Chapter 3 – A Different Me

Golden sunlight slipped through the curtains, filling the bedroom with warmth.

The girl lying on the soft bed slowly opened her eyes.

For a brief moment, panic flashed across her face.

Then...

She smiled.

"I'm really back..."

She sat up and looked around the luxurious bedroom.

The pink walls.

The expensive furniture.

The family portrait hanging on the wall.

Everything was exactly as she remembered.

In her previous life, she had taken all of this for granted.

Only after losing everything did she realize how precious it was.

She walked toward the full-length mirror.

The reflection staring back at her looked young.

Round cheeks.

A slightly chubby figure.

Bright eyes filled with determination.

She gently touched her own face.

"So this is me... at seventeen."

In her previous life, she hated looking in the mirror.

People laughed at her appearance.

They compared her with her elegant half-sister.

She cried countless nights because of those comparisons.

But now...

She smiled at her reflection.

"I don't need to become beautiful overnight."

"I only need to become a better version of myself."

After changing into her school uniform, she walked downstairs.

The dining room was already lively.

Her mother's cousins were sitting around the table, chatting happily.

The moment they saw her, they smiled warmly.

"Good morning!"

"Our little princess is awake!"

One of them placed a plate of cream-filled pastries in front of her.

"You love these, don't you?"

Another cousin laughed.

"Forget studying."

"Eat more."

"Your father is rich."

"You'll never have to worry about money."

The familiar words echoed in her ears.

In her previous life...

She had believed every single one of them.

She ate whatever they gave her.

She skipped homework.

She wasted her youth.

Not this time.

She pushed the pastries aside.

"I'll have some fruit instead."

The smiles on their faces froze.

"What?"

"You don't want dessert?"

She calmly picked up an apple.

"I have an exam coming up."

"I need to stay healthy."

Silence.

The cousins secretly exchanged confused looks.

One of them forced a laugh.

"Studying is tiring."

"Why work so hard?"

She simply smiled.

"Because my future belongs to me."

Without waiting for another response, she stood up.

"I'm leaving for school."

The front door closed behind her.

The cousins remained frozen.

"...What's wrong with her today?"

"I don't know."

"But she's acting strange."

...

The school gate soon appeared before her.

Students laughed and chatted as they walked inside.

She took a deep breath.

"This place..."

"It really gave me a second chance."

Inside the classroom, only a few students had arrived.

Instead of chatting, she quietly sat down and opened her mathematics workbook.

She began solving questions one after another.

A few classmates stared at her.

"Am I seeing things?"

"She's... studying?"

Another student whispered,

"Didn't she always sleep during morning study?"

The whispers spread across the classroom.

She ignored them all.

Every minute mattered now.

A few moments later...

Footsteps echoed outside.

The classroom suddenly became quieter.

She didn't need to look up.

She knew who it was.

The boy she had once loved enough to ruin both their lives.

He walked into the classroom carrying a stack of books.

As usual, his expression was calm.

In her previous life...

She would have rushed over to greet him.

She would have tried to start a conversation.

Today...

She didn't even lift her head.

Her pencil continued moving across the page.

The boy paused for a second.

His eyes landed on her.

"..."

Something felt different.

Usually, she would already be waiting for him.

Today...

She acted as if he didn't exist.

Without saying anything, he walked to his seat.

She quietly let out the breath she had been holding.

"This is better."

"I won't disturb your life again."

Just then, someone pulled out the chair beside the window.

She instinctively looked over.

A handsome boy sat down quietly, opening a thick physics textbook.

His features were sharp but gentle.

His posture was relaxed.

He had always been there.

One of the top students in the class.

Yet...

In her previous life...

She had never once paid attention to him.

She searched her memories.

His name...

She couldn't even remember it clearly.

A bitter smile appeared on her lips.

"I was so foolish."

"I only looked at one person."

The boy seemed to notice her gaze.

He looked up.

Their eyes met for a brief moment.

Instead of looking away awkwardly...

She simply gave him a polite nod.

He returned the gesture before continuing to read.

That tiny interaction lasted only a second.

Yet for some reason...

He found it unusual.

The noisy girl everyone knew...

Had become surprisingly quiet.

Before he could think further, the classroom door opened.

The homeroom teacher walked in with a pile of papers.

"Good morning, everyone."

The noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

The teacher looked around before speaking.

"The monthly examination will begin next week."

"This exam will determine your ranking before the college entrance examination."

Many students groaned.

The teacher smiled helplessly.

"If you want to enter your dream university..."

"Start working hard today."

The girl quietly tightened her grip on her pen.

Her eyes shone with determination.

"In my first life..."

"I wasted this chance."

"But in this life..."

"I'll earn my future."

"No one will decide my destiny for me again."

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