I won’t let you go in this life – The Rebirth
I won’t let you go in this life.
The words thundered in Ethan’s head as he sat on the edge of his narrow dorm bed, his palms sweating against his knees. It had been hours since he jolted awake from death’s embrace, and yet the memory of Sophie’s betrayal and Daniel’s knife felt as raw as if it had just happened.
The fluorescent ceiling light hummed above him, casting the familiar pale glow he had once taken for granted. His textbooks were stacked in sloppy piles. His phone buzzed with notifications—cheap, outdated, yet comforting. He picked it up and saw the date.
Ten years earlier.
A shiver ran down his spine. It wasn’t a dream. He really had been thrown back into the past.
His chest tightened as he thought of Lena. In his last life, she had confessed her feelings around this time. Her words had been soft, hesitant, but brimming with sincerity: “I’ve liked you for a while now… I just wanted you to know.”
And he… he had crushed her courage with a careless laugh. “You’re sweet, Lena, but I’m already interested in someone else.”
Someone else. Sophie.
The thought made his stomach churn. His fists clenched. He remembered the way Sophie had smiled at him, the way she had demanded more, more, always more, until he was working himself to the bone just to please her. And still, it hadn’t been enough.
Not anymore.
This time, his choice was clear.
“Lena,” he whispered into the silence of the dorm, the name tasting bittersweet on his lips. “This time, I’ll choose you. I won’t let you go in this life.”
The next morning, Ethan walked across campus, the brisk air stinging his skin. Students bustled past, some familiar faces he hadn’t seen in years—though for them, it was just yesterday. He was acutely aware of the second chance he’d been given, and every face felt like a ghost of the future he had once lost.
And then, he saw her.
Lena.
She stood by the library steps, holding a stack of books against her chest. Her long dark hair was tied in a loose ponytail, strands fluttering with the wind. She wore a simple cardigan and jeans, nothing flashy, nothing that would draw attention. Just Lena—quiet, unassuming, and utterly real.
Ethan’s chest tightened. In his previous life, he had barely spared her more than a friendly smile. Now, seeing her again with fresh eyes, he realized just how much he had missed.
He approached, his throat dry. “Hey, Lena.”
She blinked, surprised. Her lips curved into a polite smile, the kind you give a classmate, not the man you secretly love. “Oh, Ethan. Morning. Did you finish the econ assignment?”
He chuckled softly. That was her way—always keeping things safe, simple. She had never wanted to burden him with her feelings. “Not yet,” he admitted. “But… I was hoping maybe we could grab a coffee later? My treat.”
Lena froze, her eyes widening slightly. For a moment, he thought she might refuse. Then she nodded slowly, almost cautiously. “Sure. I guess I have time.”
Her voice was light, but Ethan caught the flicker of surprise in her gaze. In his last life, he had never asked her to coffee. She had been the one always reaching out, always making the effort. But this time, he was going to be the one chasing her.
That afternoon, they sat by the campus café window, the faint smell of roasted beans hanging in the air. Lena stirred her drink absently, sneaking glances at him when she thought he wasn’t looking.
Ethan leaned forward, his expression softer than she had ever seen before. “You know, Lena… I’ve been thinking. We’ve been in the same classes for a while, but I don’t think I’ve ever really gotten to know you.”
She blinked, taken aback. “Me? There’s not much to know. I’m just… normal.”
Normal. That was how she wanted to appear. He remembered now, years later, how he had once believed her modesty. He hadn’t realized she was hiding her true self, her wealth, her power. She had hidden it so well that no one suspected.
But this time, he wouldn’t dismiss her words so easily.
He smiled gently. “I don’t think you’re normal, Lena. I think you’re… special. And I want to know more about you.”
Color rushed to her cheeks. She ducked her head, her lips curving into a small, nervous smile.
And Ethan thought to himself: This is where it begins. This is where I make it right.
That night, as he walked back to his dorm under the starlit sky, Ethan’s heart beat with a new rhythm. He knew it wouldn’t be easy. He knew Sophie was still out there, her claws reaching for him even now, though their meeting hadn’t yet happened. He knew Daniel lurked in the shadows of the future.
But this time, he wasn’t going to be the fool who walked blindly into their trap.
This time, he had Lena.
And he swore to himself once again: “I won’t let you go in this life.”