[Third person POV, Year 1999, first loop, January 1 day time]
Adrian was currently sitting at the table in the living room. He had just been served breakfast by his mother, while his father—looking like he hadn't slept much—was just starting to eat.
"Father, I need money to gamble and get a laptop. Lend me some."
Adrian's father was startled by what he just heard. Blinking a few times in disbelief, he responded:
"Who the fuck starts a conversation like that? I just sat down!"
Adrian's mother, who was just retreating to the kitchen after serving her husband's breakfast, heard the remark and yelled:
"¡Edwin! ¡Lenguaje! ¡No frente al niño!"
(TL: Edwin! Language! Not in front of the kid!)
Both father and son grimaced a little at the high-pitched scream so early in the morning. The father quickly replied:
"Sorry, dear!"
Walking back to the table with breakfast not just for her husband but also for herself, Laura sat down and turned her attention to her son.
"And you, young man, what's this about gambling? Do you even know what that is? Who am I kidding—of course you do. But why? Gambling is dangerous and a bad habit. You're too smart to be wasting money like that."
A little exasperated by the topic, Adrian's mom kept talking while starting her breakfast.
"I understand—" chew "—the laptop, but—" chew "—gambling? Seriously?"
Adrian also began eating, though unlike his mother, he didn't talk with food in his mouth. Meanwhile, his father pulled out his wallet and started checking the cash inside.
"Mother, I understand your concerns, but I assure you I've secured a way so that we won't lose any money. I can even say with one hundred percent confidence that we'll be rich in no time. I even have a plan I'll explain to—"
"Take it."
Just as Adrian was trying to convince his mother, his father extended a hand full of $20 bills—$120 in total. Somewhat confused, Adrian looked at his father, who chuckled and said:
"Come on, lil' man. Make us rich."
"Edwin?! What are you doing?!"
"Relax, Laura. At this point, wouldn't it be better to just trust our son? We both know he's smart and capable for his age. Just think back for a second—remember what happened when we played rock-paper-scissors against him? He always wins."
Speaking to his wife in a somewhat strange tone, he tapped her leg with his foot, as if trying to jog her memory.
Adrian's mother quickly recalled a memory. Every time they couldn't decide what to eat, they played rock-paper-scissors to choose a restaurant. But no matter what, Adrian always won—as if he knew their choices ahead of time.
She remembered even more instances like that. As if by magic, her son always seemed to know the answer—riddles, problems, even predicting what someone would say in a conversation. She began to realize that maybe trusting him wasn't unreasonable. Although, what she didn't consciously know was that she felt a little wary—not about the gambling, but about her son himself.
"Well… I guess you're right."
Adrian, somewhat confused but happy to receive the money, took it and neatly stored it in one of his pockets.
"Thanks, Dad. When I get rich, I'll buy you something nice. How about a Honda Civic?"
"Oi, oi, brat. If we're talking cars, it should be a Honda Accord or a Ford Explorer, you know?"
And just like that, the topic of conversation changed to cars, what they'd buy if they suddenly got rich and so on.
[4 hours later – Guitar Class]
"Welp, that was easy."
These were Adrian's thoughts—spoken accidentally out loud. He was currently scratching his head, observing other kids and teenagers playing guitar in different areas of a closed park, part of the music institution he was enrolled in.
'It's kind of weird that my parents just gave me money when I asked... Did they connect the dots from things I've done before? They probably won't think I can time travel, but maybe they suspect I somehow know things I shouldn't.'
With a strange expression, Adrian sighed, picked up his guitar from beside him, and started playing to calm his mind.
"Mmmmh... maybe this one will help me think."
He gently touched the strings before beginning to play.
{Aruarian Dance by Nujabes – Samurai Champloo Acoustic Guitar Version}
The instrument started producing soft, flowing sounds as Adrian's fingers danced over the strings—slow and intentional—while he continued thinking.
'Well, it doesn't really matter. They're my parents. I should focus on figuring out which places and sports are available for betting today—ideally something with results in a few days.'
The music wasn't loud, but it traveled—turning heads, softening conversations. A couple of teenagers, about eight meters away and talking about basketball, paused when they heard the melody.
'Then, I'll get a used laptop from someone unconnected to me or my parents... and maybe buy Dad that car with my winnings. Winning the lottery should cover it.'
The park breathed in rhythm with the slow morning—amber light casting long shadows, rustling leaves blending with murmurs of conversation, all gently drowned by the music.
'Well, I'll probably need Mom to place the bets for me.'
After playing for one minute and eighteen seconds, Adrian decided to stop.
{Music stops}
"Sadly, I can't say I have any enemies for this song to be fully fitting... but who knows? Maybe someday, it will be."
Suddenly, footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Adrian turned around to find his teacher standing behind him.
"Hey, that's a pretty good melody. Did you make it?"
"Kinda. I got inspired by something from the past."
Adrian lied as naturally as breathing, wearing a light grin. After all, Nujabes hadn't technically released Aruarian Dance yet, and whatever inspired the original song might not even exist in this timeline.
"You should perform in the school's guitar contest. It's happening in February—you should tell your parents about it."
"Sure, I'll tell them."
And just like that, time continued flowing for our protagonist, as his plans slowly came together.
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Author Note: Sorry this chapter came later, but i put more effort in it so please appreaciate it y'all
REMEMBER TO DROP POWERSTONES AND ADD TO LIBRARY