Lisa Manoban was not supposed to touch the machine.
"Don't press anything," Seulgi said, pointing at the glowing console.
"Especially the red one," Jisoo added, already holding snacks like this was a movie night.
Lisa nodded seriously. "I won't."
Beat.
"...What does the red one do?"
Seulgi groaned. "It's literally a time displacement trigger."
Jisoo leaned over. "Which means—"
"It means don't touch it," Seulgi snapped.
Lisa stared at the button.
It stared back.
"...Just one press," she whispered.
"No—" Seulgi started.
Click.
The room exploded in light.
⸻
When Lisa opened her eyes, everything was... quiet.
Too quiet.
The lab was gone.
The machines. The wires. Jisoo's snacks.
All gone.
Instead—
A café.
Soft music. People chatting. Normal.
Lisa blinked.
"...Okay," she said slowly. "Either I died or this is really bad."
"Or you finally learned how to time travel."
Lisa turned.
A girl sat across from her like she'd always been there.
Calm. Elegant. Watching her like she was something mildly interesting.
"...Who are you?" Lisa asked.
The girl raised a brow. "You pressed the button and that's your first question?"
Lisa frowned. "...You know about the button?"
"Obviously."
Silence.
Lisa leaned forward. "...Are you from the lab?"
"No."
"...Future?"
"No."
"...Past?"
The girl smirked slightly. "Closer."
Lisa blinked. "That's not helpful."
The girl extended her hand. "Jennie."
Lisa stared at it for a second before shaking it. "Lisa."
Jennie's grip was firm. Confident.
Too confident.
"...You're not surprised," Lisa said.
Jennie tilted her head. "Should I be?"
"I just time traveled."
Jennie hummed. "You always do."
Lisa froze.
"...What?"
Jennie smiled.
And suddenly, Lisa felt like she was the one who was behind.
⸻
Meanwhile—
Back in the lab—
Seulgi smacked Jisoo's arm. "YOU LET HER PRESS IT."
"I didn't LET her—she's just stupidly fast!"
Rosé rushed in. "What happened?!"
"The idiot activated the prototype!" Seulgi said.
Rosé stared at the empty space where Lisa used to be.
"...Again?" she said.
Silence.
Jisoo blinked. "Again?"
Seulgi froze.
"...Nothing."
Rosé crossed her arms. "No, explain the 'again' part."
Seulgi sighed. "Because... this isn't the first time."
Jisoo dropped her snacks. "WHAT."
⸻
Back in the café—
Lisa was pacing.
"Okay, wait. You said I 'always' do this?" she asked.
Jennie nodded calmly, sipping her drink.
"Yes."
"That implies this has happened before."
"Yes."
"And you're just sitting here like it's normal?!"
Jennie shrugged. "It is normal."
Lisa ran a hand through her hair. "For YOU maybe!"
Jennie watched her quietly.
Then—
"You're early this time."
Lisa stopped.
"...Early?"
Jennie nodded. "You usually show up five minutes later. More dramatic entrance."
Lisa stared at her.
"...You know me."
"Yes."
"I don't know you."
"Not yet."
Lisa frowned. "That's creepy."
Jennie smiled. "You say that every time too."
Lisa stepped closer.
"...Who are you really?"
Jennie looked up at her.
And for the first time—
She hesitated.
"...I'm someone," Jennie said softly, "you keep coming back to."
That didn't help.
At all.
—
Lisa sat down again, staring at her.
"...So what happens now?"
Jennie leaned back.
"That depends."
"On what?"
Jennie's gaze softened slightly.
"On whether you leave again."
Lisa blinked.
"...Leave?"
Jennie smiled faintly.
"You never stay long enough."
Something about that—
felt wrong.
Like a memory Lisa didn't have yet.
—
Outside, the sky flickered.
Just for a second.
Like reality... glitching.
Lisa didn't notice.
Jennie did.
And her expression changed.
"...You broke something this time," Jennie murmured.
Lisa frowned. "What?"
Jennie stood.
Grabbing Lisa's wrist.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
Jennie pulled her toward the door.
"To fix what you weren't supposed to touch."
Lisa let herself be dragged—
still confused.
Still lost.
But strangely—
not pulling away.
—
Somewhere, deep in the timeline—
Something shifted.
And for the first time—
Jennie Kim looked unsure.
Because this version of Lisa—
was different.
And that meant—
This time,
the ending might change.