Everyone noticed that I stopped chasing after Liam Vance. Including Liam himself. After school, he stopped me, his face cold. "I'm only going to explain what happened that day once. Believe it or not, it's up to you." "Sarah got cornered by some drunk guys. I went to help her." "I forgot to tell you. That was my bad." That day was his birthday. He was off playing hero for Sarah, while I was left stranded at the amusement park for the entire day. Turns out, Liam thought I was just throwing a tantrum about it. I shook my head lightly. "It's okay." Then, under his darkening gaze, I quietly walked past him and left. He didn't know that because he abandoned me again that day, the System declared my mission a failure. In one month, I will be "erased" and sent back to the real world. And this body will be returned to its original owner. 1 When the amusement park staff reminded me for the third time that they were closing, the System sighed. "Chloe, go home." "Liam isn't coming. He's with Sarah right now. He's completely forgotten that he promised to meet you here." I stomped my aching feet, picked up the cake box, and turned to leave. "Okay." The excitement I felt this morning had been ground down to nothing. All that was left was a strange calmness. Even when the System announced my failure. "One month from now, you will be in a car accident." "This is the penalty for failing the mission." "While you are critically injured and in a coma, I will send you back to your original world. As for this body, the original Chloe Hart will take over again." The System vanished after delivering the news. I pulled out my phone to call an Uber, only to realize the battery was dead. A second later, the screen went black. I didn't have any cash on me for a cab. Resigned, I started walking home along the highway. Even though failing the mission was expected, a profound exhaustion seeped into my bones. Every step felt incredibly heavy. 2 The walk from the amusement park to my house passed by the school. It was Saturday, so the campus should have been deserted. But on a bench near the school gates sat two people I knew all too well. Sarah was holding a Choco Pie with a single matchstick stuck in it. "I'm so sorry, Liam..." "I just found out it was your birthday. I didn't have time to get a real cake." "This is all I have. I hope you don't mind..." The boy opposite her had fresh cuts on his cheek. A bandage was wrapped around his forehead, partially hidden by his messy hair, giving him a rugged, bad-boy look. He didn't seem to find the Choco Pie ridiculous. He even took out a lighter and lit the match for her. "No." "I think it's great." Liam's voice was cold as usual, but there was a hint of softness in it now. I couldn't help but think back to yesterday evening. In the home ec room, I showed Liam the birthday cake I had perfected after several attempts. "Does it look good?" He leaned against the door, arms crossed. He glanced at the blisters on my hand from the oven and scoffed. "Looking at your hand is enough to kill my appetite." I felt awkward and tried to hide my hand in my sleeve. Liam looked annoyed. He walked over and dragged me to the pharmacy. "Why hide it?" "Don't you have a brain? Put some ointment on it." Even though he looked impatient, his movements were gentle as he applied the medicine. I gathered my courage and asked again, "Liam, do you like the cake?" He stared at the blisters on my hand, frowning. "It's ugly as hell." At the time, the System comforted me: "Don't listen to him. He's just mad because you hurt yourself making it. He says one thing but means another. He actually cares about you." My thoughts returned to the present. I stood quietly across the street. Watching Liam comfort Sarah, telling her he didn't mind the makeshift cake. I realized something. Even someone as twisted as Liam, when he truly likes someone, can be gentle. He softens his edges, protects her pride, and can't bear to see her disappointed. I don't know what Liam feels for me. But it definitely isn't like. 3 I looked away, intending to leave. Sarah noticed me. "Chloe? What are you doing here?" Liam turned around. His gaze fell on the cake box in my hand, and he froze. It seemed he finally remembered his promise to me. Sarah saw the cake too and realized. "You were looking for Liam, right?" "I heard you were planning to celebrate his birthday at the amusement park today." "I'm so sorry. Because of me, you got stood up." Her apology was perfunctory. As if she was used to Liam ditching me for her countless times. And me? I never did anything about it. At most, I'd sulk for a day or two before chasing after him again like nothing happened. I shook my head, denying her first statement. "I was just passing by." Liam stared at me, his expression tense. Sarah smiled brightly. Clearly, she thought I was just trying to save face. She didn't press it, just said: "Well, since you brought the cake anyway." "We can still celebrate." I dodged her hand when she reached for the box and shook my head. "It's gone bad. Can't eat it." I pressed my lips together and whispered a goodbye. "Um... it's late. I'm going home." "Bye." Sarah was stunned. Usually, I would seize any opportunity to stick to Liam like glue. Now, I was voluntarily giving them space. I walked a few steps with the cake, then remembered something. I turned back and asked Sarah, embarrassed. "Can I borrow twenty bucks? My phone died, I can't call an Uber." "I'll take you." Liam spoke almost immediately after I finished. He spoke fast, his voice tight. I acted like I didn't hear him. Sarah hesitated. "Sure..." She dug out the cash and handed it to me. "Thanks. I'll pay you back on Monday." I took the money and left. From start to finish, I didn't look at Liam once. 4 Maybe because I knew I was going home soon, I dreamt of my old life that night. It was recess. I was crying while reading a novel. My desk mate was confused. "Aren't you reading a rom-com?" I sobbed intermittently. "Not for the second male lead, Liam Vance." "His life is just too tragic." "He loved the heroine, Sarah, since high school. But because he was poor and insecure, he never confessed, even when he became a business tycoon in the end. He just silently protected her." "The worst part is, he was bullied relentlessly in high school by the villainess, Chloe Hart." My desk mate handed me a tissue. "You're Chloe, she's Chloe Hart. Similar names, huh?" I slammed the table indignantly. "It's a disgrace to my name!" But that very night, I transmigrated into the body of Chloe Hart, the character I hated most. The System's mission: Make Liam Vance fall in love with you. This year, Chloe was the person he hated most. Difficulty: SSS Class. The System watched me jumping for joy. "It's hell mode difficulty, why are you so happy?" "Because I can change Liam's tragic youth!" I jumped up and down, my bangs bouncing. "I'm going to give him the best of everything and make sure he never suffers again." The System had no hope for my success. It said it was just waiting for the time limit to expire so it could send me back. I spent two years trying to melt Liam's heart. Eventually, his affection level rose so high the System thought victory was in sight. But in the end, I failed. Honestly, I have no right to blame Liam. He loved Sarah. It was only natural for him to prioritize her and give her everything. I only realized this recently, after I stopped liking him. 5 I stood in the wind all day yesterday. Unsurprisingly, I woke up with a cold the next morning. After taking some medicine, I got a call from one of Liam's friends. "Chloe, Liam is planning to make up for his birthday today." "We're at the amusement park you guys agreed on. You coming?" Liam never cared about birthdays. I understood this was his way of compensating me for yesterday. My voice was thick with congestion. "You guys have fun." "I'm going to the library today." The guy moved the phone away from his ear. "Liam, Chloe says she's not coming." A few seconds later. I heard a short, mocking laugh from the other end. "Whatever." His attitude wasn't unexpected. Liam never had much patience for me. This was already the maximum amount of softness he could offer. I couldn't help but cough twice. The guy noticed and spoke into the phone again. "Chloe, are you sick?" "Well, if you're not coming, you're not coming." "Rest up." Before hanging up, I heard him ask: "Hey, where's Liam going?" Someone answered: "Think he went to the pharmacy." "What for? Didn't he just change his bandages?" "Dunno."
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