The room was filled with a serene quietness as Rudy and Alice lay on the bed, their bodies entwined in a warm embrace. The only sound that broke the silence was the gentle cadence of their breaths.
Alice's voice, tinged with sadness, pierced the tranquility. "Rudy," she began in a soft tone, "I... I feel sad and guilty."
Rudy shifted slightly to look at Alice, his eyes filled with concern. "Sad and guilty? What do you mean, Alice?"
She met his gaze with a seriousness that was uncommon for her. "I feel sorry for Alice in the other worldline," she admitted. "The other me... she never got to experience any of this." Her hand gesture between them, indicating their intimate moment. "She didn't get to have her Rudy."
A heavy silence hung in the air as Rudy absorbed her words. Alice continued, her voice laden with guilt, "She... she committed suicide after years of depression. I know it's not my fault, but I can't help feeling guilty for being here, for being happy, while she went through so much pain."
Rudy searched for the right words, his brow furrowed with thought. Finally, he spoke, his tone gentle but unsure. "Alice, I... I don't know what to say. I think about the other girls in the other worldline too, the ones who didn't get the chance we did." He sighed, his eyes distant. "But, you see, it's not our place to dwell on what happened in another worldline. What's done is done, and we can't change it. We're here now, together, and we have to make the most of it."
He turned his gaze back to Alice, his eyes filled with tenderness. "Don't feel guilty for being happy, Alice. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And I'm here with you, just like you're here with me. That's what matters."
Alice's expression lightened slightly, a hint of relief in her eyes. "Thank you, Rudy," she said softly. "I do feel a little better now."
But her somber mood quickly returned as she shifted her thoughts to the other Rudy. "You know," she began, "as sad as I feel for the others in the other worldline, I can't help but think that the other Rudy had the worst fate of all."
Rudy's reaction was subtle, but a hint of annoyance flickered across his face. He chose not to let Alice notice and responded, "That Rudy got exactly what he deserved. He couldn't have had a more fitting end. Alice from the other worldline and the other girls suffered because of him. He was... well, he was an absolute piece of shit."
Alice was surprised by Rudy's vehement response. She couldn't help but question, "But Rudy, don't you think that the same events might have unfolded even if you didn't have the future memories from the other worldline? It's not entirely his fault, is it? I mean, you could have made the same choices if you didn't already know the end results of them, right?"
Rudy's gaze grew distant as he pondered her question. "At first, I thought that too," he admitted. "But the more I learned, the more I realized that many of the things that have happened in this worldline didn't occur in the other one. There are significant differences between the two, and I'm not sure how they would have played out without my influence."
He sighed, his brow furrowing. "But one thing's for certain: Rudy from the other worldline was a terrible person, and he's the reason all those girls suffered. I'm determined to make things right in this worldline, to ensure that no one else has to endure what they did."
"I know, Rudy. You don't have to push yourself too hard." She kissed Rudy on the lips before continuing, "You are just a regular teenage highschool boy who isn't even eighteen yet. You can take it easy sometimes and enjoy your life without worries, just like a normal person.
"If I had time… Alice, if I had time…" he muttered in a solemn voice with a wry smile on his face.
"You mean, if you 'have' time, right?" she asked with a judging look on her face.
Rudy smiled and nodded, "Yes…"
The night enveloped the room in an inky darkness, and the only sounds were the soft rustling of sheets and the rhythmic sound of Alice's calm breathing. She lay nestled in Rudy's arms, her head resting on his chest as he gently stroked her hair. Rudy's touch was tender, his fingers trailing down her back in soothing patterns. He couldn't resist placing a light kiss on her forehead, his affection for her evident in his actions.
As Rudy continued to pamper Alice with back rubs, head pats, and sweet kisses, her eyelids grew heavy, and a serene smile graced her lips. The warmth of his embrace and the softness of his touches lulled her into a peaceful slumber.
Once he was certain that Alice was in a deep and undisturbed sleep, Rudy carefully cradled her in his arms and rose from the bed. He moved with the utmost care, not wanting to wake her. Gently, he lowered her onto the soft sheets and pulled the blanket up to cover her, tucking her in like a precious gift.
With Alice safely tucked in, Rudy silently slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. The house was cloaked in darkness, not a single light to be seen. Rudy moved through the inky blackness with the confidence of someone who knew the place like the back of their hand.
Hours passed, and the front door creaked open. George stepped inside, a tired and weary look on his face. He headed straight to the kitchen, his movements mechanical. The soft hum of the fridge filled the room as he opened it and retrieved a water bottle. The dim light from the fridge momentarily illuminated his figure before fading as he closed the door.
Just as George was about to take a sip from the bottle, a voice sliced through the silence, sending a shiver down his spine. "Hey, George."
Startled, George turned toward the sound, his heart pounding in his chest. The kitchen lights flicked on, and there, sitting comfortably on the living room couch, was Rudy. His eyes bore into George like a predator locking onto its prey, a sly and knowing smile playing on his lips.
"Ru…dy…?" George stuttered.
"Let's play a little game, shall we?" Rudy said as an evil smirk covered his face.
