Chapter 2

"Melvin, quick, look! There's no one in the middle sleeper berth of number 8!"

Standing at the junction between the cars, I saw Shelagh jump up on the spot.

Right now she was exactly the same as she'd been in my past life.

Just a second ago she'd needed Melvin to hold her up because her back hurt.

The moment she spotted a seat, the back pain vanished...

But Melvin, that idiot, wouldn't notice any of it.

His gaze followed the direction Shelagh was pointing.

Then, his eyes full of delight, he pulled Shelagh into his arms.

"It's true! Shelagh, I told you—you're the kindest girl in the world, so you'll have the best luck in the world!"

"What are you standing there for? I'll take you over right now!"

Melvin took Shelagh's hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

They headed straight for berth number 8.

Watching them walk off with their fingers laced together, I felt a wave of nausea rise in my stomach.

In my past life, Melvin always told me he thought of Shelagh as his own little sister.

He even got me to be good to Shelagh along with him.

But it wasn't until the moment I died in that train car that I understood.

The truth was he and Shelagh had been deeply in love all along.

He was with me only because I could make money and came from a good family—

because my parents could throw their full weight behind his career.

Thinking about it, a wave of cold revulsion ran through me.

Living this life over, I would never do anything stupid again.

"Hey, what's your problem, old lady?!"

Shelagh's shrill voice pulled me back from my thoughts.

I looked toward the sleeper car.

It turned out the old woman had already stopped Shelagh from climbing up onto the middle berth.

"Young lady, like I just said, this berth is taken—it's my son... you can't sit here."

Shelagh rolled her eyes.

"Old lady, one box taking up a whole berth—you think this is your house?! I bet you just don't want to give it up and you're making up lies on purpose!"

Melvin immediately stepped in to back her up.

"Exactly! We'll even pay you, all right?! Just put the box on the luggage rack—problem solved. Taking up a whole berth is a pure waste of space, isn't it?!"

As he spoke, Melvin moved forward to grab the box and toss it onto the luggage rack.

The old woman used almost every last bit of her strength.

She shuffled quickly to stand in front of that small, square little box.

She clamped a hand down on Melvin.

"Child, even if I have to beg you..."

The old woman's eyes reddened in an instant.

"My son suffered his whole life. He walked this road countless times, but this is the first time he's ever ridden a train..."

"I only want to let him sleep in comfort. I'm begging you, please, don't disturb him, all right?"

The old woman caressed it as though it were a priceless treasure.

Gently, inch by inch, she stroked the little box.

Her eyes were full of tenderness and heartache.

My own heart tightened.

The old woman's son had given nearly his whole life to this land beneath our feet.

The locals grieved for him no less than the old woman did.

In my past life, after I heard the story of what he'd done, I wept and couldn't settle my heart for a long time.

"What son, what son?!"

Shelagh cut the old woman off sharply, her voice shrill and cutting.

"I think you're just putting on a show!"

Melvin and Shelagh, those two heartless beasts, didn't take the old woman's words to heart in the slightest.

In unison they stepped forward, paying no mind to the old woman before them, her hair already white, her eyes red-rimmed.

They reached out with grim resolve.

Without a word, faces full of impatience, they shoved the old woman.

And they lunged forward to snatch the little box from her arms...