Regret is the heaviest burden the heart can carry.
The day Beatriz Andrea Reyes died, the sky was as gray as her future had always felt. Rain tapped against the cracked windows of her cramped apartment in Manila, a rhythmic reminder of everything she had lost opportunities wasted, dreams shelved, relationships broken beyond repair.
At thirty years old, Beatriz was a shadow of the bright, wide-eyed girl she used to be. Once full of passion and potential, she had become just another name on a long list of forgotten lives drowned by poverty, worn out by responsibility, and betrayed by the very people she once sacrificed everything for.
She lay on a thin mattress, wrapped in a blanket that offered little warmth, her breaths shallow and slow. The silence was deafening, broken only by the soft hum of a broken electric fan and the occasional honk of a jeepney passing outside. She hadn't eaten in two days. There was no money left. No strength either. Just memories vivid, painful, and sharp like broken glass.
Her fingers gripped an old, worn notebook. The pages were filled with her childhood handwriting lists of dreams written by a twelve-year-old girl who still believed in magic.
"Dreams ni Bea"
1. Maging top student sa school
2. Magka-scholarship sa abroad
3. Maging singer sa ASAP or GMA
4. Magpatayo ng sariling bahay para kay Mama
5. Makatulong sa buong pamilya
6. Magka-love life na loyal at totoo
7. Maging milyonarya!
She stared at the list, a bitter smile curving her lips. None of them came true.
Not one.
Her stomach growled again, but she ignored it. It didn't matter anymore. Her time was running out. And the world wouldn't even notice when she disappeared.
But just before the light in her eyes faded completely, something strange happened.
A sudden warmth enveloped her body, like a gentle hug from someone she hadn't felt in years. The rain outside grew quieter, softer, until it faded entirely. And in the silence, a voice echoed in her mind—clear, calm, and mechanical.
[Dream Fulfillment Check-in System Initializing…]
[Rebirth Permission Granted.]
[Syncing Host Memories… Complete.]
[Welcome, Host. Prepare for System Activation in 3… 2… 1…]
Beatriz's eyes widened. The pain disappeared. The cold vanished. Her body felt… light.
And then everything went black.
---
When she opened her eyes again, she was lying on a familiar bed in a small, messy room filled with posters of K-pop idols, stuffed toys, and school medals that still sparkled in the sunlight. A calendar on the wall read: July 14, 2013.
A squeaky electric fan spun overhead. The scent of tinolang manok drifted in from the kitchen. From the living room came the sound of a teleserye theme song.
She sat up quickly, her heart racing. Her hands are small. Her voice is so young. Her face is round and fresh in the mirror.
No way.
She leapt off the bed and ran to the window. Outside, a younger version of her kuya was playing basketball with their neighbor. Her mother's laughter echoed from the dining room. She could hear her own voice from the past, yelling, "Ma! Gutom na ako!"
She stumbled backward, eyes wide, lungs gasping for air.
She was twelve again.
And then, a golden screen appeared before her eyes.
[Dream Fulfillment Check-in System Activated.]
[Welcome back, Beatriz Andrea Reyes. You have been given a second chance.
Complete daily, weekly, and lifetime Dream Check-ins to receive rewards, skills, knowledge, and resources.
System Tip: Real dreams require action. Are you ready to begin?]
A single button blinked before her:
[Start Check-in Journey]
Her hands trembled.
In her first life, she died with a heart full of dreams and nothing to show for it.
But this time… she had a system.
This time, she had a guide.
This time, she would live the life she was meant to.
Beatriz Andrea Reyes wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and pressed the button.