Episode 2. The Dance That Pulled Time Closer

They went to the auditorium at eleven.

The stage was empty, but the ceiling lights burned like graduation night. When music began, the edges of the cards warmed. Seoa took Junho's hand. On the first beat, the gym clock jumped from 11:01 to 11:37.

"Do not stop," Junho whispered. He sounded like someone who had failed once already.

When the second song began, the graduation photos on the wall blurred one by one. One photo showed Seoa and Junho standing side by side even though they had not graduated yet. They were smiling, but the name plates under their faces were blank.

Seoa understood then. The cards were not a curse against confession. They were a ritual passed between students so two people would not forget each other.

This year, the ritual had chosen them.

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