Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Chapter 1 It's just life.

The air felt heavier that day. The crisp autumn breeze should've been refreshing, but to Ace, it stung. Maybe it was because Rina's words kept replaying in his mind.

It had taken years of mustering courage to reach that moment. The small park by their old school was quiet, the golden leaves carpeting the ground, crunching beneath their feet as they walked.

Rina had smiled at him, the same smile she'd given him since they were kids. That easy, carefree smile that made him believe the world wasn't so bad. He thought of it as his signal, his green light, and decided today was the day.

He stopped walking, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum.

"Rina," he began, voice trembling just slightly. She turned to him, her head tilted in curiosity, her dark eyes glimmering in the afternoon light.

"What's up, Ace?" she asked, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets.

He swallowed hard and rubbed the back of his neck. His hands were clammy, and his pulse thundered in his ears, but he kept going.

"We've been friends for so long," he started, forcing a smile to calm his nerves. "You've always been there for me—through everything. And I... I think it's time I said this. I like you, Rina. I've liked you for a while now. I want to be more than just friends."

He held his breath, waiting.

Rina blinked, her expression shifting. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out at first. She looked away briefly, fidgeting with the strap of her bag.

Finally, she sighed and gave him that apologetic smile he'd seen her use on strangers asking for directions. It wasn't meant for him.

"You're a good guy, Ace," she said, her tone soft, almost kind. "But I don't want to date right now."

Ace's chest tightened, and for a moment, he felt like he couldn't breathe. He'd expected this might happen, but hearing it was so much worse than imagining it.

"I just... I don't think I'm ready," she continued, glancing at him briefly before looking down at the ground. "You mean a lot to me, and I don't want to ruin what we have."

He wanted to argue, to say something, anything, to make her see him the way he saw her. But he just stood there, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He forced a small nod and replied, "It's okay. I get it."

A girl stood before him.

Delicate yet composed, she had an ethereal quality about her. Silky black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her almond-shaped eyes held a quiet intensity. But there was something else there—something subtle, like pity, shimmering just beneath the surface.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Zhi," she began, her voice soft but firm, as if she'd practiced these words a hundred times before speaking them.

Ace froze. Xiao Zhi?

The name echoed in his mind, unfamiliar and out of place. Who was Xiao Zhi?

He glanced down at his hands instinctively. They weren't his. Slimmer, with neatly trimmed nails. His heart quickened as he reached up to touch his face, panic rising with every passing second.

This wasn't his body.

Her voice drew him back. "You're a good guy, but I can't be with you."

The words hit him like a familiar blow, yet they felt foreign, too. Ace stared at her, bewildered. He wanted to ask what was going on, but his throat felt tight, his voice trapped beneath the weight of confusion.

She continued, her tone gentle but unyielding. "I hope you find someone who truly appreciates you."

With that, she stepped back. Her expression was unreadable, her gaze steady but distant, as though she were already far away.

The door shut softly behind her, the sound oddly final.

Ace sat there in the silence that followed, the warmth of the sunlight now feeling heavy against his skin. His thoughts swirled, untethered. This wasn't his life. This wasn't his body. Yet somehow, the sting of rejection felt painfully real.

And still, his mind was calm, serene even, as though his soul had been reset in the wake of everything.

What was happening?