The flash of cameras lit up the studio like bursts of white lightning.
Hana Lysandra stood at the center of it all.
She wore a long black gown that clung perfectly to her slender figure, the fabric flowing down to her feet with a daring slit along one leg. Under the bright studio lights, her beauty felt unreal — porcelain skin without flaw, delicate features shaped as if crafted by the gods, and long dark hair cascading over her shoulders like liquid silk.
Every movement she made was graceful.
Every breath carried elegance.
"Good—perfect. Hold that pose."
The cameraman adjusted his lens, excitement clear in his voice.
"Let's take another shot. Chin slightly up… yes, like that."
Hana shifted naturally, her expression changing with practiced ease.
"Beautiful. Now give me a look like you're hiding a secret."
She tilted her head ever so slightly, eyes soft yet mysterious.
Click. Click. Click.
"That's it. Amazing. Now one more—pose like you've already won."
A faint smile curved her lips.
The studio erupted with praise.
"Excellent!"
"Her expressions are always on point."
"She's incredible…"
The final flashes faded, and the shoot came to an end.
Hana moved to a nearby sofa, carefully sitting down as staff members bustled around her. Stylists packed equipment. Assistants reviewed photos. Designers chatted quietly among themselves.
Some offered her warm smiles as they passed.
Others praised her openly.
"Great work again today, Miss Hana," one of the coordinators said. "Tomorrow's summer shoot will be held at Azure Bay Resort. We'll see you there."
"Thank you," Hana replied softly.
She stood and bowed politely toward the makeup artists and designers who were still present.
"Thank you for today."
Moments later, two tall bodyguards in black suits approached her.
"Miss Hana, please come this way. We'll escort you home."
"Alright."
She followed them out of the studio, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor.
The black luxury car glided smoothly through the city streets.
Hana sat quietly in the backseat, gazing out the window.
Cars passed by in endless streams. Neon signs glowed above restaurants and fast-food chains. Small street stalls lined the sidewalks, their warm lights creating fleeting pockets of life in the evening crowd.
It all felt distant.
Eventually, they arrived at her apartment building — a towering structure of glass and steel reaching toward the sky.
As she entered, some residents recognized her immediately.
"Good evening, Miss Hana."
She returned their greetings with gentle smiles, walking calmly beside her guards until they reached her floor.
At the door, she turned.
"Thank you for today."
"Our pleasure, ma'am. We'll return tomorrow for the shoot."
The guards bowed slightly and left.
The apartment door closed behind her.
Silence followed.
Hana slipped off her heels and walked inside, collapsing onto the sofa.
She was still wearing the black fitted dress from the shoot, its long hem brushing against the floor, the slit revealing one pale leg.
"Ugh… I'm exhausted."
Her voice echoed softly through the empty room.
She leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"Can't I just rest…?"
Her body ached.
Tomorrow meant another shoot.
And the day after that.
And the day after that.
"I hate this life…"
She let out a quiet laugh.
"I'm rich… famous… admired…"
Her fingers curled against the fabric of her gown.
"But I'm alone."
Her parents had died two years ago in a plane crash.
Since then, this apartment had never felt like home.
If only she could turn back time.
If only she could save them.
Her eyes slowly closed.
"…I just want a simple life," she whispered. "A family… someone who truly loves me."
The weight of exhaustion finally claimed her.
Hana drifted to sleep on the sofa, the city lights casting faint shadows across the silent room.
Only her soft breathing remained.
Warmth.
It wasn't the warmth of sunlight. Not the soft glow of the apartment she had slept in countless nights. This warmth was… deeper, almost alive, pressing against her skin like an invisible embrace.
Hana stirred.
'Hmm… is it morning already?'
Her thoughts were sluggish, clouded by exhaustion, as if she had just woken from a dreamless sleep.
'But… why is it so dark?'
She blinked. Slowly. Each flicker of her eyelids brought faint shapes into focus. A room — unfamiliar. Shadows stretching across walls she had never seen before.
'I didn't turn off the lights…'
A strange, sinking feeling settled in her stomach. She tried to sit up.
Nothing happened.
Her arms, her legs — unresponsive.
:What…?'
Her heart raced. Something was wrong. Something very wrong.
Then, she noticed him.
A man.
Standing a few feet away, watching her with a mixture of relief and joy.
Hana's eyes widened. 'Who is he?'
He was ordinary, dressed in simple brown clothes, nothing like the glamorous figures she'd met in the city. Yet even in this simplicity, he was handsome. Sharp brown eyes, chestnut hair tousled in a casual way, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
He spoke before she could think.
"It's a girl, Sera. Our child is a girl."
Hana froze.
'…What?'
Her mind refused to process the words.
'Our… child?'
A warm, soft sound reached her ears — laughter. Gentle, musical, almost like wind through autumn leaves. A woman stepped forward, her figure calm but strong, supporting herself with pillows. Her hair damp from sweat, yet her eyes shone with something fierce and loving.
Hana's heart lurched.
'Wait… am I…?'
She tried again to move her body, but nothing responded. Panic clawed at her chest.
'Why… can't I move? Where… am I?'
Her gaze drifted downward. And then she saw her hands.
Tiny.
So small. Fragile. Completely unlike her own.
Her breath caught in her throat.
'No… this can't be…'
A sudden cry erupted from her throat before she could stop it.
"Waaahhh—!"
The sound startled even her. The midwife laughed lightly, a sound like bells in the morning.
"Oh! There she goes!"
The man, Kaelen, laughed softly, relief and joy radiating from him.
"Our baby is so cute," he whispered. "When she grows up, she'll be even more beautiful."
Hana's tiny body trembled, her tears streaming freely. Her mind raced, trying to reconcile the impossible.
'This… isn't my apartment.'
'This… isn't my body.'
'I… am a baby?'
The woman gently touched her tiny hand. "Our child is so cute, Kaelen," she said.
The words… they carried warmth, love, a weight Hana had never felt in her life. She looked at them — at this man and woman who treated her as their treasure — and felt a strange, unnameable emotion rise from her chest.
"We'll name her Celestine," the woman continued softly, smiling. "Celestine Veyloria. A blessing from heaven. I hope our child grows strong and healthy."
Kaelen wrapped his arm around her wife, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "It's a beautiful name, Sera."
Hana blinked through the tears that still wet her cheeks. She stared at them, utterly still. Every memory of her former life — the loneliness, the fame, the relentless exhaustion, the emptiness of her apartment — seemed distant now, almost unreal.
'I wished for this… didn't I?'
A life with warmth. With love. A family. Someone who would hold her and never let her go.
'And here… in this tiny, fragile, helpless body…' she had been granted it.
Her mind reeled, swimming between disbelief, relief, and awe. She was crying again, not from sorrow, but from something deeper, something pure.
'I… I have a new life. I have… a family. Someone… loves me'.
Her tiny hands curled into fists, gripping the soft blanket beneath her. The warmth around her pressed closer, as if embracing her very soul.
5 years had passed since that day — the day Hana Lysandra had left her old life behind.
Now, she was reborn as Celestine Veyloria, a lively toddler with wide, curious eyes and a small, charming face. Her hair was black — neither straight nor curly, but soft waves that framed her face perfectly. Her tiny hands explored the world with wonder, and every movement, even the smallest, carried the subtle grace that had once defined Hana.
This morning, the soft light of spring spilled into the small wooden house. Her father, Kaelen, stood nearby, leaning against the wooden counter as he adjusted a basket of herbs. Her mother, Seranya, moved with gentle precision, preparing breakfast over the crackling hearth.
Kaelen turned to Celestine, kneeling slightly to meet her gaze. "Do you want to hear a story, little one?" he asked, a warm smile lighting his face.
Celestine clapped her tiny hands together in excitement, her dark eyes sparkling. Though her words were still clumsy, her thoughts raced faster than her mouth could speak.
My mother's name is Seranya, she thought, watching the way her mother moved. She's beautiful… kind… and caring. She always smiles, even when busy.
She glanced at her father. And my father… simple, but handsome. Always happy, always cheerful. He makes me feel safe.
Her lips curved into a shy smile. And here I am. Celestine Veyloria… 'I have a new body new name, a family… and they love me and always taking care of me.
Her mind wandered as Kaelen began speaking, his voice steady and full of warmth.
"This world," he said, "is older than most can imagine. Villages like ours are scattered across the lands. Some are peaceful… others… not so much. Magic exists here, though only a few can truly harness it. Monsters roam beyond the forests and mountains. And long ago, before even the first kingdoms were built, the gods themselves walked these lands."
Celestine's eyes widened, absorbing every word.
'Magic… monsters… gods… so this is really a different world. I… I was reborn into a whole fantasy world.'
Her mother brought over a bowl of steaming soup, setting it carefully on the low wooden table.
"Here, Celestine. Let's eat," Seranya said softly, smiling at her daughter's eager gaze.
Celestine reached for the spoon, tiny fingers wrapping around it with effort. My new family… they're so kind, she thought, feeling warmth spread through her chest.
She opened her mouth carefully as her mother guided the spoon.
"Open your mouth, aah," Seranya said gently.
Celestine obeyed, tasting the soft, savory soup. A warmth bloomed inside her, not just from the food, but from the love surrounding her.
"Is it good, Celes?" her mother asked, her voice soft and patient.
Celestine nodded vigorously, managing a small, pleased sound. 'Hmm… yes… so happy… I live in a world where I have a family… kind, caring… they love me'.
The house smelled of fresh bread and herbs. The sun streamed in through the windows, illuminating the small, rustic room, painting the walls in shades of gold. Outside, birds sang, and the distant sound of villagers starting their day drifted faintly through the open door.
It was simple. Ordinary. Peaceful. Everything she had wished for in her past life.