Chapter 1 – This Time, I Choose Myself

The first thing Taehyung noticed was the smell.

Fresh paper.

Ink.

The faint scent of old wooden desks.

"..."

His eyelids fluttered open.

His head felt heavy, and his heart was pounding so hard that it almost hurt.

For a few moments, he simply stared at the white ceiling above him.

"...Where am I?"

His voice came out as a whisper.

He slowly sat up and looked around.

Rows of students filled a large classroom. Some were talking excitedly, while others were busy filling out forms.

A teacher stood near the podium, organizing stacks of documents.

Taehyung frowned.

"This place..."

His breathing became uneven.

He knew this classroom.

He had sat here before.

Years ago.

"No..."

His hands trembled as he looked down at himself.

The same old hoodie.

The same worn-out shoes.

The same round glasses resting on his nose.

His fingers instinctively touched his cheeks.

His body...

It wasn't lying broken on a cold road.

It wasn't covered in blood.

His heart skipped a beat.

"I..."

"I'm alive?"

Suddenly—

Images flashed through his mind.

Laughter.

Cruel voices.

"It was just a bet."

"Who could ever love someone like him?"

"He's fat."

"He's ugly."

"He's just an orphan."

The sound of screeching tires.

A blinding light.

The unbearable pain.

Then...

Darkness.

Taehyung clutched his head tightly.

His chest felt so heavy that he could barely breathe.

"...It wasn't a dream."

He remembered everything.

Every smile that had been fake.

Every kind word that had hidden mockery.

Every moment he had believed he was finally loved.

His eyes slowly filled with tears.

"...I really died."

A tear rolled down his cheek.

He wiped it away before anyone noticed.

Not again.

He would never cry because of them again.

---

"Students!"

The teacher's voice echoed through the classroom.

Everyone became quiet.

"As you all know, today is the final day to submit your applications for your master's entrance examinations."

"You've already discussed your choices with your advisors."

"Please check your forms carefully before submitting them."

Taehyung froze.

Master's entrance...

He looked down.

An application form lay neatly on his desk.

At the top was his name.

Kim Taehyung.

His eyes slowly moved to the university name.

City F National University.

His hands immediately tightened around the paper.

City F.

His previous life.

The place where every painful memory had begun.

In his last life...

He had stayed in City F because...

"They're here..."

He whispered to himself.

Minho.

Hyunwoo.

He had chosen the university because he wanted to stay close to the people he trusted most.

How foolish.

His lips curled into a bitter smile.

"I gave up my future..."

"...for people who never cared about me."

Slowly...

He picked up the application form.

Without hesitation—

Riiip!

The paper tore into two pieces.

Then four.

Then many more.

The classroom fell silent.

Several students turned to look at him.

"What is he doing?"

"Did he just tear his application?"

Taehyung ignored every stare.

His heartbeat, which had been racing with panic, slowly began to calm.

For the first time...

He felt strangely relieved.

The teacher hurried over.

"Kim Taehyung!"

"What happened?"

"If there's a mistake on your form, I can give you another one."

Taehyung stood up politely.

"I'm sorry, Professor."

"I'd like a new application."

The teacher blinked.

"...You changed your mind?"

"Yes."

The teacher nodded and handed him another blank form.

"Fill it out carefully."

Taehyung accepted it with both hands.

"...Thank you."

He sat down.

The blank page lay before him.

For a long moment...

He simply stared at it.

Then he remembered another memory.

A university in City C.

The most prestigious medical university in the country.

In his previous life...

He hadn't even tried.

He had convinced himself he wasn't smart enough.

He had been too afraid of failing.

Too afraid of leaving familiar people behind.

This time...

There were no familiar people worth staying for.

Only painful memories.

Taehyung took a deep breath.

His pen slowly moved across the paper.

First Choice: City C Medical University.

His handwriting was steady.

No hesitation.

No fear.

When he finished writing, he looked at the words for a long time.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"...This time..."

"I'll chase my dream."

"...Not people."

He folded the form carefully.

His eyes, once filled with sadness, now carried quiet determination.

"I don't need fake friends."

"I don't need fake love."

"I'll study."

"I'll become a doctor."

"I'll build a life where I can be proud of myself."

"And no matter what happens..."

"I'll never let anyone decide my worth again."

Outside the classroom window, a gentle breeze rustled the trees.

It felt as though the world itself had turned a page.

Kim Taehyung had been given a second life.

And this time...

He had chosen a different path.

A path that would one day lead him to City C...

...and to a destiny he could never have imagined.

End of Chapter 1

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