Chapter 2: Reborn...

I opened my eyes slowly, my eyelids feeling too heavy, as if I hadn’t used them in years. The first thing I saw was a white ceiling, glowing faintly under bright lights.

A strong smell of disinfectant filled my nose, and the steady beep… beep… beep beside me told me exactly where I was — a hospital.

I groaned quietly, forcing my hand to move toward my head, but even that felt wrong. My arms were weak, heavier than I remembered, like they belonged to someone else. When I finally managed to touch my head, my fingers trembled.

My skin felt different — smoother, softer. I rubbed my temple, trying to recall what happened, why I was even here.

Then it hit me. Right. I was on my way to Apex Holdings. I’d finally landed my dream job after years of struggling. I’d crossed that busy road, my mind filled with plans and hope—and then there was a loud horn, brakes screeching, and… darkness.

A trailer. I was hit by a trailer.

A faint panic rose in my chest. Wait, so… I didn’t die? I was still alive? Somehow, I’d made it.

I let out a weak sigh of relief. But then my heart tightened again. The job. What if I’d lost it? Who misses their first day of job? I wouldn’t even blame them for replacing me.

And what about Caleb? My chest ached as his name flashed through my mind. He must be worried sick right now. He always told me I should be more careful. He’d probably rush to the hospital, tears in his eyes, lecturing me even while holding my hand.

But… where was he?

I looked around the room, trying to move, but a sharp pain shot through my body.

I could feel sensations — my fingers, my legs — but it wasn’t normal. It was as if my body had forgotten how to move. Every attempt made my muscles scream.I swallowed hard, breathing unevenly. Something was wrong.

Just then, the door creaked open. A nurse stepped in, balancing a tray of medical supplies. She didn’t look at me at first, just hummed softly as she arranged things on a table.

Her calmness gave me some comfort. Maybe she’d explain what was happening. She picked up a syringe and turned toward me — and then froze.

Her eyes widened in horror. The tray in her hand rattled. And then she screamed.

A sharp, piercing sound that made my heart leap into my throat.

Before I could say a word, she slapped a hand over her mouth, still staring at me like she’d seen a ghost. She grabbed the tray and bolted out of the room.

I blinked in confusion.

“What the hell…?” I muttered weakly, my voice sounding odd in my ears.

What was that about?

Why would she scream like that just from looking at me? My heart started to beat faster. Was my face injured? Did I look that bad?

Moments later, the door opened again. The same nurse walked in, this time with a doctor — a tall man in his forties with calm eyes and a clipboard in hand.

He approached me slowly, forcing a small smile.

“Hello there,” he said gently. “Are you alright? Do you feel any discomfort?”

“I… I—”

The words came out strange, slurred, like my tongue didn’t belong to me.

Why couldn’t I speak properly?

He nodded quickly, his tone soothing. “It’s okay. Don’t force yourself to talk. You’ve been through a lot. I’ll do a full check-up to make sure everything’s alright.”

His kindness made me uneasy. He was talking to me like I was a child.

He scribbled something on his notepad, then looked at the nurse. “I’ll call his father now. He’ll be so happy to hear his son is awake.”

I froze.

“…Wh..... what did you say?”

The doctor turned to me, still smiling. “Your father. He’s been waiting for this day for a long time.”

Father?

My brows furrowed in confusion.

“I… don’t… have… a dad,” I forced out, my voice trembling. Every word felt like dragging metal through my throat.

The doctor and the nurse exchanged a quick look — a silent, knowing glance that made my stomach twist. Something wasn’t right.

“I need… to make a phone call,” I said weakly.

“Please… my boyfriend… Caleb—”

The nurse took a step forward, her face soft with pity. “You should rest for now,” she said quietly.

I ignored her. My head pounded as I tried to lift my arm again, and that’s when I saw it — the mirror on the wall beside me.

My reflection.

At first, I didn’t recognize it. I blinked hard. Once. Twice. Then again.

That… wasn’t me.

The boy staring back had softer features, younger skin, and wide brown eyes that looked nothing like mine, beauty was an understatement to describe him. His hair was a shade lighter, his body smaller and fragile.

A strange, cold feeling ran down my spine.

I tried to sit up, panic gripping me, but my limbs refused to move properly. My body felt… foreign.

I pointed toward the mirror desperately. “M—Mirror…” I managed to whisper.

The nurse hesitated, then grabbed the handheld mirror from the table and handed it to me.

My trembling fingers gripped it tightly.

And the moment I saw my face up close, my heart stopped.

That wasn’t the 24-year-old Eli who’d worked part-time jobs, who’d scraped together money for a secondhand suit, who’d told Caleb goodbye that morning.

This was a boy, no older than ten, maybe even younger.

“This… this isn’t me…” I whispered, my voice cracking.

My breathing grew uneven.

“I’m… I’m twenty-four! I— I had a job— I had—”

My vision blurred as I looked again.

The boy in the mirror copied my movements perfectly. Same confusion. Same trembling lips.

The room felt colder.

Maybe this was a dream. Maybe I was still unconscious, lying on the road, bleeding out.

But the pain was too real. The sound of the machines, the stiffness of my limbs, the smell of the hospital — all of it screamed reality.

“W… who am I?” I asked finally, my voice breaking.

The doctor stared at me for a long moment. His lips pressed into a thin line.

He seemed to hesitate, glancing at the nurse, then back at me.

“You are Eli,” he said quietly.

“You were in a car accident when you were ten years old. You’ve been in a coma for nine years.”

My mind went blank.

“Nine… years?” I echoed, almost in disbelief.

He nodded slowly.

Nine years. A boy who had been asleep for almost a decade.

And his name — Eli. The same name as mine. My heart pounded faster. That name… it sounded familiar, like I heard it before, somewhere.

My mouth went dry. “What… year is this?” I whispered.

“It’s the year 2027,” the doctor said softly.

The year I was hit was 2026. Which means… my soul… entered the body of a boy who’s been in a coma for nine years.

I stared blankly at the ceiling, my mind spinning out of control. This couldn’t be real. It wasn’t possible...