12. The other Kristina... a body deprived of my soul

Tristan sat on a bench at the bus stop, his emerald-green eyes staring blankly ahead. He unconsciously scratched the skin near his neatly trimmed nail, making a shallow tear.

A car pulled over. "Hey, Tristan," a familiar voice broke her daze.

She braced herself before greeting him back.

"Long time no see, Alec," Tristan said as he got on the passenger's seat.

The first step in her plan was painfully obvious. She has to use the only person who can give her access to her mother - Alec. Kristina found no enjoyment in using people. However, when it came to Alec, she couldn't care less. He didn't support her when they framed her as the murderer of her mother, nor did he treat her like a human being afterward.

Tristan looked out the window as Alec clapped his mouth carelessly, spewing nonsense. 

"-but you never tell me to pick you up, so I was kind of surprised." Tristan's gaze landed back on Alec.

That's right. Kristina can't get caught by these subtle, out-of-character behaviors. 

This was her first misstep. 

When they arrived, Tristan dragged his feet to the house. 

It looked just like she remembered it. The only thing missing was the yew tree. Tristan bit the inside of his cheek, remembering the sweet taste of the red berry-like fruit. His eyes ticked back and forth. In this calming place, she could see the shadows of her past lingering around.

Tristan slowed down, one step behind Alec.

What if her mother isn't there? What if this is just a twisted reality where her mother never existed? What if her destiny unfolds as a tale where she never gets to save her mother, left to live the rest of her life as Tristan?

Tristan held his breath as they passed the front door. He heard rattling accompanied by a familiar humming from the kitchen. Is this-

"Tristan is here, Mom," Alec said casually. 

Tristan's eyes lit up, almost twinkled.

"Hi, Millen," Tristan said, as always. A wave of relief washed over Kristina. 

As Tristan passed by the kitchen, he saw Kristina, the other - fake Kristina. 

Kristina stole a glance at her body sitting behind the kitchen counter. It was like looking in the mirror - a mere reflection of herself. 

Goosebumps prickled Tristan's skin. 

It was her body, yes, but devoid of her essence, her soul, her very being. 

Who is that? Who is in my body? Kristina never thought about her body after transmigration. However, it's not as if one can erase a piece of the past and expect no changes; the strings of fate cannot be cut carelessly - it made sense that her body lived, even without her soul.

"Do you want to grab a snack?" Alec asked, stopping Tristan's train of thought.

"Why not?" Tristan agreed, leaving Alec in the kitchen going up on his own. 

Habits die hard. Thus, it wasn't surprising when Kristina opened the door to her room without much thought.

It seemed frozen in time, unchanged, just like she remembered it. The posters on the wall, the neatly made bed, the desk buried under piles of books she never read. Everything acted as a silent reminder of her past - a distant past before everything became so bitter.

As she stood there, grappling with the surreal sensation of being both a visitor and a ghost in her own room, Kristina heard Alec's voice from downstairs.

"Hey, Tristan, where are you?" 

That's right, this isn't my room anymore.

"Upstairs!" Tristan said as he swiftly descended the stairs as if he had done something wrong - like a kid caught snacking the sweets from the top shelf.

Tristan saw Alec rummaging through the cabinet. He stood there, trying to ignore the other Kristina, burning a hole in his back. Ignoring her piercing gaze was a solution for now. 

Does it know? - Kristina thought, blankly staring forward, eyelids fighting the urge to shut for good. Does the person who happened to control her body know that Tristan isn't Tristan anymore? Is she acting strangely? Tristan leaned in to look around Alec's shoulder. 

Her way of speaking, walking, smiling, even breathing - everything can give away the truth. However, Kristina can't afford to fail. She won't be granted the same opportunity again.

Alec took out a pack of cookies. "We have some cookies, and-" he continued rummaging, "oh, and a popcorn!" Alec exclaimed satisfiedly. Tristan was way too stiff.

"Sounds good," Tristan says as he puts the popcorn into the microwave.

Kristina knew that her plan was painfully slow-paced. However, she needs to get accustomed to Tristan's body before taking action.