Upon hearing Estelle’s soft voice, Cristofer felt a sudden tension in his body.

Sighing gently, Estelle continued, “You once owed me, and now I owe you. Let’s call it even and start fresh, okay?”

Her words stirred a memory in Cristofer. He recalled the day when he first met Estelle. She had just entered junior high school, and she looked slim and beautiful. With her high ponytail and big eyes, she was dressed in a school uniform consisting of a white shirt and a plaid skirt.

“Cristofer, this is Estelle. You can treat her like your sister,” Cristofer's mother had introduced Estelle to him.

Cristofer couldn’t deny that from the...