Yoona, following Jin's advice, had temporarily moved in with her best friend, Jisoo. The latter's apartment was a small, bright space located on the top floor of an old building, overrun with potted plants and eclectic objects. Yoona's presence brought a different dynamic to the place. Quiet and introspective, she spent most of her time observing her friend's interactions or getting lost in her thoughts. Jisoo, on the other hand, was a whirlwind of energy. Always moving, she seemed incapable of staying still for more than a few minutes.
— "So, are you planning to stay silent all day, or are you finally going to tell me how you feel about this famous Kang Soo Jin?" Jisoo teased, curled up on the couch with a bag of chips in her hands.
Yoona, leaning on the kitchen table, let out a sigh while pretending to read a magazine.
— "Stop it, Jisoo. It's not what you think."
— "Not what I think?" Jisoo burst into laughter, the plastic bag crinkling in her grip. "Yoona, seriously. You defend him all the time, you talk about him like he's the last hero on Earth, and you expect me to believe you feel nothing?"
Yoona averted her gaze, a faint pink hue appearing on her cheeks.
— "He's not a hero, Jisoo. He's just… someone important to me. Nothing more."
Jisoo raised an eyebrow before smirking.
— "'Nothing more,' huh? That's funny, because your face tells a completely different story."
The television in Jisoo's living room crackled slightly, a news channel broadcasting surreal images—collapsed buildings in distant cities, forests burning and seemingly regenerating themselves, and streaks of light flashing across a cloudless sky. The journalist, visibly tense, reported recent events in a grave tone.
— "These unexplained phenomena continue to multiply across the world. Reports indicate unusual magnetic storms, spontaneous tectonic shifts, and, more disturbingly, testimonies of individuals exhibiting abilities beyond human comprehension…"
Jisoo, sprawled on her couch, swung one leg over the other, her phone in one hand and a bowl of chips in the other. She glanced at the screen absentmindedly before turning back to Yoona, who was watching from the kitchen table, arms crossed, a concerned expression on her face.
— "Seriously, Yoona," Jisoo said, crunching on a chip, "do you actually believe this crap? People flying, fires starting on their own… They just want to scare us, that's all."
Yoona turned away from the TV to look at her friend.
— "What if it's not crap?" she murmured. "What if the world is really changing?"
Jisoo burst into laughter, setting her bowl down on the coffee table.
— "Oh, come on! You really think some random guy is just going to wake up one morning and start throwing fireballs? Seriously, Yoona, you watch too many sci-fi movies."
But Yoona's tone remained serious.
— "Haven't you felt… something strange lately? Like the air is heavier, or things move differently around you?"
Jisoo raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself. She put down her phone, crossing her arms as she faced her friend.
— "Okay, let's say something is happening. Why now? Why all this chaos all at once?"
Yoona shrugged, nervously playing with her fingers.
— "I don't know. Maybe it was always there, but we just didn't notice. Maybe… something triggered it."
A silence settled between them. The television continued to show bizarre footage—a woman surrounded by a glowing aura in a crowded street, children playing with floating droplets of water, and an unexplained explosion in a small town.
Jisoo finally sighed, running a hand through her hair.
— "Look, I'll be honest: if this is real, it's terrifying. But at the same time… kind of cool, right? I mean, imagine if you or I had powers. We could be heroes, save the world or… I don't know, steal cookies without getting caught."
Yoona couldn't help but smile slightly, but her gaze remained grave.
— "And what if people used these powers to destroy instead of save? You've seen what's happening in those videos. If the world is really changing, it's not going to be a walk in the park."
Jisoo leaned back against the couch, considering her friend's words.
— "You know what? You're right, Yoona. But…" She gestured toward the TV with a nonchalant wave. "There's nothing we can do about it for now. So unless you're secretly a superhero and hiding something from me, I say we keep living our lives as best we can."
Yoona looked away, biting her lip. She didn't dare respond. Deep down, a part of her knew she was already caught up in this change.
The wind blew gently through the slightly open window, making the curtains flutter. An invisible tension seemed to hang in the air, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something inevitable.
Jisoo suddenly got up, grabbing a bottle of water from the table.
— "Alright, enough scary talk. If aliens invade or people start flying, we'll deal with it then. But for now, I'm hungry. Want some ramen?"
Yoona nodded, a faint smile on her lips.
— "Yeah… ramen sounds good."
But as Jisoo busied herself in the kitchen, Yoona couldn't help but stare at the sky through the window, where a strange glow had briefly flickered through the darkness.
The world was changing—she was sure of it.
And deep down, she knew she wouldn't be able to escape it.