Y/N's POV

I walked to the nearest bus station, thinking about how enjoyable today was and also about the new friend I made. Jungkook was a really nice guy, and he was handsome too. I felt happy, now walking with a slight bounce. It took me almost no time to reach there, me being lost in my own mind didn't let me realise the distance I walked. I had to wait for a few minutes at the stand, when my bus arrived, on time, as usual.

I got in, swiftly swiping my T-money card and walked all the way inside to sit at the back. This bus was never crowed as it was an evening bus. The ones in the morning and night are the most crowded since it's mostly filled with office going people. Thankfully, my classes get over at around five in the evening, so I get some time in peace.

Today as well, the bus was all empty except for two other people - who were also sitting at the back. They were sitting close to each other at the left, so I sat near the window on the right. I took my bag off and kept it upon my lap, using it as a cushion to keep my hands upon.

The two other people, whom I noticed to be high school students, were talking about something, and since the bus was silent except for the sounds by the engine, I decided that it would be rude to overhear them. I checked the side-pockets of my bag, searching for the earphones that I always have in there. However when my hands failed to grab anything wired, I recalled that I had forgotten to put them in my bag. I groaned inwardly, and soon I remembered that even if I did have the earphones, I wouldn't have anything to connect it with. I broke my phone due to an absolutely embarrassing mistake by me, which was at the same time hilarious too. But this incident always made me groan loudly in my head, and so I did just that once again.

The high school kids beside me, on the other hand, seemed to be really engrossed in their conversation that they paid no mind to the variety of facial expressions that must have probably shown on my face. Having nothing to cover my ears or distract me with, I couldn't help but let fragment of their conversation flow into my ears.

"...And then, they started talking about some rumours that everyone in the city is talking about, apparently." A girl with her hair tied back said. Her skin was pale and her figure slender, but her height lesser than the other one.

"What rumours? And I swear, the conversations on the train are the most interesting to hear!" The other girl, who was not as pale as the other one, laughed . Her hair was left open, the brown wavy texture of them left to flutter around due to the wind.

Well, interesting, yes. But it's still rude to overhear though.
I thought in my mind, commenting on their actions, when I awkwardly realised that I was overhearing their conversation myself. So I practically don't have any right to call them out. I embarrased myself in my mind too.

"I know, right!" The first one laughed as well and continued, "And yeah, then they were talking about rumours. They said that strange things are happening in the city...-"

"What strange things?" The second girl interrupted, confused and eager. And that last sentence roused some curiosity in me too; what strange things?

"Let me speak! So yeah - they were saying that these days... People have been seeing doubles of themselves." She said, her voice suddenly turning quiet.

"What? What does that even mean?" The second one asked with her eyebrows furrowed, unknowingly voicing out my thoughts too.

"Uh, well, like... doppelgangers! You know about them right?"

Doppelgangers. I read about them in a book, a fantasy story book. There it was mentioned that a doppelganger is a person that looks exactly like another person. I remember that it also said that every person has their own doppelganger or something, but I'm not sure. I read that book a long time ago, and let me tell you, I love reading. I've probably read thousands of books. However there's just one - just one I have with me for over fifteen years and yet...

"Yeah, I do. But I thought that concept was just a story?" The second one said skeptically.

"Apparently, it isn't. So anyway, the two people on the train were having a conversation on that topic. They were saying many people, including themselves, have been seeing some other person that looks exactly like them. They said it felt as if they were being followed." The first one explained.

"What? No way... it's probably made up. Otherwise, how can such a thing be true?"

"Dunno. But they didn't look as if they were joking or anything. They looked scared instead. It seemed pretty serious."

"Oh. Are you sure they weren't talking about the plot of a manhwa or something?"

"Nope. They were clearly referring to themselves while talking. I'm sure." The first one said, her voice firm and unrelenting. The second one just nodded and then they both fell into silence, probably thinking about how all this can be possible.

This weird conversation left me to think as well, what if this all is really true? Whatever they said just now sounded undeniably just like the beginning plot of a fictional book, where doppelgangers slowly take over the entire world and exterminate the humans. As an ardent fan of books and movies of this specific genre, I was suddenly filled with a rush of thrill.

'What if all of this is really true?' I thought once again, excitement surging all over me. I thought about how I'll distinguish my real friends from the fake doubles and then have a true action scene later on. I'll pick up a katana or a gun (or any other cool weapon), kill the doubles while saving the real people and then become a hero. I imagined myself doing cool stunts, landing perfectly each time with precision. I'd shoot the targets perfectly and then...

However, this excitement died down as quickly as it filled me, and I realised how silly I was being. I allowed my mind to slip and fantasize at some random story that wasn't even real and probably made up. Of course. It isn't possible. Maybe this happened because I was too fiction-starved and now I just need to read some more books to cure my mind. Yes. That's right.

My stop arrived soon enough, and so I stopped acting as if I was sleeping to overhear them, and walked towards the exit. Getting out of the bus I inhaled some fresh air for a second, trying to distract myself from the stories I had made up in my mind, and then after a short walk of five minutes I had finally reached my home. I got inside with my key, loudly announcing that the favourite child of the house had at last returned.

"Hey! Stop saying that already! It's annoying as hell!" My younger brother Hyun whined, furrowing his eyebrows to express his discontent. Hyun was five years younger than me, and he would turn fifteen later this year, as I would also turn twenty soon. He is the cutest little bean of a brother, and he always gets irritated when I do this. But well, it's practically my job to annoy him. It's the purpose of my life.

I laughed at his face just to him get even more irritated, and stomp his foot on the ground and yell,"Mom! She's annoying me AGAIN!"

At that my mum gasped dramatically and said, "Y/N! You should not do that!" But her tone was playful, and not even close to reprimanding. So when she came out of the kitchen, with the flour stained apron still on her, I knew she would be smiling - our little insincere bickerings are what lights up her mood.

"You're not even sincere," Hyun pouted and I just wanted to coo at him at that moment. I've got such a baby brother.

__

After this little interaction, I was allowed to go into my room for a little rest. I changed into my comfortable PJs, groaning with relief when I was able to take off the itchy denim jeans. I laid down upon my bed, grabbing a snack to munch on for a while. Usually, I would've scrolled through my phone, but by now you must be already knowing what happened to it. Thinking about my old phone reminded me that I'll have to buy a new one soon. I sighed.

I rolled upon the bed for a while, and then finally rolled all the way to the right, where my nightstand was. I reached out to open the very last cabinet, and after rummaging through it, my hands grasped the thing that I was looking for. I pulled it out and held it in front of me, my eyes grazing upon the design of the unknown patterns and symbols that I had long grown used to. Many of my sleepless nights were spent like this - reading and trying to understand this nameless book and the unidentified script it was written in.

The way the pattern is in a line, and the overall way it looks just screams to me that it's a language. Something is there, written yet unread - meaning unfound, lost.

The pads of my fingers softly traced the series of swirling lines that were maybe actually a part of a sentence. The feeling of possessing something but still not being able to understand it, having something within my grasp yet beyond my reach... This feeling was slowly eating me away from the inside.

The curiosity in me was a burning flame - it only increased as time passed, and now it is dying. The book has been in my secret possession for over fifteen years, having found it at just five years of age. I was convinced that what it held was a treasure hint till I was fourteen, but as I grew older, the possibility of it being something more than that crossed my mind. I researched extensively, using all the resources I could - books, internet, and even people. But nothing worked. I decided to study history in my university, just to see if it could be possible to decipher this, but that has also not happened yet. My obsession to find this meaning could've been described as madness. Now, however, that burning flame within me is flickering with doubt and uncertainty. All these years that I spent...

Were they for nothing?

I sighed once again, trying to force out the negative thoughts that were slowly taking root inside my mind.

In an attempt to distract my distraught mind, I thought back to the story that I heard on the bus.

'It would've been so cool if that were real...' The thought suddenly popped up, making the corners of my lips twitch slightly upwards, and I imagined how I would behave in such a situation. 'Always running for my life, probably,' I chuckled.

"Dinner's ready!" My mum yelled from the dining room, and I immediately shouted "Coming!" just as I had been taught to do since my childhood. I heard my brother doing the same and the sound of the door of his room opening. So just like that, leaving the book on my bed, I proceeded to go to the dining room as well.

While eating, all of us shared how are day went. Mum said nothing remarkable happened with her, she spent most of her day doing online meetings and working on her laptop, but Hyun said he was selected in the swimming team of his school. He always had a thing for sports, but swimming was something he absolutely loved doing. We always encouraged him, and he worked hard too... We can definitely see the results, all those days when he had caught a cold or had sore limbs, paid off. We advised him continue the hardwork in future.

I described my day as well, telling about the absence of Tae and Chim at uni, and also the new friend I made. I don't know why, but I didn't tell them about the sparks that I felt when Yoongi, Tae, Chim, or Jungkook touched me. I also avoided the mindless conversation on the bus. My disappoint regarding the old book was of course kept buried in my mind - no one else except me knew about it's existence. I never told anyone.

"Oh, by the way. When will dad be coming home?" I said while chewing a chunk of kimchi.

"Ah, right. His stay there got extended. Instead of coming tomorrow, he'll have to stay there for three days more." My mum informed, sighing.

I pouted, Dad was already gone for five days! I wanted him to come home, it was quite silent without him. However I couldn't do much, he often had to go overseas due to his job. Hyun, however, after hearing this whined loudly that dad should come home already. I childishly whined along with him, and Mum could only shake her head at our pouty behaviour.

After a bit more drama, my gaze swept around the house, which was now feeling empty.

Isn't it weird? How the absence of just one person could make a lively home seem silent. But how could it not? It was Dad who was not there. His presence is like a powerful torch that lights up a dark room, like a warm blanket on a stormy night.

"I miss him..."

___

Hello-

So...
this was the third chapter, and we encountered A LOT of things. The weird convo, the book, the rumour, and also, no dad at home.

And let me tell you, things will get more intense and shit will get shitter, but slowly. This book will progress slowly for the first half, with only a couple incidents per chapter. I know, It's frustrating, but I think it'll be better this way.

Or you guys can just tell me if you would like me to speed up some things. Comment y'all. Communication is the only way.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this piece of shit,

Sincerely,
Yours Truly

Words :- 2381
Date :- 14th August, 2023