Chapter 4

I stared at the words.

The way she addressed me was wrong. So was the tone.

[? What’s wrong? Didn’t you just leave?]

There was a pause before another message came through, as though she was trying to confirm something.

[This is so strange. This is clearly your account, but somehow it doesn’t seem like it.]

I froze, then left the chat to check.

The profile picture and bio were different. Only the name I saved her under remained: Ivy.

Something clicked.

[Are you the Ivy from 2031?]

She went quiet for a moment, as though she needed time to process that.

[What do you mean… Aren’t you the Renee Carter from 2031?]

I didn’t know how to answer, but she seemed to work it out.

[This is insane, but it finally makes sense. Liam said you’re a college senior. So, you’re the Renee from 2026?]

She followed that with a long message.

A few days earlier, Liam contacted Ivy out of the blue. He wanted Ivy to help convincing someone that things between her and Liam had ended a long time ago.

[I thought it was unusual enough that he liked someone. Then he told me your name.]

[I was shocked. The you in my time never lost touch with me. We’re still close, but you don’t know Liam. You’ve never even met him.]

I began to understand.

If I had never gotten to know Liam from the future, I wouldn’t have gone to that café that day or stumbled upon the relationship Ivy wasn’t ready to tell anyone about.

[Actually, Liam is sitting across from me right now. He showed me your account, and it’s definitely you.]

[So, I tried sending you a message myself.]

[And you got it, right?]

I clutched my phone, my chest tight.

[Yes.]

She paused, then suddenly said:

[Renee, if you really like him, let yourself be with him.]

[I’m with someone else now, and I’m very happy.]

[Even if you tell the Ivy in 2026, it’ll be okay. She’ll understand.]

She sent a photo of herself with another man, a happy smile on her face.

I lowered my eyes as tears began to sting.

[Ivy, do you remember?]

[Back in freshman year, I asked if you’d feel wasting your time if he never liked you back.]

[You told me that loving him made you happy, and you would never regret it.]

She stayed silent for a long time.

At last, another message appeared. She changed the subject.

[Liam still doesn’t know you’re from the past. Do you want me to tell him?]

I stared at it for a long time. Outside the window, the sky grew dark.

I replied.

[No.]

[Just tell him]

[I’m glad I got to know him.]

[And I’m glad I got to know you too.]

I sent the messages and left the chat. My finger hovered for a moment.

Then I tapped his name. Liam.

The screen was filled with messages from him alone. I scrolled up.

His one-sided conversations. His pleas for me not to disappear. His promise to wear a white shirt when we met. His reminder to avoid spicy food because of my stomach. His plans to come for two days on business.

There were so many.

At last, I stopped at one.

The day I told him my supervisor yelled at me until I cried, he sent a voice message almost a minute long.

I tapped it.

There were fifteen seconds or so of silence before he finally spoke.

"Ren, if it gets too much, imagine I’m standing right in front of you. I’d rest my hand on your head and say, ‘It’s been a hard day. You did well.’"

Okay. I would imagine that.

I heard Ivy humming in the hallway. The door opened, and she leaned into the room.

"Renee! Look what Liam won for me from the claw machine!"

She held up a little stuffed bear, her eyes shining.

I smiled a little, and my heart felt lighter.

I looked at her and said, "It’s so cute."

I lowered my head again, my finger hovering over "Remove Friend."

This time, I tapped it.

The screen flickered, then went blank.