Chapter 1Future Me Saves My Life

On the eve of my college entrance exam, I receive a letter from ten years in the future.

"Elliot Sutton, whatever you do, do not marry Sarah Gibson. Your marriage will be an absolute tragedy."

I look up at Sarah Gibson, my girlfriend, who is sitting across from me. She is carefully picking the bones out of my fish for me.

She is the most sought-after girl in our school, yet she has never had much of a temper. When it comes to me, she is always gentle and accommodating. Hence, the warning in the letter sounds completely absurd.

Feeling unconvinced, I pick up my pen and angrily write my rebuttal on the back of the paper.

"What do you know? She only has eyes for me. How could she ever treat me badly?

"Ever since we were kids, she's always been the first to stand up for me whenever someone picks on me. Whenever it rains, she'd insist on holding the entire umbrella over my head, even if it meant that she'd get soaked."

At the end, I conclude, "At worst, we'll just end up struggling a little. What's the worst that could happen? It's not like this relationship will cost me my life."

The moment I stop scribbling, a new line of handwriting slowly appears on the paper.

"That's exactly it. If you stay in this relationship, you will die."

* * *

I scoffed, convinced that this was some kind of prank.

Wanting to show my girlfriend, Sarah Gibson, this ridiculous stunt, I instinctively reached for her hand. But the moment my fingertips brushed the back of her hand, the noisy cafeteria fell silent.

Beside me, a man had appeared out of nowhere, floating in midair. He was wearing an oversized hospital gown, and his body was disturbingly thin.

He claimed to be me from the future.

"Look closely, Elliot Sutton," he said. "Look at how worthless the relationship you pride yourself on becomes after Kayden Smith enters your life."

Following his gaze, I saw a hospital corridor from seven years in the future.

Another version of me was seated on a bench. I looked about 25 years old, and I was hunched over and clutching my forehead painfully with one hand. Blood seeped through my fingers, staining half of my cheek and my white shirt crimson.

Across from me, Sarah was frantically shouting at the nurses' station.

"Where are the doctors? Kayden cut his finger on a piece of paper! Why hasn't anyone tended to him yet?"

In the vision, I reached out with a trembling hand and tried to tug at Sarah's sleeve. "I'm so dizzy, Sarah. Can you take a look at my wound?"

Only minutes ago, Kayden had called to say he was afraid of the dark. For that reason alone, Sarah immediately went to him in the middle of the night.

I had tried to stop her because I was worried about her safety. But to my dismay, she shoved me away, and I ended up slamming my forehead hard against the sharp corner of a cabinet.

When Sarah heard me, she abruptly flung my hand away, causing me to stumble backward and fall to the floor.

Unlike when we were younger, she was no longer looking at me affectionately. Instead, she was glaring at me with contempt and disdain.

"When are you going to drop that little act of yours, Elliot?" she sneered. "Kayden is a violinist. Do you have any idea how precious his hands are? You're a strong, rough guy. Why are you making such a fuss over a little blood?"

She dusted off the sleeve I'd touched in a disgusted manner. "Go get yourself patched up somewhere else. You look terrible. You'll frighten Kayden."

In that moment, a sharp pain tore through my body.

I felt heartbroken. The cut on my forehead hurt, but it was nothing compared to the excruciating pain I was feeling in my chest.

I tried to scream, but I couldn't make a single sound.

I was being treated like a worthless piece of trash by the person I loved most. Her cold indifference made me feel as though my heart was being torn apart.

By the time I snapped back to reality, Sarah was holding my face with her hands.

"What's wrong, Elliot? Why did you suddenly turn so pale?" she asked, her expression filled with worry. "Does your head hurt? Are you feeling unwell?"

The warmth of her palms was real, and so was the concern in her eyes. She looked nothing like the cold woman I'd just seen in that vision. Yet, the phantom pain from what I'd just witnessed still left my body trembling uncontrollably.

Sarah adored me.

Staring at the young woman before me, I screamed inwardly, "She loves me! There's no way that cold-hearted bitch was her. The Sarah sitting in front of me now would be worried sick if I so much as furrowed my brow! She doesn't even know anyone named Kayden Smith!"