Krisan Rahmadiani nestled deeper into her fluffy gray couch, the fading afternoon light casting a golden hue through the dust specks in her small apartment. The whirr of her pencil against paper filled the air, punctuated by the distant sounds of the city: the playful laughter of children, the honks of impatient drivers, and the rhythmic footsteps of commuters hurrying toward their next destination. Each stroke of the pencil created a universe of softness and whimsy on her sketchpad, a world far removed from her own.
Yet beneath the layers of ink and graphite lay the secret that had marked her existence since childhood—a secret that transformed contact, however innocent, into something sinister. Touching Krisan was a gateway to misfortune. She could still recall the anguished expressions of her childhood caregivers when they stumbled upon this inexplicable curse. The way they recoiled in horror when the nurse tripped on the carpet after shifting a hand to brush away Krisan's errant hair. The very memory sent shivers down her spine.
"Maybe I should just wear gloves," she murmured, her voice barely reaching above a whisper. She absently tapped her fingers against the side of the couch. The remnants of a half-eaten piece of chocolate cake lay nearby, half-forgotten, oddly comforting in its sweetness. But even that simple indulgence seemed tainted by the burden of her reality: a life lived amidst the certainty of solitude.
As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the walls, her mind drifted to her most recent experiment. It had been a week since she decided to play an unorthodox game of guardian angel.
The last time someone touched her, it had been her clumsy neighbor, Derek, a man whose only talent was knocking on doors without knocking before tripping over the rug and landing face-first into her living room. Absolute chaos ensued—Derek had successfully spilled a pot of hot chili, narrowly avoiding a fierce burn with only a minor scrape to his elbow. This was her life: a continuous cycle of vigilance where she observed the world with fearful fascination, always two steps back from the accidents she predicted.
And so it was that she remained cloaked in isolation, an artist of the unseen, skimming the edges of life while everyone else danced in the chaos. She would carefully observe Derek for the next twenty-four hours, ensure he avoided further calamities, a savior to those ignorant of her curse.
The clock ticked reassuringly, its rhythmic sound breaking the stillness of the room. Finished with her illustration, Krisan leaned back and sighed, the weight of her worries pulling at her heart. Shadows loomed. The curse defined her existence. She rubbed her palm against her leg, half-heartedly wishing for a day when her life wouldn't be defined by the fear of accidental contact.
Just then, a sudden pang of craving surged through her—caffeine. A latte might perk her up, add some spark to her self-imposed solitude. Clutching her leather wallet, she decided on a brief excursion to the café down the street, a place she frequented for its eclectic vibes and human buzz. It was an exercise in bravery. She knew the world outside, with its touchy-feely interactions and unwelcome accidents, could be dangerously unpredictable.
As she stepped out, the street hummed with life. She maneuvered around families on weekend outings, dodging a group of teenagers and their loud banter. Her heart raced, pulsing in her throat as she arrived at the café. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped her, mingling with the sweet scent of baked goods. Krisan took a deep breath, almost dizzy with the anticipation of normalcy mingling with danger.
While waiting in line, her gaze landed on a tall figure on the other side of the counter: a man with broad shoulders and a captivating smile. His name tag read "Topan." Barely aware of her staring, he effortlessly gathered order after order, his confidence wrapping around the small space like a warm blanket. She felt an odd pull toward him, a gentle flutter on the edge of her consciousness, but the swift reminder of her curse snatched her back.
Focus, Krisan, she chided herself quietly. It was not just with strangers but each person who seemed harmless, another day another risk.
When it was her turn, she approached the counter with cautious resolve. "I'd like a large cappuccino, please," she said, her voice steady, but the words felt heavy with the anticipation of mundane struggle. As she fished out a note from her wallet, she unintentionally nudged the edge of the counter.
"Careful there," Topan said, a smile playing on his lips. It was a simple comment, but the kindness behind it struck her, halting her thoughts—a beacon in her usually dull routine.
Their fingers brushed as she handed over the cash, a fleeting touch that sent her mind into a spiral. Panic bubbled within. The moment was so mundane, yet so crucial. Would he become another victim of her curse? She felt a primal instinct to pull back, to shield him from the misfortune that would inevitably follow.
"Have a great day!" Topan called off with his signature cheer as she stepped away, heart pounding in her chest. She barely acknowledged the pain clenching her stomach. Instead, she absentmindedly clasped her coffee cup closer, its warmth both a comfort and a reminder of the normalcy she yearned for and yet feared.
But Krisan wasn't done following him just yet. Today would not be like the others; she wouldn't hide in the shadows. Instead, she would observe, ready to act should calamity arise. She drifted out of the café, emotions tangled in her chest—a delicate balance between fear and intrigue as she silently walked behind Topan at a distance.
What lay ahead? Would the unseen threads of fate guide him through a minefield of misfortune or shower him in unexpected luck?
The city sprawled around her, a dizzying maze of stories and reckless encounters. Krisan put one foot in front of the other, closing the distance between them. Desperation filled the air, electrifying her skin as she silently pledged to protect this unwitting stranger, unaware of the curse he had unknowingly triggered.
Her eyes narrowed. Perhaps today, amidst the chaos, she could rewrite her own narrative, step into the light of shared humanity instead of the safety of isolation. Just maybe, she could witness someone else live against her shadow, in the hope that, for once, the curse would miss its mark.As Krisan trailed behind Topan, each step filled with both trepidation and a flicker of hope, she noticed the way he navigated his day with an innate ease. Their shared brief touch lingered in the air between them like a forgotten melody, one she had never expected to find in the chaos of her existence.
Topan moved through the bustling streets, greeting acquaintances with infectious laughter and sharing brief yet warm conversations. His presence seemed to radiate an aura that defied her curse. With each interaction, Krisan felt herself slipping deeper into an unfamiliar state of yearning—a longing not just for normalcy, but for connection. What would it be like to be oblivious to the weight of her own shadows?
She watched him secure a seat at a park bench after picking up a sandwich from the nearby deli. The sun kissed his skin, illuminating his features as he dug into his lunch. For the first time, she couldn't help but smile, the twitch of her lips surprising her. Was this really the same catastrophe-fated touch she had grown up fearing?
Krisan tightened her grip on her coffee cup, a sudden rush of emotions flooding her. Her heart raced not from anxiety this time, but from a bittersweet blend of exhilaration and dread. As she clutched the satchel slung over her shoulder tighter, she caught sight of her reflection in the café window—a ghost, a witness to a life interrupted by fears and superstitions.
But no disasters. Not yet.
With every cascading second, anticipation unearthed old terrors but also new possibilities. Maybe Topan was an exception, or perhaps fate simply hadn't revealed its hand yet. Her instinct urged her to protect him, to intervene at the slightest hint of danger. But what if the very act of her following him was the echo of her curse?
A soft laugh broke her reverie; she turned slightly as Topan shared a joke with a nearby stranger, unaware of the protective shadow merely ten feet behind him. Krisan clasped her coffee tighter, a whirlpool of emotions churning within her. Could it be that she wanted to touch him too—not simply as an artist admires a canvas, but yearning for more than distance?
Still lost in contemplation, her focus shattered when she saw a car barrel unexpectedly around the corner, its tires screeching against the pavement. Krisan's heart dropped. Time slowed as adrenaline surged through her. "Topan!" she shouted, barely audible but laced with urgency. He turned, confusion clouding his features, but before he could react, she charged toward him.
In that split second, she leapt forward, her hand stretched out—not to touch him, exactly, but to create a barrier. She threw herself against him, propelling them both backward just as the car raced past, mere inches from where Topan had been seated.
They tumbled onto the grass, Krisan landing hard but relieved. She glanced up, breathless, her heart racing as she registered Topan's stunned expression. "Are you okay?" he gasped, concern sharpening his voice. The warmth of his body next to hers ignited a spark, sending her pulse racing for reasons other than panic.
"I... I think so," she stuttered, catching her breath, but her thoughts spiraled out of control. Her heart thudded full of bewildered relief and undeniable connection.
In one heartbeat, fear had transformed into something more profound, layered with laughter and lingering tension. She had saved him from her curse, but at what cost?
Topan stared into her eyes with interest and perhaps a newfound curiosity. The world around them faded—the moment stretched into eternity, the noise dimming to a low hum. Krisan felt a flicker of desire and fear intertwined; the outcome of her curse, her shadow, hung dangerously close.
Breaking the silence, Topan asked, "Why did you—?" But before he could finish, the air sparked with an undeniable connection, leaving her breath frozen mid-inhale.
As she finally found her voice, heart racing for an entirely different reason now, she realized this encounter was just the beginning. To touch or not to touch—was her curse about to crack open the door to something real?
And, underneath it all, she sensed the narrative of her life poised for an unpredictable turn, and for the first time, she didn't want to run from it.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, more interactions, and perhaps even more brushes with calamity. But tonight, in this fleeting moment of shared vulnerability, Krisan felt the currents of fate shifting—an invitation into the depths beyond her carefully constructed isolation.
With a hesitant smile forming across her face, she answered Topan's unfinished question, ready to brave their shared risk. "Let's just say... I have my reasons."
As they pulled apart, the blessing of unforeseen possibility coursed through her. The real battle, she knew, was still ahead—but she wasn't running. Not anymore.
And as they locked eyes, the adventure ahead shimmered brightly, threading them together with a tantalizing uncertainty that filled her with hope.
With an end yet unknown, Krisan embraced the thrill of the unpredictable as they both stood in the embrace of a new chapter waiting to unfold.