The condo was quiet in a way that made Kai's skin prickle.
He had wandered out of his old bedroom slowly, the black card held between two fingers, half-expecting to wake up inside a hospital again. But the soft carpet under his feet, the faint smell of coffee from the kitchen, and the sunlight spilling across the hallway—all of it was painfully real.
This was Selene's condo.
Their condo.
Or rather…the home she opened to him when Mira passed, the home he abandoned at twenty-five without looking back.
Now, he was nineteen again.
And Selene was still here.
His chest tightened.
A soft sound drifted through the condo—fabric brushing against skin, bare feet stepping softly on tile.
He froze.
Someone was awake.
Someone was coming.
His pulse hammered in his throat—not in fear, but anticipation. His fingers curled unconsciously. He hadn't seen her face in years. Not since—
The memory hit with the weight of a falling building.
The Last Time He Saw Her — Age 25
He'd been standing in the doorway with a small suitcase.
Selene stood in front of him wearing loose sleep shorts and an oversized T-shirt.
Her hair had been tied in a messy bun, long strands falling around her face in soft waves.
She looked at him with exhaustion and heartbreak wrapped together.
"Kai… you don't have to go," she whispered. "You're not a burden."
He didn't meet her eyes.
Didn't hug her.
Didn't say goodbye properly.
"I'm fine, Selene. I just… I need space."
"You can have space here," she said, stepping forward with a trembling voice. "You don't have to run from—"
"I'm not running."
Lie.
He was running.
From responsibility.
From himself.
From the only person who gave a damn about him.
She'd reached out, fingers brushing his wrist.
"Kai… please stay."
And he had pulled away.
That was the last time he saw her.
The last time she looked at him with love and worry.
And now—
now he was nineteen again.
She was twenty-nine.
Younger.
Sexier.
Alive.
Real.
His throat tightened painfully.
(Back to the Present)
A shadow moved across the hallway wall.
Then her voice—soft, low, sleepy:
"Kai? Are you awake?"
It hit him like a physical blow.
He forgot how beautiful her voice was.
His pulse raced helplessly.
Her footsteps came closer until she stepped into the hallway, illuminated by morning light.
Kai's breath left him.
Selene Marlowe was… stunning.
Not in a loud or flashy way, but in the kind of way that steals a man's breath because real beauty doesn't need permission to be noticed.
Her hair—long, silky, dark—fell loosely down her back, slightly tangled from sleep. It framed her face perfectly, giving her that soft "morning goddess" glow.
Her eyes were deep hazelnut brown, warm and expressive, the kind of eyes that could calm a storm or break a man to his knees.
She wore a thin, loose white tank top that clung in all the ways gravity encouraged:
* the soft rise of her curves
* the outline of her chest beneath the thin cotton
* the faint shape of her bra strap falling off one shoulder
* the dip of her collarbone
* the smooth, warm skin of her upper chest
* the subtle movement of her breathing that made the fabric stretch temptingly
Her shorts were small—very small—gray cotton that hugged her hips with an effortless sensuality. Her thighs were soft, toned from years of work, and her legs looked warm and touchable in the morning light.
Every part of her radiated effortless, mature sex appeal.
His mouth went dry.
Her body had always been beautiful, but seeing it now—
now that he was reborn, young, healthy, with a mind full of guilt, longing, and a lifetime of isolation—
felt like drowning in a memory he didn't deserve.
She looked exactly as she did the last time he saw her, only younger, softer, fuller, warmer.
Her skin glowed.
Her lips were naturally plump and pink.
Her waist dipped inward, accentuating a perfect hourglass curve he somehow missed before.
Her hips were wide in a way that made his breath catch.
He felt heat rise in his throat.
Selene blinked in surprise when she saw him standing there. Then her eyes softened instantly—maternal instinct, affection, and confusion swirling inside her.
"Kai…" she whispered, stepping toward him. "Did you have a nightmare? You were crying in your sleep."
He stiffened.
Crying?
He hadn't cried in decades.
Before he could answer, her gaze moved over him slowly, checking him for signs of pain like she always did back then. Her eyes swept across his face, down his chest, pausing briefly at the way he stood taller, healthier.
"You look… different," she murmured.
Her voice held curiosity, worry, and something dangerously close to admiration.
He forced a swallow. "I'm fine."
"You sure?" she asked, stepping closer.
Way too close.
Her scent hit him—vanilla, soft floral shampoo, warm skin. It wrapped around him like a memory and a temptation at the same time.
He couldn't move.
She reached up without hesitation, brushing a few strands of his messy hair off his forehead. A gentle, intimate touch. A touch he did not deserve.
His breath caught.
Her hand lingered for a moment on his temple, her thumb brushing softly across his skin.
"You don't have a fever…" she whispered.
Her expression softened even further.
"You look good. Healthier. You even have color in your cheeks."
He swallowed hard.
She had no idea how much that meant.
No idea that he had wasted her kindness once already.
No idea that he had died alone, thinking of her and Mira.
He forced himself to look away. "I just woke up."
"Mm."
She stepped back slightly—but only slightly.
Her eyes scanned him one more time, slowly, carefully, like she needed to reassure herself he was okay.
The tank top slipped just a little lower, showing the smooth curve of her upper chest. She didn't notice. Kai did. Every nerve in his body did.
She rubbed her arms lightly, shivering from the AC.
And even that simple movement made her curves shift in ways that tightened something in Kai's chest.
"So…" Selene asked softly, "do you want breakfast? I was going to make eggs."
Kai almost choked.
Breakfast.
In his dying life, he hadn't eaten anything someone made for him in years.
He hadn't sat across from someone who cared.
He hadn't seen Selene's face in forever.
He nodded stiffly. "Yeah. Sure."
Her smile was gentle, warm—and dangerous.
"Okay. I'll get it started."
She turned to walk to the kitchen.
Kai's eyes—without his permission—followed her.
Her hips swayed with natural rhythm, her shorts shifting just enough to tease the lower curve of her cheeks. The tank top lifted a bit, exposing the smooth skin of her lower back.
Every step she took was a reminder that she wasn't the woman in his memories.
She was younger.
She was sexier.
She was alive.
And she trusted him.
He swallowed hard.
This life…
This time…
He wouldn't waste it.
He wouldn't run from her.
He wouldn't break her heart again.
Selene disappeared into the kitchen, humming softly.
Kai exhaled shakily.
Behind his eyes, the system voice buzzed lazily:
[Warning: Host's heart rate is rising.]
"Shut up," he whispered.
[It's fine. She's hot. I get it.]
"Shut up."
[Host, be honest—]
"Shut up!"
[…Okay fine, jeez.]
Kai dragged a hand down his face.
This life was going to kill him long before any sickness.
But at least this time…
he would change things.