Chapter 1The Ultimate Burn: Turning the Flames Back on My Bully

When my childhood best friend was surrounded by fire, he calmly looked in my direction.

I knew he had reincarnated, too.

Suddenly, a stream of comments flashed across my vision.

“LOL, the thirsty female side character is going to rescue the male lead again.” “Wait for the female side character to save the male lead, get sixth-degree burns, and be shipped off to the sticks. Then the male lead can introduce the poor female lead as the fake daughter to the side character’s family. Childhood romance trope, so sweet.” “Our pure female lead just wants a home. The reborn male lead definitely won’t let the side character return to threaten her happiness.”

Is that so?

What if, in this life, the one who gets sixth-degree burns is my childhood friend, not me?

* * *

The fire crackled loudly.

The hot, scorching smoke made it impossible to breathe.

“Coral, don’t worry about me. Run!”

That familiar scene and voice made my entire body tense up.

I thought I was dead.

Dead, after my childhood friend and the fake heiress tormented me. Dead, caught in a once-in-a-century blizzard.

“It’s okay, even if I die here, it doesn’t matter. As long as you live, that’s all that counts.”

“Coral, you’re the kindest, most innocent girl I’ve ever met. I just wish I had met you sooner in the next life to protect you.”

Anyone hearing those passionate, sorrowful words would feel compelled to stay.

In my past life, I was fooled by them.

But in this life, my heart is colder than a sword forged in the mountains for sixteen years.

I looked up and met the flawlessly handsome face of my childhood friend, Henry Wen.

His expression seemed fearful, but his eyes held an unsettling calm.

With that single glance, I knew he had been reborn, too.

I curved my lips, about to speak, when a stream of comments flashed across my vision.

“LOL, the thirsty female side character is going to rescue the male lead again.” “Wait for the female side character to save the male lead, get sixth-degree burns, and be shipped off to the sticks. Then the male lead can introduce the poor female lead as the fake daughter to the side character’s family. Childhood romance trope, so sweet.” “Our pure female lead just wants a home. The reborn male lead definitely won’t let the side character return to threaten her happiness.”

Oh, how amusing.

Not only am I reborn, but I can also see these bizarre comments.

This second life is going to be far more entertaining.