Ring, ring.
The sudden sound of the phone broke the moment, severing their intertwined gaze like an intruder barging in. Yet, her eyes couldn't help but follow him, as if glued to his every movement.
He picked up the phone. "Hello?"
She kept her eyes on him, as if the entire world revolved around him.
He, too, never looked away from her. Even as he answered the call, his eyes stayed fixed on her face.
Attachment, affection, and connection.
The small details filled the space between them, unnoticed but undeniable.
She was completely captivated.
Noticing the slight hesitation in his expression, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Forget it."
But he was uneasy. "Hello?"
There was no sound from the other end, and suddenly, the call ended without warning.
He blinked, staring at the receiver, lost in thought.
In this parallel world, there were too many unknowns and uncertainties. He wasn't sure how he had changed the past or how he came to have the present. He wasn't sure if he had truly used the diary to go back in time, altering history to create a happy ending.
Everything was too perfect, too blissful, to feel real.
It seemed like it could vanish at any moment, as if it were just a dream he was having.
He was unsure.
What if all this—the altered history, the happiness—was just a long, vivid dream?
Should he wake up, or continue dreaming?
The anxiety and unease were like the sword of Damocles hanging over him.
He didn't know when, or even if, it would fall.
A silent phone call might mean nothing, but he couldn't help feeling uneasy.
He stared at the receiver, his focus blurring, lost in thought. His mind drifted, searching aimlessly through the gaps in time and space.
But only for a moment.
He took a deep breath, replaced the receiver, and rested his head on her chest, pressing his ear to her left side, quietly listening to the sound of her heart beating—
Thump. Thump.
Strong, powerful.
It seemed to lightly transmit its force through her chest to his eardrum, as he carefully absorbed the rhythm and energy of her heartbeat, letting the world's other noises fade away.
She felt it, too.
It was such a simple action, devoid of desire, like a child listening with pure innocence. But she could feel his tenderness and caution, as he immersed himself completely. The beating of her heart slowly transformed into the pulse of her soul.
She heard it, too—
His heartbeat.
Thump. Thump.
At first, their heartbeats were out of sync, echoing each other. But as they continued, the beats began to align, merging into a single rhythm resonating in their ears.
She was listening to him.
He was listening to her.
But their feelings were entirely different.
She was falling deeper, her love growing stronger, pulling her down with no way out.
He was anxious and afraid, the more beautiful it was, the more he feared losing it.
Two emotions, different paths, yet they merged through the rhythm of their hearts and the touch of their skin.
In that moment, the world was at peace.
In front of the monitor, Mackie was unsure—
He couldn't quite put it into words.
This scene, logically, should have paused only briefly, but now the silence between the two actors had stretched on for at least three seconds. Should he call "Cut"?
But at the same time, he could sense the emotions filling the pause, slowly saturating the silence, the chemistry between the characters making him want to scream.
So, was this good, or not?
He didn't know, and he wasn't sure.
Directing was harder than he'd thought. How to fill the spaces between dialogue and convey emotion through the camera was a big question mark.
Mackie looked over at Eric, only to find him watching the monitor with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open in awe, completely absorbed. This left Mackie feeling a bit helpless.
He rolled his eyes.
So, this is good, right? Eric's reaction was proof of the scene's success, so he didn't need to stop the filming, right?
These thoughts flashed briefly through his mind.
And in that brief hesitation, a voice came muffled from under the covers, hesitant and cautious as he asked quietly,
"Why do you think… we're so perfect together?"
He lifted his head and looked at her again, his handsome face reflected in her eyes. The caution and vulnerability in his gaze seemed to hold its breath. Everything was so perfect, it was only natural for him to start questioning whether he deserved such happiness. This made her hold her breath as well, searching for the stars and sea in his eyes.
He continued, "I mean, why did you come find me after I moved away?"
This was his greatest fear—
In this world, he had still moved, and he and Keller had still parted ways. But unlike before, they hadn't lost contact. Keller had secretly come to find him, and they had ended up together.
But why?
The girl he had once only dreamed of now saw him, and even humbled herself to come find him. He couldn't find an answer and couldn't put his mind at ease.
In his hesitation and uncertainty, he finally asked the question.
She didn't hesitate. Without a pause, she gave her answer directly, "Because I missed you."
Simple, direct.
It stunned him. He had imagined many possibilities, but he had overlooked the simplest one.
The truth was so simple, not complicated or profound.
Seeing his expression, she couldn't help but laugh. She could clearly see her own reflection in his eyes, so happy and bright, a look she had never seen before, but she had already fallen in love with this version of herself.
If happiness had a perfect image, it would look just like this.
Ha.
His forehead bumped against hers, a sound of frustration and shyness rising from his throat. Rachel laughed out loud, full of joy. "What, did you think my dad would stop me from seeing you?"
"What could he do to me?"
He looked at her, their noses touching, and his smile bloomed fully. "I don't know, maybe shout at me, 'Get lost, Bambi!'"
"Bambi?" Rachel couldn't help but widen her eyes, doubting her ears.
That look made Evan a little embarrassed, his cheeks warming as he refused to answer, burying his face in her shoulder and neck, breathing deeply.
Rachel couldn't hold back, a ticklish, tingling sensation spreading across her left shoulder, goosebumps rising from head to toe, her entire body curling up. "Oh!"
She let out a surprised cry.
Unexpectedly, they started playfully tickling each other, finding each other's sensitive spots, their foreheads pressed together as they laughed and tussled.
Haha, hahaha.
Their laughter wouldn't stop.
Maybe he could stop worrying now. The tragedy he remembered hadn't happened, Keller's father was no longer a demon, and he couldn't stop Keller from being with him. He could finally embrace happiness fully.
This allowed him to completely relax, revealing a playful, childlike side of himself.
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