It really wasn’t worth it. Aurora had finally come to terms with that. Once she got out of here, she would start living for herself. She deserved her own time and her own life. With that realization, she began to feel genuinely hopeful about the future. She followed the only path ahead, walking forward with far more determination than before. No more hesitation. No more doubt. Instead of living in confusion, it was better to uncover the truth, to finally see what exactly had happened to her back then. Pressing her lips together, Aurora moved forward.

When she finally reached the end of the path, she saw clearly where she was. Wasn’t this… her high school? Aurora froze in place. She remembered it so vividly because the accident had happened here. And it was because of that accident she’d fallen for the boy who saved her, planting a deep seed of gratitude in her heart. Thinking of that made Aurora’s heart race. Why was she suddenly here? Did this mean she was about to uncover the truth? Was she finally going to find out who had saved her that day? Her face lit up with excitement and joy she could no longer hide. After being stuck in this place for so long, she had almost forgotten what the outside world even felt like. Her steps quickened as she rushed toward it. But the moment she walked out of the tunnel, she stopped dead in her tracks. No wonder it all felt familiar–this was her high school. Looking at the buildings around her, it seemed to be just before or shortly after the accident.

Tears welled in Aurora’s eyes. Was she finally going to get the chance to learn the truth? This time, she was truly grateful to this strange world for bringing her here. Could it be… that she was being given a chance to make up for the past? Aurora had her doubts, silently wondering if any of this was truly real. But time gave her no chance to think. Before she could react, the ground beneath her feet suddenly started to tremble. She froze—what was happening? She clearly remembered that the day of the accident hadn’t been this calm or wonny. Something about this felt off. Before Aurora could do anything, she realized she had overthought it. She looked up and saw that it was just the end of the school day. Her high school had just let out. Seeing that, Aurora finally let out a breath of relief. What she thought was an earthquake was just students being dismissed. The accident hadn’t happened yet. That thought eased her nerves. She stood by the roadside and noticed that no one was giving her strange looks. That confirmed it–just like before, she was here merely as an observer. With that assurance, Aurora felt much more at ease. Now she could watch carefully, without worrying about being part of it. She stood quietly at the side, looking at the energetic faces of those teenagers, a sigh rising from deep within her heart. Time truly was ruthless. It hadn’t been that long, and yet, the smiles on those kids’ faces had already faded, especially hers—now she was deep into her corporate life, and all the youth and vitality she once had were long gone.