Time Loop

00 - A Normal Start

"SILAS! Get up already! You're going to be late!" A deep, frustrated voice tore through my sleep, dragging me back to reality. Before I could even process what was happening, a rough shake jolted me fully awake. Blinking against the morning light, I found my uncle looming over me, arms crossed, his expression a mix of irritation and urgency. For a few blissful seconds, my brain refused to function. Then, like a punch to the gut, realization struck. Oh fantastic. The first day of my second year of college. How could I possibly forget?.

But seriously-why the yelling?.

Groaning, I burrowed deeper under the blanket. "I'm getting up... just five more minutes," I muttered. Big mistake. A second later, the blanket was ripped away, leaving me defenseless against the cold morning air. "Your classes start at 7 sharp!" He snapped, his voice laced with impatience. "So get up already! And don't come to me later saying I didn't wake you up!." I sighed heavily, stretching my arms before finally forcing myself to sit up. "Alright alright. I'm up," I grumbled. "Now leave." Satisfied, he huffed and strode out of the room, leaving me to confront the harsh reality of yet another dull, soul-crushing school day. I groggily pushed myself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes before turning to the mirror.

My reflection stared back at me, "Hmm, handsome," I muttered, running a lazy hand through my hair.

With a yawn, I made my way to the bathroom, the cold tile sending a chill up my spine. The moment I stepped under the shower, the icy water hit me like a slap, shocking me awake. I sucked in a sharp breath before adjusting the temperature, letting the warm water cascade over me. After a long, refreshing shower, I grabbed a towel, drying my hair with one hand while reaching for my toothbrush with the other. I brushed my teeth, watching myself in the mirror as I ran a hand through my damp hair, making a half-hearted attempt to tame it. Stepping out of the bathroom, I made my way to my closet, pulling out my neatly pressed school uniform. With practiced ease, I slipped into my trousers and buttoned up my shirt, adjusting the collar as

I glanced at my reflection once more. Decent enough. Letting out a small sigh, I stretched my arms over my head before grabbing my bag. "Alright, time to survive another miserable school day."

I stepped out of my room, immediately greeted by a delicious aroma drifting through the air. The rich, savory scent made my stomach grumble. whatever it was, it smelled amazing. Looks like Uncle lee is experimenting with another new recipe. Breakfast is going to be interesting i guess. Curious, I walked into the kitchen and found him standing by the stove, focused on his cooking. "What are you making?" I asked, peering into the pan before sinking into a chair. "Spicy omelet wrap," he replied, expertly flipping the omelet with practiced ease.

He was an incredibly skilled cook-far better than anyone I knew. But it wasn't something I had always known about him. I only found out when I accidentally stumbled upon a cupboard full of awards. I remember opening it out of curiosity, expecting to find old dishes or utensils, but instead, gleaming trophies and certificates stared back at me. When I asked him about them, he told me that a long time ago, he used to participate in big culinary competitions in China-Beijing, to be specific. And not just participate, but win. But that was before. Ever since I've been with him, I've never seen him take part in a single competition. It's been over ten years now, and as far as I know, he hasn't even gone back to China much.

"Oh, nice. Gotta admit, your cooking smells amazing today," I remarked, resting my cheek against my palm while watching him. Uncle smirked. "Of course! You should consider yourself lucky to have an uncle like me-handsome, cute, young, and an expert in cooking. And yet, you're so ungrateful. You don't even take care of me," he said with mock disappointment. I scoffed. "Why would I take care of you? Are you a little kid? You should be taking care of me," I shot back. "As if I don't already?" he said, stirring the omelet mixture in the pan with a wooden spatula.

He had a point. To be honest, ever since my parents left this world, he has been the only one looking after me. More than ten years had passed since then. And yet, there was something that had always puzzled me. I had no idea how exactly he was related to my parents. He was Chinese, and we weren't. Once, a long time ago, I had asked him about it. But he never gave me an answer. Well, whatever. He had raised me since childhood. That was all that mattered. To me, he was my uncle. And that was enough.

"Hurry up. Im getting late," I muttered, impatiently tapping my foot against the floor. "Yeah, yeah. Here you go," he said, finally placing the plate in front of me."Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you," Uncle said, taking off his apron and neatly folding it before setting it aside. He glanced at me. "I'll be going out in a bit, and I might be back late tonight. So take the spare keys with you." I paused mid-bite, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing. "Where are you going?" I asked, taking another bite of the omelet wrap. It was amazing. fluffy eggs wrapped in a warm, slightly crisp tortilla, the perfect balance of spice hitting my tongue. The crunch of fresh veggies gave it an extra kick, making every bite even more satisfying.

"Just heading out for something," He replied vaguely. "Shouldn't you be eating faster? You're getting late, aren't you?" He walked off, settling onto the couch in the lounge and switching on the TV. I sighed. "Yeah, I am. By the way, I was thinking... there's this new game, and I need to buy some clothes for my character. If I could get some money for that... um you know it would make me really happy hehe," I said sweetly to Uncle who was comfortably watching TV on the sofa. He always agrees when I ask nicely, so I was using my charm again.

"I'll get it for you tomorrow. I'm a bit busy today," Uncle said. "Oh of course. Just buy it whenever you feel like it. Alright then I'm heading out," I said gripping the wrap between my teeth, I grabbed my bag, slung it over my shoulders, and stood up. I quickly slipped my boots on, then took the wrap back into my hand. "Bye-bye!" I called out, taking another bite as I headed for the door. I'd just eat the rest on the way.

I stepped outside, making my way to the bus stop just a short distance from my house. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and the distant hum of the city waking up. Right on schedule, at exactly 6:40, the bus pulled up with a soft screech of its brakes. It always arrived at this time like clockwork every morning, taking just twenty minutes to reach school. Wasting no time, I climbed aboard, weaving past a few scattered passengers before settling into an empty seat.

On my way to school, I pulled out my phone and checked my messages. A new one popped up from Rio. "Hey, this time, return my book, or else you're dead." I smirked, rolling my eyes as I typed back. "Calm down, I haven't even read it yet." Within seconds, my phone vibrated again. "IT'S BEEN A WHOLE YEAR! A YEAR! What do you even do with it? Frame it? Worship it? Just give it back already! I want it today, no excuses." He even added a furious emoji.

God im scared.

But to be fair... yeah i had taken it ages ago. It just sat on my shelf, gathering dust, silently judging me for ignoring it all this time. Maybe I should really give it back to him this time. Or maybe... I should keep it for another year just to see if he explodes. Grinning at my own evil thoughts, I shoved my phone back into my pocket.

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