste.

Then, Neo's eyes caught something strange.

A few people were eating...oddly shaped bread.

His oddly shaped bread.

His eyes widened.

He ran inside. "Lena!"

Lena turned, slightly surprised. "What?"

Neo pointed. "Why is my practice bread on your stall?!"

Lena blinked, then smirked. "Isn't it fine? I made it cheap, and people are actually interested in buying... whatever shape that bread is."

Neo was stunned.

Lena added, "Turns out, people enjoy something a little different. It gives character."

Neo stared at her.

Then, he laughed.

"She's really changed."

A competitive grin formed on his face. "Whoever sells more wins!"

Lena, now truly smiling, crossed her arms. "You bet!"

A Symbolic End of the First Step

As Neo and Lena exchanged competitive grins, the warmth of laughter filling the bakery, a sudden sharp sound echoed through the stall.

Crack.

Neo paused mid-smile, turning toward the source.

On a small wooden shelf, a ceramic measuring cup had split in half, a clean, perfect break running through it.

Lena followed his gaze.

Her fingers lightly brushed against the broken piece, her expression unreadable.

A long silence stretched between them before she finally murmured:

"Guess it was time to let that one go."

She chuckled softly, shaking her head before placing the broken cup aside.

Neo observed her carefully.

There was no frustration. No sense of loss.

Just acceptance.

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

"Good."

"Then the first step... is finally behind her."