Ren adjusted his backpack as he walked across the campus of Manchester Metropolitan University, the crisp morning air tingling his skin. The campus was alive with the usual hustle of students making their way to class, coffee cups in hand, laptops slung over shoulders. But Ren barely noticed. His mind was still buzzing from the events of the last few days—being pulled into the police station, Tim's arrest, and the realization that his life had truly started over.
2016.
It was hard to wrap his mind around the fact that he was back in time, reliving his life with all the knowledge of the future. The opportunities ahead of him were endless. He could change everything, avoid the mistakes that had ruined his career, and rebuild his life from the ground up. But where to start?
As he crossed the courtyard toward his classroom building, Ren heard someone call his name from behind.
"Ren! Wait up!"
He turned to see Elizabeth, jogging lightly to catch up with him. She had the same warm, lively energy he remembered. Her chestnut hair bounced in loose waves over her shoulders, and her blue eyes sparkled with the same sharpness that had made her one of the smartest people in their program. She was carrying a few textbooks in her arms, her usual half-smile playing on her lips as she caught up to him.
"Hey," Ren greeted, offering a casual wave.
Elizabeth fell into step beside him, her eyes scanning him up and down with a curious expression. "You seem... different," she said, her tone more thoughtful than accusatory. "I don't know. There's something about you today."
Ren shot her a sideways glance, trying to play it off. He hadn't realized he was acting differently, but after everything that had happened, maybe it was showing in ways he didn't expect. "What are you talking about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm the same guy as always."
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes slightly, but there was a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Oh really? You've got that smug vibe going on."
Ren chuckled, shaking his head. "You're imagining things, Liz. I haven't changed at all."
But as they walked into the classroom building together, Ren couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she was picking up on something real. He had changed, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Being given a second chance at life would do that to anyone.
They entered the lecture hall, where the professor was already setting up for today's session. Ren found a seat near the back, where he could blend into the crowd and let his mind wander. As the rest of the students filtered in, chatting amongst themselves, Elizabeth sat next to him, still casting the occasional curious glance his way.
The professor, Dr. Hamilton, began talking about advanced football strategy, diving into match analysis and game plans used by top European clubs. But Ren's mind was elsewhere. He stared blankly at the screen, pretending to take notes as his thoughts drifted back to the future he had lived—and all the things he knew were coming.
What should I do first? The question had been gnawing at him since the moment he realized he was back in 2016. He had all the football knowledge he could ever need—he could make the right moves, get hired by the right clubs, and rebuild his career from scratch. But something else nagged at him.
A sudden thought popped into his mind, something he hadn't thought about in years: the EuroMillions lottery.
Ren straightened in his seat, his heart skipping a beat as he remembered the exact moment from his past. In his old life, he had once been obsessed with the lottery—constantly playing, constantly losing. It had become a guilty pleasure, a bit of excitement amidst the wreckage of his failed career. But one week in December 2016, someone had hit it big. €35 million euros. He had seen it on the news, had cursed his luck, knowing that it could have been him.
But this time, it could be him.
Ren pulled out a scrap of paper from his notebook and began scribbling down numbers. He strained to remember the exact sequence of the winning numbers from that draw. He wasn't 100% sure, but he was close. He had spent enough time cursing himself over it back then that he had practically memorized the pattern. Five main numbers and two stars. He wrote them down:
3, 17, 23, 44, 50
Stars: 2, 8
He stared at the numbers, his pulse quickening. This is it. This could change everything. The adrenaline pumping through his veins was familiar, like the rush he used to get before a big game.
"Ren," Elizabeth whispered, nudging him with her elbow. "You're spacing out. Dr. Hamilton's gonna notice."
"Sorry," Ren muttered, snapping back to reality and pretending to pay attention. But his mind was already racing ahead. He had the numbers. He had the dates. All he needed to do was wait for next month, submit the ticket, and his life would be changed forever.
---
A month passed faster than Ren expected. Each day he found himself more and more anxious as the date of the EuroMillions draw approached. He tried to focus on his studies, to absorb the material in his classes, but his mind kept drifting back to those numbers, back to the idea of winning €35 million euros.
The night before the draw, Ren stood in front of the lottery machine at a local convenience store, staring at the ticket in his hand. The small slip of paper felt strangely heavy in his palm, as though it held the weight of his entire future. The cashier behind the counter raised an eyebrow at him, probably wondering why he was hesitating, but Ren didn't care. This was huge. This was bigger than anything he had ever dreamed of.
What if I'm wrong? The doubt crept into his mind, a familiar, gnawing feeling from his old life. What if I messed up the numbers?
But there was no turning back now. He submitted the ticket, folded the receipt neatly into his wallet, and left the store, trying to calm the surge of nerves twisting in his stomach. He spent the entire day trying not to think about the draw, but by the time the evening came, he was a wreck.
Ren sat in front of his laptop, his eyes glued to the screen as the EuroMillions draw began. His palms were sweaty, his heart hammering in his chest. The announcer's voice was calm and professional, completely unaware of the life-changing stakes at play.
"One by one, here come the numbers," the announcer said.
Ren held his breath.
3.
His heart skipped a beat.
17.
His grip tightened on the edge of his desk. He was right so far.
23.
Another one. His chest tightened.
44.
Ren was starting to feel lightheaded. He couldn't believe it. Could this really be happening?
50.
His entire body went numb. The five main numbers were exactly right. Every single one of them. All that was left were the stars.
The announcer paused dramatically before revealing the first star number.
2.
Ren's hands began to shake. He could barely breathe. One more.
8.
Ren sat back in his chair, stunned. He blinked, his mind racing, trying to process what had just happened. The numbers on the screen matched the numbers on his ticket perfectly. He had won. He had actually won.
"€35 million euros," the announcer said, the words hanging in the air like some surreal dream.
Ren stared at the screen, his heart pounding in his chest. Is this real? Did this actually happen? It felt like a fever dream, something that couldn't possibly be real. But the numbers didn't lie. The ticket in his wallet was real, and he had just become a millionaire.
"€35 million euros."
"Holy shit."
He sat there for what felt like hours, just staring at the screen, unable to believe what had just happened. This kind of money—it was life-changing. He could do anything with it. He could invest in businesses, travel the world, buy whatever he wanted.
But what do I do with this?
His mind began to race with possibilities. The first idea that came to him was football. He could invest in a football club. He could buy a small team and work his way up from there, maybe even build it into something great. The thought entered his mind, and he would contemplate.
What about betting? He could use his knowledge of the future to make strategic bets on football matches, make even more money off the games he already knew the outcome of. But Ren grimaced at the thought. Betting sites were scammy, and once people realized he was making money off every bet, questions would be raised. People would start looking into his background. He didn't need that kind of attention.
Plus owning a football club and betting would put a target on his back. The investigations, the scrutiny—he didn't need that right now. It would be a headache, and he didn't want his new fortune tied up in something so public. He needed to keep things quiet for now, under the radar.