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jayoonology · 1 year

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𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 | 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨

𝗮/𝗻 - SOOBIN MADE HIS DEBUT YAY!! y/n is lowkey a bitch in this chapter but I promise there's a redemption arc coming soon. NOT PROOF READ

𝘄𝗰 - 7.1k

𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 - @fairyofshampgyu @human-misery @goldennika ~ lmk if you want to be part of the taglist 💗💗‼️‼️

𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 ◁ | 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 | 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 ▷

Your head was clouded with everything Taehyun told you yesterday. To a point where you’re questioning the purpose of life. If you really are just a character in a manhwa, what's the point of even trying to achieve anything? Does anything you do actually matter in the grand scheme of things?

In all honesty, you haven’t been handling it well. Everything just makes sense now- just how convenient your life really was.

“Y/N!” A voice calls out your name, before you can turn around, the speaker catches up to you. “Can we walk to school together?”

You pierce a nail into the plush of your hand, making sure you’re still in the shadow. Okay cool. You’re in the shadow. “Yeonjun! Hi!” You say, “Yeah sure!” You nod a little too eagerly.

“Where did you disappear to yesterday?” He asks, his eyes shining with curiosity. You freeze momentarily. Didn’t Taehyun say that people don’t notice when you do your own thing? Why did Yeonjun notice?

“Just needed to talk to a friend” You laugh awkwardly. “Wait how do you know my name?”

He laughs, pointing to your name badge, “Plus you’re quite hard to miss around school.”

You feel your face redden with embarrassment, you let out a small ‘oh’ in response. “H-How are you finding school so far?”

As you walk, you can't help but notice how different he looks in the daylight. His features seem sharper, his eyes brighter. You realise that he's even more beautiful than you thought.

“It’s massive! I got so lost yesterday.” He says in a mock sad tone.

“Aww, I’m sorry!” You sympathise, remembering how lost you were when you first started school. “Maybe I can show you around.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Yeah! We have a lot of the same classes don’t we?”

“You’re a lifesaver Y/N.” As Yeonjun smiles at you, his eyes sparkling with joy, you can feel your heart fluttering in your chest. You try to maintain your composure, but his smile is so charming and infectious that it's hard not to get flustered. You feel your cheeks turning red as you look away, trying to hide your embarrassment.

As it turns out, he’s very easy to have a conversation with, mostly dominating the conversation. You’re glad he is because all of a sudden you’ve become completely incapable of speaking as if the tall man beside you has injected you with some sort of poison.

“Good morning Y/N!” Some of your classmates call out, waving to you. You wave back, greeting them in return.

Yeonjun smirks as he watches you interact with your friends. "Looks like you're the queen bee around here," he says teasingly.

You roll your eyes. "No, I just know a lot of people."

He raises an eyebrow. "Sure, sure. You don't have to be modest. It's cute."

You blush and look away, feeling your heart race at his words. "Stop it," you mumble.

Yeonjun laughs. "What? I'm just stating the truth. You're popular and beautiful. It's hard not to notice."

You feel even more flustered and try to change the subject. “So, are you interested in any extracurriculars?”

Yeonjun nods, "Yeah, I'm actually planning on trying out for the football team."

"Really?" You reply, acting as if you didn’t already know. "I had no idea you played." It was an obvious choice really. Taehyun is also on the football team and he’s supposed to be Yeonjun’s friend. The story is already falling into place.

"Yeah, I've played for years," he says. "It's always been a passion of mine."

“I can introduce you to the captain of the football team, Johnny Suh.” You mention, turning to Yeonjun.

Yeonjun lets out a small laugh, playfully nudging you with his elbow, “You really are popular aren’t you?”

You smile and roll your eyes. "I'm not that popular," you say. "Johnny and I just have a class together, that's all."

Yeonjun chuckles. "Sure, sure," he says teasingly. "You just happen to know everyone in school."

You laugh and playfully shove him. "Shut up," you say, still grinning.

"Okay, okay," he says, holding up his hands in surrender. "But seriously, can you introduce me to Johnny? I want to make a good impression at tryouts."

"Of course," you say, nodding. "I'll talk to him in class today and let him know you're interested in joining the team. I'm sure he'll be happy to meet you."

Yeonjun nods, looking grateful. "You really are a lifesaver Y/N. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

"No problem," you say with a smile. You’d be lying if you said your heart didn’t flutter a bit. It’s a bit stupid you know, you don’t even know Yeonjun. But you can’t deny how charismatic and flirty he is, anyone would be flustered by him.

Click

You feel that paralysing sensation again and that can only mean one thing. You’re on stage. You continue walking with Yeonjun to your homeroom, your movements feeling heavy. It's as if you're watching yourself from a distance, unable to break free from some invisible force that's guiding you. You try to shake off the feeling, but it only gets stronger as you get closer to your classroom. You feel like you're in a dream, where everything is hazy and distorted.

"Hey, do you know Misun?" Yeonjun asks, breaking the silence. You can feel the twinge of jealousy flow through you. Misun…she’s the main lead. Yeonjun’s love interest. You can see his gaze soften when he spots Misun sitting alone near the window.

"Misun? Kinda. Why do you ask?" The words flow out of your mouth. You have to play your role, you have no choice but to.

"I don't know. She just seems really interesting to me. She's always so quiet and keeps to herself. I wonder what she's thinking about.” Yeonjun answers, smiling lightly at the sight of her. You want to roll your eyes, ‘can he make it any more obvious that he likes her?’ At least you think freely while you’re on stage.

“What is she like?”

You hesitate for a moment, not sure how to answer. You've never really talked to Misun, so you don't know much about her personality. But you don't want to seem unhelpful, so you try to come up with something positive. "I'm not really sure. I don't know her that well, to be honest. She doesn’t really have many friends.”

“Oh.” He pouts. “Do you think I should talk to her?”

‘God he’s so cute when he pouts’ You think to yourself— HOLD UP! You push your thoughts away, you can’t find him cute while he’s openly checking out someone else.

"Yeah, definitely,” you affirm, hoping it sounds convincing.

Yeonjun nods thoughtfully, and you can tell he's still interested in Misun. You feel a pang of jealousy, wondering why he's so curious about her when he could be spending time with you. You’re so much more interesting than she is and you damn well you can treat him right. You’ve read quite a few romance manhwas in your lifetime and you know well enough that their relationship is going to be so toxic.

As you arrive at your homeroom, you say goodbye to Yeonjun, taking your seat next to Yunjin, trying to shake off your jealous feelings. You remind yourself that he's just a character in a manhwa and that Misun is the main lead. You're just a second lead, a popular girl who doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

Click

The second you entered the shadow you whip your head back to look at Yeonjun, who’s sitting a couple of desks behind you. You can see him eyeing Misun, a small smile playing on his lips. You watch as he studies her, his expression thoughtful and curious. Misun seems to be completely unaware of his gaze, lost in her own thoughts as she stares out of the window.

You can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as you watch Yeonjun's interest in Misun. You had hoped that maybe he would be interested in you, but it seems that his attention has been drawn to someone else. You try to shake off the feeling, reminding yourself that it's not your place to be jealous or possessive. Yeonjun is free to like whomever he wants, and it's not up to you to decide who he should be interested in. Besides it’d be stupid for you to like Yeonjun, you already know you can’t have him. You shouldn’t let yourself get swayed by him.

As you're lost in your thoughts, staring at Yeonjun and Misun, you suddenly feel a nudge on your shoulder. You turn to see your friend Yunjin grinning at you mischievously.

"Hey, what's going on over here? You've been staring at Yeonjun for the past five minutes."

You feel a blush rise to your cheeks as you realise you've been caught. You try to play it cool, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Oh, it's nothing. I was just lost in thought."

Yunjin doesn't seem convinced, however, and she continues to tease you. "Come on, spill it. Do you like him?"

You feel a sudden surge of panic at her question. You don’t want like Yeonjun but you can’t lie and say you aren’t interested- he's certainly attractive and kind. And yet, the thought of him being interested in someone else makes your heart ache a little. Just a little. "No, of course not. I barely even know him.”

Yunjin seems to accept your answer, but you can tell she's still suspicious.

Suddenly, you feel a shift in the air, and you realize that Yeonjun has turned to look at you. Your eyes meet his, and for a moment, time seems to stand still. You feel a flutter in your chest as you look into his deep brown eyes, wondering what he's thinking. You awkwardly smile, giving him a small wave.

He smiles back, reciprocating the wave before turning back to look at Misun.

You're so fucked, you definitely like Yeonjun

You walk into the music room, feeling frustrated and a little bit lost. You can hear the soft strains of Taehyun’s guitar playing drifting through the air, and you pause for a moment, taking it all in. It's not until you move closer that Taehyun looks up, startled by your sudden appearance. "Oh, hey. You scared me. What's up?"

He scotches over, giving you space to sit next to him.

"I need to win over Yeonjun," you say, frowning. "I can't keep being the second lead." Maybe you are egotistical but you can’t sit back and take being the second lead. You know your worth and you know you deserve better. You can’t bare the thought of not having control in your life.

Taehyun raises an eyebrow, "You do realise we're living in a manhwa, right? You can't change the storyline."

"I know that," you say, a hint of desperation in your voice. "But maybe we can try to change things a little bit. You're Yeonjun's friend in the manhwa, right? Maybe you can help me out."

Taehyun shakes his head, "I don't think it's a good idea. You can't just go against the writer's intentions. Besides, who's to say that you and Yeonjun are meant to be together?"

“I can’t stand being the second lead Taehyun, it’s torture!”, you say, feeling frustrated. "I can't just sit back and watch as he falls for Misun.”

Taehyun puts his hand on your shoulder, “I understand how you feel but I don’t think we should try to change the storyline. I don’t know the effects of changing the storyline.. but I can’t imagine it being positive.”

"I know we can't change the storyline, but we can try to get closer to him in the shadow. Maybe we can create a new storyline for ourselves," you say, determined.

Taehyun sighs, "Fine. But you have to promise me that you won't get your hopes up. We can't control what happens on the stage."

"I promise," you say, feeling grateful that Taehyun has agreed to help. "What should we do first?"

"Well, for starters, I think you need to develop some hobbies and interests," Taehyun says, looking over at you. "Even though you're an all-rounder, you don't really have definitive interests that can appeal to Yeonjun."

You furrow your brow, "What do you mean? I play sports, I'm a good student, and I'm popular in school. Isn't that enough?"

Taehyun shrugs, "Those are all great things, but they don't make you unique. You need to find something that sets you apart from everyone else."

You think about it for a moment, "I guess you're right. But what should I do?" Taehyun is right, you should get into something that makes you unique. The writer made Misun an artist, maybe that’s why she stands out to Yeonjun.

Taehyun thinks for a moment before saying, "I don’t know, probably something you can do in your free time without the writer interfering." He turns to look at you, “What sounds interesting to you?”

You rack your brain for things you find interesting, not a single thing comes to mind. Sure, you play video games with Sakura and Beomgyu and you go binge-watch dramas with Yunjin but those aren’t really unique.

What is it that the main characters in manhwas like doing? READING! They like reading! You've always been a good student and enjoyed learning, but you've never really read for pleasure before. How hard can reading be? Not like you’re going to be tested on it, you just need to seem interesting.

“Reading!” You exclaim, slightly alarming the boy next to you, “All main characters love reading.”

“Alright, do you know where to start?”

You grin sheepishly, “No..but you can help me right! You hang out in the library!”

“Only really for the manhwa, not for actually reading stuff.” Your face falls at his confession. You don’t know a single thing about books, you’ve only ever read webtoons and books you get in literature class.

“Don’t worry though, I have an idea.” Taehyun grins, leaning back. “There’s this guy in your literature class, Choi Soobin. He's always in the library, reading books. Maybe you could talk to him and see what he's reading."

Choi Soobin? You’ve always been vaguely aware of his existence despite never actually speaking to him. He’s a pretty hard person to miss, especially since he’s an absolute giant. You know that he’s really good at literature, almost always getting top grades. Other than that you don’t really know anything about him.

You nod slowly, "That's a good idea. I've seen him around before, but I've never talked to him. Do you think he'd be okay with me just approaching him like that?"

Taehyun shrugs, “Is me saying no really going to affect whether you’ll do it or not?” You shake your head. He grins, “I thought so.”

You leap to your feet, motivation coursing through your veins. “Thank you Taehyun! I’m going to go find Soobin now.”

There’s no way Yeonjun won’t like you know. You’ll make sure he does.

You walk through the bustling halls of the school, keeping an eye out for Soobin. You scan the faces of the passing students, but you don't see him anywhere. Your heart starts to race as you worry that you won't be able to find him. What if he isn’t at school today?

You make your way to the library, your eyes darting around as you look for any sign of the quiet boy. As you step into the hushed room, the sound of shuffling pages fills your ears. You see a blonde-haired boy sitting alone at a desk, engrossed in a book.

There he is! Soobin! As you get closer, you notice how tall he is, towering over most of the other students in the library. You approach his table and clear your throat softly to get his attention. You take a deep breath and sit down in the chair opposite Soobin's. He looks up from his book, surprised to see you there. You can see the nervousness in his eyes, and you try to smile to put him at ease.

"Hey, Soobin, right? I'm Y/N. We’re in the same Lit class!"

Soobin looks at you, his eyes widening in surprise. "Oh, hi Y/N," he says quietly, still looking a bit nervous. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yeah, I just wanted to come say hi and see what you were reading," you say, nodding toward the book in front of him. "Is it good?"

Soobin nods slowly, still looking a little hesitant. "Uh, yeah."

You give him a reassuring smile. "I've seen you around the library a lot, and I was wondering if you could recommend any good books."

Soobin's eyes widen in surprise. "Really? I mean, I like reading a lot, but I never really thought anyone else did. Um, let me think..." He starts rifling through the stack of books on his desk, looking for something to recommend.

You watch as Soobin scrambles through the books on the table, his fingers flicking through the pages as he searches for something to recommend. His eyes scan the covers and his brows furrow in concentration, as if he's trying to find the perfect book for you.

Finally, he pulls out a thin, well-worn paperback and hands it to you. "This one is my favourite," he says quietly, almost shyly.

You take the book from him and look at the cover. It's a classic novel, one that you've heard of but never read. You can't help but be impressed that Soobin's taste in literature is so sophisticated.

"Thank you, Soobin," you say sincerely, standing up "I can't wait to read it."

Soobin nods, still looking a bit nervous. "You're welcome. Let me know what you think."

You give a small smile before walking away. You hold the book that Soobin had recommended, you couldn't help but be intrigued by its cover. The dark and eerie artwork on the front immediately caught your eye. The cover was adorned with a black beetle, its exoskeleton glistening in the light, and its long, spindly legs looked like they were poised to scuttle away. You traced your fingers over the raised edges of the beetle and wondered what significance it held in the book. The title "Metamorphosis" was written in bold, capitalised letters that seemed to jump off the page. You can’t lie, it did look very captivating.

As you were leaving the library with the book Soobin recommended, you suddenly heard a familiar voice calling out your name. You turned around and saw your friend Kai walking towards you with a smirk on his face.

"Hey there, Y/N. What's with the book?" he asked, teasingly.

You tried to hide the book behind your back and gave Kai a sheepish smile. "Just felt like reading something, you know?" you replied, hoping he wouldn't press any further.

Hyuka raised an eyebrow at you, clearly not convinced. "Oh really? Since when do you read for fun? You're always so busy with your extracurriculars and hanging out with us."

You felt a little embarrassed, knowing that Kai was right. You didn't usually have much free time to read, but you didn't want to admit to him that you were trying to impress Yeonjun by developing a new interest.

"Yeah, well, I just wanted to try something new, that's all," you said, hoping he would drop the subject. Kai took your arm and began to drag you towards the courtyard, where some of your friends were already gathered. "Come on, Y/N, we're all gonna hang out together," he said, dropping the subject.

You couldn't help but smile at Kai's enthusiasm, and you allowed him to lead you outside. As you walked, you clutched the book Soobin had given you tightly to your chest, feeling a newfound sense of purpose.

When you arrived at the courtyard, you were greeted with smiles and waves from your friends. Yunjin looks up from her phone and exclaimed, "Y/N, you're here! What are you reading?"

You hesitate for a moment, not wanting to reveal the truth about Soobin. "Oh, just a book I picked up at the library," you say nonchalantly.

Kai, who was still standing next to you, rolls his eyes playfully. “Never thought I’d see a day where Y/N would pick up a book.” he teases, causing everyone to laugh.

You couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed, but you try to play it off, holding up the book for everyone to see.

Yunjin leans over to get a better look at the cover. "Metamorphosis, huh? That looks interesting," she comments.

Beomgyu, who had been sitting on the ground, got up and walked over to you. "I've read that one before," he says. "It's kind of weird, but in a good way."

"Have you guys heard about the new guy?" Mark asks suddenly, looking around at the group. "He wants to join the football team."

"Really?" Beomgyu says, perking up. "I wonder if he's any good."

"He's got some skills," Haechan chimes in. "Y/N here even recommended him to Johnny."

Everyone turns to look at you and you feel your face flush. "I just thought he seemed like he had potential," you mumble.

Yunjin, always the playful one, grins mischievously. "Or maybe you just have a crush on him," she teases.

You feel your face turning red and quickly deny it, "What are you talking about? I don't have a crush on him." You feel a knot form in your stomach. You can't let them know that you do have a crush on Yeonjun, especially since Taehyun had warned you about not trying to change the storyline. “He's just an attractive guy, that's all.”

The group erupts in laughter again, teasing you about your crush on Yeonjun. You can feel your cheeks getting hot with embarrassment, but you try to push the thoughts out of your head.

You do kind of like Yeonjun, it’s a bit too early to tell but you do know that you can’t be stuck as the second lead. Your eyes flicker down to the book you got from the library early.

Right, you should probably start reading that now if you want to impress Yeonjun. You open the book gently, your eyes taking in the words.

As your friends continue their chatter about Yeonjun and the many rumours that surround him, you feel yourself slowly drifting away from the conversation. You begin to lose yourself in the pages of the book, finding yourself getting lost in the intricate details of the narrative. You couldn’t stop yourself from turning the pages, your eyes feasting on the words on the aged paper. The world around you fades away as you delve deeper into the pages of the book.

Your thoughts are interrupted as Yunjin nudges you, informing you that it’s time for class. You pick up your backpack and start walking towards your next class, weaving your way through the busy school corridors. You try to dodge past groups of chatty teenagers and avoid tripping over any stray backpacks or feet that are sticking out into the walkway. Your mind keeps floating back to metamorphosis. Soobin was right to have it as one of his favourite books. It was so addictive you finished the whole thing in one sitting. You know you shouldn’t be patting your back just yet, it’s only one book; but still, you feel accomplished to be working towards your goal.

You walk into the classroom, the sound of chatter and shuffling of chairs greets your ears. You scan the room, your eyes landing on the back row where you usually sit. That's when you see him - Soobin. He's sitting in his usual seat, his tall frame hunched over a notebook, his face obscured by a curtain of blonde hair.

You smile skipping over to his desk, "Soobin," you greeted him cheerfully, "I finished the book you recommended to me. It was really good!"

Soobin looked up at you in surprise, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Already?" he asked, clearly taken aback by your quick reading pace.

You nodded enthusiastically, taking a seat next to him. "Yeah, I couldn't put it down. Your recommendation was spot on."

Soobin smiled softly at your words, a hint of pink creeping onto his cheeks. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he replied quietly, still seemingly surprised by your eagerness.

"I'm really grateful that you recommended the book to me," you said sincerely, flashing him another smile. "I never would have thought to read it if you hadn't suggested it."

Soobin nodded in response, his eyes meeting yours briefly before he quickly looked away. You could tell he was still a little shy and nervous around you.

“Do you have any more recommendations?” You ask, moving closer to him.

Soobin seems taken aback by your request as if he wasn't expecting you to ask him for another recommendation so soon. "Uh, sure," he says, setting his book down on the desk. "What kind of book are you in the mood for?"

You think for a moment, considering your options. "I'm open to anything, really," you reply. "What's your favourite book?"

Soobin hesitates for a moment before answering as if he's not used to talking about his personal favourites. "Well, I really like The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger," he says finally. "It's a classic coming-of-age story, but it’s longer than Metamorphosis.”

You nod, displaying a proud smile. "I've heard of that one before!” Soobin lets out a gentle laugh before reaching into his bag and pulling out the book.

"Here," he says, handing it to you. "I have a copy you can borrow."

You smile as Soobin hands you his copy of the book, thanking him for the recommendation. As you take the book, you pause for a moment, looking at the cover before asking, "Are you sure it's okay that I take your copy?"

Soobin nods, "Yeah, it's fine. I've read it a few times already, and I think you'll like it."

You nod, tucking the book under your arm, "Thank you, Soobin. I'll make sure to take good care of it."

Soobin smiles shyly, "You're welcome. Let me know what you think of it."

Before you could say anything Haechan yells out your name from across the room. You glance over at your friends and see them waving you over. You look back at Soobin and give him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I gotta go over there. Thanks for the book recommendation though, I'm excited to read it," you say as you start to gather your things.

Soobin nods and smiles back at you. "No problem, I hope you enjoy it," he replies.

As you walk over to your friends, you can't help but feel a little guilty for leaving Soobin so soon. You shake off the feeling and join your friends at their table. You make your way over to the table where your friends are seated and take a seat next to Sakura. The group is abuzz with excitement, and you can feel the energy radiating off of them. "What's up?" you ask.

"We were just talking about Yeonjun," Yoon says, winking at you.

You roll your eyes, "Here we go again."

Haechan jumps in, "I heard he's actually a spy for a secret organisation."

Sumin chimes in, "No, he's a prince from a far-off land, incognito at our school."

You all burst out laughing, amused by the absurd rumours about the new kid. "Have any of you actually talked to him?" you ask, genuinely curious.

"I saw him in the cafeteria today,” Kai says, "He was sitting with Taehyun and the rest of the football team.”

“Oh shit, so he already got into the team?” Yoon gasps, placing her hand over her mouth in surprise.

“Apparently he’s really good! Taehyun said Johnny was so impressed that he accepted him right away.” Kai responds, sitting on top of the desk.

As you listen to your friends talk about Yeonjun's sudden rise to popularity, you can't help but think about the real reason behind it all. While of course he’s attractive and talented and a good student and millions of other things, you know the real reason why he’s gotten so popular is because he’s the main character.

click

Oh great, you’re on stage, again. The door to the classroom opens revealing Yeonjun with a small figure walking behind him. It takes less than a second for you to realise it’s Misun. The loud class suddenly erupts into whispers, indeed about Yeonjun and Misun, surprised that someone like him is talking to her.

Yeonjun notices you, offering you a small smile as he walks towards you. Behind him Misun tags along, looking down at her feet as she walks. You couldn’t help but feel annoyed, does Misun have to follow Yeonjun around like a lost puppy?

"Hey, I just wanted to say thank you for talking to Johnny for me," Yeonjun said, a small smile on his face.

"No problem," you replied, returning his smile. "I'm just glad I could help. I hope it works out for you."

"I'm sure it will. And speaking of things working out, I talked to Misun,” he says, gesturing towards the girl standing behind him. If the stage didn’t restrict you. You would stick your tongue out in a childish manner, what does it matter anyway? They’ll all forget it when the scene changes.

Misun looks up at you shyly, and you feel a pang of annoyance towards Misun. "That's great," you say, trying to hide your scepticism.

He smiles, walking a couple of desks in front of you, taking a seat with Misun. Why is he sitting next to her when he should be sitting next to you? After all, you did him a huge favour by introducing him to Johnny. You can’t help but think it’s such poor writing, the second lead is always a better match for the main character.

You sit at your desk in class, listening to the teacher drone on about the lesson. The only thing that plagued your mind was Yeonjun and Misun.

Suddenly, you hear Haechan and Sumin's voices from behind you, talking about Misun.

"Ugh, I don't know why Yeonjun would like her," Yuqi says, her voice dripping with disdain. "She's such a nobody."

Haechan chimes in, "Yeah, and she always looks like a mess. She literally stinks."

Ah! The classic manhwa bullying! Usually, when you read comics you feel bad for the female lead, you always thought it was unfair she got picked on just because a popular guy liked her but now that you’re living in one? Your opinion has DEFINITELY changed. If Misun getting bullied pushes her away from Yeonjun then let it be, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to slither in.

They are making fun of her clothes and the way she talks, laughing at how she always looks nervous and timid. Call it evil but you didn’t care.

Yuqi taps your shoulder, "What do you think, Y/N? Do you think Misun is even worth talking to? She's so boring and unlikeable."

“I think you guys are reading too much into it.” The words flow out of your mouth. You want to stop talking but you can’t, “Just because Yeonjun is nice to her doesn’t mean he likes her.”

Haechan tries to defend himself, "I'm not reading into it, I'm just being honest. Misun is just trying to get attention from Yeonjun because she's so desperate."

Click

“Guys!” Yunjin whisper yells at the three of you, “Shut up I can’t listen to what the teacher is saying.”

“I think Misun is an attention whore.” You say, finally free from the restraints of the stage.

Haechan lets out a small chuckle, “That’s the spirit! You can’t let her steal Yeonjun from you.”

“Oh my god, please shut up!” Yunjin repeats, still in a hushed tone.

You smile knowingly at Haechan. Of course, you won’t let her take him from you.

As soon as the bell rings, you make a beeline for Yeonjun, not even sparing a glance at Misun who is standing next to him. You tap him on the shoulder and flash him a bright smile. "Hey, Yeonjun. Do you want to come get some coffee with me? I can help you with schoolwork since you joined in the middle of the year."

Yeonjun turns to face you, a small smile on his lips. "Sorry, Y/N. I've already made plans with Misun."

Your heart drops at his words, but you try to hide your disappointment with a smile. "Oh, that's fine. Maybe some other time then."

Yeonjun nods and gives you a small wave before turning back to Misun. You can't help but feel a pang of jealousy as you watch the two of them talking and laughing together. Why are they moving so fast already? They just met? What is the writer doing? It’s like they’re purposely setting up for you to lose.

As you walk out of class, you can feel your irritation growing. Why did Yeonjun have to turn you down so coldly? You were just trying to help him out. As you walk through the hallways, you spot Taehyun up ahead.

"Hey, Taehyun," you call out as you catch up to him. "Do you have a minute?"

“You look annoyed. You have that angry vein on your forehead.” He points out, his finger hovering over your forehead.

“I am.”

"Uh oh, what happened?" he asks, leaning against the wall to let people walk past the busy hallway.

"Yeonjun turned me down for coffee because he's already made plans with Misun," you say, rolling your eyes.

Taehyun raises an eyebrow. "Really? They’re hanging out already?"

You nod with annoyance, “Why is everything moving so fast?”

Taehyun furrows his brows, deeply confused, “The last time I checked the manhwa Yeonjun and Misun just met. That was literally an hour ago.” He pulls out the manhwa from his bag, flicking through the pages.

You can’t help but notice the new panels that have been added, the ones that took place in class. You roll your eyes for the hundredth time, you can’t believe you had to defend Misun.

“There are no new scenes between them.” Taehyun says, scanning the pages, “They must be fated then huh?”

You lightly push his shoulder, “Shut up.”

“Look I’d love to sit and chat but I’ve gotta get to practice,” Taehyun says, putting the book back into his bag. You mumble a goodbye and walk away, somehow in a worse mood.

You know Taehyun has practice but you sort of hoped he'd just ditch and listen to you vent. You don't have anyone else to talk to, none of your friends know about Yeonjun or being conscious and Taehyun told you not to tell them.

Nothing is going your way today. The peak of your day was literally walking to school with Yeonjun and that was literally the first thing that happened today.

You try lightening up, pushing those thoughts from your head. As you turn the corner, you see the familiar sign for the café in the distance. The colourful sign with the name of the café written in cursive letters makes you smile. The café is small and cosy, tucked away in a quiet alley. You push open the door, and the sweet aroma of coffee hits your nose.

The interior is dimly lit, with soft music playing in the background. You notice the owner, Mrs Kim, who is sitting behind the counter. She greets you warmly, and you take a seat at one of the tables by the window.

As you wait for your order, you watch people walking by the window, enjoying the calmness of the café. The café has a few regular customers, but mostly it’s just you who comes in here. The owner Mrs Kim is always happy to see you, and sometimes she even gives you a discount on your order.

You take a sip of your coffee, savouring the rich and warm flavour. The coffee is always perfect here, it always has been.

You can't help but be mesmerized by the beauty of early spring. The sky is a clear blue, and the sun is shining brightly, casting a warm glow over everything. The sounds of the cafe fade into the background as you lose yourself in the beauty of the world outside. You look out the window and see the trees beginning to bud, their branches dotted with pink and white flowers. The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, and the delicate pink petals flutter in the breeze like confetti. You watch as people walk by, stopping to admire the beauty of the trees, taking pictures to capture the moment.

As you continue to gaze out of the window, lost in thought, the sound of a car honking jolts you back to reality. You take another sip of your coffee and let out a small sigh. You wish Yeonjun was here with you to enjoy this moment. As you gaze outside, you see a couple walking hand in hand and smiling at each other. You wonder if Yeonjun and Misun are doing the same thing right now. You can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy, wishing that you were the one holding Yeonjun's hand.

Trying to distract yourself from the thoughts of Yeonjun, you pull out the book that Soobin had given you earlier. You were hoping for Yeonjun to be here so you could impress him with all the new things you’ve learnt today but oh well. You can read another book in the meantime, it means you’ll have more to talk about. As you read, the words seem to blur together as your mind keeps wandering back to Yeonjun. You let out a sigh and close the book, placing it on the table.

“I have to pull it together.” You whisper to yourself, taking a deep breath.

You remind yourself that you are here to relax and enjoy the book, not to stress about Yeonjun. You open the book again and try to lose yourself in it, letting the story take you away to a different world. You read for a while longer, lost in thought and the captivating words of the novel. You close the book and take a deep breath, feeling a bit more composed than before. You drink the last sip of your once-hot coffee, checking your watch. You should really get going now. You stand up, leave some money on the table for the coffee and head towards the door.

“Bye Mrs Kim!” You smile at the older woman.

“Bye, dear!” She shouts over the sound of the coffee machine.

As you step outside, the chilly night air hits you. You wrap your coat tightly around yourself and start walking back home. You can't help but feel impressed by Soobin's taste in literature. Every book he's recommended to you so far has been a masterpiece. It's almost as if he has an innate ability to pick out the perfect book for you. Your thoughts only dive in deeper, you and Soobin are practically strangers, but his ability to give you a book that’s your taste makes it seem like you’ve known each other forever.

Suddenly, you feel a jolt as you bump into someone. You look up and see Soobin standing in front of you, looking surprised. You blush, feeling embarrassed that you weren't paying attention to where you were going. "Oh, sorry!" you exclaimed, feeling embarrassed, you wonder if you summoned him or something.

"It's okay," Soobin replies softly, looking a bit shy and awkward.

You try to be more bubbly and friendly to make up for your clumsiness. “It's nice to see you outside of school. What are you up to?"

"I'm just on my way to the bookstore to pick up a few books," he replies, playing with the straps of his backpack.

"Speaking of books! I have to tell you how impressed I am by how you always recommend the most perfect books for me," you smile brightly. Soobin's cheeks flush a little at the compliment. "I have to ask, how do you know my taste in books so well?" you continue, genuinely curious.

He looks up at you, his eyes wide with surprise, and you can't help but feel a little amused by his reaction. "I- I just read a lot," he stammers.

"No, seriously, it's impressive," you insisted, feeling a bit more bubbly now. "You should work at a bookstore or something."

Soobin chuckled nervously. "Thanks, but I don't think I'm that good."

"I disagree," you said firmly. "You recommended two amazing books to me in just one day. That's pretty impressive."

If it’s possible, Soobin turns even pinker, his eyes avoiding contact. “Did you enjoy catcher in the rye?” He says, changing the topic.

"Yeah, I loved it," you replied, smiling. “I’m nearly done.”

“You’re a fast reader!” Soobin laughs slightly, staring at his shoes. It's clear that he's not used to talking to people he doesn't know well, and for some reason, you can’t help but find it endearing.

“Your recommendations are just so good I can’t put the book down.” You tease playfully. Soobin's smile grows a little wider at your compliment, and you can tell that he's starting to feel more comfortable around you. You find yourself wanting to put him at ease, to make him feel like he can be himself around you.

As you both start to say your goodbyes, you hesitate for a moment before finally mustering up the courage to ask for his number.

“Hey, can I get your number?” You blurt out, handing him your phone.

Soobin's cheeks immediately flush pink, and he stammers for a moment before finally nodding his head. "Y-yeah, sure," he says, awkwardly typing in his number. "I-I'd like that."

You can't help but smile at his shyness, finding it even more endearing than before. "Great, thank you!" you say, before saying goodbye and walking away with a sense of excitement. You couldn’t wait to get home and finish reading the book, just so you could have something to text Soobin about.

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