Chapter 7: "Seventeen Stan" (I).

Kai

In times when I felt that life couldn't get worse... what was worse gotten overwhelmingly worse, and it had me flipping at whoever was making this worse for me. The way he looked so much younger than he is now was just giving me so many memories of what we used to do together. My heart just clenches when he showed so much excitement when he sees me in front of him - looking as unbothered but deep inside I was absolutely dishevelled.

"It's 2026 now?!" He exclaimed, face as surprised as ever and eyes as big as the young teenager he was.  He leans forwards at me with the same surprise face, trying to come up with anything he had in mind about what year it was. "H-how is that possible? I can't even grasp this?!" He added, bringing his fingers up to count the number of years that had passed by.

I wince when I tried to control myself from smiling at his adorable attitude. How come I never see him this way when I was seventeen?

"I don't know... all I know is that you're here... without a specific reason," I cooed, sighing as I look down to the drink I've ordered. We were at a café which wasn't his because I hate to let his best friend, Felix see him like this. What would he do if he saw Seventeen Stan?

"I think what you mean is that I came here! To a place eight years in the future without any specific reason?" Yeah, it was to understand why he was sent here. Like was there any machine back then 2018 where you could time travel? And why was Stan... Seventeen Stan be the one who was sent here out of all people.

I shrugged, leaning back and grabbing my drink - sipping it nonchalantly. "It is very hard to understand all of this... At first, I thought that you were pranking me-,"

"Pranking you?! I would never do that,"

"I know... something like this could never be pranked, and I've seen enough proof to know you're not and that you're from 2018. But I still think that you'd prank me other times," I spoke, looking at him straight in the eye to know well enough that this wasn't the present Stan. "Your demeanour... your big eyes... your voice... your memories... how you styled your hair... is just 2018 you and here you are... sitting in front of me in 2026," I commented, taking all of his features in with one long scan. I missed looking at his face like this, where he just looks happy and the burning fire of a young soul just makes me awe at him. It was just magnificently serene.

I didn't realize that I was staring at his face for so long that he stared at me as well. Blinking rapidly, I turn away to glance at something else but not before I took a glimpse at him to see he was still staring.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" I questioned, glaring at him with an annoyed face. I took my drink again and sip the sweet liquid.

"Oh... no... it's just that 'future' you look so handsome and dazzling...," He let out with his hands under his chin as he stares at me with tender eyes. Likewise, I choke onto my drink and cough out multiple breaths of 'taken aback' coughs while he continues to stare at me with dilated pupils eyes that shone so blazingly under the light.

Once I have gathered myself from that out of the blue compliment, I shoot him a look. My heart struggles to do a backflip every time he makes me blush just because I can't. "Stop doing that! You could've made me suffocate on my drink,"

He shrugged. "I couldn't help myself. When I first met you I was so shocked at what was happening that I didn't get to stare at you fully. But now that I did, you have really grown more handsome,"

No... don't...

"It must be really hard for me, isn't it. That I keep falling for you deeper and deeper every time we grow up. Poor me... I couldn't even love someone else because of you," He continued which had me stuck to my seat as I hear his words. Why was he doing this? Can't he see how sleepless I was... can't he just see the sorrow that I went through because of him? Yet here he was making me feel all those sorrow again just because I know well enough we were over and he... a seventeen-year-old teenager who doesn't know what is coming after him.

You can love someone else. You weren't mine, to begin with.

I stand up from my seat, my hand clenching into a fist then open back again. I can't have him near me. Not when I'm still not over him and if this continues, I might never move on from him.

"You need to stop. C-come on, I'll take you to your family house," I quickly said, taking my wallet and my car keys with me. The closer I was to him, the more I am in trouble with my own feelings. I can't have it broke my soul again as I stare into his eyes again unintentionally. It was just that I am not related to him anymore.

He frowns, his eyes turn doe-like. "Can't I sleep at your place? You even said that I gave it to you...," He pleaded.

"No," I replied casually.

"Aw... why? Is it because I'm not eighteen?" I gritted my teeth at his statement. What was he implying? That he's seventeen, and he can't have sex with me? Even if he wanted to have sexual intercourse, I wouldn't want to do it since we've broken up and that he was seventeen! Why was he thinking about that?

Ignoring his question, I went to grab my phone born my pocket and began dialling Anthony's number. Living with his parents was the best solution to his trouble before we even do anything about it. Things like this were not to be solved easily, and it took more hard work to figure out how time travelling work.

Yes, although I was an engineer... I wasn't too knowledgeable about that.

When Anthony finally answered my call, the voice I want to hear wasn't there. "The number you have dialled is unattended...," My brows scrunched together towards the sound of the operator's voice - waning the mood that I had when I wanted Stan to go away from me. So without giving up, I went to search for Ema's number, but then it hits me.

Stan's parents were on a trip with Natalie and her husband.

No shit.

Then my mind went to think another solution to my growing problem. A solution that would have me to go back to the one person who was also involved in this complicated situation that I never had any preparations for. The one person that would ignore my call if I call him now.

I really don't want to be talking to him...

But what can I do?

As I saw his name with the love emoji next to it. I brace myself for the voice that I missed so much - that had left me for one month and said to me to just forget about him and move on. How can I even move on? How?!

Pressing the calling button, I waited for the beeping sound to continue as I waited for him to answer my calling for help. Help to help seventeen him that sat in front of me as he waited and as he continues to look at me with loving young eyes that hurt my scar.

To my surprise, he answered the call and I close my eyes - trying to talk smoothly.

"Stan... it's me. I need-,"

"The number you have dialled is unattended,"

Hearing another repeated sentence, I pull the phone away. "What the-?! Are you kidding me?" I groaned, mentally hitting myself to a wall for what was going on. My eyes were tired of being open all day and I needed the rest. I would have work tomorrow and if dad saw me like I'm an insomniac. He would not be happy.

So when I took a glimpse at Seventeen Stan who was playing with the straw of his drink... I took the decision to just have him at my place... that he gave to me. It would be not much of a big deal... I would set some boundaries between us such as he would be sleeping in the bedroom while I slept in my office. He was young... so I think it's better to give him the bed. Yeah... what could possibly go wrong, right?

"Let's just... go to my place," I let out, surrendering to his plead earlier but not because of my feelings but because I have to.

Stan had both of his hands up in the air, his smile grew into a grin as he cheers. "Yay!!!"

After that, we walked outside of the café and began the walk to my car and back home. Stan would make quick remarks like 'how much was the house that he gifted to me' and I would reply 'I don't know since the now you were too stubborn told me the price of the house'. Then he would compliment how the place just changed futuristically, and I would say that even if it changes... it would never beat the old view of the town.

I didn't know that Seventeen Stan was this much talkative around me. He told me before that he was not the talkative type but when it comes to being with me... he would never shut up. It was like the boy just had an alarm clock placed in his throat and he would ring every single second. Talk about annoying... no wonder we fought a lot.

On the other hand, I wonder... what would happen if the past Stan meets with the Stan now... what would happen? If they were to meet by chance... would it be a bad thing or a good thing? Will Stan tell his younger self to break up with me just because we would never work out in the end?

But I don't want that to happen. If we didn't date... I would never be here. I would never get together with him and feel what love feels like. What 'love' is... what the exploration would be. So I'm hoping that they would not see each other by chance... I can't risk my younger self as well... as self-centred as it sounds.

- - -

Uh oh... what do you think would happen if Seventeen Stan meets the Stan now?

Even yourself... what do you think would happen if you stumble upon your younger self?