Back To The Beginning Novels & Stories

Let the game begin. --

I murmured as silently as possible. Salvatore continues to count, the playful tone in his voice making it clear that this is more than just a simple game. "...........Eight, nine, ten!" he announces with a chuckle, deliberately drawing out the moment. The mansion seems to hold its breath in anticipation. The game officially begins, and Salvatore, pretending to be clueless, searches in the wrong places intentionally.

She had started three hours later than the other participants and was forced to take Version B of the test. Fixing her gaze on the screen, she clicked "Submit" and finally exhaled in relief. She had made it! She could feel it—she was taking control of her life again. Submitting that test marked the beginning of a new chapter, one that would completely change her future. But before she could truly relax, she caught sight of the time displayed on her screen. Her heart nearly stopped as she shot up from her chair. Bambi was still in kindergarten! Without even shutting down her laptop, she rushed toward the door. Theodore, carrying a freshly warmed cup of milk, met her in the hallway.

" My eyes flew open to see Sophia standing before me, still alive and breathing. She was wearing an elegant long dress and had her hair pulled up in a high ponytail, radiating youthful energy. Even so, her eyes were unable to hide their contempt. The Sophia from my future was mature, cold, and unapproachable, but this version of her was bright and spirited, still carrying a touch of liveliness. A lump formed in my throat when I laid my eyes on her. The time machine had indeed brought me back to the past, but unfortunately, it seemed to have malfunctioned. Instead of returning to when we first met, I had arrived thirteen years in the past, on the day Sophia and I were about to be married. Tha

After a few days of peace and quiet, Tom returned to school. The first thing he did when he came to school was to see me.

“Stop being mean to me! Stop being mean to me!” I break down in tears. My chest is stifling. It cannot contain my frustration. Why won't anything ever go my way? “Kael, what do I do?” Kael pats my back with an assuring look. “It's okay. This is not the end. You can still shift another full moon. Pull yourself together.” “What do I do? What do I do Kael…I'm so confused right now…” She sighs and without speaking another word, she just pulls me into her body. I stay there in her hands and my tears flow.

"Elodie! Come on, let's go home together." Alright. Let's go home.

Figures. I quickly gathered my meager belongings and made my way to the administration building, my mind racing. All the while, I was trying to figure out the reason for being summoned. I couldn't recall doing anything wrong, not since my first couple of weeks here, when I was still trying to navigate the complex social landscape of Solus. I’ve always kept a low profile, kept my head down, and stayed out of trouble, ensuring no unwanted attention was ever brought to me. It was my survival strategy.

After three long years of being shoved to the margins in Aronespire, stepping back into a home where I was cherished was overwhelming. Hot tears spilled uncontrollably down my face.