Chapter 1

Just because my uncle Keita's first love jumped off a building, and I was the last person to see her before she did.

Keita decided I was the one who killed his first love, Louise. He hated me for ten years because of it.

Later, on the way to take me to pay respects at Louise's grave, we got into a car accident.

Keita threw himself in front of me to shield me. He died from his injuries.

With the last of his strength, just before he passed, he said to me:

"Sophia, I regret ever taking you in."

Keita's parents broke down at the funeral:

"You bitch! First you killed your mother, now you've killed my son!"

So on a clear night, I walked into the ocean and let it take me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back, three days before Louise jumped.

This time, I decided to walk away and let everyone have the life they wanted.

I was reborn. Sent back to three days before Louise jumped.

The smell of him reached me before the slap did. The crack of his palm against my face snapped me back to my senses.

Keita stood in front of me, his expression hard, his hand still raised.

"Sophia, what are you saying? I'm your uncle!"

"When your mother left you in my care, I raised you like my own. If I've somehow given you the wrong impression—"

"Keita, I'm sorry!"

I cut him off, ignoring the burning pain spreading across my cheek.

Looking at that cool, serious face in front of me — I understood. I was reborn.

In my past life, when the car crash hit, Keita had thrown himself around me with everything he had. He died from his injuries.

Just before the end, his pale lips parted, and he said each word slowly:

"Sophia, I truly regret taking you in."

Then his eyes closed forever.

I stood there, frozen, his parents' crying filling my ears.

Keita's mother stared at his cold body and wept until she couldn't breathe.

She pointed a finger in my face and screamed:

"You bitch! Wasn't it enough to kill your own mother? You had to kill my son too!"

"Give Keita back to me!"

Keita's father shoved me hard. I stumbled and fell to the ground.

Dead. My Keita, the person I loved most, was dead.

"Keita, you've got it wrong!"

"I lost a bet at school today. They dared me to confess to the person I cared about most."

"You've always been the only one I have, so I just..."

Keita blinked, then let out a slow breath. He looked at me, somewhere between exasperated and relieved.

"Don't joke around like that again."

I nodded, doing my best to look innocent and harmless.

"I'm sorry. Does it still hurt?"

Keita reached out and gently touched the cheek he'd just slapped.

In my past life, I would have leaned into his hand and fished for comfort.

But now my heart felt completely still. If anything, I felt a quiet sadness.

I would never forget that Keita had used his dying breath to tell me he regretted taking me in.

So this time around, I was going to give him the life he actually wanted.

"It's fine. I took the joke too far. I won't do it again."

I shook my head and stepped back.

Keita's hand hung in the air for a moment, then retreated into his pocket.

"By the way, this weekend is Louise's birthday. Come with me to drop off a gift."

"I'll introduce you to my friend."

Just a friend?

If I remembered correctly, three days from now was Louise's birthday — and her death anniversary.

In my past life, I watched Louise climb over the railing of her terrace and fall. She was gone before she hit the ground.

Because I was the last person to see Louise before she died, Keita decided I was responsible for her death.

No matter how I tried to explain, he refused to believe me.

What he never knew was that Louise had died because her plan had fallen apart — because of me — and she had taken her own life out of shame and rage.

In my past life, Louise had invited Keita to her birthday party.

At the party, she slipped something into his drink.

What she hadn't counted on was that I happened to be resting in a back room. One thing led to another, and I became the one who unknowingly helped Keita through it.

By the time Louise rushed to the back room, what was done was done.

Knowing her plan had failed, she stormed up to the roof terrace, consumed by humiliation.

When I got there, she already had one leg over the railing.

"Sophia, you filthy little home-wrecker! You ruined everything between me and Keita — I'll make him hate you for the rest of his life!"

The words had barely left her mouth before she let go.

When Keita came to, he was convinced I had drugged him and driven Louise to her death. He hated me for ten years after that.

No matter how many times I tried to tell him the truth, he refused to hear it.

Fine. Then I'd give him what he wanted.

"Sorry, Keita, I have a school event this weekend. I'm needed to help out."

"I won't be able to make it — please wish Louise a happy birthday from me."

I turned and walked out of the study, so I didn't see the shadow that passed across Keita's face.