The air in the studio was heavy with unspoken tension. They had made their choice—no more running, no more jumping between realities. They were staying. But now that the decision had been made, an even bigger question loomed over them: What now?
"I still don't know how this is possible," Liam muttered, pacing near the recording booth. "This isn't our lives. We're supposed to be musicians, not—"
"Not a firefighter?" Zayn cut in, raising an eyebrow. "Not a dentist? Not a toy store manager?"
Liam exhaled sharply. "Exactly."
Harry ran a hand over his face, then gestured toward the photographs on the shelf. His bakery. Zayn's paintings. The diploma with Niall's name. "I don't know how, but these lives exist. Maybe they've always existed, and we just never knew."
"That makes no sense," Louis scoffed, crossing his arms. "If we were actually living these lives, we'd remember them."
"Unless we weren't supposed to remember," Niall said quietly. "What if someone—or something—reset us? Like wiping a hard drive and installing a different operating system?"
Zayn stared at the paintings with his signature at the bottom. "That means there's a version of us that's been living these lives for years."
The idea sent a chill down Harry's spine. He tried to push the thought away, but it gnawed at him. What if they weren't meant to remember their past lives at all? What if trying to uncover the truth would only lead to more questions they weren't ready for?
Liam sat down heavily in one of the chairs, rubbing his hands together. "Alright. Let's say we accept this. We have these jobs, these lives. What do we do?"
"We play along," Harry said. "Until we figure out a way back."
"Right," Louis muttered. "Except I have no idea how to run a damn toy store."
Harry smirked. "And I don't know the first thing about running a bakery. But if this reality thinks I do, maybe... maybe we do know. Somewhere in here." He tapped his head. "Muscle memory, instincts. Maybe it'll come to us."
Liam frowned. "So you think we have the skills for these jobs buried in our heads somewhere?"
"Only one way to find out," Harry said. "We go live our lives."
For a long moment, no one spoke. The idea of stepping out of this studio and diving headfirst into an unfamiliar world was terrifying. But sitting here, waiting for answers to fall into their laps, wasn't going to help them.
"Fine," Niall finally said. "Let's see if I'm actually a dentist."
Louis sighed. "I swear if I have to stock shelves and ring up toy trains, I'm quitting."
Zayn chuckled. "And do what? Un-quit reality?"
Louis rolled his eyes, but there was a flicker of amusement in them. "I'll figure something out."
Harry clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's go find out who we are in this world."
---
Harry – Styles & Sweets
The smell of fresh bread and sugar hit Harry the moment he stepped inside the bakery. It was small but cozy, with a display case filled with pastries, croissants, and intricately decorated cakes. Behind the counter, a woman in a pastel pink apron looked up and grinned.
"There you are, boss! Thought you were taking the morning off."
Harry blinked. Boss?
"Uh... yeah," he said, trying to sound natural. "Just... needed some air."
She wiped her hands on a towel and motioned toward the kitchen. "Well, I need you back here. The morning rush was insane, and we've got an order for two dozen cupcakes that need decorating."
"Right. Of course."
As he stepped behind the counter, something strange happened. His hands moved instinctively, picking up a piping bag, filling it with frosting. He didn't even have to think—his body just... knew.
Muscle memory. Harry's theory had been right.
Still, as he carefully decorated the cupcakes, a sinking feeling settled in his chest. If his hands knew how to do this, how much of him had already adapted to this world?
---
Liam – Firehouse 27
Liam felt completely out of place as he walked into the firehouse. The scent of smoke and sweat filled the air, and the sound of distant sirens made his heart pound. The moment he stepped inside, a man clapped him on the back.
"'Bout time, Payne! Thought you got lost."
Liam forced a grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."
The firehouse looked exactly like the ones he had seen in movies—trucks lined up, fire gear hanging neatly in rows, radios crackling in the background. A deep sense of unease settled over him. He had no idea how to be a firefighter. What if he had to go on a call?
A voice interrupted his panic. "Alright, boys, we've got a drill in twenty minutes. Get your gear on!"
Liam's stomach dropped. **This is going to be interesting.**
---
Niall – Horan Dentistry
Niall sat stiffly in the office chair, staring at the patient in front of him. A woman with nervous eyes and a clenched jaw sat in the exam chair, gripping the armrests.
"So... uh..." Niall cleared his throat. "Teeth. How are they?"
The dental assistant beside him gave him a weird look. "Doctor Horan, it says here she's in for a routine cleaning."
"Oh! Right. Of course."
Niall picked up a dental mirror and hesitated. His hands felt clumsy, uncertain. But as he leaned in, some part of his brain seemed to take over. **Just like Harry said. Muscle memory.**
He worked through the cleaning, his nerves settling. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
---
Louis – Toys 'R' Us
Louis groaned as he stared at the row of stuffed animals that had somehow fallen off the shelves. A coworker nudged him. "You alright, mate?"
"Never been better," Louis muttered.
His coworker laughed. "You say that every shift. Come on, time to restock."
Louis grabbed a handful of plush dinosaurs and started arranging them. **How did my life come to this?**
---
Zayn – The Art Studio
Zayn stood in front of a blank canvas, brush in hand. The studio smelled of paint and varnish, and soft jazz played in the background. People walked in and out, admiring the artwork on the walls.
Taking a deep breath, he dipped his brush in paint. The moment the bristles touched the canvas, something clicked inside him. A rush of familiarity. A spark of creativity.
He wasn't just playing along. He was... painting.
And it felt real.
---
Back in the Studio
That night, they all gathered back in the recording studio, exhausted and overwhelmed.
Harry was the first to speak. "So... how was everyone's first day in the new universe?"
Liam shook his head. "I almost set myself on fire."
Niall groaned. "I put my fingers in someone's mouth."
Louis smirked. "I stacked stuffed animals."
Zayn crossed his arms. "I think I actually **like** being an artist."
Harry exhaled. "This is weird. But we're here now. We keep going until we find a way back."
No one argued. Because, for now, this was their reality.