Chapter 1
“Wake up! It’s starting soon!” Isolde felt someone shaking her vigorously. Her head was still heavy from sleep as she groggily muttered, “What’s going on?” The mere utterance of her words jolted her fully awake. Opening her eyes, she found herself in a vast, unfamiliar space. As her vision focused, it became clear she was on a stage, but where exactly was she? “You’ve been out for a whole day! You came early to get a good spot, and yet here you are, still asleep,” a familiar voice chimed in. Turning to her left, Isolde recognized her friend. “Evelyn! Hey, Evelyn!” Evelyn frowned slightly, her expression reflecting concern. “What’s wrong with you?” Isolde took in the environment: a grand stage with rows of red seats. Above the stage, a banner read: Welcome to the Emergency Response Training from the School of Healing Arts. Evelyn was a classmate from university, and her youthful appearance—complete with wild, frothy curls—evoked memories of their carefree days at school. “Why were you just staring at me?” Evelyn teased, reaching out to touch Isolde's forehead. “You’re not sick, are you? No fever.” Isolde shrugged, still dazed. Taking a moment to look around, the realization hit her: this was the university’s auditorium, packed with people buzzing with anticipation. “Here, drink this!” Evelyn said, handing her a cup of iced milk tea. The coldness sent a shiver through Isolde, and Evelyn laughed, “Take a sip to wake up!” Suddenly, another student approached, saying, “Excuse me, can I get through?” Instinctively, Isolde pulled her legs back, but in that moment, she noticed something shocking—her legs could move! Switching from a daze to shock, she stood up, almost instinctively. She hesitated as she took a few cautious steps. Staring down at her legs in disbelief, Isolde felt both confusion and excitement. She had been paralyzed from the waist down after an accident; how was she standing? Evelyn’s anxiety surged as she quickly pulled Isolde back down into her seat. “What’s wrong with you? There are so many people behind us!” The sounds of chatter filled her ears, but in that moment, she was lost in her own thoughts. She touched her face and legs again, feeling them as if they were real. Turning to Evelyn, she demanded, “Pinch me!” With a mix of uncertainty and concern, Evelyn pinched Isolde’s side, causing her to squeal in surprise and recoil. “Ouch!” It was real—it was all real. Somehow, she was alive, and she had been given a second chance at her college life. The enormity of this revelation sent her mind spinning. Perhaps her decision to donate her organs before her previous life ended had somehow led to this miraculous revival. “Alright, let's get started,” said a gentle male voice from the stage, breaking her reverie. “Many freshmen faint during military training due to heat exhaustion, so today we’ll discuss how to identify and treat someone suffering from heat stroke...” “Wow, he’s so handsome!” A chorus of excited whispers rippled through the audience. “He’s really cute; we definitely picked the right event to attend!” a girl exclaimed. Isolde looked up to see the man at the microphone, mesmerized. “Arthur...” “That's right! Arthur!” Evelyn joined in, gazing dreamily at the stage. “He’s the heartthrob of the School of Healing Arts, and a third-year too! He’s also the president of the student assembly. You don’t see many handsome guys who are also smart around here. Just look at all the girls here—they’re likely all here for him.” “Hey, weren’t you supposed to join the student assembly?" Evelyn nudged her.
Chapter 2
Isolde’s gaze was fixed on Arthur, who stood on the stage less than ten meters away. With his clean-cut short hair and deep-set eyes, he looked even more attractive than she remembered—his skin slightly paler than in her memories. Her eyes traveled downward to his strong hands, which had held her countless times, their knuckles defined and full of strength. A sudden, inexplicable flutter in her heart made Isolde's pulse quicken. What was he doing here? And still in medical school? She thought he wasn’t even at her university. Memories crashed over her like a tidal wave; in her previous life, he had been with her until the very end. His face, twisted in agony at her passing, echoed in her mind, along with his desperate plea, “Isolde, don’t leave me.” “Isolde, we have to meet again in the next life. Don’t forget me, don’t forget me!” “Isolde, what’s wrong?” Evelyn’s voice broke through her thoughts. Isolde turned to her friend, alarm flickering in her eyes. “What?” Seeing Isolde’s face was so wrong, Evelyn looked panicked. “Why are you crying?” Crying? Isolde touched her cheek in disbelief and realized, to her horror, that tears were streaming down her face. When did that happen? Why was she crying? Her heart ached. She pressed her palm against her chest, hoping to alleviate the suffocating sense of hurt. “Isolde, please don’t scare me. Are you okay? Do we need to go to the hospital?” Evelyn shook her gently, concern etched across her face. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Isolde waved her hand dismissively. “I’m fine, really.” The presentation on stage had concluded, and applause erupted among her classmates; however, their focus seemed less on the knowledge being shared and more on the presenter himself. A male student named Celeste stepped forward to teach CPR. “Indications for CPR include any causes of unconsciousness and circulatory arrest…” On the stage lay a medical dummy, lifeless and still. After demonstrating, Celeste raised his hand. “Who wants to come up and give it a try?” The lively atmosphere shifted into a frenzy as students enthusiastically raised their hands, eager to participate. “Me! Pick me!” Celeste scanned the crowd, then pointed. “You, the one over there.” Everyone’s gaze followed his finger until it landed on Isolde. She hesitantly raised her finger to herself. “Me?” “Yeah, you! Everyone else is obviously paying attention except for you. Come on up!” Evelyn grinned mischievously, nudging Isolde towards the stage. “Go on, go up!” Climbing onto the stage, Isolde instinctively looked at Arthur. He leaned casually against the table, which seemed dwarfed by his long legs, half-sitting, half-standing. He was watching her, but the smile on his lips was unreadable; this new version of him felt foreign. She hadn’t fully grasped the previous instructions, but without thinking, she crouched down impulsively, causing laughter to erupt from the audience. Flustered, she pretended to get up again. “Just stay down,” Arthur’s voice broke through, cool and distant. “Um, why?” she asked, confusion dancing in her eyes. “Just lie down here,” he directed, pointing to the mat beside her. “You clearly weren’t paying attention. Pretend to be the patient; I’ll demonstrate again, and after that, you should understand.” As he spoke, his tone was matter-of-fact, yet there was an air of confidence around him, making her feel more than a little lost. With no other choice, Isolde lay down on the mat, glancing up as Arthur walked over and picked up Celeste's microphone. “I'll show you all again,” he said, kneeling beside her. “Interlace your fingers, keep your lower fingers up, and stretch your arms out straight,” he explained, “You should apply firm pressure right here on the chest about thirty times…” He didn’t actually press down; his hands hovered, demonstrating the technique while her heart raced uncontrollably. From this angle, his skin glowed like porcelain, and his throat pulsed rhythmically as he spoke, revealing the faint blue veins beneath the surface.
Chapter 3
Arthur gently lifted Isolde's chin, tilting her head up slightly. "First, we need to check for any obstructions in the mouth and clear them away. When performing rescue breaths, always pinch the patient's nostrils shut..." The students in the auditorium seemed more excited than the couple themselves, reacting to the mention of rescue breaths with gasps and murmurs of amusement. "Whoa…" Isolde thought Arthur was simply going through the motions as before, but when their eyes met, she instinctively covered her mouth. The crowd erupted at her reaction, laughter filling the room, and a boy joked, "How are you supposed to do rescue breaths with your mouth covered?" That line brought forth a chorus of chuckles from their classmates. Arthur tilted his head, gesturing for her to lower her hands. "Come on, let's see that smile." Reluctantly, Isolde uncovered her mouth and managed a shy laugh. Arthur smirked slightly and reached out, pinching her nostrils with his fingers as he leaned in. Their faces were mere inches apart, her heart racing as she watched him draw closer, the world around them fading away. This was surreal. Just as their lips were about to meet, she unconsciously pouted, creating an unexpected touch—a fleeting kiss akin to a soft butterfly landing. Arthur frowned slightly, and Isolde's eyes widened in disbelief. Had she just kissed him? Her cheeks flushed intensely, and her first thought was a frantic worry: did anyone see that? Arthur continued his explanation, unfazed, "Each breath should last one to two seconds. You do thirty chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths, repeating this cycle while checking for breathing and pulse every five cycles until medical help arrives." The crowd, however, had lost interest in the lecture and instead joined in a cacophony of cheers and laughter. Isolde couldn’t recall how she made it offstage; it wasn't until Evelyn pinched her arm that she fully came back to reality. "Ouch!" Isolde yelped. Luckily, most students had already left, but a few turned to look at them. With a conspiratorial whisper, Evelyn leaned close and asked, "Did you guys just kiss?" Isolde, still flustered, blinked at her friend. "Who?" It quickly dawned on her that Evelyn meant Arthur. She glanced back up at the stage where Arthur was packing up his things with other students. He didn’t look her way, and her heart sank a little. Evelyn's excitement was palpable. "When he leaned down, his hand kind of blocked, did you feel that?" Considering the way the moment had gone, Isolde smirked playfully, raising an eyebrow. "Guess you'll have to find out." Evelyn threw an arm around her shoulders with a teasing grin. "You're just being coy! Just tell me: did you or didn’t you?" Isolde knew she couldn’t spill the truth, and the pair playfully bickered all the way to the hall's exit. Just then, a voice interrupted them. "Isolde! Isolde!" They turned to see a boy coming toward them, looking eager as he approached. Evelyn’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Did you invite him over?" Isolde frowned, shaking her head. How could she? This was the same guy who had dumped her mere months after her accident for someone new. Even though she was aware that this was her new reality, his betrayal still cut deep. "William," she said flatly, "what do you want?" William smiled brightly as he handed her two cups of iced tea. "I just got these for you guys. Still cold!" "I don’t want any," Isolde said, her tone final, not wanting to engage further.
Chapter 4
“Isolde firmly shook her head. ‘Thanks, but no thanks.’” They had met during military training. Even though William was from the School of Information Engineering, their training grounds were right next to her class, with both trainers belonging to the same company. This proximity meant they became acquainted. William had already started pursuing her even before military training ended, often bringing snacks, fruit, and bubble tea. In her previous life, they officially became a couple in their sophomore year, but in this life, she had no intention of being with him—she needed to make sure he got the message early on. Isolde tugged Evelyn along, trying to leave, but William blocked their path. He interpreted her rejection as mere feminine modesty. “Where are you two off to? Let me treat you to dinner.” “Really, it’s fine,” Isolde insisted. “We barely know each other.” “That’s no problem at all,” William replied confidently. “I’m sure we’ll get to know each other soon enough.” He was actually quite handsome and had a way of charming people—after all, many underclassmen used to vie for his attention. In her past life, Isolde found him appealing too, but looking at him now, he seemed so ordinary despite his bravado. “Your persistence is impressive, but we won’t become friends, so just leave me alone. Go back to whatever you were doing and don’t bother me again,” Isolde said, her patience wearing thin. “Oh come on, I can’t do that,” William retorted, a playful grin on his face. “You’re single, I’m single—it’s only fair that I get to pursue you. You can reject me all you want, but I’m not giving up.” Not wanting to be dragged into this any longer, and with curious onlookers gathering around, Isolde took a deep breath. “Who said I’m single? I have a boyfriend.” Her declaration caught Evelyn off guard. “You have a boyfriend?” William didn’t buy it. “I don’t believe you. I’ve done my homework, and you don’t have a boyfriend. If you do, bring him out so I can see. Is he even from our school? Or do you have a picture?” Realizing her lie was about to be exposed, Isolde pointed towards the Grand Hall. “I really do have a boyfriend. He’s inside right now.” Classes were going on in the Grand Hall, so only their college students could enter. She knew full well he couldn’t get in, but she spat it out anyway. William wasn't so easily swayed. “Call him out. Or I’ll just wait here until he does. I refuse to believe there’s a guy better than me.” Seriously, where did this guy get his confidence? Isolde turned to look at the Grand Hall and just happened to see Arthur stepping out with a few classmates. There was no time to think. Isolde rushed forward and hooked her arm around Arthur’s. “This is my boyfriend! From the School of Healing Arts, the president of the student council, and he’s way better looking and smarter than you.” Arthur was momentarily taken aback. He glanced between Isolde and the guy in front of them, quickly picking up the situation. Isolde shot him a pleading look, mouthing the words, “Help me.” But the biggest shock came from Evelyn, who remembered Isolde just claiming she didn’t know Arthur. How did he suddenly become her boyfriend? Everyone was waiting for Arthur's response, especially those from his program who had never heard of him having a girlfriend. Plus, the girl in front of him was the same one who performed CPR just moments ago; there was no indication they even knew each other. Arthur kept his expression neutral, casually wrapping an arm around her shoulder, voice laced with annoyance. “What’s it to you, friend?” His words confirmed to everyone that Isolde was indeed his girlfriend, leaving them gaping in disbelief as they turned back to William with evident intrigue. One of Arthur’s classmates suddenly piped up, “No wonder! I thought I saw them kissing on stage earlier; so she really is his girlfriend!”
Chapter 5
The moment Isolde realized she was being watched, her cheeks flushed crimson. She hesitated to look around to see who had spoken—most of the crowd below seemed obscured by Arthur's arm, but her classmates standing on either side of him likely had a clear view. William furrowed his brow. Though he still found it hard to believe, hearing someone claim he had kissed her forced the reality upon him. His expression smoothed out, and he remarked casually, “It’s fine; I’ll just wait until you two break up. If he treats you poorly, or if you ever want to switch boyfriends, remember I’ll be here.” With that, William strolled away, leaving behind a trail of laughter and murmurs as the onlookers dispersed. Isolde and Arthur stayed behind along with a few of his classmates and Evelyn. An awkward silence settled over them as they exchanged glances. Arthur still held Isolde close. “You all can go ahead; I need to have a word with my girlfriend,” he said, emphasizing the word “girlfriend.” His classmates chuckled, waved goodbye, and slipped away. Once they were alone, Isolde took a step back, distancing herself. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice soft. Arthur smiled faintly down at his hand that had just been around her shoulders and tucked it behind his back. “No problem. I’ll see you around.” Before Isolde could respond, he turned and left. Watching him walk away, Isolde’s heart raced. This version of Arthur seemed indifferent, as if he didn’t recognize her at all. It was a stark contrast to the person she remembered from her past life. Back in the Knight's Quarters, Isolde sat on her bed for a long while, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Recalling her previous life, just before the accident, she realized everything had been going smoothly then; her grades were good, she was well-liked, beautiful with a charming personality—truly the envy of parents and teachers alike. She had caught the attention of many boys, but none had ever truly captured her heart. Now, having reset her life at this pivotal moment in her first year of college, she had avoided becoming involved with William and, most importantly, dodged the accident that claimed her life. She clung to the hope that if she could steer clear of that catastrophe, she might change the outcome of her story. What struck her most was the enigma of Arthur. In her memories, they hadn’t gone to the same school; could it be that something had shifted in the timeline? What had altered the course of their fates? For now, Isolde decided not to dwell on these thoughts. After all, being in the same community as Arthur meant their paths would cross again. And she couldn’t help but wonder if they could rewrite their ending this time around. Shaking her head to clear her mind, Isolde thought about treating herself to a nice meal to celebrate her rebirth. Regardless of what the future held, just being alive felt like victory. “Evelyn, where's Juliet and Clara?” she called out. Juliet and Clara, her close friends from the Knight's Quarters, had been on her mind. In her previous life, they had all maintained a strong bond, devoid of the usual dramatic rivalries. As if summoned, the two girls hurried back, flopping into chairs as if exhausted. Evelyn, concerned, asked, “What happened?” Clara sipped her water, groaning, “Ugh, I’m so tired. It's been a long day!”
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