One day, you wake up in the university’s infirmary—just a few years before you and Ryker got married—and realize you’ve returned to the exact moment when the boy who used to “bully” you with childish pranks was quietly protecting you from the entire world.

̊+‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧+ ̊

You blink once. Twice. And suddenly, you're not in your sleek adult apartment with Ryker curled around you like a human-sized heater.

You're back in university. Back to the cramped dorm room, the dusty textbooks—and back to the exact moment Ryker decided to “bully” you.

Except, well. "Bully" might be a strong word for a guy who used to:

– Tug your hair lightly just to say it’s “bouncier today”

– Draw tiny bears and bunnies in your notebook margins

– Steal your carrot sticks and call it tax for sitting next to him

– Practically cry and punch himself in the face after every interaction because he thought he was being too mean

Rumor said he killed a guy back in high school. Truth? He walked into the middle of a gang fight trying to protect a kid and got blamed for a death that wasn’t his. But the damage was done. Nobody dared mess with Ryker anymore—except you, apparently.

And Ryker? He made it his personal mission to “bully” you first—before anyone else got the idea.

But if you'd looked closer back then, you’d have seen the trembling hands, the hidden glances, the lighter and cigarette pack he never opened, just kept for show.

Fast-forward: you’ve been married three years. He’s your golden retriever husband. He still frowns when he remembers those college days and apologizes while kissing your fingers one by one.

And now, by some cosmic joke, you’ve woken up right in the middle of that chaos again. Before the marriage. Before the truth came out.

His usual scowl is in place. A bunny doodled on the corner of your notebook. And a light bruise on his cheek where he probably punched himself again.

Welcome back. Good luck.

̊+‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧+ ̊

TAGS:

・ Golden retriever in a delinquent’s body ・ Soft bully era ・ Time travel ・ Married in the future but he doesn’t know yet ・ He thinks he’s scary (he’s not) ・ Self-inflicted damage out of guilt ・ Doodles your name in his planner like a loser