33 Days to Live, 33 Days to Love

"Did you find your Fated Love yet? You only have 33 days left. If not, death will come for you." A sharp pain pierced Sophie's chest, as though countless needles were stabbing her heart. She woke up with a start. It was 1 AM. In the silence of her bedroom, Sophie arched her neck and struggled to catch her breath, like a swan gasping for air. Her ragged breaths mixed with the ticking of the bedside clock, the rhythmic ticking growing louder as her breaths slowly faded into silence, blending with the dark. This wasn't the first time. Since her 18th birthday, Sophie had been having the same dream over and over, with the voice always repeating those same words, counting down the time. And it was all because of the family curse. As the heir to a family of tarot readers, she had to find her Fated Love and make them love her before her 25th birthday. If she failed, death would take her. Only 33 days left—33 days until her 25th birthday. If the curse was real, this might be her last birthday. And still, she had no clue about her Fated Love. A few months ago, fate had sent Sophie a final warning. Her once-healthy heart had started to ache, the pain so intense it felt like it could kill her. That was the first time Sophie truly realized she might not survive this. She had to admit, she was scared. As the days passed, the pain in her chest grew worse. Sophie couldn't shake the feeling that, come midnight on her 25th birthday, her heart would give out. But could she really find her Fated Love in just 33 days, in the final month of her life? The fear still gripped her chest, but her mind was clearer than ever, making sleep impossible. She threw off the covers and rushed to her tarot desk, grabbing her cards. She had to try again to find a clue about her Fated Love. Since her 18th birthday, Sophie had done a reading every night. Despite being a top-tier tarot reader, one with a flawless record, she still couldn't find any trace of her Fated Love. This time, if she couldn't get a reading... maybe it was just meant to be. Maybe she was destined to die alone, in agony. With a calm resolve, Sophie picked up the first card, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, focusing entirely on her question. She shuffled the deck, mixing the cards several times, and then selected three, as she always did. But this time, when she flipped the cards, she froze. What... what was this? She actually got something? Staring at the cards, Sophie was pulled into a vision, and there, before her, was a man she had never seen before. He had thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and pale green irises that gleamed like gemstones. His face was sharp, his hair combed back meticulously. He looked at Sophie with such intensity, his lips curling into a faint smile, as if he were about to speak. But then, something strange happened. In an instant, his image blurred, flickering between one man and two, his expression shifting between cold and warm, like he was two different people. "Who... who are you?" Sophie finally managed to ask. But just then, a sharp disruption severed her connection, and the image vanished. Who was he? Which one was her Fated Love? This was the first time Sophie had encountered such a blurry, fragmented vision, and the first time she felt this kind of interference in her readings. Sophie was stunned. But she couldn't give up. She had to get to the bottom of this. She picked up the cards again, closed her eyes, and tried to reconnect. One second... two... three... The familiar energy returned, pulling Sophie back into the vision. But this time, the man was gone. 'What? What's happening?' Sophie frowned, more confused than ever. "You've seen enough, haven't you? Don't you have any other questions?" The voice from her dream echoed in her mind. Sophie instantly understood—it was a signal. She focused and asked another question. "Where is he? Where can I find him?" "What about... you look at your cards," the voice replied. Suddenly, the voice cut off, but the scene around Sophie began to shift. A strange force guided her. She stood up and slowly turned, facing southeast, murmuring, "Southeast... a little over a mile away?" This was the location of her Fated Love, the one who could save her! He was so close! Sophie snapped out of her trance, her face lighting up with relief and joy, and quickly opened her map app to check the location. 'Hold on... this is a... a gay bar?!' Her Fated Love was at a gay bar? Was this some kind of twisted joke from fate?