"Fei, are you excited? Tonight, you're going to shine like a star!" Yue grinned, curling the last strand of my hair with exaggerated flair.
"I'm nervous and excited! It's like… my dream is finally coming true, Yue!" I blurted out, practically vibrating in the makeup chair.
"Done!" she said triumphantly, stepping back. "Now go! Get dressed before we miss the whole thing!"
I jumped up and slipped into my black fancy dress—the one I bought just for this event. As I stood in front of the mirror one last time, something fluttered in my chest. I didn't know it then, but tonight would flip my life upside down.
"You did it, Fei," I whispered to myself.
"Fei! Hurry up or we'll be late!" Yue shouted from downstairs.
"I'm coming!" I called, grabbing my heels and rushing down.
Tonight was the award ceremony for Best Story of the First Half of 2025, and guess who was the winner?
Me.
After a short drive, we arrived at the event hall—huge, glittering, and glowing like a fairytale. We stepped out, and immediately I was surrounded by well-known authors and literary elites. Everyone had nameplates at their tables. Ours was near the stage.
"This is some event," Yue murmured, looking around. "I wonder who's sponsoring all this sparkle."
"It's really impressive," I agreed, raising my glass for a toast. We clinked, just as the host walked on stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Best Writer of the First Half of 2025 award ceremony! Before we begin, let's bring out the one who made this all possible—our generous sponsor, the man behind the magic, Mr. Yang!"
Record scratch.
"Yang?" Yue and I said at the exact same time, eyes meeting like a scene from a drama.
"No… it can't be him, right?" I said, trying to laugh it off—but my voice cracked.
"Of course not," Yue said, totally unconvincing.
Then he stepped on stage.
Tall. Arrogant. Dressed like he walked out of a billionaire magazine spread. His face was partially hidden by the lights—until he turned.
"It's him," Yue whispered, staring.
My jaw dropped. Not because he was hot (he was), but because he was the guy I had a massive crush on in high school. The one who ghosted me like I was invisible.
"Hello everyone. I'm Yang," he said smoothly.
My stomach did a triple somersault.
"The sponsor will be joining us on stage for the awards," the host added.
"I'm doomed, Yue," I muttered. My life was flashing before my eyes.
"He probably doesn't remember you," she said. "It's been ten years! Just wait and see. If he recognizes you when your name is announced, then maybe he remembers. If not, you're safe."
"I hope he doesn't."
The ceremony started. Writers were being honored one by one, and I tried to keep calm, but my heart was trying to beat its way out of my chest.
Then it happened.
"And the Best Writer of 2025 award goes to… Miss Fei!"
Spotlights hit me. I stood up, heart hammering.
Yue and I both whipped our heads toward Yang. His expression?
Neutral.
I breathed out. He doesn't remember me. Thank God.
I walked to the stage, avoiding his eyes like they were laser beams. He reached out to shake my hand—professional, polite. I hesitantly took it.
"Miss Fei, congratulations," he said with a small smile, handing me the award.
"Th-thank you," I stammered, my eyes weirdly glued to his face.
"Miss Fei, can you tell us a little about your book?" the host asked, passing me the mic.
"Of course! Um, hello everyone, I'm Fei. My book is about…"
And that's when it hit me like a freight train.
My book is about us.
About my high school crush. About Yang. About him.
I froze. Everyone stared.
"Miss Fei, are you okay?" the host asked.
I nodded awkwardly. "Um, yes! Actually... if I told you what the book's about, it would spoil the surprise. So I hope you all read it to find out!" I forced a confident grin.
The audience clapped. Wow, that actually worked?
I turned to leave the stage, feeling proud that I survived that train wreck… until—
"The book is about her crush," Yang said, loud enough for everyone to hear.
I stopped mid-step.
I turned slowly. He was staring at me with a mischievous smirk.
"It's a great book," he added.
The floor might as well have opened up and swallowed me whole.
"Thank you," I said with the fakest smile I've ever smiled, then ran off the stage like my heels were on fire.
"He remembers me!" I said, collapsing into a chair.
"Fei, maybe he just read the book. Doesn't mean he remembers you. Stop drinking!" Yue scolded.
Too late. I was already on my seventh glass.
"I'm going to the restroom," I announced, wobbling slightly as I walked away.
Instead of the restroom, I ended up in a dark, dead-end hallway.
Then—his voice.
"So, you really wrote about your first crush, Fei."
I spun around. Yang.
He walked toward me, holding my book. "It's good… but why'd you make me the villain?"
This was it. I couldn't hold back anymore.
"Oh, you expected to be the hero? After ghosting me in high school? Now you show up like we're old pals? You think I still like you? Newsflash—NO."
I poked a finger into his chest.
"I wished our bodies were swapped just so you could feel how I felt—embarrassed, confused, ignored!"
I let out a maniacal laugh. "Hahahaha! I hope your eyebrows fall off!"
"You're drunk. Let's go," he said, grabbing my wrist gently.
I yanked it away. He turned, and I tried to follow, but my heel twisted.
I tripped.
Right. Into. Him.
He caught me effortlessly just as—
CRACK.
My book hit the floor. Then—
BLACKOUT.
All the lights in the hall went off.
Alarm ringing...
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Wake up, Yang! You're going to be late again! I swear, if another teacher calls me, I'll enroll you in military school!" a woman's voice screeched right into my soul.
My eyes fluttered open like I was waking up from a coma. Morning light stabbed me in the face.
"Huh…?" I groaned, shielding my eyes.
"YANG!" the voice yelled again, now with extra volume and mom-rage.
Wait a minute.
Yang?
I sat up so fast I nearly launched myself out of the bed. My head turned side to side, trying to take in my surroundings. Neat room. Posters of basketball players. A desk full of textbooks. A closet full of expensive shirts.
"Who is Yang? And where the heck am I?!"
"Get ready or you'll be late for high school again!" she shouted through the door before stomping away.
High school? My brain short-circuited.
I jumped out of bed—and almost tripped on my own legs.
"Why does everything feel...taller?"
I looked down at my hands. Wait… those aren't my hands. I turned and walked like a baby giraffe toward the mirror.
And then I saw it.
That. Wasn't. Me.
The mirror reflected a tall, ridiculously handsome guy with messy black hair and perfect jawline. My jaw dropped.
"YANG?!"
I stared at my reflection, blinking like an owl. I turned left. He turned left. I raised an eyebrow. He did too.
"OH. MY. GOD."
I ran my hands through his—no, my?—hair and then slapped my own cheek.
"Ow! Okay… that hurt. This is real. This is very real."
I turned around looking for hidden cameras. Is this a prank show? Am I dreaming?
Then my eyes landed on the calendar pinned to the wall. July 16, 2015.
2015?!
"WHAT THE—?!" I shouted, tripping over a basketball on the floor.
And that's when I saw it. A huge family photo on the wall. A young Yang, smiling awkwardly between his parents.
"No. No no no. Don't tell me—"
I inched closer to the mirror and whispered like I was in a horror movie:
"I'm inside Yang's body."
Cue dramatic thunder sound effect.