Chapter 02: "Is This A Dream?"

My head feels like it will explode any moment soon. I'm not sure if it's because of the liquor or the accident.

"Hold on..." I thought to myself.

I abruptly opened my eyes and sat on the bed.

"The heck... Am I in the hospital?" I mumbled as I hold the back of my head.

"Huh..?" As I looked around, it feels like this is somehow familiar.

"Ugh... Maybe I'm still dreaming. I'm going back to bed." I lay down and shut my eyes.

"JIAN!!" A loud and familiar voice call upon me, it made me flinched in a second. I got up instantly.

I heard footsteps heading into my room.

"What is..."

When my bedroom door opened I saw my mother.

"WHEN WILL YOU GET UP?! THE SUN IS UP AND YOU'RE STILL SLEEPING LIKE A PIG!" Right after she opened the door, she started her nagging.

"MOM?!!" I was so confused that I unconsciously shouted.

The hint of annoyance and anger can be seen on my mother's face.

"Ah... Wait, mom. I didn't mean to—" I'm so dead.

"JIAN TAN! YOU DARED SHOUT ON ME?!" She furiously pinched my ear.

"OUCH! DAMN IT! I'M SORRY!"

"YOU LITTLE PRICK!"

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How the hell did I came here? I'm in my parents house. My room is still the same. And my mom looks a bit younger.

I went in the bathroom to cool down and process everything that's happening.

"Ugh... My ear hurts." I mumbled as I washed my face with running water.

After washing, I took the towel to dry my face.

"This is really weird..."

Suddenly I noticed that my wrists are full of punk leather wristbands. Just like those wristbands I used to wear on high school.

And after awhile, I also noticed the red strands of my hair.

"What the... Did I..."

The moment of realization strikes. I quickly went out of the bathroom and burst into my younger sister's room to confirm something. If I still remember it correctly, she has a full length mirror in there.

I went straight to the mirror and saw myself. No, not just myself. But my younger self!

My hair is dyed red, I had my ears pierced, I have my wristbands, and I looked at least 8 years younger.

"AHH!!" I screamed out of my lungs upon completely processing what had happened.

"STOP SHOUTING!" My mom shouted from downstairs.

I can't believe I went back in time. This can't be true, right?

"H-how? Did I really..? I'm young again?!" I faced the mirror and slapped my cheeks.

My sister opened the door, holding her favorite cup. Just like before.

"Mom! My big brother had gone crazy." She said and walked away.

"I can't believe this. I got a second chance! I can finally change my fate!"

I turns out this isn't a bad thing. I got to redo my past. This time around I will finally make everything right.

"I missed this face!" I mumbled as I hugged the mirror.

"Please stop harassing the poor mirror." I didn't noticed my sister came in the room.

"Ah! Jia! I missed you! Give your brother a hug."

"No." She coldly replied and kicked me out of her room.

"This is the day! I'm going to make a change."

Or that's what I thought...

"JIAN! ARE YOU SKIPPING CLASS AGAIN?"

"Ah, right! Crap! I'm late!" I put on my uniform and hurried downstairs.

"I'm going!"

"Eat your breakfast first." My father said while scanning through the newspaper he's holding.

"I'll eat at school! Bye!"

"THIS BRAT— DON'T FORGET TO EAT!" My mom reminded me once again as I put on my shoes.

"Alright!"

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When I arrived at school, I could see the school guard from a distance. He was strict as always, scolding the other students.

Well, I don't want to get scolded and clean the whole field right after traveling back to time.

I'd be a top student from now on! And I'll make my school image as good as possible.

I went to the back fence of the school. It was pretty much easy to climb. I'm good at climbing after all, especially when I skip third period back then.

"From now on, this will be the last time I'm climbing this fence."

As I desperately climb up, I finally arrived at the top. It's now time to jump off, although I was in a bad position. The school's guard dog is fiercely glaring at me.

"G-good boy..." I tried to befriend it but instead, it snarled at me.

If I jump now, I would surely fall on my butt and it will catch up to me when I run.

If only I can distract it.

I heard footsteps from the side. There's a guy, he has black hair and he's wearing a neatly ironed uniform. Perfectly following the school dress code.

"I'm saved!" I thought to myself.

"Hey! Bro!" I shouted and waved at him, still stuck on the top of the fence.

He stopped and blankly stared at me.

"Could you help me distract the dog for a sec? I'll treat you after—"

He didn't even bother to let me finish my sentence. He completely ignored me and walked away.

"What the hell?! Hey! You scumbag!"

I wanted to beat the crap out of that guy! However, I can't even get off here.

I heard the whistle of the guard.

"Get off there!" He shouted.

I was startled and accidentally jump off. I fell on my butt and it hurts like hell.

Eventually, I got caught and was brought to the guidance office. As a punishment, I had to clean the school ground.

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"So much for the first day of going back to the past." I mumbled as I picked up the trash on the ground.

"HAHAHA! Am I seeing this right?" I heard an annoying laugh from the behind.

"The one and only, Jian Tan, cleaning the school ground." He added and put his arms around my shoulder.

This annoying brat with a ginger hair is Chet. He is one of my closest friends in high school. He doesn't like following the rules, especially the school rules. We even dyed our hair together. He dyed his because he said he wants to look like a foreigner. He's an idiot, he almost failed all of his subject. The only thing he's good at is running.

"That's enough." Luke interfered and gave smacked his head with a rolled paper.

"Ow!"

This one is Luke. As you can see, he's taller than the both of us. He also chose to keep his natural hair color because Chet complimented him once. This guy is a simp. However, unlike me and Chet, Luke is pretty much the most sane one.

He's actually good in academics but he intentionally failed his class to be put in lower section with us.

"I thought you'd skip class again."

"It's only been a week since the school year started, and here you are being mischievous. How admirable." Chet teases.

I don't know when or how our friendship fell apart. After high school we lost contact with Luke, and Chet eventually end up going abroad.

"Don't look like a sad sack now, dude!" I felt Chet's hand shuffles my hair.

"Let's start cleaning up. I'm getting hungry." Luke took the garbage can I was holding as he starts to pick up the trash.

"Cheer up now! You'll get uglier if you don't HAHAHA" Chet added as he smack my back.

"Son of a— ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"

"That's the spirit!"

Chet ran away as I chase after him. Luke was behind us sighing as if he's babysitting stubborn kids.

I forgot how good it was to feel so young, wild, and free. I don't want to let this go. Therefore, I won't let my life fall apart! I will change my future!