The late afternoon sun draped the grounds of Alaska University in a soft golden glow as the final lecture of the day came to an end.
Students gradually spilled out from the tall academic buildings, their voices echoing across the wide pathways that connected the different faculties. Some walked in groups, animatedly discussing their assignments and upcoming projects. Others lingered on the stone benches scattered beneath the rows of maple trees, enjoying the cool breeze that swept gently across the campus.
The university had a quiet elegance at this hour.
The tall glass windows of the lecture halls reflected the fading sunlight, while the library tower stood calmly at the center of the grounds like a silent guardian of knowledge. Bicycles passed along the pathways, and the distant laughter of students blended naturally with the rustling leaves above.
Claire walked slowly along one of the main paths, her books held loosely against her chest.
Her days at the university had gradually settled into a routine.
Lectures.
Assignments.
Long hours in the library.
From the outside, everything seemed perfectly normal.
But beneath that ordinary rhythm, Claire carried a quiet tension within her.
Because no matter how much she tried to focus on her studies, two familiar shadows continued to linger in her life.
Tasya.
And Diana.
They were always somewhere nearby.
Sometimes she would notice them standing across the courtyard, speaking in low voices while occasionally glancing in her direction. Other times she would discover small inconveniences—her notes mysteriously missing from her desk, whispers spreading among classmates about strange rumors, or subtle remarks meant to isolate her.
Nothing serious enough to prove.
But enough to make her uneasy.
Claire had learned to ignore it.
Or at least, pretend to.
She had promised herself that this time, she would not let fear control her life.
*If destiny repeats itself…*
Her fingers tightened slightly around her books.
*Then I will face it.*
The campus gates came into view ahead of her.
The road outside was quieter than usual, with only a few cars passing along the street. The sky had begun to deepen into shades of amber and violet, signaling the approach of evening.
Claire stepped off the sidewalk and began crossing toward the bus stop.
Then—
A sharp sound cut through the air.
The roar of an engine.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
Claire turned her head instinctively.
A car was rushing toward her.
Her eyes widened.
For a brief second, time seemed to slow.
The headlights flashed in her vision.
The screech of tires echoed violently across the street.
Then—
Impact.
Pain exploded through her legs as her body was thrown forward.
Her books scattered across the pavement as she collapsed onto the cold ground.
The world spun.
Voices erupted around her.
"Oh my god!"
"Someone call an ambulance!"
"Miss, can you hear me?"
The sky above blurred into a hazy mixture of colors.
Claire tried to move, but a sharp wave of pain shot through her leg, forcing a weak gasp from her lips.
Her vision darkened.
The last thing she heard before everything faded away was the distant sound of sirens approaching.
---
When Claire's mother arrived at the hospital, panic was written clearly across her face.
The sterile white corridors felt unbearably cold as doctors and nurses moved quickly around the emergency ward.
"She was hit by a car," a nurse explained gently.
"There's a wound on her leg, but fortunately it doesn't appear to be life-threatening."
Claire's mother clutched her hands tightly together, her eyes filled with worry.
"Can I see her?"
The nurse nodded.
"She's unconscious right now, but you may wait inside."
A short while later, another hurried set of footsteps echoed down the hallway.
The road to the hospital stretched endlessly before Randy's car.
The evening had already begun to settle over the city, painting the sky in dim shades of violet and fading gold. Streetlights flickered on one by one, casting pale circles of light along the quiet streets. Cars passed occasionally in the opposite direction, their headlights briefly illuminating Randy's tense expression before disappearing into the distance.
Inside the car, there was only silence.
The steady hum of the engine filled the space, but even that seemed distant compared to the storm of thoughts moving through Randy's mind.
His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly.
Too tightly.
The words he had heard only minutes ago kept repeating in his head.
*Claire was hit by a car.*
For a brief moment earlier, when the phone call ended, it felt as if the world had stopped.
A familiar fear had rushed back into his chest.
The same fear he had once felt before.
The memory of another life lingered quietly within him—one he had tried to keep hidden, even from Claire.
In that life, he had been too late.
Too late to protect her.
Too late to change anything.
Too late to stop the cruel fate that had taken her away.
Randy exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
The city lights blurred faintly through the windshield as the car sped forward.
He had promised himself something the moment he realized he had been reborn.
This time… things would be different.
He had chosen the same university as Claire.
Stayed close to her.
Watched every step she took, every decision she made, hoping to quietly guide the future away from the tragedy he remembered.
Yet despite everything he had done—
Fate still seemed to move in its own direction.
His jaw tightened.
"What are you trying to prove?" he muttered quietly under his breath, though he didn't know whether he was speaking to fate… or to himself.
A red traffic light forced the car to stop.
For a moment, the city became completely still.
Randy leaned his head back slightly against the seat, closing his eyes for a brief second.
Memories flickered behind his eyelids.
Claire's laughter.
The way she used to look at him with quiet trust.
The fragile moments they had shared in the life that no longer existed.
Then the memory of her falling.
His eyes opened sharply.
The light turned green.
Without hesitation, Randy pressed the accelerator and the car surged forward again.
He refused to let that ending repeat itself.
Not this time.
Not again.
The hospital building finally appeared ahead, its bright white lights cutting through the growing darkness of the evening.
Randy pulled the car into the parking area quickly and stepped out.
The cool night air brushed against his face, but he barely noticed it.
His eyes were already fixed on the hospital entrance.
Claire was inside.
And for the first time since hearing the news, a quiet but desperate thought passed through his mind.
*Claire…*
*Please don't leave me again.*
He had driven to the hospital the moment he heard the news.
When he entered the room, Claire lay quietly on the hospital bed, her face pale beneath the soft glow of the overhead lights. A bandage wrapped around her injured leg, and the steady rhythm of the heart monitor filled the silence.
Her mother sat beside the bed, gently holding Claire's hand.
Randy approached slowly.
"She'll wake up," he said softly.
Claire's mother nodded, though worry still lingered in her eyes.
After some time, the nurse asked Claire's mother to step out briefly to complete some paperwork.
The room became quiet.
Only Randy remained beside the bed.
He stood there for a long moment, staring at Claire's unconscious face.
Then he slowly leaned closer.
His voice dropped into a quiet whisper meant only for her ears.
"Claire…"
He hesitated briefly.
"I know the truth."
His gaze softened.
"I know you were reborn."
The words hung quietly in the sterile air.
"And I was too."
Randy lowered his voice even further.
"So please… wake up."
Claire's mind floated somewhere between darkness and light.
Between dreams and reality.
Her body felt heavy, distant.
But through the haze of unconsciousness, she heard something.
A voice.
Familiar.
Close.
"I know you were reborn."
Her heart stirred faintly.
"And I was too."
Claire's consciousness flickered weakly.
The darkness around her trembled.
And somewhere within that fragile space between sleep and waking.
She realized she had just heard something that could change everything.