Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 105 - Changing

Layla’s smile faded slightly as she placed the cup on the table. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant.

"That’s... a long time, Karl. Are you sure you’ll be okay?"

Karl nodded calmly, trying to reassure her. "I’ll be fine. This isn’t new to me." He forced a small smile, though the exhaustion in his eyes was hard to hide.

As time passed, they had grown closer, and Layla had become more open—until it was time for Karl to leave for work.

Layla bit her lip, her fingers gripping the ceramic cup tightly. "Will you really be okay?"

"Of course," Karl replied firmly but gently. "Just focus on resting and recovering, Layla. You don’t need to worry about me."

Silence hung between them. Layla’s lips trembled as if she wanted to argue, but in the end, she just nodded quietly.

Karl finished the water in his glass and grabbed his jacket. As he was about to step out the door, Layla called him softly.

"Karl... be careful out there."

Karl stopped, turned around, and looked at her with a gentle expression. "I will."

Layla nodded again, her hands tightly clutching the ends of her sleeves as Karl stepped outside.

---

Karl stepped out of his apartment with a relaxed stride, his black jacket shielding him from the biting morning wind. The city streets were beginning to buzz with morning activity, yet his mind felt calm—almost empty. It had been a long time since he felt this way—free from the weight pressing down on his chest every moment.

As he walked along the sidewalk, his eyes caught a familiar figure. Elena. The mature woman with short blonde hair and an alluring figure dressed in a tight blazer and pencil skirt. Her face was as beautiful as ever, but her gaze? A sharp, venomous glare, like a dagger dipped in poison.

Elena approached with quick steps, her stiletto heels clicking against the pavement. When their eyes met, Elena let out a small scoff, the corner of her lips curling into a mocking smile.

Karl merely smiled back—a thin smile, almost provocative. His heart felt light, even... satisfied.

"Everything’s back to normal," Karl thought. Elena looking at him with contempt, with unhidden hatred—exactly as he expected. As if all the chaos that had happened recently was starting to settle, and the wheels of life were returning to a track he recognized.

Without any further exchange, Elena walked away, leaving behind a faint yet piercing trace of expensive perfume. Karl chuckled softly to himself.

--- freeweɓnovel.cøm

A few minutes later, Karl stopped at a red light. Amidst the crowd waiting for the pedestrian signal to turn green, someone bumped his arm.

"Excuse me... sorry, I wanted to ask... do you know where this address is?"

The soft yet hesitant voice caught Karl’s attention. He turned and froze. A familiar face. Cindy—the woman he once made suck his cock in a public place.

Karl swallowed hard, his breath hitching for a moment. Cindy was holding a slip of paper with an address clearly written on it. His apartment building’s address.

"This... this address?" Karl asked cautiously.

Cindy nodded, biting her lower lip while looking at Karl in confusion. "I... I just got a job here. They said it’s an apartment building and..."

Her voice trailed off, her eyes blinking slowly as she realized who the man in front of her was. Her expression changed—a brief flash of emotion flickered in her eyes before she quickly looked away.

Karl felt his heartbeat quicken. Something was... off. He should’ve felt satisfied, seeing Cindy’s life still normal. But now? There was a strange feeling creeping into his chest. An uneasiness, as if something had changed—either in him or in the world around him.

"I know the place," Karl finally said in a flat tone. "I live there."

Cindy looked surprised. "Oh... r-really? Wow, what a small world..."

"Yeah... really small." Karl forced a smile, but his mind was in turmoil.

"I haven’t hijacked common sense again... events are starting to change."

The pedestrian light turned green, and people began crossing the street. Cindy gave Karl a small nod and hurried off, leaving him standing still on the slowly emptying sidewalk.

Karl let out a long breath and continued walking.

"Who else am I going to see?" Karl muttered.

Karl walked along the sidewalk at a slow pace. His mind was still filled with his encounters with Elena and Cindy. Something felt off, like a missing puzzle piece from the bigger picture in his mind.

As he passed a small park on the corner of the street, his gaze fell on a tall man with messy brown hair surrounded by small children. The man laughed heartily, pushed swings, helped a little girl climb a play structure, and tossed a small ball to kids running after it.

Karl stopped at the edge of the park’s fence. It was John. A man Karl knew as an orphanage caretaker and someone genuinely caring. But as Karl watched him longer, he realized something.

John wasn’t looking at him. Even when their eyes briefly met, John’s gaze passed over Karl without any sign of recognition. It was just a casual glance—a stranger’s glance in a busy crowd.

"John?" Karl furrowed his brows.

Karl tried walking closer to the park fence. John was helping a little girl tie her shoelaces. The man smiled gently while speaking in a caring tone.

"All done! Now run fast, but be careful!" John said as he stood up again.

The little girl laughed and ran off. John then stood at the edge of the park, watching the children with a satisfied expression, as if they were his entire world.

Karl exhaled softly. A faint guilt lingered in his heart. This was a moment that wouldn’t have happened if he had hijacked common sense about crossing the street. These children might not be here. They might have become part of the tragedy he caused in another timeline.

John slowly walked toward a park bench and sat down. He pulled a small thermos from his jacket pocket, pouring warm tea into a tiny cup. His eyes remained focused on the children playing.

Karl decided to walk past the park. As he stepped away, he glanced at John one last time. The man turned to Karl, and for a split second, their eyes met.

"Good afternoon, boy," John said warmly, offering a small smile while raising his cup.

Karl was slightly surprised, but he quickly nodded back. "Afternoon, sir."

Without any further words, John returned his focus to the children in the park. He looked content, calm, and fully immersed in his own world. There were no signs that he recognized Karl, and perhaps... that’s how it should be.

Karl continued walking with mixed feelings. On one hand, he felt relieved that the tragedy never happened in this timeline. But on the other hand, he felt... empty.

"Is this the price of not hijacking? Everything runs normally, but I become a stranger in a world I’m supposed to control?"

Karl walked heavily toward the convenience store where he worked. His mind was still filled with images from that morning’s encounter—the hateful glare from Elena, Cindy’s confusion, and John’s unrecognizing gaze. Every moment felt like fragments of a reality he could no longer fully grasp.

He took a deep breath, trying to focus on his goal. Layla needed something to distract her, something that could help rebuild her confidence. A part-time job at this convenience store seemed like the right choice, and Mrs. Jane, a middle-aged woman he had once mocked out of frustration, might be the key.

The automatic glass door slid open with a soft ding as Karl stepped inside. The familiar scent of floor cleaner and packaged food greeted him. Rows of neatly arranged shelves stretched before him, but... something felt different.

Karl glanced around. There were supposed to be two new employees starting today.

Behind the cashier counter, Mrs. Jane was busy writing in a ledger, her glasses slipping down to the tip of her nose. When she noticed Karl approaching, she greeted him with a warm smile.

Mrs. Jane closed her book and leaned against the counter.

"What’s with that friendly face of yours!?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask something." Karl paused briefly before continuing. "Is there a part-time job opening here? I know someone who might be a good fit."

Mrs. Jane raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Oh? Someone you know, huh? Hmm..."

She glanced behind her at the empty shelves that were supposed to be manned by the two new hires. Then, she let out a soft sigh.

"To be honest, Karl, I do need extra help. The two new employees we hired last week... they didn’t show up today. They quit even before starting."

Karl froze.

"They... quit?"

"Yes. Strange, isn’t it? They seemed enthusiastic during their interviews, but suddenly... they just vanished. But, well, that’s how this world works sometimes."

Those two employees... they weren’t supposed to quit. In his memory, they stayed here, learning how to use the cashier, making small mistakes, and eventually becoming part of the store’s routine. But now... they had simply vanished from the course of events.